USA-365's

NW Indiana High School Football - Top 5 for 2006

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

12-8-2005

LOWELL (12-8-2005) If you need a state champ to have a good season (and you really don't) Lowell's upset of Roncalli made it a good year for NW Indiana high school football. It is the second consecutive season that a Lake County team has won a title after no winners since Griffith in 1997. Griffith and Merrillville both reaching the semistate is also a big achievement, especially since both had to win road games at the regional level.

Losing four of your first five games is not a blueprint for post-season success, but it is the road that 3A Northwood (6-3) and Lowell (4A) took to state titles. As much as I like Lowell (and Northwood for that matter), I do not believe that a team with a losing record should qualify for the post-season. Lowell was 5-4 so they would qualify, under my criteria. But Northwood would not have. This is high school and you should not be rewarded for lack of achievement. No school would pass a kid who failed the first 2/3 of the semester. Injuries are an excuse for a bad start but not a pass for the playoffs. The bottom line is that Northwood did not deserve to be in the state playoffs. A six-game post-season winning streak is a truly great achievement, but the Panthers would not have been in the playoffs in most states and they would not have had anything to say about it.

Beyond that, the time for change is coming. The state tournament must be re-aligned when the total of Indiana high school football teams gets to 321. 64 teams in five classes equals 320. More than 320 teams requires either seven weeks of playoffs, somebody not being allowed into the tournament or the addition of another playoff class. There were 311 football playing high schools in 2005 (there are 392 playing boys basketball) and at least two more (Father Guerin and Fishers) enter the football tourney for 2006. Unless there's something I'm missing, 321 football teams immediately requires a change in the present format.

The best solution would be to add a 10th regular season game, but allow only 32 teams in each of six classes. That would put 192 teams in the playoffs and leave out about 125-135. Sectionals would all include just four teams. That would create very dramatic late season games where teams would face must-win games to make the playoffs. Many coaches and fans reject this very good solution out of hand because they want THEIR team to make the playoffs every year whether they are any good or not. Many do not see the need for a team to earn what it gets.

Another idea would be to allow 48 teams into the playoffs in six classes with eight, six-team sectionals each. That's 288 teams, leaving out only the bottom 30-35. Take the top two teams in each sectional (according to the Sagarin computer) and give them a first round bye. After 16 first round games, you match the 16 seeded teams against the 16 first round winners and continue the playoffs as they are now structured. The concept of a first round bye is nothing new. With 311 teams, nine teams got first round byes last year. The state tournament draw would occur the day after the regular season ended and would include only the non-seeded teams.

What you have to try to do in any format is allow for an ever-changing number of football-playing schools. Some bristle at the thought of a Class 6A in Indiana high school football. I don't see any way around that. Indiana high school football has grown. While Hammond and Gary schools may consolidate in the next decade, Hanover Central will have over 800 students by 2010. Boone Grove is growing and there is talk of a second high school in the Tri-Town (Dyer, Schereville, St. John) area. They will eventually have football teams. Hamilton Southeastern splits into Southeastern and Fishers next year and talk at the state finals was that there will need to be a third high school in southeastern Hamilton County in the next decade. Southeastern had 1200 students in 1997 and 2600 in 2005. There will eventually be more than 320 high school football teams in Indiana. That's a given.

Presently, 5A Warren Central, with almost 4,000 students is in the same class as Chesterton, which has 1,800. Everybody knows that is inequitable and the only reason for classes to begin with is to create fair competition.

So let's accept the need for a change in format and start talking about it.

Here's another option. Allow the top 54 teams in Class 1A through 6A (324 teams total) to make the playoffs and give the top 10 (appropriately enough) in each class a first round bye. That leaves 44 teams in each class that would meet in a blind draw in 22 first round games. The 22 winners would then be mixed with the 10 ranked teams leaving 32 schools for the final five rounds of the tournament, similar to what we have now, only in six classes. For a short time, everyone would be included. But the 324-team barrier will also probably be overrun down the line.

The simplest solution would be to simply add Class 6A but limit it to just 32 teams. Leave Classes 1A through 5A with 64 teams. That creates a format that is good up to 352 teams. Initially, there will be a lot of first round byes in classes 1A through 5A but that wont seem wrong because EVERYONE in Class 6A will get a first round bye. This idea leaves out no one and eliminates the enrollment disparity in the top class.

I believe that Class 6A, which would probably include only Portage, Lake Central, Crown Point, Valparaiso and Merrillville in NW Indiana, would be very popular. With the IHSAA's deal with Com Cast Cable, the entire 6A tournament (31 games) could be made available on cable.

If you have an idea on the future of the state tournament, I'd like to hear it. No one person has all the ideas and I'm sure there are aspects of the playoffs I'm overlooking. Also, I'd like to know if you are convinced that all teams must make the playoffs even if they are 0-9 or forfeit all their games. Does everybody deserve the chance to pull a 'Northwood' and win the state title after a losing regular season? Why should 'losers' still be in the state tournament? What does that say to winning teams?

Also, some other areas of the state are complaining because they did not get a free-TV view of the state finals. Many others, like NW Indiana, are happy to have all five games on IHSAA-TV over Com Cast Cable. Some areas do not have cable but that's the point, ComCast signed the IHSAA deal so you go out and BUY cable. NFL Monday Night Football will be cable (ESPN) only next year. It's a business.

Do you have cable? Did you see the state finals. What do you think about the cable-TV versus Free-TV state finals debate?

What do you think? You can let us know at USA-365.com Sports.

Nobody knows what will happen next year. Some boys choose not to play. Some boys get hurt in the spring or summer. Some boys transfer from one school to another. But, from a distance, here's what it looks like for 2006.

1.) 5A CROWN POINT

2005 (11-1), 2003 (5-5), 2004 (4-7)

CROWN POINT - The Bulldogs will be coming off the best season in school history and they will return most of that offense. All-DAC quarterback Matt Jansen graduates as does Donny Keiser's 16 field goals and 1,000-yards rushing. CP returns seven starters on offense, not counting QBs Blake Mascarello (27-56, 458 yards-6 games) and Marcus Shrewsbury, who will vie for the signal caller role. Game breakers Jon Sertich (135-805 yards), Matt Ernest (17-313 yards-6 games) and Ryan Forney (26 catches, 472 yards) all return.

The Bulldogs also return three offensive linemen, although that is misleading. CP will almost certainly move some offensive linemen. Junior all-state center Adam Krumwied (6-5, 215) has the size to be a pass blocking tackle and the speed to play guard. Soph tight end Zach Cecich (6-3, 225) could also play guard or tackle, but they already have a soph tackle in Kurt Wermers (6-4, 255). Both might be used at defensive end. Look at the weights on those three and forget them because they will be much heavier next season.

Safety Jon Sertich could become a hybrid outside linebacker in CP's '35' (three linemen, five linebacker) defensive formation. One of the amazing things about CP's 2005 season is that Matt Ernest, an all-area caliber cornerback, played very little on defense all year. The Bulldogs are about to get very big with untested sophomore wide receivers like Joe Baker (6-5, 170), Stephen Albrecht (6-2, 165) and Mitch Robinson (6-4, 165).

Crown Point is on the doorstep of becoming the dominant team in the DAC. They have the depth to have two platoons and CP's sophomore class is very strong. Whoever the QB is will probably play for the next two years. Give them a kicker, a decision at QB and two linebackers and they win the DAC again.

The larger reality is that Crown Point, Lake Central and Merrillville are growing like weeds in a hothouse. The junior highs in Merrillville and the Tri-Town area are all full and folks are moving into CP like somebody discovered gold at the old Lake County Fairgrounds. All three schools project to be near 3,000 students in the next decade. It's no secret that the South Lake County area (including Lowell, Hanover and Boone Grove) is the athletic battleground for the 21st century.

2.) 5A Valparaiso

2005 (5-5), 2003 (5-6), 2004 (6-5)

VALPARAISO - Valparaiso's 5-5 season is validated as No. 10 Merrillville, No. 7 Penn and No. 2 Crown Point, teams that handed Valpo four of their five losses (the other was to No. 9 LaPorte) advanced to sectional championships, and Merrillville went to the semistate. The Vikings did get 1,100 yards rushing from junior Hollis Ballard (186 carries for 1,031 yards, 8 TDs) who will return in 2006. Valpo also found an excellent place-kicker in Colin Krupchak and they return a full compliment of receivers, a young QB prospect in Alex Sarkasian (6-1, 163) and about half of their linemen.

This will be looked back on as a good year even though the Vikings don't think that way now. Two of the Vikes' losses were to sectional champions and one went to a regional champ. They open with Penn again in 2006, so things won't look good immediately. But, despite where LaPorte finished, I thought Valpo was the third best team in the DAC last year which basically means they were the third best team in NW Indiana.

3.) 3A Griffith

2005 (13-1), 2003 (7-5), 2004 (9-3)

GRIFFITH - Griffith's future is questionable in some respects, but in others, it is not. Of the starting lineup that faced Northwood on Nov.18, six offensive players are seniors including QB Matt Nelleman and HB Drew Rogowski. And on the offensive line, center Zach Udchitz (5-9, 191) and tackle Anthony Zardnt (5-9, 185) are all that's coming back. Still, if they can come up with three good linemen, the points should keep coming as 1,000-yard fullback Doug Ashenbaugh (6-3, 185), running back Matt Alvarez and potential all-area WR David Alexander (6-3, 171) are all back in 2006. Ashenbaugh carried 161 times for 1,027 yards in 13 games. Alexander caught 20 passes for an outrageous 460 yards.

Defensively, tackles Dan Calhoun (6-1, 221) and Jake Gazarkiewicz (5-11, 271) both return with potential all-state end Ben Geffert (6-5, 245), linebacker Eric Ritter (5-11, 205) and defensive back Bryant Hobbs (5-11, 175). The Panthers need a new QB but I don't think they ask the QB to do as much as other teams do. Playing 14 games helps you for the future and Griffith has plenty with which to battle Andrean for the final LAC title.

4.) 3A ANDREAN

2005 (8-2), 2003 (12-1), 2004 (13-2)

MERRILLVILLE - The 59ers don't have to bounce back in 2006 because they were 8-2. Some will consider 2005 an off season, but actually, the 2004 state championship team also lost twice and the defeats were worse than the 2005 losses. With QB Jesse Repay (97-162, 1,248 yards, 12 TDs, 6 INTs) and receivers George Dravet and Ron Burton (30-377 yards) coming back in 2006, the 59er offense, which was lacking in 2005, will be much-improved.

The 59ers, who need more of a running game to control the clock, think Chandler Bowens (5-5, 150) may grow into a 1,000-yard man. Linebacker Matt Ryan (5-11, 180) returns to lead the defense after being the 59ers' third leading tackler in 2005.

With Hammond (1-10), Highland (4-6), Hobart (6-6), Munster (3-7) and Morton (8-4) going 3-0 against Hammond schools, this was a down year in the LAC Black Division, even with Lowell (11-4) and Griffith (13-1). Next year might will be better overall, so Andrean might have a better team than in 2005, but lose more games. Remember, Lowell lost more game in 2004 than they did in 2005 when they won the state title. The key is a returning starting QB and Andrean has that. The 59ers do ask the QB to be a spectacular player and Repay certainly can be that.

5.) 4A Hobart

2005 (6-6), 2003 (5-7), 2004 (9-2)

HOBART - The Brickies were 0-2 against Lowell (11-4) in 2005 (they are 1-5 in the last 3 years) and 0-1 against Griffith (13-0) and that's no shame. But the .500 mark has to be a little disappointing. Still, this is a very young team. They say goodbye to top LB Richard Mitchell (120 tackles) but the Brickies should become an offensive powerhouse with Junior QB Josh Miracle (127-261, 1,603 yards, 12 TDs, 17 INTs) and top receivers Bobby James (43-571 yards) and Michael Brown (43-547 yards). Coach Wally McCormack had top passing teams at Andrean and that's clearly where Hobart is headed.

I liked what little I saw of Andrew Jackson (6-2, 220) at tailback and I believe half of the offensive line returns. There's a chance Jackson could move into the line or to tight end. I wouldn't be shocked to see Bobby James (6-1, 180) moved into the backfield. With Lowell, Griffith and Morton headed for big graduation losses, Hobart will contend for the league title in 2006... before they head down to Lowell again.

On the outside looking in...

6.) 4A LOWELL

2005 (11-4), 2003 (11-2), 2004 (9-4)

LOWELL - They won the state title. What about the Devils? Well, they lose a lot of players off a very good defense. Josh Kuiper and Steffan Peck return in the secondary and soph Lukas Palmer (5-9, 143) might move into Jeff Clemens' safety spot. Regulars Kaleb Layman, Mike Staniewicz and Jeff Barker come back on the defensive line and Barker has the body to become much stronger and more effective. The linebackers will be all new and it's only a guess, but I like junior Mike Staniewicz (6-5, 253), and sophomores Kaleb Laymen (5-10, 160) and Jeff Barker (6-4, 178) will come back a year older along the defensive front. Juniors Max Znika (6-0, 161), Danny Remboski (5-11, 180) and maybe soph kicker David Lang (5-10, 195) could move into the rotation at linebacker but there are many candidates there.

Lowell has 30 players in the sophomore class and positions may wait until we see how these boys' physical development goes over the winter and spring.

At QB, Lowell's hopes will probably ride with Josh Kuiper (6-1, 160), who played on defense this year and can lead the squad. Jon Cap (6-2, 165) has a fine arm, but he will probably end up at wide receiver where he could catch just enough balls to make the Devil running game go.

On first glance, it would appear that Steffan Peck will move into Scott Gray's tailback role but the word is, 'Don't make that lineup card out yet. With Ethan Winel gone, Peck may stay at fullback and the Devils' coaches may wait to see if somebody really wants the halfback spot and shows it in the next six months. Remember, No. 6 (Michael Pickett, Mike French, Justin Henley, Scott Gray) goes to a player who, among other things, comes to the coaches and asks for it. After Scott Gray came from nowhere to go to the state finals, there's got to be a half dozen Devils who will step up and ask if they can be next in line as the No.1 runner. Playing 15 games helps the program. It is instructive and inspirational. But many of the boys are a little small now and it may be 2007 before the Devils have a top team again. But Lowell can immediately improve on the 5-4 regular season they had in 2005.