(11-10-18) This coming Friday night it will be a monumental match-up in the IHSAA Class A semi-state football game as defending state champion, undefeated and #1 ranked Pioneer will take on #2 ranked and undefeated Adams Central.
Both schools represent similar rural areas, Pioneer is located in Royal Center and Adams Central is in Monroe.
Pioneer star Jack Kiser told the Pharos-Tribune:
“We don’t get move-ins. This is Royal Center community upbringing, so you’ve got to be proud of that. “We’ve got a pretty good [sized] school district but it’s a lot of farms and drawing in from little townships, so to have this type of talent all-around in different sports is pretty special.”
Pioneer’s numbers on the year are very, very, impressive in both the regular season and playoffs. The defense has 10 shutouts, 3 in the post-season and have outscored their opponents 296-7 in the four playoff games.
Adams Central’s run to the BIG game includes 3 wins of their 4 playoff games over IFCA Top 10 ranked teams, #3 Southwood, #5 Churubusco and #9 Monroe Central.
Pioneer Panthers (13-0)
8/17 @ Lewis Cass 
44-0
8/24 Winamac 76-0
8/31 LaVille 66-19
9/7 Caston 78-0
9/14 @ North White 78-0
9/21 @ Triton 56-6
9/28 @ Knox W) 36-0
10/5 Culver Community 72-0
10/12 @ North Judson-San Pierre 36-0
Playoffs
10/19 South Newton 86-0
10/26 Carroll (Flora) 74-0
11/2 @ Lafayette Central Catholic 70-7
11/9 @ Triton 66-0
Friday night win over Triton 66-0
#NotreDame commit @JBKiser4 scored 5 TDs in Pioneer’s 66-0 playoff win over Triton. Kiser predicting ND will beat FSU 27-0 tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/9dFp1yjkj0
— Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) November 10, 2018
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Notre Dame recruit Jack Kiser rushed for 105 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries, threw for a pair of touchdowns and scored on a 60-yard fumble return for a touchdown. Danny Gregorich added 111 yards on 13 carries and three touchdowns. Pioneer beat Triton during the regular season 56-6.
Trust us, you'll want to see this
Play of the Year Nominee from Friday's @IHSAA1 Sectional Championship:@JBKiser4 "add your superlative here"@gregrakestraw @CoachScheib @MTCSportsNet @ETCSportsNet @NDFootball @gridirondigest @indsportstalk @PT_Wicker @IndianaPreps @samueltking pic.twitter.com/ZunspTuZrO— ISC Sports Network (@iscsportsnet) November 7, 2018
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
After the game Triton Head Coach Ron Brown told the Times-Union:
“It comes down to this: (the Panthers) are gonna win state. hey are, and the reason they’re gonna win state is because they understand the concept of team.”
Adams Central Flying Jets (13-10)
8/17 Bellmont 42-14
8/24 8/31 @ Lapel 49-21
9/7 Jay County 41-0
9/14 @ Heritage 45-14
9/21 @ South Adams 49-12
9/28 Southern Wells 56-14
10/5 Bluffton 44-13
10/12 @ Woodlan 31-3
Playoffs
10/19 @ Northfield 34-23
10/26 Churubusco 35-10
11/2 Southwood 38-0
11/9 @ Monroe Central 38-12
Friday night win over Monroe Central 38-12
Parker Bates rushed 15 times for 91 yards, four rushing touchdowns and his only pass of the game went for a touchdown. Logan Macklin rushed for 84 yards on 18 carries, Jalen Hammond added 96 yards on 16 carries and Colton Yergler picked up 51 yards on four carries.
Adams Central QB (Sr) Parker Bates told the Journal-Gazette after the game:
“You might think we’re one-dimensional, but we’re really not. We’ve got four guys that can run. I couldn’t have had the game I did if I didn’t have the other guys in the backfield. If they take one thing away you got three more.”
In the other state semi-state final game next Friday:
- Indianapolis Lutheran (10-3) vs. North Vermillion (12-1)
