10.01.07 Week 8: Cool Weather, Hot Games
As we enter October, the temperatures are starting to cool just as the game action is heating up in IHSAA football.
Three previously-unbeaten teams lost their first game of the season in Week 7, dropping the number of undefeated squads in the state to 24. There are also 24 winless teams remaining, as Ft. Wayne Northrop, Gary Wirt, Pendleton Heights, Southwood, and Union City earned their first victories this past Friday.
As for Week 8, there are six matchups where neither team has more than one loss.
7-0 vs. 7-0
Fairfield at Churubusco – It’s the second consecutive matchup of unbeatens for Fairfield. The Falcons had little trouble with 6-0 Lakeland last Friday, beating the Lakers 47-9. That sets up this battle for first place in the Northeast Corner Conference. Fairfield takes the title with a victory, while if Churubusco wins, the
Eagles then would have to beat Lakeland in Week 9 to claim an outright title.
Ft. Wayne Dwenger at Ft. Wayne Snider – The Panthers have beaten the Saints 10 straight years, and most of those games haven’t been close. But last year was just a 13-12 Snider victory, and this year both teams are rolling. The winner claims at least a share of the Summit Athletic Conference title. Both teams have been scoring a lot of points, but neither defense has given up more than 17 in a single game – this one could turn into a defensive struggle.
7-0 vs. 6-1
North Miami (7-0) at Tippecanoe Valley (6-1) – If there’s such a thing as reaching 7-0 quietly, North Miami has done it. Despite the win streak the Warriors have still yet to crack the Top 10 in the polls. But that hasn’t stopped them from pulling out a number of close games – the Warriors’ largest margin of victory is just 16. Tippecanoe Valley’s lone loss was last Friday, a 14-13 game against Rochester in a battle of unbeatens that lived up to the hype. It’s a tight three-way race for the Three Rivers Conference championship…the Vikings need a win to keep their hopes alive while the Warriors will be at Rochester next week in the game that ultimately decides the issue.
North Putnam (7-0) at Speedway (6-1) – It’s a rematch of last season’s regional, which the Cougars took 23-18. North Putnam also took the 2006 regular-season meeting, snapping a seven-year Sparkplug winning streak in the series. This is the 12th winning season in a row for Speedway, while North Putnam is looking for their second straight undefeated regular season. The Cougars have given up 34 points all season, the lowest total in the state, while Speedway averages 37 points per game. Something’s got to give here.
6-1 vs. 6-1
Columbus East at Jeffersonville – The winner of this one claims a share of the Hoosier Hills Conference championship, with a chance to win it outright next week. In the last four seasons, the Olympians have only lost one conference game, and only two games overall. The Red Devils, on the other hand, are entering unchartered waters; Jeffersonville has won exactly six games on three occasions this decade, but haven’t won more than that since going 8-3 in 1999.
Logansport at Kokomo – Kokomo continues to get better in their first winning season since 2000; since a Week 2 loss to Carmel, the Wildkats have only been giving up 7 points per game. It’s much the same for Logansport – outside of their lone defeat at Huntington North, the Berries have only allowed 8 points per contest, including three shutouts. Kokomo beat Huntington North, who beat Logansport…if the Berries win this one there’s a decent chance the North Central Conference will end up in a three-way tie.
What game will you be going to see this Friday night, and what makes it a big game? Share your opinions with fans around the state with the Indiana Sportstalk Message Boards!
