Indiana high school football preview: Class A predictions, top players in Indy-area

Lutheran is gone. The three-time defending Class A champions moved up to 2A . So did Adams Central, which lost to Lutheran the past three years in the state finals. So, at the least, we know there will be two different teams in the state championship for the first time since 2020.

Here are three games that will shape Class A this season and a look at the local teams in the class:

∎ Greenwood Christian at Milan, Sept. 20: It will be interesting to see how far Greenwood Christian has come in a short time going into its first year as a sectional-eligible program. In Week 5, the Cougars play a Milan team they lost to 49-6 last season. Good test.

∎ Eastern (Greentown) at Sheridan, Oct. 11: Eastern is a 2A program but this is a good challenge for Sheridan, which lost 19-14 last season to the Comets.

∎ Sheridan at Carroll (Flora), Oct. 18: Carroll was 12-0 last year before falling to Adams Central in a Class A regional.

Indiana high school football preview: Everything you need to know for 2024

(In order of projected finish; records from 2023)

Sectional 46

Sheridan (10-4): The state’s all-time winningest coach, Bud Wright , goes into his 59th season at Sheridan and 60th overall, with 457 career victories. Amazing. Considering the length of his career and success and the current landscape of coaching, I don’t know if that record will ever be touched. Wright might have a special group this season with senior lineman Charlie Merriman, senior lineman Owen Trietsch, junior guards Jon Barnes and Jaden Dunbar, junior lineman Brayden Whisman, senior quarterback Owen Bell (804 passing yards, nine TDs), senior receiver Dayne Voege and senior returner/quarterback Caleb Alexander all coming back. The defense will be led by junior linebacker Alex Cravens (89 tackles, two interceptions), Barnes on the line (78 tackles, seven for loss), junior Chance Spencer (73 tackles, two interceptions), Voege (36 tackles, two interceptions) and Trietsch as returning starters. The Blackhawks had a great season last year with an impressive regional title win over North Decatur, but ran into the Lutheran buzzsaw in the semistate.

Clinton Prairie (6-5): The Gophers rolled up 440 yards of offense and 42 points and still lost (50-42) to North Vermillion in last year’s sectional semifinal.

Tri-Central (5-7): Quarterback Owen Tolle ran for 633 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore.

Tindley (4-6): Tindley lost a lot of talent from last year’s team, including three-year starting quarterback Deon Richmond. Fifth-year coach Melvin Graham will look to senior lineman Justus Johnson, senior receiver Jai’Nelle Miller (22 catches, 239 yards, three TDs) and senior athlete Elijah Girton to lead the offense. Johnson (22 tackles, 3 ½ sacks) will also anchor the defensive line and senior Asaph Mozee (63 tackles, five for loss, two fumble recoveries) returns at linebacker.

Clinton Central (1-8): Jeremy Fendley, going into his second season, is Clinton Central’s sixth coach since 2013.

Cloverdale (2-8): The Clovers have won just six games over the past six seasons.

Irvington Prep (0-9): This is the first time Irvington will play in a sectional. The Ravens, who will be led by first-year coach David Perkins, struggled on offense last year, scoring just 34 points in nine games. It will be a building process for a program getting into the tournament for the first time.

Sectional 47

Milan (8-4): The Indians battled North Decatur but came up a little short, 31-28, in the sectional championship last season. Austin Green ran for 1,216 yards and 14 TDs last season as a junior.

North Decatur (9-4): The Chargers have won the sectional four of the past five years. Quarterback Mason Morris threw for 1,304 yards and 17 TDs as a junior.

Greenwood Christian (5-4): Greenwood Christian is in its third year as a program and first as a sectional-eligible program. The Cougars experienced some success last year and should be able to build on it this year for coach Andre Dobson. Junior quarterback Trey Dobson (1,239 passing yards, 11 TDs; 641 rushing yards, eight TDs) returns with junior running back Danny Honeycutt, running back/receiver Evan McIntire (384 rushing yards, four TDs; 27 catches, 596 yards, six TDs), senior receiver Zack Haynes (15 catches, 179 yards, one TD) and senior offensive lineman Tad Speedy. Several of the same names will play defense with Dobson at free safety, Honeycutt (25 tackles, two sacks) and McIntire (57 tackles, seven for loss, three fumble recoveries) at linebacker, Haynes at cornerback and Speedy on the defensive line.

West Washington (5-5): The Senators went to the semistate in 2020 but have not won a sectional title since then.

Eastern Greene (5-5): Eastern Greene reached the state finals in 2017 but is just 16-44 since that season.

South Decatur (7-3): Corbin Johnson rushed for 1,277 yards and 19 TDs last year as a junior for the Cougars, who last won a sectional title in 2001.

Knightstown (3-7): Knightstown’s quarterback last season was a freshman (Bryor Carmichael) and leading rusher (Jameson Crawford) was a sophomore. Crawford ran for 1,076 yards and 13 TDs.

Edinburgh (1-9): Coach Tyler DeSpain is excited about his team’s prospects this season with a senior-heavy group with a lot of experience. On offense, senior quarterback Caleb Murphy (818 passing yards, six TDs) returns, along with senior running back Jackson Hartwell  (468 yards, four TDs), senior wingback Luke Fowler and senior receiver Jared Myers (19 catches, 247 yards, two TDs). The defense brings back Hartwell (82 tackles) at free safety, Myers (29 tackles) and Fowler (22 tackles) at cornerback, senior defensive end Milas Burkman (28 tackles), senior defensive tackle Landon Tetrick and senior linebacker Eli Bryant (38 tackles, four for loss, one sack, one caused fumble).

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

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana high school football preview: Class A predictions, top players in Indy-area