EVANSVILLE — One week down. How many more to go?
Only sort of joking. We can still label Week 1 of the high school football season an overall net positive. Not only was there an early candidate for Game of the Year (most memorable finish at minimum), but also statement performances from the top teams in Southwestern Indiana.
Not much beats the return of Friday night lights, expect for getting locked inside Jerry Brewer Alumni Stadium (again).
What did we learn? A few thoughts to wrap up the opening night of the 2026 season.
Biggest moment of Friday night belonged to Castle
Nobody would argue the best overall performance belonged to Memorial, considering the opponent and how it potentially sets the tone for the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference title race. But how Castle escaped with a win deserves its own plaudits.
The Class 5A No. 8 Knights defeated North 29-26 at Bundrant Stadium in a possible sectional preview. Specifically, let’s discuss that bonkers finish. The Huskies drove down the field and reached the one-yard line with 15 seconds remaining. North ran a jet sweep that not only met multiple defenders at the goal line, but Rayce Jones forced a fumble, and it was recovered by Rafael Iglesias.
If that doesn’t set a tone for the season, what does?
Castle was a tough team to pin down in the preseason. It faded down the stretch after a hot start last year and graduated a big senior class. Nothing answers any possible questions like winning. The Sawyer Winsett-Jaivon Aunspach combo emerged as a starting point for the offense. The defense made big plays when it was needed. A lot of positives came from this result.
There are things to correct. Doug Hurt, who earned his 150th career victory, specifically pointed to a pair of 70-yard runs from the Huskies that set the Knights back in the first quarter. But if Castle produces another strong effort at Mater Dei, the arrow is pointing straight up.
What other teams stood out in Southwestern Indiana?
The average margin of victory involving area teams: 28.1 points. The SIAC had three games determined by 40-plus. It’s like we never left, folks. Beyond the return of numerous blowouts, here’s a few others around Evansville who caught our attention.
North Posey: A solid performance after trailing by two scores early. Carter Schickel had three total touchdowns in a 34-21 win at Southridge. The big play was a 66-yard score by Cade Mauck after the Raiders cut the lead to six in the fourth quarter.
Heritage Hills: A strong start to the Kevin Tempel era. The Patriots scored six touchdowns in the opening half of a 48-13 win against South Spencer. Tyce Winchell had 184 total yards and three scores (two passing, one rushing). The defense earned a passing grade with 149 yards allowed.
Forest Park: A second-quarter safety following a bad snap on a punt was the difference in a 16-15 win over Mount Vernon. Hudson King and Carter Jochem had one rushing touchdown apiece. Not the flashiest score but still a notable result against an opponent who had its number in recent years.
Vincennes Lincoln: Leyton Battles came up with an interception in the final minute to seal a 7-6 win against Terre Haute South. The Alices’ defense had five takeaways and the only touchdown (Colton York pick-six) in their first win over the Braves since 2006.
Which 0-1 football teams shouldn’t panic?
One game in August won’t make or break the season. A loss makes waking up on Saturday tougher, though. There’s still time to reverse course. Here are three in particular.
Gibson Southern: Nick Hart’s program hasn’t shied away from playing tough non-conference opponents. A defending Class 5A sectional champion checks that box. The Titans led for extended stretches of the second half before falling 31-24 to Floyd Central. Caden Rochleau had a productive start as QB1 with 254 passing yards (one touchdown) and 200 rushing yards (one touchdown). A couple spots to clean up: three turnovers and 292 rushing yards allowed.
North: A single yard separated the Huskies from their own statement victory. The long touchdowns to start the game were splashy, but the responses to each Castle scoring drive were significant. Hunter McKinney opened the season with 206 rushing yards, and quarterback Jayden Jones added 142. The next challenge? Memorial comes to Bundrant Stadium in Week 2.
Jasper: This one was puzzling. Portions of Week 1 showed the Wildcats could be a SIAC contender. Senior quarterback Jaylen Maners had 271 total yards with Blayken Recker (two touchdowns) making a splash at receiver. Jasper also couldn’t stop Memorial from scoring. There were three turnovers too, plus a pair of long returns allowed by the special teams unit. The Wildcats proved last year that Week 1 can be a launching point with adjustments. Circling Week 3 at Reitz as the next test.
These high school football players shined in Week 1
Here are a few notable individual performances, beyond a few mentioned above, from opening night. A reminder the Courier & Press Player of the Week poll goes live on the website Monday morning. Odds are you might see them and more on that list.
Jaivon Aunspach, Castle: The Knights were high on the junior wide receiver during the offseason. But this performance? Seven catches for 94 yards and four touchdowns is impressive.
Dru Ellis, Memorial: The junior is going to be a major X-factor moving forward. Ellis had 93 rushing yards (three scores), 23 receiving yards (one touchdown) and an interception.
Jason Jones, North Daviess: The senior quarterback was 11 of 17 passing for 199 yards and four touchdowns in a 47-12 win over Washington. Also rushed for a team-high 83 yards.
Cade Mauck, North Posey: The senior running back made a big impression after missing all of last season with a team-high 138 rushing yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown.
EJ Rainey, Mater Dei: The senior running back scored four touchdowns for the Wildcats in a win over Central.
Amyr Wilford, Reitz: The sophomore running back had 134 yards and three touchdowns in a 46-0 win over Harrison.
Kyle Sokeland is a sports reporter for the Courier & Press. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @kylesokeland or email at kyle.sokeland@courierpress.com.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: What we learned from Week 1 of high school football in Southwestern Indiana
Reporting by Kyle Sokeland, Evansville Courier & Press / Evansville Courier & Press
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By Kyle Sokeland, Evansville Courier & Press | USA TODAY Network
