
Senior staff writer
Class 4A No. 1 Roncalli, Greenwood and Lutheran dominated their first-round sectional opponents in football action Friday.
During the regular season Roncalli rarely overran its opponents, winning six games by a margin of eight points or less. The Rebels (10-0) opened quickly against visiting Northview (6-4) and defeated the Knights 35-14 in an historic 200th win on their home field.
Roncalli capped each of its four drives in the first half with touchdowns for a 28-0 halftime lead. Patrick McManama ran for two scores, and quarterback Derek O’Connor threw scoring strikes to Aiden Parker and Luke Smock.
The Rebels racked up 351 yards of offense with McManama running for 160 yards and O’Connor throwing for 133. Defensively, Nate Otley’s early first-quarter interception set up the Rebels’ first score.
Class 4A Greenwood relied on its one-two ground punch of running backs Isaiah Borjas and Brandon Rosado, who combined for nearly 300 yards in defeating host Frankfort 42-12. Each runner had 17 carries with Borjas gaining 172 yards and scoring three touchdowns. Rosado ran for 120 yards and one TD. Quarterback Seth Gallman connected on TD passes to Conner Battinau and Isaiah Drew.
Lutheran (7-3) ran over host Cambridge City Lincoln 63-8 in a Class A sectional opener.
In 4A sectional semifinals Friday, Roncalli goes to Lebanon (8-2), where the host Tigers outran Beech Grove 62-48, and Mooresville (2-8) visits Greenwood (7-3) in a rematch of a tense overtime duel won Sept. 9 by the Woodmen. Tri journeys to Lutheran for a Class A semifinal duel.
Beech Grove (7-3) led four times in a seesaw shootout at Frankfort. Hornets quarterback Chase Andries threw for 261 yards and four touchdown passes. Running back Isaiah Hulse and Dylan Allen combined on a 76-yard TD pass on the first play from scrimmage. Allen had five catches for 141 yards.
Manual (5-5) completed its best season since 2004 with five wins but dropped its 2A sectional contest at Lawrenceburg 68-6. The Redskins had won only four-of-31 games since the revival of their program in 2012.
Defending 6A state champion Center Grove (8-1) opens its title defense Friday against Jeffersonville (4-5) at Ray Skillman Stadium. Southport (5-4), a 48-14 winner in this season’s first Battle of Perry Township, faces a rematch against Perry Meridian (3-6) at Perry Stadium. The two winners collide Nov. 4 for a sectional championship.