Chip Shots: Lots Goin’ On, But...
October 29, 2022 at 2:57 a.m.
Chip Shots: Lots Goin’ On, But...
By Chip Davenport-
This week the NFL enters its eighth regular season week, the 2022 World Series is underway, college football playoff contenders will separate from the pretenders this month, the NBA completed its second week of regular season action, and the NHL season has also launched.
High school sports are whittling to sectional finals (football) this Friday, and volleyball semistates, soccer and cross-country state finals (good luck Tiger boys’ and girls’ harriers) are on today’s prep sports slate.
Imagine having the privilege of a medium – in this case a local print media weekly column – with this smorgasbord of sports to inspire this week’s take…
…but nothing grabs you.
Welcome to my private hell. What shall I do?
I’ll tell you this much. I know why my brain can’t pick something from this bounty of sports offerings, but rather than explain it, I’ll make some high school football postseason predictions.
Sure, the Astros are in their fourth World Series in six seasons, but I’ll take a swing at guessing who will survive the high school football playoffs.
This should look interesting today because these takes precede last night’s sectional semifinal clashes. There’s potential for a few faceplants this morning. It feels so daring and makes it much more fun to put this red meat out there for you readers.
Class 6A – I’ll start without committing to any projected state finalists in the big school class. It is easier, in fact, to predict the 2024 Class 6A football enrollment shifts than it is to predict who will win the big school gridiron title.
For what it’s worth, the 6A North alignment will see additional spill from the South because Whiteland, and West Lafayette Harrison will move up to Class 6A while Warsaw and Fort Wayne Northrup move to 5A in 2024. At least one more Indy suburb school will be pushed north from Whiteland’s bump-up, and don’t be surprised if Goshen sneaks into Class 6A, too.
The South semistate – where many of these teams cannibalized each other in the regular season along with other Indianapolis suburban schools filling up North Sectionals 3 and 4 – is not a sure thing for either of the defending champs who are there in 2022.
The 2021 gridiron champs in classes 6A and 5A, respectively, Center Grove, and Indianapolis Cathedral (bumped up t0 6A in 2022) might not even meet for a rematch of Cathedral’s 49-20 win over the Trojans because the Irish will have their hands full in the likely regional matchup against either Brownsburg (who beat Cathedral 42-35 in week 2) or Ben Davis.
Half of Sectional 3 and all of Sectional 4 in the North are comprised of Indianapolis suburbs. This doesn’t look very “North” to me, and the center of the state seems to be where populations continue to grow. I believe, in fact, the sizes among those area schools in Sectionals 3 and 4 will stay steady, or even increase, as we see the kids now among grades 5-8 in true North school districts reflect the recession baby bust once they enter high school.
Class 5A – the North semistate will feature Merrillville and Mishawaka, and the winner of this fray will hoist championship hardware Thanksgiving weekend. Fort Wayne Snider was the last truly geographic North school to do so in a 64-61 win over New Palestine in 2015.
Class 4A – speaking of New Palestine, the regional scenarios in this group make for some interesting clashes. The Dragons have returned to their elite form (because they think “program” there, folks) but Indianapolis Cardinal Roncalli (better known as Roman Catholic Pope John XXIII) will earn the 2022 Class 4A title trophy at Lucas Oil Stadium.
In the meantime, it appears the November 11 regional clash between NorthWood and New Prairie will lead to a clash of cats - and ‘Kats - when the winner will meet Kokomo for the North semistate fray. New Prairie will turn in their equipment and put a regional runner-up game ball in their trophy case, and the Panthers’ arsenal of run and pass weapons will subsequently result in a close win over the Kokomo ‘Kats.
Both NorthWood and New Prairie, by the way, will feature Division I football talent when they likely clash in November.
Roncalli will beat NorthWood in territory familiar to each finalist (2016 finals rematch) by at least two touchdowns in the state final.
There is not much to ponder among the three smaller classes where three schools try defending their 2021 state crowns.
Class 3A – who will stand in Gibson Southern’s way on their journey to a state title repeat in 2022? The Titans had undefeated Owen Valley to hurdle last night, and Western Boone, formally a Class 2A enrollment team now the second smallest Class 3A team, will create the biggest challenge for the Titans.
Class 2A – look for a rematch of Andrean and Evansville Mater Dei for the 2A crown, with Mater Dei avenging the 2021 title game loss to the ’59-ers. Andrean has the tougher row to hoe with tough clashes against LaVille, Lafayette Central Catholic, and Bishop Luers (in that order) enroute to Lucas Oil Stadium. These three foes, however, pale in comparison to regular season opponents Merrillville (5A, L 27-7), and Crown Point (6A, unbeaten, L 28-18).
Class 1A – Adams Central and Indianapolis Lutheran will meet again Thanksgiving weekend for the state title. North Judson will give the Flying Jets a tighter match than last year’s North semistate 49-7 contest, but Adams Central’s medals will have red ribbon securing them once again.
I’m not going to waste time figuring out why it was so difficult to delve into bigger, hotter topics among deeper postseasons, levels of play, and specific sports hotter than sectional prep football even if l’esprit de l’escalier hits me again after hitting the “send” button.
This week the NFL enters its eighth regular season week, the 2022 World Series is underway, college football playoff contenders will separate from the pretenders this month, the NBA completed its second week of regular season action, and the NHL season has also launched.
High school sports are whittling to sectional finals (football) this Friday, and volleyball semistates, soccer and cross-country state finals (good luck Tiger boys’ and girls’ harriers) are on today’s prep sports slate.
Imagine having the privilege of a medium – in this case a local print media weekly column – with this smorgasbord of sports to inspire this week’s take…
…but nothing grabs you.
Welcome to my private hell. What shall I do?
I’ll tell you this much. I know why my brain can’t pick something from this bounty of sports offerings, but rather than explain it, I’ll make some high school football postseason predictions.
Sure, the Astros are in their fourth World Series in six seasons, but I’ll take a swing at guessing who will survive the high school football playoffs.
This should look interesting today because these takes precede last night’s sectional semifinal clashes. There’s potential for a few faceplants this morning. It feels so daring and makes it much more fun to put this red meat out there for you readers.
Class 6A – I’ll start without committing to any projected state finalists in the big school class. It is easier, in fact, to predict the 2024 Class 6A football enrollment shifts than it is to predict who will win the big school gridiron title.
For what it’s worth, the 6A North alignment will see additional spill from the South because Whiteland, and West Lafayette Harrison will move up to Class 6A while Warsaw and Fort Wayne Northrup move to 5A in 2024. At least one more Indy suburb school will be pushed north from Whiteland’s bump-up, and don’t be surprised if Goshen sneaks into Class 6A, too.
The South semistate – where many of these teams cannibalized each other in the regular season along with other Indianapolis suburban schools filling up North Sectionals 3 and 4 – is not a sure thing for either of the defending champs who are there in 2022.
The 2021 gridiron champs in classes 6A and 5A, respectively, Center Grove, and Indianapolis Cathedral (bumped up t0 6A in 2022) might not even meet for a rematch of Cathedral’s 49-20 win over the Trojans because the Irish will have their hands full in the likely regional matchup against either Brownsburg (who beat Cathedral 42-35 in week 2) or Ben Davis.
Half of Sectional 3 and all of Sectional 4 in the North are comprised of Indianapolis suburbs. This doesn’t look very “North” to me, and the center of the state seems to be where populations continue to grow. I believe, in fact, the sizes among those area schools in Sectionals 3 and 4 will stay steady, or even increase, as we see the kids now among grades 5-8 in true North school districts reflect the recession baby bust once they enter high school.
Class 5A – the North semistate will feature Merrillville and Mishawaka, and the winner of this fray will hoist championship hardware Thanksgiving weekend. Fort Wayne Snider was the last truly geographic North school to do so in a 64-61 win over New Palestine in 2015.
Class 4A – speaking of New Palestine, the regional scenarios in this group make for some interesting clashes. The Dragons have returned to their elite form (because they think “program” there, folks) but Indianapolis Cardinal Roncalli (better known as Roman Catholic Pope John XXIII) will earn the 2022 Class 4A title trophy at Lucas Oil Stadium.
In the meantime, it appears the November 11 regional clash between NorthWood and New Prairie will lead to a clash of cats - and ‘Kats - when the winner will meet Kokomo for the North semistate fray. New Prairie will turn in their equipment and put a regional runner-up game ball in their trophy case, and the Panthers’ arsenal of run and pass weapons will subsequently result in a close win over the Kokomo ‘Kats.
Both NorthWood and New Prairie, by the way, will feature Division I football talent when they likely clash in November.
Roncalli will beat NorthWood in territory familiar to each finalist (2016 finals rematch) by at least two touchdowns in the state final.
There is not much to ponder among the three smaller classes where three schools try defending their 2021 state crowns.
Class 3A – who will stand in Gibson Southern’s way on their journey to a state title repeat in 2022? The Titans had undefeated Owen Valley to hurdle last night, and Western Boone, formally a Class 2A enrollment team now the second smallest Class 3A team, will create the biggest challenge for the Titans.
Class 2A – look for a rematch of Andrean and Evansville Mater Dei for the 2A crown, with Mater Dei avenging the 2021 title game loss to the ’59-ers. Andrean has the tougher row to hoe with tough clashes against LaVille, Lafayette Central Catholic, and Bishop Luers (in that order) enroute to Lucas Oil Stadium. These three foes, however, pale in comparison to regular season opponents Merrillville (5A, L 27-7), and Crown Point (6A, unbeaten, L 28-18).
Class 1A – Adams Central and Indianapolis Lutheran will meet again Thanksgiving weekend for the state title. North Judson will give the Flying Jets a tighter match than last year’s North semistate 49-7 contest, but Adams Central’s medals will have red ribbon securing them once again.
I’m not going to waste time figuring out why it was so difficult to delve into bigger, hotter topics among deeper postseasons, levels of play, and specific sports hotter than sectional prep football even if l’esprit de l’escalier hits me again after hitting the “send” button.
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