Time for kickoff: Exciting football season ahead for county teams

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Are you ready for some football? 

I know I am, because this fall in Hancock County is shaping up to be an exciting one in a variety of sports.

Most of all, though, it’s the return of high school football. I couldn’t be more ready.

It starts at the top of the county with New Palestine. The Dragons haven’t lost a regular season game since coach Kyle Ralph took over, a streak that is now five seasons long. 

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They should be even better this year than the team that lost in the sectional final to Zionsville, with almost all of their starters back and the addition of former Delta star Charlie Spegal at running back. The Dragons legitimately have three all-state caliber players in the backfield, and Spegal had a great showing a week ago in New Palestine’s scrimmage, rushing for 104 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries.

That three-headed Dragons rushing attack — with quarterback Zach Neligh and running back Luke Canfield — should be a sight to behold this fall.

The Dragons’ opener is special for more than just the big-time opponent — it will feature the rededication of Kelso Stadium and Shepler Field, with a presentation taking place 10 minutes before kickoff. The newly-renovated stadium features a new turf field, new bleachers and a new concession building. At halftime, the Dragon softball team will receive its state championship rings.

At Mt. Vernon, we have a new coach in Mike Kirschner, who brings one heck of a winning culture to the Marauders. Kirschner led Ben Davis to one of the best seasons in Indiana football history last fall, finishing an undefeated run with a Class 6A state championship.

Numbers are way up at Mt. Vernon as the community and athletes get excited about the new season. The Marauders have almost doubled in size since the end of last year, and a big turnaround from a disappointing 2017 season is very possible.

At Greenfield-Central, coach Adam Sherman is excited about his season and for good reason. The Cougars, coming off a three-win 2017 that he said saw his team under-perform, have a strong senior class and a lot of talented youth coming in.

They, too, are poised for a big turnaround from last season.

Finally, at Eastern Hancock, we have another “new” coach in Doug Armstrong. The county coaching veteran brings an incredible amount of experience to his new team, and it will be exciting to see what he can do with the Royals in his first season. With new faces in several key positions, including a freshman quarterback, Eastern Hancock will be an interesting team to watch this year.

The season starts off emphatically tonight, as New Palestine hosts state runner-up Kokomo in the marquee game and Mt. Vernon travels to Hamilton Heights for a game pitting first-year Mt. Vernon coach Mike Kirschner against first-year Hamilton Heights coach Jon Kirschner, his son. Greenfield-Central gets a good test of where they are at with a tough Evansville Central team, and Eastern Hancock kicks off against a new-look Northwestern.

There’s a lot to look forward to over the course of the next few months on the gridiron. Who is going to step up? Who will surprise us? What teams and players are going to have breakout years?

I hope you’re as excited as I am. Hancock County football has four compelling teams with intriguing players and storylines to watch out for. Here’s a look at some of the top games and players to keep an eye on this season.

Players to watch

Houston Swan, freshman QB, Eastern Hancock

Swan is the likely starter at quarterback for the Royals. How the freshman acclimates to high school football should play a big role in how well Eastern Hancock does this season.

Blayze Sarber, senior WR/DB/K/P, Eastern Hancock

Probably the fastest player on the team, Sarber should be an impact player and a name Swan can rely on. Sarber had two offensive touchdowns in a limited role last season but should see a big production boost this year.

Turk Faitele, sophomore LB, Greenfield-Central

Faitele had a monster of a freshman year for the Cougars, earning all-county honors. He led the Cougars in tackles, with 83, and added five tackles for a loss and a sack. The linebacker will be relied on to help the Cougars get back on the winning track.

Jaden Brown, senior CB, Greenfield-Central

Another all-county player from last year, Brown was second on the team in tackles and had two interceptions in 2017. He is one of the leaders this year for Greenfield-Central and is poised for a big senior year. Coach Adam Sherman, who coached collegiate football for years, said Brown is one of the best football players he’s ever been around.

Tyson Harley, senior QB, Mt. Vernon

Without much of a running game in 2017, Harley was counted on a lot as a junior. The quarterback threw for 1,939 yards and completed 54 percent of his passes, throwing 16 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. With the Marauders planning to focus on the run more this year, passing lanes should open and help Harley finish his career strong.

Braxton Trittipo, senior WR, Mt. Vernon

Harley’s top target last year, Trittipo, who earned all-county honors last year, put up big numbers. As a junior he had 56 catches for 764 yards and eight touchdowns, leading the Marauders in each category. He should be a big offensive threat for Mt. Vernon this season.

Max Burhenn, senior DE, Mt. Vernon

Burhenn was the lone defender from Mt. Vernon to earn both all-county and all-HHC honors in 2017, finishing the year with 50 tackles, five tackles for loss and four sacks. He will be a force on the defensive front again this season and could see bigger sack totals.

Austin Keele, senior OL/DL, New Palestine

Keele is a stalwart for the Dragons on both sides of the ball. An all-state selection last year, Keele is a leader on an offensive line that had two 1,000-yard rushers in 2017 and very well could have three this year. He had 35 tackles, eight for a loss, and two sacks last year on the defensive end.

Charlie Spegal, junior RB, New Palestine

Choosing between Spegal and fellow runner Luke Canfield was difficult, but with Spegal listed as the starter against Kokomo and the massive numbers he amassed at Delta, he gets the edge here. He was 18th in the nation in rush yards per game last season, with 238.5, and his 2,385 rush yards were fifth in Indiana. His 33 rushing touchdowns also were fifth in Indiana.

Luke Ely, senior LB, New Palestine

Ely, one of the leaders on New Palestine’s defense, is a 2016 all-state selection who led the Dragons in sacks last year, with 7.5. His 63 tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss were each in the top three for the Dragons, and he could improve on all of those numbers in his senior year.

Ryker Large, junior DB, New Palestine

As a sophomore, Large had a nose for the ball, leading the Hoosier Heritage Conference in interceptions with six and finishing in the top 20 in the state. He added 39 tackles last year, and should play a big part in New Palestine’s defense again this season.

Games to watch

Week 1, tonight, New Palestine vs. Kokomo, Mt. Vernon at Hamilton Heights

Notable for different reasons, both of these opening games should be memorable. The Dragons and Wildkats square off in a true test of New Palestine’s regular-season winning streak, as Kokomo is coming off a state finals appearance in 2017. The father/son coaching battle at Hamilton Heights should be a special moment for the Kirschner family, with two teams looking to bounce back and improve from tough 2017 seasons.

Week 2, Aug. 24, New Palestine vs. Center Grove

This is likely the biggest game any Hancock County team will play in before the postseason. It’s the Dragons first matchup against a Class 6A team, and it’s going to be a tough one. Center Grove is one of the state’s elite programs, and is currently ranked No. 6 in 6A (the Dragons are No. 3 in 5A). If New Palestine gets past Kokomo tonight, this will be another huge test of the Dragons regular-season prowess.

Week 3, Aug. 31, Mt. Vernon vs. Greenfield-Central

For two county teams both looking for big turnarounds, this will be a good indicator of which team is in better position. Both are likely to have at least one win heading into the week three showdown. The Cougars won last year’s matchup in a shutout, winning 27-0.

Week 5, Sept. 14, New Palestine at Pendleton Heights

Pendleton Heights had a breakthrough season in 2017, finishing with a winning record for the first time in five years at 7-4. The Arabians played the Dragons closer than many, losing 41-21, and this year could be even better than last year’s team. The Arabians have one of the state’s top receivers in Duke recruit Eli Pancol, who earned all-conference honors and was all-state honorable mention after a 41 catch, 834 yard and 15 touchdown season.

Week 8, Oct. 5, Eastern Hancock vs. Shenandoah

Last year did not go the way the Royals wanted against rival Shenandoah. After a close 30-25 loss to the Raiders in 2016, Eastern Hancock watched Shenandoah jump out to a 40-7 halftime lead last year en route to a 67-13 blowout loss. The Royals should be improved this year and look to avenge the big loss on their home turf.

Brian Heinemann is sports editor of the Daily Reporter. Send comments to [email protected].

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All four Hancock County teams begin the 2018 football season tonight, with three home games and one road game.

Mt. Vernon at Hamilton Heights, 7 p.m.

Eastern Hancock vs. Northwestern, 7 p.m.

No. 3 New Palestine vs. No. 8 Kokomo, 7:30 p.m.

Greenfield-Central vs. Evansville Central, 8 p.m.

See a full breakdown of each of the Week 1 games on Page B2.

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