IHSAA football: Here are your Lafayette area Week 3 predictions for Friday night
LAFAYETTE — McCutcheon headlines Friday Night Lights as it hosts Hamilton Heights in a battle of 5A and 3A powers.
Both teams are searching for their first win of 2024 after McCutcheon fell a possession short losing 34-28 last Saturday to West Lafayette while Hamilton Heights fell 17-14 in overtime to 2A Triton Central.
Here's our analysis and predictions of McCutcheon's matchup against Hamilton Heights plus four other games to track around the Lafayette area:
Game of the week: Hamilton Heights (0-2) vs. McCutcheon (0-2)
McCutcheon turned in a stronger result offensively led by senior quarterback Lonnie Griffin and sophomore running back Tyler Brigham. Griffin completed 9 of 11 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 70 yards with two touchdowns at the goal line.
Brigham became a star for the Mavericks breaking out for 180 yards on 21 carries including a 60-yard rushing touchdown.
Opposing McCutcheon is sophomore quarterback Drew Woodruff who has completed 30 of 59 passes for 377 yards, two touchdowns with one interception with senior defensive end Michael Cain (10 tackles, five for loss) leading Hamilton Heights' defense.
Breakdown: McCutcheon provides plenty of matchup problems for Hamilton Heights with Griffin targeting 6-foot-2 receiver Broderick Arnold. The Mavericks also had success with option plays, running direct snaps to Griffin to push behind lineman Alex Luna and Mikah Bell or pitch out Brigham in space.
Woodruff as a sophomore has proven himself a competent pocket passer and can also turn and make accurate throws on the run. Given the struggles McCutcheon had with Speaker and defending against tight end Ian Szulkowski, Hamilton Heights is equipped to follow a similar recipe with throws over the middle and Woodruff targeting seniors Tyler Champion and Keaton Weaver.
Prediction: Another shootout at Ellison Stadium but it favors the Mavericks this time. Senior defensive lineman Malachi Kenner steps up in the fourth quarter with hits in the back field that helps lift McCutcheon to its first victory. McCutcheon wins 28-27.
Harrison (1-1) at Brebeuf Jesuit (1-1)
Harrison looks to recover from its first loss of the season against Plainfield when it faces Brebeuf Jesuit on the road. Brebeuf Jesuit is coming off a 27-7 win over Tri-West last Friday.
Breakdown: Harrison plays its first game outside of Tippecanoe County after a rough last Saturday that saw junior quarterback Lannon Nicoloff threw three interceptions while his offense gained just 104 rushing yards. Nicoloff was sacked twice before a defense that been on the field, yielded 14 fourth quarter points to the Quaker. Harrison turns to face a fast run game led by senior CJ Harrison, senior quarterback Maverick Geske and future Division I prospect sophomore 6-foot-4 and 340 pound blocker Krystian Oakley. Junior defensive lineman Evan Walker and senior linebackers Jackson Mills and Derek Parker have been consistent at flushing out the run game. The repeated confrontations between Walker and Blake Jones against Oakley will be the matchup to watch. Either Harrison gets Brebeuf Jesuit pinched or the floodgates open for Harrison.
Prediction: Tough road environment against a Brebeuf Jesuit program that competes against Roncalli yearly. Harrison's run game on offense hasn't been potent and Brebeuf Jesuit looks faster and equally as physical as Plainfield. Brebeuf wins 20-10.
Central Catholic (1-0) vs. Logansport (2-0)
The good news if you're Central Catholic is that it played last Friday against Cardinal Ritter. The Knights just didn't finish the game.
Now Central Catholic faces Logansport in football for the first time in program history.
Breakdown: Central Catholic senior Bobby Metzger has grown more confident in his abilities in the pocket and as a playmaker with his legs. Metzger has an arsenal of targets in seniors Ray Clayton VI, Jackson Cain and Ryan Delgatto and junior Mason Meister. Everyone on Central Catholic plays both ways besides Metzger with Cain at linebacker and Delgatto breaking the lanes of blockers with their respective power. Logansport returns senior linebacker and running back Chris Anthony Delvalle and junior quarterback Bryson Herr.
Prediction: Central Catholic is building momentum for a state run in 2A. Senior Gabe Cabrera is one of the best kept secrets on the offensive line. Cabrera keeps Metzger out of harms way as the offense picks apart the Berries. Central Catholic wins 35-21.
Lowell (1-1) vs. West Lafayette (1-1)
West Lafayette takes on Lowell after inching out a victory on the road against McCutcheon last Saturday. Lowell comes in with confidence after pulling away to beat La Porte on the road 28-6 in week two.
Lowell has started the season with three straight road games.
Breakdown: Expect the game to be dictated on the ground with Lowell incorporating a single wing formation to create confusion and gain yards while minimizing the risk of turnovers. Lowell ran the ball 52 times collectively for 216 yards and four touchdowns. The repeated pounding is going to test the will of senior defensive lineman and captain David Curl III one week after McCutcheon ran for over 250 yards last weekend. West Lafayette meanwhile found its rhythm with quarterback Benny Speaker who drove the ball down the field repeatedly. West Lafayette struggled heavily against programs that can successfully run the ball like last season against Tippecanoe Valley. Tippecanoe Valley ran for 371 yards but West Lafayette carries more experience on the defensive line.
Prediction: Speaker keeps the offense churning with successive possessions but Lowell's run game proves to be too much for the Red Devils. Lowell wins 34-27.
Lafayette Jeff (2-0) vs. Anderson (0-2)
Lafayette Jeff travels southeast 90 miles to face Anderson which hasn't held a winning record since 2011.
Breakdown: The Bronchos enter Madison County red hot with a two touchdown win over Avon before a resilient defensive effort helped earn a victory against Michigan City. Running back Marquis Adkins rushed for two touchdowns while Keyen Crowder has quickly become one of the marquee quarterbacks in the Lafayette area after missing most of last season with a shoulder injury. Anderson has scored just two points in its two games, getting throttled by Yorktown 44-2 in its opener and shut out by Pendleton Heights 44-0 in week two.
Prediction: Crowder has a field day targeting Omar Williams, Bryce Vanostran and Andre Fancher in man coverage. Lafayette Jeff wins 49-0.
Week three matchups
Grand Valley Christian vs. Faith Christian from Schuemann Stadium 7 p.m.
Tipton vs. Twin Lakes 7:30 p.m.
Benton Central vs. South Newton 7:30 p.m.
Frontier vs. North White 7:30 p.m.
Lake Station vs. North Newton 7 p.m.
Tri-County vs. West Central 7 p.m.
Clinton Central vs. Clinton Prairie 7 p.m.
Carroll vs. Taylor 7 p.m.
North Montgomery vs. Southmont 7 p.m.
Seeger vs. Attica 7 p.m.
Rensselaer Central vs. Woodstock 7 p.m.
Frankfort vs. Tri-West 7 p.m.
Delphi vs. Eastern (Greentown) 7 p.m.
Western Boone vs. Crawfordsville 7 p.m.
North Vermillion vs. Covington 7 p.m.
Fountain Central vs. Riverton Parke 7 p.m.
Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@jconline.com, on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: IHSAA football weekly predictions led by McCutcheon-Hamilton Heights
