Fishers and Hamilton Southeastern both opened Hoosier Crossroads Conference play Friday night, and both came away disappointed.
At Fishers, the Tigers played their most competitive game of the young season but lost to Noblesville 21-19. The two-point margin was a marked improvement for a team that had been shut out in each of its first two games, falling 47-0 at Carmel on Aug. 21 and 48-0 at home to Lawrence North on Aug. 28.
The loss dropped Curt Funk’s Tigers to 0-3 overall and 0-1 in the HCC. Noblesville improved to 2-1 and will host Westfield next week.
Nineteen points is a season high for Fishers, which had not reached the end zone before Friday. Whether that offensive progress carries forward will matter quickly, because the schedule does not ease up.
Hamilton Southeastern, meanwhile, traveled to Avon and ran into an unbeaten Orioles team. Avon won 28-7, handing the Royals their second loss in three games.
Coach Michael Kelly’s team fell to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in conference play. The Royals opened the season with a 54-23 loss at Carroll of Fort Wayne, then rebounded with a 30-14 home win over Indianapolis North Central on Aug. 28. Avon moved to 3-0.
The Orioles have been among the stronger teams in the conference in recent seasons, and Friday’s result continued that trend.
Both Fishers schools now turn their attention to the game that draws the largest local crowd of the regular season. Hamilton Southeastern hosts Fishers on Friday, Sept. 11, in the Mudsock football rivalry, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
The Mudsock game has become one of the marquee nights on the Hamilton County sports calendar, and this year’s edition carries the usual weight for both programs regardless of records. For Fishers, it represents a chance to end a three-game skid against a rival. For Hamilton Southeastern, it is an opportunity to get back to .500 before a stretch of conference games against Westfield, Zionsville and Noblesville.
Both teams enter the rivalry week looking for answers on defense. Fishers has allowed 116 points in three games. Hamilton Southeastern has given up 96.