Westfield’s Cooper Melvin (12) has thrown four touchdown passes for the Shamrocks this season. He is shown here giving the ball to Deacon King (20), who has rushed for 565 yards and six touchdowns. (Joshua Herd/File photo)
By CRAIG ADKINS
For the Reporter
No. 1 Brownsburg (5-0, 3-0 HCC) at No. 5 Westfield (4-1, 3-0 HCC)
It’s almost a weekly occurrence, but yet again the Hoosier Crossroads Conference has eyes on the league all over the state tonight. With Brownsburg and Westfield pitting two top five teams, this game proves to be the most pivotal in the HCC and three games remain after this week.
Tonight is the 27th meeting all-time, including playoffs. Brownsburg leads the series with 19 wins to Westfield’s seven. Ironically, the last time they met was in the playoffs for the 6A state championship last season in 2024. The Bulldogs outlasted the Shamrocks, 22-17.
Brownsburg has won four in a row overall against Westfield.
The Bulldogs opened at home against Spalding (Md.) with a 36-23 win. They had a statement shutout over Cathedral 29-0 in Week 2.
Brownsburg got HCC action started with a 35-7 win over Franklin Central. Their biggest test thus far was on the road at Avon, winning a shootout over the Orioles, 55-47. They stayed unbeaten with a 42-14 home win against Fishers last week.
Junior quarterback Oscar Frye is a 61 percent passer (59-97) for 1,065 yards. He’s thrown 15 touchdown passes to just one interception.
Frye has two main targets in Branden Sharpe, whose 21 catches for 488 yards and six touchdowns lead the team and Avin Robinson has 15 receptions for 262 and three scores.
Aiden Jobe is the leading rusher with 64 carries for 457 yards and four TDs. Brady Lewis leads Brownsburg with five rushing touchdowns and has run for 330 on 49 totes. Shakavon Sumpter-Bey compliments with 178 on 40 rushes for two scores.
Westfield blanked Homestead (35-0) in the season-opener. The Shamrocks’ loss was in Week 2 at Carmel, 34-10. The Rocks have three straight wins at Zionsville (27-3), Noblesville (41-7) and at Hamilton Southeastern (21-17).
Senior Aiden Grabowski and sophomore Cooper Melvin have platooned at quarterback in recent weeks.
Grabowski is 43 of 76 (56.6 percent) for 586 yards and two TDs, but he’s also thrown four interceptions. Melvin has thrown 21 of 29 (72.4 percent) that’s good for 247 yards, good for four touchdowns and just one pick.
Andrew Noble leads the receiving corps with 11 catches for 275 yards and three TDs. Broc Parker has grabbed 10 passes for 180 and a score. Freshman Caiden Snow is tops with 12 catches for 141 and Baylor Connor 11 for 122.
4A No. 2 Bishop Chatard Trojans (4-1, 2-0 CCC) at 3A No. 11 Guerin Catholic Golden Eagles (3-2, 1-1 CCC)
Head coach Tom Dilley and Guerin Catholic hope to do something tonight that the program hasn’t done since the 2016 season. The Golden Eagles won at Chatard in 2016 (31-17) and in 2015 won the regular season matchup 17-13 before falling at Chatard in the sectional, 14-7.
Including playoffs, the Trojans have won 11 consecutive against the Golden Eagles going back to 2017. Last season it was a 48-14 Trojans win.
The Trojans opened with wins over Lafayette Jeff (35-28), at Hanover Central (49-7) and Roncalli (33-11) before their loss to Cathedral two weeks ago, 23-20. Last week BC beat Brebeuf, 37-6.
Rob Doyle is in his ninth-year as head coach with a 91-24 record with seven sectional, five regional, four semi-state and four state championships (2019-20, 2022-23).
Guerin opened with a 30-13 win at McCutcheon and lost to Pendleton Heights at home 34-0. Two straight road wins at Heritage Christian (28-25) and Brebeuf Jesuit (36-25) had them on the right track before a home loss to Roncalli last week (49-7).
Through four games, quarterback Quentin Klee completed 67 percent of his passes. Jack Linden continues to be the leading ball carrier with four rushing touchdowns. Isaiah Lewis is the leading receiver for Guerin.
Along with Lewis, Klee has younger brother Kolbe, Aiden Horn, Trevor Macey and Linden to catch passes. Linden caught the lone TD pass last week against Roncalli, his second of the year, Quentin’s eighth in five games.
No stats for Guerin Catholic’s Week 5 game vs. Roncalli were available to provide updated season leaders.
