LAKEVILLE - LaVille has announced its 2026 high school football schedule. And, the Lancer athletic department is excited to share that an agreement has been made for a gridiron meeting between perennial power Evansville Mater Dei and LHS. The two clubs are set to meet on September 5 at Southport High School. Kick is scheduled for 2 PM Eastern Time inside Cardinal Stadium. We had a chance to chat with first-year LaVille coach Matt Thacker about the football opportunity. "I think whenever you get an opportunity to play a program like Evansville Mater Dei or any great program it naturally provides a measuring stick of where we are or where we think we are?" said the Lancer boss. "It provides a great challenge in every facet of the game for us with what they do offensively, defensively, their depth, tradition and at the same time we have to travel 2.5 hours to play them. If we want to get to where we want to go we have to be willing to embrace challenges like playing a program like Mater Dei." The Wildcats have approximately a 2.75 hour trip from Evansville to Southport High School, which is south of Indianapolis. The Wildcats have won two state championships, the last in 2022. They have played in the state finals seven times. Mater Dei ranks among the top 10 all-time in Indiana for sectional championships (24), and they are consistently in the Class 2A top-ten rankings. "I think it says we have a plan in mind on what it will take to make a deep run in the state tournament," said Thacker when asked about the bigger picture. "Our conference is one piece of that puzzle, staying healthy and developing depth is another piece, but to have an opportunity to play a program like Evansville Mater Dei displays that we are willing to take that next step. As it provides a change of schedule, traveling, playing on a Saturday afternoon and not on Friday night. All of these take us out of our comfort zones and growth doesn't happen if you're always comfortable." According to coach Thacker, this game came about when Central Noble's conference - Northeast Corner Conference - revised their conference schedules. "Originally, we were to play Central Noble in Week 3, however, Central Noble had to cancel the contract due to the NECC revising their conference schedules to where they all now play one another. Therefore, Week 3 came open and we tried multiple avenues and states, but nothing was lining up. Evansville Mater Dei reached out, we reached out to Southport as a possible place to play and it all came together." That plan that Thacker alluded to earlier includes long-term thinking. "Hopefully, it gives us the feeling of playing tournament games far away and what that takes, looks like and feels like." And what about the turf aspect, coach Thacker? "No question turf is faster, but it doesn't mean it's better," explained the Lancer coach. "Personally, a grass field that is well maintained will always beat turf in my mind. Grass can potentially slow down your opponent due to the elements and longer grass. Turf does provide an opportunity to always practice where grass can get muddy, sloppy and possibly ruin a field. "Hopefully, it gives us the feeling of playing tournament games far away and what that takes, looks like and feels like. This entire opportunity is having the ability to have the end in mind and not shying away from challenges." 2026 LaVille Football Schedule All Times Eastern Aug 14 v Prairie Heights (scrimmage) 7:00 PM Aug 21 at Triton 7:00 PM Aug 28 v North Judson 7:30 PM Sept 5 v Evansville Mater Dei at Southport HS 2:00 PM Sept 11 at Bremen* 7:00 PM Sept 18 v Tippecanoe Valley* 7:00 PM Sept 25 at Knox* 7:30 PM Oct 2 v John Glenn* 7:00 PM Oct 9 v Jimtown* 7:00 PM Oct 16 v Osceola Grace 7:00 PM * indicates Indiana Northern State Conference game Home games played at Lancer Field