The fellas at Around the Fort were scheduled to have a pair of former North Side coaches – Dale Doerffler and Ryan Hall – on the area’s premier prep football podcast this Thursday night. Doerffler was the last coach to guide North Side (back when they were Redskins) to a sectional crown in 1990. That squad finished 9-3 after defeating Snider 26-7 for the sectional championship before losing to eventual state runner-up Marion, 21-3, at the regional round. Doerffler’s best team, perhaps, was his ’84 squad that beat powerhouses Penn (34-30 in the sectional) and Carmel (28-21 in the regional) before bowing out to Hobart, 27-7, in the semistate. Hall is the last North Side coach to defeat Snider (this week’s opponent) twice during his tenure: 2011 (19-16) and 2013 (27-13), both in the regular season. Hall’s ‘Skins were 0-4, however, vs. the Panthers in postseason action.
THE SWAMI SCALE
- CARROLL (10-0): The Chargers went to Penn last week and whipped up on the Kingsmen.
- SNIDER (9-1): Snider made quick work of Bishop Dwenger last week; tonight is a different matter.
- NORTH SIDE (8-2): A win tonight over Snider will give North Side its first sectional title since 1990.
- COLUMBIA CITY (10-1): The Eagles are searching for their first sectional crown since 1993.
- NORWELL (10-1): A stack of B. Antonio’s pizzas should provide enough fuel to defeat the Yorkies.
- ADAMS CENTRAL (11-0): These Flying Jets are leaving zero doubt against every foe in their way.
- EASTSIDE (9-2): A rematch against new playoff rival Luers will have the Butlerites going bonkers.
- LEO (8-3): Can Jonny Z’s “D” deliver the goods against arguably the area’s best rushing attack?
- BISHOP DWENGER (6-4): The Saints’ four losses have come against the area’s top three teams.
- BISHOP LUERS (6-5): Luers reenters the Swami’s Top 10; faces playoff nemesis Beastside tonight.
CLASS 6A (SECTIONAL 2)
WARSAW (8-2) at CARROLL (10-0): This one feels like it’s all Chargy to me. I’m seeing a Sebastian Lopez FG and a few TBs.
SWAMI SAYS: Carroll by 31
CLASS 5A (SECTIONAL 12)
NORTH SIDE (8-2) at SNIDER (9-1): The SCS Game of the Week (duh!), this one promises to be a Jeff Mahoney Classic.
SWAMI SAYS: Snider by 5
CLASS 4A (SECTIONAL 19)
LEO (8-3) at COLUMBIA CITY (10-1): Another rematch locally, Lions-Eagles has all of the earmarks of a true Donnybrook.
SWAMI SAYS: Columbia City by 11
CLASS 3A (SECTIONAL 27)
YORKTOWN (8-3) at NORWELL (10-1): The host Knights were fed like kings Thursday night by the Sideline Swami. Like kings!
SWAMI SAYS: Norwell by 30
CLASS 2A (SECTIONAL 35)
BISHOP LUERS (6-5) at EASTSIDE (9-2): Sagarin has the Knights by 10, but Swami says otherwise. Beastside by a deuce.
SWAMI SAYS: Eastside by 2
CLASS 2A (SECTIONAL 36)
EASTBROOK (8-3) at BLUFFTON (7-4): This isn’t the strongest Eastbrook club in recent years, but the Panthers will still prevail.
SWAMI SAYS: Eastbrook by 25
CLASS 1A (SECTIONAL 44)
ADAMS CENTRAL (11-0) at NORTHFIELD (6-5): AC will run the clock on the Norsemen sometime early in the third quarter.
SWAMI SAYS: Adams Central by 42
