H.S. Football Breakdown: Marauders one win away from outright HHC title

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HANCOCK COUNTY — This week, the fifth-ranked Marauders (7-1, 6-0 HHC) are staring down a potential, back-to-back run at an outright Hoosier Heritage Conference team championship.

Last year’s HHC title marked the program’s first outright league crown since 2012. A win on Friday night at home against visiting Yorktown would lock down the first HHC repeat in Marauders’ football history.

For 5A New Palestine, Friday night’s road, regular-season finale at Delta could cap a five-game winning streak before a bye week leading into their sectional opener on Oct. 29.

Meanwhile, the 4A Greenfield-Central Cougars are hitting their stride, quite literally, behind their highly-effective, option rushing attack. They are searching for a third-straight victory when they travel to HHC foe New Castle on Friday.

Class 2A Eastern Hancock (5-3, 3-1 MEC) is clinging to a potential season-ending tie for the Mid-Eastern Conference title, if Class A No. 2 Monroe Central (8-0, 3-0 MEC) loses at 2A Lapel on Friday.

Here’s the breakdown for each game entering Friday night.

Yorktown (5-3, 3-3 HHC) at Mt. Vernon (7-1, 6-0 HHC)

Game time: 7 p.m. at Mt. Vernon.

Coaches: Mike Wilhelm, 91-91 in 17th year at Yorktown. Vince Lidy, 7-1 in first year at Mt. Vernon.

Last game: Yorktown defeated Pendleton Heights, 14-10. Mt. Vernon defeated Shelbyville, 49-0.

Series info: Mt. Vernon holds a 24-10 series lead in the past 35 years. Mt. Vernon won the last meeting, 47-7, on Oct. 16, 2020.

What we learned: Last year’s 7-0 finish in the Hoosier Heritage Conference cemented the Class 4A Mt. Vernon Marauders’ first outright league championship since 2012.

A victory on Friday night at home against visiting Yorktown would secure the program’s first repeat run. Overall, the Marauders have won six HHC titles since 1994. Of those six, only three have been outright (in 2003, 2012 and 2020).

Their other HHC titles came in 2001 (shared with Delta), 1999 (shared with Yorktown) and in 1997 (shared with Pendleton Heights and Hamilton Southeastern).

At this point in the season, there isn’t much mystery to the Marauders. They can do almost anything they want to on offense, and it’s been proven by initiating seven consecutive IHSAA mercy-rule, running clocks since Week 1.

Mt. Vernon has generated more than 400 yards in total offense in four straight weeks, including a season-best 479 this past Friday on the road at Shelbyville (in only one half).

The defense has posted three consecutive shutouts and while the Marauders haven’t been challenged since losing to Noblesville, 57-36, on Aug. 20, they continue to hone their game in anticipation for several postseason tests ahead.

New Palestine (5-3, 5-1 HHC) at Delta (4-4, 1-4 HHC)

Game time: 7:30 p.m. at Delta Stadium.

Coaches: Kyle Ralph, 101-9 in ninth year at New Palestine. Chris Overholt, 39-24 in sixth year at Delta.

Last game: New Palestine defeated New Castle, 42-7. Delta lost to Greenfield-Central, 28-14.

Series info: Delta owns a 14-13 series advantage in the past 35 years. New Palestine won the last meeting, 28-21, on Oct. 16, 2020.

What we learned: If the Mt. Vernon Marauders happen to lose on Friday night, the door opens for New Palestine to clinch a share of the HHC championship this season.

One game behind the Marauders in the HHC standings, the New Palestine Dragons need to handle their business first, obviously.

That hasn’t been much of a problem since they lost to the Marauders, 49-10, on Sept. 10. The Dragons were limited to 189 yards in total offense that game, and since they’ve gone ballistic.

In their four consecutive wins, the Dragons haven’t dropped below 360 yards in total offense and posted a season-best 524 against Shelbyville in a 52-0 win on Oct. 1.

Quarterback Damon Hockett went off last week with two passing touchdowns on 12 of 16 completions for 173 yards while rushing for three more touchdowns on 10 carries for 119 yards.

Grayson Thomas added another rushing score last week for his 16th of the season. While merely a sophomore, Thomas has 2,091 career-rushing yards to his credit.

Greenfield-Central (5-3, 3-2 HHC) at New Castle (2-6, 1-4 HHC)

Game time: 7:30 p.m. at Huffman Field.

Coaches: Travis Nolting, 10-17 in third year at Greenfield-Central, 70-45 in 11th year overall. Kyle York, 22-29 in fifth year at New Castle.

Last game: Greenfield-Central defeated Delta, 28-14. New Castle lost to New Palestine, 42-7.

Series info: Greenfield-Central owns a 17-7 series advantage in the past 35 years. Greenfield-Central won the last meeting, 42-22, on Oct. 16, 2020.

What we learned: Here’s a trivia question. When’s the last time Greenfield-Central has won three consecutive games?

Give up? It was 2011 under head coach Roger Dodson. The Cougars finished the season 6-5, and they won their fourth straight in overtime over Mt. Vernon at home, 6-0, on Sept. 30, 2011. Their third straight win was at Rushville, 49-12, on Sept. 23, 2011.

At five wins so far, the Cougars have already posted more victories then they have since 2016 when former head coach Adam Sherman led the Cougars to a 6-5 campaign.

Head coach Travis Nolting has a chance to steer the Cougars towards the program’s third six-win mark in 10 years.

Here’s another fun fact. The last seven-win season for G-C was in 2010 when the Cougars finished 7-5 with a pair of sectional wins and another four-game run as well.

Eastern Hancock (5-3) at Lapel (6-2)

Game time: 7 p.m. at The Boneyard.

Coaches: Phil Morris, 5-3 in first year at Eastern Hancock, 28-40 in seventh year overall. Tim Miller, 61-51 in 10th year at Lapel.

Last game: Eastern Hancock defeated Shenandoah, 20-14. Lapel defeated Jay County, 35-0.

Series info: Eastern Hancock owns a 21-13 series lead in the past 35 years. Lapel won the last meeting between both team, 39-21, on Oct. 16, 2020.

What we learned: The Eastern Hancock Royals have had a roller-coaster season, opening at 3-0, before dropping two straight, followed by two wins in their last three games.

A big reason for the inconsistency has been the absence of keys starters the past month, but the Royals seem to be gaining strength at the right time.

In the past three games, the Royals have surpassed 240 yards of total offense, and they’re inching closer to those bigger numbers from the first three weeks.

In Week 1, the offense produced 457 yards and reached 335 and 372 during the Royals’ three-game winning streak.

During their two-game letdown, the offense was hemmed up for 99 and 170 yards in total offense. Simply put, if the Royals move the ball, they win.

At non-conference Lapel, they are attempting to chase down a two-game streak and hope that Mid-Eastern Conference foe Monroe Central trips up against Shenandoah.

If Monroe Central does fall, then the Royals will seize a share of the MEC title, win or lose.