HANCOCK COUNTY — The wait is over.
This week, the Indiana High School Athletic Association conducted its blind draw, announcing the official sectional pairings for the 49th annual IHSAA football state tournament.
Sectional tournaments across the state will kickoff on Friday, Oct. 22 with first-round games in all classes except 6A, which opens on Friday, Oct. 29, with an off week.
A handful of 5A sectionals will also open on Friday, Oct. 29, including Sectional 14 where New Palestine resides. The setup means the Dragons could win a title with only two wins instead of three.
The same can’t be said for 4A Mt. Vernon or 4A Greenfield-Central with both teams situated in Sectional 21, which requires three victories to hoist the championship hardware.
Class 2A Eastern Hancock has the same, three-round route ahead in Sectional 38.
Mt. Vernon, New Palestine and Eastern Hancock all open postseason play at home, while Greenfield-Central will need to win on the road in the first round to get back to Hancock County.
Here’s a look at the pairings for each sectional tournament ahead.
Class 4A Sectional 21
If you’re a Hoosier Heritage Conference fan, then the bottom half of this bracket is right up your alley.
The state-ranked Marauders (7-1) drew HHC rival Pendleton Heights (4-4) in the first round and will play host on Friday, Oct. 22.
In the other quarterfinal game on Friday, Oct. 22, Greenfield-Central (5-3) travels to HHC foe New Castle (2-6). The winners from each game will meet in the sectional semifinal round on Friday, Oct. 29 with either Greenfield-Central or New Castle hosting.
In the top half of the bracket, Richmond (1-7) travels to Shelbyville (1-4) and Muncie Central (1-7) heads to Connersville (1-7) on Friday, Oct. 22.
While this bracket seems bottom heavy, it’s because it is. There’s no way around it. The top contenders for the title are all set to collide in the first two rounds, including defending champion Mt. Vernon, which has won the past two titles.
Mt. Vernon has already beaten Pendleton Heights (43-0, at home on Sept. 24), Greenfield-Central (42-2, on the road on Sept. 4) and New Castle (46-0, on the road on Oct. 1).
In years past, the Pendleton Heights Arabians have been the Marauders’ primary concern, and they must be contended with in the opening round, but the Cougars are a true darkhorse this time around.
With the insertion of quarterback Rashawn Street into their option offense, after taking over for injured signal-caller Brodie Mayberry a few weeks ago, the Cougars offense has been more dynamic.
With the return of running back Andrew Zellers, who was out for a few games due to contact tracing quarantine, the Cougars have posted 424 and 367 yards rushing the past two weeks and a combined nine rushing touchdowns.
They rushed for 301 yards against the Marauders despite losing 42-21, and that was with Mayberry under center. If both teams advance, this game could become must-see event in the county.
The sectional’s championship round is set for Friday, Nov. 5.
Class 5A Sectional 14
This sectional is truly up for grabs based on rankings, records and previous meetings.
Of course, none of those hold much weight in the postseason, but the pairings reflect the first two.
In one semifinal, 5A No. 13 Whiteland (in the IFCA Coaches’ Poll) faces Columbus East (3-5). Whiteland is 4-3 on the season and plays host on Friday, Oct. 29.
In the other semifinal, 5A No. 14 New Palestine (in the AP Poll) hosts Franklin (3-5) on Friday, Oct. 29. The Dragons are 5-3 on the season and have won four in a row with a potential fifth this Friday.
The Dragons missed out on a third straight sectional title last year in the finals against Whiteland, losing 48-13 on the road.
If they get past Franklin, who beat Whiteland 35-21 on Sept. 10, then the Dragons would host the Warriors this time around in the finals on Friday, Nov. 5.
Columbus East lost to Whiteland, 28-7, on Aug. 20. New Palestine hasn’t faced any of their upcoming sectional opponents.
Class 2A Sectional 38
The ideal scenario for Eastern Hancock was to have 2A No. 3 and unbeaten Heritage Christian (8-0) in the opposite bracket of Sectional 38.
Wish granted, but as a consolation, the Royals (5-3) drew 2A No. 9 and unbeaten Centerville (7-0) in the opening round on Friday, Oct. 22.
The two teams will meet in Charlottesville, which gives the Royals home field advantage, but it’s a tough matchup regardless.
In the other quarterfinal, Northeastern (4-4) travels to Winchester (4-4) with the winner hosting either Centerville or Eastern Hancock.
The top half of the bracket pits Heritage Christian at Scecina Memorial (5-3) in the quarterfinals on Friday, Oct. 22. Shenandoah drew the bye and will travel to either Heritage Christian or Scecina Memorial in the semifinal round on Friday, Oct. 29.
The championship round will take place on Friday, Nov. 5.
Heritage Christian is 3-0 against sectional foes this year, beating Shenandoah, 49-14, on Aug. 27; Scecina Memorial, 20-14, on Sept. 17; and Eastern Hancock, 35-0, on Sept. 10.
Centerville is 2-0 with wins over Winchester, 54-16, on Sept. 10 and Northeastern, 49-0, on Sept. 24.
2021 H.S. Football Sectional Pairings
Class 5A
Sectional 14 (4 teams)
Semifinal Round
Friday, Oct. 29
Game 1: Columbus East (3-5) at Whiteland (4-3)
Game 2: Franklin (3-5) at New Palestine (5-3)
Championship Final
Friday, Nov. 5
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Class 4A
Sectional 21 (8 teams)
Quarterfinal Round
Friday, Oct. 22
Game 1: Richmond (1-7) at Shelbyville (1-4)
Game 2: Muncie Central (1-7) at Connersville (1-7)
Game 3: Pendleton Heights (4-4) at Mt. Vernon (7-1)
Game 4: Greenfield-Central (5-3) at New Castle (2-6)
Semifinal Round
Friday, Oct. 29
Game 5: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4
Championship Final
Friday, Nov. 5
Game 7: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6
Class 2A
Sectional 38 (7 teams)
Quarterfinal Round
Friday, Oct. 22
Game 1: Heritage Christian (8-0) at Scecina Memorial (5-3)
Game 2: Centerville (7-0) at Eastern Hancock (5-3)
Game 3: Northeastern (4-4) at Winchester (4-4)
Semifinal Round
Friday, Oct. 29
Game 4: Shenandoah (4-3) at Game 1 winner
Game 5: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3
Championship Round
Friday, Nov. 5
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5
