Nationally-ranked Trojans debut at No. 1 in the Indiana high school preseason football rankings.
The 2021 Indiana high school football season kicks off next week and MaxPreps has your look at the state's top teams.
A year after losing the Class 6A state championship to Carmel, Center Grove completed an undefeated season by downing Westfield 38-14 in the final last year. Riding a 14-game win streak, the Trojans enter this season as the No. 1 team in the Indiana Preseason MaxPreps Top 25 rankings. Center Grove is ranked 18th nationally. Senior linemen
Caden Curry (undecided) and
James Schott (Miami) and defensive back
Kalen Carroll (Cincinnati) anchor the defense. Senior quarterback
Tayven Jackson (Tennessee) headlines the offense. Curry and Jackson are two of the state’s top five prospects.
Westfield, a former 5A state champion (2016) coming off its first 6A final, owns one of the state’s most dynamic senior backfields with quarterback
Maximus Webster (Ball State) and running back
Micah Hauser. The defense features senior lineman
Popeye Williams (Louisville) and junior defensive back
Dillon Thieneman.
Carmel, an eight-time state champion, has reached the big school state final 10 of the last 15 years. Last season the Greyhounds fell to Ben Davis in the regional championship. Expect both squads to challenge for a state title.
Playing in its 16th state final last year, Cathedral (Indianapolis) beat Zionsville in 5A to win its 13th state championship.
Additional defending state champions include Roncalli (4A), Bishop Chatard (3A), Western Boone (2A) and Covenant Christian (A). Chatard is coming off its record 15th state title, while Western Boone has won three championships in a row.
The 2021 state finals will be held November 26-27 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
See the complete list below.
Carmel and Ben Davis (Indianapolis) are two of Indiana's top teams.
Photo by Tyler Hart
1.
Center Grove (Greenwood), 14-0 record in 2020
2.
Westfield, 12-2
3.
Carmel, 9-3
4.
Ben Davis (Indianapolis), 7-6
5.
Cathedral (Indianapolis), 13-1
6.
Brownsburg, 8-2
7.
Merrillville, 10-2
8.
Warren Central (Indianapolis), 4-6
9.
Lafayette Jefferson, 10-1
10.
Carroll (Fort Wayne), 7-3
11.
Zionsville, 7-6
12.
Whiteland, 9-2
13.
Lawrence North (Indianapolis), 7-4
14.
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, 13-1
15.
Roncalli (Indianapolis), 13-1
16.
Homestead (Fort Wayne), 10-2
17.
Mt. Vernon (Fortville), 12-1
18.
Decatur Central (Indianapolis), 8-3
19.
Leo, 10-2
20.
Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers), 6-3
21.
Valparaiso, 8-1
22.
Mooresville, 12-2
23.
Columbus North, 6-3
24.
Chesterton, 5-5
25.
Avon, 5-5
