SBLive Indiana Power 25 Week 10 High School Football Rankings: Rankings hold steady going into playoffs

By Kevin Messenger

The state football tournament began last week and all six classifications are now in-play beginning this Friday. The final week of the regular season shuffled the rankings and last week’s opening round of sectionals only solidified them with all nine active Power 25 teams winning last week.

• Previous rankings: PRESEASON | WEEK 1 | WEEK 2 | WEEK 3 | WEEK 4 | WEEK 5 | WEEK 6 | WEEK 7 | WEEK 8 | WEEK 9 

Here is our breakdown of this week's SBLive Indiana Power 25 high school football rankings:

SBLIVE INDIANA POWER 25 FOOTBALL RANKINGS

October 26, 2022

1. Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers) (9-0)

Last week: 1

Next game: Oct. 28 vs. Homestead (5-4)

Ranking rationale: HSE capped off an unbeaten regular season by downing top-ranked Brownsburg and staking its claim not only to the Hoosier Crossroads title but the No. 1 spot in the Power 25. The Royals face unranked Homestead which had lost four straight prior to wins over Fort Wayne Wayne and Fort Wayne South to cap the regular season.

2. Brownsburg (8-1)

Last week: 2

Next game: Oct. 28 at No. 9 Ben Davis (6-3)

Ranking rationale: Brownsburg dropped a notch in the Power 25 last week following its 31-28 defeat to HSE. With QB Jayden Whitaker, they led 28-14 at halftime of that game. Without Jayden Whitaker they were outscored 17-0 in that game. Which Brownsburg team will take the field Friday in a sectional throwdown with No. 9 Ben Davis? Brownsburg beat the Giants 21-16 in Week 1.

3. Cathedral (Indianapolis) (7-1)

Last week: 3

Next game: Oct. 28 vs. Lawrence North (4-5)

Ranking rationale: Quarterback Danny O’Neil engineered the Fighting Irish in their scintillating fourth-quarter comeback over Center Grove two weeks ago. The Irish have momentum entering this week’s sectional semifinal matchup against Lawrence North.

4. Center Grove (Greenwood) (7-2)

Last week: 4

Next game: Oct. 28 at Franklin Central (3-6)

Ranking rationale: Center Grove clings to the No. 4 spot ahead of 4A New Palestine and 6A Fort Wayne Carroll, but the Trojans still have a state title to defend and they’ll begin tournament play on Friday against Franklin Central.

5. New Palestine (10-0)

Last week: 5

Next game: Oct. 28 vs. Greenfield-Central (7-3)

Ranking rationale: The Dragons proved mortal last week and through three quarters had their backs to the wall while facing their first deficit of the season. New Palestine rallied to get past defending 4A champ Mt. Vernon, 35-24, and it might have been just enough to shake off any veil of complacency. New Pal handled the Cougars once already this season, 42-7 in Week 6.

6. Carroll (Fort Wayne) (9-0)

Last week: 6

Next game: Oct. 28 at No. 19 Penn (7-2)

Ranking rationale: The unblemished Chargers own the state’s largest 6A margin of victory and have won their last six games by a count of 275 to 24. Traditional 6A power Penn awaits in Friday’s sectional bout pitting two of Northern Indiana’s top teams.

7. Carmel (6-3)

Last week: 7

Next game: Oct. 28 vs. No. 8 Westfield (6-3)

Ranking rationale: If not for a Week 8 stumble against Warren Central, the Greyhounds would be looking at a seven-game win streak. No. 7 meets No. 8 in a northside geographic rivalry that rivals the westside clash between Brownsburg and Ben Davis.

8. Westfield (6-3)

Last week: 8

Next game: Oct. 28 at No. 7 Carmel (6-3)

Ranking rationale: Since back-to-back losses to No. 1 HSE and No. 2 Brownsburg, the Shamrocks have won three straight to right the ship. A 28-17 win over No. 14 Fishers helped keep Westfield in the Top 10. A 5-mile trip to No. 7 Carmel is all that separates them from advancing in this week’s sectional.

9. Ben Davis (6-3)

Last week: 9

Next game: Oct. 28 vs. No. 2 Brownsburg (8-1)

Ranking rationale: The Giants are right where they want to be. After a 4-5 start last season, Ben Davis advanced to within a game of another appearance in the state finals. At 6-3 this year their only losses have come to Brownsburg, Center Grove and Carmel. This week’s sectional pairing with the Bulldogs will send a Top-10 team home.

10. Crown Point (9-0)

Last week: 10

Next game: Oct. 28 at Portage (2-7)

Ranking rationale: These high-scoring Bulldogs are untarnished, with a 40-point scoring average that rivals the state’s best teams. They coast into Friday’s sectional semi after a 38-3 win over Michigan City.

Vote now: Who should be SBLive's Indiana High School Athlete of the Week (Oct. 17-22)?

Vote for the Academy Sports + Outdoors Indiana high school play of the week (Oct. 20-22)

Top standouts, best performances in Week 10 of the Indiana high school football season

New Palestine survives tough test from Mount Vernon in Class 4A sectional showdown

11. Roncalli (9-1)

Last week: 11

Next game: Oct. 28 vs. Crispus Attucks (6-3)

Ranking rationale: The Royals coasted over Shortridge on Friday, earning a semifinal matchup next week against Crispus Attucks (6-3) which beat Indianapolis Washington 58-6. The Royals, East Central and New Palestine – three of the top 4A schools in the Power 25 – all reside on the same side of the state tournament bracket.

12. NorthWood (10-0)

Last week: 12

Next game: Oct. 28 at South Bend St. Joseph (4-6)

Ranking rationale: The good news for NorthWood as it advances to this week’s sectional semifinal is that it resides on the opposite side of the 4A bracket from New Pal, Roncalli and East Central. The Panthers rolled again last week in a 48-14 win over South Bend Washington.

13. East Central (St. Leon) (8-2)

Last week: 13

Next game: Oct. 28 vs. Silver Creek (5-5)

Ranking rationale: The Trojans blew past Edgewood 53-0 last week and could face Martinsville (8-3) or Bedford North Lawrence (7-4) in a sectional championship with another win on Friday.

14. Fishers (6-3)

Last week: 14

Next game: Oct. 28 at Fort Wayne Northrop (1-8)

Ranking rationale: The Tigers have fallen and risen again in recent weeks in the Power 25, but at this point in the season, rankings don’t matter. Fishers routed Zionsville two weeks ago and faces its first sectional bout on Friday.

15. Fort Wayne Snider (8-1)

Last week: 15

Next game: Oct. 28 at Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (6-3)

Ranking rationale: Snider has won seven consecutive games with four by shutout and none decided by fewer than four touchdowns. Included in their streak was a 28-0 win at Bishop Dwenger in Week 8. Snider travels to battle the Saints again in a sectional semi on Friday.

16. Evansville Reitz (10-0)

Last week: 16

Next game: Oct. 28 vs. Boonville (8-3)

Ranking rationale: The Panthers left nothing to chance last week, blowing past Evansville Central 49-0 to set up a semifinal matchup with Boonville. It’s a good paring this week, with the Pioneers finishing second to No. 22 Gibson Southern team in the Pocket Conference.

17. West Lafayette (10-0)

Last week: 17

Next game: Oct. 28 at Calumet New Tech (9-1)

Ranking rationale: Just as Evansville Reitz left nothing to chance at No. 16, neither did West Lafayette last week, besting Twin Lakes 50-7.

18. Whiteland (8-1)

Last week: 18

Next game: Oct. 28 vs. Terre Haute North (2-7)

Ranking rationale: The Warriors have regrouped since a 35-21 stumble at Martinsville in Week 6. Impressive wins over Mooresville, Plainfield and Greenwood secured their outright claim to the Mid-State Conference crown.

19. Penn (7-2)

Last week: 19

Next game: Oct. 28 vs. No. 6 Fort Wayne Carroll (9-0)

Ranking rationale: The 6A Kingsmen were 2-2 after losses to Indianapolis Cathedral and Cincinnati St. Xavier (Ohio), but since a 21-20 win over Elkhart, Penn has won four straight by a combined score of 138-10. Penn is a traditional power in the northern half of the state and it begins sectional play Friday with a tough draw against No. 6 Fort Wayne Carroll.

20. Merrillville (7-2)

Last week: 20

Next game: Oct. 28 vs. Munster (3-6)

Ranking rationale: Merrillville’s five-game win streak was snapped by Chesterton in its regular season finale. The Pirates need a shot of momentum to re-engage and advance in this week’s sectional round.

21. Mishawaka (8-1)

Last week: 21

Next game: Oct. 28 vs. South Bend Adams (1-8)

Ranking rationale: The Cavemen stayed steady in last week’s Power 25, rising one spot after tallying 54 points in their regular season finale.

22. Gibson Southern (10-0)

Last week: 22

Next game: Oct. 28 at Owen Valley (10-0)

Ranking rationale: The 3A powerhouse Titans have won 21 straight games and have their sights squarely upon another state championship. They draw another unbeaten team, Owen Valley (10-0) in this week’s semifinal round.

23. Bishop Chatard (6-4)

Last week: 23

Next game: Oct. 28 at Hamilton Heights (8-2)

Ranking rationale: The perennial contender Trojans meet the 8-2 Huskies this week. Chatard has gotten past the sectional semifinal in every season since 2015.

24. Lafayette Jeff (7-2)

Last week: 24

Next game: Oct. 28 vs. Lake Central (4-5)

Ranking rationale: The Bronchos have won 7 of 8 since a season-opening loss to No. 3 Cathedral, and a 32-30 win over No. 25 Kokomo vaulted Lafayette Jeff into the Power 25.

25. Kokomo (9-1)

Last week: 25

Next game: Oct. 28 at Western (6-4)

Ranking rationale: Possibly motivated by its narrow defeat against Lafayette Jeff, the Wildkats rolled up 70 points against Frankfort last week, the most points scored by a Kokomo team in over a decade (since September 2010). Kokomo draws Western (6-4) in this week’s sectional semi.

Other schools considered: Lutheran, Warren Central, Martinsville, Mooresville, Brebeuf Jesuit, Bloomington South, Lawrence Central

For live updates and complete statewide results, bookmark our Indiana high school football scoreboard: STATEWIDE INDIANA FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

You can also watch dozens of Indiana high school football games live on the NFHS Network: WATCH LIVE ON NFHS NETWORK

To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App