High school football is just a few days away.
Let’s take a closer look at the Class 5A local field with a dive into each team and some projections on where they might finish in 2026 (my statewide picks below on each sectional winner).
The local Class 5A field:
(In order of projected finish; records from 2025)
Sectional 13
New Palestine (14-0): Can the Dragons make it three in a row? New Palestine won a Class 4A title in 2024, moved up to 5A via the tournament success factor last year and won another title – a fifth in Kyle Ralph’s 13-year tenure as coach. An outstanding senior class is out the door but there is plenty of talent returning, including senior tight end and Kansas commit Mason Oglesby (34 catches, 513 yards, six TDs) on offense, along with junior lineman Kaeden Ralph and a strong group of receivers with seniors Landon Maddox (25 catches, 440 yards, six TDs), Cael Butler (20 catches, 347 yards, four TDs) coming back. Senior Ryder Gardner (12-for-12 passing for 85 yards, three TDs; 215 rushing yards, two TDs) will also move to receiver after backing up Jacob Davis at quarterback last season. Kade Stephens (244 rushing yards, one TD) is slated to start at running back. Rhys Ragan is a talented junior quarterback who moved in from Decatur, Texas, after passing for 2,502 yards and 25 TDs as a sophomore. The defense will be led by junior lineman Sam Hirschy (63 tackles, 20 ½ TFLs, 8 ½ sacks), senior lineman Evan Walker (59 tackles, 4 ½ TFLs), junior safety Andrew Davis (47 tackles, four interceptions), sophomore defensive back Xavier Harmon and senior linebacker Waynee Estes (22 tackles). New Palestine has not lost a sectional game since 2020.
Coach’s comment: “We have a young team with a lot of inexperience. I think our offseason has been really good so we need to combine that with some growing up fast via reps and I think we can have a successful 2026.”
Cathedral (7-4): Coach Bill Peebles enters his ninth season at Cathedral with some young faces in key spots. The Irish battled eventual state champion New Palestine to a 20-15 loss in last year’s sectional title. It could come down to that matchup again for the sectional title. The offense will look to senior left tackle Phillip Brown III, junior left guard Reuben Glover, junior center Isaiah Jefferson, senior right guard Beau Annakin and sophomore right tackle Royell Lynch to protect a group of skill position players that includes junior quarterback Luke Finn (204 passing yards, two TDs), senior receivers Ollie Lewis, Lindenwood commit Evan Johnson (18 catches, 166 yards) and TaQuarwe Dockery. Senior running back Xavier Dangerfield (604 rushing yards, four TDs) will be counted on, along with senior tight end Chase Bauer. Sophomore quarterback Emmett Knowles could also factor in. The defense brings back senior free safety Caden Nelson (57 tackles, 12 TFLs, five sacks) and senior linebacker Marcus Shannon (43 tackles, 7 ½ TFLs, 3 ½ sacks). Other projected starters include senior defensive end Hudson Shipman, sophomore DE Javy Ealy, sophomore nose guard Kailen Foreman, junior linebacker Jeremiah Jefferson, sophomore linebacker J.J. Kinnett, junior outside linebacker Brady Nolan, senior outside linebacker Parker Scott, junior defensive back Tim Onghetich and junior cornerback James Groepper.
Coach’s comment: “We will be a young team this year with a lot of new faces in the starting lineup.”
Pendleton Heights (10-2): The Arabians are moving on up to Class 5A for the first time in program history. Coach Jed Richman, who will win his 100th career game with his next victory, enters his 11th season at Pendleton Heights with an experienced group in some areas, including all-state senior quarterback Brandt Gray (1,474 passing yards, 15 TDs; 637 rushing yards, 11 TDs), junior running back Joel Weaver (1,241 rushing yards, 19 TDs), senior center Kemper Owens, senior lineman Brandon Nunemaker and junior tight end Sam Behrendt (nine catches, 127 yards, two TDs). Senior lineman Ty Covington and senior receivers C.J. Mitchem (18 catches, 368 yards, three TDs) and Byron Vores (16 catches, 183 yards, one TD) will also lead the offense. The defense returns senior linebacker Max Garner (74 tackles), senior defensive back Wyatt Elijah (64 tackles, two interceptions), junior DB Nolan Hobbs (31 tackles), senior lineman Michael Emeish (30 tackles, seven TFLs, two sacks), junior linebacker Noah Plovick (27 tackles), junior defensive back Lincoln DeShong and sophomore DB Lincoln Sutton. The Arabians played for a sectional title last year, falling to Yorktown in the championship.
Coach’s comment: “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: Kokomo and 6A Southport. Really looking to raise our level of play worthy of a 5A program.”
Greenfield-Central (6-5): Travis Nolting goes into his eighth season at Greenfield-Central with a young team. Sophomore quarterback Draven Nolting (436 passing yards, six TDs; 349 rushing yards, three TDs) is a returning starter and has a three-year starter in front of him on the line in 6-5, 315-pound senior offensive guard and Western Illinois commit Colton Robertson. Also returning starters on the line are seniors Ryan Lee and Alex Martin. Junior Avery Hopkins and sophomore Payton Cunningham also return on the line. Sophomores Zadontis Williams and Kyson Nicholson are projected at running back and sophomore Gabe Everhart at fullback. Juniors Brady Martin and Hunter Jones will be key players at wide receiver. The defense will be led by senior all-state senior linebacker Trenton Smith (56 tackles, six TFLs, three sacks), junior outside linebacker McCoy Wilson (80 tackles), junior linebacker Ethan Anderson (46 tackles, three TFLs), junior free safety Chase Antle, junior defensive back Kayden Cunningham and junior linebacker Zach Sible. Lee and Martin will play a major roles on the defensive line, along with Jones at defensive back, junior Alex Lanum and Everhart at defensive end. The Cougars have posted five consecutive winning seasons under Nolting.
Coach’s comment: “We will be fairly young this year starting multiple sophomores and juniors. We are excited about the team we have and the future of Greenfield football. Our current eighth grade group has not lost a game in three years and won the HHC conference last season as 7th graders.”
Mt. Vernon (0-10): Mike Kirschner returns as coach after a previous three-year tenure at Mt. Vernon from 2018-20. His last team went 12-1 before Mt. Vernon broke through and won a Class 4A title the following season under Vince Lidy. The Marauders dropped off to 0-10 last season, but there is reason for optimism with four starters returning on the offensive line in junior Kiefer Wethington, sophomore Nick Hole, senior Braydon Robinson and junior Osvaldo Lopez, along with senior quarterback Mason Meyer (1,517 passing yards, 11 TDs; 420 rushing yards, six TDs), senior receiver B.J. Johnson (16 catches, 216 yards, two TDs) and senior running back Kobe James. The defense returns three defensive backs in James, senior Kethan Lasley (13 tackles) and senior Jordan Holloway. Leading tackler Zack Spalding (65 tackles, seven TFLs) returns with junior Dean Clarkson (33 tackles) at linebacker. The defensive line will be led by senior Grady Furnas (37 tackles, 10 TFLs), senior James Battee (35 tackles, 3 ½ TFLs) and senior Brandon Robinson. The Marauders are making the jump from 4A to 5A for the first time.
Coach’s comment: “Develop team chemistry and strength will help us develop a winning attitude.”
Sectional 14
Plainfield (7-3): Coach Tyler Bless enters his fourth season in a new sectional (without New Palestine and Cathedral). Senior quarterback Bryce Sebanc (58.1% passer, 1,780 passing yards, 20 TDs) returns with leading receiver and senior Zander Nattam (64 catches, 871 yards, 13 TDs), senior Ethan Ellis, senior tight end Devin D’Amato (nine catches, 61 yards) and senior lineman Wrigley Matthews. The defense will be led by junior safety Ty White (56 tackles, three interceptions), junior defensive back Coen Vanderbush (46 tackles, three TFLs), senior defensive back Hayden Hrbek (14 tackles) and junior lineman Leon Fountain. A big void for the Quakers will be at running back, where Luke Starnes ran for nearly 4,000 yards the past three seasons.
Coach’s comment: “We will be as good as our senior leadership. We have a great group of seniors who have experience playing on Friday nights, but we also have a number of seniors who will be called upon for the first time under the lights. We will rely on our veteran players who have had a major impact in our success the last few years and we will welcome our newcomers to step up and meet the standard we have created. We need to continue to trust the process and the 1-0 mentality and let our hard work and dedication continue to take over.”
Terre Haute South (7-3): Coach Greg Barrett led the high-powered Braves to a winning season last year, falling 41-34 to Bloomington South in the first round of the sectional. Quarterback Maddox Woodcock (1,163 passing yards, 11 TDs; 593 rushing yards, eight TDs) returns to lead the offense.
Tech (4-6): Coach Steve Moorman comes over to Tech after a tenure as an assistant at Lawrence Central. He has previous experience leading programs at Shortridge, Arlington and Washington, compiling a 49-44 overall record in 10 seasons. Key players for the Titans will be senior Anquan Broner and center Shawn Higbee. Desmon Howard (safety) and Amari Baskin (cornerback) will be impactful players on defense for the Titans. This is Tech’s first time playing in Class 5A since 2018, dropping down from 6A. Moorman said strength and conditioning coach Marion Morris has been instrumental in developing the team since March. “I have been around a long time and seen some of the best and he fits right up there.”
Coach’s comment: “This is definitely a rebuild. We are going to be really young only having six seniors. These seniors have shown great leadership this summer. Our strength will be team speed. Weakness will be the numbers. So staying healthy is key.”
Terre Haute North (0-10): The Patriots have struggled for about a decade but really fell off last year, scoring just 48 points all season and allowing nearly 47 points per game.
Sectional 15
Bloomington South (11-2): Coach Gabe Johnson looks to keep the momentum going from last year’s regional championship season (the Panthers have won three in a row) with senior quarterback Duncan Combs (2,276 passing yards, 26 touchdowns) leading the way.
Bloomington North (7-4): New coach Andy Harding has some talented players returning, including senior receivers Rashon English (38 catches, 624 yards, six TDs) and Nate Walker (35 catches, 575 yards, seven TDs). The Cougars fell 31-28 to Bloomington South in last year’s sectional final.
Franklin (4-6): Coach Chris Coll is going into his 10th season at Franklin with a lot of newcomers, though senior running back Cori Tonte is coming off an all-state season that saw him run for 1,347 yards and 16 TDs and catch 24 passes for 123 yards. Other key returners on offense are senior tight end Austin Green and senior receivers Drew Wertz (20 catches, 275 yards, two TDs) and Cole Bowker (12 catches, 224 yards, four TDs). Leading the way up front on the offensive line are juniors David Gonzalez, Henry Satkamp and Drew Reed. On defense, the Grizzly Cubs will rely on senior linebackers Leo Beard (61 tackles, five TFLs), Kellen Fellure (58 tackles, three TFLs) and Kingston Foor (24 tackles, 7 ½ TFLs, three sacks), senior linemen Adil Toe (37 catches, 4 ½ TFLs, 1 ½ sacks) and Wylie McCain and Bowker at cornerback. Franklin is looking for its first winning season since 2022.
Coach’s comment: We return some very talented players, but we also have a great deal of inexperience at a number of positions. We will need to be a team that gets great leadership and play from our experienced players while our younger and inexperienced players develop. Our defensive front, our offensive line and our receivers should be strengths for this team. They will all need to play well, especially early, and we should be competitive. We will need to find answers in our defensive secondary and we will have an inexperienced QB leading our offense for the first time in about five years.”
Seymour (2-8): New coach David Papenhaus comes over from Silver Creek to lead the Owls. Senior quarterback Max Coates is a returning starter.
Predicted Class 5A sectional winners around Indiana
Sectional 9: Michigan City
Sectional 10: Concord
Sectional 11: Fort Wayne Snider
Sectional 12: Lafayette Jeff
Sectional 13: New Palestine
Sectional 14: Plainfield
Sectional 15: Bloomington South
Sectional 16: Floyd Central
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649. Get IndyStar’s high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA football preview: 5A predictions, top players in Indy-area, what coaches said
Reporting by Kyle Neddenriep, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kyle Neddenriep, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
