Warsaw (5-0, 3-0 NLC) at Mishawaka (4-1, 3-0 NLC)
When: Friday, 7 p.m., Steele Stadium, Mishawaka.
Series (last 35 years): Warsaw, 2-1.
John Harrell’s prediction: Mishawaka, 24-23.
Last meeting: Sept. 23, 2022, Mishawaka, 43-19.
About Warsaw: Coach Bart Curtis’ 6A Associated Press No. 9/Indiana Football Coaches Association No. 10 Tigers beat visiting NorthWood 45-21 in Week 5 … Reed Zollinger rushed 45 times (tying the school record for single-game carries) for 313 yards (Tristan McClone’s 322 at Northridge in 2012 is the school single-game record) including dashes for 42, 35 and 25 yards and four touchdowns … Luke Ransbottom gained 64 yards on two totes — both for TDs … After trailing 14-7, Warsaw led 24-21 at halftime … The Tigers forced five turnovers — the first four leading to scores and the fifth at the end of the game … NorthWood’s Owen Roeder completed 20-of-26 passes for 293 yards with one interception (Jette Woodward) … Opponents average just 10.0 points per game … Warsaw is 5-0 for the first time since 2001 … Friday’s contest will be the TV-46 Game of the Week.
About Mishawaka: Coach Keith Kinder’s 5A No. 7/IFCA No. 7 Cavemen won 42-7 at Plymouth in Week 5 … Brady Fisher completed 5-of-5 passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns (one each to Novell Miller and Leron Kindred) … Ethan Bryce ran three times for 65 yards and one TD and Miller carried five times for 42 yards and one TD … Total tackle leaders were Jackson Snyder (14), Jack Troyer (7), Ken Clemente (6) and Carmine Orozco (6) … Troyer intercepted a pass and Kindred and Brady Newsome recovered fumbles … In its four victories, Mishawaka has outscored opponents 171-48 … The Cavemen’s loss was 28-7 at Penn in Week 2.
Per Coach Bart Curtis:
On Mishawaka — Those guys do a good job of implementing the (flexbone) style of play, tweaking it to match their personnel and making it their own … They’re extremely patient. We’re extremely patient. It’s a game that could kick off at and I could literally be back in Warsaw by 8:45 on a bus … They present some unique issues defensively and offensively because they really fly around the football … It’s going to be a physical melee I’m sure.
Reed Zollinger workload — We knew he was going to be part of the game plan (against NorthWood). I don’t know if anybody knew it was going to be that big. He’s a really nice job, particularly this last off-season, of packing on some pounds in the weight room. He’s worked extremely hard. Track has helped him with his speed as well. He’s deceiving. He’s not Carl Lewis or Ben Johnson, but he’s got a little giddy-up … It’s the nature of (fullback). You might get 10 carries. You might get 50 carries.
On NorthWood game — For the first time all season I felt all three phases of the game came together against the Panthers. We played well offensively. Our O-line is getting better and better each week … Some of their turnovers were forced. Others were not. But, nonetheless, they’re turnovers … Our varsity defense has given up 29 points in five games (one of NorthWood’s TDs was a pick-six) … NorthWood was the most-explosive offensive team we’ve played with playmakers all over the place … You can’t let their big plays become touchdowns.

Jimtown (2-3) at Tippecanoe Valley (5-0)
When: Friday, 7 p.m., Smith-Bibler Memorial Field.
Series: Jimtown leads 6-0.
Last meeting: Jimtown won 27-6, Nov. 1, 2019, 3A sectional semifinal.
John Harrell’s prediction: Valley, 38-21.
About Jimtown: One week after getting “out-Jimtowned,” as coach Cory Stoner described his team’s 12-7 loss to Glenn, the Jimmies put their signature brand of physical play back on track last Friday behind a powerful performance from their offensive line in a 35-24 win over Bremen, snapping the Lions’ three-game winning streak. … Junior running back Ty Zartman rushed for a career-high 212 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries. Senior back Colin Christman added 94 yards and a TD on 14 attempts while senior quarterback Bishop Williams finished with 59 yards on six keepers. Williams is attracting Division I interest on the defensive side of the ball as a linebacker. … Jimtown opened the season with road losses of 42-22 at NorthWood (3-2) and 27-10 at Concord (3-2) — a pair of teams ranked in the the 4A and 5A state polls at the time — before dismantling Osceola Grace 75-7 and falling to Glenn (3-2). … The Jimmies, currently in the Northern Indiana Conference, and Valley will be among the six members of the new Northern State Conference next season, along with Bremen, Glenn, Knox and LaVille.
About Valley: The 3A No. 12-ranked Vikings face the Jimmies for the first time ever in the regular season. Valley trails the all-time series 6-0 (its most losses against any opponent that it’s never beaten), with each of those contests being sectional matchups from 1993 to 2019. … Led by the magical and versatile play of Nate Parker, the Vikings are coming off a 59-28 throttling of Culver Academy to end their longest-ever losing streak against any opponent at 11. Valley trailed 21-14 in the second quarter, but scored the next 35 points for a 49-21 lead. The count was 56-28 heading into the final period. Parker figured in five touchdowns, including an 88-yard pass to Wade Jones on a trick play. The senior also scored on runs of 60, 17 and 36 yards in addition to turning a screen pass from Cody Eastgate into an 81-yard TD. … Valley piled up 618 yards of offense, including 413 on the ground, and totaled 780 all-purpose yards. … The Vikings will be playing a fourth straight home game for the first time ever, before visiting 3A No. 4-ranked West Lafayette next week, and are seeking their 16th consecutive regular-season home win since September 2020.
Valley coach Steve Moriarty:
On last week — “It was a good game, more of a battle than the final score. We were only up seven at halftime (28-21). We made some adjustments and scored 28 points in the third quarter. Slowing down their offense was hard. They threw the ball very well (including all four TDs coming through the air). There are improvements we need to make, but I was pleased with the outcome.”
On Jimtown — “They play really hard. It’s old-school, smash-mouth football. They’re very good up front, their backs cut well and they’re well-coached. Defensively, they get after it. Their record doesn’t show the type of football they’ve played, (facing) teams like NorthWood and Concord. We’ll have to play very well to beat them.”
On four straight at home — “The community support we get at Valley is awesome. They really come out to support our players at home, but they also travel well. We try to keep our same routine, home or away, what time we go on the field and all that, but it’s obviously easier at home. Next week will be a little different when we travel about two hours to West Lafayette.”

Northridge (4-1, 2-1 NLC) at Wawasee (1-4, 1-2 NLC)
When: Friday, 7 p.m., Warrior Stadium, Syracuse.
Series (last 35 years): Northridge, 19-17.
John Harrell’s prediction: Northridge, 35-17.
Last meeting: Sept. 23, 2022, Northridge, 35-17.
About Northridge: Coach Chad Eppley’s 4A AP No. 7/IFCA No. 9 Raiders beat visiting Goshen 43-6 in Week 5 … Brayden Clark and Derek Sherwood ran for two TDs apiece and Clark completed 14-of-19 passes for 97 yards with a TD toss to Zach Baugh as the Raiders built a 35-0 halftime lead, leading to a running lock in the second half … For five games, Clark is 73-of-116 passing for 884 yards and seven TDs with four interceptions … Sherwood has 67 carries for 277 yards and three TDs … Chase Clark has 23 receptions for 337 yards, Baugh 15 catches for 226 yards and three TDs and Judah Hochtetler 18 grabs for 166 yards … Beau Bojanich (36) and Brock Thompson (35) are total tackle leaders.
About Wawasee: Coach Jon Reutebuch’s 4A Warriors lost 52-0 at Concord in Week 5 … Luke Keim, seeing his first extended varsity action, completed 6-of-18 passes for 64 yards with five interceptions while Mason Shoemaker, who went out with a shoulder injury on his team’s third snap, was 0-of-2 … Through four games, Shoemaker was 47-of-79 for 673 yards and seven TDs with six interceptions … Hunter Tinkey had 37 carries for 343 yards and two TDs, Brandon Kelly 41 carries for 253 yards and one TD and Barrett Kelly 32 carries for 151 yards and one TD … Tinkey had 15 catches for 260 yards and two TDs and Derek Bontrager 16 catches for 190 yards and four TDs … Four-game total tackle leaders were Barrett Kelly (28), Brandon Kelly (28), Payton Sewell (26) and Bontrager (22).
Per Coach Jon Reutebuch:
On Northridge — We’ve got to get back to the basics, flush the Concord game and focus on the next game coming … (Northridge) is a very good team, well-balanced. We’re going to have to play well to compete.
Hunter Tinkey — He is our best player. On offense, we try to figure out ways of getting him the ball as often as possible. Defensively, he’s very valuable (as a cornerback or safety). He’s like a Swiss Army Knife. You can plug him in wherever because he’s that good of an athlete and can get it done.
On Concord game — (It was rough) to say the least.

Manchester (2-3, 2-2 TRC) at Southwood (3-2, 3-1 TRC)
When: Friday, 7 p.m., Waggoner Field, Wabash
Series: Southwood 24-9
John Harrell’s prediction: Southwood 35-21
Last Meeting: Sep. 23, 2022, Southwood 55-22
About Manchester: The Squires have dropped their last two games, the most recent being a 28-7 loss to Northfield last week. Manchester has scored just 28 points over its last three games after scoring 38 in its first two. Sophomore Reiss Gaerte continues to impress on both sides of the ball, leading his team with 56 receiving yards and a touchdown last week while also rushing for 28 yards and making six tackles on defense. Quarterback Logan Eastgate completed just 41% of his passes last week, throwing for 106 yards and a score. Eli Metzger leads the team in receiving at 52.4 yards per contest.
About Southwood: After dropping its first two games of the season, the Knights come into this game on a three-game winning streak, outsourcing opponents 93-26 in the process. Most recently, Southwood won 41-20 over Wabash. Running back Bryce Rigney ran for 154 yards and two scores in the game, double his 71.4 season average. Griffin Chambers threw for 158 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Five different receivers caught balls from Chambers, led by Maddox Marshall and his 63 yards.
Manchester head coach Eddie Fields:
On offensive struggles - We’ve been really simplistic with a lot of things because we have a young group. We’re not a big team by any means either, so we have to teach our kids how to be successful on both sides of the ball. We’re looking at adding some variety this week, taking the reins off. It’s always been there but we’ve needed our group to progress enough to be able to execute.
On young players’ progress - Our defense has been getting a lot better. We held a triple-option team in Northfield to under 100 yards rushing. I feel really good about our offensive line too, I think they played a lot better last week than people give them credit for. Overall, I’m thrilled with our kids and their desire to be great. We’ve had more kids than ever staying late for workouts, which is really nice to see.
On Southwood - We think we can go out and compete with them. Similar to us, I know they play a lot of sophomores so there’s a lot of guys on that field that are going to be learning as they go. They have a different type of offense than we’re used to so we’ll have to be ready. Our kids know that they have a tradition over there but they aren’t intimidated. We still want to go out and win them all.

Whitko (1-4, 0-4 TRC) at Lewis Cass (2-3, 2-2)
When: Friday, 7 p.m., Owens Memorial Field, Walton.
Series: Cass leads 1-0.
Last meeting: Cass won 27-0, Oct. 31, 2008, 2A sectional semifinal.
John Harrell’s prediction: Cass, 35-14.
About Whitko: The Wildcats’ 24-19 loss last week to visiting North Miami was their closest game in over three years, win or lose. The hosts trailed 24-7 at the half, but rallied with touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters while blanking the Warriors after the break. … Quarterback Jack Hill figured in all three Whitko TDs on the night, scoring two and hitting on a 28-yard scoring pass to Kaden Long. Trevor Freel rushed for 96 yards. … On the season, Hill has scored five touchdowns running and thrown for two others. Freel’s at 233 ground yards, while Riley Harman’s caught eight passes for 220 yards. Isaac Irwin leads the defense with 23 tackles overall and 5.5 for loss. … The Cats have scored 51 points over five games so far this year after scoring 32 in 10 games last year.
About Cass: The Kings are in their first season in the Three Rivers Conference. The only time they’ve ever faced Whitko — the 2008 sectional semifinal mentioned above — it coincidentally came in the same year they made their one state finals appearance. They were nipped 17-14 by Heritage Christian in the 2A finale. … Cass is led by senior fullback Cooper Frey, who’s carried 48 times for 313 yards and five touchdowns to go with nine receptions for 155 yards and another four TDs. Junior running back Trevor Rowe has added 255 yards on 39 carries. Senior QB L.J. Hillis is 22-of-38 throwing for 233 yards and four touchdowns against one pick. … On defense, balance has ruled with senior middle linebacker Elijah Martin at 35 tackles, Hillis 34 from his safety spot, Rowe 31 and Dalton Lowe 30. Frey owns five of the Kings’ nine tackles for loss. … Cass is coming off a 44-6 loss at Rochester (4-1), a week after a 44-8 win over North Miami (1-4).
Whitko coach Brad Sprunger:
On last week — We didn’t play very well in the first half. We sat on our heels and watched on defense. We came out well on offense, had a long drive and scored, were feeling pretty good, but then they drove right down and scored. The second half, we played a lot better. Had the ball in the (red) zone three times that we didn’t score. Got stopped on the 9 on one and lost a fumble on another.”
On whether close loss was encouraging — “I still think the kids see how good we can be. Truthfully, we haven’t put together two good halves since Prairie Heights (in Week 1). It’s usually one or the other. Some of that comes with our numbers. You struggle at times when you play eight or nine kids both ways, but I think we still see how good we can be if we can put together two good halves.”
On Cass – “It’s been a while since we’ve played them (Sprunger was a Whitko assistant in 2008). They had really fast kids and linebackers back then, and I kind of see that in them now. They don’t seem to be very big, but they play fast and hard.”

Triton (3-2, 2-1 HNAC) at Pioneer (4-1, 2-1 HNAC)
When: Friday, 7 p.m., The Pit, Royal Center.
Series (last 35 years): Pioneer, 8-2.
John Harrell’s prediction: Pioneer, 28-21.
Last meeting: Oct. 21, 2022, Triton, 42-6 (sectional).
About Triton: Coach Zach Whittaker’s 1A AP vote-getter Trojans won 58-6 at Culver Community in Week 5 … Cole Shively completed 2-of-4 passes for 110 passes and two TDs (both to Dante’ Workman) and also rushed for one TD … Jayden Overmyer carried seven times for 99 yards and three TDs, Vinnie Prater eight totes for 40 yards and Kyle Cummins two carries for 9 yards and one TD … The Trojans went 2-0 against Pioneer (regular season and playoffs) in 2022.
About Pioneer: Coach Adam Berry’s 1A AP No. 9/IFCA No. 8 Panthers beat visiting Hammond Central 28-12 in Week 5 … A wing-T offensive attack is triggered by Micah Rans … Leading rushers are Rylahn Toloza (100 carries for 701 yards and eight TDs), Rans (45 carries for 334 yards and six TDs), Cayden Hill (45 totes for 241 yards and five TDs) and Tyler Zellers (23 rushes for 162 yards) … Rans is 10-of-23 for 144 yards passing with one TD and two interceptions … Total tackle leaders are Eli Guffey (46), Zellers (40) and Hill (38) … The Panthers’ loss was 29-13 at LaVille in Week 3.
Per Coach Zach Whittaker:
On Pioneer — We have to stay fundamentally sound. We have to make sure we read our keys (on defense). We run a little bit of wing-T ourselves. I understand the importance of maintaining our gaps and not getting down-blocked … They have such a traditional program. They run that wing-T at a young age so by the time they get to high school they’ll be hiding the ball very efficiently. It seems they never make mistakes.
Defense — Our linebacker play has been pretty good … (Linebacker) Colton Reynolds has done a great job for us … We’ve gotten pressure on the quarterback as well … We’re continuing to develop our tackling and (coverage) responsibilities.
On Culver Community game — Our defense played well and put (our oftense) on a lot of short fields. We were able to capitalize.