Instead of the usual Friday night football game at Murray Stadium, the football team is scheduled to play tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts. The game at Lucas Oil Stadium has become a Carmel tradition, widely anticipated by students and alumni each year.  This year, the stakes are even higher, as the CHS team will be playing the Lawrence Central Bears, the defending Class 5A football state champions and the only Indiana team ranked in this year’s USA Today’s preseason Top 25.  The game will be a battle for supremacy between the last two 5A State champions—Carmel brought home the trophy in 2011. Tomorrow will also be the first time that Carmel and Lawrence Central play one another in the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference (MIC) tournament. Lawrence Central is a new addition to the conference this year.

“Because this is our first time playing Lawrence Central in the MIC, we want to show them that it isn’t going to be easy,” John Hebert, defensive coordinator and assistant coach said. The IHSAA created the classification of 6A this past off-season, forming a group of the thirty-two largest schools in the state of Indiana. The two teams are new league opponents and are both fighting for the first Class 6A state trophy.

In preparation for the game, members of the team are working diligently on their mental and physical readiness.

“We prepare the same way and a lot each week so that by the time Friday comes, the players will know– exactly what to expect,” Hebert said.

Austin Roberts, wide receiver and senior, said the team works extremely hard to mentally and physically prepare each week. Yet, Roberts said, “In the back of everyone’s minds,” Roberts said, “this game is definitely one of the bigger ones this year.”

Last year, CHS finished its season with a three-overtime loss to Warren Central in the Sectional. Wanting to improve on last year’s results, the football team is focusing on improving its Achilles heel from last season—late game collapses. Linebacker and senior Ryan Sondles addressed the issue.

“We’re trying to put more emphasis on finishing the fourth quarter because both of our losses last year came from last minute plays,” Sondles said. He also said that last year’s loss to Warren Central fuels the team’s fire this year.  Meanwhile, Roberts joined the team after moving to CHS before his junior year.  While he was not at CHS to win a State championship, he stressed that his teammates who earned the state title in 2011 are anxious to reclaim it.

“The guys on the team during the 2011 season are all hyped up about coming back and reclaiming their titles, for example, the best team in Indianapolis,” Roberts said.

According to Sondles, the players are eager, even a bit nervous, to play on the big stage.

“It is pretty nerve-wracking, but it’s also the most fun game of the season. I’m very excited,” Sondles said. Roberts agreed and said the team will treat playing at Lucas Oil Stadium as a bonus for all of the effort and hard work the players have put into the program.

Hebert said, “Just like whenever you play any number one ranked team, we want to show them that we can compete and be in the picture too.”