Northwest Indiana Top-10 2004 High School Rankings: Week 6 5-4-2004
	A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

There just not a lot to choose from at the top of the poll. LC started the week within two wins of clinching the Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) title in their first year in the league. But Andrean continued their dominance in nonconference play, winning the second of four tournaments they are entered in this season. The difference between Chesterton (16-4) and Portage (16-2) is two victories by the Indians but it's dangerous to assume that makes Portage the better team.  Bishop Noll made a major move last week with five wins at the Highland Invitational. It would appear that a big move can be made by Lowell or Merrillville this week at the Twin Lakes Invitational.

1.  ANDREAN (15-2)

Three shutouts last week by the 59ers pitching gave the duo of Lori Knopf (9-2) and Katie Ivancich (6-0) eight shutouts for the year. Andrean has allowed a total of 19 runs all season, second the lowest total in northwest Indiana. The 59ers are undefeated in nonconference play and they are 9-0 on Saturdays this season including a solid 3-0 win Saturday (May 1) over Heather Van Galen (8-3) and Elkhart Memorial (13-4). Two one-run losses are all that stands between the 59ers and a 17-0 mark. The 59ers have won 42 of their last 46 games and have not trailed after five innings in any game this year. Some local polls have the 59ers as low as 5th or 6th but those are not serious polls. The 59ers are ranked second in the state in Class 3A. To be ranked sixth in their area is just not reality. The truth should be told at the 16-team Twin Lakes Invitational this weekend.

2.  Lake Central (17-3)

It's hard not to have them number one. LC is 11-0 in the toughest league in the northern third of the state. Left-hander Beth Toyias (9-0) picked up wins over Crown Point and LaPorte. LC pitching tossed four shutouts in a row after the Indians committed a season-high six errors in a 3-0 loss at home to Harrison (13-4). This team has the best offense in this part of the state. After getting outscored 9-2 in the first three games, LC has spanked the opposition to the tune of 112-22. The Indians have scored 10 or more seven times. The six errors against Harrison is a concern but locally, only Chesterton and Portage have put any pressure on them. LC is third in Class 4A and they have defeated No. 5 Munster, No. 7 McCutcheon and No. 10 Chesterton. I'm still hoping for a couple of rainouts which would leave open the possibility of a Lake Central-Andrean game.

3.  Chesterton (16-4)

Chesterton has lost to Portage 1-0 and 5-1 but I'm just not convinced they have a better team. Junior Laura DeLeon (12-2) leads northwest Indiana with over 120 strikeouts. Kayla Vargo drove in three runs in a 9-0 win over Merrillville Monday. The Trojans offense has let them down in big games, although LC and Portage pitching has something to do with that. The state rank of No. 10 in Class 4A seems pretty accurate. Still, no one has scored more than five runs off the Trojans in any game this year. A little more offense here would go a long way.

4.  Portage (16-2-1)

Portage won a big game scoring four runs in the first inning and holding on to win 5-1 at Chesterton last week. Freshman Meaghan Martinez (12-1) picked up her region-best 12th win Monday (May 3) in a 12-1 win over Crown Point. The unsettling thing about Portage is that they've only scored more than five runs three times (CP twice and KV) all year. Not that you need more than five runs to win big games, but top caliber teams like Portage needs more of an offense to continue to win 90% of the time. With that said, it is an oversight that they are not among the top-15 teams state wide in Class 4A. Maybe pollsters see the light attack, a freshman pitcher, and have doubts.

5.  Lowell (8-4)

On the verge of a significant upset, Lowell could not close out Andrean, losing a 6-4 seventh inning lead in a 7-6 loss. Freshman leadoff man Kelly Johnson was 4-for-4 with two extra base hits. Johnson had seven hits in three games last week. The Red Devils have a prolific offense, outscoring the opposition 107-35 in 12 games. Four errors hurt the cause against Andrean but the losses, to Andrean (15-2), Highland (13-7), Portage (16-2-1) and Chesterton (16-4) are all to top teams or top pitchers. Pitcher Cristin Just (5-2) has had a problem with 11 walks in her last 19 innings against Hanover, Morton and Andrean. The Devils got a favorable draw at the Twin Lakes Invitational. Lowell's style of play is perfect for this tournament which wears teams down.

6.  Munster (14-2)

Munster won key LAC games over Whiting 5-2 (April 27) and Highland 2-1 (May 29) to extend their win streak to 10 games. The three-pitcher team of Jackie Yerga, Lori and Stephanie Andjelich tuned back late rallies by both the Oilers (10-3) and Trojans (13-5-1). Munster pitching has allowed 18 runs in 16 games, the lowest total in northwest Indiana. Freshman Hallie Gibbs hit her fourth homer against Whiting. A red flag is 14 strikeouts against Highland right-hander Stephanie Zimny. Munster will see better pitchers than Zimny. The rank of 5th in Class 4A is very high for this team. Top-5 in Class 4A is elite and Munster is not there yet.

7.  Hanover Central (12-5)

The Lady Cats have produced six consecutive wins since a 4-1 loss to Beecher, Ill. (20-2). Amanda Wendlinger (8-2) ran her consecutive inning shutout streak to 27 with a 1-0 shutout of South Central late Tuesday (May 4) night. Junior Kelly Lapota (4-3) pitched her first career shutout 4-0 over South Newton. Lapota had four hits in a 6-0 win over Morton and three more in a 3-0 win over Kouts (April 29). Bess Copak was 3-for-4 in Monday's 15-3 win over Rensselaer and got the key hit against South Central. Trisha Sheehy drove in three runs with a triple. Three wins came as some players were out of town on a school trip. If you just count the losses you might not notice that HC's five defeats have come against Lowell (8-4), Noll (12-10), Chesterton (16-4), Munster (14-2) and Beecher, Ill. (20-2). The South Central game was for the PCC regular season title but the heat is turned on this weekend when HC plays No. 11 (1A) Pioneer (8-5), No. 4 (2A) Lewis Cass (10-0) and No. 7 (4A) McCutcheon (16-5) in the Twin Lakes Invitational.  If Hanover Central  needed a challenge, here it is. And the challenge is not to win ALL three but to win ANY of the three.

8.  Highland (13-4-1)

Highland lost 4-3 to Bishop Noll and 1-0 to Harrison at the Highland Invitational. But one run losses aren't that significant. Highland did beat the weather to play six games and that's the big thing in these weekend tournaments. Pitcher Stephanie Zimny struck out 14 against Munster and 11 more against Griffith. There's not a whole lot for the Trojans to play for until the state tournament, but there's no indication they can't give LC a good game.

9.  Griffith (11-9)

You never want to forget about Griffith, which got to play tournament champion Harrison (11-4) twice in the Highland Invitational last week. Despite two losses, the Panthers might have gotten the most out of the weekend. The Panthers had 10 hits in the 5-inning 8-7 win over Harrison. Jessica Banke pitched a three-hitter in a 1-0 loss to the same team. Remember, it's not about who you beat, its about who you play.

10.  Hobart (10-6)

Are these girls having fun?  Hobart began the season 5-0, fell to 6-6 and then won four in a row. Hobart started the year in the poll and they're back after a 13-8 win over Lake Station, a 5-0 shutout of Michigan City, a 2-0 shutout of Wheeler (April 28) and a 2-0 win over Griffith. Clearly they've found another pitcher in Aubrey Polak (3-0), who shut out Griffith on three hits, striking out seven.  Sarah Bodhaine (4-5) has been the victim of some low-rent defense, but she shut out Wheeler 2-0 on April 28. Are the Brickies on the rise and ready to soar to great heights?  Don't ask me.

What's going on..........?

Hebron (11-3)

The Hawks have had a nice year behind sophomore pitcher Maggie Riggs (11-3). Against Calumet on Monday (May 3) the PCC girls smoked Calumet 13-2 and played errorless ball. The error total is more important than the run total here because Hebron has had some terrible games defensively. Are they ready for the PCC tournament and a potential semifinal matchup with South Central (12-3)?  I'm not sure...

What's wrong with........?

Wheeler (10-6)

The offense. And location. The Bearcats get little attention in Porter County, but Wheeler's 10-6 is every bit as good as Whiting's 13-3. Senior right-hander Jen Boardman (9-5) struck out 14 and walked one in her last 14 innings. The Bearcats just don't score a lot of runs. They've been held to three runs or less eight times. Wheeler will now host the local 2A Sectional, a late change from Lake Station, the original host. That sectional includes just five teams so Wheeler could get a quarterfinal bye and Lake Station (0-11) in the semifinals. Hanover is a nemesis and a rival but in a one game playoff on their home field, don't bet everything against Wheeler.

NOTES:  Sophomore Maggie Riggs (11-3) has pitched every inning of every game for Hebron (11-3), making her unique among pitchers in northwest Indiana. The only similar case in this part of the state is Culver Academy's Jackie Lawrence who regularly pitches both ends of double-headers.

Hanover Central, the three-time defending PCC champions have won won 37 consecutive games overall against PCC foes since a 1-0, 10-inning loss to Morgan Township on May 13, 2000. The Lady Cats have won 28 consecutive PCC regular season games since a 1-0, 11-inning loss to Morgan on May 2, 2000.

Harrison (11-4) won the annual Highland Invitational with a 10-0 victory over Bishop Noll (12-10). The raiders won four of five games, losing only 8-7 to Griffith..

    2004 PCC Softball Tournament
Defending champion - Hanover Central (2001, 2002, 2003)

Quarterfinals     -  May  14,  2004
Washington Township at LaCrosse
HANOVER CENTRAL (7-5) at BOONE GROVE (4-8)
South Central (10-2) at Morgan Township  (6-4)
Kouts (3-6) at Hebron (9-2)

Semifinals     -  May  15,  2004
WT or LaCrosse vs. HANOVER or BOONE - 10 a.m.
SC or MT vs.Kouts or Hebron - 12 noon

PCC Championship  -  3 p.m.


  2004 Twin Lakes Invitational
at Monticello, Ind. (4 fields)
all games - 90-minute time limit with international tie-breaker

POOLS (with top-10 rankings)
(1) Twin Lakes, Frontier, MERRILLVILLE and LOWELL

(2) Jefferson, West Lafayette, WHEELER and 3A No. 3 ANDREAN

(3) Benton Central, Culver Military, 2A No. 1 Eastern and BOONE GROVE

(4) 1A No.7 Pioneer, 2A No. 3 Lewis Cass, 4A No. 8 McCutcheon
and HANOVER CENTRAL


Friday, May 7 - pool play
Frontier at Twin Lakes - 5 p.m.
WHEELER vs. 3A No. 14 West Lafayette - 5 p.m.
Benton Central vs. BOONE GROVE - 5 p.m.
4A No. 8 McCutcheon (14-5) vs. 2A No. 3 Lewis Cass (8-0)  -  5 p.m.
MERRILLVILLE vs. LOWELL - 6:30 p.m.
3A No. 11 Culver Military (9-2) vs. 2A No. 1 (Howard Co.) Eastern (13-0)  - 6:30 p.m.
(Lafayette) Jefferson (5-8) vs. 3A No. 3 ANDREAN (12-2) - 6:30 p.m.

1A No. 7 Pioneer (8-4)  vs. HANOVER CENTRAL (7-5)  - 8 p.m.


Saturday, May 8 - pool play
MERRILLVILLE vs. Frontier  - 9 a.m.
4A No. 8 McCutcheon vs. 1A No. 7 Pioneer - 9 a.m.
Benton Central vs. Class 2A No. 1 Eastern - 9 a.m.
WHEELER vs. 3A No. 3 ANDREAN - 9 a.m.

Twin Lakes vs. LOWELL - 10:30 a.m.
3A No. 11 Culver Military vs. BOONE GROVE - 10:30 a.m.
3A No. 14 West Lafayette vs. (Lafayette) Jefferson - 10:30 a.m.
HANOVER CENTRAL vs. 2A No. 3 Lewis Cass - 10:30 a.m.

MERRILLVILLE vs. Twin Lakes  -  12 noon
BOONE GROVE vs.  2A No. 1 Eastern - 12 noon
(Lafayette) Jefferson vs. WHEELER - 12 noon
2A No. 3 Lewis Cass vs. 1A No. 7 Pioneer  - 12 noon

LOWELL vs. Frontier - 1:30 p.m.
Benton Central vs. 3A No. 11 Culver Military - 1:30 p.m.
3A No. 14 West Lafayette vs. 3A No. 3 ANDREAN - 1:30 p.m.
4A No. 8 McCutcheon vs. HANOVER CENTRAL - 1:30 p.m.


SEMIFINALS: 3:30 p.m. at Twin Lakes high
CHAMPIONSHIP: 6 p.m. at Twin Lakes high

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