Shelbyville hosts Delta in Hoosier Heritage Conference opener

The last time a winless Delta squad battled an undefeated Shelbyville team was 1995.

On Friday at J.M. McKeand Stadium, the Eagles (0-2) and Golden Bears (2-0) will meet for the final time as Hoosier Heritage Conference foes. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

“We keep trying to tell the kids and keep emphasizing to them that the level of competition each and every week is going to get better,” said Shelbyville head coach Scott Fitzgerald. “We have to make sure we are bringing our game above and beyond what the other team is capable of doing, and more in line with what we are capable of doing.”

The Golden Bears are 2-0 for the second time in three seasons. Shelbyville has proven to be powerful, its two opponents – Greensburg (0-2) and Rushville (0-2) – not so much.

Despite being without a win for new head coach Billy Lynch, the Eagles are dangerous.

“The key is the start. We have to have a good start,” said Fitzgerald (photo). “I think that happened two years ago when we played Delta here (the Eagles won 21-14). We got off to a good start and the belief was there.

“I think this is a different group (of Golden Bears). They have the belief, I think they have to see it enough times and trust it, now you know you are playing HHC talent and don’t come in with the expectation of we are going to win this football game. We’ve talked about this all offseason about raising the bar, not just trying to be competitive. We want to go into each game saying we are going to win this game.”

Delta is 0-2 after losses to Muncie Central (16-13) and Heritage (13-7 in overtime). Despite the new coach who is a former Delta standout and Ball State quarterback, the plan is similar to past years – run the ball behind a strong offensive line.

“They have played good competition. I think there have been a couple instances where they have shot themselves in the foot a little bit,” said Fitzgerald. “They have had a couple of turnovers. They have had a couple of plays where things just didn’t seem to go right. Similar to us last year at times where you just felt like something just wasn’t going right.”

Delta will rotate junior Deacon Blevins (16-for-30, 194 yards, 2 touchdowns) and sophomore Ryan Lynch (3-for-5, 150 yards, 1 TD) at the quarterback position. Junior running back Aven Thomas (35 rushes, 178 yards) is the focal point of the ground game.

Senior receiver Amir Hill is the top target with five catches for 152 yards. He also has nine rushes for 23 yards.

“They are the same Delta in far as they are going to be tough, they are going to be physical, and they are going to play fast,” said Fitzgerald. “They are going to do a lot of good things. We can’t expect them to continue to make mistakes because coach Lynch will get those things corrected.”

Shelbyville has had no problem running the ball behind a stronger offensive line led by senior center Jack West (photo).

“Jack is such a quiet kid. He does not want any attention on himself,” said Fitzgerald. “He won’t take credit for anything, but he is our leader. He is the leader of this team. He doesn’t have to do it with a lot of rah-rah. He does it with his actions, his play on the field, the work he does in the weight room in the offseason and still does right now. He is after guys in the weight room. The guys know if he is getting after them, they better sharpen up and do things the right way.”

With West at center, Anthony Stafford and Lamberto Leon at tackles and Nolan Cord and Ben Bailey at guards, the Golden Bears have racked up 521 yards rushing and eight touchdowns in the first two games.

“It’s a role I’ve grown into. Maybe, at first, I was a little reluctant and a little hesitant,” said West when asked about moving to center ahead of the 2024 season. “I like taking charge and leading those big guys up front and clearing out holes for our running backs and quarterbacks and anyone else touching the ball.”

On Friday against Rushville, that offensive line helped senior Donavon Martin (38 carries, 225 yards) and junior Grantland Fitzgerald (9 carries, 155 yards) to surpass the century mark in rushing yards. Martin found great success running straight up the middle behind West.

“That’s just Donavon finding the holes and knowing where to be, following his rules just like we follow our rules and getting things done,” said West.

West also was tasked with making freshman Layden Fitzgerald (photo) comfortable as the new starting quarterback following the injury to junior Tyler Gwinnup in the season opener.

“I think he is a great player. He is a great quarterback,” said West of Layden Fitzgerald. “I told him last week in the Greensburg game that I trust you and you have to lead us up. He did just that last week and he did it (against Rushville). He will continue to do that.”

In his first varsity start, Layden Fitzgerald completed 11 of 16 pass attempts for 180 yards and he had a touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.

“He played well. Maybe there were two or three plays I didn’t like that I felt like we needed to correct but nothing absolutely crazy,” said Scott Fitzgerald of his youngest son. “I thought he managed the game well. Obviously, when we were able to run the ball, it makes him more comfortable with what we are doing. That’s what we have to be able to continue to do. We have to be run first. We can’t expect him to sit back there and sling it around.”

DELTA (0-2) AT SHELBYVILLE (2-0)

SITE: McKeand Stadium in Shelbyville.

GAME TIME: 7:30 p.m.

STUDENT THEME: Beach/Hawaiian.

COACHES: Billy Lynch, 0-2 in first year at Delta; Scott Fitzgerald, 6-16 in third year at Shelbyville.

SAGARIN RATINGS: Delta 64.79, 119^th overall, 24^th in Class 3A; Shelbyville 60.71, 160^th overall, 40^th in Class 4A. Delta is a 1-point favorite.

LAST MEETING: Delta won 37-7 on Sept. 6, 2024.

SERIES ALL-TIME: Delta leads the series 21-7 and has won six straight over the Golden Bears. Shelbyville’s last win came in 2017 (28-21).

AROUND THE HHC FRIDAY: Mt. Vernon (0-2) at Class 4A, No. 13 Greenfield-Central (1-1); New Castle (1-1) at Class 4A, No. 10 Pendleton Heights (2-0); and Yorktown (2-0) at Class 5A, No. 1 New Palestine (2-0).

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