STATE FOOTBALL TOURNEY PAIRINGS RELEASED

The pairings for The 37th Annual IHSAA Football State Tournament presented by the Indianapolis Colts were drawn this evening at the Colts headquarters, the Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance Football Center, in Indianapolis.

This is the first of a three-year agreement with the Indianapolis Colts as the presenting sponsor of the entire high school state tournament.

Three hundred eighteen schools (318), one more than last season, have entered this year's tournament to set a record for the five-class tournament which began in 1985.

All but two schools will begin sectional play on Friday, October 23. Bedford North Lawrence and Batesville drew byes in their respective seven-team sectionals and will begin play on the road on October 30. Bedford North Lawrence will be at the Castle-Jeffersonville winner in Class 5A, Sectional 8, and Batesville will travel to the Rushville-Greensburg winner in Class 3A, Sectional 22.

Forty sectional champions will be crowned on Friday, November 6. Regional games will be played Friday, November 13, and semi-states on Friday, November 20.

The 10 teams that earn a berth in the state finals will play on Thanksgiving weekend in Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Colts, which will serve as the site for the championship games for the second year. The Class A and 2A championship games are slated for Friday, November 27, with the 3A, 4A and 5A games the next day. In all, 313 games will be played around the state over the six-week tournament.

Two of the five top-ranked teams in this week's state coaches polls are also defending state champions. In 2A, top-ranked Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter has moved up a class after winning last year's 1A crown. The Raiders will host Union County in the first round of Sectional 29. A possible game against 2A defending champ Heritage Christian looms in the semifinal round as the Eagles host Park Tudor. In Class 4A, No. 1 Indianapolis Cathedral will begin its attempt for a repeat when it takes on Lebanon at home in Sectional 14.

Among other current No. 1 teams, a huge showdown right out of the gate occurs as top-ranked Pioneer opens up on the road at No. 2 Lafayette Central Catholic in Sectional 34.

In 3A, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard will host Crawfordsville in Sectional 21. And in 5A, top-ranked Carmel, the 2007 state champion and last year's state runner-up, begins on the road at Westfield in Sectional 4.

Two schools will make their debuts in this year's tournament. Bowman Leadership Academy is entered in Class 2A, Sectional 25 and will travel to Hammond Bishop Noll and; Monroe Central, part of Class A, Sectional 36, will play host to Tri.

Here are ther drawings for sectionals featuring local teams:

Class 4A, Sectionals 15

Madison (3-5) at South Dearborn (3-5)

Franklin County (0-8) at Shelbyville (7-1)

Connersville (2-6) at East Central (7-1)

Greenwood (2-6) at Franklin Community (1-7)

Class 3A, Sectional 22

Batesville (8-0) bye

Rushville (3-5) at Greensburg (4-4)

Yorktown (4-4) at Hamilton Heights (6-2)

Indianapolis Howe (2-6) at Beech Grove (5-3)

Class 2A, Sectional 31

Eastern Pekin (2-6) at Lawrenceburg (2-6)

Mitchell (3-5) at Brownstown Central (5-3)

Triton Central (6-2) at Providence (4-4)

Paoli (8-0) at Clarksville (3-5)

Class A, Sectional 38

West Washington (5-3) at Indianapolis Lutheran (5-3)

North Decatur (2-6) at Edinburgh (1-7)

South Decatur (4-4) at Milan (6-2)

Eastern Greene (3-5) at Indianapolis Scecina (2-6)