High School Football Preview:

Bishop Noll   (0-1)  at  3A No. 3 ANDREAN  (1-0)
A USA-365.com special report by Mark Smith

TICKETS:  $5
Radio-TV:  none
Weather:   Upper 70s,  dry

HISTORY: Andrean won 56-0 last year and 28-7 two years ago. The 59ers have won the last six meetings between the two schools since a 44-31 victory by Noll at Andrean on Sept. 6, 1996.  This was the opening game for both teams in the early 90s. It has been game two of the regular season since 1993 except for 1997, when the 59ers 28-0 win came in week three.  This is the natural rivalry of the two largest private schools in northwest Indiana. Noll and Andrean are sister schools, Noll was the 1989 3A state champion while Andrean was the 1997 and 2001 3A runner-up.


MERRILLVILLE  --   Kankakee Valley broke a 16-game losing streak last week with a 21-7 victory over Noll, a crushing loss for Noll, which outgained KV 220-195.  Noll's only TD came on a 90-yard kickoff return by sophomore Chili Torres. Game stories made no mention of sophomore quarterback Bobby Kimp, who sparked the Warriors last year into winning two of their last three games.

Noll was small last season but they are bigger now with junior linemen Chris Luna (5-11, 229), Chuck Kellar (6-4, 287) and Ryan Trock (6-0, 237) .

Noll's going to have to control the football against an Andrean team that dominated Hobart far more than the 30-20 final score would indicate.

It should be another big night for senior 59er tailback Derrell Tinner, who gained 136 yards on 12 carries last week. All-state quarterback Brett Goins was only 6-of-12 but there will come a night this year when he'll throw 25-30 times and we'll see the real Andrean air assault.

That won't be necessary Friday as fullback Rob Caldwell (6-1, 210) and senior Rocco Maricinak should get plenty of carries.  Noll has to stay conservative and not fumble to stay close. In the 59ers home opener, that's too much to ask.

It's hard to read teams early in the season but I think the Warriors can't be emotionally primed after a shocking loss last week.  Noll will be flat in the early going and an early 59er TD will deflate them.

Andrean will score at least three first half TDs and when they go to their bench (which is rich in skill players) the score will continue to mount.  59er coach Wally McCormack will pull his starters once the lead gets to four TDs so Andrean will be healthy for the showdown with state-ranked Griffith on Sept. 6.


ANDREAN  51,    Bishop Noll   14


NINER NOTES:   Ty Harangody's 12-yard TD catch from Brett Goins in the first quarter was Harangody's first career TD.   Mike Steahl blocked a punt by Hobarts Kyle Gonzalez with the scorer 7-0 last week to start the rout. Rob Caldwell rushed 16 times for 126 yards last week and made 13 tackles on defense.  Marc Drobac, who scored Hobart's first TD, is the 16-year-old son of Mark Drobac, who played for some of Hobart's super teams in the mid-80s.

Andrean committed nine penalties for a total of 70 yards.   Last week's win was the first in the coaching career of Wally McCormack.
Hobart had defeated Andrean 4 of the last 5 seasons before last Friday's game.

This was only the 59ers' second win over Hobart in the last 25 years. Andrean has won 50 of their last 66 games over the last six seasons.