Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc.

9150 North Meridian Street, PO Box 40650, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240–0650

Phone: 317–846–6601    Fax: 317–575–4244    Website: www.ihsaa.org

Blake Ress, Commissioner

________________________________________________________________________________

MEDIA INFORMATION                                                                                      October 3, 2006

Contact: Jason Wille, Sports Information Director                                                                    

E–Mail: jwille@ihsaa.org

 

 

34TH ANNUAL STATE FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS REVEALED

The pairings for the 34th Annual IHSAA Football State Tournament Series were drawn this evening by Commissioner Blake Ress at the IHSAA Office in Indianapolis.

 

Three hundred fourteen schools, three more than in 2005 and the most since the IHSAA moved to a five class system in 1985, have entered this year’s tournament with most beginning sectional play on Friday, October 20. Six sectionals have only seven teams thus allowing one team in each to receive a bye into the second round. Those six schools – Evansville North in 5A; Owen Valley and Evansville Bosse in 4A; Frankfort and North Harrison in 3A and; North Posey in 2A – will begin play on the road on October 27.

 

Forty sectional champions will be crowned on Friday, November 3. Regional games will be played Friday, November 10 and semi-states on Friday, November 17.

 

The 10 teams that earn a berth in the state finals will play on Thanksgiving weekend at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. The Class A and 2A state championship games are slated for Friday, November 24 with the 3A, 4A and 5A games the next day. In all, 309 games will be played over the six-week tournament.

 

Two of the five top-ranked teams in the latest coaches polls are also defending state champions in their respective classes. In 5A, top-ranked Warren Central will begin its quest for an unprecedented fourth consecutive state championship hosting Richmond in the first round of Sectional 5. And in Class A, No. 1 Sheridan, which hopes to take home a record-tying eighth state championship next month, hosts Lapel in Sectional 36.

 

Among other current No. 1 teams, 4A Columbus East opens up at home against East Central. In 3A, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard drew a home date with Crawfordsville. And in 2A, Cass will host Wabash.

 

Three schools – Fishers, Guerin Catholic and Indianapolis Lutheran – are entered in the state tournament for the first time. Fishers will play at Kokomo in Class 5A, Sectional 4; Guerin Catholic will travel to Winamac in Class 2A, Sectional 25 and Indianapolis Lutheran will host Northfield in Class A, Sectional 34.

 

This is the final year of a four-year cycle that divides the sport into five classes based on school enrollment. Beginning next year, the football tournament will be reclassified every two years.

 

·    Tournament Pairings

 

NOTES

 

All-Time Consecutive Tournament Victories

23 – Roncalli, 2002-05.

 

Active Consecutive Tournament Victory Streaks

18 – Warren Central, 2003-05.

6 – Jimtown, Lowell, NorthWood, Sheridan.

 

Defending Sectional Champions

Adams Central, Avon, Batesville, Cass, Concord, Decatur Central, Delta, East Central, Eastbrook, Evansville Reitz, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Fort Wayne Snider, Fort Wayne South Side, Greenwood, Griffith, Hamilton Heights, Hamilton Southeastern, Heritage Hills, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, Jasper, Jimtown, Knightstown, Lafayette Central Catholic, Lawrenceburg, Lowell, Merrillville, New Palestine, North Posey, NorthWood, Park Tudor, Penn, Perry Central, Rensselaer Central, Riverton Parke, Roncalli, Sheridan, Speedway, Tri-West Hendricks, Warren Central, West Central.

 

Active Sectional Championship Streaks (three or more years)

11 – Penn.

6 – Fort Wayne Snider, Heritage Hills, Warren Central.

5 – Batesville, Eastbrook, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard.

4 – Hamilton Heights, Roncalli.

3 – Adams Central, Lowell, Speedway, Tri-West Hendricks.

 

Most Consecutive Sectional Championships

19 by Hobart, 1979-97.

 

Top 5 All-Time Sectional Championships

19 – Carmel, Hobart.

17 – Ben Davis.

16 – Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, Jimtown, Penn, Roncalli.

 

 

 

IHSAA 06-07/11