The 2026 IHSAA football season is right around the corner, and the South Bend Tribune is releasing its first installment of a preseason top 10 power rankings with our 6-10 squads.
The coverage area boasted five IHSAA sectional champions last season, and one of them LaVille is included here.
The Class 1A Lancers, as well as Mishawaka Marian below, both boast new coaches this fall. Matt Thacker, formerly at Wawasee and Fairfield, is now in Lakeville. Joe Calderone takes over the Knights.
The five programs listed below include three from the Northern Indiana Conference and one each from the Northern Lakes Conference and the Indiana Northern State Conference.
Without further adieu, here is a look at our 6-10 teams with comments from each coach. Our top 1-5 squads will be featured in another Tribune story.
6. South Bend Riley
The Wildcats look to improve on a 4-6 campaign and boast a lot of talent on the defensive side of the football.
Riley welcomes back senior Adin Norton and junior Taurus Benion on the defensive line. The Wildcats return senior star Muri Jackson and Uriah Orozco at linebacker. Norton and Jackson were All-NIC and Benion and Orozco were honorable mention All-NIC. The Wildcats, who went 2-5 in the NIC, also added Kros Jones. The senior linebacker earned All-State honors in 2025 for Elkhart with 103 tackles, including 23 for loss. Kros father Antwon is the new defensive coordinator for Riley.
“We have a lot of dogs on this defense,” said Jackson. “Having Kros here just helps me get better. He pushes me. If we are consistent, mentally tough and stay locked in and focused and work to get better each play as a team we can reach our goals this season.”
The Wildcats will look to either Courtney Davis or Caius Mack, a pair of sophomores, to take over at quarterback. Receiver Bradford Washington, All-NIC in 2025, is a key man back on offense.
“The big thing we are emphasizing is finish,” said fifth-year Riley head coach Darrick Lee. “Finish everything. We felt like we were a seven-win team last year, but we did not finish games. We expect to be an upper echelon team this season. Our seniors want to go out with a championship, and we feel that is within our grasp.”
7. NorthWood
The Panthers lost a ton of production from an offense that averaged 30 ppg. and 376 yards per game in a 5-5 season in 2025.
NorthWood saw its top two rushers in Austin King and Jeffrey Eash, who combined for 1,009 yards, along with top receiver Deondray Monroe (44 catches, 7 touchdowns) all graduate. Additionally, quarterback Braylon Monroe (1,354 passing yards, 485 yards rushing, 17 touchdowns) and wide receiver Jaron Allen (23 receptions for 393 yards) transferred to Concord. Monroe is now a junior and Allen a sophomore.
“I feel good about our offense,” said NorthWood coach Nate Andrews. “The key is our offensive line. But I feel good about whoever plays quarterback for us because of our line and the skill people we have on offense.”
Andrews, a former star player and state championship wrestler at NorthWood, loves the intangibles of his team.
“I feel good about the guys we have here,” Andrews said. “Football is just a small piece of their lives, but we have a brotherhood with this team. They are accountable, tough, selfless and they care about their teammates.”
Key players back for the Panthers include offensive linemen Wesley Burkholder and Jeff Rulli. Burkholder was All-State and All-NLC in 2025. Junior Brady Weaver is back at running back. Senior linebacker Ethan Miller, senior lineman Isaiah Stump and senior safety Brady Blackford will lead the defense.
The trio of senior Micah Persing, sophomore Gage Lechlitner and freshman EJ Riddle are all competing for the quarterback spot. The Panthers did add junior Spencer Elliott, who had 89 receptions for 876 yards and seven touchdowns and 38 rushes for 151 yards for Goshen in 2025.
“We just have to bring the new guys up and trust each other this season,” said Blackford. “We just need everyone to play hard and step up for us.”
8. Mishawaka Marian
The Knights expect to be back in the mix for success this fall after going 4-8 last year.
“I’m excited, and I really think that the sky is the limit for this group,” said energetic Calderone, a former player at Mishawaka. “Our goal is to win trophies, and I believe we can do that.
“We have a small senior class, but they are great leaders. They have done a great job buying in with what I want to do. Their commitment has grown and our emphasis is on doing the little things right. That will affect the wins and losses.”
The Knights finished 1-6 in the NIC in 2025. Marian’s last winning season came at 10-4 in 2021 when they won Class 3A sectional and regional titles.
“I think that our guys are hungry and confident,” Calderone said. “There is a buzz and energy with them at practice. I want us to be a relentless, gritty, physical team. I want us to play hard, physical and aggressive and I want teams to know on Saturday morning that they played Marian on Friday night.”
The Knights have a deep defense, led by the likes of seniors Brayden Cerney and Parker Mrozinski and junior Siupeli Sete. Junior tailback Vinnie Gruber, who rushed for 1,020 yards and 11 scores, and senior receiver Terrel Lane return on offense. The duo of sophomores Jack Grewe and Matt Antongiovanni are competing for the quarterback spot.
“I think that our defense is very deep as are our skill people on offense,” Calderone said. “I also don’t think we can go wrong with either quarterback. They both are competitive, command our offense well, can throw it and are three-sport guys.”
Lane, who is 5-5 and 145 pounds, says it’s all about maximum effort from everyone this fall.
“I think we have a lot of physical guys who are dogs on this team,” noted Lane. “Coach has changed a lot of things. We just have to play physical, play our game and all of us be on the same page and play as one this season.”
9. South Bend Adams
The Eagles took a big step forward a season ago as their four wins equaled the total from the previous three years combined.
Can Adams, who went 3-4 in the NIC, find a way for the program’s first winning season since going 6-4 in 2016 this fall?
“We are talented enough to be more competitive this year,” said Adams coach Frank Karczewski. “We certainly have returning talent. The key for us is improving. Improving every day in practice. Improving from game to game.”
The Eagles defense allowed 25 ppg. a season ago after giving up 37 ppg. in 2024. The group has a strong core back with the likes of senior lineman Lamarr Shaw leading the way. Also back are senior John Bond and juniors Leighton Prezbindowski and Franklin Passwater.
“I’m really excited about this season,” said Shaw, who was All-State in 2025. “This defense could be special. We just have to cut down on the mental mistakes. We’re heading the right way. We just have to keep getting better. I just want to bring energy and lead by example.”
Adams will count on key returnees like quarterback Cayden Keen, running back Carson Bryce, receivers Amani McKeel and Jeffrey Seitz and lineman Cooper Goodard on offense.
The Eagles play three of their first four games at home and the toughest part of their schedule comes in the second half with NIC foes South Bend Saint Joseph, Penn and Elkhart among those on the docket.
10. LaVille
Thacker loves what he has seen from his squad in the offseason and the preseason.
“I can’t wait to get to practice with these guys,” said Thacker, who spent the past two seasons at Wawasee after six at Fairfield. “They are great kids who get after it. They are a lot of fun to be around.
“I’ve been impressed with all of our seniors. They do things the right way. We had great attendance at our summer workouts, and that’s a credit to our seniors. The standard has been set here. Our job is to carry that on and try to improve upon it.”
The Lancers shook off a slow 2-4 start with six straight wins a year ago. LaVille won its second sectional title in the past three years to finish at 8-5.
LaVille did lose some outstanding talent in the trio of quarterback Brayden Schwitz (33 total touchdowns), running back Cole Stafford (11,45 yards, 13 touchdowns) and linebacker Braedyn Foster.
Key players back include receiver Konnor Amor, tight end/linebacker Noah Menis and lineman Keenan Richhart. The trio of junior Griffin Smith, along with Menis and Amor are competing to take over at quarterback with Smith at the top right now.
“We want to run the football and stop the run,” Thacker said. “We want to be physical and value the football in our option offense. On defense, we don’t want to give up anything easy. Turnovers are a big key.
“Our kids are ready to go. They are ready to get after it.”
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: South Bend area high school football preseason power rankings, teams 10-6
Reporting by Scott Davidson, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
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By Scott Davidson, South Bend Tribune | USA TODAY Network
