MERRILLVILLE (11-06-2008)
It's hard to find a Northwest Indiana
team that's playing well going into
the sectional championship round. As
always, we're caught up in our own
little world and the in-fighting
among football brothers. But unless
we sell our souls to the Devils once
again (I've was watching a lot of
cable TV over Halloween weekend),
the northwest corner could be
sitting out the state finals this
season.
We don't want to consider the early
season rumblings that 'region'
football this year is weaker than
the Indiana University pass defense.
But the prosecution has several
strong arguments.1.) Lowell, undefeated in NW Indiana, has had to rally to survive twice against the ONLY two teams they've played from outside NW Indiana. The Devils, who rallied in the second half in the final three games of the 2005 state title run, have rallied in the second half to win for two weeks in a row. But that's a survival response, not a blueprint for success.
2.) Valparaiso, the most talented team, is out. They lost two games to neighbor Chesterton where neither could score more than 10 points. The Vikings now must sit around and talk about all the teams they would have beaten if they'd only scored a touchdown on Chesterton.
3.) Chesterton, a sentimental favorite, is averaging a robust 22 points a game (18 over the last four week) and they also got roasted when they journeyed outside NW Indiana. When they stop celebrating upsetting the rival Vikes again, they'll realize they have to beat Merrillville to actually win the sectional.
4.) North Judson? Please. If they get past rival Rensselaer (and that's a big 'IF'), there is Lewis Cass (10-1), there is Oak Hill (11-0). And they all must bow down to defending sate champ Bishop Luers (9-3) out of the Summit Athletic Conference, the dominant non-5A conference in the state. Judson gave up 34 points to Seeger and 28 to Wheeler. That dog won't hunt.
5.) Andrean? For folks who don't believe that there's a difference in the classes, note how 3A Andrean underwent an immediate reversal of fortune when they stopped playing 4A and 5A schools. St. Joseph's (9-2) and Northwood (9-2), not to mention superpower West Lafayette (11-0) block the path of a 59er squad that is rolling largely on tradition and scheduling right now.
6.) Merrillville? Griffith? Only if they jump in a time machine and return their minds to the land where they were both supposed to live in August. And actually, the Panthers and Pirates both have a better chance of doing that than North Judson and Andrean do over still being in the tournament three weeks from now. Remember that many had Merrillville and Griffith ranked 1-2 in this area at the start of the year.
MERRILLVILLE:
Here's the only team that's playing well. The Pirates, the pre-season No. 1, return to the top spot with dominating sectional wins 42-6 over arch-rival Crown Point and 37-7 over
VALPARAISO:
Valparaiso
out-gained Chesterton for the second time this year and lost for the second time
to end their season. The Vikes out-totaled the Trojans 229-208, but got only
field goals when they were dominating on the way to a 6-0 first half lead.
That's twice this year Valpo has led Chesterton in the second half only to lose.
What's going to hurt Valpo all winter is the fact that they allowed 9.9 points
per game over the 25th toughest schedule (among 317) state wide and didn't even
get to the sectional title game.
The good news is that big QB Zack Livovich (6-6, 195) is eligible to come back
in 2009 after completing 84-of-130 for 1,216 yards and 10 TDs in 9 games. So is
track star Michael Perkins. They'll be back.
LOWELL:
The Devils
dragged themselves from behind to
win 24-7 at South Bend Washington
(7-3) and they rallied to tie
undefeated Plymouth and squeak by
20-14 in overtime after a key
interception by Ryan Russnak.
CHESTERTON:
Despite
playing with a second starting QB, Chesterton stayed alive in the state playoffs
with a come-from-behind 10-6 victory over arch-rival Valparaiso. Phil Frech
intercepted Valpo QB Zack Livovich in the end zone with 40 seconds left to give
the Trojans a second low-scoring upset win over Valpo (the other was 12-10 in
September).
Chesterton had virtually no offense other than fullback Sloane Malay
(16 carries, 100 yards) and the lone TD drive was banked on two Valpo
penalties. The Trojans have gotten QB Aaron Knight back in action with his broken hand, but
he's basically playing wide receiver now.
Truthfully, backup Andy Miller appears
to be a better passer.
The injury to Knight isn't a positive, but it has actually
put more play makers on the field for the Trojans.
The Trojans know it's a one-game 'Super Bowl' now.
They were smoked 28-14 by
Merrillville three weeks ago and they get a home field rematch.
That's all they can ask for.
HOBART:
If you're looking
for an explanation of what happened to the Brickies after they lead 14-7 at
Griffith last week, you can look some place else because I just haven't got it.
In the first half last
week, QB Matt Barras smoked the Panther defense for 8-of-11 and 218
passing
yards.
Barras was sacked nine
times after not being sacked all year.
Hobart
gave up a season-high 390
rushing yards.
I'd love to give you
brilliant analysis,
but this one baffles me.
Griffith is a quality
team but not quite good enough to score 28 unanswered points like they did.
Sometimes, especially
on the road, you just cannot stop a team when they start to roll.
Bobby James (37
catches, 674 yards) ends his four-year career as Hobart's all-time leading
receiver and the almost certain NW Indiana MVP.
But that's going to
be
small consolation through
the
month as the post-season goes on without Hobart.
PORTAGE:
The Indians
were crushed twice by Valparaiso, including a 42-19 loss in the 5A Sectional
One
quarterfinals and a decent season is over for them.
The
future is bright here with all-purpose back Jake Dixon (5 interceptions) and
promising Jake Huston, who missed the entire year with injury.
QB
Eric Melcic (41 of 92, 698 yards, 5 TDs) was inexperienced in 2008 but he won't
be if he returns in 2009 and 2010.
Portage
won't
get much credit (and they should get
a
little for a
6-4 season, everybody's supposed to be at least 5-5),
but they played through a lot of problems this year in a tough league and they
came out on the sunny side of .500.
They'll
have some nice stories to tell at the awards banquet.
MICHIGAN
CITY: 
LaPORTE: Michigan City and LaPorte certainly proved that the
DAC, from top-to-bottom, is as tough
as it has been in the league's
history.
LaPorte went all-offense,
all-the-time to eliminate Elkhart
Memorial 49-42, and South Bend Adams
37-27. Halfback Carlton Austin
(1,600 yards rushing, 22 TDs), the
DAC's probable offensive MVP,
carried 33 times for a school record
317 yards against Memorial and he
followed it up with two TDs last
week.
I cant lie. The Slicers have not
shown anywhere near the defense to
win at Penn (8-3) in the 5A
Sectional 2 title game this week. LaPorte still has allowed more
points (28.3 per game) than they
have scored (24.6 ppg.). But anybody
in boxing with a big punch has a
'puncher's chance'.
Austin is the big punch. Penn has to
put them away early.
MUNSTER:
Munster
validated their season with a 23-0 win over Lake Central. Even though LC was
last in the DAC, the Mustangs should welcome any win over any team from the
bugger, better league and they beat their arch rival. That
makes it all good.
The blowout 37-7 sectional semifinal loss to Merrillville was not a major
surprise. There IS that much difference between the two leagues even though
local partisans continue to attempt to argue that point.
Some cold reality? This (7-4 or maybe 8-3) is as good as Munster is going to do
under the present set of circumstances. They can't win Sectional One as it's set
up now.
The Mustangs must totally revamp for 2009 and it could be a little painful. Wirt
closing means Munster will also have a new week two foe in 2009 and it needs to
be a 5A school, because Munster can't keep playing small schools during the non-conference season and then hope to win in 5A Sectional
One.
But by next year, with realignment, 5A Sectional One may look a lot better to
the Mustangs.
CROWN POINT:
Crown Point hasn't been out of the Top-10 for awhile, but they were bombed 42-6
by Merrillville to start the post-season.
This team averaged 11 points a game, and realistically, they were lucky
(plus very good defensively) so as not to be 0-10. CP lost four games by seven
points or less but some of that part wasn't luck, it was lack of offensive
production. The Bulldogs will again have a lot of new faces on offense and defense in
2009, so a quick rebound is not certain at all, considering the schedule they
play.
Crown Point is well aware of the fact that they are 'set up' to have a
good team.
In other words, they don't have a choice.
The schedule CP faced in 2008, among
317 IHSAA football-playing schools, was ranked seventh.