The Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) has announced the sectional pairings for the high school football state tournament, which will begin on October 21 for most classes. The Evansville area has several teams that are hoping to make a deep run in the postseason and compete for a chance to play at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Reitz and Boonville lead the way in Class 4A
Reitz, the top-ranked team in Class 4A, is undefeated and has dominated its opponents with a high-powered offense and a stingy defense. The Panthers will host Central, which is still looking for its first win of the season, in the first round of Sectional 24. Reitz beat Central 56-0 in the regular season.
Boonville, which is ranked seventh in Class 4A, is also having a stellar season with a 6-2 record. The Pioneers will travel to Harrison, which has a 2-6 record, in the first round of Sectional 24. Boonville defeated Harrison 35-14 in the regular season.
The other matchups in Sectional 24 are Memorial at Bosse and Jasper at the winner of Memorial-Bosse. Memorial, which is ranked ninth in Class 4A, is the defending sectional champion and has a 5-3 record. Bosse has a 1-7 record and lost to Memorial 42-0 in the regular season. Jasper, which is ranked tenth in Class 4A, has a 5-3 record and beat Bosse 49-0 in the regular season.
Gibson Southern and Southridge aim to repeat as sectional champions in Class 3A
Gibson Southern, the defending state champion and the top-ranked team in Class 3A, is unbeaten and has outscored its opponents by an average of 46 points per game. The Titans will host Vincennes Lincoln, which has a 4-4 record, in the first round of Sectional 30. Gibson Southern beat Vincennes Lincoln 49-14 in the regular season.
Mount Vernon, which has a 4-4 record, will face a tough challenge in the first round of Sectional 30 as it will host Owen Valley, which is undefeated and ranked fourth in Class 3A. Owen Valley has scored at least 40 points in every game this season.
The other matchups in Sectional 30 are Princeton at West Vigo and Washington at Pike Central. Princeton has a 0-8 record and lost to West Vigo 35-0 in the regular season. West Vigo has a 3-5 record. Washington has a 2-6 record and beat Pike Central 28-14 in the regular season. Pike Central has a 1-7 record.
Southridge, which is ranked third in Class 3A, is the defending sectional champion and has a 7-1 record. The Raiders will host North Harrison, which has a 6-2 record, in the first round of Sectional 32. Southridge beat North Harrison 35-7 in the regular season.
Heritage Hills, which is ranked eighth in Class 3A, has a 4-4 record and will host Madison, which has a 4-4 record, in the first round of Sectional 32. Heritage Hills beat Madison 28-14 in the regular season.
The other matchups in Sectional 32 are Scottsburg at Corydon Central and Charlestown at Salem. Scottsburg has a 2-6 record and lost to Corydon Central 42-14 in the regular season. Corydon Central has a 3-5 record. Charlestown, which is ranked sixth in Class 3A, has a 7-1 record and beat Salem 48-0 in the regular season. Salem has a 2-6 record.
Mater Dei looks to defend its title in Class 2A
Mater Dei, which is ranked second in Class 2A, is the defending sectional champion and advanced to the state final last season. The Wildcats have a 6-2 record and will host Forest Park, which has a 5-3 record, in the first round of Sectional 40. Mater Dei beat Forest Park 42-7 in the regular season.
Tell City, which is ranked fourth in Class 2A, is also having an impressive season with a 7
1 record. The Marksmen will host North Posey, which has a 3
5 record, in the first round of Sectional 40. Tell City beat North Posey 28
0 in the regular season.
The other matchups in Sectional 40 are Linton- Stockton at Eastern Greene and South Spencer at North Knox. Linton- Stockton, which is ranked third in Class 2A, has a 7
1 record and beat Eastern Greene 49
0 in the regular season. Eastern Greene has a 4
4 record. South Spencer has a 3
5 record and lost to North Knox 28
14 in the regular season. North Knox has a 6
2 record.
North Daviess and Tecumseh hope to make some noise in Class 1A
North Daviess, which is ranked tenth in Class 1A, has a 7-1 record and will host Rock Creek Academy, which has a 3-5 record, in the first round of Sectional 48. North Daviess beat Rock Creek Academy 42-0 in the regular season.
Tecumseh, which has a 6-2 record, will travel to West Washington, which is ranked fifth in Class 1A and has a 7-1 record, in the first round of Sectional 48. Tecumseh lost to West Washington 42-14 in the regular season.
The other matchups in Sectional 48 are Springs Valley at North Central and Perry Central at Mitchell. Springs Valley has a 3-5 record and lost to North Central 28-20 in the regular season. North Central has a 4-4 record. Perry Central has a 5-3 record and beat Mitchell 35-0 in the regular season. Mitchell has a 2-6 record.
The sectional playoffs will continue with the semifinals on October 28 and the finals on November 4. The regional round will be on November 11, the semi-state round will be on November 18, and the state finals will be on November 25 and 26 at Lucas Oil Stadium.