This is it, ladies and gentlemen, the regular season is over. The fun part begins this week, and that is postseason football. From here on out, it’s win or go home for everyone in the state of Indiana. As they say, you can’t win state until you win sectionals first. Here is where the Small School Division stands heading into postseason play.
Small School Division
1. Eastside Blazers 7-2, 4-0 (Small) (Clinched Outright Division Title)
Located in Butler, IN (DeKalb County)
2A Sectional 35
Current Ranking: 1st Small School Division; 1st NECC
Previous Ranking: 1st Small School Division; 1st NECC
Previous Outing: W 28-7 @ Angola
Next Game: 10/21 @ Wabash
- This is Eastside’s first meeting with the Apache.
- Eastside has not lost a first-round sectional game since 2018 @ Southwood
- Wabash has won just seven sectional games in program history, and just three sectional wins in their last 25 years.
One could argue this was Eastside’s most dominant defensive win of the season against the Angola Hornets as the Blazers ran for 269 yards and held Angola to 130 rushing yards. On that night, Dax Holman might have played the best football game he’s ever played rushing foe 93 yards on 12 carries and three TDs, plus he had a game-high 13 total tackles.
Briar Munsey had 106 rushing yards on 10 carries, and Eastside’s defense had three sacks against a strong Angola Pistol Motion Offense. Eastside enters sectionals hotter than a firecracker with wins in their last seven games. Remember when everyone was panicking after they lost back-to-back weeks by a grand total of five points? It’s like I said after Week 3, Eastside knows exactly what they are doing.
Now, we will get to see what 2A’s 7th-ranked team in the IFCA’s coaches’ poll can do in the always intriguing 2A Sectional 35. On paper, it could be a crash course with (Act surprised!!) Bishop Luers for a sectional championship, and that would make cinema football.
But to get to that moment, Eastside has to win this week’s game as they travel to 3-6 Wabash. The Apache average 194 passing yards per game led by junior quarterback Izaak Wright. Wright has 1,746 passing yards on .579% completion and 16 TDs to just 2 INTs.
However, if you know me, you know I am not a fan of most of TRC’s football competitions. Wabash’s three wins came against teams with a combined record of 5-22.
2. Churubusco Eagles 7-2, 3-1 (Small)
Located in Churubusco, IN (Whitley County)
2A Sectional 35
Current Ranking: 2nd Small School Division; 3rd NECC
Previous Ranking: 2nd Small School Division; 3rd NECC
Previous Outing: W 35-14 Fairfield
Next Game: 10/21 @ Central Noble (THE BATTLE AT BASELINE)
- Head-to-Head Series: 31-21 Busco
- Postseason Record: 3-3 Tie
- First Meeting: 10/31/1975 Central Noble won 7-6 at Busco
- Last Meeting: 9/30/2022 Busco won 42-0 at Busco.
- First Postseason Meeting: 10/25/1985 Busco won 18-7 at Busco
- Last Postseason Meeting: 10/20/2000 Central Noble won 45-0 at CN
- Busco looking for their 40th postseason win.
Another day, another dominant win for the Turtle Town boys as they proved to be the stronger bird in this battle with Fairfield. Busco ran for 322 yards, led by Wyatt Marks’ 158 yards on 26 carries and a score. Riley Buroff was 7-14 for 102 yards and 3 TDs and ran for another 30 yards.
On defense, Cullen Blake and Bentley Kilgore led the way with 11 total tackles to highlight Busco’s impressive defensive showing against the Wishbone Triple-Option. Busco’s Wing-T is averaging 280.8 yards on the ground this season. Busco’s defense has held teams below 150 rushing yards in four of their last five games, and they have forced at least a turnover in each of their last five games.
This week, they get to have ROUND 2 of the Battle at Baseline, this time at Cougar Field against the banged-up Central Noble Cougars. The key here for Busco is don’t overlook Central Noble, play good Busco football, and hopefully play well enough for a possible second-round matchup with Bishop Luers.
3. Central Noble Cougars 2-7, 2-2 (Small)
Located in Albion, IN (Noble County)
2A Sectional 35
Current Ranking: 3rd Small School Division; 8th NECC
Previous Ranking: 3rd Small School Division; 8th NECC
Previous Outing: L 40-23 @ Garrett
Next Game: 10/21 vs Busco (THE BATTLE AT BASELINE)
- Head-to-Head Series: 31-21 Busco
- Postseason Record: 3-3 Tie
- First Meeting: 10/31/1975 Central Noble won 7-6 at Busco
- Last Meeting: 9/30/2022 Busco won 42-0 at Busco.
- First Postseason Meeting: 10/25/1985 Busco won 18-7 at Busco
- Last Postseason Meeting: 10/20/2000 Central Noble won 45-0 at CN
- Central Noble holds an all-time home record of 11-13 vs Busco. In games decided by 14 points or less, the Cougars are 11-12 vs Busco.
Well, on the bright side, at least CN finally showed some confidence in running the football?? Central Noble posted a season high in total yards with 303, with 195 of those yards coming on the ground. The Fighting Morgan’s showed flashes of giving Garrett fits with Devin Hiestand running for 89 yards on 11 carries and a TD.
Tyler Shisler played his first game since suffering a lower-body injury in Week 2 against Woodlan rushing for 41 yards on 5 carries and a TD. HOWEVER, in the small sample size he had at quarterback, he was just 2-7 for 17 yards and 2 INTs. Brody Morgan looked pretty good at times as he went 8-13 for 91 yards and did not throw a pick.
Drew Pliett did set the new school record for receptions in a season as he caught three passes for 56 yards and a score. Pliett’s 37 catches does break Terry Dazey’s record of 35 catches, which was set in 1975. However, where CN still has problems are turnovers and now the defense is having trouble keeping points off the board. Garrett produced 379 yards of total offense, and it seemed like once Garrett forced that interception in the red zone, the Big Train never lost a sweat.
Now, chances are, CN is not likely to make it past this week as they get to face Busco again (YAY!). If it was me, I would be like Sherwood Haydock keeping a few trick plays up my sleeve. I would have the Front 7 the way CN had to do in 2015 against Haydock’s Woodlan Warriors where they had to bear crawl in the line of scrimmage and stack the box like crazy. Make Riley Buroff beat you with his arm. CN’s new motto this week: Throw everything at the kitchen sink.
4. Prairie Heights Panthers 2-7, 1-3 (Small)
Located in Brushy Prairie, IN (LaGrange/Steuben County)
2A Sectional 35
Current Ranking: 4th Small School Division; 9th NECC
Previous Ranking: 4th Small School Division; 9th NECC
Previous Outing: L 51-13 West Noble
Next Game: 10/21 @ Bishop Luers
- Head-to-Head Series: 6-0 Luers (All in sectionals)
- First Meeting: 10/25/1985 Luers won 7-0 at PH
- Last Meeting: 10/29/2021 Luers won 44-7 at PH
- Luers’ average margin of win against PH is 30.2 points
- This is Heights’ first trip to Luers Field since October 24, 2008
- Bishop Luers is looking for their 140th postseason win in program history. Luers has only lost in the FIRST round of sectionals once, and that came on October 21, 1994, a 16-14 Eastside win.
- Heights has a record of 6-32 against Allen County schools (their last one came on October 30, 2020, where Heights won 18-8).
- Prairie Heights has one lifetime win against Fort Wayne schools in football, and that came on October 2, 1970, in a 45-0 win over Homestead.
- Prairie Heights is looking for their 11th sectional win ever.
Prairie Heights is guaranteeing at least a win in six straight seasons, which is the longest such streak since 1997. Prairie Heights also has four seasons with at least two wins in a five-year window, which is the most in a five-year period since 2007.
I know Joe Walburn is enjoying the Heights of Prairie or the Snowy Heights of Prairie or whatever he wants to call them. Unfortunately, the honeymoon saga can’t save the reality that the Panthers were Thunderstruck by the Los Caballos Grandes out of Ligonier. West Noble ran for 443 yards, which is 13.4 yards per carry.
At least Jaden Daniels recorded an INT on Drew Yates. That’s a good stat to talk about. As tough as Heights plays, Bishop Luers is way too talented to see a crazy upset. Good luck to the Fighting McCrea’s.
#WeTheHeights
5. Fremont Eagles 3-6, 0-4 (Small)
Located in Fremont, IN (Steuben County)
1A Sectional 44
Current Ranking: 5th Small School Division; 10th NECC
Previous Ranking: 5th Small School Division; 10th NECC
Previous Outing: W 28-12 @ Lake Station
Next Game: 10/21 @ South Adams
- Head-To-Head Series: 1-0 South Adams (came in sectionals)
- Only Meeting: 10/20/1989 South Adams won 27-0 @ Fremont
- Fremont has four straight seasons with at least three wins for the first time since 2002, when Fremont had seven straight seasons with at least three wins.
- Fremont also won a game after starting the same season 2-0 for the first time since they went 9-1 in 1987 (keep dreaming Fremont fans!)
- Fremont has won three sectional games in the last 20 years
- Fremont’s last road win in sectionals came on Oct. 26, 2001, in a 29-8 Fremont win at Adams Central.
- Fremont has a lifetime record of 2-8 against Adams County schools.
I once picked against Fremont on SummitCitySports DOT COMMMMMMM. And then in Fremont fashion, they beat the Fighting Thomas Edison’s last Friday. I think they were so excited about Fremont’s 8th grade team winning a championship, that they were so determined to start winning games again.
All jokes aside, Fremont did force Lake Station to throw four picks. Hey, nice work Fremont defense! Now, you get to make the long drive to Berne to face the Fighting Wanner’s and their west coast offense. Unlike the Philadelphia Eagles, Fremont does not have Jalen Hurts or AJ Brown. But at least the future is bright.
