HS Football Sectional Pairings Announced

October 9, 2020 at 3:21 a.m.
HS Football Sectional Pairings Announced
HS Football Sectional Pairings Announced

By Anthony Anderson-

INDIANAPOLIS – Warsaw drew a home date against No. 11-ranked Carroll when the IHSAA conducted the blind draw for its 48th annual state football tournament Thursday night.

The Tigers (6-1) are part of a loaded Class 6A four-team sectional, with each of the clubs currently owning winning records, including Carroll at 5-2.

The other Oct. 30 semifinal has No. 9 Homestead (6-1) hosting Fort Wayne Snider (4-3).

Based on the bracket order, Warsaw would be on the road for the Nov. 6 sectional final regardless of who wins the other game.

Class 6A (a field of 32 schools statewide) and nearly all of Class 5A (33; no local schools) will be idle the weekend of Oct. 23 after the regular season concludes the weekend of Oct. 16.

For classes 1A to 4A (each with 60 to 64 schools), their sectionals open Oct. 23.

Each one involving local schools is an eight-teamer.

Regionals in all classes are set for Nov. 13, with semistates Nov. 20, and the six state title games Nov. 27-28 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

The Tigers, coming off their first-ever sectional crown last year, are back under a realignment to facing schools to the east this season after being pitted against ones to the west the last three years.

CLASS 4A

Powerhouses abound in the 4A sectional to which Wawasee is assigned. The field is peppered with four one-loss clubs, three of them ranked.

The Warriors (2-5) open at Northern Lakes Conference rival NorthWood (2-3). The Panthers blanked host Wawasee 39-0 on Sept. 18.

The survivor of the rematch faces the winner of No. 5 Leo (6-1) at No. 8 Northridge (5-1) in the semifinals. In the Warriors’ case, they would be at home regardless of the opponent.

The other half-bracket includes defending champion East Noble (4-3) hosting No. 12 Columbia City (6-1), while Angola (4-1) visits DeKalb (0-4).

CLASS 3A

After never facing a South Bend public school until last season, Tippecanoe Valley (5-2) will take on South Bend Washington (1-6) in a sectional opener for the second straight time, this time at Valley.

The Vikings beat the host Panthers 19-14 a year ago.

The bad news for the Vikes if they advance again is they’ll likely have to face No. 3 Marian (6-0) in the semifinal, but the good news is that game would be at home as well.

The Knights, who have won five straight sectionals, open by hosting Lakeland (2-5).

The other half of the bracket includes Jimtown (4-2), which starts at Garrett (2-4), while Glenn (3-4) visits West Noble (0-7).

CLASS 2A

Three Rivers Conference rivals Whitko and Manchester are once again in different sectionals, with the Wildcats opening at Fort Wayne Luers and the Squires hosting TRC foe Wabash.

Manchester (2-5) already welcomed the Apaches (4-3) on Sept. 4, with Wabash prevailing 44-29.

In Luers (2-5), Whitko (4-3) will be meeting a Fort Wayne school for the first time since defeating host Concordia 18-15 in a 2011 sectional opener.

While the Knights’ record doesn’t glitter, it’s been compiled against a schedule that so far includes five Class 5A-or-larger opponents. Luers has captured 13 sectional titles in the last 20 years.

The Luers/Whitko sectional field features two ranked clubs.

No. 11 Fairfield (7-0) hosts Central Noble (4-3) — the Wildcats would get the Falcons at home if that matchup materializes — while the other half of the bracket includes No. 4 defending champ Eastside (6-1) opening at Bluffton (6-1).

Two rated clubs likewise populate Manchester’s sectional, both in the other half-bracket.

No. 3 Pioneer (6-1) hosts Delphi (5-2), while No. 12 LaVille visits defending champ Cass (2-5).

If the Squires win their opener, they would visit Bremen (5-2) or host Roch-ester (0-5) in the semifinals.

CLASS 1A

Triton (3-3) opens at home against Churubusco (3-2), but based on the bracket, the Trojans would definitely hit the road for the semifinals against the survivor of No. 5 Adams Central (5-2) at Fremont (2-3).

Adams Central is the two-time defending sectional champ, while the other half of the bracket features No. 3 Southwood (7-0), which will open at home against Northfield (4-3).

Triton and Churubusco haven’t met since a 2007 regional, which the host Eagles won 28-14.



INDIANAPOLIS – Warsaw drew a home date against No. 11-ranked Carroll when the IHSAA conducted the blind draw for its 48th annual state football tournament Thursday night.

The Tigers (6-1) are part of a loaded Class 6A four-team sectional, with each of the clubs currently owning winning records, including Carroll at 5-2.

The other Oct. 30 semifinal has No. 9 Homestead (6-1) hosting Fort Wayne Snider (4-3).

Based on the bracket order, Warsaw would be on the road for the Nov. 6 sectional final regardless of who wins the other game.

Class 6A (a field of 32 schools statewide) and nearly all of Class 5A (33; no local schools) will be idle the weekend of Oct. 23 after the regular season concludes the weekend of Oct. 16.

For classes 1A to 4A (each with 60 to 64 schools), their sectionals open Oct. 23.

Each one involving local schools is an eight-teamer.

Regionals in all classes are set for Nov. 13, with semistates Nov. 20, and the six state title games Nov. 27-28 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

The Tigers, coming off their first-ever sectional crown last year, are back under a realignment to facing schools to the east this season after being pitted against ones to the west the last three years.

CLASS 4A

Powerhouses abound in the 4A sectional to which Wawasee is assigned. The field is peppered with four one-loss clubs, three of them ranked.

The Warriors (2-5) open at Northern Lakes Conference rival NorthWood (2-3). The Panthers blanked host Wawasee 39-0 on Sept. 18.

The survivor of the rematch faces the winner of No. 5 Leo (6-1) at No. 8 Northridge (5-1) in the semifinals. In the Warriors’ case, they would be at home regardless of the opponent.

The other half-bracket includes defending champion East Noble (4-3) hosting No. 12 Columbia City (6-1), while Angola (4-1) visits DeKalb (0-4).

CLASS 3A

After never facing a South Bend public school until last season, Tippecanoe Valley (5-2) will take on South Bend Washington (1-6) in a sectional opener for the second straight time, this time at Valley.

The Vikings beat the host Panthers 19-14 a year ago.

The bad news for the Vikes if they advance again is they’ll likely have to face No. 3 Marian (6-0) in the semifinal, but the good news is that game would be at home as well.

The Knights, who have won five straight sectionals, open by hosting Lakeland (2-5).

The other half of the bracket includes Jimtown (4-2), which starts at Garrett (2-4), while Glenn (3-4) visits West Noble (0-7).

CLASS 2A

Three Rivers Conference rivals Whitko and Manchester are once again in different sectionals, with the Wildcats opening at Fort Wayne Luers and the Squires hosting TRC foe Wabash.

Manchester (2-5) already welcomed the Apaches (4-3) on Sept. 4, with Wabash prevailing 44-29.

In Luers (2-5), Whitko (4-3) will be meeting a Fort Wayne school for the first time since defeating host Concordia 18-15 in a 2011 sectional opener.

While the Knights’ record doesn’t glitter, it’s been compiled against a schedule that so far includes five Class 5A-or-larger opponents. Luers has captured 13 sectional titles in the last 20 years.

The Luers/Whitko sectional field features two ranked clubs.

No. 11 Fairfield (7-0) hosts Central Noble (4-3) — the Wildcats would get the Falcons at home if that matchup materializes — while the other half of the bracket includes No. 4 defending champ Eastside (6-1) opening at Bluffton (6-1).

Two rated clubs likewise populate Manchester’s sectional, both in the other half-bracket.

No. 3 Pioneer (6-1) hosts Delphi (5-2), while No. 12 LaVille visits defending champ Cass (2-5).

If the Squires win their opener, they would visit Bremen (5-2) or host Roch-ester (0-5) in the semifinals.

CLASS 1A

Triton (3-3) opens at home against Churubusco (3-2), but based on the bracket, the Trojans would definitely hit the road for the semifinals against the survivor of No. 5 Adams Central (5-2) at Fremont (2-3).

Adams Central is the two-time defending sectional champ, while the other half of the bracket features No. 3 Southwood (7-0), which will open at home against Northfield (4-3).

Triton and Churubusco haven’t met since a 2007 regional, which the host Eagles won 28-14.



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