Preview: Revamped Conference Indiana looks to be battle between four teams

Conference
Indiana has been whittled down to an
eight-team conference with the defections of Decatur Central and Martinsville to the
Mid-State Conference. Yet it still looks to be a four-team race this year with
the usual suspects ���?? Franklin Central, Bloomington South, and Columbus North ���?? all
vying for the top spot along with Pike.

The other big
thing this year for Conference Indiana
is that, for the first time, each team will play each other.

Top teams

Franklin
Central: The
Flashes, expected by at least two coaches to be the class of the conference in
2006, welcome in transfer RB Darius Willis from Indianapolis Howe. WR Ray
Taylor and TE Kyle Bush return to lead an explosive offense, while the FC â�?��?Dâ�?� led
by senior linebackers Chris Neat and David Lasiter looks to be solid.

Bloomington
South: While South
said goodbye to quarterback Ben Chappell, the Panthers welcome back RB Stefen
Hogue and WR Jordan Forney to lead the offense. South is in its usual mode of
reloading, not rebuilding, so expect coach Drew Wood���?�s team to be in the thick
of the race until the end.

Columbus North: Coach Tim Bless has built a solid
program as the Bull Dogs are fundamentally sound year in and year out. Expect
the 2006 season to be no different ���?? except for the snazzy new Field Turf. The
return of QB Mike Hladik should help lead the offense, while defensive lineman
Curtis Newton will look to anchor the defense.

Sleeper

Pike: Some coaches think Pike is the
most talented team in the conference, and this could be the year the Red Devils
make their move under third-year coach Keith Wilkins. The Red Devils lost
quality guys at key spots, but they also return talent at other crucial
positions. Recent success at the lower levels could lead to greener pastures on
the gridiron for the large-school boys basketball power.

Likely to struggle

Lawrence Central: The Bears are kind of an unknown
heading into the ���?06 season as their QB, top two WRs and coach all have
departed. Still, expect the Bears to go right after their opponents with their
usual smashmouth style of play. The line play should be much better in what may
otherwise be a rebuilding year.

Perry
Meridian: Coach
Doug Bradburn enters his third season in trying to transform the Falcons into a
program that can compete for a conference championship year in year out. After
advancing to the sectional finals in Bradburn���?�s first year in 2004, the Falcons
struggled to a 3-8 record last year.

Bloomington North: Scott Bless returns for his
second season as coach of the Cougars and is working tirelessly to rebuild the
program. Like his sibling at Columbus North, Bless wants to play solid defense
and execute on offense.

Southport: Like his coaching counterparts at Perry Meridian
and Bloomington North, Bill Peebles wants to return the Cardinals to their
halcyon days of yesteryear. The Cardinals, who have some young skill players like
WR Brendan Hutton, are looking to build the O-line in hopes of improving the
offense. If the defense and offense come together, consensus around the league
is that the Cardinals could surprise some people.

Changes in the landscape

Previously,
each team would play only seven of its nine Conference Indiana opponents. As a result, the
championship was not always decided on the field. In 2004, Lawrence Central and
Columbus North both went undefeated in conference play but, since they did not
play each other, were forced to share the crown.

The only
coaching change comes at Lawrence Central, where Scott Fischer takes over for
Tim Barthel.

Players to watch

QB Mike
Hladik, Columbus North

RB Darius
Willis, Franklin Central

RB Stephan
Hogue, Bloomington
South

WR Jordan
Forney, Bloomington
South

WR Brendan
Hutton, Southport

TE Kyle
Bush, Franklin Central

OL Cameron
Lowry, Pike

DL Alex
Hernandez, Pike

DL/OL
Curtis Newton, Columbus North

LB Solomon
Grimes, Bloomington
North

LB James
Pannell, Pike

CI big games

Sept. 1:
Franklin Central at Bloomington
South

Sept. 8:
Franklin Central at Columbus
North

Sept. 22:
Pike at Columbus
North

Sept. 29: Bloomington South at Pike

Oct. 6: Columbus North at Bloomington
South

Oct. 13:
Pike at Franklin Central

Former state champs

Bloomington South, 1993, 1998

Franklin
Central, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1990

Conference overview

���?Conference
Indiana again
looks very competitive from top to bottom as it usually is. With the new eight-team
format, the championship will be decided on the field for the first time.â�?� â�?��??
Columbus North coach Tim Bless

���?There
might be some conferences that have one or two teams better, but top to bottom,
I think Conference Indiana
is the second-best conference in the state. There are no easy games and no
weeks off in this conference. With Bloomington North and us making strides,
people arenâ�?��?�t going to walk in and think itâ�?��?�s a win.â�?� â�?��?? Southport
coach Bill Peebles

���?You ****
to see quality programs like Decatur Central and Martinsville go, but it���?�s nice to be able to
tell your players that every single conference game you play has consequences
and ramifications as to who wins the championship. There is great quality and
depth in this conference. If you look across the state, there has always been a
debate as to who the second-, third-, and even fourth-best conference is behind
the [Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference]. Given the history and the
potential of the schools in Conference Indiana,
I don���?�t see many conferences as difficult or demanding as ours. I would rank
Conference Indiana
either the second- or third-toughest in the state.â�?� â�?��?? Pike coach Keith Wilkins

Conference standings
(2001-2005)

A look
back at the last five years of Conference Indiana play:

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