10.15.07 Regular Season Wrap-Up
As thoughts turn to this weekend’s first round of tournament action, we look back at some of the curiosities of this year’s IHSAA football regular season.
18 teams managed to emerge from the regular-season schedule undefeated. Center Grove, Delta and West Lafayette fell from the ranks of the unbeatens in Week 9, but considering their opponents were Warren Central, Shelbyville and Sheridan, respectively, there’s nothing for those teams to hang their heads about.
While those three teams lost their first games last Friday, five teams were able to win their first. Indianapolis Northwest, Fremont, South Adams, Tri-Central and Wabash all claimed victory number one on the season, giving each team some much-needed momentum heading into the postseason. That leaves just 14 winless teams in the state after the regular season.
Some interesting facts about this year’s high school football regular season:
Shelbyville and Triton Central both went 9-0, making Shelby County a perfect 18-0. Columbus North and Columbus East both went 8-1 to make Bartholomew County 16-2.
Centerville went 8-1 with their only loss to Knightstown, while both Tri-Central and Eastern Hancock went 1-8 with their only win over Knightstown.
Attica and Prairie Heights both opened the season with a four-game losing streak, then finished with a five-game winning streak.
Benton Central started the year 0-5, then won four straight to close out the regular season.
Carmel’s only two losses were by one point in overtime to Center Grove, and by one point to Ben Davis.
After only seven total wins from 2002-2006, Charlestown is 9-0. After only six wins in the previous four seasons, Hammond High went 8-1.
Chesterton finished 6-3 despite allowing more points (227) than they scored (212).
Clinton Central scored at least 35 points in each of their six wins, but scored no more than 8 points in any of their three losses.
Crawfordsville and Decatur Central both started 0-3, then rolled off six straight wins to finish up 6-3.
Danville, Homestead and Pioneer all went 8-1 after opening the season with a loss.
East Central went 7-0 against teams from Indiana, and 0-2 against teams from Ohio.
Each of 6-3 East Noble’s losses were by seven points or less.
Eastbrook’s only loss was by one point to Western. Tippecanoe Valley’s only loss was by one point to unbeaten Rochester.
Eastern (Pekin) earned the first win in school history in their very first game, beating fellow varsity football newcomer Crawford County in Week 1.
Both of Eastside’s two victories were shutouts.
One triple-overtime game: Warsaw 28, Wawasee 27 – Week 7.
Four double-overtime games: Northfield 27, Bluffton 21 – Week 1. Center Grove 32, Carmel 31 – Week 3. Jasper 27, Vincennes Lincoln 21 – Week 5. Elkhart Central 27, South Bend Clay 24 – Week 9.
Second-year program Fishers finished with a five-game winning streak to finish tied for third in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference.
Hamilton Heights started 0-2, both non-conference games, then won seven straight, all in the Mid-Indiana Conference.
Both of Hamilton Southeastern’s losses were by 3 points.
Heritage Christian’s 8-1 mark is the best record in the six-year history of the program.
Heritage Hills went 9-0 in the regular season for the 8th time in the last 10 years.
Four of Hobart’s six wins were shutouts.
Indiana School for the Deaf started 0-2, then ran off seven straight wins to set a school record for victories in a season.
Cathedral started and finished with losses, but went 7-0 in between.
Indianapolis Lutheran started with four straight wins, and finished with five straight losses.
Both of Jasper’s losses were by four points, and both were to teams that are still unbeaten.
Lafayette Central Catholic, North Putnam and Triton Central all ended the regular season 9-0 for the second straight year.
Linton-Stockton went 9-0 for the third time in five years.
Lowell’s only loss was by one point in overtime to Griffith.
Merrillville’s only loss was in overtime to Crown Point. South Newton’s only loss was in overtime to Pioneer.
North Harrison won just three games, but each of those victories was by 40 or more points.
Washington beat North Knox 6-0 in overtime in Week 9…the only scoreless tie in regulation in the state this year.
Northeastern’s only loss was by two points to Centerville. They also won two one-point games to start the season.
Rushville started 0-7 then won their final two regular-season contests.
In the last five regular seasons, Salem has won 7, 3, 7, 3 and 7 games.
Seymour began the year with a 55-0 loss and ended it with a 48-0 win.
Class 1A Sheridan went 9-0 while playing only one 1A team. The Blackhawks went 5-0 against Class 3A and 3-0 against Class 2A.
Tipton’s two losses were by a combined total of five points.
Turkey Run broke a 28-game losing streak with their Week 8 win over Covington. Wabash snapped a 26-game losing streak with their Week 9 win over Southwood.
Wheeler scored at least 35 points in each of their eight wins, but were shut out in their only loss.
Those are just some of the curious statistics that resulted from another exciting IHSAA football regular season. What did we miss? Share your thoughts with fans around the state with the Indiana Sportstalk Message Boards!
