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4A No. 3 Lowell (4-0) at Highland (0-4) |
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Week
5 - Football Game of the Week Preview |
4A No. 3 Lowell (4-0) at Highland (0-4) |
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09-18-2008
When:
Friday, September 19, 2008
Where:
Highland High School - 9135 Erie St. (Three
blocks east of 41st and Kennedy), Highland
IN 46322.
As
of Wednesday, you could not use parts of Kennedy Ave. or the Borman Expressway
(I-89-94) due to flood waters from the Little Calumet River. Hopefully,
the road will be open by Friday. It needs to be. But you may need to
take US 41 north to Highland, go east on Main Street and pick up Kennedy near
the border to Dyer. With that said, several sports events (like the golf
sectional at Lost Marsh) have been moved this week after folks at the site said
they wouldn't be. I am not about to blame them in this situation. I
am also NOT going to promise you this game won't be moved to Lowell some time
Thursday.
Tickets: $5
Kickoff:
7:00 p.m.
Radio-TV: None.
JV GAME: Saturday, Sept. 20 - Highland at LOWELL - 10:00 a.m.
FRESHMAN: Thursday, Sept. 25 -
LOWELL at Highland - 6:00 p.m.
ENROLLMENT: Highland
-
Class 4A, enrollment - 1,203;
LOWELL - Class 4A, enrollment -
1,254
WEATHER: Low 60s and dry.
Warm day with highs in the mid-70s,
but clear skies so the temperatures
will drop off rapidly after dark.
This is perfect football weather
except for one thing. This is
mid-season for mosquitoes, too. Those little stingers love wet
weather and standing water so they
will definitely be out looking for
you after dark Friday. Bring all the bug spray you can
and wear long sleeves or bring a
long sleeve jacket. Girls: No
shorts. I guarantee, especially if
the game is played in Highland, that
you will wish you had listened to
me.
PARKING: I am not sure if this
game will be played at Highland. Not
only has there been flooding in that
area. Kennedy Avenue has been closed
much of the week.
Plus, Highland got a late start
putting in new grass over the summer
and they've already switched home
game (against Munster) on the
road. Early in the week, folks had
other concerns, but I'm thinking this
game is likely to be moved to
Lowell, where flood problems were
nowhere near the high school. We'll see. Either way, the
Highland crowd is going to be slim. They have not been competitive this
year, and again, Highland folks are
worried about other things this
week. There's going to be plenty of room
for everybody no matter where they
play this game.
The SERIES: Highland leads this series 30-17,
but Lowell has won six in a row since a 23-13 win by Highland at Lowell in 2002.
Highland is one of the youngest NW
Indiana schools as they have only had a varsity program since 1958.
Highland and Munster are the quintessential NW Indiana suburban schools,
blooming around region bedrock cities like Hammond, Gary and East Chicago in the
50s and 60s. Highland is much more a suburb of Chicago than Lowell is.
A stable and peaceful bedroom
community of about 23,000, the area
that is now Highland was low-lying
land that was reportedly under water
200 years ago. That's ironic as
flood waters from left-over
hurricane rains made life tough in
Highland (and most other NW Indiana
towns) this week. I do not know the condition of
Highland's home field. It was
re-added in the off-season and the
original diagnosis was that it would
be ready for the Munster game on
Sept. 5.
It wasn't. This game with Lowell
might have been moved even without
the 10 inches of rain that fell last
weekend.
I'll say this more than once. If you are attending this game, check with someone at either school to make sure the game is being played in Highland Friday.
Highland and Lowell have been league rivals in the Calumet Conference (1949-1969), the Lake Suburban Conference (1970-1991), the Lake Athletic Conference (1997-2006) and now the new Northwest Crossroads Conference. The Trojans are in a tough spot in a league with football powers Griffith, Lowell, Andrean and Hobart, all of whom have spent most of this decade in the state Top-10.
Sitting at 0-4 for the second year in a row, Highland, which was 1-10 last year, is going to need a big night to avoid an 0-10 season. If you look at their schedule, you target the Trojans' Oct. 10 game with Kankakee Valley (0-10) as a very winnable game. But they still have Lowell (4-0), Hobart (4-0), Andrean (1-3) and under-achieving Griffith (1-3) still to play.
The Trojans had 50 players on the
pre-season roster and 25 of them
were sophomores. That's the way up. Play for the future. Try to win
games now, because that would get
numbers up for next season. But make
sure the young players get
experience.
Highland was 0-9 last year and they
drew Lew Wallace in the sectional
and won 30-18. If they could beat
KV, win a playoff games and get back
on their home field sometime this
year, the season wont be a total
loss.
In a non-football sense, Highland
badly needs to play the varsity and
freshman games in Highland if it is
at all possible. Lowell brings a
good crowd and Highland needs that
money since they've already had to
move two home games out of town.
4A Lowell Red Devils (4-0)
Enrollment: 1,247
2007 record: 13-2
4A Sectional titles: (9) 1992, 1994,
1999, 2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08
4A Regional titles: (4) 1994, 1999,
2005, 2007
4A Semistate titles: (2) 2005, 2007
4A State titles: (1) 2005
Coach Kirk Kennedy, 138-67 in
18th year, NWCC games in CAPs
8-22 (W) 7-0 at
Crown Point (1-3)
8-29 (W) 47-20 Morton (2-2)
9- 5 (W) 42-0 Kankakee Valley (0-4)
9-12 (W) 27-12 at GRIFFITH (1-3)
9-19 (F) at HIGHLAND (0-4)
9-26 (F) HOBART (4-0)
10-3 (F) at Hammond (3-1)
10-10 (F) MUNSTER (3-1)
10-17 (F) at ANDREAN (2-2)
Oct 24 (Fri) Sectional 10
quarterfinals vs. KV, Northridge, Plymouth, Logansport, Clay, Washington
or Concord
Oct 31 (F) Sectional 1 semifinals
Nov. 7 (F) Sectional 1 finals
Nov. 14 (F) 4A Regional final
Nov. 21 (F) Northern 4A Semistate
championship
Nov. 29 (S) Class 4A state final -
Lucas Oil Arena (4:00 p.m. EST) downtown
Indianapolis
4A Highland
Trojans (0-4)
Enrollment: 1,234
2007 record: 1-10
5A Sectional titles: (3) 1982, 1986,
1987
5A Regional titles: (1) 1987
5A Semistate titles: (1) 1987
State titles: (0)
Coach: Eric Miller, 14-34 in 5th
year, NWCC
games in CAPs
8- 22 (L) 12-48
at Wheeler (4-0))
8-29 (L) 6-41 at
Portage (4-0)
9-5 (L) 0-48 at
Munster (3-1)
9-12 (L) 28-57 at
Morton (2-2)
9-19 (Fri)
Lowell (4-0)
9-26 (Fri) at
Andrean (2-2)
10-3 (Fri) at
Griffith (1-3)
10-10 (Fri)
Kankakee Valley (0-4)
10-17 (Fri) at
Hobart (4-0)
Oct 24 (F) Class 4A Sectional 10
quarterfinals
vs. Morton, Gary West Side, Hammond,
Lew Wallace, Griffith, Munster or
Hobart.
Oct 31 (F) Sectional 1 semifinals
Nov. 7 (F) Sectional 1 finals
Nov. 14 (F) 4A Regional championship
Nov. 21 (F) Northern 4A Semistate
championship
Nov. 29 (S) 2008 Class 4A state
championship - Lucas Oil Arena (4:00
p.m. EST) downtown Indianapolis
 |
| Lowell QB Kurt Monix (2) hands to halfback Cody Midgett (6) behind David Eastling (52) last week in the 27-12 win over Griffith. (All photos by Mark Smith) |
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| Lowell's top running back Brandon Grubbe (25) is not expected to play this week after being injured at Griffith. (All photos by Mark Smith) |
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Respect your opponent
Lowell will hear all week how this is an easy game and they don't have to try
very hard. That could be why the Tampa Bay Rays are going to the baseball
playoffs and the New York Yankees aren't. This is a game Lowell should win 56-0
so Highland has absolutely nothing to lose. They could call any play and
could find motivation in any positive play. If the Trojans run the opening
kickoff back 40 yards they will celebrate like they just won the Super Bowl.
Lowell has to be mentally ready to play this game and some backup players
obviously will play this week, if only because of the injuries. If you're
not ready when you are asked to play, you may not be asked again.
2. Run the ball
Run the ball. For Lowell this is obvious. But when you are the superior
team, you need to establish that by wearing down the other team's line,
especially early in the game. If you are Highland, you can stay in the
game longer by running for first downs. Teams have had more success
throwing on Lowell than running, but the object for the Trojans on this night is
to stay close in the first half and then make enough plays for a stirring upset
after the intermission. The Trojans did score four offensive TDs from scrimmage
on Morton last week.
3. Play with class and mercy
Odds are, Lowell will score a lot of points this week, but it's almost a no-win
scenario. Lowell has won by, at least, 27 points in each of the last four
weeks and 20-40 points would be enough on this night. In another era,
Highland used to beat Lowell decisively, but that's a long time ago and there's
nothing to prove for the Devils except that they are a good team that wants to
win the conference championship. There's no need to rub it in and Highland
has enough trouble without being embarrassed by Lowell. The Devils want to
play hard and win. No need to celebrate too much. Shake hands and
move on. That's the problem with playing a team that's down. There's no
possibility of a significant victory. Only a significant loss.
HIGHLAND
(09-19-2008) -
Okay, I'm not
going to question the Sagarin ratings again. Last week I said that there
was no way Lowell would defeat Griffith by 15 points.
Guess what?? Final score: Lowell 27, Griffith 12. There's a reason
they have teams rated the way they do.
Highland QB Jordan Graf threw for one TD and ran for another last week, but the Trojans gave up 260 yards rushing to Morton. The Governors also ran back two kickoffs for TDs. Unless the Trojans can clear up their special teams troubles (4 kick returns or blocked kick TDs allowed in 4 games), this game may be over on the opening kickoff.
Highland has
had injury problems, trouble with the availability of their home field and their
confidence has to be at an all time low after losing every game by four
touchdowns or more. But the Devils may be shorthanded without HB Brandon Grubbe
and lineman Nick Schultz and, of course, every game begins 0-0.
I'm not going to kid you. Highland has lost 24 of their last 28 games,
while Lowell has won 21 of their last 24. I'm having a hard time coming up
with a scenario by which this game is close. Highland has allowed 1,000
yards rushing in four games, and usually, you cannot shore up the run defense as
the season progresses. Lowell's top running back may not play but their
No. 2 and No. 3 running backs are fast enough to roll up triple digit yard
nights.
This is not a week that will be remembered fondly in Highland.
LOWELL 56, Highland 0