Team Preview 2023: Experienced Group Sets Sights on Conference, Sectional Titles

South Dearborn opens the 2023 season at Jennings County.

(Aurora, Ind.) - An experienced and productive collection of talent will lead the South Dearborn Knights in 2023. 

Coming off a 7-3 record and an EIAC Small School Division Championship in 2022, the Knights have their sights set on a second consecutive conference title and a first sectional championship in program history. 

"We hadn't had a conference championship since 1996 at South Dearborn," said head coach Rand Ballart. "We were very fortunate to come out and play some very, very good football last year and go through the conference like we did. Winning that first conference championship since '96 was pretty nice." 

South Dearborn lit up the scoreboard in their three conference matchups against Batesville, Greensburg, and Rushville, outscoring their opponents165-56. 

With eight returning starters on offense and six on defense, the Knights are positioned well to make a run at another conference title in 2023, They also look to be a contender in Class 3A, as the Knights will begin the season just outside of the Top 10 in Class 3A Poll by the Indiana Football Coaches Association. 

Offensively, South Dearborn will be fun to watch again in 2023 with their uptempo attack led by record-breaking senior quarterback Adam Kunkel. As a junior, Kunkel set eight records on his way to earning All-State honors, including single game completions (33), single game yards (526) single game touchdown passes (6), single game pass attempts (50), season completions (204), season yards (2,253), season touchdown passes (19), and season pass attempts (364).

Overall, Kunkel completed 56 percent of his passes for 2,253 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. 

His top target from a season ago, Austin Ballart (55 receptions, 853 yards, 6 TD), has graduated and moved on to play college football at Thomas More University. Still, Kunkel has three trustworthy wideout targets in Hudson Shackelford, Oli Babcock, and Reid Thornton. Last season, the three combined for 85 receptions, 881 yards, and seven touchdowns. Another potential standout at wideout is Conor Huff, who transitioned from quarterback to receiver this offseason. 

The Knights do return their top ball carrier from a season ago. CJ Evans ran for 515 yards and seven touchdowns. He also caught 20 passes for 224 yards, and two touchdowns. Carson Cheek is also expected to see time in the backfield. 

Up front, Blake Pruss, Colt Hensley, Mahlon Bressert, and Zaniel Juan return as starters. Junior Jacob Purcell looks to contribute in the trenches along with freshman Mariano Flores. 

"We feel pretty solid about what they have been able to do," said Coach Ballart. "We feel pretty good about what's going on on the offensive side. Our skill guys really grasp what we are trying to do." 

On the coaching front, Kenny Higgins is back into the offensive coordinator role after Jon Lemasters stepped down after one season at South Dearborn. The Knights welcome in former East Central standout Drew Knigga to help with the running backs. 

Defensively, the Knights return the top two tacklers in the EIAC. Brayden Johnson and Brady Ballart both totaled 98 tackles in 2022 from their inside linebacker positions. Dylon Wynn is also back at linebacker (51 tackles) to form one of the top position groups in the EIAC. 

In the secondary, South Dearborn returns starting cornerbacks Blake Lagaly and Dylon Leffler. 

Opportunity awaits for new faces to star on the defensive line and at safety following the graduation of starters Logan Thies, Ashton Kittle, Adam Gainor, Ryan Willoughby, and Corbin Cassidy. 

Some of the potential newcomers on defense include Caden Thompson, Mason Lane, Sean Head, Elliot Meek, Eli Sizemore, Landon Walton, Cole Armbruster, Jeff Wickersham, Colt McClure, Tyeler Gulden, and Jackson Johnson. 

"Best thing about what our defense is about right now is we can move people around and you're not honed in on one position," said Coach Ballart. "Everybody knows what they are supposed to be doing and our key is getting after it up front." 

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"Our goal is to win the conference again, but our goal is also to win a sectional. It has been an elusive thing for South Dearborn. We've never had one. That's our goal but we have some tough teams in there, our sectional is pretty loaded. We'll go as far as our seniors takes us. We have great leadership here."

2023 Schedule 

August 18 - at Jennings County 
August 25 - vs Madison 
September 1 - vs Batesville (Eagle Country 99.3 Feature Game)
September 8 - vs Connersville
September 15 - at Greensburg
September 22 - at East Central (Eagle Country 99.3 Feature Game)
September 29 - vs Franklin County (Eagle Country 99.3 Feature Game)
October 6 - at Rushville 
October 13 - at Lawrenceburg (Eagle Country 99.3 Feature Game)