Marion to host Patriots (10/08/2008)

INDIANAPOLIS - The Patriots and Starfires will have to earn a playoff home game.

The drawing for the IHSAA football state tournament was Tuesday, and both teams will open the sectional on the road. Jay County will play at Marion Friday, Oct. 24, while South Adams will visit Class A No. 5 Churubusco.

After winning their first sectional title in 2007, the Patriots will begin their title defense against a team it has never played before. Marion currently has a 2-5 record with games against Anderson (2-5) and Kokomo (6-1) remaining.

The other game in Jay County's half of the Class 4A sectional 12 bracket has Muncie Southside (4-3) visiting New Castle (2-5). Class 4A No. 4 Delta (7-0) takes on Pendleton Heights (2-5) in the top half of the bracket, and Mount Vernon (1-6) visiting Muncie Central (1-6).

The Patriots are 0-2 against sectional opponents this year with losses of 47-28 to Delta and 63-54 to Southside. Delta has the best record against sectional foes at 3-0, New Castle is 2-0 and Southside is 2-1. Pendleton Heights has a 1-1 mark, Muncie Central is 1-2 and Mount Vernon (0-1) and Marion (0-2) are both winless.

South Adams (3-4) will face the tall task of playing undefeated Churubusco in the first round in Class 1A's sectional 34 while Eastside (0-7) visits Southwood (5-2) in the other quarterfinal game in the lower half of the bracket. In the upper half of the bracket Northfield (1-6) will play eighth-ranked Southern Wells (7-0) and Fremont (1-6) will visit Adams Central (2-5).

Churubusco is 2-0 against sectional opponents thus far, and Southwood, Southern Wells and South Adams are all 1-0. Fremont is 1-1, Eastside 0-2 and Adams Central 0-3. Northfield, which will play Southwood Friday, has not played a sectional opponent thus far.

Semifinal games will be Friday, Oct, 31, and the championship will be Friday, Nov. 7. Jay County and South Adams would both play at home in the semifinal round.[[In-content Ad]]