Lowell upsets Hobart at Brickie Bowl 31-28; will host Concord for Regional

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

11-4-2006

Friday, November 3, 2006, 31 degrees and dry in Hobart, 4A Sectional 9 Championship

1st Qtr:  HOBART (7-0)  Michael Brown, 38-yard pass from Josh Miracle.  75 yards, 4 plays.  Josh Cartegena kick.  7:17 left.
2nd Qtr:  LOWELL (6-7)  Max Znika, 1-yard run. 77 yard drive, 12 plays.  Kick blocked by Andrew Walsdorf.  9:29 left.
LOWELL (13-7)  Steffan Peck, 4-yard run.  56 yard drive, 8 plays.  David Lang kick.  4:04 left.
3rd Qtr:  LOWELL (20-7)  TJ Lukasik, 70-yard interception return.  David Lang kick.  10:58 left.
HOBART (14-20)  Andrew Jackson, 1-yard run.  Cartegena kick.  6:59 left. 
HOBART (21-20) Andrew Jackson, 2-yard run.  Cartagena kick.  2:08 left.
4th Qtr:  LOWELL (28-21)  Max Znika, 2-yard run.  77-yard drive, 12 plays.  Lukasik 2-pt. pass from Josh Kuiper.  8:35 left.
HOBART (28-28)  Andrew Jackson, 3-yard run. 91-yard drive, 12 plays.  Cartagena kick.  7:17 left.
LOWELL (28-31)  David Lang, 35-yard field goal. 23-yard drive, 3 plays after TJ Lukasik's interception at the Hobart 41 with 23 seconds left.  0:01 left.

TOTAL YARDS:
Hobart - 487, LOWELL - 264

FIRST DOWNS:
Hobart - 20, LOWELL - 15

RUSHING:
Hobart (40-209, 3 TDs) Josh Huddleston (HB) 1-1;  Andrew Jackson (HB) 39-208, 3 TDs;
LOWELL (44-220, 3 TDs) TJ Lukasik (WR) 1-13, Steffan Peck (FB) 5-20, TD; Josh Kuiper (QB) 6-27, Max Znika (HB 32-160, 2 TDs.

RECEIVING:
HOBART:  Michael Brown (WR 6-90, TD, Andrew Walsdorf (TE) 1-48, Garrett Cantwell (TE) 2-54, Roger Cardwell (HB) 1-14, fumble,  Danny Schultz (WR) 2-73.
LOWELL:  Steffan Peck (FB) 3-34, TD; Eric Roadruck (WR) 1-9

PASSING:
HOBART:  Josh Miracle (QB) 7-12, 137 yards, one TD, 3 INTs;
Schultz (WR) 2-73.
LOWELL: Josh Kuiper (QB) 4-8, 44 yards

PENALTIES:
Hobart - 4 (30 yards), LOWELL -  3 (15 yards)

TURNOVERS:
HOBART (4);  LOWELL (0)

HOBART, IN (11-3-2006) - The great thing about these high school football games is that the boys honestly don't know what they can't do.  At least, Lowell boys don't.  In a game that rivaled their epic come-from-behind 28-27 win over eight-time state champion Roncalli in the 2005 4A state championship,  Lowell's Red Devils stared down 500 yards of Hobart total offense, rallied twice and got a 35-yard field goal from junior David Lang on the final play of the game to pull off a truly amazing 31-28 victory over favored Hobart in the 2006 Class 4A Sectional 9 championship game.

If the 2005 Lowell state title game is the greatest game in  Lowell history and the 1994 Lowell 28-25 regional win over defending state champ Hobart (when Lowell legend Michael Pickett gained 200 yards rushing against the Brickies in their glory days) is the second greatest game...  Then 3,000 fans on a 30-degree night in the 67-year old Brickie Bowl Friday night saw, at the very least, the third classic in the trilogy of modern day Lowell gridiron legend.

But the 1994 and 2005 teams had great players.  I don't know if some of the present Red Devil underclassmen have greatness in them.  That's yet to be determined.  But on Friday night, those sophomores and juniors and Lowell's tiny senior class, walked onto NW Indiana high school athletic's greatest stage and wrote the story of Lowell football a golden page.

This wasn't the state title game against Roncalli, where Lowell actually out gained the favorites in the RCA Dome. This was a fight where Lowell took punches all night from Hobart's offense, led by star runner Andrew Jackson (6-2, 220), who carried 39 times for 206 yards.  Lowell lost two-way star Jeff Barker (6-5, 187), who was reportedly hospitalized after an asthma attack in the second quarter.  Two-way players like Lukasik, lineman Mike Staniewicz, Drew Steuer, QB Josh Kuiper were on the field constantly and getting worn down.  Lowell was out-gained yardage-wise 487-264.  But still they rallied and still they won.

"It was crazy," said Steffan Peck.  "We were setting up this whole week for the pass.  Then they got the run going and we couldn't stop them.  But we won."

TJ Lukasik's third interception of the game gave Lowell the ball at the Hobart 41 when it appeared that the eighth-ranked Brickies might drive for a game-winning field goal.

Lukasik then ran a wide receiver reverse to the Hobart 28 with 13 seconds to go.  After an incompletion, Lowell decided that Lang could not kick a 45-yard field goal.  They also chose not to throw deep into the end zone for a game-winning bomb.  There was only five seconds left.  Lowell, which had completed just 39 passes all season until that point, was going to try to grab a few more yards and get out of bounds.

Coach Kirk Kennedy said later that he made that play up.

"What I did was, I ran a play in my head," he explained.  "If we throw to the short side and get out of bonds, we had a chance.  It's not like we've run that play and haven't executed it.  We haven't run it."

But Kuiper threw a perfect 10-yard down-and-out to junior Eric Roadruck, gaining 10 yards to the Hobart 18-yard-line.  Amazingly, the Hobart clock-keeper, bless his honest soul, allowed four of the five seconds to tick off the clock and stopped it with exactly one second left.  The crowd on both sides of the field was in an uproar at this point.  You never get that kind of clock-keeping on the road.  The Hobart quarterback wasn't the only 'miracle' in the Brickie bowl on this night.

"Hey, that's Lowell football," said Staniewicz with a smile.  "We pass."

"I couldn't believe it," said Peck, of the decision to try to grab some yards to get Lang close.  "I was saying, 'Let's just kick it now.  I was counting off the seconds in my head.  Then, I looked up and there was one second left.  I said, 'He (Lang) has got it.'"

After a Hobart time out, Lang, who had three field goals this season but was 4-for-4 on extra points in the come-from-behind win over Roncalli 12 months ago as a sophomore, was more than ready.

"You don't think about anything," he said calmly afterwards of his game winning boot, which, ironically would have been good from 45 yards out.  "Sure, I watched it all the way through.  I stood there and stared at it.  Then everybody jumped on me.  I was just hoping I'd get the chance.  The team got me in position to do it.  This is huge.  I'm just happy I got a chance.  On the kick, you just try to keep your mind clear.  Before the kick, I try to get them to leave me alone but they won't.   They (his teammates) just say 'Kick it hard.  Make it.'"

Lang (6-0, 206), who moved into the offensive line this season, seemed more proud of Lowell's 200 yards rushing even though Hobart knew what was coming.

"That's just a team effort," he said.  "We worked all week in practice.  Just trying to stay low and driving our feet.  That was it."

Lowell didn't look like they were going to make it twice on this night.  Hobart had a good game plan of alternating between wide-ranging passing formations and closed in running sets.  From the passing sets, the Brickies went 75 yards in four plays the first time they had the ball with Michael Brown catching a swing pass, breaking two tackles and scoring from 38 yards out to give the Brickies a 7-0 lead after less than five minutes.

After a Lowell punt, Hobart charged down the field again, getting a first down at the Lowell 37.  The standing room only Hobart grandstand  crowd roared as sophomore Roger Cardwell caught a pass from Miracle and raced across the 20-yard line.  But the Brickie rookie was hit and fumbled to Lowell's Dean Frigo at the Red Devil 14.  If that play does not occur, Hobart probably wins this game decisively.

But the frozen Lowell fans got behind the Devils, who pushed 76 yards in 12 plays.  Max Znika's one yard TD run made it 7-6 as Andrew Walsdorf blocked the extra point.  Lowell forced a punt and Peck ran it back 14 yards to the Red Devil 44-yard-line.  Lowell then drove 56 yards in six plays including a quick-hitting Kuiper pass to Peck that picked up 24 yards.  Peck's 4-yard TD run gave Lowell a 13-7 lead.

A crucial play occurred before halftime.  Hobart trailed 13-7 but was driving with Andrew Jackson carrying on every play. On 2nd-and-goal from the one yard line, Lowell's line surged and stopped the Hobart halfback at the 2-yard line with 11 seconds left.

"We came up with the idea of throwing on third down," said Hobart coach Wally McCormack, "and running on fourth down if we didn't make it.  But...."

McCormack's voice trailed off.  He didn't want to detail how Miracle's pass, a high lob into the corner of the end zone was intercepted by the 5-foot-7 Lukasik, leaping in front of 6-foot-6 tight end Garret Cantwell.  The call was good, but if that ball is thrown away, Hobart kicker Jeremy Cartagena boots an easy three points on the final play of the half.

Hobart came out throwing in the third quarter as Miracle hit Danny Schultz for 39 yards to the Lowell 36.  But Miracle's wide side toss towards Brown hung in the air in front of the Hobart bench.  Lukasik raced in front of the receiver to great the ball and he outran Andrew Jackson to the goal line for a 70-yard score to make it 20-7.

But Hobart had found what worked in the second quarter and trailing by 13 points, they went back to it.  With the home crowd roaring on every play the Brickies gave the ball to Jackson who repeatedly broke tackle and ran over Lowell players.  The big Brickie, running behind Don Brown (6-3, 250) and Kevin Koselke (6-3, 240) carried every play on a 69-yard, 10 play drive that cut the lead to 20-14.  Jackson then carried six out of seven plays on a 74-yard, seven play drive that booted Hobart back to a 21-20 lead with 2:08 left in the third quarter.

But Lowell, looking a little tired and beat, was able to lift themselves at that point to drive 77 yards for the go-ahead TD in 12 plays (including 11 runs by Znika) to take a 28-21 lead after a two-point conversion pass to Lukasik with 8:35 left.
Hobart drove 91 yards in 13 plays to tie it 28-28 with 2:03 to go, and when they forced a Lowell punt, it looked like they could win with a couple of completed passes and a field goal.  But a short sideline pass towards star receiver Bobby James was under-thrown and intercepted by Lukasik, setting up the game winning drive.

"It was tough," said Staniewicz, who played every play both ways.  "But when we were out there, we just kept going.   And TJ intercepted three (times).  Lang can make the plays.  This is the first time in Lowell history that we've won four sectionals in a row.  It is unbelievable."

"I can't believe we won," said Lukasik, who was mobbed in the post-game celebration on the field.  "I just did what I could."

Lukasik, who also had a  hand in (an unofficial) 15 tackles, went head-to-head with the 220-pound Jackson a half dozen times.  It was a wonder that he even finished the game, much less was it's star.

"He's just all heart," said Kennedy, who pointed out that tradition plays into performances like these.  "He's 150 pounds of heart.  That Lukasik name is very big in our program.  There's no quit in him."

"All week long," Kennedy said, "our thing was, the only things that matter are the things we let matter.  Like in (the movie) 'Hoosiers' when Hickory goes into Hinkle Field house.  The football field is the same dimensions here as it is in Lowell.  We can take their crowd out of the game and, by the way we play, turn their crowd against them because they were supposed to win.  We thought we could turn it (playing on the road in the title game) to our advantage.  That's the way we approached it."

Understand, too that Lowell has been playing with two sophomore inside linebackers, Justin Juarez (6-4, 197) and David Eastling (6-0, 187) since September.  I know it's happened, but I do not recall a sectional championship team with two starting sophomore linebackers.

"It's tough," said Juarez, "because our other friends are saying 'Yeah, go get 'em!  But they're not in there playing.  We're the ones who've got to go get a 225-pound running back (Jackson) and just try to do our best."

Underclassmen are well aware that when they lose a playoff game, it ends the career of the seniors.

"That was the other thing that was in my mind tonight.  That I wasn't just playing for myself.  If I miss a tackle, that could cost us the game and that's it for them."

Eastling said, "I was telling (senior two-way lineman) Drew Steuer, I'm going to get it done for you.  At the of the game, I said 'I told you."

When Lang's kick went through, the student section of the crowd rushed out onto the frosted field with a vengeance swarming over the celebrating Devils as Hobart's players slowly lined up for the post-game handshake.  It was a devastating finish for Hobart, who has been eliminated by Lowell for four consecutive years and is now 2-6 against Lowell in the last four seasons.  The Red Devils will be 20-point underdogs in the Nov. 10 regional final against Concord but don't bet any money on it.

Lowell player families need to keep all the newspapers and radio broadcasts from this time because some of the things they have done these last two years are going to be considered urban (or suburban) legends in 10 years.

"This is unbelievable," Peck said.  "State championship and now this?  I'm going to have to get some evidence to tell people all these stories."

SECTIONAL NOTES:  4A No. 2 Concord (12-0), the state's highest scoring Class 4A team, raced to a 20-0 first quarter lead and crushed Plymouth 42-9 for a second consecutive sectional 10 title Friday.  All-state QB Bobby Cira was 15 of 20 for 292 yards and four TDs Friday.  These numbers sound inflated, but they are official.  Cira has thrown 279 times, completing 188 for 3,219 yards and 37 touchdowns.  He is Elkhart County's all-time leading career passer and the leader of the offense they call 'The Green Storm'.

With Mike Meade (6-4, 210) catching 65 passes for 1,327 yards and 215-pound tailback Monte Marion (6-1, 225) rushing for 1,000 yards, no one has held Concord to less than 33 points all season.  Lowell won the regional title 30-23 at Concord last year and the Minutemen have not lost since that night.

Andrew Jackson ended his junior season with 329 carries for 1,751 yards and 29 touchdowns.  Lowell double-teamed Hobart star WR Bobby James (41 catches, 738 yards) and held him without a catch for the second consecutive Lowell-Hobart game.

"We didn't tackle Jackson correctly," said Kennedy.  "You've got to get low on him.  You'd have thought that after playing against him once that we'd have done better this time, but we defended him worse this time.  Thank goodness our offense showed up."

Lowell now has a 10-game playoff winning streak and a 12-game sectional win streak going back four years.  The Devils early season problems with fumbles were invisible on this night.  Lowell drew three penalties for 15 yards and they had no turnovers.

TJ Lukasik had three interceptions in 11 games before he grabbed three more Friday night.

Two statistical highlights were lost early.  Senior Max Znika (191 carries for 1,145 yards) became Lowell's 10th 1,000 yard-rusher in the last 15 years early in the first quarter.  Junior Steffan Peck carried five times for 20 yards and now has 931 yards on 188 carries but he also has at least one more game.

The other note was that Lowell had played four top-10 teams (Hobart, Andrean Griffith and Crown Point) and had been shut out by all of them.  In the fifth meeting with a top-10 squad, a rematch with 4A No. 8 Hobart, Lowell scored 24 points on offense.

David Lang compared kicking the fourth quarter extra point against Roncalli with the score tied 27-27 in November of 2005 to kicking the last second field goal with the score tied 28-28 Friday.

"There was probably more pressure last year," he said.  "But this was such a big win for our team.  This is bigger.  It's hard to prepare."

Max Znika said that it was difficult for him to work things out with teammate Steffan Peck when Znika basically took Peck's position as starting halfback.

"I wish he could have gotten 1,000 yards before me," said Znika.  "Because he's a better back than I am.  I really wish he'd have been first.  We've got to get them for him next week.  It was a little tense for awhile, but we just started to have fun with it.  We'd joke around about it.  That's the only way we were going to succeed."

Coach Kirk Kennedy was surprised by his team's offense against the Brickies.

"Thank God our offense showed up," he said.  "We did things tonight we didn't do earlier in the year.  Make plays.  Even when we played them before (a 7-0 loss on Oct. 6) we just hung in with them.  We didn't make any plays."

The serious cold (it was 29 degrees at the end of the game) held the crowd down.  Lowell didn't have more than 500 fans at the game.  Hobart had about 2,500 including many standing along the upper rim of the home grandstand.

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Revised: November 08, 2006 .