By Nathan Pace
Online Editor

Center Grove defeats Penn 28-16 to win its second state championship. The Trojans jumped to a 14-3 halftime advantage and never lost the lead.

The Trojans came up big on fourth down throughout the game including a touchdown on 4th and goal to ice the contest in the final minutes. View video and photos from the game below.

​By Al Stilley
Senior staff writer

Southport is the biggest buzz in boys basketball throughout the state.

The Cardinals are ranked No. 1 in the preseason coaches poll, the same ranking that they ended the regular season last year. For the second straight year the Cardinals were knocked from the tourney by nemesis Pike.

“We were disappointed in how last year ended because we were ranked No. 1 and didn’t come out of the tourney as No. 1,” Southport coach Kyle Simpson said. “We remember that (loss) because it will inspire us every day this season.”

The Cardinals return with seven seniors, including Indiana Mr. Basketball candidate 6-10 Joey Brunk, a Butler recruit, and junior guard Paul Scruggs. 

Other talented Southside players include Franklin Central sharpshooter Marcus Burk and forward Grant Pedigo, Perry Meridian forward Jackson Gambrall, Manual seniors Keshawn Best and Robert Johnson and Lutheran junior Jacob Faubion.

In Class 4A, Franklin Central, under veteran mastermind John Rockey, seeks to get off to a fast start this season. Meanwhile, Roncalli coach Michael Wantz, Perry Meridian’s Brent Keck and Center Grove’s Zach Hahn are trying to figure out how to make up for the losses of superstars Jimmy King, University of Indianapolis, and Dylan Windler and Micheal Benkert, respectively, both at Belmont University.
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Manual’s Donnie Bowling, formerly at Shortridge, and Lutheran’s Bob Jacobs, formerly an assistant at Bloomington North, are the two new coaches on the Southside.

Here’s a team-by-team outlook with last year’s records.

Center Grove plans to build off of a 13-10 mark last year
Darkhorse team may be in Franklin Central 
Young Woodmen seek growth
Roncalli looks to replace seniors
Cardinals are the talk of the state
Plenty of pieces for Beech Grove
Manual could be a sleeper
Cougars want to play fast in 2015-16
Saints look for points with new coach