Lowell outscores Hammond Clark in pre-season scrimmage, looks ahead to CP this Friday

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

8-15-2005

LOWELL (8-13-2005) - The pre-season high school football scrimmage means absolutely nothing. If you score 55 touchdowns in 5 minutes on some team you'll never see again, you can still lose the first REAL game seven days later.

With that said, Lowell didn't distinguish themselves in a soggy scrimmage late Saturday afternoon against a spunky Clark squad on the long grass out behind Lowell high school.

Class 4A Lowell scored a total of six touchdowns while Class 3A Clark tallied one, but five of the Red Devils' TDs came on one 15-play series of four-down chances from the 10-yard-line late in the afternoon. Lowell's roster is twice the size of Clark's and depth took over on what turned out to be a humid late afternoon.

“Maybe it was the rain earlier,” said Lowell coach Kirk Kennedy. “Maybe it was the muddy field. I don't know. Every excuse we can come up with, they had the same things working against them.”

“We were still in a practice mode and in practice, you get very excited when you make a good play. We didn't seem to get started until late. They had a lot more enthusiasm than we did.”

Lowell seniors Jeff Clemens and Scott Gray ran for touchdowns while sophomore Steffan Peck ran for two scores. Junior quarterback Josh Kuiper threw a five-yard TD to Clemens and Jon Cap tossed a 10-yard scoring pass to senior Justin Jackson. There were only hints of the dominating 3,000-yard ground game that helped Lowell produce 451 points in 2004 and was anticipated for 2005 with four linemen returning.

“It's not like we had a bunch of rookies out there,” said Kennedy, who seemed more surprised than angry. “Last year, we really came to play and we jumped all over them. This year, they (Clark) were more excited at the start than we were.”

Lowell's scrimmage offensive line of junior center Andrew Steuer (6-0, 204), senior guards Ryan King (5-11, 202) and Jed Travis (5-11, 250) plus junior tackle Mike Staniewicz (6-5, 253) and senior tackle Randy Layman (6-1, 235) is still expected to eventually be the heart of the team.

'Eventually' needs to be next Friday when the Red Devils host neighbor and rival Crown Point in the 2005 season opener. The Bulldogs lost starting quarterback Matt Jansen for the season with a knee injury in Friday's CP-Highland scrimmage and that changes the slant on opening night considerably.

Lowell will now be a unanimous favorite on opening night. something that Crown Point can use against them in preparation.

“We don't want any excuses,” said Jeff Clemens. “We wanted them to have Jansen out there so we could beat them at their best. They have nothing to lose now.”

Lowell's first string offensive line did not play as well, as anyone on the home sideline had hoped.

“We came off the ball slow and too high,” said Kennedy. “When you can see the numbers of the linemen's jerseys from behind the play, that tells me they're too high. I don't think we had very good leg drive. When you're slow and high and no leg drive. That's no good because you are basically catching your opponent.”

“When you pass block, you can catch your opponent (coming to you). When you run block, you have to defeat your opponent.”

“Our secondary has more of a clue of what's going on. They're a year better and year smarter. And it's the same people except for Scott Schulz (now at Valpo U.) back there.”

The Devils know the game will now come down to what the Bulldog offense can do and that's playing into what should be Lowell's strength.

“We have 10 seniors on defense,” said Clemens. “And Ethan (Winel) and he played all last year. Offensively, we moved some things around today. But we'll figure it out and get it done. Just six days now. It's going to be a big night here. I'm excited.”

DEVIL NOTES: Word quickly reached Lowell about Matt Jansen's injury and the performance of replacement sophomore Blake Mascarello, who ran for two TDs and threw for a third against Highland's second team in last Friday's CP-Highland scrimmage. “I heard he (Mascarello) looked pretty good,” said Jeff Clemens. “We know he's a lefty so we're not going to change our plans. We'll play him just like Jansen was there.”

CP's Chip Pettit and offensive co-ordinator Mark Croell were among the CP 'tourists' in the stands Saturday watching Lowell scrimmage Clark.

Lowell's coaches had watched the CP-Highland matchup Friday and they offered condolences for the apparent end of Jansen's football (he is also a Division I baseball player) career. “I really felt sick when I saw that,” said Kennedy. “It looked bad.”

Bulldogs coach Croell appreciated the thought but asked for more than just good wishes.

“When we get here Friday night at 5:45, we'd like to see 10 points on the scoreboard for us,” said the CP coach. “Just to even things up.”

If Lowell had a standout in the scrimmage is was Steffan Peck (5-6, 165). Peck does not have great speed, but is a tackle breaker and, at 5-6, can hide behind offensive linemen. Junior QB Josh Kuiper looked good again backing up senior QB Jimmy Ritter.

Kennedy agreed there is not that much distance between the two signal callers but he added, “With the uniqueness of the quarterback position, I don't think it's fair to have one kid hanging over another kid's head, waiting to go in if he makes a mistake.”

The Lowell coach has never definitely said that Ritter is the starter, although it is assumed that the senior will get the first chance on opening night. But now, it would not be at all surprising to see Kuiper will play at some time against Crown Point.

“Kuiper's a pretty heady kid,” said Kennedy. “Jimmy is, too. He really understands the offense. Kuiper has a lot of football savvy. He's a baseball catcher and he can control the team. Right now, Ritter is our candidate but we wouldn't hesitate to put Kuiper out there.”

Jon Cap performed well as the long-snapper, zipping the ball back for punts and place kicks.

“We have three guys who are trying it,” said Kennedy. “But he (Cap) is the one who gets the ball back there the best.”

Soccer-style place-kicker David Lang (5-10, 195) looked good for the most part in his varsity debut. Kuiper was the holder. The Devils hope that Lang can be consistent enough to establish himself for a three-year run as Lowell's regular place kicker.

Lowell's field was muddy after heavy early Saturday rains and the grass was long. Lowell lets the grass grow long in the summer. They don't practice in the football stadium. The grass will be shorter and the field drier for the season opener. Dry days are scheduled for much of the week.

LOWELL (2005)

Coach Kirk Kennedy (104-55, 14 years)

Sectional titles: (5) 1992, 1994, 1999, 2003, 2004

Regional titles: (2) 1994, 1999

2004 Record: 9-4 (lost the regional championship game at home 28-21 to state 4A runner-up Wawasee)

LOWELL (9-4 in 2004)

2004 records in parenthesis

8-19 (F) Crown Point (4-7)

8-26 (F) Calumet (2-8)

9-2 (F) Griffith (9-3)

9-9 (F) Morton (4-7)

9-16 (F) ANDREAN (13-2)

9-23 (F) HAMMOND (2-8)

9-30 (F) at Munster (4-6)

10-7 (F) at Hobart (9-2)

10-14 (F) Highland (6-6)

* Key losses from 2004: TB Toby Goetz (276 carries-1,954 yards, 27 TDs), DL Larin Childress (9 QB sacks), QB Scott Schulz, C-LB Randy Lukasik (71 tackles)

Key returning players for 2005: (WR-RB-S-P) Jeff Clemens (16-302 yards receiving; 61-751 yards rushing; (23 TDS: 5 receiving, 11 rushing, 4 on interceptions, 2 kick return TDs, one fumble return TD) 6 interceptions, 73 tackles, 31 punts (36.5 avg.), (OT-DT) Jed Travis, (OG-LB) Ryan King (73 tackles); (TB-DB) Scott Gray (50-381 rushing, 5TDs); (LB-FB) Ethan Winel.

Key newcomers: (QB-LB) Jimmy Ritter (6-1, 172); (OT-DT) Eric McGee (5-11, 227); (DE-TE) Justin Jackson (6-1, 200); (DE-TE) Gerald Jackson (6-2, 181); PK David Lang (5-10, 159); RB-DB Steffan Peck (5-6, 165).