Friday night’s Class 6A regional championship in Indianapolis brings together a familiar pairing, and the stakes are as clear as they come: Warren Central can keep its undefeated season alive, while Center Grove gets a second crack at the team that beat it back in August.
The Warriors, 11-0 and winners of 11 straight, host the Trojans at Warren Central High School at 7 p.m. EST.
The first meeting between these teams came on Aug. 21, when Warren Central opened the season with a 20-14 win over Center Grove. Now the Warriors have a chance to finish the sweep.
Warren Central has powered its way here with an offense that has been tough to slow down all year. The Warriors are averaging 40.9 points and 430.9 total yards per game, with nearly identical production on the ground and through the air. They put up 204.4 rushing yards and 226.5 passing yards per contest, which makes them difficult to pin down.
A big part of that balance starts with Keyon Thomas, who is averaging 168.1 rushing yards per game. Anthony Dennison gives Warren Central a strong passing threat as well, with 221.5 passing yards per game. Together, they give the Warriors multiple ways to stress a defense.
Center Grove comes in at 9-2 after a strong postseason push, and the Trojans have leaned on their run game to get this far. They average 204.5 rushing yards per game, with Jayden Biggerstaff leading the way at 89.2 yards per contest.
Oscar Sloan will also be a key figure if Center Grove is going to keep up. The Trojans will need him to create chances through the air against a Warren Central defense that has allowed 16.5 points per game.
Center Grove has already shown how dangerous it can be when it finds a rhythm. The Trojans scored 45 points in a shutout win over Columbus North and beat Whiteland 48-14 to move through the postseason.
Warren Central, meanwhile, arrives with its own momentum after taking down Franklin Central 49-20 in the sectional championship game.
The central question is simple: can Center Grove slow down Warren Central’s offense enough to make this a fight? The Warriors have scored more than seven points per game more than the Trojans this season, but their earlier meeting points to a game that could be much tighter than the raw numbers suggest.
A spot in the Class 6A semistate championship is on the line, and both teams have something substantial to chase. Warren Central is protecting an undefeated record. Center Grove is chasing revenge.
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