Insider: Class-by-class HS football Indy-area rankings after regular season finale

Each week of the high school football season, I will rank the top high school football teams in Central Indiana by class. Here is a look after the final week of the regular season:

Class 6A Top 10

1. Warren Central (9-0): My goodness. The Warriors smashed previously-beaten Bowling Green, Kentucky’s third-ranked team in Class 5A, by a score of 62-14. Romeir Elliott rushed for 431 yards and scored seven touchdowns. Warren Central led 55-7 at halftime. Enough said. The Warriors will open in Sectional 6 at Ben Davis a week from Friday. Warren Central won the first meeting against the Giants, 70-27. Previous: 1.

2. Brownsburg (9-0): The Bulldogs completed a perfect regular season with a 10-9 win over Hamilton Southeastern. A blocked extra point in the fourth quarter secured the win. Can Brownsburg win its first sectional since 2009? The Bulldogs open at home against Southport in Sectional 7 a week from Friday. Previous: 2.

More:Brownsburg holds off HSE to finish regular season unbeaten

3. Carmel (7-2): The Greyhounds edged Lawrence Central 16-14 as the defense limited the Bears to just 43 rushing yards. Zach White rushed for 191 yards on 35 carries and quarterback Tyler Trent rushed for 105 yards on 13 attempts. Carmel opens at home against Westfield in Sectional 4 a week from Friday. Previous: 3.

4. North Central (7-2): “Why not us?” That was coach Kevin O’Shea’s motto and it has worked for the Panthers, who moved to 7-2 with a 38-23 win over Ben Davis as Liam Thompson passed for three touchdowns. North Central looks for its first sectional title since 1993 when it opens at Hamilton Southeastern in Sectional 5 next week. North Central defeated HSE 31-13 in Week 2. Previous: 4.

More:Resurrected North Central program ends regular season with win over Ben Davis

5. Center Grove (5-3): The Trojans rolled to a 34-7 win over Cathedral as Carson Steele rushed for 131 yards and three touchdowns. Punter P.J. Buck also passed for a touchdown on a trick play. Center Grove will host 8-1 Columbus North in Sectional 8 on Oct. 26. Previous: 5.

More:Center Grove rides trick plays, Carson Steele to 34-7 win over Cathedral

6. Avon (7-2): The Orioles rested a handful of starters, including senior running back Sampson James, but were able to secure a 14-7 win over Noblesville. Avon turned the ball over four times, but limited Noblesville to 17 yards of offense. The Orioles host Perry Meridian a week from Friday in Sectional 7. Previous: 6.

More:Avon leans on QB Henry Hesson, defense to hold off Noblesville

7. Lawrence Central (3-6): The Bears led by a point in the third quarter before falling 16-14 to Carmel. The offense struggled to run the ball but did pass for 251 yards in the loss. Lawrence Central will host rival Lawrence North in the first round of Sectional 6 next week. Previous: 7.

8. Noblesville (4-5): The Millers have already improved by three wins from a year ago, but showed in close losses to Brownsburg (17-7) and Avon (14-7) the past two weeks that they can hang with the best teams in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference. Noblesville is at 8-1 Lafayette Jeff in Sectional 4 next week. Previous: 9.

9. Ben Davis (3-6): The Giants dropped a 38-23 decision to North Central, their first loss to the Panthers in 13 years, to close the regular season in a three-game losing streak. It gets no easier: Ben Davis hosts top-ranked Warren Central in Sectional 6 a week from Friday. Previous: 8.

10. Lawrence North (3-6): The Wildcats earned their first Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference victory since October of 2016 with an emphatic 42-0 victory over Pike. Lawrence North has been close the past four times against Lawrence Central, including a 20-14 loss in Week 3. The Wildcats are at the Bears in Sectional 6 next week. Previous: NR.

Dropped out: Southport (10)

Class 5A Top 3

1. New Palestine (9-0): New Pal completed its sixth consecutive perfect regular season (54 wins) with an 84-13 win over Delta. Charlie Spegal, facing his former team, had 387 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 16 carries. Spegal now has 2,164 rushing yards and 48 TDs on the season. The Dragons will get a week off before a likely showdown at Zionsville in Sectional 12. Previous: 1.

2. Decatur Central (8-1): The Hawks finished off the season with a 42-15 win over Franklin and a share of the Mid-State Conference championship. Decatur Central will host Tech in Sectional 13 on Oct. 26. Previous: 3.

3. Zionsville (5-4): The Eagles notched a 13-12 win over Fishers as Tommy Fossett rushed for 79 yards a touchdown and caught five passes for 68 yards. Zionsville will host Muncie Central in Sectional 12 on Friday. Previous: NR.

Dropped out: Cathedral (2)

Class 4A Top 3

1. Mooresville (8-1): The Pioneers secured a share of the Mid-State Conference championship with a 52-21 win over Perry Meridian. James Mabry rushed for 393 yards and six touchdowns. Mooresville will host Beech Grove in Sectional 22 on Friday. Previous: 1.

2. Pendleton Heights (7-2): The Arabians finished the season on a three-game winning streak with a 62-8 victory over Shelbyville. The next assignment is much tougher: at 9-0 Marion in Sectional 21 on Friday. The winner is the favorite to take the sectional. Previous: 2.

3. Mt. Vernon (6-3): The Marauders pushed their winning streak to four games with a 41-33 win over Yorktown as Rylan Cole rushed for 215 yards and four touchdowns. Mt. Vernon hosts Shelbyville on Friday in Sectional 22. Previous: 3.

Class 3A Top 3

1. Bishop Chatard (7-2): Chatard rebounded from back-to-back losses with a resounding 37-7 win over Bloomington South. The Trojans will be a heavy favorite in Sectional 29, opening against Cardinal Ritter at Marian on Friday. Previous: 1.

2. Brebeuf Jesuit (7-2): The Braves rolled past Terre Haute North 35-7 to complete the regular season on a five-game winning streak. Next up is a home game against Southmont on Sectional 26. Previous: 2.

3. Guerin Catholic (5-4): Guerin dropped its second consecutive game, 20-10 to Roncalli. The Golden Eagles will open Sectional 26 at home against Crawfordsville on Friday. Previous: 3.

Class 2A/A Top 3

1. Western Boone (9-0): The Stars passed another test with a 34-20 win over Lebanon to win the Sagamore Conference outright. Brett Wethington rushed for 241 yards and two touchdowns. Western Boone is at Washington in Sectional 38 on Friday. A showdown with Tipton looms in the second round. Previous: 1.

2. Scecina (8-1): The Crusaders trailed at halftime before rallying for a 35-21 win over Monrovia. Mac Ayres passed for 228 yards and four touchdowns. Scecina hosts Centerville in Sectional 37 on Friday. Previous: 2

3. Triton Central (8-1): The Tigers rolled to a 49-9 win over Speedway to finish the regular season. Triton Central is at Milan on Sectional 37 on Friday. Scecina is on the other side of the sectional bracket. Previous: 3.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

Area roundup:Recaps, highlights, photos and stats from Week 9

More:Watch, vote for Week 9's top play from across Central Indiana

More:See which Indy-area players put up the most impressive Week 9 performances

IHSAA football sectional draw:Who is your team playing?