Line of scrimmage key to Shelbyville's battle at Greenfield-Central

There is a fine line between confidence and hubris. After nearly a decade of frustration, Shelbyville football is trying to find that line and stay competitive during its final run through the Hoosier Heritage Conference.

The Golden Bears are 3-1 (1-1 HHC) for the second time in the last eight seasons. With Eli Chappelow at quarterback, Shelbyville started 3-1 in 2023 then lost its final five regular-season games – beginning with a trip to Greenfield-Central – then lost its sectional opener to eventual Class 4A state champion East Central.

The 2025 Golden Bears are proof that hard work in the weight room translates to the football field. Through four games, Shelbyville has rushed for 1,003 yards – nearly three times the output through four games in 2024 -- and 10 touchdowns behind a stronger offensive line led by senior center Jack West (photo).

The ability to run the ball has taken pressure off freshman quarterback Layden Fitzgerald (photo), who, in his third start following the season-ending injury to starting quarterback Tyler Gwinnup, completed 18-of-26 pass attempts for 223 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-21 win at New Castle. He also rushed 10 times for 90 yards and a touchdown.

“He is a pretty cool, calm and collected kid,” said Shelbyville head coach Scott Fitzgerald, also Layden and Grantland Fitzgerald’s father. “He has confidence in himself. The stage doesn’t scare him. We have that trust in him. Maybe last week (a 24-7 loss to Delta) we should have put a little more trust in him to do some things. It will be a growth for the coaches to know what to call.

“We did a little better job of calling some QB runs (at New Castle). He likes that. That kind of gets him into the flow of the game. He gets popped a couple of times and he is, ‘OK, here we go.’”

Layden’s older brother Grantland (photo), a junior, was the beneficiary of the young quarterback’s growing confidence at New Castle. He reeled in 11 receptions for 133 yards and two touchdowns and carried the ball nine times for 59 yards.

“That is something we wanted to do this week,” said Grantland after the win of his increased use in the backfield. “I think it helps getting me the ball and getting Donnie (Donavon Martin) some rest. It wears down the defense.”

Leading 26-14 going into the fourth quarter, Shelbyville kept putting the ball in Martin’s and Fitzgerald’s hands against a worn-down Trojans defense.

Through four games, the duo have combined for just over 1,500 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns.

“They are a little bit of a thunder and lightning combo,” said coach Fitzgerald. “Donnie will bring it and tires the defense out and then you throw Grantland out there who has a little more shiftiness to him. Then you bring Donnie back in and it plays with the defense a little bit. It gives us some different things we can do.”

The Golden Bears will have to continue that success to remain in the top half of the HHC standings. New Palestine (4-0, 2-0 HHC) and Pendleton Heights (4-0, 2-0 HHC) are the only unbeatens left in the conference and those two programs meet Friday in New Palestine.

Shelbyville, Yorktown, Greenfield-Central and Delta follow at 1-1. New Castle and Mt. Vernon are 0-2.

Greenfield-Central has produced four straight winning seasons but has struggled in 2025 replacing the production of quarterback Dallas Freeman (83-for-153, 1,208 yards, 15 touchdowns; 93 carries, 620 yards, 11 touchdowns).

Like Shelbyville, G-C head coach Travis Nolting will start his freshman son, Draven Nolting, at quarterback. In four games, he has completed 15-of-27 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns. He also has rushed for 124 yards on 32 attempts.

“With how they like to run it, some of their offense goes through the quarterback. You have to be able to apply pressure to him,” said coach Fitzgerald. “He is trying to make reads. We have to make those reads harder to get done. If you can make things harder on him in the inside, that’s what we need to do.”

The Cougars will try to control the line of scrimmage with a mammoth offensive line that includes a trio of 300 pounders, including six-foot, six-inch left tackle Colten Robertson. That group works in front of senior running backs Cooper Hinton (375 rushing yards, four touchdowns) and Braylen Benavente (301 yards, one touchdown).

“It’s going to be a physical battle all night long,” said coach Fitzgerald. “They are trying to get back on. They kind of got handled a little bit last week by Pendleton (Heights), but Pendleton Heights is a very good team. (Greenfield-Central) is going to want to get back on track and handle us. We have to go right back at them.”

SHELBYVILLE (3-1) AT GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (2-2)

SITE: Myers Field in Greenfield.

GAME TIME: 7 p.m.

BROADCAST: GIANT fm (96.5 fm, 1520 am, 106.3 fm, or online at giant.fm) will air the game live from Huffman Field. The pre-game show with Johnny McCrory and Jason Parker begins at 6 p.m.

COACHES: Scott Fitzgerald, 7-17 in third year at Shelbyville; Travis Nolting, 38-29 in seventh year at New Castle, 98-57 in 15^th year overall.

SAGARIN RATINGS: Shelbyville, 57.26, 143^rd overall, 31st in Class 4A; Greenfield-Central, 55.33, 150th overall, 34^th in Class 4A. Greenfield-Central is a 1-point favorite.

LAST MEETING: Greenfield-Central defeated Shelbyville, 49-6, on Sept. 20, 2024. Quarterback Dallas Freeman completed 17 of 23 passes for 283 yards and four touchdowns. Cooper Hinton caught two passes – both for touchdowns.

SERIES ALL-TIME: Greenfield-Central leads the all-time series 34-29. The two programs first met in 1929 with the Golden Bears winning 24-6. The Cougars have won five straight meetings with Shelbyville scoring a total of 13 points.

AROUND THE HHC: Delta (1-3) at Mt. Vernon (0-4); New Castle (1-3) at Class 4A, No. 14 Yorktown (3-1); and Class 4A, No. 6 Pendleton Heights (4-0) at Class 5A, No. 1 New Palestine (4-0).

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