Week 8: Elder(3-4) vs. Indianapolis Roncalli (7-0)

ElderHSfan02

Well-known member
Consider this a MUST win. Roncalli is classified as a D2 team for harbin purposes. There are big harbin points up for grabs here to improve Elder's seed and get a home playoff game. 7-0 speaks for itself regardless of competition. It looks like Bishop Chatard has been their best win, 28-21 in week 3. This should be another great game. Elder has the home field and the advantage of not riding on a bus for 2 hours prior to the game. I think Elder jumps on them early and hangs on.

Elder 35
Roncalli 24
 
 
Roncalli offense will be very good. They return a 4 year starter at QB who has a few small D1 college offers. Looks like they return their entire starting offensive line from last year's Indiana 4A State Champion team.

Key returnees: RB Michael Gallagher, LB Tyson Garrett, WR Caden Gore, DB Michael Hegwood, QB Aidan Leffler, OL Justin Lewis, WR Kyle Lockard, OL Patrick Meek, OL Grant Ray, K Luke Russell and OL Sam Secrest; seniors; DB Andrew Baugh, OL Trevor Lauck, DL Brady Neu, Luke Skartvedt and DL Luke Swartz, juniors

Top newcomers: DL Joe Curd, DB Connor Mahin, DB Joey Milto and DB Andrew Stuck, seniors; RB Luke Hansen, WR Dylan Koglin and DL Nolan Tunny, juniors; RB Ben Brandenburg, sophomore

Outlook: Seven starters return on offense, including the versatile Leffler operating behind an offensive line never once accused of missing a meal. Left to right, Lauck, Ray, Secrest, (either) Lewis or Meek and Skartvedt average 6-foot-4 in height and 291 pounds. Ray checks in at 300 pounds, while Skartvedt and Meek are 303 and 346, respectively. Lauck and Secrest both stand 6-7.

 
I find it hilarious that Elder is sitting at 2-4 officially, since the week 3 contest didn't count, yet #7 in the Harbins for R4. This super-D1 that was created when they jumped from 6 to 7 divisions really has watered down what used to be an excellent region. Without doing the math, if Elder were to win this week against Roncalli, then beat either Football North or LaSalle, that should be enough to lock up a home game. Hopefully they can get enough points to crack the #6 spot.
 
I forget how many years John Rodenberg was at Moeller, but this is a big statement about his current offensive line.

“I’ve had some good offensive lines, but this may be the best one I’ve ever coached,” said Rodenberg, formerly the head coach at powerhouse Cincinnati Moeller. “These guys, they hang out together. They get along. We’re six deep right now, and it’s a group that’s really solid.”
 
I find it hilarious that Elder is sitting at 2-4 officially, since the week 3 contest didn't count, yet #7 in the Harbins for R4. This super-D1 that was created when they jumped from 6 to 7 divisions really has watered down what used to be an excellent region. Without doing the math, if Elder were to win this week against Roncalli, then beat either Football North or LaSalle, that should be enough to lock up a home game. Hopefully they can get enough points to crack the #6 spot.
I don't know if Elder can beat Roncalli, but I'm pretty confident that they will beat LaSalle. I predicted (before the Moeller game) that Elder would jump a lot in the Harbin rankings, after they beat Moeller-- so that's no surprise. Elder will be hosting a home playoff game to start the playoffs.

There really is only one team that Elder looks unlikely to beat in this playoff region-- and, if the breaks fall Elder's way, they won't meet that team till the final of the regional.
 
I don't know if Elder can beat Roncalli, but I'm pretty confident that they will beat LaSalle. I predicted (before the Moeller game) that Elder would jump a lot in the Harbin rankings, after they beat Moeller-- so that's no surprise. Elder will be hosting a home playoff game to start the playoffs.

There really is only one team that Elder looks unlikely to beat in this playoff region-- and, if the breaks fall Elder's way, they won't meet that team till the final of the regional.
This seems to be one of the most talented Indy teams not named Cathedral, that Elder has played so I'm certainly not guaranteeing victory but at the same time, Elder has fared well against Roncalli, Chatard and even Cathedral historically.

I think Elder is a slight favorite against LaSalle, but it's over there and in recent years Elder has not played well at Lancer Stadium. They've actually played better at X, than they have at LaSalle recently.
 
Roncalli is a really good team. I don’t think they’re on the level of Cathedral, but they’re just a notch below them.
 
I forget how many years John Rodenberg was at Moeller, but this is a big statement about his current offensive line.

“I’ve had some good offensive lines, but this may be the best one I’ve ever coached,” said Rodenberg, formerly the head coach at powerhouse Cincinnati Moeller. “These guys, they hang out together. They get along. We’re six deep right now, and it’s a group that’s really solid.”
It’s also not true. First off, he’s not going to pump up his current OL by saying “they’re the 3rd best OL I’ve ever coached.” Secondly, he didn’t exactly leave Moeller on good terms. I don’t think he’d bash Moeller, but I also don’t think he’s going to go out of his way to talk about them in a positive light.
 
It’s also not true. First off, he’s not going to pump up his current OL by saying “they’re the 3rd best OL I’ve ever coached.” Secondly, he didn’t exactly leave Moeller on good terms. I don’t think he’d bash Moeller, but I also don’t think he’s going to go out of his way to talk about them in a positive light.
? Correct. Rody was at Moe for 10 years going 80-41 as HC. If it had been up to him, he would have stayed. But it wasn’t.
I almost wonder if that quote by Rody is in fact a dig at Moe as he gets ready to play Elder, one week after they beat Moe.
 
The offense needs to pickup right where they left off. Keep throwing the ball to #16 Harp. The kid catches everything. Keep throwing him the ball until they stop double and triple teaming Ramsey.
 
The offense needs to pickup right where they left off. Keep throwing the ball to #16 Harp. The kid catches everything. Keep throwing him the ball until they stop double and triple teaming Ramsey.

Yes, they do, but you can't expect the offense to score 50+ every week. The defense has to rebound from the last 2 weeks. They are BETTER than what they have displayed lately. They have another big challenge going up against Roncalli's huge offensive line and 4 year starter at QB who has D1 offers. The defense has to step up this week.

While Roncalli has a very good QB, they are still traditionally more of a running team. I think they will try to run the ball, and I heard they are known to be weak against the pass on defense.
 
He has 1 fumble and it happened in this game. And he had 4 total catches before this game. They need to get him involved. The poor OL play doesn’t help, but I don’t think we can point to fumbling as the issue…
 
Roncalli by 10. Elder in a tough spot this yr. They are better than most Teams around here but just not on the same level this yr as X,I’s, Indy Cathedral,Roncalli last weeks version of Trinity. I think this Elder Team can host and win a Playoff game but that maybe as far as they go.
 
Consider this a MUST win. Roncalli is classified as a D2 team for harbin purposes. There are big harbin points up for grabs here to improve Elder's seed and get a home playoff game.
If Elder is able to win this week, it would be one of the biggest Harbin wins available to any team in R4 the rest of the season. I think exceeded only by Moeller's opportunity against St. Edward, the winner of the Lakota East vs. Lakota West game in week 10, and if Colerain can upset either Princeton or Lakota West. I'm a little rusty on my Harbin math, but it looks like if Moeller wins out they'd have a chance to finish #1 in region 4.
 
If Elder is able to win this week, it would be one of the biggest Harbin wins available to any team in R4 the rest of the season. I think exceeded only by Moeller's opportunity against St. Edward, the winner of the Lakota East vs. Lakota West game in week 10, and if Colerain can upset either Princeton or Lakota West. I'm a little rusty on my Harbin math, but it looks like if Moeller wins out they'd have a chance to finish #1 in region 4.
A huge "If"-- Moeller will be lucky to avoid a running clock against Ed.
 
If Elder is able to win this week, it would be one of the biggest Harbin wins available to any team in R4 the rest of the season. I think exceeded only by Moeller's opportunity against St. Edward, the winner of the Lakota East vs. Lakota West game in week 10, and if Colerain can upset either Princeton or Lakota West. I'm a little rusty on my Harbin math, but it looks like if Moeller wins out they'd have a chance to finish #1 in region 4.
IF Elder were to beat Roncalli and Roncalli were to win out, and Elder's Level 2 divisor stays at 85. Roncalli would give Elder 6.952941 Harbin Points.

IF Moeller beats Eds and Eds won out and Moeller's Level 2 divisor stays at 96 Moeller would get 5.49375 points.
 
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Regardless of the type of Offense, I can almost guarantee Roncali is going to run some misdirection plays whether they’re Reverses, Counters, or throwback screens. Elder’s D is going to have to learn to contain the weakside on plays. They got caught multiple times out of position in the Moeller game. I knew that screen to Marshall was going for a TD as soon as I saw the play develop, there was no Elder Defender anywhere near the play.
 
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Regardless of the type of Offense, I can almost guarantee Roncali is going to run some misdirection plays whether they’re Reverses, Counters, or throwback screens. Elder’s D is going to have to learn to contain the weakside on plays. They got caught multiple times out of position in the Moeller game. I knew that screen to Marshall was going for a TD as soon as I saw the play develop, there was no Elder Defender anywhere near the play.

From what I saw, they are out of shotgun every play like Elder with one back lined up behind QB usually. It looks like a pistol offense. They are a run first team behind their big offensive line, but their QB has small D1 offers and can pass very effectively.
 
From what I saw, they are out of shotgun every play like Elder with one back lined up behind QB usually. It looks like a pistol offense. They are a run first team behind their big offensive line, but their QB has small D1 offers and can pass very effectively.

Im willing to bet they don’t have game breakers like Bryant or Marshall at the skill positions.
 
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