By CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
Zionsville Eagles (3-6) at No. 5 Westfield Shamrocks (7-2)
Tonight’s game at Riverview Health Stadium is the 45th all-time between the Eagles and Rocks, but just the fourth playoff meeting. Zionsville has won 27 to Westfield’s 17 overall, but the Shamrocks are 2-1 in tournament play, including the 2024 sectional championship (35-13).
Head coach Scott Turnquist is 35-45 in his seventh year at Zionsville. He’s taken the Eagles to the 5A state finals twice (2020-21) and finished runner-up both times.
The Eagles had an up and down regular season. Opening with a win over Pike (27-7), Zionsville lost three straight to Lawrence Central (40-30), Westfield (27-3) and Franklin Central (20-16).
Zionsville got midseason wins over Noblesville and Hamilton Southeastern, but has since dropped another three to Brownsburg, Avon and Fishers.
Quarterbacks Eli Showalter and Brody Kledzik have combined for 1,204 yards, eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Seth Manna is the Eagles’ leading rusher with 84 for 534 and seven touchdowns. Theo Schott (245), Nic Hoggs (238), Micah Morris (197), Isaac Tuffnell (191) and Ben Harney (147) total a majority of the receiving yards.
Josh Miracle is in his second season as head coach (19-4) at Westfield and was an assistant the 11 years prior under Jake Gilbert. His first season in 2024 produced a 6A runner-up finish to Hoosier Crossroads Conference rival Brownsburg, 22-17.
The Shamrocks started off 4-1 with a Week 2 loss at Carmel (34-10). They’ve gone 3-1 since with just a loss to top-ranked Brownsburg, 14-10.
With their current three-game win streak, fifth-rated Westfield has outscored Avon, Franklin Central at Fishers 94-35.
Platooning quarterbacks Aiden Grabowski and Cooper Melvin have 1,336 yards together and nine touchdowns.
Deacon King leads the Rocks with 644 yards on the ground, but with an injury to him in the last month, Grabowski (347), Elliot Clevenger (157), Baylor Conner (153) and Broc Parker (132) have stepped in to contribute in the backfield.
Andrew Noble tops the receivers with 418 yards (four TDs). Caiden Snow (296), Parker (271) and Conner (141) help round out the pass catchers.
Harrison Raiders (4-5) at No. 2 Carmel Greyhounds (8-1)
Tonight the Raiders and Greyhounds meet for the sixth time and all have been in the tournament and simply dominated by Carmel, including the last meeting in the 2008 sectional championship (48-3). The Hounds have won the first five by an average of 34.8 per game.
Harrison had a topsy-turvy regular season, starting off 2-1 with wins over West Lafayette and Brebeuf Jesuit. Their other two wins were at both McCutcheon and Lebanon. The Raiders lost to tough competitors Plainfield, Lafayette Jeff, North Central, Bishop Chatard and Roncalli.
Head coach Kyle Holderfield is in his first year. Harrison has won eight sectionals, the last in 2019 in 5A. They were also 1992 4A state champs over Fort Wayne Wayne.
Lannon Nicoloff is a 71 percent passer with 1,919 yards and 22 TDs. Nicoloff also has six rushing scores and 205 yards.
Channing Glick has 59 catches for 698 and seven touchdowns and Zion Clopton leads in rushing with 516 and three scores.
Carmel has been resurrected in the first year of Kevin Wright’s return. Wright was 54-10 from 2010-14 with two 5A state runner-ups (2013-14) and the 2011 5A championship.
In his 17th season overall, Wright previously coached at Hoover (Ala.), Indiana University as the tight ends coach, Warren Central, Noblesville and Frankfort. His 2003-05 Warren Central teams won three straight 5A state championships.
Carmel has 32 sectional, 22 regional, 13 semi-state and nine state championships, their last in 2019.
The Greyhounds’ only loss was at Louisville Trinity (41-28). Otherwise, Carmel waltzed through the rest of the regular season until Week 9 two weeks ago, a 36-33 win at Lawrence Central.
Anthony Coellner is passing at a 70 percent clip with 1,490 yards and 16 TDs. Coellner has also ran for 510 yards and 11 scores.
Jacob Bellin is his top target with 32 catches for 572 yards and seven touchdowns. Andrew Pemberton has 1,000 yards exactly and 11 TDs.
