INDIANAPOLIS — Thanksgiving weekend brings the conclusion of Operation Football with the state finals at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Four central Indiana schools will compete for championships Friday and Saturday, including a Hoosier Crossroads Conference rematch for the Class 6A state title.
Ben Davis, Carmel, Center Grove and Warren Central have all won titles since the state's biggest schools went into Class 6A about a decade ago. Friday night, Brownsburg or Westfield will add their name to the list of Indianapolis-area teams to claim a big-school state championship.
The Shamrocks' only loss this season came at the hands of Brownsburg on Sept. 28. The Bulldogs came back in that contest to win, 17-13.
Brownsburg is back in the state finals for the first time in almost 40 years. But coach John Hart has been building an elite winning program for nine years.
"We've had a championship-type team every single year. This team has just found a way to win a couple ball games that's got us further in the tournament, but everyone of those teams deserve a little piece of this tournament," Hart said.
"I think you just don't want to miss the moment of it," Westfield coach Josh Miracle said of the state championship game. "There's a lot of things that are just a little bit different from a schedule standpoint, but just take and enjoy the moment and just realize how special it is."
Also on Friday, undefeated New Palestine plays East Noble for the Class 4A state title.
Saturday night, Decatur Central will face Warsaw in the Class 5A championship game. The Hawks played in the state title game last year, but have never won a football championship.
State championship schedule
Friday, Nov. 29
Class 2A: Adams Central (13-1) vs. Linton-Stockton (12-2), 11 a.m. ET
Class 4A: East Noble (13-1) vs. New Palestine (13-0), 3 p.m. ET
Class 6A: Westfield (12-1) vs. Brownsburg (12-1), 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, Nov. 30
Class 1A: North Judson-San Pierre (14-0) vs. Providence (13-0)
Class 3A: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (10-4) vs. Heritage Hills (13-1)
Class 5A: Warsaw (10-3) vs. Decatur Central (10-2)