The Southsider Voice
Visit us at these places!
  • Home
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • Sports
    • Car Nutz
    • Stilley Goes Trackside
    • Southside Deaths
    • Personal Recollections
    • Reminiscing
  • About the Voice
  • Advertising
  • Contact
  • Newspaper Archive
  • Classifieds

Opening night becomes rivalry night

8/12/2015

0 Comments

 

Roncalli joins new four-team league

Picture
SOUTHSIDER VOICE PHOTO BY AL STILLEY Greenwood coach Mike Campbell goes over a game plan with his Woodmen, who open the season at 7 p.m. Aug. 21 against neighboring Perry Meridian at Perry Stadium. The teams have split two games in previous openers against each other.
PictureSOUTHSIDER VOICE PHOTO BY AL STILLEY Southport junior linebacker Jalen Williams, the Cardinals’ leading tackler last season, grabs a drink of water during a hot practice in preparation for opening night Aug. 21 against Roncalli at Lucas Oil Stadium at 8:30 p.m. Franklin Central opens against Decatur Central at 6 p.m. in the double-header of Southside teams.
By Al Stilley
Senior staff writer

Opening night is rivalry night for several Southside football teams when the new season starts Aug. 21.

Southport and Roncalli collide in a doubleheader nightcap at Lucas Oil Stadium around 8:30 p.m., after Franklin Central and its new coach, Grant Lewis, meet Decatur Central at 6 p.m. The Flashes are 6-2 when opening against the Hawks.

Greenwood journeys north to Perry Stadium to meet Perry Meridian at 7 p.m. In an important Indiana Crossroads Conference matchup, Beech Grove’s high-octane offense travels a few miles southeast to meet Lutheran, also at 7 p.m.

Center Grove and Warren Central may be several miles apart in distance, but fans of the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference know that this opener is a power game between two top-ranked teams. They have split two games in season openers, but this tussle could go a long way to determine the league champion.
For the second season the Trojans open against three highly rated MIC foes, including Carmel on the road Sept. 4 and Ben Davis (Sept. 11) in the first four games. The non-conference game is on the Trojans’ field against upstart Whiteland, a prime contender for the 5A championship. The Warriors came dangerously close to an upset at home last year.

“It really cuts you hard right off the bat because your weaknesses really stand out,” Center Grove coach Eric Moore said. “You throw Whiteland in there and they will be on the attack. Then we have Cathedral (2014 state champions) at the end of our regular season, and we beat them last year.

Moore concluded, “All the strength, size and speed we see early in the season really help us down the road.”
After falling 1-3 last year, Center Grove rolled to eight straight wins before a dramatic heartbreaking loss to Ben Davis the semistate.

Moore also winds up coaching against former assistant Jayson West when the Trojans meet Warren Central.
Southport and Roncalli are fired up for their season opener in Lucas Oil Stadium.

“We’re in the same locker room and get to walk onto the field just like the Indianapolis Colts,” Luke Johnston, Southport’s record-setting quarterback, said. “Playing against Roncalli just adds to the anticipation to get started.”

The formation of the new Circle City Conference also emphasizes the rivalries among four Catholic high schools, including Roncalli.

League play begins during the 2016-2017 academic year for Roncalli, Bishop Chatard, Brebeuf Jesuit and Guerin Catholic. Founding members indicated that more schools, private or public, could come on board but would preferably expand to eight teams.

Roncalli competes in Class 4A in football and basketball. Brebeuf, Chatard and Guerin are in 3A. Reigning 3A state basketball champion Guerin moves up to 4A on the hardwood for two seasons.

Roncalli has sought entry as an eighth member of the Mid-State Conference but has been turned down.
Coaches at the four high schools agree that the league format would add meaning and credibility to all sports. Most of the schools play against each other in nearly all sports.

Beech Grove and Lutheran have split 3-3 since opening against each other in 2009.

“Lutheran is right down the street; it’s a natural rivalry,” Beech Grove coach Mark Weller said. “They seem to reload each year. We’ll have our work cut out for us, but it’s an easy game to get ‘up’ for to begin the season.”

Saints’ veteran coach Dave Pasch views the game as the first step of the season.

“The rivalry is there for the fans; the players know it as week one. We see it as a challenge that will prepare us for the next week to get us where we need to be at the end of the season.”

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    February 2021
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    RSS Feed

 DROP OFF: The Toy Drop 6025 Madison Ave., Suite D
Indianapolis, IN  46227  |  317-781-0023
MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 17187, Indianapolis, IN 46217

ads@southsidervoice.com | news@southsidervoice.com
Website by IndyTeleData, Inc.