Northwest Indiana Top-10

Week-3, 2005 High School Rankings

4-14-2005

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

CROWN POINT (4-14-2005) The top teams have stayed undefeated as Munster, LC, Chesterton and Andrean took on all comers and won.

The problem with separating these top-4 is that Munster and LC tied; LC and Andrean do not play. Chesterton and Andrean do not play and Munster plays Chesterton only once late in the year when neither side may use top pitchers.

The Munster-Andrean games and the LC-Chesterton games will be season highlights, but there's not enough intermingling of the species here. Incidentally, what's up with the state softball poll? The pre-season poll came out after 2 weeks of the season. Week two is MIA. The baseball poll hits the street like clockwork every Monday or Tuesday.

You have to get a search party for the softball poll. The Girls Coaches Association web site is deader than Mike Tyson's career. The softball portion of that web site was last updated during the Clinton administration.

The other teams that don't play in NW Indiana (and I appreciate that everybody can't play everybody): Hanover Central and Portage. New Prairie and Andrean. Munster and South Central.

The good thing about softball and baseball is that ANY matchup could occur, given with the right series of rain outs and open dates.

1.) 4A Munster (4-0-1)

25-3-1 (2004), 22-7 (2003), 15-12 (2002), 23-10 (2001), 22-8 (2000)

MUNSTER – I don't think the Mustang girls have allowed a run as of yet and that makes it hard to argue who's No. 1 right now. Munster rolled over Hammond 11-0 and Griffith 10-0. Unofficially (sometimes scorekeepers can get a little funky), Munster pitchers Lori Andjelich and Jackie Yerga have allowed a total of just seven base hits all year.

If you count the 6-inning scoreless tie with Lake Central (and IHSAA rules say that you do), no one scored off Munster in their first 32 defensive innings.

Some other polls have LC and Andrean ahead of Munster, but the Mustangs played both defending state champions (4A LC and 2A Hanover) and did not allow a run to either. The argument that the champ is the champ until they're beaten was diminished by the six-inning scoreless tie on March 30.

It's a strong foursome at the top in NW Indiana, but with the offense of the Lady Ponies picking up and all the experience they have, Munster is the logical, unbiased choice.

2.) 4A Lake Central (6-0-1)

29-3 (2004), 32-3-1 (2003), 28-1 (2002), 32-4 (2001), 23-6 (2000)

ST. JOHN – LC has some new players gaining experience and they're gaining it while beating the tar out of everybody.

LC blanked LaPorte 11-0, Merrillville 10-0 and Highland 4-0. That's four shutouts in a row for LC pitching. The Indians went with a three-pitcher rotation in the non conference win over Highland with Katie Golden, Brittney Gard and Angie Funston combining for a shutout. Unofficially, LC has not committed an error all season.

The Indians clearly have a lot of confidence, they have the best offensive player in senior Katie Mitchell, and they have done nothing to lose their No.1 ranking state wide. But there are no ties in this poll.

LC is not No.1 only because Munster has played so well with so many returning players.

3.) 4A Chesterton (7-0-1)

20-7 (2004), 22-5 (2003), 21-4 (2002), 14-14 (2001) 18-10 (2000)

CHESTERTON – Chesterton gave up runs for the first time Saturday, but they still beat Mishawaka 6-3. Rain postponed the first matchup with LC Tuesday (4-12-2005) afternoon. The scoreless inning streak was at 43 before Mishawaka scored three times against Laura DeLeon (3-0) in the fifth inning.

Sophomore Dawn McLellan made her varsity debut in an 11-0 shutout of Michigan City on April 8. Chesterton and LC have more pitching depth than Munster but pitching depth is irrelevant in softball. You only need two pitchers at the most. Munster had more pitching depth than anybody in NW Indiana in 2004 and they didn't get out of the sectional.

4.) 3A Andrean (8-0)

29-5 (2004), 27-2 (2003), 30-3 (2002), 26-7 (2001), 28-3 (2000)

MERRILLVILLE – The Andrean “World Tour' began Saturday when the big yellow bus rolled to LakeVille where the 59ers won three games in a row in the Queen of Diamonds Tournament. The 59ers pitching blanked 1A No. 3 Clinton Prairie 7-0, Frankton 13-0 and 2A No.3 Eastside 1-0. In the title game with Eastside, senior catcher Samantha Markowski hit a seventh inning home run for the victory.

Pitchers Katie Ivancich and Lori Knopf are both 4-0 on the season.

The 59ers have allowed only two runs in eight games and, to be honest, like Munster and Chesterton, they have done nothing to NOT be No. 1.

Still, the wandering journeys of Andrean (5 road tournaments) make them the team that can most benefit from their schedule. The traveling Niner bus crosses the state line to play at the annual Dowagiac Invitational Saturday.

5.) 4A Lowell (3-1)

20-7 (2004), 13-15 (2003), 14-15 (2002),

21-9 (2001), 24-10-1 (2000)

LOWELL – Lowell followed a 3-0 loss to Portage with wins over Lake Station 10-0 and Highland 6-1. The Red Devils are in a series of games they should win although Saturday's double-header at Crown Point (5-1) will tell a story about one team or another.

this is clearly the calm before the storm for the Devils who have dates with all three Lake County pre-season No.1 teams, 2A Hanover Central, 3A Andrean and 4A Lake Central as well as games with undefeated Munster and unbeaten Chesterton. Not to mention 1A No. 4 Pioneer, 3A No. 9 West Lafayette and 4A No. 15 Penn.

It's a load but with Munster and LC is their sectional, Lowell needs those big monsters on the schedule much more than they need Lake Station.

6.) 4A Portage (2-3)

27-4-3 (2004), 19-9 (2003), 23-9 (2002),

26-4 (2001), 30-4 (2000), 30-2 (1999), 31-4 (1998)

PORTAGE – Don't judge Portage yet. Both losses are to top teams. Portage nipped Valparaiso 1-0 but the Indians scored just four runs in their first five games. This qualifies as a slow start.

Soph pitching star Meagan Gutierrez (2-2) allowed 10 runs against Chesterton when his team made seven errors. Saturday Gutierrez lost 4-0 to Martinsville when Portage made five other errors. The tall right-hander was 19-2 last season but I'm not sure that the difference is her.

Portage also lost 5-0 to Scecina, which is ranked fourth in Class 2A, a game where they made three more errors. Right now Portage is shorthanded (by suspension) and the defense (19 errors in five games) is clearly the problem although the Indians have been shut out three times. Portage did beat Lowell 3-0 on April 4 and they should be the superior team by the season's end but, right now, Lowell is the better team.

7.) 2A HANOVER CENTRAL (2-2-1)

27-7 (2004), 25-8 (2003), 24-5 (2002)

28-3 (2001), 16-9-1 (2000), 23-2 (1999)

CEDAR LAKE – Hanover split 1-0 games with Bishop Noll Saturday to stay at .500 on the year. Like Portage, Hanover is a bit shorthanded but the Lady Cats didn't hit much last year either.

Right-hander Amanda Wendlinger has allowed just two runs in 21 innings but she's 0-2. Kelly Lapota (2-0) has 12 shutout innings and 22 strikeouts.

But nobody's hitting and that may be a problem all season until veterans Heather Rebenack and Christie Wick get back into the lineup.

Coming up in the next 10 days are rivals and neighbor Lowell (3-1) and Illinois defending small school state champ Beecher (8-0).

With all that said, HC started 5-5 last season and won the state title.

8.) 1A South Central (5-1)

23-7 (2004), 20-9 (2003), 26-5 (2002),

25-5 (2001), 16-11 (2000)

UNION MILLS - South Central had a five-game winning streak stopped by Shaina Smith and New Prairie 1-0 last Monday (4-11-5). The Satellites had just one single and Chantal Gross (5-1) lost for the first time despite allowing only five hits. A 1-0 defeat can't be that bad a loss but SC shouldn't be shut out. That smacks of some of the offensive problems they had in big games last year.

Defense and pitching put you in position to win, but offense wins the game. Find me a sport where they put good defensive plays on the scoreboard. No matter what's up between now and then, the first big game of the season is Tuesday May 3 when SC hosts No. 1 Hanover Central.

9.) 3A New Prairie (4-2)

26-4 (2004), 22-8 (2003)

NEW CARLISLE – New Prairie pitcher Shaina Smith added a 1-0 win over 1A No. 9 South Central to an earlier 6-1 win over 1A No. 12 Marquette. Monday, Smith gave up only a single to USC's Angela Ward with two out in the sixth inning. Smith also got the game winning hit.

If there were injury problems at New Prairie, as was reported, they aren't critical. This catchup is indicative of a power shift in softball out of Lake County. With Whiting, Morton and Highland not what the once were, schools like New Prairie, which is not anywhere in any other rankings, 1A No. 9 South Central and 1A No. 12 Marquette have come to the front.

New Prairie appears ready to defend their Northern State's Conference title and Andrean is looking for a scouting report. The Cougars are the only good 3A team in NW Indiana that the 59ers do not play.

10.) 3A Griffith (5-2)

16-15 (2004), 18-14 (2003), 15-13 (2002)

19-12 (2001), 20-13 (2000)

GRIFFITH - Yes, they did get bombed 11-0 by Munster, but that's not that big a deal considering Munster's level of play so far.

The Panthers' defense broke down as a young team will in big games. After a strong start it's wrong to judge one game. The Panthers should continue to improve and their schedule keeps them here ahead of Crown Point and Bishop Noll. A team needs to know where they stand and Griffith now knows.

Outsider No. 1 ...

4A CROWN POINT (5-1)

8-20 (2004), 16-16 (2003), 12-16 (2002)

11-16 (2001), 13-15 (2000), 19-9 (1999)

CROWN POINT – The Bulldogs won 14-5 at LaPorte and 8-0 over West Central, two teams they should have defeated.

CP won five in a row after an opening 10-3 loss to Hobart, which was a bit of a fluke. Shelly Kurt (1-1) struck out 15 against West Central which, again, is a 1A school. The Bulldogs have not faced anyone in this top-10 as of yet. Enough confidence builders, CP travels Thursday (4-14-2005) to undefeated Chesterton. Saturday, they play Lowell twice. That's when we'll know.

Out of town ...

4A No. 4 Brownsburg (7-0)

Enrollment: 1,406 – Brownsburg, In. (Hendricks County)

BROWNSBURG – The favorites to challenge Lake Central for the 2005 state title. Brownsburg tipped Avon 1-0, stopped Tri-West 5-0 and gangstered Plainfield 10-0 to win the inaugural Hendricks County championship Saturday (4-9-5).

Senior pitcher Ashley Hobbs (6-0) threw a no-hit game against Tri-West, struck out 17 against Plainfield and 18 against Avon.

Hobbs, one of the state's top 10 pitchers, was 23-4 in 2004 with an 0.22 ERA and 305 strikeouts in 198 innings.

Brownsburg returned the entire starting lineup from 2004, when they finished the year rated sixth. Now No. 4, they will soon be No. 2 as No. 2 Center Grove and No. 3 DeKalb have already lost a game (as well as all-state pitchers from 2004) in 2005.

SOFT NOTES: Andrean puts their undefeated record on the line at the eight-team intrastate Dowagiac Invitational Saturday.

Dowagiac, which is in southwest lower Michigan, is ranked 11^th in Michigan 's Division II, the equivalent of Indiana's Class 2A. It's actually closer to Merrillville than Lafayette is.

Division III (the equal of Indiana's Class 3A) No. 5 Kalamazoo Christian has traditionally been in the field at Dowagiac. 2004 Michigan Division I (as big as Indiana's 4A) runner-up Portage Northern (36-6-1 in 2004) is also expected to be in the field. The Michigan prep softball season did not begin until this week, but Michigan is on Eastern Standard time so they have an hour more of daylight and can play double-headers on week nights.

If Daylight savings time expands in parts of Indiana that are on Eastern Standard time, it may be possible to play weeknight double-headers downstate, but it's irrelevant unless the IHSAA allows an expansion in the number of games allowed. Michigan allows a maximum of 56 high school softball games (according to the MHSAA website), although no one gets to that number because playable time is short before graduation. I believe that Indiana allows a maximum of 31 games. The only reason I can see for a games limitation is that affluent schools would take advantage of an unlimited number of games. Penn already travels to Alabama over spring break, something Hanover Central or Clark, lets say, would not be financially able to do.

Southern Indiana teams also could play more than teams in NW Indiana because of the weather.

Illinois state Class A (there are only 2 classes in Illinois) 2004 state champion Beecher, Ill finished with a 36-2 record last year. Beecher plays at Hanover Central on April 21.

The IHSAA has passed a rule which says that all batters must wear face masks beginning with the 2006 season. Several coaches said it would be no problem. Many summer leagues already require face masks for batters as does little league baseball.

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