It will be an efficient, high-powered North Montgomery offense going against an aggressive, stingy Bishop Chatard defense in today's 7 p.m. high school football regional showdown between the Class 3A powers.
Third-ranked North Montgomery (12-0) will travel to Broad Ripple High School to face the top-ranked Trojans (10-1) in the teams' first meeting since 1996.
North Montgomery averages nearly 40 points per game, but the Chargers have yet to face a defense as dominant as Chatard's. The Trojans yield an average of 8.4 points per contest and have held eight of their 11 opponents to 10 or fewer points. No team has scored more than 15 against the Trojans.
"Defensively, they are a sound, well-disciplined, aggressive unit that has limited its opponents to few yards and even fewer points," Chargers coach Charley German said in an e-mail interview.
The swarming Chatard defense will have to deal with Chargers quarterback Clayton Dale, who leads a potent offense that features a three-pronged rushing attack and two dangerous receivers.
"As it is with any playoff game, I think defensively the most important thing is to do a good job of tackling," said Chatard coach Vince Lorenzano. "(You can't get) too complicated with things. We've got to first tackle and don't give up any big plays, and make sure if there are any loose balls that we get on top of those."
Conversely, the North Montgomery defense must find a way to slow Chatard tailback Ari Pappas, who has amassed nine touchdowns and nearly 500 yards on the ground over the past three games.
Senior quarterback Steve Commiskey also has picked the right time to get hot, with his first back-to-back 100-yard passing games coming in the tournament.
TONIGHT'S MATCHUPS
NORTH MONTGOMERY (12-0) vs. BISHOP CHATARD (10-1) AT BROAD RIPPLE
When: 7 p.m. today.
Last 10 years: North Montgomery leads 2-0.
Last meeting: 1996, North Montgomery 41-13.
North Montgomery's key players: QB Clayton Dale (2,034 passing yards, 20 TDs, 10 INT; 202 rushing yards, 10 TDs), RB/LB Isaac McGaughey (914 yards, 14 TDs; 185 tackles, 7 sacks, 3 INTs, 1 TD), RB Ethan Carpenter (751 yards, 11 TDs).
Bishop Chatard's key players: RB Ari Pappas (1,287 yards, 17 TDs), RB Drew McDonald (680 yards, 9 TDs), LB Dan Hurrle (70 tackles, 10 for losses, 6 sacks, 3 blocked punts, 1 INT), DB Bobby Akin (45 tackles, 5 for losses, 8 pass breakups, 4 INT, 1 blocked punt), DL Ralph Purcell (42 tackles, 4 for losses, 11 sacks).
Nat-strodamus says: North Montgomery has had a great season, but it does not match up well with Chatard. North Montgomery can put points on the board (39.0 per game, 20th in the state) but hasn't shut down the better teams. It hasn't seen a defense like the Trojans' and it'll take a superior defense to stop Ari Pappas. Bishop Chatard 28, North Montgomery 7.