2016 Indiana Preseason Football Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

Video: Center Grove (IN) 2015 football state champs
See highlights from the Trojans' title win


1. Center Grove (Greenwood)
Head coach: Eric Moore
2015 record: 14-0, Class 6A champion
Team preview

The Trojans have the firepower to repeat as Class 6A state champions in 2016, with six offensive and four defensive starters returning. Senior running back Titus McCoy (5-foot-11, 188 pounds) will use his blazing speed to again engineer coach Eric Moore's Wing-T attack after rushing 298 times for 1,912 yards and 28 touchdowns. He also had 28 catches for 230 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Jack Kellams (6-3, 205 with 4.5 speed in the 40-yard dash) will assume the quarterback role and is expected to be one of the best at Center Grove. He also can throw to senior wide receiver/cornerback Russ Yeast (6-0, 185), who runs a 4.48 40 and has 20 Division I offers, had 1,200 yards, 12 touchdowns, 36 tackles and two interceptions in just five games last fall at Ross (Fremont, Ohio) due to two ankle injuries. Defensive end Dan Root (6-2, 240) had 55 tackles, 20 assists and three sacks, blocked two kicks and recovered two fumbles as a junior. Senior tackle Clay Hadley (6-2, 275) leads the offensive line.

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2. Cathedral (Indianapolis)
Head coach: Rick Streiff
2015 record: 8-4
Team preview



The Fighting Irish will count on six returnees on offense and seven on defense to regain their supremacy in the Hoosier State. Start with two University of Notre Dame recruits: senior linebacker Pete Werner (6-3, 215), who had over 35 tackles last year as a safety, and junior running back Markese Stepp (6-0, 215), who had over 1,300 yards and 17 touchdowns as a sophomore. Add in senior free safety Ben Stewart (6-0, 200), who has made over 200 solo tackles in three years and has committed to Boston College. Senior wide receiver Luke Sanders (6-4, 190), who led the team last year with over 40 catches, and highly touted junior offensive tackle Emil Ekiyor (6-3, 330) are other solid Division I prospects. Senior scrambler Quincy Keller (5-9, 165) will take over at quarterback.

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3. Ben Davis (Indianapolis)
Head coach: Mike Kirschner
2015 record: 6-5
Team preview

Coach Mike Kirschner returns seven starters on offense and six on defense and calls this "the biggest team I've ever had in 16 years." The offensive linemen will average around 280 pounds. The Giants have eight Division I prospects, led by University of Missouri recruit Pompey Coleman (6-5, 278), a senior offensive tackle with quick feet. Senior defensive tackle LeShaun Minor (6-4, 197), an Indiana University recruit, had 43 tackles last year with 27 assists and six sacks. Senior wide receiver Noah Thomas (5-10, 193) used his 4.5 40 speed to make 42 catches for 443 yards and three touchdowns last year. Another wide receiver, senior Azjai Cooper (6-4, 198), is a Division I recruit, as is junior running back Johnny Adams (5-10, 195), who ran 61 times for 455 yards as a sophomore. Junior quarterback Reese Taylor (5-10, 180) runs 40 yards in a blazing 4.35 seconds and "is the fastest kid we've ever had at Ben Davis," Kirschner said. He passed for 696 yards and 13 touchdowns with just three interceptions last year while also running for 400 yards and seven touchdown on 73 carries.

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4. Carmel
Head coach: John Hebert
2015 record: 10-3
Team preview The Greyhounds return five starters on each side of the ball, led by University of Cincinnati recruit Jalen Walker (5-8, 170), a state champion hurdler who made 56 catches last year for 851 yards and 11 touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Ethan Merriweather (6-2, 180), who has committed to Ball State, made 38 catches for 614 yards and five touchdowns last year. Senior tight end Kurt Rafdal (6-7, 230) grabbed 17 catches last year and already has over 20 Division I offers. Senior tackle Mark Stickford (6-6, 255) anchors the offensive line and has 12 offers. Indiana University recruit Britt Beery (6-6, 260) made 55 tackles as a junior at defensive end. Other top prospects include senior cornerback Jacob Abrams (6-2, 190), junior punter/fullback Zachary Bradley and senior quarterback Elliot Charlebois (6-2, 195), who passed for over 1,000 yards last year at Guerin Catholic (Noblesville).



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5. Warren Central (Indianapolis)
Head coach: Jayson West
2015 record: 8-4
Team preview

The Warriors return five offensive and five defensive starters and should have an outstanding passing attack this year. Senior quarterback Zach Summeier (6-0, 185) completed 149 of 222 passes for 2,087 yards and 13 touchdowns and scored six times last year and is one of the state's best. Sophomore David Bell (6-1, 165) had 35 catches for 649 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman and runs a 4.5 40. He already is piling up college offers. Senior Tristen Tonte (6-1, 210) is the No. 1 running back. Pacing the defense are secondary standouts Dijon Anderson (5-9, 180), another 4.5 40 standout who had 59 tackles and scored twice on interceptions, and junior Julius Brents (6-2, 160). The Warriors play one of the state's toughest schedules, including some of the best in Ohio.