IHSAA football Week 9 predictions: Regular season finishes with a bang. Will Kyle's picks?

Week 9 of the high school football season is here. Hard to believe. But we have some great matchups coming this week, including a pair of Class 6A showdowns. I was 37-5 again last week to improve to 270-69 (79.6%) on the season. Here is look at predictions on all of the Central Indiana games:

Hamilton Southeastern (7-1) at Brownsburg (8-0): The Hoosier Crossroads Conference is on the line, though the Class 6A top-ranked Bulldogs have already clinched a share. No. 4 Hamilton Southeastern can get a piece of it, too, with a win. HSE knocked off Brownsburg 31-28 last season when both teams came in with 8-0 records. Both teams have first-year starters at quarterback who have played like veterans. Brownsburg senior Jake Dunn has completed 66.4% of his passes for 1,461 yards and 17 TDs and provided a running threat (390 yards, four TDs) alongside senior standout Garrett Sherrell (1,725 yards, 20 TDs). HSE junior Chandler Weston has completed 62% of his passes for 1,078 yards and 13 TDs and run for 191 yards and two TDs. Senior Jalen Alexander has 984 rushing yards 11 TDs and senior Donovan Hamilton 35 catches for 713 yards and eight TDs. Plenty of big-time senior talent in this one and a couple of teams with title aspirations. It’s not out of the realm of possibility they could meet again at Lucas Oil Stadium in several weeks. Brownsburg 31, HSE 28.

Center Grove (7-1) at Cathedral (6-2), at Butler: This rivalry will move to Week 7 next season so this is the last time, at least for the immediate future, these programs will meet at the end of the regular season. Seventh-ranked Cathedral stunned Center Grove last season with a furious fourth-quarter rally for a 40-29 win to snap the Trojans’ 26-game winning streak against in-state opponents. But Center Grove came back to dominate the rematch in the semistate, 33-10, on the way to a third consecutive 6A state title. Center Grove has reeled off seven wins in a row with a strong defense, passing game (Tyler Cherry has 1,775 passing yards and 18 TDs on 73.5% completions) and an improving ground game led by Matthew Yoder (637 yards, seven TDs). Cathedral has won four in a row since the Chatard loss and has a quarterback with plenty of experience in these types of games in senior and Colorado commit Danny O’Neil (1,372 passing yards, 23 TDs; 548 rushing yards, eight TDs). The Irish have struggled at times against the pass, which could be an issue against Cherry and Noah Coy (57 catches, 827 yards, 10 TDs). Center Grove 34, Cathedral 24.

Indiana high school football: The 15 best IHSAA sectional Week 1 games

Week 9 power rankings: Major matchups in 6A to close season

Westfield (7-1) at Franklin Central (4-4): Class 6A No. 6 Westfield has bounced back nicely from the 37-7 loss to Brownsburg with wins over Avon and Fishers. The Shamrocks can grab a share of the HCC championship with a win and an HSE win over Brownsburg. This would also be win No. 100 for coach Jake Gilbert during his 13-year tenure at Westfield. Franklin Central quarterback Nevan Tutterow (55.4% completions, 1,525 yards, 12 TDs) and receivers Jayon Harvey (31 catches, 552 yards, three TDs) and William McKinley (23 catches, 402 yards, four TDs) lead the Franklin Central offense. Westfield 24, Franklin Central 20.

Carmel (5-3) at Lawrence Central (3-5): The Greyhounds have been getting it done with a defense led by junior linebacker Jimmie Winbush Jr., senior linebacker Artemas Bryant and others, an offense that has provided just enough and a strong kicking game with Josh Placzek, who booted the game-winner last week on a 37-yarder in a 17-14 win over Warren Central in the final two minutes. Lawrence Central, which is averaging 32.6 points per game, was able to hang in the game with third-ranked Ben Davis last week in a 26-23 loss. Sophomore Terry Walker III was 18-for-33 passing for 313 yards and two TDs and Ahmaad Duff caught six passes for 152 yards and a score. Lawrence Central 26, Carmel 21.

Franklin (5-3) at Decatur Central (6-2): This is a one part of the two games Friday night that will decide the Mid-State Conference race, which is a current four-way tie at the top. Class 5A No. 7 Decatur Central has won four in a row since losing to Whiteland and Martinsville. Senior receiver Chris Richmond (30 catches, 536 yards, six TDs) is a major threat on offense and intercepted a pass last week for the Hawks. Franklin beat Decatur Central last year for the first time in 12 years. Decatur Central 30, Franklin 27.

Martinsville (5-3) at Plainfield (6-2): This is the second part of the Mid-State race as both of these teams are also tied at the top with Franklin and Decatur Central. Class 5A No. 10 Plainfield took it on the chin last week in a 22-8 loss to Whiteland. Martinsville senior Brayden Shrake (1,247 rushing yards, nine TDs for the season) had another big game last week in a 38-35 win over Mooresville. The Quakers have won four in a row this series. Plainfield 35, Martinsville 34.

Monrovia (6-2) vs. Scecina (5-3), at Beech Grove: Monrovia ran for a staggering 573 yards last week in a 42-35 win over Cascade, including two 200-yard rushers Brayton Belcher (28 carries for 262 yards and three TDs) and Asher Clements (202 yards and one TD). Scecina is coming off a 41-28 win over Cardinal Ritter as sophomore Eric Montgomery ran for 186 yards and two TDs on 32 carries. Monrovia 35, Scecina 27.

Christian Brothers (Mo.) (5-2) at Warren Central (3-5): CBC, a St. Louis program, won the Class 6 state championship last year, which included a 52-25 regular-season win over Warren Central. CBC does not appear to be quite as loaded this season, but did roll to a 55-28 win over Carmel in Week 2, putting up 585 yards of total offense. Warren Central is coming off a 17-14 loss to Carmel last week. CBC 38, Warren Central 28.

Whiteland (4-4) at Greenwood (4-4): Slate Valentine ran for 192 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries as Whiteland rushed for 362 yards total in a 22-8 victory over Plainfield. Greenwood struggled to stop the run last week in a 35-21 loss to Franklin, which might not bode well against the Warriors, who have won four in a row in this series. Whiteland 35, Greenwood 28.

Zionsville (3-5) at Fishers (5-3): Zionsville has now lost four in a row after a 3-1 start, but is playing a lot of young players in key spots. Fishers is coming off a 28-14 loss to Westfield, though the Tigers did put up 320 yards of offense, including 198 on the ground. Fishers 31, Zionsville 21.

Cincinnati Elder (5-3) at Bishop Chatard (8-0): This will be a significant challenge for Class 3A top-ranked Chatard, which lost 21-16 last season to Elder. The Trojans have been excellent on defense this season, allowing just 9.1 points per game as only two opponents have scored double digits. Cincinnati Elder 24, Bishop Chatard 21.

New Palestine (6-2) at Delta (5-3), 7:30 p.m.: Class 4A No. 4 New Palestine has rebounded from an 0-2 start to win six in a row. The Dragons lean heavily on senior running back Grayson Thomas (1,476 rushing yards, 20 TDs) and senior Kyler Kropp (22 catches, 524 yards, four TDs; 211 rushing yards, four TDs) at the skill positions. Delta has not defeated the Dragons since 2012. New Palestine 33, Delta 20.

Danville (6-2) at North Montgomery (5-3): Danville notched its best win of the season last week in a 21-7 victory over Western Boone. North Montgomery quarterback Ross Dyson has 1,171 passing yards and 11 TDs and 494 rushing yards and eight TDs during his senior season. Danville 23, North Montgomery 16.

East Central (8-0) at Roncalli (3-5): These teams met last year in two classic battles. Roncalli won the first, 21-19, in the regular season, but East Central returned the favor with a 24-21 overtime win in the semistate on the way to a state championship. Senior running back Josh Ringer (1,549 rushing yards, 31 TDs) is well on his way to a big season. East Central 35, Roncalli 13.

Carroll (Flora) (8-0) at Sheridan (6-2): Class A No. 9 Sheridan is coming off a tough 19-14 loss to Eastern (Greentown) and it gets no easier here against third-ranked Carroll. The Blackhawks did have 304 rushing yards in the loss to Eastern. The Cougars played in the semistate last season, losing to Adams Central. Carroll 26, Sheridan 23.

Noblesville (3-5) at Avon (1-7): Avon broke through last week with its first win — a 20-17 victory over Zionsville. At the same time, Noblesville nearly knocked off Brownsburg, falling 27-22 to the 6A top-ranked Bulldogs. Senior linebacker Austin Hastings has 89 tackles to lead the Millers. Avon senior Keyton Jones had 134 rushing yards and two TDs last week on 21 carries. Noblesville 28, Avon 26.

North Central (0-8) at Ben Davis (7-1), 5:30 p.m.: Class 6A third-ranked Ben Davis edged Lawrence Central 26-23. The Giants will get a game here, then a week off, to get prepared for a showdown with top-ranked Brownsburg in the first round of the sectional. With Ben Davis this week and Cathedral in the sectional in two weeks, North Central might be looking a second consecutive winless season. Ben Davis 42, North Central 10.

Pike (2-6) at Lawrence North (5-3): Lawrence North looked the part for 3 ½ quarters against 6A second-ranked Center Grove before a rough finish and a 43-26 loss. Pike is coming off a 34-15 win over North Central. Lawrence North 30, Pike 20.

Yorktown (4-4) at Mt. Vernon (4-4): Mt. Vernon turned to freshman Mason Meyer at quarterback last week in a 28-14 win over Shelbyville, a game the Marauders led by 25 points at halftime. Yorktown has lost back-to-back games to Greenfield-Central and Pendleton Heights. Mt. Vernon 26, Yorktown 22.

Lebanon (4-4) at Western Boone (5-3): This should be a competitive game between the Boone County rivals. Lebanon has won four of five after an 0-3 start. Western Boone had just 92 yards of total offense last week in a 21-7 loss to Danville. Lebanon 21, Western Boone 20.

South Putnam (7-1) at Cascade (5-3): This is a tough challenge for Cascade, which is coming off a 42-35 loss to Monrovia. Class A sixth-ranked South Putnam is led by junior quarterback Wyatt Mullin, who has 1,666 passing yards and 19 TDs. Cascade 28, South Putnam 27.

Eastern Hancock (5-3) at Lapel (4-4): Weird situation here as these programs will play again next week in the first round of Class 2A Sectional 38 at Eastern Hancock. These teams also met twice last year as Eastern Hancock won in the regular season and Lapel in the sectional semifinal. Lapel sophomore Devin Craig (2,080 passing yards, 22 TDs) is having another big season. Lapel 28, Eastern Hancock 21.

Covenant Christian (4-3) at Cardinal Ritter (3-5): This is another good test for Cardinal Ritter, which was competitive last week in a 41-28 loss to Scecina. Sophomore Santana Allen was 27-for-37 passing for 267 yards and three TDs. Covenant Christian also has a talented sophomore quarterback, Connor Cruz (1,598 passing yards, 23 TDs). Covenant Christian 35, Cardinal Ritter 27.

Guerin Catholic (6-2) at Culver Academy (3-5), 7:30 p.m.: Class 3A third-ranked Guerin Catholic has an interesting game coming next week in Sectional 28 at ninth-ranked Peru. Senior Aaron Keller leads the Golden Eagles’ defense with 94 tackles and two interceptions. Guerin Catholic 34, Culver Academy 14.

Northview (6-2) at Indian Creek (5-3): Northview’s only losses came to Terre Haute South and Guerin Catholic in competitive games by a combined 14 points. The Knights, who average 332 rushing yards per game, will play Brebeuf Jesuit next week in a 4A sectional game. Indian Creek has won five of its past six. Northview 35, Indian Creek 28.

Mooresville (3-5) at Perry Meridian (2-6): In the wild Mid-State, Mooresville and Perry Meridian have been on the end of several close losses. The Pioneers have lost four games by a total of 17 points, including a 38-35 loss to Martinsville last week. Perry Meridian has lost of five of its past six, but those five losses are by a combined 23 points. Mooresville 24, Perry Meridian 22.

Triton Central (7-1) at Speedway (2-6): Class 2A top-ranked Triton Central could have a battle on its hands here. Speedway gave Class A top-ranked Lutheran a game last week in an eventual 28-9 loss. Connor Moreland was 17-for-29 passing for 202 yards in that game and sophomore Avery Mitchell caught five passes for 117 yards. Triton Central 34, Speedway 22.

Shelbyville (3-5) at Pendleton Heights (6-2): Shelbyville has come a long way this season under coach Scott Fitzgerald as even a 28-14 loss to Mt. Vernon last week would show. Pendleton Heights has a big game looming next week against Greenfield-Central in the sectional. Pendleton Heights 28, Shelbyville 16.

Greenfield-Central (7-1) at New Castle (1-7): Class 4A sixth-ranked Greenfield-Central can close out an 8-1 regular season and start planning for a big game next week against Hoosier Heritage Conference rival Pendleton Heights. Greenfield-Central 42, New Castle 12.

Beech Grove (3-5) at Franklin County (3-5): Beech Grove gave 2A top-ranked Triton Central all it could handle for a half last week, leading by three points before losing 31-6. Jeremiah Lee leads the Hornets with 1,210 rushing yards and 16 TDs. The three meetings between these programs the past three years have all been decided by a touchdown or less. Beech Grove 33, Franklin County 28.

Hamilton Heights (8-0) at West Lafayette (6-2): This Hoosier Conference crossover game will decide the league championship and the toughest test of the season for 3A No. 5 Hamilton Heights, which is allowing a scant 4.0 points per game. West Lafayette, a 3A program, has lost only to 5A Harrison and 3A fourth-ranked Tippecanoe Valley. Senior Carson Kitchel leads West Lafayette with 1,693 passing yards and 16 passing TDs. Hamilton Heights 21, West Lafayette 20.

Tri-West (7-1) at Southmont (4-4): Class 3A No. 8 Tri-West gears up for next week’s sectional showdown against Hendricks County rival Danville. Southmont’s back-loaded schedule has resulted in consecutive losses to Danville, Western Boone and Lebanon. Tri-West 28, Southmont 14.

Terre Haute North (0-8) at Brebeuf Jesuit (3-4), 7:30 p.m.: Brebeuf Jesuit will be a dangerous team in the Class 4A tournament. Terre Haute North has scored just 19 points in its past six games. Brebeuf Jesuit 42, Terre Haute North 7.

Tech (0-8) at Muncie Central (3-5): Muncie Central has won three in a row after an 0-5 start. Tech is averaging just 7.9 points per game. Muncie Central 35, Tech 12.

Park Tudor (8-0) at Edinburgh (1-7): Class A No. 5 Park Tudor looks to wrap up an undefeated regular season. Park Tudor 43, Edinburgh 15.

Tindley (4-4) at Washington (4-4): This should be a competitive matchup. Tindley quarterback Deon Richmond (1,285 passing yards, 14 TDs; 233 rushing yards, one TD) is a consistent performer. Tindley 27, Washington 22.

Purdue Poly (3-5) at Heritage Christian (5-3): Heritage Christian put up 361 yards of total offense last week, but turned it over three times in a 36-19 loss to South Putnam. Heritage Christian 42, Purdue Poly 13.

Southside Homeschool (1-7) vs. Crispus Attucks (7-1), at Broad Ripple: Good things happen when you can run the ball. Attucks’ sophomore Darrell Taylor’s 1,665 rushing yards and 20 rushing TDs reflect in the Tigers’ record. Attucks 46, Southside 14.

Bloomington North (8-0) at Southport (1-7): Class 5A top-ranked Bloomington North has been one of the stories of the season. The Cougars escaped last week with a 38-35 victory over Columbus North, surviving a furious fourth-quarter rally. Junior Dash King passed for 272 yards and three TDs last week. Bloomington North 43, Southport 12.

Phalen Academy (1-6) at Linton-Stockton (7-1): Tough assignment here for Phalen Academy at 2A second-ranked Linton-Stockton. The Miners’ only loss was to 3A Monrovia in overtime. Linton-Stockton 48, Phalen Academy 7.

Irvington Prep (0-8) at Christel House Manual (2-5): Christel House Manual was competitive last week in a 20-13 loss to Tindley. Irvington Prep was shut out for the fifth time last week in a 45-0 loss to Monroe Central. Christel House Manual 40, Irvington Prep 8.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana high school football predictions: Week 9 picks, schedule