Week 11, NW Indiana High School Football: Merrillville 34, Crown Point 19

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Merrillville (10-1)	7	7	10	10	34
CROWN POINT (4-7)	3	3	6	7	19

MERRILLVILLE (3-7) James Aldridge, 80-yard run (18^th TD). Michael Binder kick 1:03 left.

2nd Q: MERRILLVILLE (3-14) Kevin Marsh, 37-yard pass from James Aldridge. Binder kick 11:52 left.

3rd Q: CROWN POINT (12-14) Matt Jansen, 37-yard run. 2pt. pass failed. 11:06 left.

MERRILLVILLE (12-21) James Aldridge, 4-yard run (19^th TD). Michael Binder kick. 6:17 left.

CROWN POINT (19-27) Ryan Forney, 32-yard pass from Matt Jansen (15^th TD pass). Brad Mallers kick. 5:48 left.

MERRILLVILLE (19-34) James Aldridge, 1-yard run (20^th TD). Michael Binder kick. 2:21 left.

CROWN POINT (10-29-2004) - Crown Point didn't leave any page of the playbook unturned in the effort to beat 6th-ranked Merrillville Friday night.

The Bulldogs (4-7) tried a halfback pass back to the quarterback, a wide receiver option pass, a fake wide receiver screen pass to the halfback. And CP rolled up 19 points on the Pirates who, on average, allow just 10 points per game. The 19 was a lot more than Crown Point scored in September when they won at Merrillville 7-3.

But Merrillville (10-1), needing to do more than they did nine weeks ago, did a lot more.

All-state candidate James Aldridge gained 227 yards on 23 carries and the highly-regarded Pirate defense sacked CP quarterback Matt Jansen six times, giving Merrillville a well-earned 34-19 victory in a Class 5A Sectional one semifinal out behind the new Crown Point high school.

The Pirates head home to play Portage (8-3), a 24-18 victor over Valparaiso, in a rematch of the 2003 Sectional one championship game next Friday (Nov. 5).

Most everyone expected Merrillville to beat Crown Point, even though the Pirates had lost three close games in a row to CP. The Bulldogs were spirited and scored in every period in front of a crowd of about 3,500 on an unusually warm 65-degree late October night. But the six QB sacks, five by star linemen Dexter Larimore (6-3, 245) and Michael Neal (6-4, 225), and several dominating runs by the big junior Aldridge (252 carries, 1,919 yards) accurately displayed the talent difference between the two teams.

“I thought Neal and Larimore had outstanding games,” said CP coach Chip Pettit. “We couldn't handle them. We played pretty well. You don't get any points for saving things. We didn't hold anything back. They got a lot of pressure on us. They're the best team in our area. I'm really proud of our effort. Our seniors played hard.”

Merrillville, which struggled against Crown Point's three-lineman, five linebacker defense in the regular season game, handled it this time by double-teaming one of the ends and running Aldridge, who is in line to become Merrillvile's first 2,000 yard rusher in the game next week.

"Our linemen came off and said that 'Coach, we can take them,'” recalled Pirates coach Jeff Yelton. “If you want to run the zone backside, we can block them. Give the kids a lot of credit. If you want to get to where we think we can go, you have to rally when other teams rally. You have to respond. Before the game, 'Zac Wells (offensive coordinator) came up to me and said, 'Coach. Be aggressive, Go for the score.'”

Merrillville was aggressive early after Aldridge broke a pitchout 80-yards for a TD and a 7-3 first quarter lead.

CP, operating with a 20-mile-an-hour wind, tried to respond immediately but Jansen's pass down the middle of the field was intercepted by Merrilville senior Bart Woodward, who ran it back to the CP 45-yard-line. One play later, the first quarter ended and the Pirates, now with the southwest wind at their backs, called a trick play. On another pitchout to Aldridge, the Merrillville halfback wound up and fired a well-thrown 37-yard TD pass to senior Kevin Marsh.

Donny Keiser's second field goal of the game made it 14-6 at the half but the quick 14 points was the foundation of the Pirate victory.

'That's the first pass he's thrown all year,” said Yelton. “He throws the ball very well. He can definitely throw.”

Jansen, who finished the season just short of 2,000 yards passing, showed again, he could throw, despite hitting just 6-of-15 for 135 yards. Sacked six times for losses of 40 yards, the 6-foot-3 left-hander, still ended up with 88 yards rushing. Some of his tosses were off balance throws on the run, Sophomore receiver Matt Ernest (46 catches, 1.207 yards) caught three for 64. But his low totals were due to the Pirates' rush more so than their pass coverage.

Crown Point closed the lead to 14-12 after the third quarter kickoff when Jansen, operating from a shotgun formation, zipped up the middle and ran 37 yards for a TD after a 29-yard kickoff return from Bulldog junior Chris Wilson.

On the conversion, CP tried a play where Jon Sertich ran a pitchout to the right side before throwing back across the field towards Jansen near the goal line. The pass was incomplete and that was as close as CP would come in the second half.

Merrillville immediately drove 80-yards to take a 21-12 lead. The key play was a pass interference call against CP's Mike Smith on a 3rd-and-10 pass from QB Evan Parker to Marsh at midfield. The call was questionable at best, one of a series of referee's decisions that had the CP bench and crowd howling much of the game. A 48-yard first quarter touchdown pass from Jansen to Keiser was called back on a holding penalty.

Late in the game on a fourth and one, Merrillville had kicker Michael Binder lining up a potential field goal during a time out on 4th-and-1 at the CP 4-yard-line. When the Pirates broke the huddle, Binder ran off the field and Merrillville lined up and ran for the first down. The Pirates had more than 11 players on the field during the timeout, which is a penalty. Game referees, who clearly missed the deception, intentional or unintentional (Yelton suggested afterwards that he just changed his mind on the play), listened to highly vocal complaints from the CP sideline without penalizing the home team.

“I give the officials credit for putting up with all I had to say,” smiled Pettit after the game, “without throwing me out.”

Crown Point never gave up. Even though they were facing the stiff wind in the final period, a 33-yard scramble by Jansen and a 32-yard TD pass from Jansen to Ryan Forney cut the Pirate lead to 27-19 with 5:45 left. But the Pirates, operating from the shotgun formation almost 100% of the time, drove 69 yards for the clinching TD, a 1-yard run by Aldridge with 2:21 left. CP had trouble tackling Aldridge all night and the Merrillville halfback never fumbled. The Pirate offensive line, led by center Nate Powell (6-2, 235), opened good holes for Aldridge and Parker, who didn't play in the earlier meeting. Merrillville was patient and didn't ask their young quarterback to beat CP with his arm.

The Pirates clearly adjusted to the three linemen, five linebacker set that bothered them seven weeks before.

“Our coaches, Jim Atria and Zac Wells, they all did a great job for this game,” said Yelton. “Please say that. Big players make big plays at critical times. We knew it would not be easy coming here. We get good pressure but we like to keep the pressure on. There's different ways to do it. Sometimes the pressure comes inside. Sometimes it comes outside.”

“They've got some men up front,” said Pettit. “We really couldn't block them. If they play Penn in the regional, if they lose, it won't be because Penn has better players. They (Merrillville) are the best team in our area.”

This was almost an impossible task for CP. Not only did the Bulldogs beat Merrillville 7-3 earlier this season, but CP has beaten Merrillville three years in a row, two by dramatic comebacks. The only thing tougher that defeating a team with superior personnel is to be called on to beat them twice.

“I'm real proud of our effort,” said Pettit. “We had that touchdown called back earlier. We had an opportunity to make some big plays. We had a couple of punt game miscues. They played well. But I thought we did, too.”

DOG NOTES: There was a controversy at the end of the game with Merrillville leading 27-19. The Pirates huddled while kicker Michael Binder clearly set up for a field goal attempt. When the Pirates broke the huddle, Binder ran off and Evan Parker ran for the first down. That's an illegal play. You aren't allowed to have more than 11 men on the field during a time out. The game referees seemed surprised by the switch of players and made no call.

Merrillville showed an unusual play where the Pirates split four receivers to one side in a diamond formation. Taking a shotgun snap, Parker fired to James Aldridge, the back point of the 'diamond' and the running back takes off behind three blockers in a kind of a new-age screen pass. Merrillville used the play twice for gains of 13 and eight yards.

The Pirates brought about 750 fans to watch the game, nearly filling the visitors' bleachers. Crowds will grow at playoff games in November as more teams are eliminated and ousted squads players and fans drift to other contests. With all other DAC teams eliminated, the match of Portage at Merrillville on Nov. 5 should draw a very large crowd if the weather is decent.

Aldridge (252 carries, 1,919 yards) is about to become the eighth region player to gain 2,000 yards in one season. Portage's Antoine Brown, who did it last year, reportedly broke his leg Friday in Portage's 24-18 win over Valparaiso.

East Chicago's Sam Daniels finished his season with 1,918 yards on 186 carries and Lowell's Toby Goetz gained 211 yards on 31 carries in a 13-10 win over Hobart Friday. Goetz unofficially has 1,780 yards on 232 carries and he'll get to go against a Highland team next week (in the 4A Sectional 9 championship game) that is not strong against the run.

Matt Ernest and Andrean's Ty Harangody both went over 1,000 yards in receptions Friday night. Gavit's Antonio Rivera (60 catches, 1001 yards) was already over 1,000 before his team was eliminated 70-9 by Andrean on Friday.

Merrillville's Bart Woodward intercepted his eighth pass of the season in the first quarter. Woodward picked off a school-record 11 passes in 2003.

REGIONAL NOTE: The thing to remember here is that this year, the regional final host will be the team that is on the road for the sectional title game. If both regional teams are on the road in the sectional final game, the regional host will be the team from the LOWEST Sectional. Sectional 1, obviously, is lower than Sectional 2.

Penn would have to travel to Merrillville. It is not certain whether Merrillville would travel to Snider for the Nov. 19 semistate. Snider has scored a state-best 647 points (58.3 per game) in 11 games. Penn has lost only to Ben Davis but Penn has already beaten Clay 47-0. Merrillville has already beaten Portage 29-14. Lawrence Central and Warren Central have not met this season.

Aug. 20	Lowell	L 15-25
Aug. 27	at Hobart	L 17-21
Sep. 3	at Merrillville‡	W 7- 3
Sep. 10	Lake Central‡	W 27- 6
Sep. 17	Portage‡	L 17-24
Sep. 24	at Valparaiso‡	L 14-35
Oct. 1	at LaPorte‡	L 23-37
Oct. 8	Chesterton‡	W 17-14
Oct. 15	at Michigan City‡	L 17-26
5A Sectional 1
Oct. 22	Lake Central	W 46-3
Oct. 29	Merrillville	L 19-34

Aug. 20	East Chicago Central	W 42-13
Aug. 27	Chicago Dunbar (Ill.)	W 49- 0
Sep. 3	Crown Point‡	L 3- 7
Sep. 10	at Portage‡	W 29-14
Sep. 17	Michigan City‡	W 48-17
Sep. 24	at LaPorte‡	W 17- 7
Oct. 1	Valparaiso‡	W 45-14
Oct. 8	Lake Central‡	W 42- 7
Oct. 15	at Chesterton‡	W 20-17
5A Sectional 1
Oct. 22	East Chicago Central	W 50-19
Oct. 29	at Crown Point	W 34-19
Nov. 5	Portage	8:00 pm

MERRILLVILLE (27-280 yards, 3 TDs, fumble) James Aldridge (HB) 23 carries, 227 yards, 3 TDs;

CROWN POINT (25 carries, 108 yards) Matt Jansen (QB) 15 carries, 88 yards (sacked 6 times minus-40 yards);

MERRILLVILLE – Michael Binder (2) 39.5 avg. CROWN POINT – (4) 34.6 avg. (one blocked)

Pirates advance to Sectional finals with 34-19 win at Crown Point