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Player Spotlight Q&A with Michael Langley HT: 6’1|WT: 173 | CO 27’| 3.86 GPA| WR/DB| FB, T&F| Cascade HS | 265 BP | 340 BS | 230 PC | MSP 7on7 1.What’s a moment from last season that stands out to you? - The amazing support and confidence our community had for us throughout the entire season. 2. How would you describe your style of play? Aggressive Ballhawk corner with strong man to man skills and a deep ball threat on the offensive side of the ball. 3. What was the highlight of the 2025 season? - Finishing and Undefeated regular season and playoffs with a state championship. 4. Other than your own, which stadium do you enjoy playing in the most? Lawrenceburg. It showed our grit and our ability to fight through adversity. 5. Which road stadium is the toughest to play in? Lawerenceburg HS, 2.5 Hour Drive to play on an underground field next to a highway. Surreal Experience. 6. Best advice you’ve received about playing your position ? Who gave it to you? It’s you Vs you out there on the island. Trust your instincts and make plays and you’ll be fine. -Michael Irvin 7. What would it mean to play in the North vs. South All-Star game? It would be an honor. Playing against the best athletes and being coached by the best coaches throughout the entire state. It would be an honor to play in the All-Star Game. 8. What's the best part of being a student-athlete at your school? You feel very appreciated and accomplished during the school year. It also builds confidence and good habits for your future. 9. Favorite part of practice? 7 on 7 is personally my favorite due to the constant competition between offense and defense everyday. 10. Has the transfer portal made recruiting tougher for high school players? Competition has Increased tremendously as teams have gotten the best athletes throughout the state. 11. Favorite sports movie or show? Remember the Titans. 12. If you could sit down with any athlete for an hour, who would it be? Patrick Surtain II, his work ethic and his skills standout to me tremendously

Hoosier Prep Gridiron Player Spotlight Q&A with Jaret Laughlin Football recruit QB/DB #14 - C/O 2027 - 6'2 200# - 3.80 GPA - Fremont H.S. - Best HS moment? 1. A moment that stands out to me is our sectional game against Triton. It was the best game my team and I had played all season. Describe your style of play 2. I would describe my style of play as “physical”. I enjoy running the ball hard and using my legs to succeed. 2025 season hilite? 3. The highlight of my 2025 season was winning the David E. Ballinger player of the game award after beating Prairie Heights. I had tons of fun playing in that game and beating one of our school’s rivals. Favorite stadium to play in? 4. My favorite stadium to play in has to be Zollner Stadium. Although it is mainly home to Concordia Lutheran, it is also where Blackhawk Christian plays their home games. The turf there makes me faster and able to cut harder. It is a huge upgrade to my game. Toughest opposition stadium? 5. The hardest place to play is probably Hornet Field in Angola. They’re our county rival and it gets rowdy whenever we play there. There is lots of pressure on us to perform well in that game Best positional advice youve received? 6. The best advice I have ever received about playing quarterback is from my old QB coach, Andrew McCormick. “You’ve gotta remember to take a deep breath before each snap and remember that at the end of the day it’s a fun game that you’ve played since you were a kid.” I still use this advice to this day when I am in a big moment and need to deliver. How would you feel about playing in the all star game? 7. It would be a huge honor to play in the North vs. South all-star game. Representing my team and my school would make me so proud. Best thing about Fremont HS? 8. Being a student-athlete at Fremont, I easily get to play multiple Varsity sports. I have already lettered in 4 different sports and plan on growing that number to 5 next year. Favorite part of practice? 9. My favorite part of practice is probably game sim on Thursdays. We can tweak and correct our plays to be the best they can possibly be on Friday nights so we can execute and win games. Is the portal impacting your recruitment? 10. YES. The transfer portal has made my recruiting process quite harder. While going to these prospect camps, I am having to compete against guys that already have 2-3 years of college experience under their belt. It makes it tough to stand out and get offers. Favorite athlete? 11. I would probably sit down with Andrew Luck. He was my favorite player growing up and I was devastated when he retired. I would want to know his reasoning and insight on why he ended his career the way he did.

Player Spotlite Q&A with Rylan Hoole 6’3”, 215 TE/LB| Class of ‘27| Terre Haute South Vigo| What’s a moment from last season that stands out to you? How supportive our community was after our loss to Bloomington South during sectionals week one. We really showed our growth as a team that game. How would you describe your style of play? Nasty but classy What was the highlight of the 2025 season? Beating Columbus North at Columbus for the first time ever Other than your own, which stadium do you enjoy playing in the most? Columbus North Which road stadium is the toughest to play in? Plainfield my sophomore year What would it mean to play in the North vs. South All-Star game? It would be an honor to play in the North VS South all star game representing my school and community. What's the best part of being a student-athlete at your school? Being able to represent my school in a positive way. Favorite part of practice? My favorite part of practice is when we put pads on and go contact, inside run. Has the transfer portal made recruiting tougher for high school players? Yes it has but there’s still opportunities out there to compete and prove yourself to be an asset at the next level Favorite sports movie or show? Remember the Titans If you could sit down with any athlete for an hour, who would it be? Luke Kuechly, he’s one of the smartest linebacker to ever play the position, his details and film preparation is something to admire

Player Spotlight Q&A with Krystian Oakley| 3📷 27' OL Brebeuf HS Committed to UCONN Who has offered the best advice? Best advice I’ve ever received is from Lawrence Central and Indiana alum who played my position Caleb Jones. Best thing about Brebeuf? The best part about being a student athlete is the standard you’re held to on and off the field Favorite sports show? Favorite sports show is Last Chance U Favorite athlete? If I could sit down with an athlete for an hour it would be Aaron Rodgers Favorite part of practice? Competition periods are my favorite part of practice competition fuels my love and passion for the game Favorite road stadium? Other than my own stadium I enjoying playing at Roncalli Toughest road opponent? Toughest road stadium played on was Carmel my sophomore year Would you like to play in the North-South All Star Game? Playing in the all star game would be a true honor getting to represent my name, family and Brebeuf Has the portal impacted your recruiting? It’s changed recruiting, but there will always be opportunities for high school players who keep developing and prove themselve

Player Spotlite Q&A with Masyn Chalfant Tri HS, Indiana C/O 2027 5’11 220lb RB |40 4.54 Vert 36’ Uncommitted Favorite 2025 moment? A moment from last season that stands out to me is our sectional win over Wes Del. The atmosphere was great, we played great. Describe your style of play My style of play is physical and explosive. I run hard between the tackles look to finish runs, but in the open field I’ll make a guy miss. I’m a guy who can make big plays and also grind for tough yards. 2025 season hilite? The highlight of the season was receiving Junior All State honors and helping lead our team throughout the year. Favorite opponent? I enjoy playing at Knightstown the most. It’s a big rivalry between the two of us. It’s always a packed out game. It’s loud and we aren’t meant to be there no one wants us there. Toughest road stadium? I think a road stadium that’s hard to play in is Hagerstown. It’s away from everything else at their school. It almost feels like you’re in a valley. What is the best advise youve received? The best advice I’ve received is to control what I can control. I can’t control rankings, offers, or opinions, but I can control my work ethic, attitude, and preparation every day. What would it mean to play in the All Star game? It would mean a lot to play in the North vs South all star game. It’s something I’ve thought of since I was young. It’s something we have talked about me getting since I was in youth. We’ve only had 3 guys participate in it I’m looking to be the 4th. Best thing about Tri HS? Best part of being a student athlete at Tri High School is getting to represent my school and community. Not everyone gets the chance to represent their school for 4 years of varsity and it’s something I don’t take for granted. Favorite part of practice? My favorite part of practice is the competition drill period. It’s a great time. I love to compete. It brings out the best in everyone and it’s a great time. Has portal impacted your recruitment? The transfer portal has made it tougher for some high school players. The way I look at it you just have to put your head down and grind even harder to make sure you get that opportunity. Favorite athlete? If I could sit down with any athlete it would be Christian McCaffrey. I’ve always liked the way he prepares and takes care of his body. He’s a complete running back who can do everything on the field…

Player Spotlight Q&A with Braxtyn Galliher LB | Class of ‘29 | Danville Community High School | 5’10, 190 | GPA: 3.43 What was a moment that stood out for you last season? A moment that stood out to me last season was getting to play my first varsity football game week 1 at Gibson Southern. How would you describe your style of play? I would describe my style of play as very smart and aggressive I’m able to be at the right place at the right time and finish with a big hit. What was the highlight of your 2025 season? My highlight of the 2025 season was getting my first sack week 1 of sectionals against Shortridge. Which road venue did you most enjoy? I enjoyed playing at Gibson Southern the most, the atmosphere was crazy with huge stands and a massive student section it was really was a great experience. Who is your favorite opponent to face? I’d have to say Tri-West. It’s a huge rivalry game every year with both crowds bringing lots of energy What is the best positional football advice you've received? The best advice that my position coach, Eric Drake, gives me is to get downhill fast, be vocal, and lead by example. How would it feel to play in the North/South All Star Game? To play in the North vs. South all star game would mean a lot to me. At Danville we have a history of great players playing in that game and I would love to add my name to that list. Coach Comer has been doing a great job at building his program and players up to be ready for that. What is the best part about being at Danville HS? The best part of being a student athlete at my school is having the community behind us and supporting us at all times. What do you enjoy about weekly practice? My favorite part of practice are all of the competition periods throughout. Is the transfer portal impacting your recruitment? The transfer portal has definitely made it tougher, Coach Uremovich with Ball State told us at camp they are only able to take about half as many high school athletes as they used to. Favorite sports movie? My favorite sports movie is Facing the Giants. Which athlete do you most admire? If I could sit down with any athlete it would be Luke Kuechly his ability to break down film and his football IQ is out of the roof. Please LIKE, FOLLOW and SHARE our page for more Danville HS Football news!

HPG Interview with Hobart HFC Eric Schreiber. Brickies were 10-3 last fall with a 4A Sectional Championship

Shelbyville putting in the work for successful season By Paul Gable The 2026 football season features a ton of new horizons for the Shelbyville Golden Bears. There will, obviously, be new faces at new positions, as well as new, heightened expectations as the Golden Bears have left the Hoosier Heritage Conference for the newly minted Hoosier Legends Conference. Gone are the games against the likes of New Palestine, Delta, Greenfield-Central and New Castle, amongst others, and now the schedule is full of newcomers like Greenwood, Triton Central, Tri-West and Monrovia. The game against Triton Central marks the first time the two Shelby County opponents have played. And, while it may seem like a daunting task, fourth year head coach Scott Fitzgerald is excited, especially considering Shelbyville rode the momentum of picking up its first postseason win in a decade and went 5-6 last season. Fitzgerald took over the weight program in the offseason and the transition has paid off nicely not only for football, but for all the sports at Shelbyville. "We have had a great offseason. We had a bit of a bounce back last season and were competitive in most of our games. The kids are excited about moving to a new conference and looking forward to competing against some really good competition. We constantly talk about and work towards getting better every day. Our motto since day 1 has been, "Win the Day." We have to take care of this day and make sure we get the most out of it and string a lot of those days together in order to be successful this fall," Fitzgerald told Hoosier Gridiron Prep. A season ago, the Golden Bears averaged just over 26 points a contest, thanks in part to the athletic ability of running back Donovan Martin. He, however, has graduated after becoming the program's leader in carries and posting big numbers as the leading rusher. "He was our workhorse," Fitzgerald said. Also gone from last year is center/defensive end Jack West, who will play at Hanover, as well as linebacker/offensive lineman Ben Bailey and wide receiver/defensive back Gavin Reed. "They were huge pieces for us the last couple seasons. We have some guys we will move around and try to replace those guys and some young guys, who, can hopefully come in, contribute and become big pieces of the puzzle for us. Again, they've been in the weight room and matured this off season and now they have to come prove themselves on the field," Fitzgerald said. Despite the losses, the fourth year coach does bring quite a bit of talent on both sides of the football. "We have several guys we need to have strong years from for us to be successful," he said. Two such players are running back/wide receiver/defensive back Grantland Fitzgerald and offensive lineman Anthony Stafford. Fitzgerald was an All-HHC wide receiver last year but will move into the backfield and take over the running back duties. "He's a dynamic athlete and we have to find ways to move him around and get him the ball in different ways," Fitzgerald said. As for Stafford, he is a four year starter and left tackle and will anchor the offensive line. Caden Thoman, a sophomore, is another player Shelbyville will lean on after a strong freshman season. He will play wide receiver and defensive back. The Golden Bears have an interesting quarterback battle brewing this summer between Tyler Gwinnup and Layden Fitzgerald. Gwinnup was the starter heading into last year but tore his ACL in the first game of the season. Fitzgerald, a sophomore, came in and threw for over 1,400 yards and 15 touchdowns while also moving the chains with his legs. "I expect that battle to continue all summer," Fitzgerald said. Defensively, Shelbyville will count on linebacker/tight end Cooper Thorman, who moves into the mike linebacker spot. In addition, defensive back/wide receiver Austin Martzall is on the field and is the top cornerback, according to his coach. "We have a lot of guys who will get opportunities and we look forward to seeing who continues to work and takes advantage of those opportunities," Fitzgerald said. While many teams want to get bigger, stronger and faster in the summer months, Shelbyville is looking for a little bit more, according to Fitzgerald. "We really concentrate on the weight room and our conditioning in the summer. We want to put guys out there in situations and see how they react. Who can make plays and play with poise in pressure situations. We have a lot of guys who play basketball and travel baseball and that's always a challenge, but we want guys who are multi-sport athletes, so we will work with them and get them here as much as possible. Part of that challenge is we don't have a ton of kids and we need to keep their legs as fresh as possible for the season. With them playing multiple sports and demands from all their coaches/teams that is something we have to balance. Then we want to see which kids are going to show up as leaders for our team. Who can we count on come game time to put it all out there and get their teammates to follow them," he said. The Golden Bears kept traditional rivals Greensburg and Rushville on the schedule and will play both of them the first two weeks. After that, Shelbyville jumps right into the mix of the new Hoosier Legends Conference with a date against Beech Grove in Week Three. One thing that may help is Shelbyville has five home games this regular season and conference foes Triton Central, Monrovia and Greenwood will all make the trip to McKeand Stadium. "We are excited about the new conference and there's a ton of talent. There are some very strong teams with great tradition and it will be a lot of fun. Our goal is to build off of last year with 5 wins and continue to trend in a positive direction. We don't really talk much about anything except Game 1 with Greensburg. Let's work to take care of that one and then we can move on to game 2," Fitzgerald said.

HPG interview with Munster HFC Romison Saint Louis, who enters his 2nd season with the Mustangs looking to build on last years 4 win season, MHS's best year since 2017

Covenant Christian looks to get back to winning ways By Paul Gable - HPG Writer For Luke Scifres, all he has ever been is a winner. The second year head coach at Covenant Christian was a national champion and national runners-up at Marian, and was part of two state championship winning staffs at Roncalli. That's why last year's 2-8 record with Covenant Christian has provided plenty of motivation for him and the Warriors coming into the 2026 season. "We have had a good off-season. The players have worked hard in the weightroom, and we are all excited to get the season underway. The last couple weeks of last season were a challenge, because we were pretty banged up, and had several starters battling injuries. Consequently, our two primary goals for the off-season were to get bigger, faster and stronger in the weightroom, and to build our numbers on the roster. We have had some success in both those realms," Scifres told Hoosier Prep Gridiron. The Warriors have some key holes to fill, as graduation took a toll. Gone are: Henry Schafer, Tyson Hall, Noah Sebree and Caleb Jankowski. Schafer was the leading rusher and scorer, punter and handled point after attempt and field goal duties. Hall was the starting running back, second leading rusher and among the top tacklers at linebacker and safety. Sebree started at wingback and was one of the top tacklers at safety, while Jankowski was the leading receiver and a starting cornerback. With that said, there are plenty of players Scifres is looking for big things out of this season. On offense, he singled out running back TJ Turner, H-Back Reece Tincher, flanker Josiah Hawk, offensive tackle Issac Lamonte and offensive guard Aiden Briggs. Defensively, the second year coach is leaning on linebackers Jayce Sibert and Reece Tincher, defensive end Micah Dowdell, defensive tackle Aiden Briggs, strong safety James Bonikowske and defensive backs Liam Yarde and Marshall Smith. With the calendar ticking to the midpoint of June, Scifres said the goal for his team is to get in shape and be as ready to play in game one as possible. Covenant Christian opens the season on Aug. 21 at Park Tudor and is looking for its first winning season since 2023. "We feel our guys have been working hard, and our numbers are improving. We believe if we can keep our top players healthy, we can have a very competitive team this year," Scifres said.

Pendleton Heights looks to compete in Class 5A By Paul Gable - HPG Staff After back to back appearances in a Class 4A sectional championship game, the Pendleton Heights Arabians find themselves promoted to Class 5A for the 2026 season. And, for head coach Jed Richman, it is uncharted waters. "For the first time in school history we are 5A. Anything we do is uncharted ground. We have new opponents on our regular season schedule, including Kokomo and 6A Southport. Really looking to raise our level of play worthy of a 5A program," Richman told Hoosier Prep Gridiron. A season ago, Pendleton Heights finished 10-2, falling to Yorktown in the sectional final. "The end of last season definitely left us with a bitter taste in our mouth," said Richman, who enters his 11th season at Pendleton Heights. To get over that taste and feeling, the Arabians attacked the weight room during the offseason, and Richman notes his team, "made a lot of strides." Those strides will be needed as Pendleton Heights graduated a wealth of talented players. Gone are: offensive lineman Luke Graham, who is playing at Indiana University, linebacker Rylan Keesling, who is playing at Butler, defensive back Talan Foster, who is playing at Indiana State and wide receiver Cooper Sims, who is headed to St. Francis to play basketball. "We lost a lot on defense but have a quality group ready and willing to step in," Richman said. Despite the departures, there is still talent for Pendleton Heights. Class 4A Junior All-State quarterback Brandt Gray is back to challenge teams with both his legs and arms. Joining him in the backfield is junior Joel Weaver, who rushed for 1,000 yards last year. Tight end Sam Benrendt is a three-year starter, while Brandon Nunemaker will anchor both the offensive and defensive lines and is a two-year starter. Defensive back Wyatt Elijah is a three year starter, while linebacker Max Garner is a two year starter and the leader on defense, according to his coach. Also back is offensive lineman Kemper Owens, who is a three year starter at center. With the summer months in full swing, Richman said the focus for his team is to improve daily, and put the team and program on a level to compete every week. "There are no easy paths with our schedule. We must train to be ready to handle any adversity or opponent in our way," Richman said. Pendleton Heights opens the season Aug. 21 at Lebanon.

Top 25 Returning Rushers 2027/2028 2027 Offense > Rushing # Name Yds Yds/G Yds/Car Att Long TD Fum GP 1 Ty BentonRB, FS SPHS (Greencastle) 2586 184.7 10.43 248 80 27 0 14 2 Clark FrenchRB, SS Sullivan 1803 150.2 9.96 181 0 22 2 12 3 Job RichmanQB, FS Eastside (Butler) 1736 144.7 8.04 216 0 20 2 12 4 Colton BellmanRB, FB East Central (St. Leon) 1589 132.4 6.31 252 42 13 0 12 5 Izayveon MooreRB LNHS (Indianapolis) 1587 176.3 9.50 167 68 30 0 9 6 Keshaun TaylorRB, LB Cloverdale 1534 127.8 7.87 195 79 25 4 12 7 Bryce BrandonRB, OLB Calumet New Tech (Gary) 1504 136.7 7.52 200 82 24 5 11 8 Elliot BaldiniRB, LB Logansport 1431 130.1 7.45 192 76 15 7 11 9 Landon SnyderQB Mishawaka 1409 128.1 8.54 165 80 21 0 11 10 Reed RaymondRB, LB La Porte 1387 126.1 5.12 271 91 12 4 11 11 Kadyn O'NealFB, RB Mishawaka 1366 124.2 6.18 221 51 17 4 11 12 Jack Miller Lapel 1348 103.7 5.52 244 0 14 1 13 13 Cori TonteRB, WR FCHS (Franklin) 1347 134.7 5.32 253 54 16 2 10 14 Keyon ThomasRB WCHS (Indianapolis) 1337 148.6 7.96 168 99 19 2 9 15 Jaret LaughlinQB, FS Fremont 1333 111.1 11.30 118 96 20 0 12 16 Marcell SimsRB, WR Maconaquah (Bunker Hill) 1325 132.5 7.20 184 52 20 0 10 17 Christian KramerQB, FS North Putnam (Roachdale) 1316 164.5 7.79 169 80 24 0 8 18 Drea VillarrealFB, ILB WCHS (Francesville) 1295 107.9 8.30 156 51 22 1 12 19 Andre WarfieldRB Avon 1254 114.0 6.33 198 76 16 3 11 20 Dax KramerQB, OLB Tecumseh (Lynnville) 1243 113.0 5.78 215 34 11 0 11 21 Shiloh RineRB, FS Pioneer (Royal Center) 1162 77.5 10.96 106 73 16 2 15 22 Masyn ChalfantRB, OLB Tri (Straughn) 1145 104.1 9.87 116 79 15 2 11 23 Dakota Glasson NMHS (Crawfordsville) 1121 112.1 7.84 143 81 14 2 10 24 Benjamin ShivelyQB Plymouth 1108 100.7 5.92 187 44 10 3 11 25 Cash CowleyRB, DL Shenandoah (Middletown) 1070 107.0 7.59 141 0 13 1 10 2028 Offense > Rushing # Name Yds Yds/G Yds/Car Att Long TD Fum GP 1 Terrance EppersonRB, SS FWBL (Fort Wayne) 1462 104.4 6.59 222 43 15 3 14 2 Bret BuecherSB, WR North Posey (Poseyville) 1383 125.7 7.36 188 41 12 0 11 3 Tymothy JamesFS Lowell 1303 108.6 8.52 153 80 19 2 12 4 Levi MurrayRB, LB Wheeler (Valparaiso) 1254 156.8 7.74 162 0 18 1 8 5 Joel Weaver PHHS (Pendleton) 1241 103.4 8.68 143 96 19 2 12 6 Sal MontesQB, DB Boone Grove (Valparaiso) 1239 137.7 8.37 148 82 14 9 9 7 Brandon Gaither IiRB, SB FWBL (Fort Wayne) 1228 81.9 5.23 235 53 9 4 15 8 Phillip McFatridgeFS, RB Pioneer (Royal Center) 1045 69.7 8.93 117 65 8 1 15 9 Darien WilliamsRB Jeffersonville 1035 103.5 6.51 159 70 3 0 10 10 Vinny GruberRB, CB MMHS (Mishawaka) 1020 85.0 4.53 225 35 11 1 12 11 Hunter McKinneyRB, OLB ENHS (Evansville) 1009 91.7 7.06 143 61 9 2 11 12 Noah DoveRB, DB Eastside (Butler) 1001 83.4 8.41 119 0 14 1 12 13 Ryder BainRB, LB Monrovia 978 88.9 5.56 176 75 12 0 11 14 Ricky LangeRB Center Grove (Greenwood) 926 84.2 6.13 151 80 12 4 11 15 Levi CrandallRB, WR Mississinewa (Gas City) 872 79.3 7.27 120 43 15 0 11 16 Christopher HarrisQB Park Tudor (Indianapolis) 843 84.3 7.27 116 72 8 3 10 17 Connor HuberQB, MLB WCHS (Francesville) 800 66.7 6.84 117 84 13 6 12 18 Tre LanceRB, MLB South Spencer (Rockport) 773 70.3 4.96 156 76 5 3 11 19 Gavin Wolsiffer Monrovia 746 67.8 9.10 82 86 6 3 11 20 Darian PratherQB LNHS (Indianapolis) 740 74.0 8.32 89 58 4 0 10 21 Caleb LuedikeFB, LB MCHS (Parker City) 707 64.3 5.99 118 49 9 1 11 22 Simon BarberRB, SS NDHS (Greensburg) 679 61.7 7.07 96 31 8 0 11 23 Vickter ShoopmanRB, CB RPHS (Montezuma) 674 56.2 11.23 60 50 7 2 12 24 Tavien FoxRB, SS ICRHS (Indianapolis) 659 65.9 4.45 148 57 9 4 10 25 Brogan ParksRB, OLB West Noble (Ligonier) 633 57.5 6.21 102 75 10 2 11

Terre Haute South ready for new conference, rigors of season By Paul Gable - HPG Staff New conference. New season. Same expectations for Greg Barrett's Terre Haute South Braves. After going 7-3 a season ago, Barrett is optimistic the 2026 campaign will be a magical one as he enters his second season at the helm. "The offseason has been going well. There has been a lot of motivation with this group of guys. It is a bunch of guys that just want to win no matter how we do it. Work hard, do things right and believe in each other," Barrett told Hoosier Prep Gridiron. The Braves lost a "really good group of guys" to graduation, but Barrett notes he brings back a lot of players who have played a lot of football. Barrett said he is looking forward to the 2026 installment being led by the linemen. Returning starters include: center Nick Williams, right guard Shaun Schwartz, right tackle Dante Pettus, left guard Landon Williams and left tackle Braydon Myles. Quarterback Maddox Woodcock is back, as are tight ends Dalton Hersman and Ryan Hoole, along with safety/wide receiver Brighton Sanders, linebacker Greg Sanders and running back Mail Poke. "This summer we expect to see the guys continue to work as one and get better day by day for a chance to compete," the veteran coach said. Terre Haute South opens the season on Aug. 21 against Vincennes Lincoln and the Braves find themselves in the newly reconstituted Sagamore Conference with the likes of Harrison, McCutcheon, Lebanon, Danville, and Terre Haute North following their departure from Conference Indiana. "This season, we will attack it one game at a time. Looking forward to what this team can do week to week. Joining a new conference is exciting and we look forward to every challenge," Barrett said.

Eastside extremely excited about possibilities in 2026 By Paul Gable - HPG Staff Fresh off a 9-3 season that saw Eastside fall in the sectional championship, along with a productive offseason, coach Alyx Brandewie is "extremely excited" about what the 2026 season could have in store for the Blazers. And, why not? Brandewie is in his fourth season at the helm, and Eastside has not had a losing season yet under this staff as the Blazers bring back a lot of talent. "We are extremely excited for the upcoming season. Our guys and our coaches have worked their tails off to put us in a position to have a successful 2026. That being said, we recognize entirely that our non-conference opponents (South Adams in Week 1 and Adams Central in Week 2) as well as our NECC conference schedule will provide us with plenty of challenges throughout the season. We believe deeply that the combination of those things will have us battle-tested and ready when the state tournament begins at the end of the year. And for us, just like everyone else, our goal is to keep building, keep growing, keep getting one day better so that we are ready to play our best football when the post-season arrives," Brandewie told Hoosier Prep Gridiron. Eastside enjoyed a strong offseason that saw its strength and speed numbers improve. That has given Brandewie and his team confidence that as it progresses through the summer and into the season they are physically prepared for the challenges ahead. "For the second year in a row last season, we saw our year come to an end in the sectional championship. It is certainly disappointing when it ends because we didn't feel like we played our best football in that game. As much as there is disappointment when it ends, it certainly sets the tone for having a good off-season and preparing to take the next step this season. Right now, all of that is a long way away though. Right now the focus is on getting better each day we're together during the season," Brandewie said. The Blazers lost some key players from last fall, notably defensive end/tight end Sam Pittman and linebacker/wide receiver Jake Warstler, both of whom were IFCA All-Stars. In addition, Eastside lost two players up front on the offensive line that were multi-year starters. "While it is certainly difficult to replace those types of players, we believe strongly that we have younger players ready to step into a larger role at the varsity level," Brandewie said. Among the players back is quarterback Job Richman, who is a senior this fall . A season ago, he rushed for 20 touchdowns and threw for another 20. He will be joined by junior Noah Dove, who is a three-year starter and rushed for over 1,000 yards and saw the end zone 20 times. Linemen Wyatt Shull and Micah Miller are back, and so are linebackers Ty Sebert and Gage Fogle, both of whom started last year as sophomores and will be counted on to lead the defense. "That is kind of the core group of kids that we expect and are going to need big things from if we are going to reach our goals this season," Brandewie said. As the Blazers continue to march towards the season opener on Aug. 21 against South Adams, they do so with eight practices and four competition days planned. "In those days we want to get as much of our offense and defense installed as possible. Beyond that, we want to develop a championship process. We want to develop the habits, behaviors and skills that are going to allow us to compete at a high level. Summer is about building those as well as camaraderie amongst our players. We are off to a good start and I am excited to see how this group continues to come together throughout the summer," Brandewie said.

HSE HC Michael Kelly 2026 Spring Interview youtu.be/0uM2J1Oxpv8?si=lBon… via @YouTube Coach Kelly back for Year 7 as the Royals look to improve on last years 6-5 record

Eastern Hancock looks to 'finish' in '26 By Paul Gable - HPG Writer As the Eastern Hancock Royals prepare for the upcoming 2026 football season, Josh Holden's team does so excited about what is in store for them. After going 6-5 in Holden's first year, the second-year head coach is excited to see the hard work pay off once the season opens in August. "I am excited this year for the players who will get their first chance to prove themselves. We believe in them and can't wait to see their hard work pay off," Holden told Hoosier Prep Gridiron. Last season, the Royals fell to Lapel, 26-22, in the second round of the Class 2A tournament and have been hard at work all offseason in other sports or preparing for the upcoming season. As a result, Holden has called the offseason a "whirlwind." "We have a ton of multisport athletes who do great things for other programs in our school. Along that line, she's not a football player, but huge shoutout to Bella Sotelo, our first state champ in school history. She's a perfect example that you can play multiple sports and still be a state champ. As far as talking about how last season ended, that has not specifically been talked about. However, we lost to a state championship team in a close game. We lost to a semi-state team in the last minute twice. And we beat a semi-state team. Those losses exposed our lack of finishing the right way. We have really focused on finishing every drill, every lift and every practice," Holden said. Holden said every senior contributed to the Royals a season ago. "First year coaches don't usually walk into senior classes like we had. They set the culture for Eastern Hancock Football the last four years. That leadership is the hardest thing to replace. Our seniors and juniors have to step up and set the new culture. Those two classes are very talented, but they haven't had to lead. Now, they have that added responsibility to just knowing their jobs and playing hard," Holden said. The second year coach benefits this season from already having a summer under his belt and not having to teach new things, he admitted. "This summer is different from last year because in year one, we were really just trying to learn the scheme. The culture was already there. This year, we know the scheme. How can we take our play to the next level? We have to learn to finish," he said. The Royals will be tested with a season opening conference game against Northeastern and a non conference clash with North Decatur before turning their attention to the new Eastern Crossroads Conference schedule.

Shenandoah turns to familiar face to lead Raiders While Scott Widner was selected as the head football coach at Shenandoah in March, he is no stranger to the Raiders and what it means to lead Shenandoah onto the field on Friday nights. Widner previously won 81 games with the Raiders, and last coached at Shenandoah in 2016. He returns ready to take it one game at a week and see where his team falls once the season begins. "We are excited for the upcoming season with a new conference and a few new opponents. We plan to take one week at a time and work to be competitive each and every week," Widner told Hoosier Prep Gridiron. A season ago, the Raiders finished 6-4, falling to Northeastern in the opening round of the sectional tournament. Since that loss, the players have worked hard in the weight room, according to Widner. "Our strength coach, Patrick Lyons, is doing a great job with our athletes in class and during after school sessions," Widner said. The Raiders will have a different look on offense, as quarterback Jarrett Helman, who also played strong safety, graduated and will play at Indiana Wesleyan. "He was a key playmaker on both sides of the ball," Widner said. Despite that, Shenandoah does bring back quite a bit of talent, starting with outside linebacker and fullback Cash Cowley. "He has worked extremely hard this offseason. His weight room numbers and overall speed have increased since last fall. Also, we have several returning offensive linemen that received a lot of experience last year," Widner said. Those linemen include: Kai Peavler, Markous Miller, Braxton Farmer, Bryce Chapin, Ethan Taylor and Blake Kittle. The Raiders also bring back inside linebackers Brendan Pruitt and Landon McDuffee. The Raiders open the season at Bluffton and get a key Eastern Crossroads Conference test in Week 2 against Northeastern. In order to prepare for those tests, Widner said the focus for his team is simple. "Our focus is on daily improvement each day this summer," Widner said