Weekend Roundup: Summit City brings together eight of THE FINAL.’s top 10.
HSE A faces four ranked opponents in Fort Wayne, while Bishop Noll Institute hosts the BNI Catholic Invitational after opening with a 2–1 win over Mount Carmel.
THE FINAL. 10 is here — our editorial ranking of Indiana high school hockey teams, weighing results, quality of competition and how teams are trending.
Penn Gold leads this week’s varsity rankings, followed by HSE A, St. Joe, Crown Point Red and Lakeshore St. Joe. Lake Central, Munster Red, Marian-Riley, Culver A and South Stars Red complete the top 10.
Eight of those teams head to PSM Icehouse in Fort Wayne this weekend for the Summit City Crossover. Of the five games between ranked opponents, four involve No. 2 HSE A, which faces No. 8 Marian-Riley, No. 1 Penn Gold, No. 5 Lakeshore St. Joe and No. 9 Culver A. No. 10 South Stars Red meets No. 7 Munster Red in Friday’s other ranked matchup.
That demanding four-game stretch for HSE anchors a busy Nov. 6–8 weekend. In Hammond, Bishop Noll Institute has already opened the BNI Catholic Invitational with a victory, while Brebeuf Jesuit begins its tournament schedule Friday.
Summit City Crossover: four ranked tests for HSE
HSE’s weekend begins Friday at 6:40 p.m. against Marian-Riley, which arrives after beating Adams 8–3 and Bishop Noll varsity 6–2 last weekend.
The Royals won their October meeting with Marian-Riley 7–2. The rematch gives Marian-Riley a chance to show how much ground it has gained—and gives HSE an opening challenge before an early turnaround.
For HSE’s Evan Swann, Friday is about establishing an approach that carries through all four games.
“We need to come out hot, feet moving, guys buzzing around, and really just set the tone early, not just for the night but the weekend as a whole,” Swann said.
At 6:50 a.m. Saturday, HSE meets Penn Gold in the weekend’s only matchup between the top two teams.
Penn’s case for No. 1 included nine straight wins, two victories over Culver A, an overtime win against St. Joe and a 6–1 result against Homestead.
HSE held an unbeaten 6–0–0 record in the rankings release. Penn’s deeper résumé earned the narrow edge, but Saturday puts the teams on the same ice.
Swann expects Penn’s scoring ability to demand an aggressive response from the Royals.
“I think they got a lot of good players, that can put the puck in the back of the net,” Swann said. “As a team we just got to play more aggressive, I think the team that wants it more will decide this matchup.”
Penn’s offense meets a familiar challenge
Before facing HSE, Penn opens against Homestead at 5:20 p.m. Friday. For Penn’s Jaxon Daigle, setting the tone starts with trusting what has already worked.
“We just need to not overthink it and keep playing our game,” Daigle said.
Saturday morning brings a familiar challenge for Daigle in HSE’s net.
“HSE has very strong goaltending with (Finley Jones) in net,” he said. “I played with him multiple years and I know he will make us work for it. He’s not known to give up soft goals.”
Against a goalie he knows well, Daigle’s expectation for his own effort is straightforward: “100% every shift.”
For HSE, limiting Penn’s opportunities also means controlling the space around the goal. Asked about defending an offensive threat like Daigle, Swann pointed to awareness and discipline.
“Being more aware of net front presence, we can’t allow them to get comfortable in front of the net and we need to be disciplined in our (offensive) zone,” Swann said.
The unusually early start adds another wrinkle. Asked about preparing for a 6:50 a.m. puck drop, Daigle offered an honest reaction.
“I didn’t even know we could play early,” he said. “We will see how things go.”
Both teams return to the ice at 9:20 p.m. Saturday, with Penn facing Carmel Gold and HSE meeting Lakeshore St. Joe. Managing the nearly 15 hours between scheduled puck drops becomes part of the assignment.
“We will need to relax and nap between our Saturday games and make sure to get some good meals in,” Daigle said.
Swann has a similar plan, with an emphasis on staying ready throughout the long day.
“I’ll be up early getting the nutrients I need to compete that morning. And then after I’ll refuel and rest until the game comes later that night,” Swann said. “I would say the biggest thing is just being locked in throughout the day.”
Penn finishes against Columbus on Sunday. Daigle’s hopes for what people take away from the Kingsmen’s weekend extend beyond the scores.
“We want people to see we’re a team that works hard, stays humble and has fun out there.”
The challenges keep coming
HSE’s Saturday night opponent, Lakeshore St. Joe, already has a tie against Penn and last Sunday’s 3–0 win over Lake Central on its résumé.
For Lakeshore, the meeting offers a chance to add another major result. Games against Columbus, Carmel Gold and Homestead round out its weekend.
HSE then closes Sunday at 11:20 a.m. against Culver A. The Royals won their October meeting 3–1, but Culver’s recent 5–5 tie with No. 3 St. Joe shows why that finale deserves attention.
Games against Carmel Gold, Columbus and Homestead lead into Culver’s opportunity against HSE.
By then, both teams will be playing their fourth game in three days. Swann said the Royals understand the effort that schedule requires.
“We know the level of compete we have to bring to come in and dominate this weekend,” he said.
His own goals center on helping HSE maintain that standard while limiting avoidable mistakes.
“I want to consistently push my self and others around me to rise to the next level,” Swann said. “I want to try and limit the mistakes that I could make by playing the game right and keeping it simple.”
South Stars and Munster add another ranked showdown
Friday’s 7 p.m. meeting between No. 10 South Stars Red and No. 7 Munster Red is the crossover’s only ranked matchup that does not involve HSE.
South Stars won their September meeting 7–5. The rematch gives Munster an opportunity to reverse that result, while South Stars can strengthen its place in the top 10 against a team ranked three positions higher.
South Stars also faces Southwest Michigan, Adams and Carroll. Munster’s remaining opponents are Central Indiana Knights A, Southwest Michigan and Westfield.
The Shamrocks arrive with a recent result worth remembering: a 4–0 win over Knights A last Saturday.
Opportunities throughout the field
No. 4 Crown Point Red draws Evansville, HSE B, Zionsville and Bloomington. The Bulldogs beat Evansville 7–0 in October, while Sunday’s meeting with Bloomington gives the Blades an opportunity against one of the highest-ranked teams in the field.
Carroll opens against Westfield after Wednesday’s 1–0 loss to Homestead. The Chargers then face Culver B and Knights A before finishing against ranked South Stars Red.
Columbus faces a particularly demanding schedule against Lakeshore, Culver A, Marian-Riley and Penn. Homestead also draws four ranked opponents: Penn, Marian-Riley, Culver and Lakeshore.
Adams, Culver B, Knights A and Southwest Michigan fill out a busy crossover slate, while Bloomington, Evansville, Leo, the Vipers, Zionsville, HSE B and Penn Black JV meet throughout the weekend.
Westfield JV, Crown Point White JV, Angola JV, Munster White JV, Carmel Blue JV and the Renegades JV also have a full schedule, with games continuing through Sunday afternoon.
Summit City calendar
All games at PSM Icehouse. All times Eastern. Bold matchups feature two teams in THE FINAL. 10.
| Friday, Nov. 6 | Matchup |
|---|---|
| 5 p.m. | Westfield vs. Carroll |
| 5:10 p.m. | Culver B vs. Adams |
| 5:20 p.m. | No. 1 Penn Gold vs. Homestead |
| 6:40 p.m. | No. 8 Marian-Riley vs. No. 2 HSE A |
| 6:50 p.m. | Central Indiana Knights A vs. Southwest Michigan |
| 7 p.m. | No. 10 South Stars Red vs. No. 7 Munster Red |
| 8:20 p.m. | No. 9 Culver A vs. Carmel Gold |
| 8:30 p.m. | No. 5 Lakeshore St. Joe vs. Columbus |
| 8:40 p.m. | HSE B vs. Leo |
| 10 p.m. | Zionsville vs. Vipers |
| 10:10 p.m. | Bloomington vs. Penn Black JV |
| 10:20 p.m. | Evansville vs. No. 4 Crown Point Red |
| Saturday, Nov. 7 | Matchup |
|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | Adams vs. Westfield |
| 6:50 a.m. | No. 2 HSE A vs. No. 1 Penn Gold |
| 7 a.m. | Carroll vs. Culver B |
| 7:40 a.m. | Homestead vs. No. 8 Marian-Riley |
| 8:30 a.m. | No. 7 Munster Red vs. Central Indiana Knights A |
| 8:40 a.m. | Southwest Michigan vs. No. 10 South Stars Red |
| 9:20 a.m. | Columbus vs. No. 9 Culver A |
| 10:10 a.m. | Carmel Gold vs. No. 5 Lakeshore St. Joe |
| 10:20 a.m. | Carmel Blue JV vs. Renegades JV |
| 11 a.m. | Westfield JV vs. Crown Point White JV |
| 12:40 p.m. | Angola JV vs. Munster White JV |
| 1 p.m. | No. 4 Crown Point Red vs. HSE B |
| 2:20 p.m. | Penn Black JV vs. Zionsville |
| 2:40 p.m. | Vipers vs. Bloomington |
| 3:10 p.m. | Leo vs. Evansville |
| 4:20 p.m. | Carroll vs. Central Indiana Knights A |
| 4:50 p.m. | Adams vs. No. 10 South Stars Red |
| 6 p.m. | Culver B vs. Westfield |
| 6:30 p.m. | No. 7 Munster Red vs. Southwest Michigan |
| 7:40 p.m. | Homestead vs. No. 9 Culver A |
| 9:20 p.m. | No. 2 HSE A vs. No. 5 Lakeshore St. Joe |
| 9:20 p.m. | Carmel Gold vs. No. 1 Penn Gold |
| 9:50 p.m. | Columbus vs. No. 8 Marian-Riley |
| 10:10 p.m. | Leo vs. Bloomington |
| 11 p.m. | Vipers vs. Evansville |
| Sunday, Nov. 8 | Matchup |
|---|---|
| 6:20 a.m. | Penn Black JV vs. HSE B |
| 6:30 a.m. | No. 4 Crown Point Red vs. Zionsville |
| 6:40 a.m. | Westfield JV vs. Angola JV |
| 8 a.m. | Munster White JV vs. Renegades JV |
| 8:10 a.m. | Crown Point White JV vs. Carmel Blue JV |
| 8:20 a.m. | Central Indiana Knights A vs. Adams |
| 9:40 a.m. | No. 10 South Stars Red vs. Carroll |
| 9:50 a.m. | Westfield vs. No. 7 Munster Red |
| 10 a.m. | Culver B vs. Southwest Michigan |
| 11:20 a.m. | No. 9 Culver A vs. No. 2 HSE A |
| 11:30 a.m. | No. 5 Lakeshore St. Joe vs. Homestead |
| 11:40 a.m. | No. 1 Penn Gold vs. Columbus |
| 1:10 p.m. | No. 8 Marian-Riley vs. Carmel Gold |
| 1:20 p.m. | Bloomington vs. No. 4 Crown Point Red |
| 2:40 p.m. | Evansville vs. Penn Black JV |
| 2:50 p.m. | Crown Point White JV vs. Renegades JV |
| 3 p.m. | Munster White JV vs. Westfield JV |
| 4:20 p.m. | Carmel Blue JV vs. Angola JV |
| 4:30 p.m. | HSE B vs. Vipers |
| 4:40 p.m. | Zionsville vs. Leo |
Bishop Noll opens its invitational with a win
Bishop Noll Institute opened the BNI Catholic Invitational with a 2–1 victory over Mount Carmel on Thursday night.
The win gives the host Warriors a strong start at Kube Sports Complex in Hammond before Friday’s meeting with St. Xavier and Saturday’s games against St. Rita and St. John’s Jesuit.
Bishop Noll entered the tournament after splitting last Sunday’s games, beating the Vipers 3–1 before falling to Marian-Riley 6–2. Thursday’s result gives the Warriors an early victory to build on against the visiting field.
Fellow Indiana participant Brebeuf Jesuit opens against North Catholic on Friday, plays St. Xavier and St. Rita on Saturday, then finishes against St. John’s Jesuit on Sunday.
The Warriors and Braves are not scheduled to meet, but their games against shared opponents St. Xavier, St. Rita and St. John’s Jesuit will provide a useful comparison.
For Brebeuf, the weekend offers a chance to build offensive momentum after losses to Columbus and Bloomington. Four games against visiting opponents also give the Braves an opportunity to establish consistency across consecutive days.
Bishop Noll Blue JV and St. Joe White JV have games against Mount Carmel JV and St. John’s Jesuit JV, along with a Saturday meeting against each other at Homewood-Flossmoor.
BNI Catholic Invitational calendar
Listed games involving teams covered by THE FINAL. All times Central.
| Date | Time or result | Matchup | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., Nov. 5 | Bishop Noll won 2–1 | Mount Carmel vs. Bishop Noll varsity | Kube |
| Fri., Nov. 6 | 5:30 p.m. | Bishop Noll Blue JV vs. Mount Carmel JV | Homewood-Flossmoor |
| Fri., Nov. 6 | 7 p.m. | St. Joe White JV vs. St. John’s Jesuit JV | Homewood-Flossmoor |
| Fri., Nov. 6 | 7:10 p.m. | North Catholic vs. Brebeuf Jesuit | Kube |
| Fri., Nov. 6 | 8:50 p.m. | St. Xavier vs. Bishop Noll varsity | Kube |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | 11:40 a.m. | St. Xavier vs. Brebeuf Jesuit | Kube |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | 1:20 p.m. | St. Rita vs. Bishop Noll varsity | Kube |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | 2:45 p.m. | St. Joe White JV vs. Bishop Noll Blue JV | Homewood-Flossmoor |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | 6:20 p.m. | St. Rita vs. Brebeuf Jesuit | Kube |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | 8 p.m. | St. John’s Jesuit varsity vs. Bishop Noll varsity | Kube |
| Sun., Nov. 8 | 10:10 a.m. | Brebeuf Jesuit vs. St. John’s Jesuit varsity | Kube |
| Sun., Nov. 8 | 10:15 a.m. | Mount Carmel JV vs. St. Joe White JV | Homewood-Flossmoor |
| Sun., Nov. 8 | 11:50 a.m. | St. John’s Jesuit JV vs. Bishop Noll Blue JV | Kube |
Beyond the crossovers
Friday’s local schedule includes Columbus JV against Central Indiana Knights B JV at the Fuel Tank.
The Knights enter after their 2–1 comeback win over Carmel Blue last Saturday, while Columbus goalie Canyon Long follows his Player of the Week performance with another opportunity.
Columbus JV returns home Saturday to face Louisville Metro JV at Hamilton Community Center & Ice Arena. South Stars White JV hosts Lake Central White JV at Perry Park that evening.
Around the state calendar
All times Eastern.
| Date | Time | Matchup | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., Nov. 6 | 8:40 p.m. | Columbus JV vs. Central Indiana Knights B JV | Fuel Tank at Fishers |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | 4:15 p.m. | Louisville Metro JV vs. Columbus JV | Hamilton Community Center & Ice Arena |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | 5:15 p.m. | Lake Central White JV vs. South Stars White JV | Perry Park |