The 5A No. 1 Carmel Greyhounds (11-1) look like a team that simply knows how to win. Last week, Carmel held high-powered No. 10 Fishers scoreless in a 7-0 victory. Friday, the Greyhounds hosted No. 7 Hamilton Southeastern and halted the Royals on a late drive to preserve a 17-9 win in the sectional championship.
Hamilton Southeastern kicked an early 32-yard field goal, one of three by kicker Kris Dolinsky, but Carmel responded with 17 straight points. It was a different story for the Greyhound offense in the second half, as they ran a total of just 10 plays that netted only 17 yards.
Royals senior quarterback Chirs Sanders fired completions of 19 and 12 yards, and senior running back Matt Ripp ran the ball down to the four-yard line. On fourth-and-two, Sanders threw incomplete in the end zone and Carmel ended the game by taking a knee.
"Our defense has been very good this year, but (Hamilton Southeastern) has a good one, too, so we knew it was going to be a battle," said Carmel head coach Mo Moriarity, whose team has won five games by a touchdown or less. "We just manage to pull out those kinds of games. It’s been kind of a hallmark of this team."
Carmel quarterback Adam Schaffer was 12-of-18 passing for 65 yards and a touchdown and added 31 yards on the ground. Hamilton Southeastern outgained Carmel 218-128 in total offense, but had the game’s only turnover.
The Greyhounds travel up to Fort Wayne Snider (10-2) on Friday for a repeat of last year’s regional match-up, which Carmel won 24-21 on a late field goal.
Center Grove dominates Bloomington North
A week after rushing for 403 yards against Whiteland, Bloomington North running back D’Angelo Roberts carried just 18 times for 63 yards against a swarming Center Grove defense. The Trojans put up 34 points in the first half on the way to a 48-7 victory over the Panthers.
Jimmy Boshears led Center Grove in rushing with 77 yards and two scores on 10 carries. Nolan Weidman racked up just 36 yards, but scored three touchdowns on the ground. On Friday, Center Grove (9-3) will host Floyd Central (9-3), a team that has put up 140 points in its last three games.
Week's other top performers
Robby Robbins ran for 104 yards and four touchdowns on 15 carries for Brownsburg in a 42-14 win over Avon. The Bulldogs earned their first sectional title since 1985. 
Kofi Hughes, Cathedral
File photo by Wayne Litmer
Cathedral quarterback Kofi Hughes was 9-of-14 passing for 134 yards and two touchdowns, while adding another 166 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in a 48-21 win over Plainfield.
Shakir Bell had 155 yards and two scores on 30 carries in Warren Central’s 28-14 win over Lawrence Central.
Batesville quarterback Connor Kelley had 223 total yards and four total touchdowns as Batesville remained undefeated against Hamilton Heights, 27-6.
Volleyball: Muncie Central wins sixth title
Muncie Central won its sixth 4A state title in convincing fashion on Saturday. The Bearcats took down No. 4 Center Grove in the semifinal 25-22, 25-21, 27-25, then dispatched of Elkhart Memorial 25-19, 25-23, 25-16.
The Trojans had a chance to extend the match when they led 24-23 in the third game, but Muncie Central rallied with three straight points. It was the first time this season that center Grove (33-4) had lost in three straight games.
Jamie Drummer had 14 kills and 13 blocks for the Bearcats in the final, while Abbie Allardt and Alyssa Sorrell contributed 10 kills apiece.
Brebeuf avenges season's only loss
In a match-up of national powerhouses, Yorktown and Brebeuf played a hard-fought, four-game match.
Yorktown had topped Brebeuf earlier in the season, handing the Braves their only loss of the year. Brebeuf split the first two games with the Tigers, but then won convincingly 25-15, 25-21 in the final two games. Jeme Obeime and Lauren Rafdal had 12 kills apiece and Jadyn Yarling added 19 digs in the win.
Muncie Burris remains perfect to win 13th straight title
Muncie Burris captured its 13th straight title on Saturday with a 25-9, 25-8, 25-16 win over Southwood, going 40-0 in the process. Burris had three players with 10 kills and four players with double-digit digs. The Owls are likely to finish the season atop the national rankings, the seventh time they have finished in the country’s top two.
Marquette Catholic records sixth straight title
Michigan City Marquette Catholic downed Wes-Del 25-18, 25-10, 23-25, 25-19 for its sixth consecutive state chamionship.
Marquette handed top-ranked Barr-Reeve its only loss of the season in the semifinals behind a 22-kill, four-block, 20-dig performance by Ashley Edmond.
Indianapolis Lutheran was beaten by Wes-Del in the semifinals, but Lindsay Kurz recorded 40 assists in the loss, breaking the school’s single-season record.
