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    5 things to watch in the Evansville area postseason openers
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    5 things to watch in the Evansville area postseason openers

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    3 minutes, 53 seconds Read

    EVANSVILLE – Six weeks stand between high school football teams and their state championship aspirations.

    Southwest Indiana is no stranger to the IHSAA state finals, with four schools winning state titles since 2017 and a handful of others leaving their mark. But first there is a lot of action to experience, because the postseason begins on Friday with the opening rounds of the individual sections.

    The two best games this week are regular season rematches. So let’s dive into the action before the playoffs begin.

    Southwest Indiana High School Football: Complete coverage from the 2024 season

    Playoff brackets: Here are the high school football sectional matchups for the Evansville area

    The top two teams in Class 3A begin their postseason on the road

    Top-seeded Memorial earned a 28-21 win over Class 5A No. 8 Castle at Bosse Field won its first Southern Indiana Athletic Conference title since 2019. It's been six years since the Tigers (9-0) last started 10-0, the same year they finished as Class 3A runner-up .

    No. 2 Heritage Hills, meanwhile, comfortably secured the Pocket Athletic Conference Big School Division title with its fourth shutout of the year, a 42-0 win at Washington. This was the first full regular season title for the Patriots (8-1) since 2019. They were state runners-up that season.

    In the sectional draw, Memorial and Heritage Hills were on opposite sides of Section 32, so there is a chance they could meet in the championship. Just imagine Matthew Fisher and Jett Goldsberry, two of the top quarterbacks in Southern Indiana, on the same field together, and all the offensive and defensive threats those teams possess.

    First, the Tigers and the reigning second-place Patriots have to get past the rest of the field despite having a target on their backs.

    Mater Dei and Gibson Southern look to avenge losses in rematches

    Like Memorial and Heritage Hills, Mater Dei and Gibson Southern (both 7-2) are ranked in the top 10 in Class 3A.

    While the no. Mater Dei's other loss of the season came at home against Memorial as the Wildcats were held to a season-low in points.

    The last time Mater Dei tied in the playoffs was in 2008. Gibson Southern has only lost one postseason opener under 13-year coach Nick Hart, in 2016.

    Southwest Indiana standouts rank among Class 3A leaders in total touchdowns

    Memorial vs. Mater Dei has plenty of star power on both sides of the ball, especially on offense. Although Tigers senior Luke Ellspermann spent time at quarterback last season when Fisher was sidelined with an elbow injury, he shined as the team's top wideout. His 858 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns are career highs.

    On the other side of the field, Mater Dei junior Caden Thacker has emerged as one of the best running backs in the SIAC. He has 17 total rushing touchdowns, trailing only Castle's Max McCool (21) for the most touchdowns in the conference. He scored six of those rushing touchdowns in his last three games.

    One of the main factors in PAC Small School Division champion Southridge's success is Justin Leathers' play under center. Despite missing two games due to a concussion, the junior didn't miss a beat with 18 total touchdowns, 15 of which came on the ground. Leathers posted a 254-yard, two-touchdown performance against district rival Forest Park, helping the Raiders (7-2) secure the division title.

    North Posey vs. South Vermillion features plenty of star power

    It will be a difficult road for the No. 10 Vikings (7-2) to return to state. While they undoubtedly had their best season in program history last fall, finishing second in Class 2A, that campaign is long in the past.

    North Posey features senior Jed Galvin, a record-setting running back and a key factor in the team's recent success. While Galvin has another season with over 20 total touchdowns under his belt, he isn't the only one watching against No. 8 South Vermillion.

    The 9-0 Wildcats, seeking their first postseason win in five years, are among 2A's top squads as senior Dom Garzolini's 2,461 passing yards are third-most in the state. The rest of South Vermillion's offensive lineup is stacked; Seniors Aden Wallace, Parker Weir and Dallas Coleman each scored double-digit touchdowns.

    South Spencer is looking for its first postseason win in eight years

    The Rebels (5-4) responded well after a 1-3 start to the season, and senior Ty Brown is one of the area's top athletes with another double-digit touchdown rushing campaign and multiple interceptions on defense. After South Spencer has guaranteed no defeats, its next goal is an away win against Forest Park (5-4) in the first group game.

    A win would be the Rebels' first postseason triumph since 2016 and would give them six wins for the first time since 2013.

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