It’s June. The regular season is still weeks away. And yet what happened at Franklin Central on Thursday night.

night was worth the trip, because the players on that field made it impossible to leave without a notepad full of names.

The Flashes hosted Lawrence Central for a highly competitive early summer scrimmage — helmets and shoulder pads on, which made every evaluation on the field more meaningful than your typical June workout. For a summer evening, the level of competition was a legitimate preview of what both programs could deliver when the calendar flips to August.

The Headliners

Jayce Brewer was supposed to be the headliner for Franklin Central. He will be on Friday nights this fall as one of the most coveted edge rushers in the state — a Michigan commit whose 6-foot-5 frame is built for the Big Ten. Thursday night he reminded everyone that edge rusher is only one of the things he can do.

Lined up at tight end in the offensive segments, Brewer was simply a mismatch problem that Lawrence Central’s defensive backs had no answer for. The size, the hands, the ability to get into his route and win at the catch point — there wasn’t a linebacker or safety on the field that could cover him cleanly. In the inside run game and team segments, anything that came Brewer’s way defensively was a no go. How the Flashes deploy him on both sides of the ball this fall will be one of the most interesting questions on any Indianapolis area schedule. He is a phenomenal athlete at this level and it showed in every phase.

Errol Kerns III committed to Texas A&M on June 5 — flipping from Miami Ohio after Michigan, Ohio State, and Indiana all came calling following a track season in which he ran a 10.78 in the 100 meters. On Thursday night, the 5-foot-11, 195-pound Lawrence Central star looked like exactly the kind of prospect that triggers a recruiting explosion. At linebacker he was instinctive and physical — his defensive instincts are second nature, the kind of thing that doesn’t get coached in. At running back, a secondary role he’s still developing, he looked a step behind the reads early but when he saw daylight it was over. He posted 90 tackles, 4 TFLs, 5 PBUs, 3 forced fumbles, and 2 interceptions last season. Expect the Bears to lean on him in every phase this fall.

DJ Mitchell at wide receiver for Franklin Central was the other headliner who delivered on his billing. Multiple deep ball catches, sharp routes, and a level of polish in his route running that made him arguably the most complete two-way player on the field. Mitchell — a Miami Ohio commit who has been one of the more productive skill players in the Indianapolis area — was lights out as a perimeter weapon and held his own in the defensive segments. The case for him being one of the top two-way players in the state this fall was made Wednesday night.

The Names to Watch

Cam Vaughn is the Bear everyone needs to know before the season starts. The 2028 wide receiver won rep after rep against Franklin Central’s secondary — including a double move on Mitchell for a score that should be circled on the film tape. He took a short slant to the end zone, scored on multiple deep balls, and showed the kind of consistent big-play ability that projects to a Power Four offer list before he’s a senior. He will be the primary target for the Bears. Start watching now.

At quarterback for the Flashes, 2028 signal caller Caiden Marsden was as cool, calm, and collected as any June quarterback has a right to be. He carved up the Bears defense in the passing segments — decisive, accurate at multiple levels, and operating with real command of the offense. The 11-on-11 segments showed him flourishing in structure, and though a costly interception interrupted an otherwise sharp performance, the overall picture was that of a player ready to take ownership of this offense. Franklin Central’s quarterback position is in capable hands.

The Flashes’ secondary is a group worth circling on every opponent’s scouting report. Ball-hawking, physical, and fast at corner and safety — expect that group to generate turnovers when the lights are on this fall.

Up front on Franklin Central’s defensive line, the interior is going to be a problem for opposing offensive lines all season. Southport transfer D’Anthony Moore and Amarius Armstead anchor a group that gave Lawrence Central’s interior line a difficult night — and with Brewer on the edge, good luck establishing a run game against this front.

For Lawrence Central, wide receiver Elliot Omedo — a 6-foot-5, 210-pound Class of 2027 transfer from West Lafayette — showed up twice in the same week, standing out at the Indiana Summer Showcase on Sunday before doing it again Thursday night. He is a true possession receiver whose size and catch radius give Lawrence Central a legitimate red zone weapon and a matchup problem on the outside.

Jayden Dorsey was another Bear standout on Thursday. He is a physical player, and made play after play, including a pick six tonight.

It’s June. It’s a scrimmage. No predictions are being made here. But what happened at Franklin Central on Thursday was a credible first look — helmets and pads on — at two programs that should not be overlooked on anyone’s schedule this fall. The Flashes have an edge rusher who can flex to tight end, a composed young quarterback, and a defensive line that will make interior offensive linemen earn every snap. The Bears have a future Power Four wide receiver, a Texas A&M commit who plays everywhere, and a West Lafayette transfer possession receiver who fills a real need.

Neither program should be overlooked. Neither will be.

Indiana Preps was on site Thursday evening. Coverage is our own.