It's 'Why Not Us' ... the sequel as Northridge cherishes another deep playoff run

Northridge football head coach Chad Eppley has turned into Middlebury's version of P.J. Fleck.

Last season Eppley's slogan, "Why Not Us", fueled The Raiders' first trip to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for Indiana's high school football 4A state championship game. A year later it's working again.

"I never really thought about changing it and my defensive coordinator brought it up and was like you can't change it, that is like your 'Row the Boat,' " Eppley said. "(The players love it) love it. That is something they embrace and it helps us out a lot."

"Row the Boat" is reference to Fleck's motto/philosophy for his University of Minnesota football team that he first embraced as coach of Western Michigan. It has brought him success both places.

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"Why Not Us" is Eppley's playoff battle cry after Northridge's second straight 5-4 regular season. The Raiders again find themselves two games away from a second straight trip to Indianapolis with a familiar foe in the way.

Wins against South Bend Riley, Logansport and No. 3 NorthWood for the sectional title now pit the Raiders (8-4) against No. 6 New Prairie (11-1) in the regional Friday night in New Carlisle. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. Northridge upset the Cougars in last year's 4A semistate to punch its ticket to Lucas Oil.

Also on Friday No. 1 Fort Wayne Snider (10-1) visits No. 4 Mishawaka (10-1) in the 5A regional, and No. 5 Edwardsburg (10-1) hosts No. 8 Hastings (10-1) in the Michigan Division 4 regional.

Eppley knows his team has its work cut out for it against a New Prairie team that has a veteran quarterback in Marshall Kmiecik and one of the best running backs in the state with Noah Mungia who last week against Hobart rushed for 227 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries.

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"I think our coaching staff does a great job of developing our kids throughout the year," Eppley said. "At the beginning of the year it is harder because we are putting new guys in different situations. Our coaches do a good job of establishing where kids will play and developing them."

Behind this year's run has been a blend of players that experienced the highs of reaching state before falling to Mt. Vernon, 45-14 in the championship game, and new faces making their mark, like senior quarterback Qade Carrington.

Carrington took over for Tagg Gott, who transferred before the season. Carrington has thrown for more than 2,700 yards and 28 touchdowns this season.

Many of those have gone to senior wideout Jethro Hochstetler, who caught a 76-yard touchdown pass with 90 seconds left to sink New Prairie in last year's semistate, 20-14. Last week at NorthWood Hochstetler scored three touchdowns, growing his total to 10 this season.

"The kids just believe and last year has a lot to do with it," Eppley said. "... It is a simple question: 'Why can't we be the ones to do it?' It makes them think about it ... Why can't we be the ones to get down to Lucas Oil Stadium."

With each win that dream, like last season, becomes closer to reality. Still, Eppley understands how fragile that dream is in the do-or-die postseason.

"We are still taking it game-by-game," Eppley said. "(Our) end dream is not just to go down there, but to win it this year. But we are taking it one game at a time. We have to focus on beating New Prairie first and go from there."

IHSAA FOOTBALL REGIONAL MATCHUPS

CLASS 6A

• No. 5 Carroll (11-0) at Lafayette Jefferson (9-2)

• No. 9 Westfield (8-3) at No. 1 Hamilton Southeastern (11-0)

• No. 2 Indianapolis Cathedral (9-1) at No. 3 Brownsburg (10-1)

• Warren Central (6-5) at No. 4 Center Grove (9-2)

CLASS 5A

• No. 6 Merrillville (9-2) at No. 9 Valparaiso (8-3)

• No. 1 Fort Wayne Snider (10-1) at No. 4 Mishawaka (11-1)

• Plainfield (6-5) at No. 2 Whiteland (10-1)

• No. 3 Bloomington South (9-1) at Castle (7-4)

CLASS 4A

• Northridge (8-4) at No. 6 New Prairie (11-1)

• No. 7 Kokomo (11-1) at No. 9 Columbia City (11-1)

• No. 1 New Palestine (12-0) at No. 2 Indianapolis Roncalli (11-1)

• No. 4 East Central (10-2) at Evansville Memorial (9-3)

CLASS 3A

• No. 1 West Lafayette (12-0) at Knox (9-3)

• Yorktown (9-3) at No. 6 Indianapolis Chatard (8-4)

• Monrovia (5-7) at No. 8 Owen Valley (12-0)

• No. 9 Lawrenceburg (11-1) at No. 10 Southridge (11-1)

CLASS 2A

• No. 9 Lafayette Central Catholic (9-3) at No. 5 Andrean (8-3)

• Bluffton (8-4) at Fort Wayne Luers (7-5)

• Lapel (7-5) at No. 1 Linton-Stockton (12-0)

• No. 6 Evansville Mater Dei (9-3) at No. 4 Triton Central (10-2)

CLASS 1A

• No. 4 North Judson (11-1) at Park Tudor (9-3)

• No. 8 Carroll (Flora) (12-1) at No. 2 Adams Central (12-0)

• No. 3 North Decatur (12-0) at No. 6 Sheridan (11-1)

• Providence (9-3) at No. 1 Indianapolis Lutheran (12-0)

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: IHSAA high school football regional preview: Northridge vs New Prairie