Shelbyville had a 14.3% chance to face the defending Class 4A state champions in the first round of 4A Sectional 23. On Sunday night during the team’s sectional draw gathering, those odds did not play out in favor of the Golden Bears.

The Indiana High School Athletic Association released the sectional pairings via live stream Sunday for the upcoming football state tournament. Shelbyville gathered at Pudder’s restaurant (photo) in downtown Shelbyville to see how the random sectional draw played out.

On Oct. 20, Shelbyville (3-5) will travel to East Central (8-0), winner of 14 straight games including the 2022 4A state championship game, in the opening round. The winner advances to face either Martinsville (5-3) or Silver Creek (5-3).

“It is what it is. You would have liked to have had a little bit better draw. We would have liked to have been away from East Central,” said Shelbyville head coach Scott Fitzgerald. “Obviously, nobody wanted to draw East Central, the No. 1 team in the state and one of the top teams in the state in any division probably. And they have one of the best running backs in the state.”

In eight games this season, senior Josh Ringer has rushed for 1,549 yards and 31 touchdowns.

In the top half of the eight-team bracket, Edgewood (1-7) travels to Jennings County (3-5) while Greenwood (4-4) makes the road trip east to Connersville (2-6).

The sectional semifinal games are Oct. 27 and the sectional championship follows on Nov. 3.

Triton Central

With three teams in the top 10 of the state coaches poll in Class 2A, Sectional 39, the draw had significant meaning.

Triton Central (7-1), ranked No. 2 in Class 2A, will open the 8-team sectional with a long road trip south to Clarksville (0-8).

The other half of the top portion of the bracket features No. 10 Indianapolis Scecina (5-3) at No. 3 Brownstown Central (7-1).

If Brownstown Central wins, the Braves would travel to Fairland to face Triton Central in the semifinal round. If Scecina wins, the Crusaders will host Triton Central.

In the bottom half of the bracket, Brown County (1-7) is at Switzerland County (5-3) and Eastern (Pekin) (3-5) travels to Christel House Manual (2-5).

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