The RENEGADE

2007 - Week 5: NW Indiana High School Top-10 Football Poll

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

9-12-2007

CROWN POINT (9-12-2007) -  Lots of other polls have had changes at the No. 1 spot but Merrillville has been at the top here since week three.  It's hard to argue that an overtime loss on the road to the No. 2 team should disqualify a Merrillville team that has defensively shut down a quality Griffith (2-2) team, experienced Portage (2-2) and wildly talented Warren Central (2-2).

Coaches are bold and make outrageous statements, but I don't hear anybody saying they'd like to play Merrillville more often.  You can make a case for Crown Point being No. 1 since they rallied to beat Merrillville in overtime.  When you look at schedules using only wins and losses, all three of the teams Crown Point has faced, Lowell, Hobart, Merrillville and Lake Central are 4A or 5A and have records of 3-1.  The reality is that Warren Central, which lost 17-10 at Merrillville, is better than anybody CP has played.

Nobody else has a realistic claim to No. 1 right now.

There were a couple of referees' calls that were questioned last week.  At Lowell, Griffith QB Derek Hitt pulled the ball back out of the grasp of his fullback Kyle Najar after Najar appeared to be down and scored the game-winning TD on a fourth down overtime keeper in a 29-28 win.  The truth is, Griffith 'earns' that call because they always run the option that way.  I really believe the Griffith QB and the fullback have a simultaneous possession for a moment in their backfield.  It's up to the defense to knock both of them down and if they don't, they just get beat.

At Lake Central, Austin Macak caught Michael Lipton's third quarter kickoff a yard deep in the end zone and ran it back for a TD.  Trouble is, the national high school rules do not allow kicks to be run back from the end zone.  By all reports the referee made a mistake, but the concensus is, reporters also made a mistake by crediting Macak with a 101-yard kickoff return.  You cannot count yards that are not on the field of play.  All anyone can get is 99 yards for a return play in high school.  You cannot legally return a kick from the goal line so even a 100-yard return is impossible in the rules.

The parallel would be that, on a play that begins at the one yard line, the punter runs from his own end zone and goes the length of the field.  He may run 106 yards from where he caught the ball and took off, but officially, that's a 99-yard run because that's all it can be.  The yards in the end zone do not count.

This is the point of the year where you've seen enough of your JV team to know if you have more players than you thought.  If somebody can help, here's where you might see him make his varsity debut.

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

MERRILLVILLE  -  The Pirates rallied from 14 points behind to beat Portage 21-14.  The Pirates lost four fumbles and that can't go on, but 209 yards rushing against Portage's good defensive front indicates that Merrillville's offensive line is improving.  Especially since leading rusher Ronneal Williams didn't play.  Rooosevelt Williams carried 22 times for 182 yards.  If that improvement is not a fluke, there's no stopping this team.  If they can dominate time of possession, with the defense they have, they'll be playing in November.

QB Dolapo Macarthy was just 5-of-15, but he threw no interceptions and ran for the deciding TD in the fourth quarter.  No one has yet scored more than 14 points in regulation time on the Merrillville defense.  And again, that's with the offense not being able to sustain much.  The Pirates are not short on running backs and there are some injured people coming back for Merrillville.  They have not played their best ball yet.  This team has the best defense and the best place-kicker, but they'll need them because three of the next four are on the road.  Remember, in truth, they have three wins and a tie.  A road tie.
 

2.)  5A CROWN POINT (3-1)
2006 (12-1),  2005 (11-1),  2004 (4-7),  2003 (5-5)

CROWN POINT  - CP went on the road for the first time since opening day and beat Lake Central 24-13.  This game might not have been as close as the score indicated because seven of the points against CP were an Austin Macak kickoff return that should have been a touchback.  No one had run for 100 yards on Lake Central, but CP senior Russell Chick carried 34 times for 114 yards.  Chick has 113 carries for 563 yards, the top total in NW Indiana after four games.  And he has done it against four good teams.  It's heard that CP is not totally happy with the offensive line, but Chick is not the fastest or biggest back and he's got 100 yards in every game.  The line must get some credit.  Leading receiver Zack Cecich caught two TD passes for the second consecutive game.

It could be ambush time this week as the schedule sends CP to play at a desperate Portage team.  What has gone unnoticed is that 24 points is the season high total for Crown Point.  That's not good.

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

CHESTERTON  -  What's amazing is that nobody notices Chesterton.  I don't want to say this out loud, but Chesterton is Northwest Indiana's ONLY 5A undefeated team.  I'll make this bet.  NO ONE will rank them No. 1 in the area.  I'll admit the wins aren't overwhelming.  The Trojans never trailed, but a 22-20 home win over LaPorte wasn't exactly a mandate for multiple championships.  QB Alex Beierwalter (52 of 85, 824 yards, 7 TDs, 2 INTs) wasn't the focus against LaPorte as Zach Carnahan scored three times and the Trojans ran for 221 yards.

As it was with Merrillville this week, 200 yards rushing is a sign.  The Trojans must run the ball because it makes their defense fresher and therefore better.  Zach Carnahan (6-0, 175) had his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game, but receiver Austin Bower left the game with a first half injury and did not return.  The Trojans aren't that tight on pass defense, so they'll get tested this week by Nate Scully and Michigan City.  But Chesterton is in a very good position because no one considers them a DAC title contender even though they have a 50-50 chance to go 5-0 before they see powerhouses Crown Point and Merrillville next month.

4.)  4A Hobart (3-1)
2006 (10-2),  2005 (6-6),  2004 (9-2),  2003 (5-7)

HOBART  -  Hobart rolled over Kankakee Valley 49-0 a week after Lowell rolled over KV 38-0.  That's not why Hobart moves ahead of Lowell in the poll.  We'll get to that in a minute.  The Brickies wisely rested big back Andrew Jackson (8 carries, 70 yards) much of the second half and still carried the ball 42 times as a team for 322 yards. As in the days of glory, the Brickie offensive line is winning games and controlling the clock.  Hobart's schedule hasn't been that tough yet, but the shutouts of Gary West Side and KV indicate they haven't taken the weaker teams lightly.

There is no indication that QB Matt Barras (28 of 44, 461 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs) is having any problems.  When a new QB goes four games without an interception, even on a rushing team, it means he isn't surprised by what he's seeing scheme-wise and speed wise in the secondary.  The schedule toughens now as the Brickies visit Andrean (3-1) and host Lowell (3-1).  The Brickie pass defense has to be better than it was against Crown Point, but no one has had an answer for the Brickie offense as of yet.

5.)  4A Lowell (3-1)
2006 (7-6),  2005 (11-4),  2004 (9-4),  2003 (11-2)

LOWELL -  It's not so much that the Red Devils lost 29-28 in overtime to Griffith last week.  An overtime game is actually a tie.  The problem for Lowell is that Griffith was able to run for over 200 yards on the Devils' highly regarded defense.  Lowell has allowed six TDs all season, all on the ground.  Bad pass defense doesn't kill you unless you are the University of Michigan.  But when you can't stop the run, you aren't that good.  Maybe one week was fluke but there's no doubt the Devils were outplayed for the first time this season.  Halfback Steffan Peck went over 400 yards for the season and linebacker Ben Rigby did recover two fumbles, running one back for a TD. 

But Lowell lost three players, starting defensive end Joe Carlson, linebacker Danny Remboski and two-way sophomore Brandon Grubbe to leg injuries in the Griffith game.  All three played regularly on defense and, the loss of all three (I don't know how much time they'll miss) definitely hurts Lowell.  Everybody has injuries but nobody loses three of the 11 and doesn't feel it.  The Devils host winless Highland (0-4) this week, but the Trojans played well last week.  It could be crisis time for the Devils.

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

MERRILLVILLE -  Andrean got a 29-yard field goal from Cameron Panther on the last play of the game to beat Munster 31-28.  But they suffered a high cost as well, reportedly losing right tackle Nate Blair (6-3, 260) and linebacker Sam Tournicasa (5-7, 160) to undisclosed injuries.

QB Austin Sutter (66 of 126, 932 yards, 12 TDs, 9 INTs) keeps his team's attack rolling.  The nine interceptions are far too many, but I can't complain about 12 TDs.  Andrean seems to pass to set up the run.  30 pass attempts a game is great for August and September, but the run game needs to develop and the Niners did gain 183 yards rushing last Friday against Munster.  The Niners haven't been overrun on the ground as of yet and that's the focus this week as they welcome in the 225-yards-per-game running attack of Hobart.  Watch the weather here.  The Niners need it to stay warm and dry against Hobart, which will be a good & bad weather team.

7.)  5A Portage (2-2)
2006 (6-5),  2005 (2-8),  2004 (8-4),  2003 (11-2)

PORTAGE  -  Portage won't drop here after a 21-14 loss to Merrillville, but that's the second loss in a row with Crown Point (3-1) and Chesterton (4-0) up next.  The Indians' defense appeared to wear down here in the second half, allowing a game total of 335 yards to a team that fumbled four times.  There are probably boys playing hurt here as well.  Vance Johnston was 10-of-19 for 166 yards against a good secondary, but the Indians can't give up 200 yards rushing or they have no chance.

Everything is about patience here as this is a team with a new coach and new system.  Portage played Crown Point well last season and they need a big game this week, because losing streaks drain confidence at this level quickly.  Remember the talk about Portage being a state contender last summer?  Yeah, and Michigan was supposed to win the Big-10, too.  Now, the Indians need an offensive renaissance (they average less than 15 points a game) rally to avoid a sub-.500 regular season.

8.)  3A Griffith (2-2)
2006 (12-2),  2005 (12-1),  2004  (9-3),  2003 (7-5)

GRIFFITH  -  The Panthers made a dramatic rally to pull out a 29-28 overtime upset at undefeated Lowell.  QB Derek Hitt ran for two TDs and the two-point conversion that won the game in OT.  Hitt was a hit, running the option almost perfectly after struggling for three games in his debut season at QB.  Griffith did not play as if they were discouraged by consecutive losses to Merrillville and Hobart.  You had to be impressed by the sense of desperation they played with in the fourth week of the season.  You have to have pride to do that.  I can't judge offensive line play, but I do know that the Panthers ran behind Brad (Big Country) Hardin (6-7, 260) 75% of the time at Lowell last Friday and they gained over 200 yards rushing.  Soccer style kicker Jeff Melton is better than advertised.  I don't think I'm getting out of line to predict that the 'Black Panther Party' goes 5-0 the rest of the way.

9.)  5A Lake Central (3-1)
2006 (4-6),  2005 (2-8),  2004 (1-9),  2003 (1-9)

ST. JOHN  - Lake Central is in the very same situation as Portage.  Good 'D.'  Not enough 'O.'  To be honest, Lake Central's 24-13 loss to Crown Point looks worse than that if you take away Austin Macak's kickoff return, which was truly a touchback.  Everybody the moved the ball fairly on Crown Point until last week.  LC began shuffling quarterbacks last week, using both Bo Dempsey and Corey McNulty and it didn't go well, as LC was held to 169 total yards.  Teams shuffle QBs when they nobody wins the job.  It's not something you want to do.

The LC defense gave up 100 yards rushing for the first time this season, but LC has got to move the ball.  Injured halfback Tony Morang (58 carries, 358 yards in 2006) did not play against CP and that hurt.  But even with a 31-point game against East Chicago, LC averages 18 points a game and that just won't get it done.  LC has been playing the 'no respect' card, blaming the local media for not giving them credit for the same 3-1 record that turned into a 4-6 finish last year.  The Indians may not realize how good you have to be in the DAC.  LC takes the long ride to LaPorte this week with Chesterton (4-0) and Merrillville (3-1) on the horizon.  The test this week is to play with desperation BEFORE a loss turns into a losing streak.

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

It is not good that the Slicers gave up 200 yards rushing last week.  The moment of truth has arrived for LaPorte with consecutive games now against Lake Central (3-1), Merrillville (3-1) and Crown Point (3-1).  If they can win any of the three and play well in all three, the season will still be on the rise.

On the outside looking in...

11.) Valparaiso (2-2)
2006 (3-6),  2005 (5-5), 2004 (6-5), 2003 (5-6)

VALPARAISO -  Valparaiso may not have a great team but they are fun to watch.  Senior QB Alex Sarkisian (70-of-103, 1,026, 10 TDs, 3 INTs) has outstanding numbers and, as long as the weather stays good, Valpo will be in every game.  Yes, they did give up 317 yards last week at Michigan City.  But the other loss is to Penn (4-0), which is No. 1 in some polls.  If they don't lose a small lead in the fourth quarter at LaPorte, the Vikings are 3-1 with only that loss to Penn.  Valpo is on the road at Chesterton (4-0) and on the road at Crown Point (3-1) in the next two weeks.  If they can get one win, they should consider it a major boost to the season.
 

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Revised: September 12, 2007 .