The RENEGADE

2007 - Week 13: NW Indiana High School Top-10 Football Poll

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

11-07-2007

MERRILLVILLE (11-07-2007) - It's a Merrillville world and everybody else just lives there after the Pirates roared into the regional by dominating Lake Central 30-6. But everyone, even teams like Lowell, Griffith and Andrean, who have seen the promised land, is now a champion and the season has officially been a success.

Football practice in November has to feel odd. Once the time change occurs, you end practice in the dark. Someday soon the majority of practice could be in the dark. Girls basketball games and boys basketball practice begins this week so the boys get the odd feeling of seeing some of their classmates, in effect, move on, from a sports standpoint, as they prepare for the biggest games of their lives. I really think you have to have some talks about how the sectional championship is not your goal and bring in past players to talk about the opportunity they have still playing at this point.

Week four of the state playoffs often sees some blowouts. Some teams simply wanted to win the sectional and they do not have that competitive lust to go further. Those teams are history after next week and the margin of defeat may be large. Fan support is crucial now, because the boys are all injured and tired. The state playoffs are so long, and during regional week, the RCA Dome is nowhere in eight. The boys need to be pushed at this point, because no matter what they say, there is a tendency to be satisfied once you've won the sectional.

I've talked before how the playoffs are far too long. There is the sectional and there is the state title. Only nit pickers see a significant difference between losing at the regional and losing at the Semistate. You're basically a sectional champ that lost, either way. The only reason to keep playing now is if you really believe you can win the state title. Coaches certainly disagree, but I think you verbalize that at this point. You remind players know the season does not end until Thanksgiving weekend. Don't make any plans.

Some dinosaurs believe you never talk about what you will do AFTER a win because it is a 'jinx'. Those folks probably also believe that the tooth fairy brings you money or that Barbie Dolls are modeled after a real person.

It is more mentally positive to plan on the eventuality that you will win. Why? Because if you don't plan on winning, young people will assume a loss. Secretly, teams that are deep in the playoffs, especially for the first time, are ALL privately a little surprised they're still here. You need to reinforce that you think the boys are as good as their record shows. The 'one game at a time' thing works until you meet someone whose goal it is to win the state championship. All things being equal, that team roasts you like an Oscar Meyer weiner because they have a higher calling and more motivation.

In short, you've got to be in it to win it. That's why I exclude Wheeler (11-1) the 2A Northwest Indiana regional champ from the discussion. I think the Bearcats are overjoyed to win the school's first sectional football title and more power to them. But now we're talking about the state finals and Wheeler has only defeated three sub-.500 teams in the post-season. That dog not only won't hunt. He cant even get a license.

I will say this: If Wheeler ends the eight-game winning streak of powerful Lewis Cass (10-2) next week, then the Bearcats join the discussion of state contenders. The ultimate question comes up now as it should. Once you win the sectional, I don't know how big the regional is and I don't care. Do you think you can go all the way? Last week, I talked about who can reach the state finals. Let's go on record as to who can win it all. It's a short list.

1.) 5A Merrillville (11-1)
2006 (7-5), 2005 (11-3), 2003 (5-6), 2004 (6-5)

MERRILLVILLE - Merrillville crushed Lake Central 30-6, holding LC without a TD for the second time this year. Ryan Stokes kicked his school record 11th field goal of the season. Inside linebacker Dionte Day, who has 145 tackles, picked off two passes. Teams that are hoping to win play well in the first half. Teams that are confident of winning play well in the second half. Merrillville continued to have problems on offense in anything other than handing off to the Williams brothers running back duo. But they have not allowed a second half point in the playoffs so far. The Pirates host 5A No. 2 Penn (12-0) this Friday night and they appear ready, although Penn foes have said that before.

Can they win the state title? 5A is twice as tough as any other bracket. Merrillville would have to beat Penn (12-0), Carmel (10-2) and probably (Indianapolis) Pike (12-0) in Indianapolis. But yes. It's possible. I put their chances at 10%. The last two games would be on the road, but the last two will also be on artificial turf, which would aid the Pirates' speed. Slow teams don't win football titles. There is no doubt Merrillville has the players at enough positions to win. They can win when the offense does not play well. But the last two games would be on the road.

2.) 4A Lowell (11-1)
2006 (7-6), 2005 (11-4), 2004 (9-4), 2003 (11-2)

LOWELL - The Devils 'World Tour' continued with a 31-21 escape at Concord (8-4) when the Lowell defense, while giving up 390 yards, ripped off three turnovers to spar the victory. The Devils won the sectional for the fifth consecutive season. Defensive end Jeff Barker was a force for the Devils and he's the key to the defense. Soph tailback Brandon Grubbe is almost up to 1,500 yards and senior David Lang kicked his eighth field goal The good news: They don't have to travel very far in week 13. The bad news? The Devils have to go to long time rival Griffith (9-3).

Can they win the state title? I want to say no, but if you look back to 2005 you see when Lowell did win the 4A title. The 2007 team is more gifted than the 2005 team. The 2005 offensive line was better, but the 2007 secondary is better and three key players: Steffan Peck, Jeff Barker and David Lang are obviously better now than they were then. Lowell and Griffith played an overtime game in September, so it's a 50-50 game this time. But the winner of the Lowell-Griffith game almost certainly will have to defeat the state's two top 4A teams: Summit Athletic Conference champion Bishop Dwenger (12-0) and defending state champion Cathedral (10-2). But the Devils do have the players. And team speed. I give Lowell a 5% chance to win the state title which is 5% more than I gave them two years ago.

3.) 5A CROWN POINT (8-3)
2006 (12-1), 2005 (11-1), 2004 (4-7), 2003 (5-5)

CROWN POINT - Crown Point went scoreless in the second half and lost to arch-rival Merrillville 13-7 in the sectional semifinal game. It's hard to be too unhappy. CP finished at the top of the DAC for a third consecutive season and they battled to the end and two teams that beat them, Merrillville and Lowell are 11-1 and still playing.

Also, running back Russell Chick, who gained 1,810 yards, suffered a second quarter knee injury against the Pirates. While he was not hurt seriously, he did not return. Once again, the state tourney is designed to eliminated teams and when your key players go down, it's your time to go. CP has had undefeated junior varsity teams for three years in a row and they'll return most of their defensive secondary in 2008 plus kicker Michael Lipton and a sideline full of big rookies. Crown Point's program is at a peak and they have players coming in who will be as good as the ones they had this year.

4.) 4A Griffith (9-3)
2006 (12-2), 2005 (12-1), 2004 (9-3), 2003 (7-5)

GRIFFITH - Jacob Melton booted the game-winning 30-yard field goal on the road as the Panthers beat Hobart 17-14 in Hobart. The Panthers were outgained 219-164, but they held off a Hobart rally and reversed an earlier 28-14 home loss to Hobart. David Alexander scored his 15th TD of the season and QB Derek Hitt ran for his 11th score. Junior linebacker Mark Butkus is over 110 tackles. Only two penalties for the Panthers. That's a very good sign. This was Griffith's 14th sectional title, the second most (to Hobart) of any Northwest Indiana school.

Can they win the state title? No. I don't think so. They can beat Lowell at home obviously. They did it before. But Griffith would have to play undefeated Bishop Dwenger in Fort Wayne and Indianapolis superpower Cathedral, a 6-time state champ, in Indianapolis. This team does not have the experience or the team speed to win those last two games.

5.) 4A Hobart (8-4)
2006 (10-2), 2005 (6-6), 2004 (9-2), 2003 (5-7)

HOBART - Hobart out-gained the Panthers, but lost 17-14 to Griffith to end a season where they lost twice on last second field goals. The Bricks did not allow more than 22 points in any game and still lost four times. For the second consecutive year, Hobart lost the sectional championship game on a field goal on the final play of the game. That is unheard of.

The Brickies return QB Matt Barras and wide receiver Bobby James for the Brickie Bowl's final year in 2008, but this loss will take some time to get over. Hobart is 18-6 in the last two years and 33-14 in the last four.

6.) 3A ANDREAN (9-3)
2006 (8-3), 2005 (8-2), 2004 (13-2), 2003 (12-1)

MERRILLVILLE - The 59ers' offense was unstoppable on the road as they gained 146 yards and smoked Clark 49-34. The Niners trailed 18-13 at the half, but a 36-point second half absolutely buried the Clark defense. The Pioneers (8-4) did toast Andrean's defense for 500 yards, which put the Niners only slightly ahead of the University of Nebraska last weekend. But, in their defense, it was 42-18 Andrean at one point in the fourth quarter. This game is a little disturbing because the Niners next foe, South Bend St. Joseph's, has a lot of weapons, although not quite the pass attack Clark uses. A key statistic: Andrean gained 200 yards rushing for the third week in a row. In November in Indiana that is critical. The Niners get a home regional game here, which is always good, and one thing about Andrean: their program is not at the point where a sectional championship is satisfactory. The Niners, the 2004 Class 3A state champs, always seek to reach the state finals.

Can they win the state title? Yes. They could beat South Bend St. Joseph's (10-2) and they could play Concordia (9-3) at home in the semistate and beat them. No 3A team will be favored to beat Bishop Chatard in the RCA Dome, but Northwood did it two years ago and this Andrean team is better than that Northwood squad. I think Andrean is a speed-based team that would excel on artificial turf. So can the 59ers win two home games and beat Bishop Chatard? I give them a 25% chance, which is better than anybody else has.

7.) 5A Chesterton (6-4)
2006 (5-6), 2005 (3-8), 2004 (5-5), 2003 (7-4)

CHESTERTON - Chesterton ended the season with consecutive losses 38-10 and 21-0 to Merrillville. With the Pirates (11-1) at No. 4 in the state, you have to rank Chesterton accordingly. You'll see Clark ahead of them in some polls in NW Indiana and that's just not the real world. QB Alex Beierwalter (120-of-220, 1,670 yards, 11 TDs) completed his third year on the varsity as an all-area player and his graduation, as that of Alex Sarkisian at Valparaiso and Blake Mascarello at Crown Point will change the style of play in the Duneland Athletic Conference. The cause may have been lost here when Austin Bower (14 catches, 165 yards) was injured and disabled in early September. Zach Carnahan (1264 carries, 910 yards) barely missed the 1,000-yard mark rushing. The Trojans need to rebuild that offensive line, too, as teams like Michigan City and LaPorte will be coming on strong.

8.) 5A Lake Central (7-5)
2006 (4-6), 2005 (2-8), 2004 (1-9), 2003 (1-9)

ST. JOHN - Good job by LC this year. They were overmatched 30-6 by Merrillville in the 5A Sectional One championship, a repeat of Merrillville's 24-3 DAC win at LC. To me, this was the best LC could do this year and they should be proud of it, despite the 24-point sectional loss. LC was a sub-.500 team last year and they play in a big-school league. They want to be at the top of Northwest Indiana teams, but it's not that easy. QB Bo Dempsey returns, as do wide receivers Drew Dumont and John Hurley, plus running back Dillon Jamroz.

LC will lose a little ground here because they'll graduate a lot of their defense. Michigan City and LaPorte will be vastly improved in 2008 and they'll battle LC for a slot in the first division of the Duneland Conference. But the program has gone from two to four to seven wins in the last three years. The days of 2-8 are over.

9.) 5A Valparaiso (6-5)
2006 (3-6), 2005 (5-5), 2004 (6-5), 2003 (5-6)

VALPARAISO - Valparaiso, which beat Lake Central 17-14 two weeks ago, lost 14-7 in the rain at LC to end their season. The Vikings fell to something they were vulnerable to. Probably the best passing team in the DAC, Valpo ran into a post-season night when it rained all game. Senior Alex Sarkisian (167-of-300, 2,373 yards, 20 TDs) was held to 14-of-31 for 196 yards in his final game. Scott Rastovic (57 catches, 1,056 yards) closed the season as a 1,000-yard receiver, a rarity in the DAC, and the Vikings have the 'comfort' of knowing that two of the teams they lost to (Merrillville (11-1) and Penn (12-0) are sectional champions and one will be a regional champ. The problem for Valpo all year was the run defense, which was never solved and I think it will be solved by new people in 2008. The Indianapolis Colts couldn't stop the run last year, either. Now the Colts have new people on defense. The run gets stopped.

10.) 4A Hammond (9-2)
2006 (2-10), 2005 (1-10), 2004 (2-8), 2003 (1-9)

HAMMOND - Hammond had a strong finish, losing 21-13 at Hobart in the mud in the 4A Sectional Nine semifinals. To finish with an eight-point loss to Hobart (8-4) and a 20-point loss to Lowell (11-1), the two co-champions of the Northwest Crossroads Conference (NWCC), means that the Cats weren't overrated like Boston College. They actually had quality. David Moore (117 carries, 1,334 yards, 17 TDs) will be very hard to replace, but with a schedule that will still be softer in the first five weeks than it will be later on, the purple boys can rebuild without falling too far from that 9-2 perch. The new QB is already on line and word is the Wildcats may be more of a passing team in 2008. The big thing for Hammond, which was undefeated among the other Hammond, Gary and East Chicago schools, is numbers. Football is a war and there will be casualties. Hammond needs to get 65-70 boys on the roster so they can get depth for the long season. But like Lake Central, the Wildcats should be satisfied with the 2007 season.