Guardian caps becoming more prevalent within Golden Bears football program

It seemed like such a simple question that had not been asked by a Golden Bear football player.

Can we wear the Guardian caps we wear in practice over our helmets in games on Friday nights?

“Brayden Schultz was the first one that asked,” said Shelbyville head coach Scott Fitzgerald. “I don’t think they realized they could wear them in games.”

The Shelbyville football program started the year with about a dozen Guardian helmet covers. With some help from Major Health Partners, the program now has enough for nearly every player to wear during practice times.

“We worked with MHP and got a donation. We paid for some and the athletic department paid for some so we now have 40,” said Fitzgerald.

The Guardian caps are soft-shell coverings that wrap around the exterior of the helmets (photo) that are designed to soften the impact of player collisions.

“I think the players notice the difference. Obviously in practice we are banging heads a little bit more, especially for the linemen who are play after play getting that impact and I think it dulls that impact,” explained Fitzgerald.

Several players donned the black caps over their gold helmets on Homecoming against Greenfield-Central. Schultz and offensive lineman Anthony Stafford (photo) most notably wore them at Yorktown last Friday.

“It absorbs some of that impact when they make the impact,” said Fitzgerald. “Some of it may be more mental. If it makes them feel better or more confident and they will be more aggressive, I am all for it.”

Fitzgerald anticipates purchasing more Guardian caps in the offseason to accommodate the entire program in 2025.

Schultz (photo), a senior linebacker and offensive lineman, is constantly in the middle of the action on Friday nights along with fellow linebacker, junior Julian Eads, who has added responsibilities as a fullback on the offensive side of the ball in recent weeks.

That duo combined for 113 tackles last season in their first seasons as starting linebackers. In year two, they are far and away Shelbyville’s leading tacklers.

“They do a good job making the reads they are supposed to,” said Fitzgerald. “They read and react and go. This year has been a little bit tougher because we don’t have the big guys right there in the middle (of the defensive line) that are keeping guys off them. Last year with (Jacob) Harker and (Jaylen) Sturgill in there, that made a big difference. They would occupy two or three guys and that left them free to get there quicker.

“That’s been a big difference for them this year. They have had to read around things a little bit more and learning to react that much quicker.”

Schultz, Eads (photo) and the Shelbyville defense face their greatest challenge of the season Friday at McKeand Stadium against Class 4A, No. 1 New Palestine (5-0), averaging 45.2 points per game this season.

“They are the No. 1 team in the state for a reason,” said Fitzgerald. “I really feel like watching the game film, this might be the best offensive and defensive line I’ve seen them have.”

New Palestine defeated Class 4A, No. 7 Greenfield-Central, 38-0, last week. The Dragons are the only unbeaten team left in the Hoosier Heritage Conference. The program has won 23 consecutive conference games and is 78-2 in HHC games since 2013.

“They are big. They are physical. They are technically sound,” said Fitzgerald. “They are going to get after you.”

The Golden Bears (1-5) are at the opposite end of the HHC standings and struggling to score points – 27 total in their last five games after putting up 36 in the season-opening win over Greensburg.

“I want to see us put forth our best effort,” said Fitzgerald knowing the momentous challenge his team faces. “If we get beat physically, that’s one thing. We want to make sure our body positions are in good spaces, making sure we are making the correct reads, and we are going hard play by play.”

Shelbyville plays its final regular-season road game on Oct. 11 at Mt. Vernon (2-4) before closing out the schedule at home against Pendleton Heights (2-4).

“We are at a point in the season now where you have to play the long game,” said Fitzgerald. “We are playing really, really good teams and the hope is when tournament time comes around, we can stay healthy and get healthy at some spots and be playing our best football by that point. We’ve been playing these really good teams and now we get into the sectional, in some instances it will even out some more. There are some teams there we can definitely compete with and play with.”

The Pairings Show for the IHSAA Football State Tournament is Oct. 13 at 6 p.m.

Class 4A, Sectional 23 includes No. 2-ranked Martinsville (6-0), a 3-win Silver Creek squad and six programs all currently under .500 after six weeks.

Class 4A, No. 1 New Palestine at Shelbyville

Site: McKeand Stadium.

Kickoff: 7 p.m.

SHS Student Theme: Jersey.

2024 records: New Palestine 5-0, 4-0 HHC; Shelbyville 1-5, 0-4 HHC.

Coaches: Kyle Ralph, 132-14 in 12^th year at New Palestine; Scott Fitzgerald, 4-12 in second year at Shelbyville.

Series record: New Palestine leads the all-time series 19-9 and has won 11 straight over the Golden Bears.

2023 meeting: New Palestine defeated Shelbyville, 42-19, at Kelso Stadium on Sept. 29, 2023.

Sagarin rating: New Palestine 93.76 (2nd overall, 1st in Class 4A); Shelbyville 36.49 (227th overall, 51st in Class 4A). New Palestine is a 55-point favorite.

Sectional 23: Class 4A, No. 2 Martinsville (6-0), Silver Creek (3-3), Connersville (2-4), Shelbyville (1-5), Jennings County (0-6), Greenwood (2-4), Charlestown (1-5) and Bedford North Lawrence (1-5).

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