Week 4 Picks:  2008 NW Indiana High School Football

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

September 9, 2008


 

'Mr. Picker' WEEK 3, 2008 Football Picks in Review:

Wrong - 5; Right - 7 = 58.3%
The Pick The Result
River Forest 18, Lake Station 14                       River Forest 14-12

Munster 35,  Highland 14  

Munster 48-0

Bishop Noll 35, South Central 7  

Wrong... South Central 25-13

Morton 28, Clark 13  

Morton 45-21           

Wheeler 41, Whiting 32  

Wheeler 58-6

Rensselaer 35 North Judson 7  

Wrong... North Judson 28-14      

Valparaiso 31, LaPorte 20  

Valparaiso 48-0

Michigan City 27, Chesterton 21  

Wrong... Chesterton 33-21 

ANDREAN 41, East Chicago 21  

ANDREAN 35-16

Portage 21,  Lake Central 20  

Portage 26-7

Griffith 27, Hobart 17  

Wrong... Hobart 19-0

MERRILLVILLE 17, CROWN POINT 13  

Wrong... CROWN POINT 10-7


 

WEEK-THREE (3) RECAP from Friday, September 5, 2008:  Another mediocre week of picks.  There was a lack of knowledge of the suspension situation at Michigan City or the personnel situation at LaPorte.  But the wins by Hobart, North Judson and CP were definite upsets.  Best pick of the week?  No doubt.  River Forest, which hadn't won a game since 2005, rallying to beat Lake Station.  There had to be a celebration after that one.  This is an unsettled year.  Nobody knows who is going to win the DAC and while Wheeler and Lowell look sharp, there are a lot of roadblocks for them in the final six weeks.  Long range weather says we may have our first rainy night game of the season this Friday and that could change a few outcomes.  It could clear up, but games on natural turf fields can still be affected adversely by raindrops.

 

'Mr. Picker's Recent Picking Record

2008 (Week 3)  7 of 12   =  58.3%
 2008 (Week 2)  6 of 10   = 60.0%
2008 (Week 1)  9 of 12   =  75.0%
 2008 Year to Date:  22 of 34 = 64.7%

2007 (final) OVERALL:  143 of 188 = 76.0%
2006 (final) OVERALL:  166 of 217 = 76.4%
2005 (final) OVERALL:  170 of 233 = 72.9%

Northwest Indiana WEEK-FOUR (4) PICKS, 09-12-2008

PORTAGE (09-12-2008) - Some major games dot the schedule and the week three results explain a lot.  You've got to wonder what Michigan City and LaPorte can do.  And, after two weeks, you have to assume that Merrillville will be shorthanded until further notice.  Lowell and Griffith is obviously the highlight.  You just can't pick any Highland game until they get something going on offense.  North Newton has no chance to beat Wheeler and Gavit has no answer for East Chicago.  Also, I'm dropping Lake Station off the 'Vegas board' here until they do a little better.  It's too easy to pick them to lose.  Bowman Academy is off limits and Clark is playing Longwood Academy and I don't know who that is.


Whiting (2-1) at South Central (1-2)

UNION MILLS (9-12-2008) Whiting got all smoked out by Wheeler 58-6 last week and that kinda thing sticks with you. South Central had only scored seven points all season until they upset Bishop Noll 25-13.  I'm going to revert to what I thought before last week and rate this game a solid win for the Oilers. 

Whiting 35, South Central 14


Gary Roosevelt (0-3) at Hammond (2-1)

HAMMOND (9-12-2008) The five Gary schools are 0-15.  Hammond has rebounded from a shutout on opening night at East Chicago and the next two games are must-win before the purple boys face Morton and Lowell.  Hammond's offense is a work-in progress.  But the five Gary teams are 0-15.

Hammond 32, Gary Roosevelt 8

  
Hobart (3-0) at Kankakee Valley (0-3)

DeMOTTE  (9-12-8) This is a 'trap' game for Hobart because it comes the week between rivals Griffith and Andrean.  KV thought they'd be better than 0-3 and I don't know why they cant run the ball.  KV is going to rise up against somebody and this may be the week. But rising up is one thing. Winning is another.  Hobart's Michael Josifovski wins this one with a field goal.

Hobart 24, Kankakee Valley 21


River Forest (1-2) at Calumet (2-1)

GARY (9-12-2008) I'm giving River Forest a token nod here because they won last week for the first time since September 30 of 2005.  They have to stop the run because that's all Calumet does.  Cal beat River Forest by 49 points last year and I just have a feeling it won't be like that this time.  Calumet has the perennial doormats River Forest and Lake Station back-to-back and they have to be 4-1 in two weeks or this season is lost.  But you never know what that one win will do to Ingot players who have never won a varsity game in their careers.

Calumet 34, River Forest 16


Munster (2-1) at ANDREAN (2-1)

MERRILLVILLE (9-12-2008) Nobody's going to have a lot of defense in this game.  Munster is one defensive stop away from being undefeated, but they have not seen speed like Andrean can bring to the table.  The only thing I don't like here is that Munster is coming off no-contest games with Wirt (0-3) and Highland (0-3) and they aren't going to see that kind of offense here.

ANDREAN 37, Munster 27


Valparaiso (3-0) at Michigan City (1-2)

MICHIGAN CITY (9-12-2008) The Wolves are improving but Valparaiso is improved.  The defense that has been on vacation for two seasons in Valpo is now back in town.  MC is too unsettled right now.  Even at full strength, they'd probably lose a close one.

Valparaiso 31, Michigan City 16


Chesterton (2-1) at LaPorte (1-2)

LaPORTE (9-12-2008) The Slicers are down right now due to an auto accident that has hospitalized a team member.  That takes a lot out of the boys.  The Trojans will believe they can contend for the DAC title if they win this one.  But they must pull this game out.

Chesterton 30, LaPorte 24


MERRILLVILLE (1-2) at Portage (3-0)

PORTAGE (9-12-2008) Portage will struggle against the super-fast Merrillville defense, but it doesn't matter.  If QB Dolapo Macarthy does not play (and I do not believe he will) the Indians will rally at home for their fourth consecutive victory.  The Pirates are now the New England Patriots without Tom Brady.  In their league, it's hard to win consistently with a young, rookie QB.  Merrillville can't run the college style shotgun offense effectively right now, but they don't have a 30-carry-a-game running back either.

Portage 23, MERRILLVILLE 14


LC (2-1) at Crown Point (1-2)

CROWN POINT (9-12-2008) LC hasn't beaten CP in six years, but the Indians simply are not running the ball the way they should.  With no passing threat, you can't run on CP and the Bulldogs' strength is their secondary.  That's why, even with little offense, CP has given up 27 points in 3 games.  Eventually, new CP QB Marcus Shrewsbury has a good night and this is the night.

CROWN POINT 27, LC 16


LOWELL (3-0) at Griffith (1-2)

GRIFFITH (9-12-2008) Lowell has won 20 of their last 23, but Griffith is the only NW Indiana team to defeat them during that time.  Griffith has been stumbling on offense.  I just cannot see Lowell lining up and running the ball consistently on Griffith.  The Devils can score through the air, but Griffith is backed into the same situation they were in after 3 weeks in 2007.  On their home field, the offense will come through late.

Griffith 31, LOWELL 27
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Revised: September 16, 2008 .