Renegade 2014 NW Indiana High School Football Week-3, Top-10 Poll

MERRILLVILLE (9-02-2014) Rain and lightning made it a two-day weekend last week over the Labor day holiday. I've always argued that teams should play a late Saturday game (5 or 6 p.m.) once or twice during the season for the good of the sport. The problem is: What if your Saturday game is postponed by rain and lightning? You are not allowed to play Sunday by IHSAA rules.

Still, last Saturday allowed fans of the sport to see two games in the same weekend, something that is rare any other week of the season until the state finals. With that said, this coming week, Boone Grove and Whiting play their first-ever Greater South Shore Conference (GSSC) meeting on Saturday night at 7 p.m. in a game I believe is at Valparaiso University.

Portage and Lake Central take their annual game to the Lucas Oil Stadium Saturday (1 p.m.) where one thing is certain. If it rains, they just close the roof. I've said this many times before, but all I'm asking is that every team play on Saturday once a year for the good of the sport, and the paying customers.

No, Hanover Central isn't in the top 10 again this week. But the Wildcats did top Bishop Noll 26-23 last Friday on a field goal and an overtime TD by Brandon Sears.

The next two teams Hanover faces: River Forest and Lake Station, are both 0-2 so far. True, undefeated Wheeler (2-0) and state-rated Whiting (2-0) are left on the schedule, but it looks like HC has a very good shot at a 6-3 record at the least.

Hanover is not eligible for the state tournament as of yet, so they will only play nine games. But the question as to whether HC can compete in their debut season is being answered.

Finally, all credit to the Times and Post Tribune newspapers who both produced quality sports sections Saturday even though many games didn't start until after 8:30 p.m. Some folks who don't buy newspapers anymore still pick them up on Saturday to see the local football results. To my mind, it's easier for papers to cover college football because the writers and photographers get so much assistance from the schools involved.

High school football coverage is still largely 'old school' foot soldiers wandering fields hunting for enough to put on the table. Last week it was very difficult and both papers did it very well.

I'm not too sure who's really good. Too many points are being allowed in the first two weeks. Scores like 42-41, 35-34, 45-34. Could just be the summer weather, but I'd like to see a little more defense, especially from the top teams.

MERRILLVILLE: Andrean rallied in the second half to top Merrillville 45-34 and run the 59ers winning streak to 17 games. Merrillville led 24-21, but the 59ers scored the only 14 points of the third quarter. Halfback Trevor Berg scored (43 carries, 378 yards - 2 games) four more TDs. He has five touchdowns after two weeks. Can the 59ers be as good as last year's 15-0 team? No, but they can go 9-0 in the regular season again. I don't know exactly why Andrean is playing at Grand Rapids (Michigan) Catholic (0-1) Saturday afternoon, but it sounds like a good matchup.

2. (6A) Lake Central (1-1)
2013 (9-3) 2012 (8-3), 2011 (8-2), 2010 (2-8)

ST. JOHN: LC should be 2-0. They got 3 TDs from Brandon Scott in last week's 49-13 win over East Chicago. LC led 42-0 at one point. The QB duo of Ethan Darter and Colin Studer was a combined 9-of-10 for 2 TDs passing and one rushing. The Indians, who have just three home games due to school construction, open Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) play this week against Portage at Lucas Oil Stadium in a Saturday afternoon game in Indianapolis.

3. (6A) MERRILLVILLE (1-1)
2013 (9-2) 2012 (11-3), 2011 (8-4), 2010 (8-3)

MERRILLVILLE: The Pirates were outgained for the second week in a row in a 45-34 loss to Anderean and that's what they need to be worried about. QB DJ Wilkins was 14 of 24 for 277 yards (22 of 44, 414 yards in 2 weeks) and two TDs, but it does not matter. The Pirates will outscore most teams, but they can't give up 73 points in two weeks. Let's see if they've been keying on arch-rival Crown Point (2-0), this week's foe.

4. (5A) Munster (2-0)
2013 (7-4) 2012 (2-8), 2011 (5-5), 2010 (7-4), 2009 (7-3)

MUNSTER: Munster loked good again as they posted a 31-14 win over Chesterton following their 24-21 win over Lake Central. Tied 14-14 at the half, the Mustangs pulled away as QB Adam Ostoich ran for one TD and threw for another. Two wins over larger Class 6A schools are impressive, but let's withhold judgment until the wild horses ride to Highland (2-0) and Andrean (2-0) in the next two weeks.

CROWN POINT: CP survived 35-34 at Mishawaka, a quality win because the Cavemen are very difficult to stop. Junior QB Artie Equihua has five TD runs in two weeks and the Bulldogs' Ben Tomko hit 3-of-4 extra points, a dramatic improvement from week one. What's uncomfortable, as it is with Merrillville, is the amount of yards they have given up. The CP defense has allowed 412 yards rushing on 102 carries. That average is not bad, but the totals are. Still, I always suspect that Crown Point gears up for Merrillville from 'day one' every season and they don't obsess on the first two nonconference games. CP's game at arch-rival Merrillville (1-1) is this Friday night and we'll know how CP's season will go after this one is over.

6. (4A) Morton (2-0)
2013 (8-3) 2012 (7-6), 2011 (11-2), 2010 (12-2), 2009 (11-2)

HAMMOND: Morton was almost unstoppable in a 42-41 overtime win at Lowell. The Governors did give up 300 yards rushing, but they piled up almost 500 yards total offense. The speed and versatility of the Governors on offense is going to cause trouble for everyone remaining on their schedule, including Munster (2-0) who hosts Morton on Sept. 19.

RENSSELAER: The Bombers have not seen a defense that has come close to stopping them. 60-34 and 65-0. It should be noted that Rensselaer has scored 56 points against North Newton in each of the last two seasons, so 65-0 was not "breaking news." All of Rensselaer's opponents, including perennial powers West Lafayette and Lafayette Catholic, have already lost a game. Playing at Tipton will be tough as well, but the Bombers were 9-0 in 2004 and 2010. It's not like it would be the first time.

LaPORTE: The Slicers rolled over Hobart 21-0 in a rain-delayed game. Running back Charles Salary, who scored six TDs against New Prairie, added two more against the Brickies. Salary unofficially has 566 yards on 59 carries in two weeks. LaPorte did give up 228 yards rushing on 42 carries and that's also almost 600 yards rushing allowed in two weeks. They can't beat Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) teams like LC, CP and Merrillville like that. But that's for later on. Right now a team that was 1-9 the last two seasons is 2-0.

9. (4A) LOWELL (0-2)
2013 (6-4) 2012 (5-5), 2011 (5-5), 2010 (6-5), 2009 (13-2)

LOWELL: Lowell lost 42-41 in overtime to Morton in a dramatic game. The 0-2 record for the second consecutive season is a "downer," but Lowell appears to have more of an offense than they've had recently. Ike James has gained over 350 yards rushing and the Devils are using two QBs in senior Zach Bobos and junior Darion Hornickel. They don't alternate them every play like Morton, but it has been productive. After losing to Crown Point (2-0) and Morton (2-0), there are no more excuses. Lowell simply has to win games beginning at home against Kankakee Valley (1-1) this week.

CHESTERTON: Here's where we have to decide what kind of poll we have. I know that Valparaiso (0-2), Chesterton (0-2) and Portage (0-2) are better than Hanover Central (2-0), Whiting (2-0) and Wheeler (2-0). It's easy to go by the records, but no one thinks those three undefeated teams could beat those three DAC teams. Chesterton lost 3-0 to 3A No. 6 St. Joseph's (2-0) and 5A No. 8 Munster (2-0) in games that were tied at halftime. Portage lost to Mishawaka and Penn. Valpo lost to Penn (2-0) and Homestead (2-0). The Trojans could get halfback Avery Beeks and starting defensive back Jordan Dilosa back on the field for this week's DAC opener at Michigan City.

The RENEGADE Poll: 2014 NW Indiana High School Football Week-3, Top-10

The RENEGADE Poll:
2014 NW Indiana High School Football Week-3, Top-10