Week 3 preview: Culver to play rival Knox for final time

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Knox (2-0, 1-0 Hoosier North) at Culver (0-2, 0-1), 7:30 p.m.

Culver was within 28-22 at halftime of their game against South Central last week, but they did not score again and lost 44-22 even though both Jack Rodgers and Ethan Binion had over 100 yards rushing.

What made Rodgers’ performance even more impressive was that he did not play in the second half due to severe cramping on a humid night in LaPorte County.

“We lost two skill players-linebackers for us,” Culver coach Austin Foust said. “Lost one in the first half (Brady Kindernay), and we don’t really have much depth at those positions, so that obviously hurt. … We were kind of a hodgepodge team in the second half as far as different guys at different skill positions. We had our backup quarterback Hayden Parker playing tight end. We had Isaiah Gonzalez, a freshman, that was playing both ways for us, and he went in the game just as a special teams player at the start, so I think it was more that than anything.

“Just kind of some bad luck, and we weren’t able to get off the field as many times as we needed to and just couldn’t put points on the board offensively in the second half.”

Culver will host a Knox team that won its Class 3A sectional last year.

Knox has opened with wins over Winamac and Maconaquah and is averaging 44 points per game. Rowen Jordan has taken over for the graduated Cohen Watson at quarterback, and he has two speedy running backs to whom he gives the ball in junior Jake Conroy and sophomore Myles McLaughlin.

“It’s kind of the same stuff, just insert him,” Foust said of Jordan. “He’s really, honestly, just a third running back back there and just makes them that much more dangerous. They haven’t had to pass the ball a lot the first two games. Really the only time we’ve seen them pass is right before the half. Again, when you’re trying to load the box and stop the run, he’s capable enough to hit a wide open receiver.”

This is the final scheduled meeting between Culver and Knox. They shared the Northern State and Hoosier North conferences with each other, but Knox is leaving for a new conference in 2024. Culver lost to Knox 59-14 last year and has not beaten Knox since 2012.

“This is one that I think our kids like playing Knox,” Foust said. “I think they enjoy it. Obviously, there is a lot of familiarity because a lot of our kids and a lot of their kids go to the same vocationals, whether they come here for building trades or we go to Knox for the various programs that they offer. So a lot of familiarity, and I think this is rivalry that has lasted a long time, but for Knox, there are new and exciting things for them, and for us, the same thing as well. New schools are coming to the conference, and the ability to play new people, I think our kids will enjoy that next year.

“Obviously, everybody likes new and shiny stuff.”