The RENEGADE

2007 - Week 2: NW Indiana High School Top-10 Football Poll

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

8-22-2007

CROWN POINT (8-22-2007) It was a wide-open opening week to the point where we have no clear-cut number one team. When you look at what I called the Top-10, Crown Point lost, Chesterton struggled and Portage, Chesterton and Lowell all trailed 14-0 early. Hobart beat a team that was totally outmanned, Griffith struggled at home with Morton and Munster and Lake Central showed a lot of spirit, but major offensive problems as well.

Which brings us to that game at Merrillville Saturday night. The Pirates 17-10 victory over four-time defending state champion Warren Central will take its place along with the 2005 sectional win over undefeated Crown Point and the 1991 'Global confrontation,' the 24-6 win over Hobart in a matchup of unbeaten and top-ranked teams as one of the great victories in Merrillville sports history. There is the urge to rank the Pirates No. 1 this week, but as you will see, I'm going to resist that urge until after this week's home game with Griffith.

Hammond high had a big win, 32-19 over East Chicago. That's the first regular season win for the Wildcats since August of 2004, and while they aren't sectional title contenders in 4A Sectional nine, the Cats are showing signs they can return to, at least, their prominence of the late 90s. Seven years ago, Hammond was 9-4 and beat Lowell and Griffith to win the sectional. To whip up on EC in a game played before school starts (when city schools gain a player or two), indicates a certain organization and dedication that may have been lacking.
And Hammond folks can whine all they want about the breakup of the Lake Athletic Conference, but look at Hammond high's schedule NOW and tell me they aren't better off. It is not impossible that Hammond goes 6-3 this year. Against Gary and Hammond city schools, you say? It's not that tough? Big deal?

It is a big deal if you were 15-50 since 2000. Hammond is now playing the schedule they should have been playing in this decade. That's not an insult. Just a fact. Get ready for a football revival at all the Hammond city schools this season. Playing equal programs instead of powerhouses Hobart, Griffith, Lowell and Andrean, Hammond football teams will win more games and draw more fans. Like I said last week, this is going to be a good year.

I was very disappointed in the attendance at the Warren Central-Merrillville game. In a worst-case scenario, a steady rain rolled in about 45 minutes before game time and stayed throuhgout the first quarter. The crowd was estimated at 3,500 and they enjoyed the Pirates' 17-10 upset. But my hopes of a crowd of 7,000 were washed away. Merrillville travels to Warren Central next season so I don't think they have a home nonconference game.

I hope some other big school picks up the ball and slates a 6 p.m. Saturday night 'main event'. There is no point is moving games that would be sellouts on Friday, so matches like Crown Point-Lowell or LaPorte-New Prairie are not likely to be Saturday night specials. But games like Griffith at Morton or Hobart and Crown Point, which aren't likely to sell out Morton on Friday, might be standing room only on a Saturday.

Here's another idea. Ask small school rivalries like River Forest and Lake Station or Clark and Whiting, if they would like to play their annual game in a place like Merrillville's 8,000-seat Demaree Stadium, a field those kids will never get to see any other way. Whiting has a great football field but the other three don't. They might go for it as a one time showcase for their programs.

In week two, the spotlight stays at Merrillville where powerhouse Griffith comes in for a barometer of class football. When Lowell beats Crown Point, as they have six times now in nine years, smaller school coaches point to it and say there's no difference between 3A or 4A and 5A. They're wrong, but they don't know it because of those season opening games. The real trick is for a smaller school to beat a good 5A AFTER the first shake down week. That is Griffith's task this Friday and it is a large one.

Pay little attention to the state polls this early in the year. Folks 250 miles away are voting on whether Griffith is better than Lowell. They don't even know where these places are. According to the polls, Merrillville was not in the Top-25 last week and they are No. 3 in the state now. That isn't possible. Either they were wrong last week or they're wrong now. Don't put much stock in week one. It's almost always a bad predictor.

1.) 5A CROWN POINT (0-1)
2006 (12-1), 2005 (11-1), 2004 (4-7), 2003 (5-5)

CROWN POINT - I'm not going to drop Crown Point for a 9-point road loss at the No. 4 team. I don't think Lowell has a better team than Crown Point, even though they scored a solid win. And nobody else looked like a No.1 team. CP held a 14-0 lead over Lowell. They led 14-3 at the half and the Bulldogs had some pass blocking woes. A key for CP last week wasn't that QB Blake Mascarello was 3-of-12, but that he only threw 12 times. The Bulldogs didn't have the ball that much in the second half (only 22 rushing plays in the entire game), but it would be a mistake to downgrade them because of a bad half on the road against a top-10 rival school. Lowell rushed for 211 yards, but the defense was exposed because CP couldn't get first downs on offense.

CP gets back Babe Ruth World Series all-star Mike Kozlowski this week. Kozlowski is CP's fullback and punter and the junior will make a difference. Remember, the first game of the season is very misleading. LaPorte lost the first game in 2006 and won the regional title. Lowell lost the first game in 2005 and won the state title. CP's offensive line will be challenged this week and they will respond. The only way to stop Hobart's Bobby James and Andrew Jackson is to keep them off the field. This is a must game for CP with Merrillville (1-0) and Portage (1-0) to follow. The Bulldogs have something to prove, but they still have the best team.

2.) 5A Merrillville (1-0)
2006 (7-5), 2005 (11-3), 2003 (5-6), 2004 (6-5)

MERRILLVILLE - The weekly polls are fairly easy to write, but the pre-season one isn't. I do a couple of pre-season polls and I finally settle on one. To be honest, I made out a pre-season poll that had Merrillville ranked second, but I decided against it because I didn't think their defense could overcome an inexperienced offense. Okay, that might have been an error. The Pirates covered themselves in glory with a 17-10 upset of 5A No. 1 Warren Central, the state's 4-time defending big school state champion. The Merrillville defense is not imposing physically, but they were almost as fast as the vaunted speed-based Warren Central defenders. WC gave up six turnovers and the Pirates speed had something to do with half of them. Linebacker Dionte Day (5-8, 206) hit everybody in sight.

QB Dolapo Macarthy (6-6, 195) did not make connections early, but he hit some big passes late to lead his team to the go-ahead fourth quarter TD. Ryan Stokes kicked five touchbacks denying Warren Central any runbacks. The offensive line needs work, but the season is still young. Great test coming Friday against Griffith. You have to run straight ahead against Merrillville. You can't run wide. Griffith can run straight ahead. Always could. But Merrillville's challenge isn't the schedule. Their test will be: Can they play with the intensity they did last Saturday night or was that a one-time thing?

3.) 5A Chesterton (1-0)
2006 (5-6), 2005 (3-8), 2004 (5-5), 2003 (7-4)

CHESTERTON - The Trojans rose from the grave after being down 14-0 after one quarter on the road at South Bend Clay to win 27-20. Like Portage and Lowell, the Trojan overcame the early two-TD hole to succeed. It makes them hard to judge. Trojan QB Alex Beierwalter was 14-of-20 for 194 yards, but he also ran for 2 TDs in the second half. Chesterton got the benefit of five turnovers from Clay to get back in the game and they won't get that in the DAC. Move-in Craig Linn intercepted three passes and hopefully that's contagious.

I don't have any idea who the Trojans are playing this week. It's West Ottawa, Illinois. Sometimes that's good. You just come out and play. Chesterton needs a win and a turnover free contest. You can't be Rex Grossman and look just as bad as you did last season. We need a small step of improvement every week.

4.) 4A Lowell (1-0)
2006 (7-6), 2005 (11-4), 2004 (9-4), 2003 (11-2)

LOWELL - Lowell looked better than I thought they would in a 23-14 win over 5A No. 6 Crown Point. New QB Kurt Monix was 4-for-4 passing with no turnovers. Not only did starting halfback Steffan Peck run for 100 yards but sophomore Brandon Grubbe ran six times for 91 yards. Big blocking back Johnny Black (6-2, 195) was a big reason why. Defensively, Lowell is like 'Merrillville-lite'. Not big, but they run all over the place and defensive end Jeff Barker (4 sacks) leads a defensive unit that has tons of experience. Lowell rushed for over 200 yards against Crown Point and, if they can show that kind of production on the road this week against Morton, you have to take notice.

This is a rare Lowell team in that they simply didn't have many positions to fill this season. The Devils have the same test that Merrillville does. Can they play with the same emotion they did on opening night? The schedule demands that they do. Lowell won't begin the season with a 1-4 record like they have the past two years, but they won't go undefeated either. I'll say it again. Lowell still will ask the offensive line to improve and Monix needs to have a good game on the road before anybody gets too excited. But the defense on this team is as good or better than the 2005 Lowell defense that won the state title and the offense may be better.

5.) 5A Portage (1-0)
2006 (6-5), 2005 (2-8), 2004 (8-4), 2003 (11-2)

PORTAGE - Portage was very fortunate to escape an opening night upset at 3A Andrean. The Indians did roll up 181 rushing yards so they showed quality. But Portage cant allow 204 yards passing in a league loaded with good QBs. The Indians fumbled three times and punted six times. They were a highly controversial penalty call away from being down 21-0 in the second quarter. Portage played the opener without all-area WR Billy Doll and I do not know why. When he returns he will have an impact. But Portage scored two points on a safety and seven more when QB Vance Johnson fumbled, picked it up and ran a broken play into the end zone.

The Indians have not had the offense for the last two years that would make them a sectional or DAC champ and they didn't show it in week one of 2007 either. The defense and Albert Evans (22 carries, 145 yards) will keep them in every game, but its a good thing it's early in the season. I know Portage is better than they showed last week. They have to be.

6.) 4A Hobart (1-0)
2006 (10-2), 2005 (6-6), 2004 (9-2), 2003 (5-7)

HOBART - Hobart rolled over Gary West Side 63-0 but that's not a game. The season opener is this week at Crown Point. The Brickies surely have been working on Crown Point since the start of fall practice. Hobart broke in a new kicker last week as Michael Josifovski was 7-of-7 on extra points and reportedly is strong on kickoffs. QB Matt Barras didn't get tested, but he did get through his home debut and that's important.

The Brickies need to stay even with CP this week in the first half because the pressure to win is on the Bulldogs. But this is Hobart's first real game, so we don't know how they'll do. It's going to come down to the QB and the offensive line. There's no way to change your judgment of the Brickies after last week.

7.) 3A Griffith (1-0)
2006 (12-2), 2005 (12-1), 2004 (9-3), 2003 (7-5)

GRIFFITH - Griffith pulled away from a 7-7 halftime tie and blitzed Morton 35-21. The Panthers rushed for 279 yards so all's well with the Panther world. Speedy star David Alexander scored four TDs. New kicker Jeff Melton was 5-foot-5 on extra points. But QB Derek Hitt was only 3-of-14 with three interceptions and the Panthers averaged just 18 yards a punt while coughing up five turnovers. It wasn't a great opener.

But here comes a great test. Griffith playing Merrillville for the first time since Merrillville left the old Lake Suburban Conference in 1974. I do not have the answer to the question: How's Griffith going to run on Merrillville when Warren Central couldn't. But the Panthers did stop the run against Morton and that gives them an outside chance Friday night. No matter how ugly it may get Friday, give the Panthers credit for taking on this game. The Panthers could get a dozen other squads to play them. A dozen other teams they could whip like Michael Vick whips dogs. Lowell will look slow to them after they've played Merrillville. The problem is, how slow will Griffith look to Merrillville after they played Warren Central?

8.) 3A ANDREAN (0-1)
2006 (8-3), 2005 (8-2), 2004 (13-2), 2003 (12-1)

MERRILLVILLE - The Niners lost just 16-14 at home to Portage and Andrean had a third TD taken away by a penalty. Running back David Brandt (6-1, 215) carried just eight times for 33 yards, but new QB Austin Sutter was 14 of 32 for 207 yards, two TDS and three interceptions. That's a good debut against a tough 5A school. Andrean freshman Demetri Blanco caught a 41-yard TD pass in his first game. You've got to be pretty good to start as a freshman at Andrean. The 59er defense did a decent job against Portage all-stater Albert Evans, who gained 149 yards on 21 carries but had a lot of them on one 58-yard run. The Niners held Portage to 225 total yards, but they also committed 10 penalties.

With the possible exception of Lowell in week nine, Andrean won't see a better defense than they saw last week. The Niners looked like a contender, but I'd like to see 100 yards rushing out of David Brandt and that offensive line.

9.) 5A Lake Central (1-0)
2006 (4-6), 2005 (2-8), 2004 (1-9), 2003 (1-9)

ST. JOHN - Lake Central rallied to beat rival Munster 14-10 in a game that had to mean a lot to them. Munster led 10-0 at halftime and LC rallied behind a balanced offense, which included two TD passes from new QB Bo Dempsey and 148 yards rushing on 19 carries from Tony Morang. LC did have three turnovers and they only totaled 225 yards in offense. But they became the fifth NW Indiana team (Lowell, Chesterton, Portage and Hammond high) to overcome a deficit of 10 or more in the season opener.

LC is still a work in progress and they have to score more points. LC has been held to 14 or less 10 times in the last two years, and with the season starting in the middle of the summer, you have to score 20-30 points every time out. Defense alone cannot win games early in the season.

10.) 5A Valparaiso (0-1)
2006 (3-6), 2005 (5-5), 2004 (6-5), 2003 (5-6)

VALPARAISO - A very good start for Valpo. They lost 38-24 to Penn, but QB Alex Sarkisian completed 24 of 40 for 266 yards and two TDs. The Vikings allowed 222 yards rushing to Penn but almost everybody does. Valpo senior Scott Rastovic caught nine passes for 156 yards and Penn had no answer for him. They were chasing the lead all night but the Vikings rolled up 20 first downs. To me, with the season starting in offense-friendly weather, you have to score points.

The defense is a work in progress and there are some scary DAC matchups after this Friday's game against Roosevelt. But if the Vikings can move the ball like they did against Penn, this will be a very exciting season.

On the outside looking in...

11.) LaPorte (1-0)
2006 (10-4), 2005 (9-2), 2004 (7-4), 2003 (6-4)

LaPORTE - The Slicers cracked down hard on county rival New Prairie 35-7 in the season opener. David Kincaid, whose brother Darren was an all-stater in 2006, picked up a fumble 14 seconds into the game and ran 14 yards for a TD to key the blowout. Soph QB Dustin DeMuth (6-1, 160) was 7-of-10 for 106 yards and no interceptions in his first varsity start. New Slicer halfback Carlton Austin (6-1, 195) carried 17 times for 142 yards and he will have a big-time impact.

This is a rebuilding year for the Slicers, but you can win the sectional when you are rebuilding. Lowell did last year. LaPorte has traditionally been a difficult place to play in this decade and that won't change.