Titans Clash in 2011 IHSAA Sectional Championship
Carmel football driving during the Circle City Classic but fell short by 2 points, 22-20. The Hounds and Warriors meet again Friday November 4th. Photo By: James Benedict (Hilite)
August of 2008, the Greyhounds had a record crowd as the Boys of Fall for Carmel High School faced rival school 4A the Cathedral Fighting Irish for the ESPN High School Showcase showdown. But that game has been long forgotten as the Class of 2012 Senior Leaders including running back sensation Jalen Duncan, starting quarterback Brandon Denning, and future Purdue Boilmaker strong safety Jimmy Herman were only freshmen. But one of the games that will go down as one of the greatest matchups at Carmel Stadium will happen this Friday November 4th. The top ranked Warriors of Warren Central who also stand at #4 in the nation (according Freeman Rankings on CBS MaxPreps Sports) will face the #2 in state and #6 in the nation (according to the Freeman Rankings on CBS MaxPreps Sports) Greyhounds.
This is not the first time these two powerhouses of Indiana have met this season . Last time the Greyhounds and the MIC rivals met was during the Circle City Classic at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 30th of this year, where the Warriors were victorious off of a last second field goal to make the final score 22-20, which made the overall series between the two MIC teams 10-12 with the Warriors ahead by two games. But home field advantage will be a major factor for the Greyhounds this time instead of a neutral playing field. Athletic Director of Carmel High School Jim Inskeep believes that even though they do not have a sold-out system, gates will very likely be closing if capacity gets to full which will become a safety hazard for the fans of the sport, and he recommends that any CHS parent, student, faculty member, or fan should plan accordingly and purchase your ticket either online or in the Activities office. People who have purchased their ticket sooner will be guaranteed a seat for Friday’s matchup. “We are expecting anywhere between 8,000 to 10,000 spectators, while we will add an extra 1,000 seats to accommodate the large crowd,” says Inskeep. “Home field is always a great factor when the energy is positive,” says Jalen Duncan, senior running back for the Greyhounds with 1369 Yards and 21 Touchdowns on the season including last week’s 35-14 victory of the Lawrence Central Bears where he had 4 Touchdowns and 180 total yards for that matchup. The last time the Greyhounds and Warriors met at Carmel Stadium was the fall of 2009 for Carmel’s very prestigious Homecoming, where the Hounds were victorious 42-35. This game made the streak of defeat for the Warriors at Carmel Stadium even longer. The last time the Warriors won at Carmel was in 2001, even during the Warriors well known 3 straight State Titles in row during 2004, 2005, and 2006.
But the 2011 Warriors are not your average Indiana football team. Sheldon Day (senior), part of half of the defense committed to D1 schools, are not the easiest to go through. This game will go down in the record books at Carmel Stadium, which also will be the first matchup of the Top 2 teams in the State will face each other during Sectionals. Be sure to see Indiana High School Football at its best on Friday. For more information on all post season fall sports or to purchase tickets for Friday’s event, visit the athletic website at http://www.ccs.k12.in.us/chs/carmelgreyhounds/teams-and-schedules.
Story By: Andrew Fuller