Carmel’s Ayden Johnson (21) receives the handoff from quarterback Anthony Coellener during the Greyhounds’ win over Westfield during Week 2 football action. (Joshua Herd/File photo)
By CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
No. 6 Avon Orioles (2-0) at No. 5 Hamilton Southeastern Royals (2-0)
There’s nothing like starting off conference play with two teams in the top 10. Avon and HSE find themselves in a battle to begin Hoosier Crossroads Conference play with both climbing in the Class 6A rankings.
The all-time series is tight with the Royals having a slight edge and a 16-12 record, winning the last five in the matchups.
Avon is off to a solid start with wins over Decatur Central in overtime (30-28) and at Ben Davis (35-14).
Southeastern grabbed its second win in as many games last week at North Central with a 31-7 victory over the Panthers.
The Royals went up 21-7 at halftime with two Carter Reed touchdowns and a Tayshaun Sanders rushing score sandwiched between Reed’s.
Luke Marchionni kicked a 26-yard field goal and Terry Walker III threw a 77-yard TD pass to Kendrick Pennybaker to shut out North Central in the second half en route to the 24-point win.
Walker III threw with precision, completing 14 of 19 passes for 272 yards and a TD. Pennybaker caught three of those for 136 yards. Graham Toner also had four receptions for 54 yards. To go along with his two scores, Reed ran for 58 yards on 15 carries. Walker ran for 52 and Drake Satterfield had nine rushes for 46 yards and Sanders 45 on the ground.
Centerville Elks (OH) (0-2) at No. 3 Carmel Greyhounds (2-0)
Tomorrow night will be the second meeting between Centerville and Carmel. Last season, the Greyhounds made the 2.5-hour trek to the south side of Dayton and came away with a 44-23 road win.
The Elks head to Carmel after dropping their first two games at home to Lakota East (35-20) and at Cincinnati St. Xavier (20-7).
Carmel is starting to put the state on notice. After a 49-24 road win at Fishers in their season-opener, the ‘Hounds rolled at home over previously third-ranked Westfield, 34-10.
Last week at home, Carmel was clicking on all cylinders, getting out to a 20-0 lead at halftime, scoring 10 each in the first and second quarters.
Matthew Obermeier’s 35-yard field goal got the scoring started just a few minutes into the game. Jacob Bellin caught a 25-yard TD pass from Anthony Coellner in the final seconds of the first to increase it to 10-0.
Ayden Johnson made it 17-0 just into the second with a rushing touchdown. Obermeier sailed another field goal from 35 yards for the 20-point halftime cushion.
Westfield scored in the third on a Diego Herrera 35-yard field goal and Aiden Grabowski ran in a score to cut the lead in half at 20-10, but that only fueled Carmel to score more.
Just past the midway point of the fourth, Coellner sprinted to the end zone for a 30-yard rushing score. Running back Andrew Pemberton stretched out the lead to the final score of 34-10 with a 32-yard touchdown run.
Coellner connected on 16 of 21 passes for 176 yards and a TD. The senior signal caller also ran nine times for 52 yards. Pemberton totaled 112 yards on just 14 carries and Bellin led the Greyhounds in receiving with six catches and 73 yards.
