By CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
No. 2 Carmel Greyhounds (7-1) at Lawrence Central Bears (4-4)
Carmel and Lawrence Central will meet for the 45th time tomorrow night. The Greyhounds are 26-17-1 against the Bears, although LC has won the last two by a total of seven points.
LC lost a home MIC game to Ben Davis last week, 31-30. After a loss at Lawrence North, wins over Zionsville and Edwardsville (Ill.) got them to 2-1. They’re 2-3 since then with wins at both Pike and North Central.
The Hounds started 3-0 with convincing wins over Fishers, Westfield and Centerville (Ohio) by a whopping 131-34 combined. A 41-28 loss at Louisville Trinity briefly tripped up the Greyhounds.
Carmel’s on a four-game win streak, routing Columbus North, North Central, Ben Davis and Warren Central by a 204-28 count.
Anthony Coellner is up to third on the career passing list at Carmel with 4,140 career yards. That puts him 145 behind Morgan Newton’s 4,285 from 2006-08 and 187 to tie Mark Herrmann’s record 4,327 during the 1975-76 seasons.
Jacob Bellin has caught 87 for 1,308 career yards, good for seventh all-time. Jalen Walker is first with 151 receptions and 1,966 yards (2014-16).
Andrew Pemberton ranks 5th in 6A with 828 rushing yards and has nine touchdowns. Coellner also has nine touchdowns with 446 rushing.
Harrison comes to Carmel on Oct. 31 in 6A Sectional 3.
6A No. 5 Westfield Shamrocks (6-2, 5-1 HCC) at Franklin Central Flashes (4-4, 2-4 HCC)
Westfield is a perfect 7-0 against Franklin Central in the Flashes’ short time in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference. The Rocks won last year’s 44-7 romp of FC.
Last week, the Flashes lost a close one late at Hamilton Southeastern, 38-35.
A 3-1 start with wins over Perry Meridian and Roncalli, FC dropped its HCC opener at Brownsburg, but came back in Week 4 with a win over Zionsville. Since then, they’ve gone 1-3 with a win three weeks ago over Noblesville.
Connor Moreland passes 59.6 percent (115-193) for 1,441 yards, throwing 18 TDs and eight interceptions. Nathan Sparks has 629 rushing yards (seven touchdowns) and Markell Bailey has 10 touchdowns in 24 receptions and 395 yards.
Westfield’s two losses have come at No. 2 Carmel (34-10) and three weeks ago to No. 1 Brownsburg (14-10).
The Shamrocks’ quarterback platoon of Aiden Grabowski and Cooper Melvin works. The two total 1,223 yards, completing 59.3 percent (95-160) of their passes.
Elliott Clevenger filled in nicely for an injured Deacon King last week against Fishers with 58 yards on 21 carries and also caught three passes for 23 yards. Andrew Noble continues to lead in receiving with 20 catches for 418 and four touchdowns. Caiden Snow also has 20 receptions, 279 yards and three TDs.
Zionsville visits Westfield in the other 6A Sectional 3 matchup.
Hamilton Heights Huskies (4-4, 2-1 Hoosier Big) at West Lafayette Red Devils (2-6, 0-3 Hoosier Big)
Tomorrow night is the 14th meeting with Heights and West Lafayette. The Red Devils have 10 wins to the Huskies’ three, but Heights won’t forget their last trip to West Lafayette. They won the Hoosier Conference outright with a 26-23 win at Straley Field in 2023.
The other two Heights wins over WL were in 2012 in the sectional (18-0) and a 42-7 sectional semifinal in 2004.
West Lafayette lost three to start the season, beat Rensselaer Central and Lafayette Central Catholic and have lost three more.
Blake Biddle has 1,520 yards on 146-226 passing for 64.6 percent. Kojo Steffey has 849 rushing yards and 12 TDs. Fielder Melchi has 53 receptions for 544 yards.
Heights started 1-4 and now have a three-game win streak, defeating Logansport, Twin Lakes and Tipton, to even their record.
Drew Woodruff has 1,378 yards and 11 touchdowns through the air. AJ Flanagan has 552 rushing yards and five scores, while Cam Fleming has 516 yards receiving and six TDs.
Hamilton Heights hosts Guerin Catholic in a 3A Sectional 29 first round game on Oct. 24.
