Indiana high school football: 10 regular-season games that will shape Class 6A
Red-hot rivalries, out-of-state measuring sticks and playoff rematches. Here are 10 regular-season games that will shape Class 6A in the 2023 Indiana high school football season.
Hamilton Southeastern vs. Carroll (Fort Wayne), Aug. 18
Hamilton Southeastern was 12-0 and ranked No. 1 in 6A going into last year’s semistate at Carroll. The Chargers handed HSE a 21-15 loss and punched their ticket to Lucas Oil Stadium for the first time (losing 35-9 to Center Grove). Can HSE return the favor in the season opener? These might be the two favorites on the north side of the 6A bracket.
IHSAA football preview: Everything you need to know for 2023 season
Center Grove vs. St. Edward (Ohio), Aug. 19
Tough assignment for the three-time defending 6A champions. This game will be played on a Saturday at noon at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. St. Edward has won back-to-back Division 1 state championships in Ohio and has won six total since 2010.
Cathedral at Brownsburg, Aug. 25
This is a big Week 2 clash between teams that battled twice last year and could potentially meet twice again. Brownsburg controlled the regular-season game last year, winning 42-35. But Cathedral returned the favor in the regional, 14-7. This figures to be another good one.
Lawrence Central at Lawrence North, Sept. 1
Lawrence Central has made steady progress under coach Will Patterson the past three seasons. The Bears posted a 5-6 record a year ago and knocked off the rival Wildcats 21-3 — the first win over Lawrence North under Patterson. The Wildcats were 4-6 last year but battled Cathedral in a close game in the sectional championship.
IMG Academy at Ben Davis, Sept. 8
Talk about tough. Ben Davis hosts the Florida powerhouse that finished last season ranked No. 5 in the country by High School Football America. IMG has two of the top-10 seniors in the country and its running backs are committed to Texas and Alabama. Ben Davis, coming off a 6-4 season, is expected to be one of the state’s best teams. The outcome here will have no bearing on the Giants’ goals but can serve as a measuring stick.
Hamilton Southeastern at Fishers, Sept. 8
The Mudsock game is so much fun every year and this one should be no different. Fishers nearly knocked off the Royals last season, losing 28-27 in overtime. HSE rolled to a 35-13 win over the Tigers in a rematch in the sectional championship. This could be the first of two meetings again between the rivals.
Brownsburg at Westfield, Sept. 22
Hamilton Southeastern edged Brownsburg at the end of last season to take the Hoosier Crossroads Conference title, but these two teams have been right at the top of the league in recent years. Westfield won the HCC in 2020 and ’21 and advanced to the Class 6A state finals. The Shamrocks are probably flying a bit under the radar after last year’s 8-4 season.
Carmel at Ben Davis, Sept. 29
Carmel is attempting to rebound from a 6-4 season and first-round sectional exit at the hands of Westfield. The Greyhounds are a relatively young team that could turn to sophomore Anthony Coellner at quarterback or potentially use Indiana defensive back recruit Christian Peterson at that position. Carmel has won the past three regular-season games between these programs.
Warren Central at Carmel, Oct. 6
Mike Kirschner is going into his third year and coming off a 6-6 season. But the Warriors look like a strong candidate for a bounce back season with several talented players returning, including a pair of junior defensive ends in Damien Shanklin and Tyrone Burrus. Warren Central ended a three-game losing streak to Carmel last season.
Center Grove vs. Cathedral, Oct. 13
This rivalry has become red-hot in recent seasons. As noted above, Cathedral ended Center Grove’s 35-game winning streak against Indiana opponents at the end of the regular season last year, but the Irish returned the favor when it mattered most in the semistate. This game is currently scheduled to be played at Arlington.
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana high school football: 10 biggest 2023 games in IHSAA Class 6A
