Indiana high school football playoffs: What to know about the 12 IHSAA semistate matchups

The Indiana high school football semistate matchups are set for this weekend. Here is a statewide look at the teams still playing in the tournament:

CLASS 6A

Hamilton Southeastern (12-0) at Carroll (12-0)

Top-ranked HSE won its first regional since 2005 with a 20-0 shutout of Westfield, keeping the Shamrocks from making their third consecutive state finals appearance. Now the Royals are one win away from reaching the state finals for the first time since that 2005 season, which ended in defeat to Warren Central in the state championship. HSE has allowed just 13 total points in three tournament victories. Carroll was 0-6 in regional championship games before edging Lafayette Jeff 21-20 Friday to win its first regional title. The Chargers are a young team in key spots, including sophomores Jimmy Sullivan at quarterback (1,959 passing yards, 25 touchdowns) and Nathan Starks at running back (1,091 rushing yards, seven TDs).

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Center Grove (10-2) vs. Cathedral (10-1), at Tech

Let the fun begin. This has arguably been the hottest regular-season rivalry since 2020 with Center Grove twice defeating Cathedral in competitive games before going on to win 6A state championships. Those were Cathedral’s only losses on the way to back-to-back 5A titles in those seasons. But the stakes are higher this year after the Irish moved up a class through the tournament success factor and the dynamics have shifted following Cathedral’s furious fourth-quarter comeback and 40-29 victory over Center Grove in the regular-season finale. The fourth-ranked Trojans got its offense rolling in a 42-32 win over Warren Central in the regional. Senior Micah Coyle had 301 rushing yards in that game and has 1,723 yards and 17 rushing TDs on the season. Tyler Cherry (2,081 passing yards, 21 TDs) and Noah Coy (56 catches, 1,060 yards, 13 TDs) have broke through with big junior seasons. Second-ranked Cathedral’s defense was up to the task against No. 3 Brownsburg in a 14-7 win in the regional, limiting the Bulldogs to 254 yards of offense and 3.4 yards per play. Cathedral’s offense is led by quarterback Danny O’Neil (2,579 passing yards, 32 TDs) and receiver Jaron Tibbs (59 catches, 895 yards, 13 TDs). These teams have never met in a tournament game.

CLASS 5A

Valparaiso (9-3) at Fort Wayne Snider (11-1), 7:30 p.m.

Top-ranked Snider is into the semistate for the first time in six years following a 41-27 win over No. 4 Mishawaka, rallying from a 21-0 deficit for a regional championship. Players to watch for coach Kurt Tippmann’s team on offense are senior quarterback Luke Haupert, senior running back Langston Leavell and senior receiver Kamari Juarez, who returned a punt for a score to help turn the momentum in the regional game. Ninth-ranked Valparaiso avenged a 27-point loss to Merrillville during the regular season with a 15-14 win over the sixth-ranked Pirates in the regional. The Vikings have 19 interceptions this season, including seven from junior Tyler VerSchure. The offense wants to run the ball, led by junior quarterback Justin Clark (930 rushing yards, seven TDs; 880 passing yards, four TDs). These two traditional powers will meet for the first time since Snider’s win the 2002 semistate.

Whiteland (11-1) at Castle (8-4), 8 p.m.

Second-ranked Whiteland is a regional champion for the first time in Darrin Fisher’s 18 seasons and second time in program history as the Warriors rolled to a 49-14 win over Plainfield. Whiteland is one of the better rushing teams in the state with seniors Peyton Emberton (1,193 yards, 11 TDs) and Jonathan Crowley (766 yards, 10 TDs) and sophomore Nyrius Moore-Smith (573 yards, five TDs) leading the way. But senior quarterback Kevin Denham (1,017 yards, 13 TDs) can also throw it to senior Cameron Cooper (20 catches, 407 yards, five TDs) and junior Gunnar Hicks (16 catches, 358 yards, four TDs). Castle rolled to a 31-14 win over third-ranked Bloomington South in the regional as Weston Aigner caught three catches for 115 yards and a TD. Aigner has 46 receptions for 631 yards and nine TDs. This is Castle’s third trip to the semistate since winning a state championship in 1994.

CLASS 4A

New Prairie (12-1) at Kokomo (12-1), 7:30 p.m.

Sixth-ranked New Prairie is looking to make its first appearance in the state finals since the 2014 season. The Cougars, who have rolled to four tournament wins, including a 55-7 blowout of Northridge in the regional, are a strong running team with senior Noah Mungia (1,797 rushing yards, 21 TDs) and junior quarterback Marshall Kmiecik (1,262 rushing yards, 13 TDs; 1,121 passing yards, 16 TDs). Seventh-ranked Kokomo is a regional champion for the third time since 2015 after a 42-13 win over Columbia City. Coach Austin Colby, whose father Brett led Kokomo to the state finals in 2017, is in his third season. The Wildkats average 317 rushing yards per game and could have three 1,000-yard rushers with senior quarterback Evan Barker (1,286 rushing yards, 27 TDs), junior running back Darrian Story (1,172 yards, 17 TDs) and senior running back Keegan Name (904 yards, seven TDs).

Roncalli (12-1) at East Central (11-2)

After winning the No. 1 vs. No. 2 game of the week (a 20-7 win over No. 1 New Palestine), second-ranked Roncalli has to do it all over again vs. No. 4 East Central. The Royals made this very same trip at the end of the regular season and knocked off East Central, 21-19. It will be tough to do it twice. But Roncalli has things rolling with its big and talented offensive line, senior running back Luke Hansen (2,876 yards, 32 TDs) and a defense that had a sensational performance against New Palestine and is led by seniors Andrew Baugh (93 tackles, three interceptions), Luke Swartz (63 tackles, 13 ½ for loss) and Nolan Tunny (68 tackles). East Central is maybe a more explosive offensive team with junior quarterback Cole Burton (1,694 passing yards, 21 TDs), junior running back Josh Ringer (2,033 rushing yards, 34 TDs) and junior receiver Ryan Brotherton (30 catches, 807 yards, 11 TDs; 527 rushing yards, three TDs). These programs have met four times previously in tournament games with the Royals winning three.

CLASS 3A

Bishop Chatard (9-4) at West Lafayette (13-0)

Top-ranked West Lafayette, a three-time state champion, has not been challenged in four tournament games or really at all since a 27-14 win over Harrison in the season opener. Those results have meant some early exits for senior Max Mullis (2,519 passing yards, 31 TDs; 1,067 rushing yards, 21 TDs), a dual-threat quarterback. Sophomore Dawson Martin leads West Lafayette’s rushing attack with 1,115 yards and 19 TDs. Chatard has won three previous tournament meetings with West Lafayette, including a 31-7 victory in the 3A championship in 2015. Chatard senior quarterback Drew VanVleet (2,623 passing yards, 27 TDs) has four receivers with at least 30 catches, led by seniors Noah Dudik (63 catches, 768 yards, eight TDs) and Aiden Duncan (46 catches, 761 yards, four TDs). The defense is led by senior linebacker Isaac Fischer (30 tackles), junior linebacker Sam Feeney (63 tackles, five sacks, five blocked kicks), senior linebacker Jef Waugh (42 tackles) and junior linebacker Luke Purichia (50 tackles, five tackles for loss).

Monrovia (6-7) at Lawrenceburg (12-1)

The Cinderella story of the tournament is clearly Monrovia, which punched its ticket to the semistate with a 26-21 win at previously-unbeaten and eighth-ranked Owen Valley. The Bulldogs, led by third-year coach Andy Olson, have now won five regional championships since 2009 and will attempt to reach the state finals for a third time. Monrovia leans on a running game led by junior Brayton Belcher (1,035 yards, 11 TDs), senior Dustin Kostrzewski (797 yards, four TDs) and Jozy Hand (517 yards, eight TDs), but senior quarterback Elias Wagner (849 passing yards, 11 TDs) has come up with big plays through the air, too. Ninth-ranked Lawrenceburg last reached the semistate in 2016 and went to play in the state finals, losing to Fort Wayne Concordia. The Tigers run the ball with junior Teagan Bennett (1,111 rushing yards, 14 TDs) and senior Alex Witte (829 rushing yards, 14 TDs). Lawrenceburg, since a 38-3 loss to East Central in the season opener has allowed 40 points in 12 games.

CLASS 2A

Fort Wayne Luers (8-5) at Andrean (9-3), 7:30 p.m.

Luers always plays a schedule loaded with larger Fort Wayne schools so its record is not always the most impressive. But the Knights knocked off No. 8 Eastside, 35-21, in the sectional championship and rolled 35-6 over Bluffton for the regional title. Kyle Lindsay, in his 10^th season as coach, has an offense with a strong passing game led by senior quarterback Charlie Stanski (2,287 passing yards, 19 TDs) and receivers seniors Nick Thompson (49 catches, 954 yards, eight TDs) and Brayden McInturf (34 catches, 490 yards, five TDs) and junior Isaac Zay (28 catches, 422 yards, four TDs). Fifth-ranked Andrean, the defending state champion, may have the Mr. Football frontrunner in senior Drayk Bowen, who knocked off Lafayette Central Catholic 30-12 in the regional. Bowen rushed for 227 yards and two TDs in that win and has 1,331 rushing yards and 21 TDs on the season. He also has 125 tackles. Yeesh. These teams met in the 2014 semistate with Andrean winning, 17-15.

Linton-Stockton (13-0) at Evansville Mater Dei (10-3), 7:30 p.m.

Top-ranked Linton-Stockton is a regional champion for the first time since the Miners won the Class A state championship following a 60-24 win over Lapel. Quarterback Hunter Gennicks (1,389 passing yards, 18 TDs; 1,707 rushing yards, 30 TDs) has been unstoppable all season. Mater Dei is into the semistate round for a third consecutive year. The No. 6 Wildcats made it to the state championship last year, losing to Andrean, and is coming off a 35-28 win over Triton Central. Senior quarterback Mason Wunderlich (2,418 passing yards, 23 TDs) triggers the offense and has four receivers with at least 27 receptions, led by seniors Blake Herdes (36 catches, 564 yards, seven TDs) and Ethan Stolz (36 catches, 461 yards, eight TDs). These teams were sectional opponents from 2018 until last year. Mater Dei won all four meetings, including 28-27 last year.

CLASS A

Adams Central (13-0) at North Judson (12-1), 7:30 p.m.

These teams met last year in this round and second-ranked Adams Central rolled to a 42-7 victory on its way to the state finals. The offensive leaders of that team have mostly graduated, although senior quarterback Ryan Black is back for the Flying Jets and junior linebacker Keegan Bluhm is a leader of the defense. Adams Central crushed Carroll (Flora) 35-0 in the regional. Fourth-ranked North Judson was also dominant in the regional, beating Park Tudor 49-13. The Bluejays are a strong running team, led by senior Cheyenne Allen (1,304 rushing yards, 28 TDs) and sophomore Brock Benson (1,229 rushing yards, 16 TDs). Senior quarterback Aldric Harper (889 passing yards, 17 TDs; 811 rushing yards, 11 TDs) can also run. North Judson reached the state finals in 1984 and ’86, but has never won a state title.

Lutheran (13-0) at North Decatur (13-0)

Top-ranked and defending champion Lutheran, after three consecutive tournament shutouts, defeated Providence 49-7 last week in the regional. Can the Saints and sophomore quarterback Jackson Willis be stopped? We will see. Third-ranked North Decatur defeated Sheridan 29-14 last week for its first regional title in program history. The Chargers allow just 6.8 points per game and have forced 25 turnovers. The offense is balanced with senior quarterback Carson Parmer’s passing (1,864 passing yards, 21 TDs) and senior running back Reid Messer’s running (1,365 rushing yards, 34 TDs). Senior linebacker James Evans leads the defense with 78 tackles and four interceptions.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana high school football semistate preview: Schedule, what to know