Game Night in the Region – The Only Game in Town!

For the last two seasons, Griffith has been looking ahead to its sectional, facing perennial #3A powerKnox. Well, the Redskins are now 2A and out of the picture, but 3A requirements lifted 2A state champAndrean to 3A and into the Panthers’ sectional in October.
The ‘59ers (13-1) are currently ranked #1 in the Coaches Poll and the USA Today 3A preseason poll. TwinLakes (10-3) is also in that sectional. The Indians are #8 in the preseason Coaches’ Poll and #9 in the USAToday poll. The Panthers are #14 in the latter’s rankings.
Griffith can worry about that in 2 months. In the meantime, it will be the skill players on Offense thatcould determine the fate of Coach Phil Mason’s 26 th season as a head coach and his 4th year overseeingthe Black & Gold. Griffith ended last season at 9-2 and ranked #8 in the AP 3A poll.
“We need to bully people,” said Mason (pictured) in a recent interview with Region Sports Network’sChris Ramirez. Though for a team that amassed 15 starts in the last two seasons beating opponents bymore than 35 points per game, you have to wonder what Mason has in mind.
There are 10 seniors returning from that squad who are expected to give Mason a deeper run in theplayoffs. Griffith’s offense lead by senior quarterback Ryan Bullion (pictured #10) averaged nearly 47points per game last year. Bullion at 6 feet, was a statistical leader in the Region throwing for nearly1,900 yards. He has gotten better every year and seems ready for another breakout campaign.
Bullion will be tossing to a number of targets, but most prominent in the mix is senior wide receiverJason Qullin, a 6-1 speedster (pictured #13). Quillin should be playing on Saturdays somewhere nextyear. He snagged 60 receptions for more than 1,300 yards and 22 touchdowns and was an All-GreaterSouth Shore Conference Receiver in ‘25.
When the Panthers get tired of throwing, they will hand the ball off to 5-8 senior Desmond Neylon(pictured #3). The transfer came out of nowhere last season with no hype to post nearly 1,700 yardsrushing. He broke a school record for a 99-yard gallop against East Chicago Central last autumn.
Even though these players will grab most of the headlines, Mason, a former offensive lineman at IllinoisState 40 years ago, thinks of himself as a blocker through and through. He seems to be most proud ofthe returnees he has in the trenches.
Stanley Lesko, a 6-3, 235-pound senior comes to top of Mason’s mind. “He’s already had a couple D2offers, “adds the Panther coach. Lesko looks to go at right guard along with another senior in 6-4, 295-pound Gavin Edwards (pictured #77) at right tackle.
Edwards has letters from Ball State, Western Illinois and UIndy, but has committed to Northern Illinois.The Northwest Indiana Times ranks him as one of the top linemen in the Region. He was just named toIndiana Preps Sports Network 2026 Pre-season All Indiana Team Offense. “He’s the heart and soul ofthe unit,” adds the Panther head coach.
Senior Sean Mitchell (6-0, 300) will anchor the O Line at center. Mason thinks he could also play at thenext level. Zavion Brown, a 6-1 senior is a versatile tight end who can catch and also block. JuniorGrayson Verbich (6-5, 305) anchors left tackle, while classmate Max Angel (5-10) is at left guard.
On Defense, Mason is very high on junior linebacker Hunter Butkus (where have I heard that namebefore?). “At 5-10, he really reads the run game well,” says Mason. Senior Jacob Hemphill is Butkus’running mate in the unit. He’s a 6-0 senior who can play either safety or corner.
Remainder in the D backfield includes 5-8 senior Mason Litke and 6-2 senior Davon Thomaston, whomay also find himself a target for Bullion in the offense. Junior Aaron Wilson at 5-11 should also play alot of pass defense this season.
Looking at the schedule, it appears a little tougher than last year’s when few Panther foes had betterthan .500 records. This season, Griffith meets four teams with winning campaigns from ’25. ThePanthers travel to the Inferno in Week 3 to meet Lowell. The Red Devils were 9-3 last year ended upranked #12 in the AP 4A poll. Griffith has not beaten the Red & Black in its last six tries. Last victory wasin 2016. Lowell crushed Griffith 42-14 in the Boneyard last season.
An upgrade to the schedule comes in Week 6, but it’s another tough road game at Rensselaer Central.Indiana Football Hall of Fame coach Chris Meeks’ Bombers are regularly ranked amongst the state’s best2A squads. No difference this year at #12 in the Pre-Season Coaches Poll. Griffith lost to RC 42-13 in thesecond round of the ‘23 sectional when the Bombers were 3A.
Calumet was 6-5 last year and travels to Griffith in Week 8. Wheeler (8-2 in ‘25) always a tough gameends the regular season. The Bearcats finished the season ranked #11 in the 2A AP poll. The two teamshave split the last four contests.
When you analyze the rest of the schedule, you can never take anything for granted, but it looks likesmoother sailing. Highland hasn’t had a winning season in 11 years and were 2-8 in ’25. They areGriffith’s guests this Friday. The Panthers are at Munster (4-7) in Week 2. The Mustangs have had 12straight losing years. It’s Boone Grove (4-5) in Week 4 at home.
River Forest in Week 5 on the road. The Ingots had a down season last year at 4-6 and had not had alosing season since 2018. RF always seemed to give Griffith a rough time previous to last year. GaryWest Side is another 4-5 team. The Cougars have not had a winning campaign since ’23. The Black &Gold travel there in Week 7.
Griffith won’s its division in the GSSC in ’25. It’s a notorious weak league. The Panthers don’t seem to beever going back to the Northwest Crossroads, so the regular season is what it is. Griffith has a chance tokeep themselves prominent in state rankings bulldozing schools they normally beat anyway. It is oddthat with such a squad loaded with experienced seniors, Griffith only got two votes in the Coaches Poll.
The challenge is to beat Lowell and Rensselaer Central and dominate 2A ranked Wheeler to get anyattention from poll voters. Mason has been building this team for this moment. Hopefully, that former Olineman gets back to a deeper run in the sectional. “Dedication and hard work plus we have highcharacter kids,” he adds. It all starts Friday. All the chips seem to be in on this year.