New Palestine’s Blaine Nunnally makes a catch in the end zone over two Mt. Vernon defenders during their game on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022.
The defending champs and No. 1 ranked team will meet in the first round of sectional play in the IHSAA Boys Football State Tournament.
Pairings for the tournament were announced Sunday.
Class 4A Sectional 22 will have a quarterfinal matchup of Hancock County’s biggest rivals, the Class 4A defending state champion Mt. Vernon Marauders and Class 4A’s No. 1 ranked New Palestine Dragons.
Mt. Vernon (5-3) will host the top-ranked Dragons (8-0) Oct. 21 at Mt. Vernon High School in one of four quarterfinal matches in Sectional 22.
The teams met earlier this season at Mt. Vernon. New Palestine won 42-6, claiming the rivals’ traveling trophy — The Boundary Rail — and Hoosier Heritage Conference’s Victory Bell.
Mt. Vernon has won four straight games since the Sept. 9 loss. New Palestine is perfect on the season and is looking to clinch sole possession of the HHC title Friday, at home, against Delta.
The blind draw for first-round matchups created interesting opening game contests.
In eight-team Sectional 22, arguably, the best four teams are all in the bottom half of the bracket.
Along with the Mt. Vernon/New Palestine contest, Greenfield-Central (5-3) will play host to Pendleton Heights (4-4). G-C won the initial meeting on Sept. 9, 35-0. Mt. Vernon and Greenfield-Central are both receiving votes in the Indiana Football Coaches Association Class 4A Poll.
The winner of the Mt. Vernon/New Palestine game will play the winner of the Greenfield-Central/Pendleton Heights matchup. In the upper portion of the bracket, Richmond (0-8) travels to Connersville (4-4) and Beech Grove (4-4) visits New Castle (2-6).
Eastern Hancock knows its route in Class 2A Sectional 38.
The Royals (3-5) open with a road game in Liberty against Union County (4-4).
If Eastern Hancock wins its opener, it will play the winner of Winchester (3-5)/Lapel (4-4). The Royals play host to Lapel this Friday.
In the upper part of the tournament bracket, Cardinal Ritter (1-6) travels to Shenandoah (4-4) and Heritage Christian (5-3) visits Northeastern (7-1).
Teams finish regular season play Friday. The opening round of the sectional is Oct. 21 with semifinals (Oct. 28) and sectional championships (Nov. 4) to be played the following Fridays.
The regional round of the tournament is Nov. 11 with the semi-state being played Nov. 18. State Finals are at Lucas Oil Stadium Nov. 25-26.
