Week 1 preview: Culver seeks to end skid against North Judson

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

North Judson at Culver, 7:30 p.m. (RTCtv4)

https://team1sports.com/CulverTV/?B=280278

Culver coach Mike Zehner said the best thing about last week’s scrimmage against North Miami was that he was able to get his veteran roster a lot of reps. Of the 32 players listed on the roster, 23 are juniors or seniors.

Zehner said that the line looked good both offensively and defensively.

“We came off the football well,” Zehner said. “I thought our backs ran hard and blocked for each other. … We didn’t have a turnover on offense and caused five on defense.”

Zehner credited assistant coach Adam Neace for his work with the defensive backs, and Zehner also complimented linebackers Alex Zehner, Shane Shuman and Devin Burkett.

“I think we’ve got more depth this year on both sides of the football where it might allow us to have, like, a Hunter Evans really get a break and be fresh on defense and not play as much offense or whatever it might be,” Zehner said.

The Cavaliers have lost their last five meetings against North Judson, including losses in both the 2019 and 2020 sectionals.

“Anytime you’ve got one of the best running backs in the conference in the Cheyenne Allen kid, anything can be explosive,” coach Zehner said. “That kid’s a special kid. … He’s a kif they want to get the football to, and they’re going to find ways to do that.”

North Judson went 9-3 last year. Their season ended with a 14-8 loss to Winamac in the Class 1A, Sectional 41 final.