Spartans aim for three-peat

The Connersville Spartans (15-4) are sitting atop the EIAC with two games remaining. Their conference record is currently 5-0, one game ahead of the Greensburg Pirates (15-4) who are 5-1 in the EIAC. The Bucs will be hoping for an upset and waiting for a share of the title if they can pull off one more conference win, and hope for a Spartan loss. They will have to wait until Feb. 24 to get their sixth win, when they face East Central (5-15, 3-3), the final EIAC game left on the schedule … unless EC wants to play spoiler. In the meantime, they will be rooting for a Franklin County (9-11) or Lawrenceburg (17-4) win this weekend. The Tigers winning is more likely than the former; they are sitting in fourth place in the EIAC (3-2) and are winners of five in a row after a 22-point win on Saturday over Rising Sun. Franklin County (2-4) is currently in fifth place in the conference and just snapped a seven-game skid on Saturday with a win over Victory Prep. The Spartans beat FC last season 49-39 in the late-season matchup and have won 29 of the last 38 meetings between the two schools.

Connersville is looking to finish their third season in a row at 7-0 in the EIAC. Their last conference loss in regular season play was to Franklin County Feb 21, 2020, a two-point loss at Spartan Bowl. The Spartans will be tough for any team to beat with one of the toughest defenses in the state; CHS is ranked ninth in points allowed out of 401 teams. Connersville gives up just 41.7 ppg. Coincidentally Lawrenceburg is ranked tenth, allowing just 42.3 ppg. The Saturday matchup at the Spartan Bowl when the Tigers come to town is one that favors CHS. They have yet to lose to Lawrenceburg since they began the yearly match starting in 2013-14. The Spartans are 10-0 in that stretch over the Tigers and have only lost once to LHS in the last 35 years. CHS won the matchup last season, 52-31.

One thing is for sure after this weekend – the EIAC picture might, or might not be, a little clearer.