Two teams with playoff pedigrees collide in the sectional opener in this week’s Sports Michiana Game of the Week, as #5 Mishawaka visits Northridge.

Mishawaka has won sectionals in 10 of the last 14 seasons.  The Cavemen spent recent years in Class 5A, but enrollment changes placed Keith Kinder’s team back in a highly-competitive 4A sectional.  Mishawaka has been tabbed as the favorite to win the sectional title, thanks to a 7-2 record, including a 27-7 win over Northridge in late September.

“They’ve always been a physical team and we definitely have to play 110 percent all the time,” says Mishawaka senior tackle Tyler Maust of Friday’s foe. “They move around so it kind of gets us on our toes a little bit and we gotta keep our head up and play hard.”

Northridge is only 3-6, but Chad Eppley’s squad has made its reputation by overcoming poor regular seasons with great playoff runs. In 2021, Northridge lost four of its final five in the regular season, but then advanced all the way to the Class 4A state championship game.

“We talked a lot about the 2021 team this year,” admits Eppley. “We got running clocked in 2021 by Mishawaka, but turned around and beat NorthWood who also running clocked us in the regular season.”

“My freshman year when we went to state, that set the standard for us and where our expectations are,” claims Northridge senior Brody Streeter. 

The game features a pair of sophomore quarterbacks in Mishawaka’s Landon Snyder and Northridge’s Karsyn Rumfelt. Snyder runs the option and has carried for 777 yards, while Rumfelt has thrown for 1335 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The Sports Michiana Game of the Week airs on the IHSAA Champions Network (ihsaatv.org and the IHSAATV app). Join Chuck Freeby, Bo Hundt and Angelo Di Carlo for live pregame coverage Friday night at 6:45. Kickoff is at 7 pm ET.