Perry Meridian has a new insight into a rejuvenated football team that has won three games in a row and five regular season wins, according to seniors, from left,  Alex Lane, Eli Addington, Ryelin Abbott, and Jackson Schoch after winning only two games last season.​
(SOUTHSIDER VOICE PHOTOS BY AL STILLEY)

​First-year Falcons’ coach Rob Patchett talks to players at practice Monday in preparation for home game Friday against Decatur Central.

By Al Stilley - Southsider Voice Editor

Under first-year Falcons’ coach Rob Patchett, Perry Meridian’s football fortunes are on the rise.

The Falcons (5-2, 4-1) are riding a three-game winning streak and have five wins in the regular season for the first time since 2015 after spoiling Martinsville’s homecoming Friday, 35-28 with a solid ground attack. They are coming off a dismal 2-8 campaign last year.

Four seniors – linebacker Alex Lane, linemen Eli Addington and Ryelin Abbott, and quarterback Jackson Schoch – believe the big difference is confidence and game preparation.

“First, we had to change the culture so kids can believe they can win,” said Patchett who came to 6A PMHS from 1A Taylor. “We had a team camp and talked a lot about setting standards. But you don’t really get any buy-in until you win a little bit.

“Then we had to figure out what our power would be. We have a huge offensive line that’s really good, but we don’t do anything fancy.”

The Falcons are able to pound out yardage with junior running back Carter Upshaw, who is among the top running backs in the state with yards gained.

Upshaw had 40 carries for 253 yards and three short-yardage TDs against Martinsville. His final TD capped a four minute 70-yard game winning drive with 30 seconds left in the game.

Schoch connected with Upshaw on a 44-yard TD pass for a 7-0 first quarter lead. The Falcons had 480 yards total offense against the Artesians.

The thrilling win came on the heels of defeating Bloomington North 35-6 and Whiteland 31-10 for three consecutive wins. They have come a long way since losing their season opener at Beech Grove and falling to Plainfield.

The offense has a 1-2 punch with Upshaw and Schoch. They operate behind a bulky but talented o-line that features seniors Abbott (315 pounds), Xavier Lambert (250) and Moses Thang (245) and sophomores Kysen Cox (280) and Wes Clary (235).

Defensively, the Falcons key players include middle linebackers, senior Alex Lane, sophomore Colin Sitzman, junior end Marcus Lewis, senior nose guard Addington, defensive backs, junior Gus Zupan, sophomore Ian Needham, and senior safety Hayden Johnson.

At quarterback, Schoch is throwing less and enjoying the game more.
“My confidence comes through preparation,” said Schoch who is making better reads and has cut down on his turnovers. “We’re big on attention to detail and the next important detail, the next play, the next snap. And I’m behind the best line in the Mid-State.”
Abbott, who missed the last seven games last year due to injury, said, “I had to watch from the sidelines last year, so I have a new perspective this year. We are more focused. We’ve taken big steps in the right direction.”

Addington recalled, “Last year was hard with only two wins, but these coaches came in and have given us confidence. We are more prepared for our games. They (coaches) believe in us.”

Lane added, “Camp (summer) really helped us. It seems we are working harder and we’re more prepared mentally, too.”

Each player agreed the ceiling is a lot higher than it was last year. They are looking forward to the tail-end of a comeback season and have higher expectations when the playoffs begin. The Falcons’ only sectional title came in 1986 when they were in Class 5A.
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The Falcons face their toughest test Friday when they host Mid-State leader Decatur Central (6-1) and then close the season at Mooresville (3-4) on Oct. 16.

Roncalli defense gang tackles Franklin Central running back Bryce Danzer (22).
(PHOTOS BY JOHN SMITH)

By Al Stilley
Editor

Roncalli recovered from an opening night triple-overtime loss at Ft. Wayne Dwenger with a determined defense and ground-based offense Friday that upended visiting Franklin Central, 21-7 in a battle of ranked teams.

“As good as our defense played and as much as the offense needed to improve, the question about our week was, ‘How are we going to respond?’” Roncalli coach Sam Otley said. “Our linemen prepared and put themselves in position for a game like this. I’m proud of the way our guys responded from last week.”

In a true battle at the line of scrimmage, Roncalli was quiet but efficient in holding the Flashes to only one touchdown one week after the Flashes defeated Plainfield 31-7. The Royals’ defense also held FC to a mere 68 yards rushing on 23 carries. And during a tense second half, the Royals stopped FC on all five of their drives without a score.

Trailing 14-0, the Flashes put Roncalli into the danger zone by going 79 yards in five plays capped by quarterback Caiden Marsden’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Rian Frazier with four seconds left before halftime. The winning drive was set up by a 48-yard pass from Marsden to DJ Mitchell.

Roncalli kicked off to FC to begin the third quarter but the Royals defense not only stopped that drive but four more drives to hold the Flashes scoreless in the second half.

Meanwhile, Roncalli went 56 yards in six plays for its third TD, a drive capped by Luke Roeder’s seven-yard run with 2:54 left in the game.

Roncalli’s first half scores came on Alex Jarvis’ two-yard plunge in the first quarter and a 20-yard pass from quarterback Kallen Stahley to Roeder for 22 yards in the second quarter. Jarvis was a workhorse that rushed 31 times for 192 yards.

Linebacker Carson Keller led the Royals’ defense with 12 tackles, but it was the soft-spoken d-line’s hard-nosed play that also thwarted the Flashes on both sides.

“That’s just one touchdown in two games,” praised lineman Legend Williams who had three tackles. “We saw what they did on film and wanted to stop it and we did.”

Sophomore lineman Luke Schott added, “Getting stops, that’s what we do. Every time they got the ball, we just wanted to punch them in the mouth.”

FC’s defense, led by Michigan commit Jayce Brewer’s nine tackles, also featured Amarius Armstead and Andrew Harmon with nine tackles apiece.
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Roncalli (1-1) is at home Friday against rival Bishop Chatard (2-0). FC  (1-1) hosts reigning two-time state champ Brownsburg (2-0).

Carson Keller (31), Charlie Neu (41), Mikey Dillon (5), and Will Hegwood (1) lead Roncalli onto Bob Tully Field for their first home game of the new season against Franklin Central.