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FOOTBALL SEMI-STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES THIS WEEKEND
Ten semi-state championship games will be played this weekend with winners advancing to their respective state championship game in the 39th Annual IHSAA Football State Tournament presented by the Indianapolis Colts.

Nine of the games are scheduled for Friday night while the Class 2A game involving Guerin Catholic (10-3) at Evansville Mater Dei (12-1) is the lone contest set for Saturday afternoon at the Reitz Bowl.

Five undefeated teams remain in this weekend’s field and four defending state champions are still alive attempting to get back for an encore appearance at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Class A top-ranked Lafayette Central Catholic (13-0) will put its 43-game winning streak on the line against visiting No. 6 Sheridan (10-3) this weekend. It’s the third-longest winning streak in state history behind Bloomington’s 60 consecutive wins (1967-73) and Sheridan’s 44 in a row (2005-08). Central Catholic’s last loss? To Sheridan in the sectional semifinals on Oct. 31, 2008.

Other unbeaten teams in action this week include Fort Wayne Snider (9-4) at No. 3 Penn (13-0) in Class 5A; South Bend Washington (10-3) at No. 4 Leo (13-0); fourth-ranked Bremen (13-0) at No. 1 Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (11-1) and; No. 3 Linton-Stockton (13-0) at No. 7 Indianapolis Scecina (10-3).

Central Catholic and Bishop Luers are both two-time defending state champions and join Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, South Bend St. Joseph’s and Indianapolis Cathedral as teams looking to get back to the site of last year’s championships.

Class 3A No. 1 Bishop Chatard (11-2) travels to Corydon Central (11-2); St. Joseph’s (11-2), ranked fourth in Class 3A, hosts No. 3 West Lafayette (12-1) and; 4A No. 1 Cathedral (10-3) will entertain No. 3 Columbus East (12-1).

Both 5A semi-states are rematches of games played earlier this season. Penn defeated visiting Fort Wayne Snider, 31-13 on Sept. 9 while No. 2 Carmel (12-1) topped visiting Center Grove (9-4), 42-17, on Sept. 2.

South Bend Washington and Corydon Central both carried off their first regional trophies last weekend and are now among six teams gunning for their first semi-state championship along with Columbus East, Leo, Guerin Catholic and Linton-Stockton.

Scecina hopes to end its semi-state drought which has reached 20 years. The Crusaders won back-to-back Class 2A state titles in 1990 and 1991.

Visit www.ihsaa.org this weekend as scores from each game become available as well as information for next weekend’s five state championship games at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Semi-States
Date: Friday, November 18, 2011.
Times: 7 pm local time or as determined by host school.
Admission: $7 per person.

Class 5A
Fort Wayne Snider (9-4) at (3) Penn (13-0). 7:30 pm ET
Center Grove (9-4) at (2) Carmel (12-1). 7 pm ET
Class 4A
South Bend Washington (10-3) at (4) Leo (13-0). 7 pm ET
(3) Columbus East (12-1) at (1) Indianapolis Cathedral (10-3). 7 pm at North Central HS
Class 3A
(3) West Lafayette (12-1) at (4) South Bend St. Joseph’s (11-2). 7:30 pm ET
(1) Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (11-2) at Corydon Central (11-2). 7 pm ET
Class 2A
(4) Bremen (13-0) at (1) Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (11-1). 7:30 pm ET
Guerin Catholic (10-3) at (5) Evansville Mater Dei (12-1). Sat, 2 pm ET / 1 pm CT at Reitz Bowl
Class A
(6) Sheridan (10-3) at (1) Lafayette Central Catholic (13-0). 7 pm ET
(3) Linton-Stockton (13-0) at (7) Indianapolis Scecina (10-3). 7:30 pm ET at University of Indianapolis

State Finals
Dates: November 25-26, 2011.
Site: Lucas Oil Stadium, 500 S. Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis | Website
Tickets: $15.00 per day. Order Friday Tickets | Order Saturday Tickets
All seats are general admission. Single day tickets may be purchased at participating schools the week of the state finals. Contact schools for ticket distribution hours. Tickets also will be available game day at the Lucas Oil Stadium Ticket Office located on the southeast side of the venue at street level nearest Capitol Avenue.
Gates Open: Lucas Oil Stadium will open its gates to fans beginning one hour prior to kickoff of the first game each day. On Friday, gates will open at 2:30 pm ET and on Saturday at 11 am ET.
Television | Webcast | Radio | Order Photos

Brackets: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A | A

Friday, November 25
Class A State Championship Game | 3:30 pm ET
Class 2A State Championship Game | 7 pm ET
Saturday, November 26
Class 3A State Championship Game | 12 pm ET
Class 4A State Championship Game | 3:30 pm ET
Class 5A State Championship Game | 7:05 pm ET

 

Notables

Teams Alive by Conference
Allen County Athletic: Leo (4A).
Hoosier: Lafayette Central Catholic (A), West Lafayette (3A).
Hoosier Heartland: Sheridan (A).
Hoosier Hills: Columbus East (4A).
Independent: Guerin Catholic (2A), Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (3A), Indianapolis Cathedral (4A).
Indiana Crossroads: Indianapolis Scecina (A).
Metropolitan Interscholastic: Carmel (5A), Center Grove (5A).
Mid-Southern: Corydon Central (3A).
Northern Indiana: Penn (5A), South Bend Washington (4A), South Bend St. Joseph’s (3A).
Northern State: Bremen (2A).
Southern Indiana Athletic: Evansville Mater Dei (2A).
Southwest Seven: Linton-Stockton (A).
Summit Athletic: Fort Wayne Snider (5A), Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (2A).

All-Time Consecutive Tournament Victories
26: Warren Central, 2003-07.
23: Roncalli, 2002-05;
23: Sheridan, 2005-08.
22: Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, 2001-04.
22: Penn, 1995-98.

Active Tournament Win Streaks
16: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (2A), Lafayette Central Catholic (A).
10: Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (3A), Indianapolis Cathedral (4A)

All-Time Overall Win Streaks
60: Bloomington, 1967-73
44: Sheridan, 2005-08
43: Lafayette Central Catholic, 2009-11
39: Gary Emerson, 1920-25
37: Eastern (Greentown), 1961-65

Active Overall Win Streaks
43: Lafayette Central Catholic.
13: Bremen, Leo, Linton-Stockton, Penn.
11: Columbus East.

Defending Semi-State Champions Still Alive (5 of 10)
5A: None.
4A: Indianapolis Cathedral.
3A: Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, South Bend St. Joseph’s.
2A: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers.
A: Lafayette Central Catholic.

Most Consecutive Semi-State Championships
4 by Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, 1999-2002; 4 by Roncalli, 2002-05; 4 by Warren Central, 2003-06; 4 by Sheridan, 2005-08; 4 by Carmel, 2006-09.

Active Semi-State Championship Streaks
2: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Lafayette Central Catholic.

Seeking First Semi-State Championship
4A: Columbus East, Leo, South Bend Washington.
3A: Corydon Central.
2A: Guerin Catholic.
A: Linton-Stockton.

Drought-Breakers? (Five or more years since last semi-state championship)
20: Indianapolis Scecina (1991).
16: Bremen (1995).
10: Evansville Mater Dei (2001).
8: Penn (2003).
7: Fort Wayne Snider (2004).

Top 10 All-Time Semi-State Championships
13: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers
11: Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, Roncalli.
10: Sheridan.
9: Ben Davis, Hobart, Indianapolis Cathedral, Penn.
7: Carmel, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter, Warren Central.

First-Time Regional Champions
4A: South Bend Washington.
3A: Corydon Central.

 

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FOOTBALL COACHES INTERVIEW SESSION AT LUCAS OIL STADIUM MONDAY
Members of the news media are invited to interview the 10 state finalist football coaches during a gathering at Lucas Oil Stadium next Monday, Nov. 21. A school personnel meeting will begin at 10 am ET / 9 am CT and will be closed to the news media. Coaches will be available for interviews for about an hour beginning at approximately 10:45 am ET / 9:45 am CT.

Upon your arrival at Lucas Oil Stadium, please park in the South Lot through Gate 6 which is off Capitol Avenue. Once parked, please enter the Northeast Administrative Entrance.  Signage will be placed to lead you to the meeting room which is on field level. Lucas Oil Stadium map

A special state finals information packet containing updated statistics, rosters and other team information as submitted by the schools will be distributed at the interview session. For outlets that cannot attend, the information packet will be e-mailed later that day to all that receive regular IHSAA media updates and posted at ihsaa.org. If you would like to pick up your state finals credentials at the coaches interview session, please indicate that in your request. Instructions are listed below.

 

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FOOTBALL MEDIA CREDENTIAL REQUESTS NOW BEING ACCEPTED
For media outlets intending to cover the football state finals on Nov. 25-26, please apply for credentials (with name of individual applying) through IHSAA Sports Information Director Jason Wille at jwille@ihsaa.org. Requests MUST originate from a recognized business account; e-mails from personal accounts (ie: yahoo.com, aol.com, gmail.com, etc.) will not be accepted. The deadline for requests is 4 pm ET / 3 pm CT on Wednesday, Nov. 23. Credentials will not be granted after that time. Please note that the football state finals require a specific credential. Any passes issued previously will not allow admission to this event. Advance requests will be available for pickup at the state finals coaches meeting at Lucas Oil Stadium on Monday, Nov. 21 (please indicate your intentions to do so). All other approved requests will be available at media will-call located inside the northwest entrance to Lucas Oil Stadium nearest the corner of Missouri and South streets on game day. Credentials will not be mailed.

 

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NEW PALESTINE’S MICHAEL WALLPE NAMED OUTSTANDING FOOTBALL OFFICIAL
Michael Wallpe of New Palestine is the recipient of the 2011 Interscholastic Athletic Official Association Award for excellence in the sport of football.  Wallpe will be honored in a special ceremony at next weekend’s state final tournament.

Each year, the Indiana High School Athletic Association, in cooperation with the National Federation of Interscholastic Officials Association, recognizes and honors an outstanding official in each of 11 sports during the school year.

Wallpe has been a football official for 38 years.  During his career he has worked every level of the state tournament, including 28 sectionals, 19 regionals, 11 semi-states and five state finals.  His last worked the state finals in 2008.

Wallpe was selected for this honor by a committee representing the officials associations.  In Indiana there are 24 associations made up of men and women who assist in providing wholesome, worthwhile, and healthy activities for the student-athletes in our state.  Statewide, there are more than 8,000 officials licensed by the IHSAA in 11 sports.

A member of the Indiana Officials Association, Wallpe served as a board member from 1997-2003 and also served as President from 1996-1997.  During his tenure, he has also been a licensed official in basketball and baseball working numerous state finals in those sports as well as serving as a rules interpreter and sports chairman for both sports.

A 1967 graduate of Batesville High School, Wallpe attended Indiana State University earning both a bachelor’s and doctorate degree in Educational Administration as well as a master’s degree from Indiana University.  For 38 years, Wallpe has worked for Warren Township and currently serves as the Associate Superintendent. 

 

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IHSAA TOWN MEETING SERIES LAUNCHED
Commissioner Bobby Cox has announced the first installment of IHSAA town meeting series events to be held in member schools this winter.  The topic of the initial town meetings will be “Non-Traditional Student Participation in IHSAA Member Schools.”  The public is invited and encouraged to attend these informative meetings to learn of pertinent educational topics and their intricate relationship to interscholastic athletics.  The schedule for the first series of meetings may be found below:

Day and Date	Location	Local Time
Thursday, December 8, 2011	Crawfordsville H.S.	7:00 p.m. ET
Monday, December 12, 2011	Muncie Central H.S.	7:00 p.m. ET
Monday, January 9, 2012	Seymour H.S.	7:00 p.m. ET
Tuesday, January 10, 2012	Valparaiso H.S.	7:00 p.m. CT
Tuesday, January 17, 2012	Evansville Central H.S.	7:00 p.m. CT
Monday, January 23, 2012	Jimtown H.S.	7:00 p.m. ET

 

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STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
The following lists of statistical leaders are compiled by VarVee.com, the IHSAA’s official statistics gathering partner. The IHSAA encourages each of its member schools to participate by registering at www.varvee.com and updating statistics by each Monday through the end of the season.

Football: State Statistical Leaders
Volleyball: State Statistical Leaders
Boys Soccer: State Statistical Leaders
Girls Soccer: State Statistical Leaders
Boys Tennis: State Statistical Leaders
Girls Golf: State Statistical Leaders

 

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NEWS & NOTES FROM AROUND THE STATE
Have an interesting note? A conference or school record, coaching milestone or something else of interest? Please e-mail IHSAA Sports Information Director Jason Wille at jwille@ihsaa.org for consideration.

Carmel’s sectional championship victory over Warren Central was the school’s 100th IHSAA football tournament victory all-time.

Lafayette Jeff girls golf coach John Hatter has been selected as the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association's girls golf coach of the year. During Hatter's five seasons with the Bronchos, the teams have won five sectional titles and four city/county titles. The Bronchos advanced to the IHSAA state finals this fall for the fourth season in a row.

Heading into last weekend’s football regionals, three Northern Indiana Conference (NIC) teams were still alive for the first time at that point in the season: Penn (5A), South Bend Washington (4A) and South Bend St. Joseph's (3A). The Southern Indiana Athletic Conference (SIAC) also had three including Evansville Central (4A), Evansville Memorial (3A) and Evansville Mater Dei (2A) as did the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference (MIC) with Carmel, Ben Davis, Center Grove (all 5A). All three NIC teams advanced while the MIC advanced two teams to the semi-state (Carmel, Center Grove) and the SIAC one (Evansville Mater Dei). The Summit Athletic Conference (SAC) also has two entries this weekend with Fort Wayne Snider (5A) and Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (2A).