A banner season for ECI football, no matter how the postseason goes

MUNCIE, Ind. — It’s been a wild season of football in East Central Indiana, and the postseason hasn’t even started yet. From the state’s leading passer, receiver and rusher all playing in the same game to a program rising up all the way to No. 2 in the state rankings, this season has had it all.

Sectional play begins Friday night and no matter what happens from this point, it’s undeniably as memorable of a regular season as a local fan could ask for.

Let’s set the stage for the postseason, which will have a hard time topping the regular season, with the players who have made this season so special:

Charlie Spegal (Delta)

Spegal is second in the state in rushing yards (2,179 yards) and rushing touchdowns (30). Spegal followed up a terrific freshman season with a sophomore season that has been even better. He is averaging 242.1 yards per game; to put that in perspective, Columbus East’s Markell Jones averaged 252.5 yards per game in 2014 when setting the single-season record of 3,536. He had 14 games to set that mark, so Delta (5-4) will need an extended playoff run for Spegal to have a shot at that. Heading into Delta’s postseason opener against Marion (6-3), Spegal has 4,137 career rushing yards, which puts him more than halfway to the state career record of 8,110, set by Elwood’s Sammy Mireles in 2013.

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Niah Williamson (New Castle)

Williamson has come out of nowhere to lead the state in passing as a senior, throwing for 3,401 yards and 39 touchdowns. He is 526 yards ahead of the No. 2 passer and 1,015 yards ahead of the No. 3 passer. And a storybook season for Williamson and New Castle – which is having its best season since 1984 – could get even better if the Trojans (5-4) can reach the sectional championship. At Williamson’s pace of 377.9 yards per game, he would need 12 games to break the state single-season record of 4,468 yards, set by Evansville Mater Dei’s Jake Schiff in 2001. He’ll have a good chance to get there as New Castle is heavily favored against Richmond (0-9) and then will be favored again in the second round against either Mooresville (1-8) or Connersville (4-5). Schiff, by the way, averaged 297.9 yards in that record-setting season in 15 games.

Luke Bumbalough (New Castle)

A big factor of New Castle’s breakthrough has obviously been Bumbalough, who has amassed 1,559 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns – both of which lead the state. The junior is averaging 173.2 yards per contest. To top the state record of 2,171 (set by South Bend Washington’s Gehrig Dieter in 2011), Bumbalough would need 13 games at his current pace. As it stands, Bumbalough has the 11th most receiving yards in a season in state history. Barring injury or New Castle getting upset in the first two rounds, Bumbalough will almost surely climb into the top six and likely into the top two.

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Kyle Dosch (Wes-Del)

The senior is second in the state with 14 sacks, just one behind the leader. And considering Dosch missed a game due to injury, he is leading the state with his average of 1.8 per game. The defensive end has 20 tackles for loss this season.

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Monroe Central

The Golden Bears nearly pulled off back-to-back undefeated regular seasons before falling in the finale last week. Along the way, Monroe Central climbed to No. 2 in the Class 1A state poll, which is the highest ranking for an ECI squad in recent history. A defense led by Seth Wilson, Kaden Conklin and Taft Manship is allowing nine points per game, which is 11th in the state.

Mason Hunt (Delta)

The junior has racked up 114 tackles this season, which is tied for the 16th most in the state. He averages 12.7 tackles per game, part of a formidable linebacker duo with Brady Pease.

Brandt Applegate (Yorktown)

While the senior has had quite the career at wide receiver – and filled in admirably at quarterback the last few games – Applegate has also been a weapon in another area: punting. He is averaging 39.2 yards per punt, which is 10th in the state. He also has the fifth-most punting yardage in the state at 1,529 yards.

Carter Brown (New Castle)

This great offense out at New Castle means plenty of scoring opportunities for the senior kicker. He is eighth in the state for kicker points with 55 (46 PATs and three field goals) and ninth in PATs.

Ryan O’Gara is a sports features writer at The Star Press. Contact him at (765) 213-5829, rogara@muncie.gannett.com or @RyanOGara.

Friday’s ECI sectional football games

Note: All games at 7 p.m.; Central has a bye and plays No. 1 New Palestine next week

Marion (6-3) at Delta (5-4); Western (5-4) at Yorktown (3-6); New Castle (5-4) at Richmond (0-9); Logansport (5-4) at Jay County (3-6); Clinton Central (0-9) at Monroe Central (8-1); Union City (3-6) at Wes-Del (4-5); Blackford (4-5) at Northwestern (4-5); Lapel (6-3) at Winchester (1-8)