Bloomington High School North and Bloomington High School South are set to face each other in the sectional championship of the Class 5A Indiana High School Athletic Association State Tournament.
Bloomington North waltzed past Terre Haute North Vigo High School 49-0 on Halloween night, while Bloomington South escaped its semifinal matchup in a 41-34 shootout victory over Terre Haute South Vigo High School.
The Cougars’ first matchup with Terre Haute North led to a commanding 56-0 victory on Sept. 19; the Patriots failed to score in either game with a combined scoreline of 105-0.
With Indiana men’s basketball head coach Darian DeVries in attendance, Bloomington North did not hold back in its second meeting against Terre Haute North.
The Cougars held their foot on the gas early, jumping out to a 22-0 lead after one quarter. A minute later, it was 29-0. By halftime, it was 42-0.
Bloomington North’s defense has become dominant in recent weeks. Despite conceding 28 points to Columbus North High School on Oct. 10, the Cougars shut out Terre Haute North twice, as well as further shutouts against Southport High School and Columbus East High School. They also gave up only 3 points against Jeffersonville High School.
The defense got on the scoreboard for this game, as well. Junior linebacker Anthony Wrancher ran back an interception for a touchdown halfway through the first quarter.
Senior defensive end Lucas Rice, who has an offer from Bowling Green State University, has led the defensive resurgence for the Cougars. He consistently made plays in the backfield against the run, totaling 22 tackles for loss, six sacks and four blocked kicks in nine regular-season games.
Senior linebacker Noah Ferree has also been a defensive stalwart for Bloomington North. Also playing offense as a goal line running back with four rushing touchdowns, Ferree led the entire defense with 90 tackles on the year, also totaling four sacks and two blocked kicks.
Terre Haute North’s defense was ineffective all night, both against the run and pass. Bloomington North sophomore running back Carter Matthew ran for two touchdowns while senior quarterback John Bargen threw for three.
Bloomington North had one concern on the night, however, and it came on the very first drive. Junior running back Brayden Johnson limped off the field early into the Cougars’ first offensive drive, never returning to the game.
While Matthew did take over at running back, Bloomington North continued to pass the ball in the second half with a running clock.
Across town, Bloomington South's narrower victory told a different story. The top two Conference Indiana teams went down to the wire, with the Panthers requiring a last-minute touchdown to down the Braves.
The Panthers trailed 34-33 with less than two minutes to play. Junior receiver Hayden Clark ran in a 2-yard touchdown to take the lead, with senior linebacker Ross Ogden sealing the win at the other end with a late interception.
Early in the season, Bloomington South defeated Bloomington North 36-7 at home on Sept. 12. The Cougars failed to score on offense for the second straight week at that point, with Matthew returning a kickoff for their only touchdown of the game.
Despite being classified as a neutral game, the sectional championship will be held at Bloomington South. However, both teams come into this game in different positions.
The Cougars won their sixth game in a row on Halloween night; the fourth shutout acquired in that stretch of games. The Panthers, by contrast, barely survived their semifinal matchup that followed a 33-12 loss to Center Grove High School on Oct. 17.
But Bloomington South’s defense is on another level compared to Terre Haute North’s. The Panthers allowed 34 points against the Braves, the most they’ve given up all season. Comparatively, 34 is the fewest points Terre Haute North has conceded all season. Depending on Johnson’s injury, the Cougars may adjust their game plan heading into the rivalry matchup.
Bloomington North plays Bloomington South at 7 p.m. Friday for a sectional championship.
