By now, Jimtown knows that the cat is out of the Garrett bag; that Railroaders running back Todd Frickey is healthy for Friday’s Class 3A sectional championship game on the road.
Frickey, who hasn’t been the same since he hurt his shoulder three weeks ago against Leo, broke loose for 133 yards and four touchdowns in the Railroaders’ 42-14 home win over Whitko.
“We started taking it day-by-day,” Frickey said. “We’re going to be careful with it, obviously. We thought we’d make a run in the playoffs. Playoffs are going to be more important than the regular season. Now that I’m back, our offensive line is doing great, I’m going to keep running as long as they keep opening up holes.”
Dwenger, Leo are strangers
Bishop Dwenger and Leo, who meet in Friday’s sectional championship, have never faced each other in football, despite being Allen County neighbors.
The Lions (11-0) went to the Class 3A semistate last year, but were bumped up to 4A this year. The Saints (7-4) have won five straight sectional titles.
“I have no idea,” Dwenger coach Chris Svarczkopf said about facing the Lions. “I have not seen Leo, and they aren’t in our conference. We had scouts there, and we will take a look at them (this) morning.”
Snider defense comes fourth
Snider’s defense played a key role in the Panthers’ 35-14 win over North Side on Friday night, and it especially rose to the occasion when it counted most: On fourth down.
Five times the Redskins went for it on fourth down. Only once – on a fourth-and-18, when C.J. Jackson threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Jamarius Turnage – did the Redskins convert.
“Just resiliency on the defense’s part,” Snider coach Kurt Tippmann said of the Panthers’ fourth-down success.
Big defensive stop
Leading by seven, Carroll turned the ball over in its first possession of the second half. The Chargers’ defense stepped up, holding Goshen to a field goal. The Redskins never scored again as Carroll won 28-10.
“Not only that stop, but the way that they played the whole second half,” Carroll coach Doug Dinan said. “They stepped up the play and played extremely hard.”
