Week 2 high school football roundup: Valley’s big-play offense runs past Northfield

Smith, Hickle shine, but Caston falls to North Judson; Winamac hands short-handed Pioneer first Hoosier North loss

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Football

Tippecanoe Valley 44, Northfield 13 (Friday): Braden Shepherd caught a 54-yard touchdown pass from Jamasyn Virgil and ran 56 yards for a touchdown in the first half, and Nate Parker ran for 101 yards and a touchdown for the Class 3A, No. 17 Vikings in a win over Northfield at Smith-Bibler Memorial Field Home of Death Valley Football Friday.

Valley had 467 yards of offense and had four scoring plays at least 50 yards in length. They also had three different running backs with at least 80 yards rushing.

Valley also outrushed Northfield 337-128 and committed no turnovers in beating the Norsemen for the third straight year. The Vikings also improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2007.

Virgil had a 74-yard scoring run and Parker had a 58-yard scoring run in the third quarter.

Also, Branson McBrier threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Rex Kirchenstien, and Karl Parker had a 3-yard touchdown run.

Nate Parker ran for 101 yards, Virgil had 83 yards on Shepherd had 81 yards. Shepherd also had 65 yards on two punt returns.

Jayden Goshert had 61 yards on seven carries for Northfield.

Valley led 20-0 at halftime.

Valley 44, Northfield 13

Northfield 0 0 13 0 – 13

Valley 6 14 24 0 – 44

First quarter

TV – Braden Shepherd 54 pass from Jamasyn Virgil (run failed)

Second quarter

TV – Shepherd 56 run (pass failed)

TV – Rex Kirchenstien 21 pass from Branson McBrier (McBrier run)

Third quarter

TV – Virgil 74 run (Hunter Eherenman run)

NF – Eli Kroh 35 pass from Jake Halderman (Kroh kick)

TV – Nate Parker 58 run (Virgil run)

NF – Halderman 4 run (kick failed)

TV – Karl Parker 3 run (Karl Parker run)

Fourth quarter

(no scoring)

North Judson 42, Caston 12 (Friday): Grant Hickle ran 15 times for 81 yards and a touchdown, passed for 68 yards and also had a team-high 12 tackles and an interception on defense, but the Comets suffered a Hoosier North road loss to Class 1A, No. 11 North Judson Friday.

Sam Smith had a team-high 93 yards rushing and a touchdown on 16 carries. He also had nine tackles on defense.

Levi Martin, Josh Sullivan and Smith had one reception each. Martin’s catch went for 48 yards.

Landon Shafer also had nine tackles on defense.

Pete DuVall and Caydin Webb had seven tackles each.

Caston led 12-7 after one quarter before North Judson outscored Caston 35-0 over the final three quarters.

Caston is 0-9 against North Judson all-time and has not won a conference game since 2016.

North Judson 42, Caston 12

Caston 12 0 0 0 – 12

North Judson 7 8 20 7 – 42

Winamac 38, Pioneer 6 (Friday): Jaden Terry accounted for 156 yards of total offense and ran for a touchdown, and Hayden Clark, Russell Compton and Maddox Bucinski also had scoring runs for Class 1A, No. 10 Winamac as they handed Class 2A, No. 12 Pioneer their first Hoosier North loss ever at Roudebush Field Friday.

Xavier Holehan returned a fumble 10 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring.

Max Murray kicked a 27-yard field goal in the second quarter and also made all five of his extra-point tries. He is 10 for 10 on extra points this season.

Winamac had a 240-60 advantage in rushing yards.

Terry had five carries for 102 yards and three receptions for 54 yards.

Beau Mersch had a 13-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter for Pioneer, who fell to 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the Hoosier North. Pioneer had been 42-0 in conference play prior to Friday.

The loss was Pioneer’s first against Winamac since August 2014.

Winamac is 2-0, 2-0.

Winamac 38, Pioneer 6

Pioneer 0 0 0 6 – 6

Winamac 7 3 14 14 – 38

First quarter

WIN – Hayden Clark 4 run (Max Murray kick)

Second quarter

WIN – Murray 27 FG

Third quarter

WIN – Russell Compton 3 run (Murray kick)

WIN – Jaden Terry 39 run (Murray kick)