2003 Preseason Top-10: NW Indiana High School Football

NW Indiana High School Football

2003 Preseason Top-10

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

CROWN POINT (8-12-2003) The interest this year will surround Hobart and Lake Central. Lake Central ends 10 years as an independent and joins the big-school Duneland Athletic Conference. Hobart leaves the DAC for the Lake Athletic Conference, where they should be very welcomed, especially in football. New coaches at Andrean (Brett St. Germain) and Hobart (Wally McCormack) add to the intrigue of 2003 and the opening of the new school in Crown Point will also be a highlight.

This is a very deceptive area as far as football in concerned. Andrean has gone to the Class 3A state finals the last two seasons but they weren't the best team in northwest Indiana either time. Class 5A Valparaiso was. But Valpo graduated almost all their starting players from 2002 and Andrean has to replace most of their skilled players. So, there's more than one new sheriff in town.

1.) Portage (8-4)

Few boys in the DAC run like Antoine Brown, the DAC 100-meter dash champ, who transferred to Portage and will eventually be their starting tailback. With speedy Milton Rivera on the outside, this could be one of Portage's fastest teams.
Dan Paulsen (10 interceptions) and Joe Montoleone are all-DAC deep backs and Paulsen (57 catches - 734 yards). Steve Vaught is a fine pass catcher and kicker and QB Jake Huston (6-2, 175) is highly touted at QB. This is also a vote for coach Craig Buzea, who ALWAYS produces a high-powered, balanced offense that is very tough to stop.
But here's the bottom line. Portage returns 12 people who started at one time or another on defense last year when Portage was 8-4. Included are tackles Anthony Espinoza (6-1, 275) and Steve Jones (5-10, 250). Paulsen (6-2, 190) and Joe Montoleone (6-2, 190) are big defensive backs and linebacker Artemio DelReal (5-10, 210) had 67 tackles last year. Big Steve Vaught (6-2, 215) is a fine kicker. I know the defense wore down late last season but I don't see a glaring weakness here.

2.) LaPorte (6-4)

An impressive offensive team with 17 returning starters. The Slicers had an undefeated freshman team and this is a peak year. Senior wide receiver Jerome Vann (6-4, 190) is a Division I player after catching 38 balls for 657 yards last year. Fullback Kyle Cepeda (6-0, 236) is a problem after 338 yards on 71 carries last fall and big linemen Josh Sabinas (6-2, 245) and Derek Johnson (6-1, 260) are back for senior years. Sophomore Nick Ford kicked five field goals as a freshman last year, two from 35 yards away.

But here's the key. Quarterback Kevin Brandy (6-1, 165) hit 61 of 136 for 862 yards last season and the Slicers want to move him to wide receiver. You don't do that unless you have very high hopes for someone. That someone might be junior Anthony Dubbs (6-1, 190), who came off the bench to throw a 22-yard TD to Vann late in late year's nightmare 47-33 upset loss to Elkhart Central. LaPorte will beat South Central and avenge the loss to Elkhart to begin the year and then, we'll see. The Lake County-based 'region' will ignore them but this should be an intimidating offensive team, especially later in the year.

3.) Chesterton (6-4)

This team is loaded up in the line led by heavyweight wrestler Spencer West, (6-2, 300) who is almost unblockable by one teen. Matt Maple adds speed on the outside. Junior tight end Heath Cartwright (6-5, 210) will look even bigger near the goal line and returning TE Carl Hultman (6-3, 230) looks big everywhere. Ryan Kelley (5-8, 175) is reportedly improved as a thrower. He was already a quick runner. Ten starters return on offense for a very big, strong team. Mark Koulianos (5-10, 280) returns up front in front of Jim Sosnowski (5-9, 205), who carried 133 times for 725 yards last year. They need a new kicker to come through but this team might roll late in the year because of their pure power.

4.) ANDREAN (14-1)

A very skilled team that graduated all key offensive starters and replaced them with boys who are just as good. The key is a returning offensive line including Lou Grugel (6-3, 245), Nick Ohrn (6-0, 195) and TE Adam Hudetz (6-3, 220). QB Tommy Finn, halfback Otis Walton and wide receivers Nick Stockwell (37 catches - 862 yards) and Ty Harangody (6-4, 220) will make the 59ers the team to beat in the Lake Athletic Conference. New coach Brett St. Germain will feel the pressure of high expectations but, once they get past a very tough opener with Chesterton, the 59ers should roll.

5.) LOWELL (6-5)

A dynamite running team. If they stay healthy both Justin Henley (227 yards - 1,383 yards) and Toby Goetz should both rack up 1,000 yards. Chris Marzotto (6-2, 230), Adam Holley 6-1, 240), Eric Raszewski (5-11, 200) and Justin Wiler (6-1, 260) lead an experienced offense for returning QB Chuck Thompson. Ed Overdorf and Scott Schulz will add speed on the outside and 6-2 tight end Jim Jeffries is an excellent pass catcher.

The secondary, a weakness in the 24-21 playoff loss to Morton, should be better. Depth is provided by an undefeated 2002 freshman team that should make this team stronger later in the year. If they find a kicking game, they'll battle Andrean for the LAC title.

6.) Griffith (9-4)

Another powerhouse running team with senior back Jack Kosinski (164 carries - 1,440 yards) in back of powerful linemen Aaron Cavazos (6-3, 263). Richard Lehman should be a quality QB and nine defensive starters led by nose tackle Nick Choate (5-11, 215).

Griffith has added Chesterton to the schedule and that will be a revelation in week two. But the ground-oriented Panthers always excel as the weather turns bad and there's really only one good passing team (Andrean) in the LAC. The Panthers are upsets of Lowell and Andrean away from the LAC title.

7) CROWN POINT (8-3)

Crown Point's offense will excel with four linemen returning in front of two-year starting QB Matt Cowan and big runner Dave Swenson (6-2, 230). The DAC is a power league and the Bulldogs can finally play that game again with Mark McInerney (6-2, 305), Steve Ellingsen (6-3, 270), Corey Bush (6-2, 220) and Riste Jakimoski (6-1, 220).

There's no one who will stop this team consistently but the CP defense is almost as new as the new Crown Point high school. The strength increases this team appears to have made will pay dividends late in the year. The Bulldogs need to beat Lowell or Hobart (and those games could go either way) in August because it gets much tougher after that.

8.) MERRILLVILLE (4-6)

A lot of perimeter talent with backs Jerry Williams, Brandon Mosely (174 carries - 793 yards) and fullback Donnie Hopson (5-11, 215). Jimmy Reitz is a good QB and Jhrome Tuggle (6-1, 180), a regional qualifier as a wrestler, will be a fine WR. What they have in the lines is in question but there is a lot of potential in players like semistate wrestling qualifier Dexter Larimore (6-3, 225) and defensive end Michael Neal (6-4, 225) to flank returning starter Trent Harris (6-3, 235).

When you put Williams (57 tackles) and Mosely on defense as well, you have to respect this team's speed. Also consider a near-certain winning start after playing East Chicago and (Chicago) Dunbar in late August and overmatched Michigan City in week five.

9.) Valparaiso (12-2)

A huge amount of talent graduated and they can't beat Penn to start the year. But the underclassmen at Valpo are reportedly very skilled and the offensive line returns Ben Kolodzinski (6-2, 215) and Matt Johnson (6-3, 265). Valpo has a large junior class and they have some very skilled sophomores. Look for lineup changes through most of the year.

But the DAC is almost always a senior-dominated league. This will still be a very big, physical team, they will start at least 2-2 and the ninth week game with Lake Central is crucial. But in their league and their sectional, there's no way they can continue to dominate the way they have the last few years.

10.) Lake Central (5-6)

LC is one of the swing teams in the DAC. They could go 2-5 or 5-2 very easily. Dale Murzyn, who threw two TDs in the 14-13 win over Merrillville in the sectional last year, should be a solid QB. This does not appear to be a big LC team physically and they could be outsized on the lines in most games. LC returns their QB, their center and linebacker Demetrius Doukas (6-1, 205), who had 67 tackles last year.

Some will say that LC is playing a tougher schedule this season and that's true overall. But they had to drop 8-time Illinois state champ Providence, a sure loss, to join the DAC. Playing local schools every week (except for Loyola Academy of Chicago) will increase attendance and motivate LC's players.