Howard County: Football Sectional Semifinal Predictions
Survive and advance!
That's the motto of every high school football team this time of year. Finding ways to keep the season alive can be a daunting task. The grind of the season, combined with colder temperatures, makes winning in the tournament the toughest part of the year.
As four county schools prepare to play in their sectional semifinals, let’s dive into this week’s matchups and predict the winners of each game.
McCutcheon 4-5 vs Kokomo 4-4
One of the toughest challenges in sports is beating the same team twice in one season. That’s top of mind for both Kokomo and McCutcheon, as the Wildkats won the regular-season matchup in Week 8. Kokomo relied on its defense and special teams to edge out its conference rival. This Friday night, the Wildkats will likely need more from their offense to secure another win.
McCutcheon has areas to improve as well. The Mavericks broke through Kokomo’s defense with a few explosive plays in their last meeting, including one that led to a touchdown. To win this time, McCutcheon will need to sustain drives — a challenge, as “The Colby Way” is expected to be the catalyst for a Kokomo sectional victory.
Winner: Kokomo
West Lafayette 7-3 vs Northwestern 9-1
A week ago, Northwestern earned its first sectional win since 2013, marking a major accomplishment in an already special season for the Tigers. To beat West Lafayette on Friday night, Northwestern will need its improved defense to play its best game yet.
West Lafayette enters Friday night on a three-game winning streak. The Red Devils’ offense could pose serious challenges for Northwestern’s defense, despite its late-season improvements. This is where the chess match begins. While Northwestern’s defense has strengthened, it’s hard to believe it has what it takes to take down West Lafayette.
Winner: West Lafayette
Rochester 8-2 vs Eastern 6-4
“Win in November,” was the rallying cry from numerous Eastern coaches during a preseason practice. After last year’s November loss, players and coaches are eager to avoid a repeat. Now, Eastern has a chance to achieve that goal in its sectional semifinal game against Rochester.
This week, Eastern’s main focus is stopping Rochester’s powerful running attack, as the Zebras scored six rushing touchdowns in their last game. Rochester’s one-two punch in the backfield will be tough to contain, but Eastern has been here before. The Comets came out on top the last time they faced a team that had rushed for over 400 yards the previous week, giving them confidence they can do what’s needed to slow down the Zebras’ ground game to secure a win in November.
Winner: Eastern
Tri-County 7-3 vs Taylor 5-5
Taylor’s miraculous season continues after the Titans picked up a sectional win last week. An injury to a key player hampered Taylor’s offense throughout the year, but working through those challenges has helped the Titans emerge as an improved team heading into this week’s sectional semifinal against Tri-County.
Tri-County arrives at Taylor on a hot streak, having outscored its opponents 157-30 during a three-game winning run. While the Cavaliers’ morale is high, so is Taylor’s. The Titans’ focus this week is on containing Tri-County’s 1,000-yard rusher. Although it’s a tall task, Taylor’s defense is expected to rise to the occasion for a second sectional win.
Winner: Taylor
Last week: 3-1 (75 percent)
All time: 24-5 (82.8 percent, started predicting games in week 5)
