by
Richie Hall
Sports Editor
Hamilton County Reporter
When the 2018 high school football season begins in mid-August, fans of the Hoosier Crossroads Conference teams will see a new opponent on the schedules.
Franklin Central joins the HCC this fall, making the league an eight-team conference once more. With the addition of the Flashes, a conference that has become one of the tougher leagues in Indiana will get even tougher.
While Franklin Central had several years of struggles, the Flashes have turned things around, compiling an 8-2 record last season and winning the championship in their finale of participating in Conference Indiana.
The addition of Franklin Central means changes for the other HCC schools’ schedules, although none of those changes will be dramatic. In fact, the conference lineup for the four Hamilton County football teams will remain the same as last season.
Fishers will play at the Flashes’ field in Week 7, but otherwise the Tigers’ schedule stays the same. Fishers had hosted different opponents that week in the past two seasons, welcoming Arsenal Tech in 2014, Cathedral in 2015-16 and Roncalli last year.
Hamilton Southeastern has a trip to Franklin Central scheduled for Week 8. The Royals have a change for the season’s first game: Southeastern will open its season at Lucas Oil Stadium, taking on Lawrence Central. The Royals played Kokomo in their opener last year, and Carmel in the previous three years.
Noblesville will play the Flashes in Week 6, replacing Hamilton Heights. The Millers will also be opening their season at Lucas Oil, taking on Cathedral. This ends a four-season series with Lawrence North.
Westfield will finish its season with Franklin Central, hosting the Flashes at Riverview Health Stadium. The Shamrocks will thus end a three-season series with Brebeuf Jesuit. Also ending is a four-season series with Southport in Week 2. This year, Westfield will host Decatur Central that week.
As for the other Hamilton County schools…
Hamilton Heights, has by far the most changes of any school. The only game on its schedule that is the same for the Huskies is its opener: Mount Vernon.
Kokomo is out from Heights’ Week 2 slot, replaced with North Montgomery. The Huskies also replaced Noblesville with West Lafayette, and moved that non-conference opening from Week 6 to Week 3. After that, it’s all Hoosier Conference East Division games for Heights.
Northwestern moves up a week to Week 4, while Western goes from Week 8 to Week 5. Twin Lakes is pushed up a week to Week 6, and Tipton and Western both move back three weeks to Week 7 and Week 8, respectively. The Huskies will play a team from the conference’s West Division in Week 9 to determine placing in the league.
Guerin Catholic will have a few changes this season. The Golden Eagles replaced Martinsville with McCutcheon in Week 1. Guerin will now play Columbus North in Week 5, ending a four-year series with now-closed Broad Ripple.
The Golden Eagles’ game with Brebeuf Jesuit has been moved back a week, from Week 7 to Week 8 and replaces Bowman Academy. Guerin Catholic will travel to Pontiac, Mich. in Week 7 this year to play Pontiac Notre Dame.
Sheridan’s schedule is mostly the same, with two late-season changes. The Blackhawks replaced Tipton with Seeger in Week 7, and South Decatur with Heritage Christian in Week 9.
Carmel will keep its schedule exactly the same as last year. The Greyhounds will host Louisville Trinity in their opener, then play at Noblesville in Week 2 before diving into Metropolitan Conference play.
Here’s a list of the 2018 HSE & Fishers football schedules, courtesy John Harrell’s website:
FISHERS
Aug. 17: at North Central
Aug. 24: Pike
Aug. 31: Noblesville
Sept. 7: at Hamilton Southeastern
Sept. 14: Brownsburg
Sept. 21: at Avon
Sept. 28: at Franklin Central
Oct. 5: Westfield
Oct. 12: at Zionsville
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN
Aug. 17: Lawrence Central at Lucas Oil Stadium
Aug. 24: North Central
Aug. 31: at Avon
Sept. 7: Fishers
Sept. 14: at Westfield
Sept. 21: Zionsville
Sept. 28: at Noblesville
Oct. 5: at Franklin Central
Oct. 12: Brownsburg