FB PREVIEWS: Pioneer hosts North Judson for HNAC title game

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

For a second straight year Pioneer faces North Judson with the Hoosier North Athletic Conference championship on the line.

Tonight’s meeting is at the Pit with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Both teams enter 8-0 overall and 6-0 in conference play.

Pioneer won last year’s meeting 36-18 at North Judson en route to a trip to Lucas Oil Stadium and a Class 1A state runner-up finish.

The Bluejays were the HNAC champions the year before and were the Class 1A state runner-up that year.

Pioneer has won eight HNAC titles overall, including the first seven. The Panthers shared the title with North Judson and Winamac in 2021.

North Judson has won two HNAC titles overall in football.

Tonight’s game is expected to be close on paper. The Panthers are ranked No. 1 in the USA Today poll, No. 2 in the coaches’ poll and No. 3 in both the Sagarin Ratings and MaxPreps Rankings. The Bluejays are ranked No. 3 in both human voting polls, No. 4 by MaxPreps and No. 5 in the Sagarin Ratings. JohnHarrell.com has Pioneer favored by 3 points on its home field.

The Panthers have a balanced attack this year in their wing-T offense. Freshman quarterback Colton Popejoy has passed 994 yards and 15 touchdowns. Lilly Scholarship finalist Shiloh Rine is his top target with 21 catches for 547 yards and 11 TDs and is also the Panthers’ leading rusher with 768 yards and 12 TDs. Junior wingback Phillip McFatridge has rushed for 556 yards and 9 TDs. Senior defensive lineman Mikaden Tolosa is the team’s leading tackler with 63 tackles which includes four sacks.

The Bluejays also have a historically ground-based offense that is more balanced than usual this year. Senior quarterback Javen Christensen has passed for 902 yards and 10 TDs. Junior wingback Aiden McGowan is the leading rusher (586 yards, 14 TDs) and receiver (13 catches, 436 yards, 5 TDs). Junior fullback Branden Metzger has rushed for 432 yards and 6 TDs. Senior linebacker Elijah Allen leads the North Judson defense with 63 tackles, which included 17 in last week’s 21-14 win over Caston.

It’s also Pioneer’s senior night. The Panthers will honor 12 seniors.

TWIN LAKES (6-2, 4-2 HC) AT LOGANSPORT (8-0, 6-0)

For most of the year it looked like tonight’s contest would be for the Hoosier Conference championship. But Twin Lakes, hit by some key injuries, dropped two of its last three games to give Logansport the title. It’s the Berries’ second conference title in three years and ninth overall. Their other outright titles were in 1958, 1995 and 2005.

The Berries also have a chance to record their first undefeated regular season since 2005 and fifth all-time, which also includes the NCC championship season of 1958, the mythical state championship season of 1909 and the 1911 season when they played just two games.

(As an aside, in 1911 football was in a highly experimental phase as it tried to clean up its reputation as a brutal, often fatal blood-sport. The state high school athletic association was attempting to abolish the sport in 1911, according to local newspaper reports. The NFL didn’t form until 1920. Football helmets weren’t widely worn until the 1920s. They were made of soft leather until more protective, hard leather helmets were introduced in the 1930s. Leather helmets were used by NCC teams into the 1960s.)

The Berries are in the midst of an historic season and they are ranked eighth in the MaxPreps Rankings, ninth in the Sagarin Ratings and 10th in the coaches and USA Today polls in Class 4A.

Elliot Baldini has rushed for 3,167 yards in his career and currently ranks fifth all-time in school history. Mike Maple is fourth at 3,258 yards, Matt McIntire is third at 3,342 yards, Rufus Sims is second at 3,633 yards and Jason Spear is the all-time leadng rusher at 3,859 yards.

Baldini has 902 yards and 9 TDs this year for a balanced Berries team. Karsen Jackson had 668 yards and 12 TDs and Quincy Jackson has 571 yards and 6 TDs. Kuper Jones has passed for 742 yards and 11 TDs. Karsen Jackson leads the defense with 106 tackles.

The Berries should be close to full strength tonight, as senior tackle and Wake Forest recruit RJ Clem is set to return from a sprained ankle that cost him to miss three games and junior guard Adrian Medina-Moreno returns from a one-game suspension.

The Berries are averaging 44.6 ppg and allowing just 9.4 ppg, with a lot of the points being allowed by the JV unit in the second halves of games. They’ve had a running clock going in every game but one this season.

The Indians are scoring 44.4 ppg but allowing 25.5 ppg. Their injury concerns have caused them to cancel Saturday’s JV game at Logansport despite having a 7-0 JV record.

The Indians are led by senior quarterback Cooper Dold, who holds offers from Hanover, DePauw, Georgetown College, Marian, Wabash and Indiana Wesleyan. He has passed for 2,442 yards and 23 TDs on the season and rushed for 338 yards and 6 TDs. He spreads the ball around and Coleman Ottinger is the leading receiver with 44 catches for 785 yards and 6 TDs. Mason Brummett has 1,021 yards from scrimmage and 14 TDs.

Logansport will honor 14 seniors tonight.

WINAMAC (6-2, 4-2 HNAC) AT CASTON (6-2, 4-2)

Two of the most improved teams in the state meet with third-place in the HNAC on the line tonight at the Crater.

The Comets nearly knocked off No. 3 North Judson last week. The Comets are ranked No. 10 in the coaches’ poll, No. 13 in both the USA Today poll and Sagarin Ratings and No. 16 on MaxPreps.

Ashton Bowyer has rushed for 511 yards and 9 TDs to lead the Comets. Logan Mollenkopf has passed for 460 yards and 3 TDs and has rushed for 295 yards and 10 TDs. Landen Rigney has eight catches for 219 yards and a TD in addition to 296 yards on the ground and 4 TDs. Bowyer also leads the defense with 42 tackles.

The Warriors are ranked 19th on MaxPreps and 21st in the Sagarin Ratings in Class 1A.

Louis Rugg III has rushed for 806 yards and 8 TDs to lead the Warriors. Tearson Wolford has 508 yards and 6 TDs. Ivan Cardenas has ran for 315 yards and 11 TDs. Wolford leads the defense with 63 tackles.

The Comets will honor eight seniors tonight.

CASS (5-3, 4-2 TRC) AT SOUTHWOOD (2-6, 1-5)

The Kings are looking to finish the regular season strong at Southwood.

The Knights are coached by Bud Wright, who is in his first season at Southwood and 61st season overall. His 466 career wins are the most in state history. Russ Radtke of Knox trails him by 38 wins.

Southwood played Cass’ first-round sectional opponent, Peru, within 21-7 two weeks ago.

Cass is 13th in the Sagarin Ratings and MaxPreps Rankings in Class 2A.

Connyr Mack is the Kings’ leading rusher with 615 yards and 8 TDs. Cole Rush has passed for 520 yards and 8 TDs. Ty Lobenthal leads the defense with 54 tackles. Ty Grist has four interceptions.

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos