Warren Central gets second chance at Pike in IHSAA regional
By CRAIG DRAGASH
ISL Correspondent
Dragash looks at some of the week’s better IHSAA postseason matchups, with help from ISL Editor Cliff Brunt.
When Pike traveled to Warren Central on Sept. 27, the home team had things well in hand early, leading 28-0 late in the second quarter. But Pike struck twice before halftime to cut the Warriors’ lead in half, and the Red Devils went on to score 38 straight points en route to a stunning 38-28 victory. It was a game I’m sure Warren players and fans would love to have back.
They will have their chance this Friday, as Warren travels to Pike for an IHSAA Class 6A regional championship, but Pike will be without Tennessee-bound wide receiver Dominique Booth, who is out for the season with an elbow injury. The 6A No. 9 Red Devils have proven they can perform while facing adversity, as they defeated No. 2 Ben Davis 34-32 on the road last week for the Sectional 5 championship without Booth, and also without head coach Derek Moyers, who was serving a one-game suspension for an incident that happened in the Pike locker room earlier in the week.
Warren quarterback Jeff George had contrasting statistics in the first contest. He only completed 10 of 25 passes, but four of his completions were for touchdowns. Darius Lee was on the receiving end of two of those touchdowns. He finished the night with five catches for 152 yards.
After back-to-back losses to Pike and Carmel, Warren goes into this contest on a four-game winning streak, including two victories over defending state champion Lawrence Central, the team current Warren Central coach Jayson West led to the championship last year.
Pike appears to be the hotter of the two teams. After 1-point losses to Center Grove and Ben Davis (in overtime), the Red Devils have won five of their last six games. The lone defeat came at Carmel in a game that was televised on ESPNU. The Warriors, meanwhile, struggled to defeat 2-9 North Central a week ago. They won just 14-7.
While Booth gets the headlines, there are plenty of contributors to Pike’s offense, which averages just under 38 points per contest. Booth tallied 31 catches for 411 yards and five touchdowns this season, but fellow wideout Devin Pearson leads the team with 39 receptions for 612 yards and seven touchdowns. Brent Lyles is one of the top quarterbacks in the state, throwing for 2,242 yards and 23 touchdowns while completing just under 58 percent of his passes.
But for Pike, the one to watch for is running back Taylor Sanders. He has rushed for 1,040 yards, with an average of 7.4 yards per carry, and scored 11 touchdowns. Sanders also hauled in 34 receptions for 400 yards. Backup Derrick Wilkerson totaled 909 yards on the ground with 10 touchdowns. Sanders is also Pike’s top punt returner, averaging 23.2 yards per return, including a 67-yard return for a touchdown.
As for the Warriors, senior wide receiver Darius Lee is their biggest offensive threat. He accounted for 1,031 all-purpose yards this season, with 603 receiving yards on 24 catches. George is the one with name recognition, but he has struggled at times this season. George completed just under 50 percent of his passes this season to go along with 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Senior tight end Zach Gegner is also a favorite target of George, with 23 catches for 392 yards and two touchdowns.
Defense is the strength of the Warriors. They give up just a shade under 18 points per game. They are led by linebacker Katrell Moss, who has 75 total tackles. He and defensive lineman Max Hernandez both lead Warren Central with seven tackles for loss. Hernandez also doubles as the Warriors’ kicker, and he’s a good one. That is one area where Warren has a clear edge over Pike. If it comes down to a game-winning field goal, West should feel confident in going to Hernandez, who has converted 8 of 13 field goals this season, including a long of 51 yards.
Pike cannot afford to spot Warren Central an early lead as it did in the first meeting. Warren’s defense will have to have a strong showing against a dangerous Pike offense led by Lyles. Pike’s victory over Ben Davis last week should give the Red Devils lots of confidence heading into this matchup.
Dragash prediction: Pike 31, Warren Central 20
Brunt prediction: Pike 28, Warren Central 14
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6A: Southport (11-0) at Center Grove (10-1)
This will by far be Southport’s biggest test. The Cardinals were impressive in their victory over a very athletic Arsenal Tech squad last week (story here), but Tech doesn’t have a balanced offense, and Center Grove can beat you with both the run and the pass. Luke Calvert is one of the state’s best quarterbacks. The Trojans use a running back-by-committee approach, but Max Norris stands out with 1,021 yards and 15 touchdowns on just 77 carries.
Southport running back Christian Perry is a beast. The 200-pound senior has rushed for 2,282 yards and 24 touchdowns. He changes direction well for a big back and is fast enough to take it the distance. Southport quarterback Luke Johnston is an emerging star. Ultimately, Center Grove’s experience against tough competition should win out. But make no mistake — Southport is legitimately good.
Dragash prediction: Center Grove 38, Southport 21
6A: Carmel (8-3) at Fort Wayne Carroll (9-2)
On the surface, this looks like it could be a problem for Carmel. Carroll has averaged 55 points during a six-game win streak. A closer look reveals that Carroll’s two losses before the win streak were against two Class 4A schools: East Noble and New Haven. While those are good 4A schools, they don’t have Carmel’s depth. Those losses imply that when Carroll runs into top competition, it falls short. Carmel’s Shakir Paschall has emerged as a big-time player in recent weeks. He ran for 158 yards against Pike on Oct. 11 and for 209 yards last week against Fishers (story here). He should have plenty of open field in front of him against Carroll.
Brunt prediction: Carmel 42, Ft. Wayne Carroll 7
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Brunt prediction: Chatard 35, Roncalli 21
Brunt prediction: Brebeuf 35, Tri-West 14
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Also:
Dragash: Ritter 28, Speedway 20
Brunt: Ritter 42, Speedway 24
Dragash: Scecina 38, Shenandoah 35
Brunt: Scecina 49, Shenandoah 21
