Panthers 3-0, Cougars 1-2 heading into Bloomington’s crosstown football classic

Bloomington High School North and South know each other well. The two schools sit on opposite sides of town. But that means the campuses are separated by just five miles, which is about 75 football fields laid end to end.

The schools have matched up on the gridiron 66 times since 1972. Over that half a century, South has dominated the series, winning 50 times. But North has evened things up lately. Since 2023, the teams have met four times and split the results, 2–2. South won the most recent contest, a 27–3 win in the Class 5A sectional final on Nov. 8, 2024.

The day after tomorrow, either the Panthers or the Cougars will add another win to the record books. The two teams face off at Bloomington South’s Huff Field this Friday (Sept. 12) at 7 p.m.

South enters the game with a perfect 3-0 record. The Panthers started the season with a pair of games at home. Bloomington South cruised past Columbus East 42-7 to open their season and were in control most of the game in a 38-27 win over Martinsville the following week. In Week 3, the Panthers hit the road. They traveled 60 miles to Terre Haute North Vigo, but the distance from home did not affect Bloomington South. The Panthers cruised to a 49-13 victory to keep their undefeated streak intact.

North had a much tougher start to the season. The Cougars head into Friday night’s showdown with just one win in their first three games. North got shut out last week, 23-0, against Terre Haute South Vigo. The Cougars lost their season opener 28-14 at home against Mooresville. However, North rebounded in Week 2 at home. Bloomington North defeated Bedford North Lawrence 29-20 to give head coach Brett Cooper his first win in charge of Bloomington North.

South Offense vs North Defense

Bloomington South’s attack, guided by offensive coordinator Mo Moriarity, is a strength for head coach Gabe Johnson’s team. The Panthers are averaging 43 points through three games, with their lowest total a 38-point effort.

South’s yards mostly come from their ground game. The Panthers have had 300, 297, and 298 total yards to start the season. Senior running back Braylen Townsend (68 car, 490 yds, 11 TD) gets most of the work, but senior running back Shaun Cooper (25 car, 300 yds, 5 TD) adds versatility to their attack.

Junior quarterback Duncan Combs (21/28 att, 347 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT) started the first two games, but junior quarterback/wide receiver Jonathan Winstead (6/14 att, 79 yds, 1 INT) started last week. Winstead (6 rec, 168 yds, 1 TD) is usually the go-to receiver, alongside senior tight end Jalen Williams (4 rec, 82 yds, 1 TD).

(Stats for North go just through Week 2.) Bloomington North’s defense gives up just over 23 points per game, and the Cougars allowed 20 or more in all three games. Senior defensive lineman Lucas Rice (16 tckls, 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sacks) is the main man upfront for North.

Stopping South’s running attack is the first thing the Cougars have to do if they want an upset win. In the second-level, senior linebacker Noah Ferree (25 tckls), junior linebacker Anthony Wrancher (16 tckls), and senior linebacker Aden Davis (4 tckls, 2.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks) look to bring pressure in the backfield and contain any big running plays.

Senior safety Luke Freel (10 tckls, 1 INT) anchors the defensive back room. Freel plus senior defensive back Kellen Bishop (8 tckls, 1 INT) are the only two Cougars with interceptions. Second-leading tackler, senior safety Noah Hovious (21 tckls) will try to stop any South passing attempts.

North Offense vs South Defense

(Stats for North go just through Week 2.) For Bloomington North, any offense was hard to come by last week. The Cougars put up no points on the scoreboard in a very disjointed effort. That zero dragged down North’s average to 14 points per game.

In the other 28- and 29-point performances, the offense looked better when senior quarterback John Bargen (18/42 att, 325 yds, 4 TD, 3 INT) played. Bargen is the focal point of the Cougars offensive. Without Bargen under center, Freel takes the snaps.

North’s favorite receiving targets this season have been junior wide receiver Nathan Walker (7 rec, 201 yds, 3 TD) and junior wide receiver Rashon English (6 rec, 108 yds, 1 TD). The Cougars will be looking for both receivers to have a great game on Friday to help gash open the defense. On the ground, junior running back Brayden Johnson (23 car, 88 yds) gets most of the work. Johnson can be used to keep South on their toes.

Bloomington South’s defense is giving up just over 15 points per game this season. Martinsville scored 27 in a close contest, but the Panthers allowed just 7 and 13 points in the other two games. South will try to wreak havoc in the backfield and bring pressure on North’s quarterback. Senior linebacker Ross Ogden (23 tckls, 4.0 TFL, 1.0 sacks) and junior linebacker Brady Adams (20 tckls, 1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack) are the two Panthers with sacks this season.

Junior linebacker Charlie Morris (25 tckls, 1.0 TFL, 1 INT) and senior linebacker Ian Quick (25 tckls) are everywhere on the field, leading the team with tackles. Morris isn’t the only Panther with an interception—junior defensive back Rylan Stikeleather (7 tckls, 2 INT) has two to go with his seven tackles. Upfront, senior defensive end Luke Arnett (14 tckls), senior defensive lineman Zion Tooley (11 tckls), and senior defensive end Daniel Iruoje (9 tckls) will try to attack the Cougars offensive line.

Getting across Bloomington could be a challenge Friday night, as Indiana University squares off in an intra-state rivalry game at Memorial Stadium against Indiana State at 6:30 p.m. For football fans who want a crosstown clash at the high school level, that’s what Bloomington South versus North offers.

Key offensive players: South

Key offensive players: North