Center Grove (4-5) at Columbus East (7-2)
» Game time: 7 p.m.
» Last year: Teams did not meet
» Oct. 18 results: Columbus East Madison 61-14; Center Grove lost to Cathedral 14-9
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» Coaches: Bob Gaddis (322-139 in 41st year, including 204-39 in 19th year at East); Eric Moore (240-76 in 25th year, including 192-71 in 21st year at Center Grove)
» Key players: Center Grove QB Tayven Jackson, RB Daniel Weems, RB Connor Delp, WR Trent Veith, DL Caden Curry, DL Austin Booker, LB Gabe Boyd; East QB Cole Gilley, RB Mark McDonald, RB-WR Lance Greiwe, WR Dalton Back, WR-S Tyler Settle, DE Seth Chandler, LB Kai Stidham, CB Zander Gentry
» What to watch for: Don’t be fooled by the Trojans record. Although they’re 4-5, they’ve played one of the state’s toughest schedules. The Olympians caught a break with the absence of perhaps the state’s top running back in Center Grove junior Carson Steele, who is out for the season with a broken ankle. Meanwhile, East is getting several key starters back from injury, including Gilley and McDonald.
» Prediction: Columbus East 28, Center Grove 27
Columbus North (5-4) at Franklin Central (4-5)
» Game time: 7 p.m.
» Last year: Teams did not meet
» Oct. 18 results: Columbus North beat Terre Haute South 45-15; Franklin Central lost to Westfield 19-14
» Coaches: Tim Bless (147-96 in 22nd year, including 135-87 in 20th year at North); Grant Lewis 22-28 in fifth year at Franklin Central
» Key players: Columbus North QB Luke Hammons, RB Blake Huffman, RB-WR Giovani Alejandro, WR-DB Hunter Huser, TE-DE Mitchel Collier, OT JJ Montgomery, DE Montez Mitchell, LB Landon Robbins; Franklin Central QB Peyton Viewegh, RB Josh Ruley, WR Peyton McClendon, LB Nate Talhelm
» What to watch for: The Bull Dogs and Flashes used to meet regularly as Conference Indiana rivals until Franklin Central bolted for the Hoosier Crossroads Conference after winning the Conference Indiana title in 2017. North’s ability to run the football and protect Hammons in the passing game could be hindered by the loss of perhaps its second-best offensive lineman, Dalton Kirk, to a season-ending leg injury.
» Prediction: Columbus North 21, Franklin Central 14
Tonight’s other area game:
» Vincennes Lincoln at Brown County, 7 p.m.
