Carmel Dominates Carroll 38-7 to Advance in Indiana High School Football Playoffs

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The Carmel Greyhounds made the trip to Fort Wayne and delivered a dominant performance, rolling past the Carroll Chargers 38-7 to advance in the Indiana high school football playoffs.

Carroll struck first, finding the end zone on a deep third-down pass to the left side of the end zone for an early 7-0 advantage. Carmel answered with a touchdown drive of its own to even the score at 7-7 before the end of the first quarter, setting the stage for the Greyhounds to take control.

Carmel seized its first lead at 14-7 with 6:59 remaining in the first half, punching the ball into the end zone from the 5-yard line. The Greyhounds then capitalized on a Carroll interception to add a field goal and push the advantage to 17-7. Carmel wasn't finished, however, scoring again with just seven seconds left before halftime to take a commanding 24-7 lead into the break.

The Greyhounds continued to pull away in the second half, adding another touchdown in the third quarter to make it 31-7 before putting the finishing touches on the 38-7 victory late in the fourth. Carroll struggled to find its footing after taking its only lead of the game on that early touchdown, while Carmel took advantage of key mistakes and controlled the game down the stretch to advance to Indiana's Class 6A semifinals.

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FINAL — Carmel 38, Carroll 7

And this one's in the books. Carmel comes to Fort Wayne and wins in a rout.

Under a minute to play.

Carmel 38, Carroll 7

Carroll wasn't able to finish the drive, and Carmel answers with the final dagger in this one.

Carmel wasn't unable to finish the drive, and now Carroll has the ball in Carmel territory. But with under five to play, they would need a miracle.

Carmel on the move in Carroll territory, looking to slam the door shut on the Chargers.

They head to the fourth quarter in Fort Wayne.

End of Third Quarter — Carmel 31, Carroll 7

Carroll unable to convert on fourth down, and Carmel closing in on yet another victory here in the postseason. They're a little over 12 minutes away.

Inside a minute to play in the third period.

Carmel 31, Carroll 7

Carmel extends its lead in this one. Under five to play, and the Greyhounds are up big.

Carmel forces the punt.

Carmel unable to finish the drive, and Carroll takes over deep in its own territory, desperately needing to cut into this Greyhounds' lead.

Greyhounds into the red zone at the 19. Looking to start putting this one away early in the second half.

Carmel on offense.

Third quarter about to get under way.

Halftime — Carmel 24, Carroll 7

And that's your first half with Carmel really pouring it on late in the first half to capitalize on some uncharacteristic Carroll mistakes.

Carmel 24, Carroll 7

With just seven seconds to play, the Greyhounds extend their lead, and the Chargers are going to head to the lockers in a real bind there in Fort Wayne.

Inside a minute to play, Carmel is on the move again with a first down at Carroll's 35.

Carmel 17, Carroll 7

After an interception near midfield, Carmel drives into position and adds to its lead with a field goal.

About five to play before the half.

Carmel 14, Carroll 7

And Carmel punches it across! The Greyhounds have their first lead of the game with 6:59 to play before the half.

Carmel at Carroll's 5-yard line.

The Chargers are unable to do any damage, and Carmel is back on offense.

End of the First Quarter — Carmel 7, Carroll 7

Carmel forces a turnover to stop the threat, but then the Greyhounds are forced to punt back to the Chargers.

Carroll with a first down at the Greyhounds' 19.

Carroll back on the move at Carmel's 35.

Carmel 7, Carroll 7

Carmel finishes the drive to even things up in Fort Wayne.

Carmel quickly into Carroll territory.

Carroll 7, Carmel 0

After a change of possessions, Carroll is back on offense. On a third and 13 they strike from deep on a pass to the left edge of the end zone to take the early lead.

Carroll on offense first.

They are under way!

The coin toss is complete.

AccuWeather says it's 39 degrees in Fort Wayne as they get ready for kickoff.

They're getting close to kickoff in Fort Wayne.

Preview

Who: Carmel at Carroll
When: 7:30 p.m. EST local
Where: Carroll High School, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Stream: IHSAATV.org

Two of Indiana's most intriguing Class 6A football programs meet Friday night when the Carroll Chargers host the Carmel Greyhounds in an IHSAA regional championship showdown.

Carroll enters the contest with a 10-1 record, while Carmel comes in at 7-4 after surviving a pair of challenging sectional matchups. The winner advances to next week's semifinal round, moving one step closer to a potential appearance in the state championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Chargers have been one of the most productive offensive teams in Indiana this season, averaging 45.1 points per game. They also average more than 417 yards of total offense, giving them plenty of ways to put pressure on opposing defenses.

Quarterback Gabe Frisinger has been a major part of that success, but one of Carroll's biggest weapons is senior wide receiver Harrison Scheele. Scheele has accumulated 84 receptions for 1,231 yards and 18 touchdowns, establishing himself as one of the state's most dangerous receiving threats.

Carmel will have to find a way to limit Scheele's opportunities while keeping Frisinger from getting comfortable in the pocket. Senior Eli Neuhouser is another player the Greyhounds must account for. The versatile tight end and linebacker has contributed 61 receptions for 654 yards and four touchdowns while also leading Carroll defensively in several categories.

Carmel, meanwhile, arrives with plenty of momentum after winning its last three games. The Greyhounds opened sectional play with a dramatic 48-45 victory over Westfield before edging Hamilton Southeastern 17-14 in the championship game.

Running back and all-around playmaker Mychael Lewis has been instrumental in Carmel's success. The junior has rushed for 1,355 yards and 16 touchdowns while providing another option in the passing game.

Defensively, linebacker Drew Jones will be an important figure for the Greyhounds. He leads Carmel with nine tackles for loss and five sacks, and his ability to disrupt Frisinger could be critical.

Carroll has the advantage in overall record and offensive production, but Carmel's experience against some of Indiana's toughest competition should make this a compelling regional championship matchup.

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