SA brings confidence

BERNE — A team loaded with seniors is hoping to lead the Black and Gold to its first sectional title in 15 years.
To achieve that goal, it will have to eliminate a squad led by the gold standard of Indiana high school football coaches.
Class 1A No. 4 South Adams hosts the Sectional 36 championship game Friday at 7:30 p.m. against Sheridan and coach Larry “Bud” Wright, who set Indiana’s all-time record for coaching victories with his 369th in the Blackhawks’ 48-16 semifinal triumph over Lapel.
SAHS coach Jason Arnold, who is 24-19 in his four years with the Starfires, said he and his team are looking forward to the opportunity.
“It’s fun,” said Arnold, whose team has won 16 of its last 18 games. “You like that challenge of (playing) the legend.”
Wright, who has coached 46 of his 47 seasons at his alma mater, was a legend even before passing retired Jasper coach Jerry Brewer on the all-time wins list.
He has a 81-21 tournament record and has led Sheridan to nine state championships. The first of those came in 1980, and the most recent (2007) ended a run of three in a row.
This season’s Sheridan squad is powered by its running game with senior tailback Eric Price (1,732 yards, 18 touchdowns) and junior fullback Tyler Callahan (758 yards, 17 TDs). Each had a pair of scoring runs in the semifinal win over Lapel, including a 78-yard scamper from Price.
“Their fullback is a pretty big boy,” said South Adams junior linebacker Sam Dellinger, who leads the team with 57 tackles. “I think we need to definitely jump on him and make sure we get low and wrap him up.
“And we need to stop their running back too. He’s a pretty quick guy.”
Much like the Starfires, Sheridan also has the ability to throw the ball when defenses are keying on the run. Junior quarterback Sam Zachery has tossed for 1,316 yards and 13 TDs.
Both squads boast outstanding defenses, with SAHS allowing an average of just 13.8 points per game and Sheridan giving up just 17.1.
The Blackhawks (8-3), whose losses this year came to a trio of Class 3A schools — Western Boone, Hamilton Heights and Culver Academy, rank sixth in Class 1A in offensive average at 38.9 points per game.
“We’ve got to be able to stop the run first,” said Arnold. “And we’ve got to be able to take away the fullback, and we’ve got to be able to get to the outside without losing responsibility on the fullback. The other key for us defensively is we’ve got to be physical. They’re going to try to run at us.”
South Adams similarly relied on the running game throughout the regular season, but has turned to the pass in the playoffs.
Senior quarterback Dustin Wanner, who is also the team’s leading rusher, has tossed for more than 200 yards in each of the Starfires’ playoff wins over Monroe Central and Union City. Those two games account for nearly 60 percent of his passing yards his season.
“I think it’s very important,” said Arnold of the recent passing surge. “I think it’s important for our kids’ psyches. I think it’s important for the teams we’re playing to see it on film. ... Hopefully it puts a little bit of added pressure on the defense.”
Wanner has racked up 1,122 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground, leading a rushing attack that averages almost 300 yards per game. Zach Morgan (589 yards), Cole Farlow (504 yards) and Marcus Rich (461 yards) are all regular ball carriers as well.
Rich, one of 20 seniors on the team, had three touchdowns in the opening half of the Starfires’ semifinal win over Union City, including an 80-yard punt return.
“It would just be that much more special to win a sectional championship with 20 seniors on the team,” said Rich. “We’ve been playing together since seventh grade, and in youth league too. So it’s going to be pretty good if we can get that victory.”
This group of seniors played a huge role in last season’s run to the sectional championship game.
After an 0-5 start, the 2010 Starfires won six games in a row to reach the sectional finale. They had a 21-8 lead after Wanner hit then-senior Taylor LeFever with a 19-yard touchdown pass late in the opening half.
But they failed to score again as Churubusco surged to a 22-point win.
Wanner said he and his teammates learned a lot from last season’s experience.
“It’s a great atmosphere,” he said. “Last year I was really intimidated, just playing in front of all those fans.
“This year we should be a lot more used to it. We have a lot more confidence coming in, just knowing that we’ve been here before.”
South Adams’ last sectional title came in 1996 with a 12-0 victory over LaVille. The Starfires have played for the title just twice since, losing a 26-20 overtime heartbreaker t Madison-Grant in 2006 and falling to Churubusco 43-21 at home last season.
“For me it would be very special,” said Arnold. “Everybody knows I’m pretty connected to these guys, them being freshmen my first year here ... and how special of a group this is. ...
“I think it’s a pretty big step, and hopefully it’s a step we can take.”[[In-content Ad]]