The second season arrives Friday night for high school football teams.

It’s win or pack up the equipment time for local prep gridders as sectional play opens in the annual IHSAA state tournament series.

Four of the five teams in the IFN coverage area, as in Warsaw, Wawasee, Tippecanoe Valley and Triton, will go into play Friday night as underdogs. The lone local squad who will be a favorite, at least on paper, is Whitko.

Following is quick look at first-round matchups Friday night.

Warsaw (4-5) at Carroll (6-3), 7 p.m.

A familiar foe.

That’s what awaits the Tigers Friday night in a Class 6-A Sectional 3 game.

Carroll has sidelined Warsaw in sectional play three of the last four years, including a 40-3 final a season ago. Warsaw is 1-3 all-time versus the Chargers, who are averaging 37 points-per-game this season.

“Carroll is really good again,” said Warsaw coach Phil Jensen. “They are well coached, they have a Division I quarterback who can run and throw it both well and a Division I middle linebacker who is all over the field.”

Warsaw heads into postseason play after losing its last two games. The Tigers also lost top receiver Riley Rhoades (74 receptions, 783 yards and eight touchdowns) to a knee injury last Friday in a loss at Concord.

“I was worried all weekend, but I’m pleased with where we seem to be mentally,” Jensen said. “We just have to step up and go after it. Carroll is not going to feel bad for us because Riley is out. We all need to do our jobs.”

Senior quarterback Aidan Smith leads the Carroll attack. The Northwestern University recruit has thrown for over 1,700 yards with 19 touchdown passes and just four interceptions. Smith has also rushed for 421 yards and 11 more touchdowns.

“We have to make sure that we score when we have opportunities and we have to make them earn everything,” remarked Jensen.

The Warsaw-Carroll winner will face either Homestead or Northrop.

Wawasee (3-6) at Plymouth (7-2), 7 p.m.

The Warriors will face the Rockies for the second time in a month in a rematch game in a Class 4-A Sectional 19 opener.

Plymouth posted a hard-earned 29-20 NLC win in Syracuse on Sept. 25 just five days after Rockie player David Bacon committed suicide. Plymouth standout tailback Jeremy Splix was sidelined for the season with an ankle injury in the win at Wawasee.

“The pressure is all on Plymouth, they have everything to lose,” said Wawasee coach Josh Ekovich. “We just have to leave it all on the field. It’s all about how bad do you want to keep playing.”

Wawasee has lost six of its last seven games after a 2-0 start. The Warriors struggled last week in a 20-0 loss at Goshen.

“It all runs through Barron (quarterback Jack Barron),” said Ekovich of the Rockies. “We have to establish our offense Friday night and take advantage of the opportunities that we have.”

The Wawasee-Plymouth winner moves on to play either DeKalb or Angola.

Tippecanoe Valley (3-6) at Jimtown (6-3), 7:30 p.m.

The Vikings will get an opportunity to shock the state if they find a way to upset the tradition-rich Jimmies in a Class 3-A Sectional 26 contest.

“We know the challenge and we know how good Jimtown is, but what an opportunity,” said first-year Valley coach Darin Holsopple. “There’s no pressure on us. We just need to go in and give it our best shot.”

The Jimmies, who own four state titles, have lost to NorthWood, Mishawaka Marian and New Prairie. Jimtown beat the Vikings 53-18 in a sectional game in 2013. The Jimmies have won 22 sectional championships, including seven in the last 10 years. Valley’s last sectional title came in 1992.

“They fit the mold of Jimtown football,” noted Holsopple. “They are strong, their motors run all the time and they play fast. They are well-coached and well-balanced.

“Our defense, which was fantastic last week, has to come out and get stops. We need to establish a rhythm on offense.”

The Valley-Jimtown winner will play Garrett or West Noble.

Prairie Heights (0-9) at Whitko (4-5), 7 p.m.

The Wildcats are a huge favorite at home to win its Class 2-A Sectional 35 opener.

“It’s nice to get a favorable draw as its been a long time since we did that,” said Whitko coach Josh Mohr. “Our message is to take care of us, continue to improve and always respect our opponent.”

Prairie Heights is just 1-18 the past two seasons and has been outscored by an average of 49-6 this fall.

“We want to play as close to perfect as we can and work some kinks out,” Mohr said. “Last week was a tough loss (19-7 to Peru in the TRC title game) but overall we played well. I just want us to come out Friday and dominate both sides of the line and play as mistake free as possible.”

The Whitko-Prairie Heights winner will play either South Adams or Churubusco.

Southwood (6-3) at Triton (2-7), 7 p.m.

The Trojans will face a big challenge in a Class 1-A Sectional 43 opener in Bourbon.

“It’s very important for us to come out and play well Friday as we look to move the program forward,” said first-year Triton coach Ron Brown. “We’ve talked this week about not being intimidated.”

Triton snapped a seven-game losing streak by edging past West Central, 13-12, last week with a host of underclassmen playing.

Southwood has won six of its last seven games, including a 39-7 win over Rochester last week.

“Our young players are headed in the right direction,” Brown said.

The Triton-Southwood winner advances to play either Caston or Northfield.

Other Area Games Friday Night
Northern Lakes Conference: Elkhart Memorial at South Bend Adams, East Noble at NorthWood, Columbia City at Northridge.

Three Rivers Conference: Bellmont at Maconaquah, Peru at Yorktown, Bremen at Rochester, Wabash at Lewis Cass, Manchester at Winamac, North Miami at Culver, Caston at Northfield.

Hoosier North Athletic Conference: River Forest at Knox, Manchester at Winamac, Pioneer at North White, West Central at Lake Station, Tri-County at North Judson, Fremont at LaVille, North Miami at Culver, Caston at Northfield.