No clue with Indiana but in TN, it is absolutely true.
Lurker who grew up in that area (with some of the kid’s aunts and uncles actually). Indiana HS football isn’t deep, but the top team are extremely competitive. CG’s conference contains Warren Central, Ben Davis, and Carmel. They also play Cathedral every year. They’re a Catholic school that lacks a home field forced to contract to play in the mud bowl vid people saw.
CG+those 4 schools are all top 15-20 programs in the Midwest who can compete with anyone in that part of the country. There are a couple of others too: Brownsburg and Westfield (CG’s opponent the last two years in the final).
CG’s senior class: Curry, Jackson and DB who didn’t play in the finals going to Cincy. Two Power 5 preferred walk ons who translate to MAC level scholly players. 3 MAC signees and 4 FCS signees. Westfield is pretty solid to hang with that.
Those schools regularly schedule the Cincy GCL schools, St Ignatius, Detroit powers, Trinity in Louisville, etc. Last year, the Ohio large class champ’s only two losses came to Brownsburg and Indy Cathedral. Brownsburg lost to Westfield in the tourney who lost to CG. Catheral’s only two losses over the last two years are at the hands of CG. If the competition can play with and often beat the best in Ohio, there shouldn’t be a concern about level of play/competition.
I can’t say how these schools would fare vs the best of the best GA or FL have to offer, but I’m pretty confident all 7 of the schools I mentioned would be top 25 all class caliber schools. The drop after those schools and the random 2-3 schools with stellar classes in any given year is huge though.
SMFH
