Football
SuperSam’s Top 10 Area High School Football Games and Picks (Week 6, 2024 Season)
Here are the Top 10 area football games and picks for what should be an exciting and windy night of football.
Adams Central (4-1, 2-0 ACAC) @ South Adams (2-3, 0-2 ACAC)
The 72nd Adams County Showdown is always one of the premier games in the 260. The last time AC lost a conference football game, it came in 2020 against South Adams. SuperSam doesn’t see that changing tonight. Jets grab their ACAC-tying 22nd straight conference win.
Players to Watch
AC: Aaron Hirschy Senior Running /Outside Linebacker
SA: Tytus Lehman Junior Quarterback/Cornerback
J-E-T-S JETS by 28
Churubusco (2-3, 2-0 NECC Small School) @ Fremont (2-3, 1-0 NECC Small School)
Busco is 1 win away from clinching a share of the Small School Division with just a home game against winless Central Noble remaining. Fremont hasn’t beaten Busco since 2001, and a win would be huge.
However, Busco is on a roll and starting to get healthy. If Fremont cannot stop Ianucilli, it could be big trouble. Plus, the weather tonight doesn’t favor Fremont’s more spread friendly offense.
Players to Watch
Busco: Wes Ott Junior Quarterback/Linebacker
Fremont: Carmyne Moreno Junior Middle Linebacker/Tight End
Churubusco by 24
Concordia (2-3, 0-3 SAC) @ South Side (0-5, 0-3 SAC)
This feels like a coin toss game, to which no one really knows what to expect here. But my gut says give me the Archers.
Players to Watch
Concordia: Avery Cook Senior Wide Receiver
South Side: Detrick Smith Sophomore Outside Linebacker
South Side by 2 in a SuperSam Upset Special
Fairfield (2-3, 1-1 NECC Big School) @ Angola (1-4, 0-2 NECC Big School)
Both teams have had their fair share of issues finding consistent offense all season long. It will bode down to which quarterback will be able to run the offense, and which front line can assert their will to utilize their style of play. Plus the weather is going to be a big factor here.
Give me Fairfield.
Players to Watch
Fairfield: Breckan Maran Senior Running Back/Linebacker
Angola: Hawk Hasselman Junior Quarterback
Fairfield by 12
Heritage (4-1) @ Tipton (4-1)
Tipton has a strong football tradition down in Howard County with a strong defense this season. Guess what, so does Heritage. I got the Patriots bouncing back.
Players to Watch
Heritage: Eli Tigulis Senior Quarterback
Tipton: Cole Hussey Senior Center/Linebacker
Heritage by 10
Homestead (3-2, 3-0 SAC) @ Snider (3-2, 2-1 SAC)
A huge matchup at Spuller Stadium between two teams that have two stellar quarterbacks and a strong defensive line. Homestead has been limiting teams to just 7.3 points in their last 3 games. Snider needs a bounce back after losing 30-6 @ Carroll.
It will come down to which team can run the ball and be able to play well from their defensive line. I give the slight edge to Snider in a squeaker.
Players to Watch:
Homestead: Samuel Steward Senior Outside Linebacker
Snider: Aaron Vance Senior Quarterback
Snider by 2
Huntington North (3-2, 1-2 NE8) @ DeKalb (2-3, 1-2 NE8)
The Vikings posted a school record 63-0 shutout of Bellmont. Meanwhile, DeKalb has been outscored 95-14 in their last 2 games. The key factor will be can the Barons’ Defense have a resounding bounceback? Huntington North has to be sharp in all aspects and limit the turnovers.
Players to Watch
HN: Tony Decker Senior Quarterback/Strong Safety
DeKalb: Graham Blythe Senior Linebacker
DeKalb by 7
New Haven (0-5, 0-3 NE8) @ Columbia City (5-0, 3-0 NE8)
New Haven hasn’t started a season 0-6 since the 0-10 1997 season. Columbia City’s last 6-0 start came in 2020. A win for the Eagles would place them in a unique situation next week in Kendallville. However, I must stress this is a trap game for the Eagles.
Players to Watch
New Haven: Jesus Diaz Senior Middle Linebacker
Columbia City: Gavin Smith Junior Halfback/Defensive Back
Columbia City by 16
North Side (3-2, 2-1 SAC) @ Bishop Luers (4-1, 3-0 SAC)
Last year, this matchup came down to a. 4th quarter Luers comeback for the Knights to win 30-28. Luers’ defense has been stellar all season holding teams to just 6.7 points in their last 3 games. North Side’s offense is averaging 39 a game in their last 2 games.
The one will outweigh the other, and I got Bishop Luers getting it done through their defense.
Players to Watch
North Side: Tristan Newsome Senior Quarterback
Luers: Dee Hogue Senior Wide Receiver/Free Safety
Bishop Luers by 4
Garrett (5-0, 1-0 NECC Big School) @ West Noble (5-0, 2-0 NECC Big School)
See the preview here
It comes down to the Game of the Week in this area, and it’s a matchup with very little weaknesses between the two. Two talented quarterbacks, two teams with talented running backs and receivers, two teams with experience on both sides of the football, and two teams that don’t make a lot of mistakes.
So, it comes down to a few other areas. Which team can be the most physical? Which team is able to make the fewest mistakes? Which team can run the ball most effectively? And which team’s defense can hold its own?
The biggest x-factor in all of this is (of course) Mother Nature. The weather may create a new element to this entire thing that can easily swing to one team or another.
If Garrett makes mistakes and Hefty isn’t able to do what he does as a dual threat quarterback, Garrett is not beating West Noble. If West Noble doesn’t elevate their intensity, Garrett wins.
I think West Noble has just enough playmakers on defense that I can see them squeak by with a win. It’s going to be tight, and I expect this game to have limited scoring tonight.
Players to Watch
Garrett: Calder Hefty Senior Quarterback/Defensive Back
West Noble: McKale Bottles Junior Slotback/Outside Linebacker and Jordan Eash Senior Tight End/Defensive End
West Noble by 3 (field goal at the buzzer??)
