Triton Central football reloads with youthful group of athletes

FAIRLAND -- Graduation was cruel to Triton Central football.

Gone are an All-State quarterback and kicker, a dynamic athlete that amassed nearly 1,400 all-purpose yards and a running back that collected just over 4,000 career rushing yards.

That quartet of Jace Stuckey, Levi Dewey, Brayden Wilkins and Ray Crawford, respectively, were part of a senior class that helped win 39 games and four sectional titles.

“When you lose the skill sets we’ve had the last three of four years, those kids have been in the program…” said Triton Central head coach Tim Able (photo), now 101-37 in Fairland to start his 12^th season with the Tigers, “…now we have kids that are young sophomores and juniors and some seniors with limited varsity experience. It will be a neat little year. It will be important we get experience as soon as we can.”

That experience will be earned against a new-look front half of the schedule that includes two new non-conference opponents as well as Covenant Christian, who officially joined the Indiana Crossroads Conference this year.

Triton Central opens the 2024 season on Aug. 23 at Mendenhall Field against Batesville, who went 11-2 last season and won a sectional title. The first road game is one week later at Hamilton Heights, who went 11-1 last season and lost the sectional championship game to Indianapolis Chatard, who went on to win the Class 3A state title.

“Both of those teams are quality teams,” admitted Able. “They are bigger schools and we will have our hands full with both of those teams.”

Three-time defending Class A state champion Indianapolis Lutheran comes to Fairland on Sept. 6. The Saints are currently riding a 43-game win streak as they move up to Class 2A. And then the Tigers go to Monrovia (9-3 last season) before hosting Covenant Christian (7-4 last season) for the first time on Sept. 20.

Senior quarterback Sam Collier has very limited varsity experience but he has lost just three games total in three seasons as the junior varsity quarterback. He will bring familiarity to several skill position players that will be heavily relied on to be productive this season.

“(Sam) has come a long way. He has gotten a lot stronger and a lot quicker,” said Able. “He has been a good leader for those kids. He is not a verbal type kid. He does what he needs to do to take charge. He is very athletic, people will find that out. He is athletic and can throw the ball well. He has all the tools. He just needs experience at varsity speed.”

Sophomore Henry Kemper is dealing with an injury that could keep him out of the backfield when the season begins. Junior Braden Brown and sophomore Kade Stephens will split time lining up behind Collier.

Zeke Robertson, a junior, and senior Chase Chandler will be Collier’s top receiving targets early on.

Where Triton Central has size and experience is on an offensive line led by senior Willie Baugh.

“We’ve been impressed with the senior leadership from day one,” said Abel. “They have tried to take ownership of the locker room and doing things right on and off the field. They are highly competitive. They are kids that want to get better each and every day.”

On defense, senior Ben Wilkins converts to the No. 23 jersey that has become a symbol of leadership and success in the program.

“(Ben) had worked harder and is ready to have a big season,” said Able of the new defensive signal caller. “Our No. 23 all started back with Mason Durrett to Hayden Kermode to Lucas Kleeman to Sam Kemper. So now you have Ben Wilkins. It’s kind of a neat little tradition that No. 23 is the guy that has to step up to the plate.”

Not only is the regular-season schedule daunting, a new postseason sectional is filled with successful programs. The Tigers are now in Sectional 38 with Centerville (9-1 in 2023), Eastern Hancock (8-5, sectional champions), Lapel (5-5), Northeastern (7-3), Shenandoah (1-9), Union County (0-10), and Winchester (8-3).

 “We have to go east now (for the sectional),” said Able, who has won six sectional titles since 2013. “We’ve been going south most of the time. Before that we went to the Indianapolis area for sectional. Now we are going east.

“Eastern Hancock had a really good year last year and have most of their kids back. And Lapel is in there. There are a couple of really talented teams we will have to contend with for a sectional title.”

And after years of battling Evansville Mater Dei in the regional, it could be Lutheran standing in the way of the Tigers capturing a regional championship.

The Tigers will make their 2024 debut on Aug. 16 at Milan in a preseason scrimmage. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m.

The 2024 Triton Central Schedule

Aug. 23      vs. Batesville                         7 p.m.

Aug. 30      at Hamilton Heights              7 p.m.

Sept. 6       vs. Indpls. Lutheran               7 p.m.

Sept. 13     at Monrovia                           7 p.m.

Sept. 20     vs. Covenant Christian          7 p.m.

Sept. 27     at Indpls. Ritter                      7 p.m.

Oct. 4         at Indpls. Scecina                  7 p.m.

Oct. 11       vs. Beech Grove                    7 p.m.

Oct. 18       vs. Speedway                         7 p.m.

Oct. 25       Sectional                                TBD

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