Week six sees two new teams enter South Bend Tribune high school football power rankings
Another week of high school football in Indiana is in the books.
The South Bend area saw few upsets in week six, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t some surprising results. Here is a look at the South Bend Tribune’s Indiana high school football power rankings heading into the final three weeks of the regular season.
H.S. football: Here are your Friday night scores
1. Penn Kingsmen (5-1, 2-0 NIC East-West)
Previous ranking: 1. Last week: def. Mishawaka Marian, 41-13. Week 7 opponent: home vs. South Bend St. Joseph
The Kingsmen had another workman-like performance this week, taking care of Marian on the road. Penn has allowed 13 points or fewer in four of its six games this year, while the offense is averaging 28.2 points per game.
In other Penn sports news: Daniels' 78 leads runaway Penn girls golf team to 15th regional title
2. Mishawaka Cavemen (5-1, 4-0 NLC)
Previous ranking: 2. Last week: def. Warsaw, 34-11. Week 7 opponent: at NorthWood.
In any other season, Mishawaka would probably be the top-ranked team in the power rankings after how they played against Warsaw. The Cavemen dominated the majority of the game, anchored by big plays from quarterback Brady Fisher and a stingy defense. Mishawaka gets another stiff test this week against a talented NorthWood team.
Mishawaka 34, Warsaw 11: Defense, big plays lift Mishawaka football to huge NLC win over Warsaw
3. New Prairie Cougars (5-1, 3-0 NIC East-West)
Previous ranking: 4. Last week: def. South Bend Adams, 49-0. Week 7 opponent: home vs. South Bend Riley.
The Cougars move up a spot after a comfortable win over Adams. It was the first shutout for New Prairie since the 2022 season opener, which was 19 games ago given the Cougars’ run to the Class 4A state title game last season.
4. Northridge Raiders (5-1, 3-1 NLC)
Previous ranking: 3. Last week: def. Wawasee, 14-7. Week 7 opponent: at Concord.
One of the more surprising scores of the week was Northridge only beating a struggling Wawasee by a touchdown. It’s still a win, though, and it keeps the Raiders in the NLC championship picture. Mishawaka will have to stumble somewhere for the Raiders to get back into the conference title mix.
History at Northridge: Raiders girls golf qualifies for state finals
5. South Bend Riley Wildcats (6-0, 3-0 NIC North-South)
Previous ranking: 5. Last week: def. South Bend Washington, 26-0. Week 7 opponent: at New Prairie.
Everything has been building to these next three weeks for Riley. It’s taken care of a favorable schedule so far, even if the first five games were all on the road. Now the Wildcats get to take on an impressive New Prairie team in one of the spotlight contests of the upcoming week.
6. NorthWood Panthers (4-2, 2-2 NLC)
Previous ranking: 7. Last week: def. Plymouth, 42-7. Week 7 opponent: home vs. Mishawaka.
NorthWood righted the ship this week after two straight losses. They’ll have a chance to play spoiler for Mishawaka’s outright NLC championship chances this week in a huge showdown in Nappanee.
7. LaVille Lancers (5-1, 4-1 Hoosier North)
Previous ranking: 6. Last week: lost to Knox, 21-13. Week 7 opponent: at Glenn.
LaVille had its first setback of the season against a good Knox team. The Lancers are still one of the better teams in Class 2A, as the 12 points per game they allow ranks third amongst teams in its Class. An interesting non-conference test awaits this week with a road trip to Walkerton.
Knox 21, LaVille 13: Run-happy Knox uses late sack to end LaVille’s comeback effort
8. Concord Minutemen (4-2, 2-2 NLC)
Previous ranking: 9. Last week: def. Goshen, 42-0. Week 7 opponent: home vs. Northridge.
Concord took care of a shorthanded RedHawks team this week. The Minutemen have one of the stingiest defenses in the state, allowing 11.8 points per game, ranking 20th overall in Indiana. They have won its last two games by a combined 94-0, giving them momentum heading into a showdown with Northridge.
9. John Glenn Falcons (4-2, 2-1 NIC North-South)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. Bremen, 42-0. Week 7 opponent: home vs. LaVille.
It wasn’t shocking to see Glenn defeat Bremen, given both teams entered with 3-2 records. But the way the Falcons defeated the Lions was the biggest surprise of the week, a 42-point rout on the road to keep their hopes of a division championship alive. It was the first time Glenn had beaten Bremen since 2019.
Glenn 42, Bremen 0: Falcons roll past Lions in high school football Friday night
10. Triton Trojans (4-2, 3-1 Hoosier North)
Previous ranking: NR. Last week: def. Pioneer, 27-16. Week 7 opponent: home vs. North Judson.
The Trojans make their first appearance all season in the power rankings after an impressive road victory over Pioneer. Triton’s two losses this season are by one possession, both coming against teams in the area's top 10 (22-16 to LaVille and 28-21 to Bremen). The Trojans get another tough conference test this week with the Bluejays coming to town.
From week five: Triton junior Dante Workman wins Tribune Football Player of the Week vote
Falling from rankings: Bremen (10th last week), South Bend Saint Joseph (8th last week).
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Week six sees two new teams enter South Bend Tribune high school football power rankings
