Local High School Previews for Week 2
August 24, 2022 at 11:04 p.m.
By Anthony Anderson & Steve Krah-
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m., Fishers Field, Warsaw.
Series (last 35 years): Warsaw, 2-1.
John Harrell’s prediction: Chesterton, 28-24.
Last meeting: Nov. 1, 2019, Warsaw, 35-28 (sectional).
About Chesterton: Coach Mark Peterson’s Indiana Football Coaches Association 5A No. 10-ranked Trojans topped visiting Hobart 35-20 in Week 1 … Chesterton primarily used sophomore Brady McCormack (101 yards passing and one TD) at quarterback and led 28-7 at halftime … Senior Bryce Thoma had one reception for 85 yards … Senior Ethan Troyer gained 95 yards on 20 rushes with one TD … The defense was led by Troy (6.5 total tackles, one fumble recovery, one defensive TD), senior Keagan Wrigley (7.5 total tackles, one interception) and senior Devin Sain (4.5 tackles, one forced fumble, one blocked kick) … The Trojans coaching staff with Mark Peterson at head coach, Wally McCormack at offensive coordinator and John Snyder at defensive coordinator is very familiar to Warsaw head coach Bart Curtis.
About Warsaw: Coach Bart Curtis’ IFCA 6A No. 14-ranked Tigers gained 375 yards — all on the ground — in beating visiting Michigan City 35-7 in Week 1 … Senior fullback German Flores-Ortega (16 carries for 184 yards and three touchdowns) and senior quarterback Tucker Curtis (five carries for 104 yards and one TD) led the way … Curtis broke his leg and was replaced by junior Grady Nolin … The Wolves gained 247 yards — 138 passing … On the way to an eighth straight season-opening win, the Tigers led 28-0 at halftime … Michigan City was held off the scoreboard until the game’s last three minutes.
Per Warsaw coach Bart Curtis:
On Chesterton — Offensively, they have shifted modes incredibly well … The team we played three years ago probably threw the ball 80 percent of the time. This version of Chesterton is probably a much-more physical team. They want to establish themselves and come right at you. They’re going to throw a lot of players at the point of attack … They are massive upfront on both sides of the ball. They are formidable.
Quarterback — We have all the confidence in the world in (Grady Nolin). We expect every kid at every spot to compete for a position. He will definitely be our guy for the Chesterton game. I have no doubt in his ability to move the team. He’s a fierce competitor. He’ll battle tooth and nail for every yard.
On Michigan City game — I was pleased. I also know there are some things where we need to get better … We had a fast start. We came out and played with purpose in all phases. The intensity level defensively and the offensive execution were pretty good for Game 1 … We played really, really hard for an opening game. We’re going to have to do that and better to have a shot (against Chesterton) … Our varsity defensive pitched a shutout. We have nine two- and three-year starters.That’s the expectation level. We’ve asked them: Are you a year older or a year better or both?
Tippecanoe Valley (1-0, 0-0 TRC) at Northfield (1-0, 0-0)
When: Friday, 7 p.m., Dawes Field.
Series: Valley leads 40-7.
Last meeting: Valley won 44-13 on Aug. 27, 2021.
Last Northfield win: 27-7 on Sept. 7, 2018.
John Harrell’s prediction: Valley, 21-3.
About Valley: The Vikings blanked visiting Wawasee 26-0 last Friday for their first opening-week shutout since handling North Judson 21-0 in 2003. … Junior Nate Parker, splitting time at quarterback and running back, finished with 101 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries to go with a pair of two-point conversions. Junior fullback Dalton Alber added 73 yards on just six attempts as Valley totaled 279 ground yards. … Defensively, junior Landon Durkes — on his birthday — made two of the Vikings’ three interceptions, while Noah Prater logged seven tackles, including two for loss. … The defending Three Rivers Conference champs finished 7-0 in league play last year.
About Northfield: The Norsemen blanked host Bluffton 21-0 last Friday for their first opening-week shutout since 1993, when they downed Triton 57-0. … Senior quarterback Mason Fisher rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns on 25 keepers and threw for the other TD. Classmate Jordan Kinsey paced the defense with eight tackles, including 2.5 of his team’s seven TFLs. … Northfield has posted winning seasons seven of the last eight years, the lone exception a 5-5 finish in 2018. Coach Brandon Baker, in his 10th season heading up the program, stands 59-39.
Valley coach Steve Moriarty:
On last week — “I thought our defense played well. I was proud of our guys defensively picking up some different packages they haven’t seen before. Offensively, we’re maybe not as explosive as last year, but we’re still moving it and had some success on the ground. There’s a lot to fix, but overall, I was pleased for (Week 1).”
On Northfield — “They’re a good team, well-coached, a good system. They plug players in and they have a lot back. They’re very disciplined when it comes to blocking assignments and defensively. We will have to be fundamental on defense. They run a lot of option, and option teams have a tendency to lull you and then break one with a counter.”
On splitting the QB duties — “We planned all along to play both (Parker and Cody Eastgate), and I think that’s the way we’ll be throughout the year. Kind of depends on what set we want. They both have their benefits, both throw decent. When we run option, it’ll be Nate quite a bit.”
West Noble (1-0) at Wawasee (0-1)
When: Friday, 7 p.m., Warrior Stadium, Syracuse.
Series (last 35 years): Tied, 4-4.
John Harrell’s prediction: West Noble, 21-14.
Last meeting: Aug. 27, 2021, West Noble, 19-7.
About West Noble: Coach Monte Mawhorter’s 3A Chargers bested visiting Central Noble 33-7 in Week 1 … Junior Drew Yates passed for 117 yards and two touchdowns for West Noble — one to freshman Xavier Yates … Sophomores Fernando Macias and Estil Pruitt both gained 79 yards on the ground with Pruitt scoring two TDs … Sophomore Nolan Parks (9), senior Zach Beers (8) and sophomore Jordan Eash (8) were the Chargers’ total tackle leaders.
About Wawasee: Coach Jon Reutebuch’s 4A Warriors lost 26-0 at Tippecanoe Valley in Week 1 … Senior Jaxon Brown completed 10-of-17 passes for 116 yards and junior Donovan Blair made five catches for 50 yards … Juniors Brandon Kelly (10) and Derek Bontrager (6) and senior Landen Alexander (6) paced Wawasee in total tackles.
Per Wawasee coach Jon Reutebuch:
On West Noble — We have to watch (Drew) Yates’ legs. He can hurt us if we don’t … They are big upfront. We have to play physical just like last week … It’s more about us than them. We have to clean up what we’re doing before we have a chance to beat anybody.
Defense — We had pretty good safety play. For the most part, our linebackers played pretty steady. We got worn out on the defensive line because of the lack of numbers and size.
On Tippecanoe Valley game — We’re going to be a physical team this year. Despite the score we had some opportunities to score … We just have to stop shooting ourselves in the foot … We just need to polish up some things and we’ll be alright … We had a lot of experience coming. I don’t think youth was the issue … Jaxon Brown was a little banged-up and coming off a summer-time injury. He did a pretty good job. Going forward he is our guy (at QB).
Bluffton (0-1) at Manchester (0-1)
When: Friday, 7 p.m., Burk Field.
Series: Bluffton leads 13-4.
Last meeting: Bluffton won 22-0 on Aug. 28, 2020.
Last Manchester win: 46-23 on Aug. 28, 2009.
John Harrell’s prediction: Bluffton, 17-7.
About Bluffton: The Tigers have beaten the Squires 12 straight times, including once in postseason, since Manchester’s 2009 victory. … Last year’s Week 2 matchup was canceled due to COVID contact tracing involving the Squires. … Bluffton, from the Allen County Conference, is coming off a 21-0 home loss to Northfield in last week’s opener, the first time the Tigers have been shut out in Week 1 since 2004.
About Manchester: The late-rallying Squires were edged 14-12 by visiting North Miami in last week’s Three Rivers Conference matchup, ending the Warriors’ 18-game overall losing streak. … Manchester drew to within 8-6 in the fourth quarter on a Brock Casper to Memphis Wood 70-yard touchdown pass, but a two-point try to tie was unsuccessful. Then with the Squires down 14-6, Casper ran for a touchdown with less than a half-minute to go, but he was unable to reach the end zone on his two-point scramble try. … It happened to be Manchester’s first loss by exactly two points in 39 years (the last one a 9-7 defeat at Northfield in 1983). Since then, the Squires had won three times by two points, won twice by one and lost seven times by one. … Casper hit 16-of-31 passes for 236 yards, while Garrett Sites rushed 17 times for 90 yards. Wood caught six passes for 124. Jordan Ayres was in on 17 tackles for the defense to go with a fumble recovery, while Caden Miller was in 14.
Manchester coach Alyx Brandewie:
On last week — “We didn’t execute very well on offense in the first half. Part of the reason is we could’ve called a better game as a staff. We had some kids make some mistakes, but we trust them and will count on them to make those plays in the future. On top of those things, (North Miami) did some very different stuff from anything we’d seen on film. We didn’t execute very well, but for a lot of our guys, it was their first varsity start.”
On Bluffton — “Like most years, it looks like they have some size and athletes. They’ll be spread on offense and 3-4 on defense. Coach (Brent) Kunkel does a great job there. His kids always show up and play hard. They’ll present a great challenge.”
On his message after a tough opener — “At this point, it’s over and we have to be able to move on. Nobody likes losing. Nobody signs up to get beat Week 1, but the good thing is we’re promised nine more games, so can you bounce back? And based on what I’ve seen Monday and (Tuesday), we’ve done that so far.”
Peru (1-0 overall, 0-0 TRC) at Whitko (0-1, 0-0)
When: Friday, 7 p.m., Huff Stadium.
Series: Peru leads 5-0.
Last meeting: Peru won 39-7 on Aug. 27, 2021.
John Harrell’s prediction: Peru, 42-3.
About Peru: The Tigers lost 44-0 to visiting Logansport in first-year head coach Tim Weeks’ Peru debut last week. … Weeks succeeds Romison Saint-Louis, who left for Elkhart in the offseason. The Tigers were 21-21 in four years under Saint-Louis, including 21-11 over the last three and 15-5 the last two. … Peru was limited to 40 yards of offense against the Berries.
About Whitko: The shorthanded Wildcats were blanked 39-0 in their opener last week by visiting Prairie Heights, though the count was just 12-0 at halftime. Returning two-way regular Dean Boggs did not play due to illness, while two-way starter Cody Adkins and freshman starter Preston Furar were each injured during the third quarter. … Boggs returned to practice this week, but a kneecap injury Tuesday left his status in question for Friday. Adkins is expected to miss a couple weeks, while Furar could be out this week as well. … Junior Skyler Zellers shined on both sides of the ball against the Panthers, making a dozen solo tackles among 15 in all, including four for loss, while also carrying 13 times for 61 yards. Quarterback Jack Hill added 39 yards on nine keepers and finished 5-of-8 throwing.
Whitko coach Chip Coldiron:
On last week — “We played a solid first half. It essentially could’ve been 0-0 at halftime except for a couple plays. We had a couple drives stalled by penalty and a missed fourth-down conversion, but we were right there the first half.”
On Peru — “They’ve got the opposite of us, a lot of depth. They have maybe three two-way guys and we might have 10. If we can overcome that, we can be competitive. We just gotta suck it up and be physical.”
On roster size — “We’ve picked up a few more kids (with school starting), so we’re at about 30, and I think that’s about where it’s going to stop. We’re cutting it off, not keeping it open like last year. I doubt we’ll get any JV games in, but we can get rolling with 30.”
LaVille (1-0, 0-0 Hoosier North Athletic Conference) at Triton (1-0, 0-0 HNAC)
When: Friday, 7 p.m., Trojan Field, Bourbon.
Series (last 35 years): LaVille, 26-11.
John Harrell’s prediction: LaVille, 31-17.
Last meeting: Aug. 27, 2021, LaVille, 7-0 (overtime).
About LaVille: Coach Will Hostrawer’s 2A Lancers whitewashed visiting Bremen 42-0 in Week 1 … Senior Paul DeWitt rushed 11 times for 235 yards and two touchdowns … Junior Lucas Plummer was 6-of-8 passing for 112 yards and four TDs — two to Owen Smith and one each to seniors Noah Richhart and Ross Wagoner … Wagoner (8) and Richhart (7) led the team in total tackles … Smith, senior Dustin Gill and sophomore Collin Czarnecki all intercepted a pass.
About Triton: Coach Rodney Younis’ visiting IFCA 1A No. 12-ranked Trojans blanked South Central (Union Mills) 49-0 in Week 1 … Junior Anthony Schuh carried eight times for 219 yards and four touchdowns … Junior Cole Shively gained 84 yards on six totes with two TDs … Senior Reilley Woods gained 10 yards and scored the other TD and also made a team-high 10 total tackles … Sophomore Esai Lemler (6) and senior Amari Snyder (4) were tackle leaders.
Per Triton coach Rodney Younis:
On LaVille — We’ll have our hands full. They play well on offense, defense and special teams. They don’t have any weaknesses. We’ll have to play a complete game to compete with them.
Defense — It was a team effort. Our defensive line controlled the line of scrimmage. Safety Amari Snyder did a tremendous job of filling the lanes and our linebacking corps read its keys.
On South Central game — It was a great start to the season. We worked hard this off-season. It was good to see the boys get rewarded with good play … Anthony and Cole get the accolades for making the scores, but our offensive line worked well together and our receivers were blocking downfield.
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m., Fishers Field, Warsaw.
Series (last 35 years): Warsaw, 2-1.
John Harrell’s prediction: Chesterton, 28-24.
Last meeting: Nov. 1, 2019, Warsaw, 35-28 (sectional).
About Chesterton: Coach Mark Peterson’s Indiana Football Coaches Association 5A No. 10-ranked Trojans topped visiting Hobart 35-20 in Week 1 … Chesterton primarily used sophomore Brady McCormack (101 yards passing and one TD) at quarterback and led 28-7 at halftime … Senior Bryce Thoma had one reception for 85 yards … Senior Ethan Troyer gained 95 yards on 20 rushes with one TD … The defense was led by Troy (6.5 total tackles, one fumble recovery, one defensive TD), senior Keagan Wrigley (7.5 total tackles, one interception) and senior Devin Sain (4.5 tackles, one forced fumble, one blocked kick) … The Trojans coaching staff with Mark Peterson at head coach, Wally McCormack at offensive coordinator and John Snyder at defensive coordinator is very familiar to Warsaw head coach Bart Curtis.
About Warsaw: Coach Bart Curtis’ IFCA 6A No. 14-ranked Tigers gained 375 yards — all on the ground — in beating visiting Michigan City 35-7 in Week 1 … Senior fullback German Flores-Ortega (16 carries for 184 yards and three touchdowns) and senior quarterback Tucker Curtis (five carries for 104 yards and one TD) led the way … Curtis broke his leg and was replaced by junior Grady Nolin … The Wolves gained 247 yards — 138 passing … On the way to an eighth straight season-opening win, the Tigers led 28-0 at halftime … Michigan City was held off the scoreboard until the game’s last three minutes.
Per Warsaw coach Bart Curtis:
On Chesterton — Offensively, they have shifted modes incredibly well … The team we played three years ago probably threw the ball 80 percent of the time. This version of Chesterton is probably a much-more physical team. They want to establish themselves and come right at you. They’re going to throw a lot of players at the point of attack … They are massive upfront on both sides of the ball. They are formidable.
Quarterback — We have all the confidence in the world in (Grady Nolin). We expect every kid at every spot to compete for a position. He will definitely be our guy for the Chesterton game. I have no doubt in his ability to move the team. He’s a fierce competitor. He’ll battle tooth and nail for every yard.
On Michigan City game — I was pleased. I also know there are some things where we need to get better … We had a fast start. We came out and played with purpose in all phases. The intensity level defensively and the offensive execution were pretty good for Game 1 … We played really, really hard for an opening game. We’re going to have to do that and better to have a shot (against Chesterton) … Our varsity defensive pitched a shutout. We have nine two- and three-year starters.That’s the expectation level. We’ve asked them: Are you a year older or a year better or both?
Tippecanoe Valley (1-0, 0-0 TRC) at Northfield (1-0, 0-0)
When: Friday, 7 p.m., Dawes Field.
Series: Valley leads 40-7.
Last meeting: Valley won 44-13 on Aug. 27, 2021.
Last Northfield win: 27-7 on Sept. 7, 2018.
John Harrell’s prediction: Valley, 21-3.
About Valley: The Vikings blanked visiting Wawasee 26-0 last Friday for their first opening-week shutout since handling North Judson 21-0 in 2003. … Junior Nate Parker, splitting time at quarterback and running back, finished with 101 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries to go with a pair of two-point conversions. Junior fullback Dalton Alber added 73 yards on just six attempts as Valley totaled 279 ground yards. … Defensively, junior Landon Durkes — on his birthday — made two of the Vikings’ three interceptions, while Noah Prater logged seven tackles, including two for loss. … The defending Three Rivers Conference champs finished 7-0 in league play last year.
About Northfield: The Norsemen blanked host Bluffton 21-0 last Friday for their first opening-week shutout since 1993, when they downed Triton 57-0. … Senior quarterback Mason Fisher rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns on 25 keepers and threw for the other TD. Classmate Jordan Kinsey paced the defense with eight tackles, including 2.5 of his team’s seven TFLs. … Northfield has posted winning seasons seven of the last eight years, the lone exception a 5-5 finish in 2018. Coach Brandon Baker, in his 10th season heading up the program, stands 59-39.
Valley coach Steve Moriarty:
On last week — “I thought our defense played well. I was proud of our guys defensively picking up some different packages they haven’t seen before. Offensively, we’re maybe not as explosive as last year, but we’re still moving it and had some success on the ground. There’s a lot to fix, but overall, I was pleased for (Week 1).”
On Northfield — “They’re a good team, well-coached, a good system. They plug players in and they have a lot back. They’re very disciplined when it comes to blocking assignments and defensively. We will have to be fundamental on defense. They run a lot of option, and option teams have a tendency to lull you and then break one with a counter.”
On splitting the QB duties — “We planned all along to play both (Parker and Cody Eastgate), and I think that’s the way we’ll be throughout the year. Kind of depends on what set we want. They both have their benefits, both throw decent. When we run option, it’ll be Nate quite a bit.”
West Noble (1-0) at Wawasee (0-1)
When: Friday, 7 p.m., Warrior Stadium, Syracuse.
Series (last 35 years): Tied, 4-4.
John Harrell’s prediction: West Noble, 21-14.
Last meeting: Aug. 27, 2021, West Noble, 19-7.
About West Noble: Coach Monte Mawhorter’s 3A Chargers bested visiting Central Noble 33-7 in Week 1 … Junior Drew Yates passed for 117 yards and two touchdowns for West Noble — one to freshman Xavier Yates … Sophomores Fernando Macias and Estil Pruitt both gained 79 yards on the ground with Pruitt scoring two TDs … Sophomore Nolan Parks (9), senior Zach Beers (8) and sophomore Jordan Eash (8) were the Chargers’ total tackle leaders.
About Wawasee: Coach Jon Reutebuch’s 4A Warriors lost 26-0 at Tippecanoe Valley in Week 1 … Senior Jaxon Brown completed 10-of-17 passes for 116 yards and junior Donovan Blair made five catches for 50 yards … Juniors Brandon Kelly (10) and Derek Bontrager (6) and senior Landen Alexander (6) paced Wawasee in total tackles.
Per Wawasee coach Jon Reutebuch:
On West Noble — We have to watch (Drew) Yates’ legs. He can hurt us if we don’t … They are big upfront. We have to play physical just like last week … It’s more about us than them. We have to clean up what we’re doing before we have a chance to beat anybody.
Defense — We had pretty good safety play. For the most part, our linebackers played pretty steady. We got worn out on the defensive line because of the lack of numbers and size.
On Tippecanoe Valley game — We’re going to be a physical team this year. Despite the score we had some opportunities to score … We just have to stop shooting ourselves in the foot … We just need to polish up some things and we’ll be alright … We had a lot of experience coming. I don’t think youth was the issue … Jaxon Brown was a little banged-up and coming off a summer-time injury. He did a pretty good job. Going forward he is our guy (at QB).
Bluffton (0-1) at Manchester (0-1)
When: Friday, 7 p.m., Burk Field.
Series: Bluffton leads 13-4.
Last meeting: Bluffton won 22-0 on Aug. 28, 2020.
Last Manchester win: 46-23 on Aug. 28, 2009.
John Harrell’s prediction: Bluffton, 17-7.
About Bluffton: The Tigers have beaten the Squires 12 straight times, including once in postseason, since Manchester’s 2009 victory. … Last year’s Week 2 matchup was canceled due to COVID contact tracing involving the Squires. … Bluffton, from the Allen County Conference, is coming off a 21-0 home loss to Northfield in last week’s opener, the first time the Tigers have been shut out in Week 1 since 2004.
About Manchester: The late-rallying Squires were edged 14-12 by visiting North Miami in last week’s Three Rivers Conference matchup, ending the Warriors’ 18-game overall losing streak. … Manchester drew to within 8-6 in the fourth quarter on a Brock Casper to Memphis Wood 70-yard touchdown pass, but a two-point try to tie was unsuccessful. Then with the Squires down 14-6, Casper ran for a touchdown with less than a half-minute to go, but he was unable to reach the end zone on his two-point scramble try. … It happened to be Manchester’s first loss by exactly two points in 39 years (the last one a 9-7 defeat at Northfield in 1983). Since then, the Squires had won three times by two points, won twice by one and lost seven times by one. … Casper hit 16-of-31 passes for 236 yards, while Garrett Sites rushed 17 times for 90 yards. Wood caught six passes for 124. Jordan Ayres was in on 17 tackles for the defense to go with a fumble recovery, while Caden Miller was in 14.
Manchester coach Alyx Brandewie:
On last week — “We didn’t execute very well on offense in the first half. Part of the reason is we could’ve called a better game as a staff. We had some kids make some mistakes, but we trust them and will count on them to make those plays in the future. On top of those things, (North Miami) did some very different stuff from anything we’d seen on film. We didn’t execute very well, but for a lot of our guys, it was their first varsity start.”
On Bluffton — “Like most years, it looks like they have some size and athletes. They’ll be spread on offense and 3-4 on defense. Coach (Brent) Kunkel does a great job there. His kids always show up and play hard. They’ll present a great challenge.”
On his message after a tough opener — “At this point, it’s over and we have to be able to move on. Nobody likes losing. Nobody signs up to get beat Week 1, but the good thing is we’re promised nine more games, so can you bounce back? And based on what I’ve seen Monday and (Tuesday), we’ve done that so far.”
Peru (1-0 overall, 0-0 TRC) at Whitko (0-1, 0-0)
When: Friday, 7 p.m., Huff Stadium.
Series: Peru leads 5-0.
Last meeting: Peru won 39-7 on Aug. 27, 2021.
John Harrell’s prediction: Peru, 42-3.
About Peru: The Tigers lost 44-0 to visiting Logansport in first-year head coach Tim Weeks’ Peru debut last week. … Weeks succeeds Romison Saint-Louis, who left for Elkhart in the offseason. The Tigers were 21-21 in four years under Saint-Louis, including 21-11 over the last three and 15-5 the last two. … Peru was limited to 40 yards of offense against the Berries.
About Whitko: The shorthanded Wildcats were blanked 39-0 in their opener last week by visiting Prairie Heights, though the count was just 12-0 at halftime. Returning two-way regular Dean Boggs did not play due to illness, while two-way starter Cody Adkins and freshman starter Preston Furar were each injured during the third quarter. … Boggs returned to practice this week, but a kneecap injury Tuesday left his status in question for Friday. Adkins is expected to miss a couple weeks, while Furar could be out this week as well. … Junior Skyler Zellers shined on both sides of the ball against the Panthers, making a dozen solo tackles among 15 in all, including four for loss, while also carrying 13 times for 61 yards. Quarterback Jack Hill added 39 yards on nine keepers and finished 5-of-8 throwing.
Whitko coach Chip Coldiron:
On last week — “We played a solid first half. It essentially could’ve been 0-0 at halftime except for a couple plays. We had a couple drives stalled by penalty and a missed fourth-down conversion, but we were right there the first half.”
On Peru — “They’ve got the opposite of us, a lot of depth. They have maybe three two-way guys and we might have 10. If we can overcome that, we can be competitive. We just gotta suck it up and be physical.”
On roster size — “We’ve picked up a few more kids (with school starting), so we’re at about 30, and I think that’s about where it’s going to stop. We’re cutting it off, not keeping it open like last year. I doubt we’ll get any JV games in, but we can get rolling with 30.”
LaVille (1-0, 0-0 Hoosier North Athletic Conference) at Triton (1-0, 0-0 HNAC)
When: Friday, 7 p.m., Trojan Field, Bourbon.
Series (last 35 years): LaVille, 26-11.
John Harrell’s prediction: LaVille, 31-17.
Last meeting: Aug. 27, 2021, LaVille, 7-0 (overtime).
About LaVille: Coach Will Hostrawer’s 2A Lancers whitewashed visiting Bremen 42-0 in Week 1 … Senior Paul DeWitt rushed 11 times for 235 yards and two touchdowns … Junior Lucas Plummer was 6-of-8 passing for 112 yards and four TDs — two to Owen Smith and one each to seniors Noah Richhart and Ross Wagoner … Wagoner (8) and Richhart (7) led the team in total tackles … Smith, senior Dustin Gill and sophomore Collin Czarnecki all intercepted a pass.
About Triton: Coach Rodney Younis’ visiting IFCA 1A No. 12-ranked Trojans blanked South Central (Union Mills) 49-0 in Week 1 … Junior Anthony Schuh carried eight times for 219 yards and four touchdowns … Junior Cole Shively gained 84 yards on six totes with two TDs … Senior Reilley Woods gained 10 yards and scored the other TD and also made a team-high 10 total tackles … Sophomore Esai Lemler (6) and senior Amari Snyder (4) were tackle leaders.
Per Triton coach Rodney Younis:
On LaVille — We’ll have our hands full. They play well on offense, defense and special teams. They don’t have any weaknesses. We’ll have to play a complete game to compete with them.
Defense — It was a team effort. Our defensive line controlled the line of scrimmage. Safety Amari Snyder did a tremendous job of filling the lanes and our linebacking corps read its keys.
On South Central game — It was a great start to the season. We worked hard this off-season. It was good to see the boys get rewarded with good play … Anthony and Cole get the accolades for making the scores, but our offensive line worked well together and our receivers were blocking downfield.
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