Bonus Coverage: The Mudsock Rivalry
Series of the Week Preview (HSE vs Fishers)
Recent Series History
The Mudsock Rivalry
The Mudsock Rivalry is one of the fiercest in Indiana high school sports. The name traces back to the “Battle of Mudsock” in 1881—a clash between rival saloons across the street from one another that lasted more than a day. The modern rivalry began when Fishers High School opened in 2006–07.
Over the past five seasons, this matchup has been firmly controlled by the Fishers Tigers. When the rivalry was played as a three-game series, Fishers never lost it. Even with the format shifting back to two games last season, the results didn’t change—the Tigers continued their dominance, going 11–3 over that span against the Royals, including a sweep last year.
What makes it sting even more for Hamilton Southeastern: Fishers has also won all three postseason meetings, ending the Royals’ season each time.
So the question becomes—will 2026 be the year HSE takes back the Mudsock, or does Fishers continue its grip on the rivalry?
What Is at Stake
Beyond the rivalry, this series is about positioning—stay in the race, or begin to thin the herd.
If HSE sweeps:
At worst, remains one game behind Noblesville (if the Millers sweep), with a head-to-head series next week
At best, moves into a tie for first with either Noblesville or Westfield
Reclaims the Mudsock
If Fishers sweeps:
Stays firmly in the hunt after surviving the early-season HCC gauntlet
A Noblesville–Westfield split or Westfield sweep puts the Tigers just one game out
Retains the Mudsock—and its recent dominance in the rivalry
If they split:
HSE still controls its path with series remaining against Noblesville and Westfield
Fishers’ path becomes more uncertain, falling at least two games back and needing help
Future slip-ups could prove costly in a tightening race
Key Players and Matchups
HSE
The Royals are the top hitting team in the conference, with six players hitting .350 or better.
Jackson Bixler leads the team with a .420 average, adding 4 doubles, a triple, a home run, and 13 RBIs.
Chase Bradle — .375, 14 RBI, 1 HR
Alex Shephard — .368, 4 2B
Cy Cole — .357, 2 2B
Parker O’Steen — .350, 5 2B, 3B
However, the most dangerous hitter in the Royals’ lineup might be Clark Bucher. He is hitting .327 with 4 doubles and 3 home runs, with an OPS of 1.035.
This is a lineup the Tigers’ pitching staff must limit—or risk getting buried early.
On the mound, the Royals have two dependable starters in Dylan Cope and Spencer Mohr. Both enter the series with only one loss, suffered last week against Avon. Cope is 3–1, while Mohr is 4–1 with a 1.24 ERA.
Fishers
Fishers enters at the bottom of the conference in hitting (.227 as a team), which makes a low-run environment essential to their chances. The Tigers have the arms and defensive ability to keep games close.
Ethan Buelt is hitting .333 with a pair of home runs, while Carter Strole sits at .320 with two home runs as well. Strole was on fire early in the season and has cooled off as of late, but remains one of the top bats in the conference with the ability to change the score at any moment. Fishers needs to find a way to set the table for them.
On the mound, Fishers may have one of the top arms in the conference back. Hayden Werner was impressive in his first two innings of the season against Westfield, facing six hitters, surrendering no hits or walks while striking out three.
Does he return to the top of the rotation—or remain a high-leverage bullpen arm? Either way, this is a major boost for the Tigers at a critical time.
One of the biggest surprises of the season has been Austin Conley. The left-hander has been outstanding, posting a 3–0 record with a minuscule 0.58 ERA. Opponents are hitting .205 with a .300 OBP.
Coach Matt Cherry now has multiple options to counter HSE’s offensive firepower, including Owen Lukac and Carter Strole.
Game 1
With this being a two-game series, Game 1 becomes the Mudsock game.
HSE will likely continue with Dylan Cope as the Game 1 starter. As noted earlier, Fishers is less clear. Will it be Werner, or do they continue to turn to Lukac in Game 1? Based on past series usage, Lukac is the likely choice.
If it is Lukac, this could be a difficult matchup for him. He has the stuff to get any lineup out, but teams are hitting .349 against him and reaching base at a .443 clip. His 21 strikeouts in 17 innings highlight his potential, but he must limit baserunners against this lineup.
This could also present an opportunity for the Fishers offense. Cope has not dominated opposing hitters, with a .274 OBA, a 5.67 ERA, and a 1.74 WHIP.
Game 2
As stated earlier, this series becomes difficult to break down without knowing the availability of Hayden Werner. Given his recent outing, it is safe to assume he will be used, but he remains the wildcard.
This game is likely to feature the low-run environment Fishers needs. Conley limits runners and runs, and so does Mohr. Fishers may have more overall depth on the mound than HSE, so a major factor could be whether either team can chase the starter early and force a bullpen game.
Both starters have delivered quality outings in HCC play, so that may be a tall order.
Model Projection
For the first time in recent memory, the model leans toward Hamilton Southeastern in this rivalry—but not without resistance.
Game 1 projects with HSE holding a 72% edge, suggesting an advantage but far from a certainty in a matchup with this much history. Game 2 tilts slightly more in the Royals’ favor at 77%, driven by the projected pitching matchup and run prevention outlook.
Looking at the full series:
HSE sweep: 54.3%
Fishers sweep: 5.6%
Split: 40.1%
The most likely outcome is an HSE sweep—but just barely, with a split nearly as likely.
And that’s where the tension lies. While the numbers point toward HSE, the history of this rivalry—and Fishers’ dominance within it—suggests nothing will come easily.