Regional football clash: Bloomington South looks to slow Floyd Central’s high-octane attack

Bloomington High School South has needed the final two minutes to decide the outcome in each of its first two games in the 2025 IHSAA playoffs.

In the opening round, junior wide receiver Hayden Clark defeated Terre Haute South with a 2-yard rushing touchdown with 1:25 on the clock. Then, in the Sectional title game last week, an 18-yard field goal by freshman kicker Sam Stolberg, just as time expired pushed the Panthers over cross-town rival Bloomington North.

This Friday, Bloomington South (10-1) continues its pursuit of the IHSAA Class 5A championship against Floyd Central (10-1). The last time these two teams played was a 40-14 win for the Panthers in 2019. The Highlanders enter the Regional Championship matchup with one of the most explosive offenses in Indiana high school football.

Floyd Central averages 435.5 yards and 43.2 points per game, the kind of high-powered offense that Bloomington South hasn’t seen this season. The Panthers are only giving up 18.3 points per game with their season-high of 34 coming against Terre Haute South two weeks ago.

Last Week’s Games

Facing a two-touchdown deficit with 11 minutes remaining in their game against their cross-town rivals, the Panthers roared back with 17 unanswered points in seven minutes to defeat the Cougars 31-28. Junior quarterback Duncan Combs finished the contest 18-of-29 for 185 yards and three touchdowns. He threw an early pick-six on the first drive of the game, but bounced right back.

Senior running back Braylen Townsend reached the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season, finishing with 42 carries for 172 yards and a touchdown. Townsend’s 172 yards were the most in a game this season, since a 202-yard performance against Columbus East on Aug. 22.

Defensively, South’s defense only gave up 72 yards in the second half and 249 total. The total was down from the 455 yards that South gave up to Terre Haute South the week before.

It was also a nailbiter last week for Floyd Central against Evansville North. The Highlanders snuck past the Huskies 15-10 in the Class 5A Sectional 16 final. Evansville North was averaging 41.5 points per game in its six-game win streak leading into the matchup, while Floyd Central had put up 48.1 points per game in their eight games since a 48-28 loss to Whiteland on Aug. 29.

However, the heavy fog affected both teams, especially the Highlanders. The defense didn’t stop the run in the first half, and their offense couldn’t move the ball down the field, resulting in a 10-3 deficit at halftime.

It took until the third quarter for Floyd Central to gain its first momentum of the contest after senior linebacker Matt Polk blocked a punt and dove on top of the ball for a touchdown. The 10-9 score moved the Highlanders back into the game, and they got their game-winning touchdown with 5:39 to go after a 4-yard run by senior running back Sebastian Robertson.

Key Players for Floyd Central

Bloomington South’s standouts will be well known to local fans, but the key players for Floyd Central to watch during Friday’s name won’t be as familiar.

Jack Mull: The senior quarterback has led the Floyd Central offense this season. He has thrown for over 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns. Mull also has thrown six interceptions, but the last one came five games ago in a 41-22 win over Bedford North Lawrence on Oct. 3.

Sebastian Robertson: The senior running back is another dynamo for the balanced Highlanders’ offense. Robertson has hit over 100 yards on the ground in every game this season, except for last week, when he ran for only 26. So far this season, Robertson has compiled 1,638 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Jaxon Stone: The junior wide receiver has eclipsed the 100-yard mark three times this season. Stone has caught a team-high 38 receptions for 806 yards and five touchdowns. He’s also been productive on the defensive side of the ball, as Stone has made five interceptions and 54 tackles while playing safety.

Matt Polk: The senior linebacker came up big for Floyd Central last week, as he blocked a punt and recovered it in the endzone for a touchdown. The score put the Highlanders back into the game after being down 10-3 at halftime. Polk also has a team-high 121 tackles, plus 12 tackles for loss.

Blake Wisman: The junior linebacker also flies around the field for Floyd Central, as Wisman has a second-most 82 tackles this season. Last game, he had 13 total tackles, 10 of those being assisted, and two tackles for loss.

Tristan Weekley: The junior defensive end leads the Highlanders with three sacks. This season, Weekley has produced at least one tackle for loss in six out of his 10 games played. He missed an opening 47-7 victory over Warren East on Aug. 22, but over the rest of the season produced 55 tackles and nine tackles for loss.

Donovan Taylor: The junior defensive back has four interceptions for Floyd Central. He picked up two of them against Warren East, and had back-to-back games with at least one pick against Silver Creek on Sept. 5 and Jeffersonville on Sept. 19. Taylor has also been utilized on offensive and special teams, picking up 809 all purpose yards.

Friday’s matchup at Bloomington South’s Huff Field will start at 7 p.m. The ultimate goal for every school in this season’s IHSAA playoffs is to play at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Nov. 28-29. The 5A state championships will take place at 7 p.m. on Nov. 28.