CARMEL, Ind. – Carmel High continued to look like a state title contender on Friday night, dominating rival and fellow powerhouse Indianapolis Warren Central 42-7.
The game had a running clock early in the second half as the Greyhounds tempo on offense was a huge problem for the Warriors defense, and the playmaking and physicality of the Carmel defense was also very apparent.
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Rivals was on-hand and highlights the top performers.
Duke commit Dane Bathurst is one of the ACC’s top defensive commits
Setting the tone for this Carmel defense was edge rusher Dane Bathurst. The Duke commit is explosive, physical and relentless. He plays with great leverage, knocked over several offensive linemen and can also drop in coverage and play in space. Duke head coach Manny Diaz and edge coach Harland Bower were on the sideline watching.
“He helped change the culture,” Carmel coach Kevin Wright said of Bathurst who moved up from Tampa (Fla.) Plant. “I’ll never forget he made the comment early in June, he goes ‘some guys think that we have to practice,’ he goes ‘we get to practice!’ It’s that mentality when you’re trying to flip things around from the last few years and get to the championship mentality you have to have.”
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Louisville has been showing interest in the 6-foot-4, 235-pound Bathurst and other programs like Michigan State are also beginning to come around.
“He’s made us better in practice,” Wright said. “He’s made our offensive line in practice better because he’s that physical. What you see is he’s brought it out in other guys.”
Bathurst came into the game with 55 tackles, 11 stops for loss and six sacks in seven games.
Wake Forest getting a freak athlete on defense in Isaac Nelson
Carmel (Ind.) High safety Isaac Nelson got banged up early in the season and looked like he was rounding back into form on Friday night with a couple pad-popping hits. At 6-foot-2, 205-pounds, he covers as much ground as any defenders in the Midwest, and the tone-setting tackling ability has gone up another level in his final prep season.
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“You saw that hit early in the game,” Wright stated. “He’s just now getting healthy. Team captain. Tonight was one of his better games.
“You see his range. He’s 10.5 in the state track meet last year which is a Carmel record. He can run. He’s big, he’s physical, will probably be a linebacker at the next level.”
Nelson reminds of Drue Tranquill, a Fort Wayne native who shined at Notre Dame and is now in his seventh season in the NFL.
“What makes his potential so high is he’s never just played football,” Wright said. “He’s a track athlete and in the spring misses a lot of training.”
Senior QB Anthony Coellner having a huge year
Troy quarterback commit Anthony Coellner has the Carmel offense playing at a high level. He extended plays, can throw on the move, run with the football and stretch the field with his arm.
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“Oh geez I think he’s the most underrated quarterback I’ve seen around,” Wright said. “I just think his accuracy, he’s 70-plus percent. His ability to make plays, his ability to move the ball up and down the field. He makes checks, he made a lot of lot of nice checks at the line of scrimmage. He has a lot of ability to make decisions I don’t make for him.
“Throwing the ball downfield, he’s always been able to do but you see the RPO throws. He hangs in there. He’s a freak athlete. He was 4.61 laser at the Elite 11 in Atlanta and like a 42-inch vertical. He’s become one of the most underrated quarterbacks I’ve seen.”
Sophomore Drake Coellner has a big game
Two interceptions and a pass breakup in the end zone were among the big plays 2028 safety Drake Coellner made.
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His offer list already includes Vanderbilt, Duke, Wake Forest, Texas A&M, Troy and Liberty.
“He’s a freakish athlete,” Wright said. “One of the things we needed to do early in the season is find some guys that can play man coverage and find guys that have some range. We played him at corner and played him at safety. He’s a really good athlete. He can return kicks.
“He does it all.”
More Carmel players impress
2027 edge rusher Aiden Dickerson is another twitchy, pass rusher that is a three-year varsity starter in basketball as well. He was very disruptive in this one.
Charlotte commit Kaiden Bower makes things happen in the middle of the Greyhounds defensive line.
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Wright loves versatile front-seven 2027 linebacker/defensive end Drew Jones.
The offensive line played very well against a Warren Central front loaded with future Division-I players. Standouts included Jayden Kirschner and Christian Southard. Wright added senior center Cade Clark makes the offense go.
Senior running back Andrew Pemberton had a huge game. Josiah Gilmore showed his speed out of the backfield. 2028 Ayden Johnson didn’t play because of injury but has a bright future.
