2009 Lowell Football Preview:  Red Devils are Rebuilding, but Sectional Title again the goal
	A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith 8-09-2009

(4A) LOWELL  (13-1)
 

Coach: Kirk Kennedy, 148-68 (19th year)  13-1 (2008), 13-2 (2007), 7-6 (2006), 11-4 (2005)
Northwest Crossroads Conference (NCC) games in CAPS -all games begin at 7 p.m.
 

Sectional 10
Oct. 23 (F) with Concord, Plymouth, Kankakee Valley, Logansport,
Clay, Riley and (SB) Washington 


2008 Lowell (13-1)
 

Aug. 22 (W) 7-0 at Crown Point (3-7)
Aug. 29 (W) 57-20 Morton (7-5)
Sep. 5 (W) 42-0 Kankakee Valley (3-7)
Sep. 12 (W) 27-12 at Griffith (8-5)
Sep. 19 (W) 55-7 at Highland (0-10)
Sep. 26 (W) 35-32 Hobart (9-3)
Oct. 3 (W) 63-0 at Hammond (7-4)
Oct. 10 (W) 24-7 Munster (7-4)
Oct. 17 (W) 35-6 at Andrean (6-7)

4A Sectional 10
Oct. 24 (W) 24-7 at South Bend Washington (7-3)
Oct. 31 (W) 20-14 (OT) Plymouth (10-1)
Nov. 7 (W) 49-20 South Bend Clay (6-6) 49-20 (title)

4A Regional
Nov. 14  (W) Griffith (8-5) 19-13

3A Northern Semistate
Nov. 22 (W) at Bishop Dwenger (14-1) 22-38

Lowell's 1st string offense watches the second team at Friday's pre-season practice. Lowell has a varsity scrimmage at Twin Lakes on Friday, Aug. 14 in Monticello.

Coach Kirk Kennedy talking with Chris Lannin of the Region Sports Network at Friday's photo day.

A large sophomore class of boys join the varsity and some, including Tyler Kristoff (1) may get significant playing time in 2009.

Lowell's season depends, to a great extent, on the senior 'Gang of 4' which includes Nate Cleveland (26), Ray Skamay (14), Joe Bell (34) and Brandon Grubbe (6).

Senior Ray Skamay (14) is happy to get the starting QB job to begin the season. Skamay, a basketball player and track hurdler, was a wide receiver in 2008.

LOWELL (8-07-2009) In recent seasons, Lowell has almost always seemed to have some major question marks going into the first game.  There always seemed to be positions that had limited talent, experience or both.  In the last six years, those 'suspect' teams have all ended up winning the sectional championship, the longest sectional title string in this part of the state.

The 2009 Lowell team has a lot of question marks, especially on the offensive line and at linebacker.  The Devils are trying to turn running backs into kickers and almost anybody into an offensive lineman.  But I really wouldn't bet against them.  There seems to be enough here to make a run at that seventh consecutive sectional title.

"Enough", of course begins with three senior players.  Star defensive ends and two-way players Nate Cleveland and Joe Bell, plus two-time 1,000-yard rusher Brandon Grubbe.

But one other senior steps into the biggest spotlight.  Two-time track state finalist and former wide receiver Ray Skamay, who is now Lowell's new starting quarterback.
Skamay, also a basketball guard, is very confident.

"I've been playing with all these guys since I was young," says the  Lowell teenager.  "I've seen what they can do, but we've got work to do.  We've got new guys, but we'll see who can play.  I've got a lot of receivers.  I like that.  If you're fast and short on our team, you're a receiver."

"Not too bad," said coach Kirk Kennedy of Ray Skamay.  "He's got enough athletic ability to do almost anything he wants.  The issue for him will be from the neck up.  That first varsity action.  He did play wide receiver last year so it's not totally new.  But this is his first varsity time under the gun.  You have to keep your head and know your limitations."

Lowell will not be limited at running back where Grubbe (5-11, 180) carried 316 times for 1,831 yards last season and has an unofficial 597 carries for 3,506 yards in two seasons.  It will be a record-breaking year for him.  Former Lowell star Michael Pickett (1995) gained an unofficial 4,198 yards in three years and that's believed to be the Lowell career rushing record.  Barring injury, Grubbe has a chance to become Northwest Indiana's all-time leading rusher surpassing 1990s Whiting superstars Mike Barsich (5,062 yards) and Paul Strabavy (5,024 yards).

Lowell's veteran coaches have a big challenge this season.  Offensive coordinator Jim Carlson has an all-new offensive line, while defensive coordinator Brad Stewart has all-new linebackers in 2009.

"We thought about putting Nate Cleveland on the line, but that hasn't had to happen yet," said Carlson.  "The other guys have done well enough that we can leave Nate at fullback.  Joe Bell is the tight end and Tyler Kristoff (6-2, 210) is good.  He had a knee problem, but it's okay now and he mentally got to believing in his body again.  He might also be a free safety.  He asked to play that position."

"But we're a little short on tight ends and we run a lot of double tight end so we have told Nate that there may come a time when we have to put him there.  Tony Demario (6-2, 190) will do a good job as a lineman.  He's the new center.  If there will be a surprise newcomer he may have a familiar Lowell name.  Jordan Juarez (6-2, 210), the younger brother of graduate all-area star Justin Juarez."

"We just have the center and the tight end (Joe Bell) so far," said Skamay. "Whoever really wants to play. It's time to step up."

But Grubbe might not the best Lowell athlete.  The Devils have a dominant pair of defensive ends with Nate Cleveland (6-3, 215) and Joe Bell (6-4, 205).  Cleveland was a National AAU wrestling champion this spring at 215 pounds and he was fourth in the state at 215 as a Red Devil wrestler last year.  Bell is a starting basketball forward and had 59 tackles, including six QB sacks last season.  Cleveland had 64 tackles including five sacks.  If you throw the ball against Lowell, you have to do it quickly.  Bell plays tight end on offense while Cleveland is the fullback, giving Skamay some impact teammates.  Lowell's offense should be fast with Grubbe, speedy junior Cole Midgett and Skamay, a two-time state finalist and the Northwest Crossroads Conference champion in the 300 meter hurdles, who will be more of a running QB than graduated two-year starter Kurt Monix was.

"There's some option in the offense," said Skamay.  "That's back.  Everybody's going to be keying on (Brandon) Grubbe.  Hopefully we'll be able to gain yards, too.  Everybody's going to be keying on him."

Yes and no.  The quarterback has everyone's eyes on him at the beginning of every play.  Thousands of people looking only at him.  It can be intimidating.

"I've been through a little bit of that in other sports," Skamay said.  "That's playing guard with the ball in basketball.  Track, too.  I'm excited about it.  I can't wait for Crown Point."

The back-up QBs are promising among Lowell's 'new' players, at least where regular varsity play is concerned.  Junior Chris Sekuloski (6-4, 175)  and sophomore Jeremy Crocker.
"Chris has a good arm," said Carlson. "The only knock against him was his athleticism.  We asked him to run track last year and he did and it helped him a lot.  He ran some hurdles and did some sprints.  We might even use him at wide receiver or tight end.  He can do more things than he did last year."

"Our sophomore QB is an aggressive kid.  Jeremy Crocker.  He'll probably play some outside linebacker for us.  He had an older brother who played for us.  He's pretty rugged.  He could start at outside linebacker.  Some of our best hits have come from him."

Defensive coordinator Brad Stewart likes Kristoff and Crocker, too, and he's rebuilding the Devils' top-rated NCC defense since only the defensive ends return among regular starters.

"I think he's got a lot of potential to play back there (free safety)," Stewart said of Kristoff.  "He could move up to outside linebacker too.  He's got the size.  He played some defensive end as a freshman.  But our number one safety is Jake Payton (5-9, 155).  He is a senior wrestler and a smart kid.  Doesn't mind being physical even though he's only about 160 pounds.  Kristoff played defensive end last year, but we have Bell and Cleveland there.  He's got the speed and he potentially could play somewhere."

"Jordan Juarez is back at linebacker.  I think he started one game.  He's ready to go.  On the other side, we've got a kid (Jeff Harbrecht) who was just a late grower.  He was about 5-foot-5, 5-foot-6 and skinny as a freshman, but now he's 6-foot-2.  He just grew late.  He's been working hard in the weight room.  He's got decent speed."

"Competing with him and probably rotating with him is Jeremy Crocker.  We had no idea what he'd do but he's come out here and impressed everybody.  He's very quick to the ball and he hits hard.  The other two are Mike Sekuloski and Tony Demario.  Tony will also be center and Mike could be a guard so we're going to have to spell (rest) them sometimes.  But they should be okay."

Kennedy always likes to run the ball, control the clock and keep his typically fast defense fresh.  He suggests that he expects to like Skamay as his signal caller.

"There were times last year when Kurt (Monix) would not run the ball and it wasn't that he couldn't.  He was bound and determined that he was going to throw because he was such a good passer.  Ray will pull it down and run it and he will be quite a weapon."

The only thing different about Brandon Grubbe in the pre-season is his number.  He has switched from '25' to '6'.  The number '6' is gold in Lowell football.  Michael Pickett wore No. 6 as did rushing legends Mike French (a two-time 1,000-yard rusher) and Scott Gray (who gained 2,300 yards on the state title team in 2005) and it traditionally is awarded to a top offensive player only if they ask for it.

"Yeah Grubbe took the number six this year," reports Kennedy.  "I guessed he figured he was going to have the bullseye on his back anyway.  I don't know if he'll play a lot on defense.  We tried that last year and it was somewhat of a disappointment.  But he'll be the punter.  He's getting better because he's never done it before.  He's athletic enough to learn it."

"He's going to get a lot of attention this year.  Not so much that he likes the attention, but he likes to be an important part of things.  To be in the middle of everything."

DEVIL NOTES:  The scoreboard at the 'Inferno', Lowell's varsity football field has been moved.  It's still the same scoreboard that has kept up with Lowell games for at least 20 years but it's in a different place.  The board, which formerly sat behind the northwest corner of the end zone, now sits behind the northeast corner.  There is a small message board now attached to the scoreboard which will show team sponsors and other messages to the crowd.

Coach Jim Carlson said that baseball regular Matt Hilbrich got noticed by the coaches because he had a 'publicist' working for him.

"Last year Cole Midgett, that's his buddy, said, 'Hey coach, you've got to watch Hilbrich.  He's really good.'  I watched him for while and he didn't show much and I said 'You're just trying to get your buddy on the team.'  But this year, he (Hilbrich) has really turned it on.  He's just a junior, but he's done a great job."

Cole is going to be our PAT (point after touchdown) guy," said Carlson.  "And his kickoffs (Friday) were the best.  They've been so he might kick off, too.  The punter is Grubbe, so far.  At least he'll give us a threat this year.  Right now I can name our center.  Tony DeMario will be the center and middle linebacker.  But we're looking for the other (offensive line) people.  There's eight or nine guys.  We want to give the seniors a chance, but we have some big young guys with no experience.  We had a big group of freshman last year who are sophomores now.  When you look at our team, just about every really big boy is one of that (freshman) team."

Ex-Lowell stars TJ Lukasik and Justin Juarez were on hand for Friday's Lowell workout.

"We've got a lot of ex-Butler kids who have come by to help us," said coach Jim Carlson."

You might think that senior Nate Cleveland's success as a wrestler (he won an AAU national championship at 215 pounds over the summer) would signal that this is his final season of organized football.  Nate says: Not so fast.

"We'll see," he said Friday. "There's plenty of time to think about that.  I've had schools talking to me for both sports, but a lot for wrestling.  You can't do both at the Division I level. There's no way."