Notre Dame/Byron-Bergen Football Eyes Payback as Sectionals Begin

After 2 years of rebuilding under head coach Otis Thomas, the Notre Dame/Byron-Bergen Fighting Irish are back as a factor in the Class D postseason — and they’re not just happy to be here. The Irish enter Sectional play as the No. 5 seed with a 3–5 record, marking a major step forward from last year’s 0–9 campaign.

Despite being one of Section V’s youngest teams, Notre Dame has shown steady growth and flashes of real potential throughout the season. The Irish hung tough with Class D’s best, trailing top-seeded York/Pavilion by just one score midway through the third quarter and keeping it close against No. 2 Avon before halftime. Still, inconsistency has been their biggest hurdle — especially in games like last week’s regular-season finale against Attica, where penalties and turnovers erased promising drives.

Now, the Irish find themselves heading right back to Attica for a sectional rematch after falling to the Blue Devils 18–0 just a week ago. In that loss, Attica’s defense controlled the game, holding Notre Dame to a single red-zone trip. The Irish defense did force three turnovers, but Attica’s Landyn Nagel made the difference with 97 rushing yards. If Notre Dame wants to flip the script, discipline will be key — they simply can’t afford the penalties and fumbles that plagued them in the first meeting.

Key Players to Watch

Junior Chase Antinore is the heartbeat of this Irish offense. A versatile weapon who lines up at wingback, tailback, and quarterback, Antinore has piled up 374 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns, 208 receiving yards and 3 scores, and over 100 passing yards with 2 more TDs. Roy Ricks is the team’s steady backfield presence with 262 yards on 57 carries, while Ja’lon Richardson adds explosive potential — though ball security will be crucial after fumbling twice last week.

Through the air, TJ Cephus has emerged as the team’s most dynamic receiver, posting 24 catches for 453 yards and 4 touchdowns, with Finn Davies serving as a reliable tight end target for quarterback Parker Lazarony, who has thrown 7 touchdowns on the year.

Defensively, Parker Moore leads the way with 61 tackles, and Adyn Horzempa has been a force up front with 7 sacks. The defensive line — featuring Horzempa, Stetson Hall, Mackoy Hall, and Liam Boyle — has anchored the unit, while Antinore continues to shine on both sides of the ball with 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, 2 recoveries, and 2 defensive touchdowns.

Prediction

There’s no denying last week’s 18–0 loss was a tough one, but it wasn’t without silver linings. When Notre Dame put the ball in Antinore’s hands, good things happened — and expect the offense to lean on him even more this time around. If the backs can hold onto the football and the offensive line can limit mistakes, the Irish have a real shot to pull the upset.

Should Notre Dame knock off Attica, the road ahead doesn’t get easier — they’d face top-seeded York/Pavilion, a team they already pushed deep into the second half earlier this year. But for now, it’s all about redemption in Attica. Clean football, ball security, and a heavy dose of Antinore might just be the formula to keep this Irish turnaround rolling.