Friday’s game
Who: Madison (3-3, 2-0 SWBL Buckeye) at Carlisle (4-2, 3-0 SWBL Buckeye), 7:30 p.m.
Where: Laughlin Field, 250 Jamaica Road, Carlisle
Last meeting: Carlisle won 20-12 in 2012
That 0-2 start seems to be ancient history for Carlisle High School’s football team.
The Indians have put together a four-game winning streak and stand 3-0 in the Southwestern Buckeye League Buckeye Division, and they’ve got a first-place showdown with visiting Madison (3-3, 2-0) on Friday night.
“I’ve always felt good about this team,” said Carlisle coach Bill Jewell, whose squad has wins over Oakwood, Waynesville, Northridge and Milton-Union. “They’ve worked hard, and we’ve got a lot of good athletes. They seem to be more focused now.”
CHS is aiming for its fourth Buckeye Division title in the last five years. The Indians, who will travel to Valley View next week for a huge Harbin point game, still must face Dixie and Preble Shawnee in Buckeye play.
“That’s what we’re going to fight for,” Jewell said. “Our No. 1 goal every year is to be league champs, and we still have an outside shot at the (Division IV) playoffs.”
Quarterback Levi Boyer has thrown for 991 yards and nine touchdowns for Carlisle, while Parker Topp has a SWBL-leading five interceptions. Nick Svarda (57 carries, 544 yards) and Jason Sandlin (47 carries, 277 yards) head the ground attack.
Sandlin was a 1,000-yard back last season, but the 5-foot-6 junior has struggled behind an inexperienced offensive line in 2013. He showed signs of breaking out with 153 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries last week against M-U.
“Sandlin came out and ran hard, and our line’s starting to open those holes a little bit more,” Jewell said. “We knew we had some real young guys up front this year, and each game they’ve gotten better.”
Jewell credited junior wide receiver Jairus Milton for his blocking during Sandlin’s touchdown runs last week. Milton, also a cornerback, has caught 17 balls for 331 yards and two TDs.
“The whole team is trying to keep a positive mind-set because we know we’re a good team,” Milton said. “We had a few mental breakdowns the first couple games, but we’re over those now.”
Those opening defeats were one-point decisions at the hands of Franklin and Talawanda. The Indians squandered double-digit halftime leads in both games.
“We’re working a little bit harder because we know how bad those losses hurt,” Milton said. “We don’t want that to happen again.”
Jewell said he’s expecting a physical homecoming clash with Madison, even with the Mohawks coming off a 42-7 loss to Franklin.
“Records don’t matter,” Jewell said. “The year we went 10-0, Madison was one of our toughest games. They will come after us.”
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