Steven Strong (94) stays "cool" waiting for the season opener at Lowell on August 21.

Seniors Spencer Rapchak (16) and Brad Pusateri (49) talk about the upcoming season at picture day on Aug. 3.  (All photos by Mark Smith)

CROWN POINT (8-08-2009) The only good thing about finishing with a losing record in that there’s no lack of motivation the next season.  Next season is here.  Crown Point’s Bulldogs, who were Duneland Athletic Conference champions in 2005, 2006 and 2007 began work this week to erase last year’s 3-7 record.

The competition, including regional champions Lowell and Merrillville, was hard on CP in 2008.  But those teams were tough the three years before that and Crown Point was better.  So, it's probably not so much about the other guys as it is about the boys in the red and white uniforms.

“I think it depends on how much we think we can do,” said senior halfback Mason Popovich.  “It’s really up to us.  It’s a make or break season.  If we come together we can really be good, even by Crown Point standards.”

“We’ve had a lot of meetings for the seniors to think about different ways to improve our leadership," Popovich added.  "Things like that.  I think it’ll boost our confidence in ourselves.”
 

There’s no great secret to why CP didn’t do well in 2008.  They could not move the ball.  The bulldogs gained 1,200 yards rushing in 10 games last seasons.  That’s a good total for one ball carrier, but for a team?  They passed for just over 1,000 yards.  You aren't going anywhere with 200 yards on offense every Friday night.

The 2009 Bulldogs will have a squad of running backs that are all new.

“Right now," said CP head coach Chip Pettit, "we’ve got a cast of five or six guys.  Chris Klein, Mason Popovich, Jordan Jurasevich, Cody Bacon and CJ Becerra.”
 

“At the H-Back position (combination tight end-fullback) and there’ll be three kids there.  Seniors John Hannon and Spencer Rapchak and Peter Parks, a sophomore.”

Parks is the younger brother of 2007 running back and special trams star Tommy Parks.
 

“Pete’s going to be a good player.  It’s just a matter of how fast he acclimates himself to varsity football as opposed to freshman football.”
 

The same can be said of new quarterback Joe Hopman (5-11, 170) a three-sport athlete who played on the freshman team in 2008.
 

Bulldog fans who stayed until the bitter end of the 42-6 playoff loss at Merrillville last October saw Hopman throw a 12-yard TD pass to now-graduated Alex Zipolla in the final minute.  The right-hander tossed a total of four passes on the varsity and the 2009 season opener at Lowell on Aug. 21 will be his first varsity start.
 

CP has a tradition of moving QBs in as sophomore.  Matt Jansen (2005), Blake Mascarello (2008) and Matt Cowan (2003) all started in parts of three seasons at CPHS at did Chip Pettit from 1989-1991.
 

“He’ll be nervous,” said Pettit.  “He’ll make some mistakes.  There’ll be good and bad.  He’s got talent, but he’s never started on Friday night.”
 

It’s all on the line and that’s where CP expects the most improvement.
 

“Andrew Pals (6-0, 260) and Zack Brueckman (6-2, 220) are back on the O-line.  We would expect them not only to play well, but offer some good leadership.
 

“The other four who are pushing for three spots:  Mitch Kositsky (6-2, 250), Andrew Wrecsics (6-2, 270), Dan Corning (5-9, 250) and Alex Zagrocki (6-0, 250), a junior.”

The Bulldogs also have a semi-new set of wide receivers.  None of them played full time last year, however all of them were on the roster except for Mike Bishop and baseball outfielder Brian Holloway.
 

“Travis Woosley, Mike Kessler, Nate Hasse, Holloway and Bishop,” Pettit listed in no particular order.
 

“Offensively, I don’t know how good we’ll be at the start,” said Pettit. “Even though our line is better... because our skilled people are so inexperienced that when we get a chance, I’m not sure if we’ll be able to take it in.  We’ll see.  If we can find a guy we can throw to in key situations and if one of these tailbacks emerge, we’ll be OK.”

There will be a new place-kicker for the first time in four years and he will also be a sophomore.
 

“It’ll be Brett Bayer,” said Pettit.  “He kicked last year as a freshman (on the freshman team) and it was understood that he’d get his chance once Michael Lipton graduated.
 

“His extra points and his short field goals look pretty good, but he hasn’t done it in a game on Friday night yet.  We had him working out with us a couple of times a week as an eighth grader and, of course, he was with us all last year. We’ll see.”
 

One other new face will be on the sidelines where defensive coordinator Kevin Enright has moved to Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Illinois after seven seasons at CP.  The Bulldogs’ traditionally effective defenses (under Pettit) will be in new hands.
 

“Dan Hartman will be the new defensive coordinator,” Pettit said.  “Sean Granger has come back to the staff after a year off.  He’d coached defensive backs for seven years and he didn’t coach last year.  Now, he’s back and that’ll be a big help for Dan with his years of experience.  Being a first year coordinator.
 

“Our defensive scheme will remain the same.”
 

Popovich suggested that the start of the season is very important.  And that means the ‘Leather Helmet’ game on the road at traditional south Lake County rival Lowell.
 

“We always think we think we should beat Lowell, he said.  “But the last two years, we haven’t done it.  The first game will be key.  We definitely want that leather helmet back.”
 

Crown Point’s defense held seven teams to 20 points or less in 2008 and allowed only 17.8 points per game overall.
Senior lineman Steven Strong said the defense expects to hold up their end.

“We learned from Munster’s team last year that you don’t need anybody to be a star if everybody just does their job.”
 

Brad Pusateri watched CP win the DAC three times before he got his chance to play last year and he said the 3-7 record is something you don’t just forget about.
 

“In the game against Merrillville in the sectional last year, obviously that didn’t go very well,” Pusateri said.  “All season long when you’re lifting, you think about that.  It’s about doing small things and making key plays.”
 

Strong added, “What really hurts is that we had so many (CP lost four games by seven points or less in 2008) close games.  That was bad.  You’ve got to make a total commitment. You can't let up at any point.”
 

Pusateri is thankful he’s healthy and able to get another chance to reverse last year’s won-loss record.

“When I was in eighth grade my sister was dating Matt Jansen,” he recalls.  “And I saw him get hurt (Jansen missed seven weeks) in the scrimmage.  It kind of makes you think.  You thank the Lord you’re able to play — that you stayed out of harm's way and you’re ready to do whatever you can do.”

Strong’s brother Jason played for CP in 2000 and 2001.  “I saw my brother blow his ACL in college.  He played the rest of the game on it.  Mark Myers (a 2009 grad) played with a torn ACL.  I’ll do whatever it takes.
 

“I think I speak for a lot of our guys,” said Pusateri.  “We’re not coming out of games.  We’re willing to play hurt.  We’re going to do what we have to do to turn last season around.”

DOG NOTES:  This is the light travel year for CP where they host Michigan City and LaPorte instead of driving to LaPorte County to play both late in the season.  The Bulldogs will play the same nine teams in the same order for the 13th season in a row.
 

Crown Point's scrimmage will be at Highland Friday, August 14 at 7:00 p.m.
 

They probably won't be scouting Lowell's scrimmage which will be at Twin Lakes high school in Monticello.
 

Former Crown Point High School linebacker Vince Lewis (2006) is back at CP as a varsity assistant in the pre-season until he has to leave for the University of Indiana.
 

Lewis was a starter and all-DAC player for CP in 2005 and he led the Bulldogs in tackles with 94.  Nick Ciochina, also a linebacker, recorded 57 tackles in 2004.
 

“I’m glad to see him,” said Pettit.  “Ryan Forney (2007) has spent a lot time with us this summer.  Nick Ciochina.  Mike Bork (2006) is still here from that 2005 team.  I’m excited about that A.) They’re going into the business and B.) They want to come back and help us out.  Vince still has another year of school.  Nick has another year of school.  We’re glad to have them for the time they’re here.”
 

School opens August 20, the day before the season opener.
 

Some of the boys (and perhaps all of the coaches) plan to be at Merrillville the night after the season opener in Lowell to watch the Pirates host Warren Central on August 22.

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Revised: August 11, 2009 .