TERRE HAUTE —
When Terre Haute North and Terre Haute South went into overtime tied 7-7 last Aug. 27, it was one of the lowest scores in the 47-game series between the two high school football teams. Only in 2001, when South won 7-6, and in the fifth game of the series back in 1975, when the Braves prevailed 10-0, had fewer points been scored in regulation time.
“Both teams were not converting on offense,” said North senior Brother Scank this week in recalling the 2011 game. “We know we have to finish more this year.”
Tonight when the two teams get together at 7 o’clock at Memorial Stadium, both teams may be finishing better, and that storyline may not repeat itself. A pair of lineups studded with Division I recruits, in fact, would seem ready to threaten the series’ all-time points record of 62 set in 1998, when South won 35-27. That record almost fell three years ago, until a late fumble recovery by freshman linebacker Lee Davis stopped a late South drive and preserved a 30-28 win for the Patriots.
So what kind of game can fans expect to see tonight? Asked that question, coach Mark Raetz of South just shook his head this week.
“It’s hard to predict,” he said. “Whatever I’d say, [the game] would be just the opposite.”
Coach Chris Barrett of North gave a little bit more of a hint when asked the same question.
“We’re going to have to score a lot of points to win,” he predicted. “I can see a very high-tempo game, and that could lead to the prospect of a lot of touchdowns.”
Four of the captains of the two teams — two of them defensive players, one an offensive player, one who goes both ways — were asked the same thing. And, like Billy Martin in the old beer commercial, they feel very strongly both ways.
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“I think it will be a high-scoring game,” predicted Scank, a running back. “[The Braves] have that passing game, and they’ll make big plays, but we’re going to make big plays too. We’ve got lots of weapons.”
His teammate, linebacker Vasco Billberry, begged to differ.
“[The Braves] have a good quarterback [in Purdue recruit Danny Etling] and good depth of running backs,” Billberry said, “but I think our defense will do really good this year.”
“I feel like our offense will be a fast-paced team,” said Brandon Russell-Cherry, who plays both offensive guard and defensive tackle for South. “We had a couple mistakes [last week on offense], but we can fix them easy.”
“If we play like we can play,” countered South linebacker Derik Whalen, “it will be low-scoring [tonight] … but if we make [defensive] mistakes like last week, it will be high-scoring.”
South won a 34-24 game last week, North lost a 35-24 decision. That’s a combined 58 offensive points, and just the elimination of turnovers — the Braves had four last week, the Patriots five — would seemingly have added another touchdown or two.
The 59 points allowed by the two defenses come with an asterisk too, though. Those North turnovers put the Patriot defense in bad spots all evening at Castle, and the South defense had taken over its game at Indian Creek until some untimely penalties and a blocked kick restored momentum to the home team.
“Last week [Castle] was inside the 20[-yard line] the whole first half,” Billberry noted, “but we held them to three points in the second half, and they had to punt three or four times.”
“We were flat [during the Indian Creek comeback]. We got comfortable with where we were,” said Whalen, who had a trio of quarterback sacks, “but we picked it back up [to win the game].”
Both teams will probably play better defensively tonight than they did a week ago — history suggests the emotions involved bring out the best in defensive units — but both can also play better offensively. Besides the elimination of turnovers, South can be steadier this week — although some big plays from Etling to Tyler Seibert made the Braves’ yardage figures impressive — and the Patriots are expected to have Scank back in the lineup.
“They actually did good [without me],” Scank said of North’s running game last week. “Kai [Stratten] did his job [in Scank’s spot] … and I hope this week we’re a little better.”
“Kai Stratten and Ricky Brookins can be tough, and Brother too,” said Russell-Cherry in preparing for the North offense. “And they can throw the ball.”
“I don’t play offense,” said Billberry when asked about his teammates on that side of the ball, “but I have great belief in them.”
Although he won’t have to play against it, Whalen expressed respect for North’s defense too.
“They’ll be a tough team,” he predicted, “They’ve got Lee Davis, [Western Michigan recruit] Austin Lewis, [Ball State recruit] Calvin Blank …”
“They’re pretty solid,” Russell-Cherry said of the North defenders, “but this could be a tough game for them.”
“I think [North’s defense is] going to show up and play well,” Scank predicted. “Get some turnovers, make big plays, get the offense the ball back.”
But the Braves are a big challenge, Scank added.
“They have a lot of people coming back [from last year],” he said. “It’s the same as every year.”
“Same as every year” is not a bad thing, from a fan’s perspective. With that 30-28 game in 2009 followed by back-to-back overtime games — North a 22-21 winner in 2010, South prevailing 14-7 last year — tonight’s game figures to be close, whether its score is high or low.
Unless, as Raetz indicated, you can’t predict that either.
High School
Related Photos
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Xs and Os-Ready to Rumble: Terre Haute North's Vasco Billberry and Brother Scank and their Patriot teammates will face Terre Haute South's Brandon Russell-Cherry and Derik Whalen and their Brave teammates at Memorial Stadium tonight in the annual North-South showdown.
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Xs and Os-Ready to Rumble: Terre Haute North's Vasco Billberry and Brother Scank and their Patriot teammates will face Terre Haute South's Brandon Russell-Cherry and Derik Whalen and their Brave teammates at Memorial Stadium tonight in the annual North-South showdown.
Discussion
Potential shootout? North-South could end recent history of low-scoring games
- High School
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Olds pitches South to share of MIC baseball title
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Damon Olds was dominant on the mound for the Braves, striking out 14 and walking just one while pitching a three-hit shutout. -
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The second game, which started after Senior Night festivities between games, ended past the Tribune-Star deadline. -
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Brandon Behringer went 2 for 4 with two RBI for the Vikings, who secured second place in the Western Indiana Conference.
Kaden Lawson had double for South Vermillion (15-7), which finished 4-2 in the WIC. -
Seibert returns from injury to win three events as Braves win sectional crown
His baseball equivalent might be Rick Sutcliffe of the 1984 Chicago Cubs.
When Tyler Seibert returned to the Terre Haute South track and field lineup Thursday for sectional action at Terre Haute North, it was like the midseason trade the Cubs made for Sutcliffe that earned them a playoff spot. -
South switches up lineup to defeat North in tennis sectional
Terre Haute South coach Bill Blankenbaker said two weeks ago that he would change the Braves’ lineup after the 3-2 dual-meet loss to Terre Haute North.
The Patriots knew it was coming, but they couldn’t do anything to stop it. -
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North, South to meet in first round of baseball sectional
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Jacy McClain and Bailee Waters had RBI singles in the fourth inning to break the game open for the Vikings. -
Track sectional titles on the line
Expect one heck of a high school dual track meet Thursday night when Wabash Valley boys visit Terre Haute North for sectional action.
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Prep report: Patriots, Braves favored to advance from tennis sectional 1st round
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Local ADs happy to see spring come to a close
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South baseball remains in first-place tie with Center Grove
Heading into Saturday’s Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference baseball doubleheader against Center Grove, coach Kyle Kraemer of Terre Haute South wasn’t completely optimistic.
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Kehrt Award goes to Emily Bell, Lee Davis
Emily Bell of Terre Haute South and Lee Davis of Terre Haute North are the 2013 recipients of the Willard M. Kehrt Mental Attitude Award.
Bell and Davis were nominated by their schools and chosen in a vote by the Kehrt Award panel. Both will be recognized at awards assemblies later in the month at the schools.
Bell played varsity basketball four years at South and is competing in track this season, running the 800 and two relays. “I wanted something to do my senior year,” Bell said.
She plans to attend DePauw University and play basketball. DePauw is the reigning NCAA Division III champ in women's basketball.
Bell tore an AÇL playing in a basketball tournament the summer after her sophomore season. She missed most of her junior season but came back to play her senior year and was second leading scorer and leading rebounder her final season.
Bell also was leading rebounder her sophomore year. -
South softball's power display earns Braves share of MIC
The fun that the Terre Haute South high school softball team had Saturday — including those five home runs — was all the result of the hard work the Braves had put in before the game, coach Dwayne Stout said after the game.
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Pirtle takes medalist, leads Sullivan to WIC title
Sullivan took team and individual honors in the Western Indiana Conference boys high school golf championships played Saturday at Idle Creek.
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Prep roundup: Patriots drop doubleheader to Carmel baseball
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Timely hits: After slow start, Terre Haute North rallies to beat Mooresville
No-hit through three innings, Terre Haute North’s bats came alive — especially Sam Wolf’s — just in time to rally for a 4-2 home victory over Mooresville in high school baseball Friday evening at Jennings Field.
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Linton’s Weber to coach at BNL
Bedford North Lawrence High School has announced that Steve Weber will be the Stars’ head coach for the 2013 season.
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Freshman group adds to Big Four teams' baseball tradition
The Terre Haute North-Terre Haute South high school baseball series wasn’t an inning old last week before T.J. Collett of the Patriots lashed a run-scoring single.
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North tied the score in the bottom of the second inning, Collett driving in another run. And just before rain caused the game to be suspended, South called Logan Ames in from its bullpen for some solid pitching.
Not bad for a trio of freshmen. And the weekend hadn’t even started yet. -
Pairings drawn for high school softball sectionals
The IHSAA announced Thursday its pairings for the 2013 sectional softball tournament slated for May 20-25.
Regionals will take place May 28. -
North boys make it three consecutive Vigo County golf titles
Terre Haute North made it three in a row in Vigo County boys high school golf championship action Wednesday at Hulman Links.
The Patriots shot 161 to edge Terre Haute South with 165. West Vigo carded 222. -
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Thompson going into Indiana High School Football Hall of Fame
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