Northwest Indiana Top-10

Week-7, 2005 High School Rankings

5-11-2005

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

(Our apologies to readers on the late posting of polls this week. - Editor)

MERRILLVILLE (5-11-2005) A lot of records took a jump this week as a half dozen NW Indiana teams played 3-5 times in the Twin Lakes Invitational.

Andrean won the title while Munster and Lowell reached the finals, all positive outcomes. Lake Central and Chesterton continued to roll while Hebron and LaPorte continued to improve. The IHSAA screwed up the Twin Lakes Tournament by outlawing the 90-minute time limit and the 'International tiebreaker'. Friday games ran late. It's odd how the confusing and deceptive designated player (DP) rule (it allows you to actually bat 10 players) went on line quickly but a simple rule made only for regular season tournament play gets banned. I would expect the IHSAA rules committee or, whatever group makes the rules, would meet and reconsider and the 90-miniute limit (the only way to get all the games in). Class 1A Whiting may have found a pitcher (Victoria Franco) in a 4-0 win over Marquette.

Class 3A Northridge (20-1) got two more no-hitters last week from their surprise pitching duo of freshman Ashley Hamilton (10-0) and sophomore Morgan Hackman (10-1) and 2A Jimtown beat Northern States Conference (NSC) power Bremen for the first time in nine years. But its still LC and Brownsburg.

One-two in softball and 1-2 in baseball in Class 4A.

1.) 3A Andrean (26-2)

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

MERRILLVILLE – Andrean did what they had to do winning five times at the Twin Lakes Invitational to take the tournament title.
Kristen Ivancich (9-2) pitched three complete-game victories while Lori Knopf (17-0) remained undefeated.

After a low-intensity game Friday, the 59ers beat 3A No. 7 Culver Academy, 4A No. 6 Munster and 2A No.1 Eastern. There's just no substitute for playing heavy hitters and, on strength of schedule, this team has had the best year. Two wins over Munster who tied Lake central area factor but the larger issue is Knopf, who is undefeated and the No. 1 winner in NW Indiana. And the Andraen 'World Tour', the wide-ranging schedule which has seen the Niner bus hit the road for tourney action in LaVille, Valparaiso, Dowagiac, Michigan and Monticello. One-run road defeats at Culver Academy (19-1) and Dowagiac, Michigan (20-3) are certainly not bad losses.

Knopf struck out 11 Tuesday in a 9-0 win over Griffith as Knopf struck out 11. Catcher Samantha Markowski (5 Hrs) was 3-for-4 Tuesday.

The 59ers should finish the year at 30-2 and they will walk through the very weak four team Andrean sectional. There's very little difference between the top four teams in NW Indiana but LC and Andrean have had the best years and Andrean has played 12 ranked teams in two different states.

But with Culver (19-2) and West Lafayette (17-5) looming at the regional level it doesn't mean the 59ers are going to the state finals.

2.) 4A Lake Central (23-0-1)

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

ST. JOHN – The Indians nipped Portage 1-0 in the final tough game in the DAC. Angie Funston (8-0) pitched a three-hit shutout in 80-degree heat to ensure that LC (23-0-1, 13-0 DAC) will go 14-0 in league play for the second consecutive year.

LC swamped Harrison 9-0 Saturday, the 18^th shutout by the LC pitching staff this year, not counting the 0-0 tie with Munster. This is also the 18^th consecutive year that LC has won 20 games, I believe, the longest streak in the state. In this decade, Lake Central is 167-20-3, the top record in NW Indiana.

Katie Mitchell was 2-for-3 with 4 RBIs in last Friday's 16-0 win over Crown Point and junior Katie Golden (8-0) allowed just four hits in Saturday's 9-0 win over Harrison.

Okay, how can an undefeated defending state champion not be No. 1 . First of all, last year was last year. Hanover Central, defending 2A champ, isnt No. 1 either. Secondly, if LC and Andrean really wanted to know who's best, they'd play a double-header every year. they dont want to know that badly.

So, that leaves it up to an impartial comparison. I still don't know if LC has the No. 1 pitcher that Munster and Andrean have. I love the three pitcher concept but you only go there when one of them doesn't stand out like undefeated lefty Beth Toyias (19-0) did last season.

Andrean's Lori Knopf is 17-0 against top competition. I don't think LC has anyone at her level right now.

That's why Andrean is a narrow No.1 choice.

3.) 4A Munster (15-2-1)

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

MUNSTER – The Mustangs won three of four at the Twin Lakes Invitational but they could not defeat an Andrean team that was more shorthanded than Munster was due to SAT tests. Munster's 1-0 win over McCutcheon was strong, but the Lady Ponies have not hit the ball as well as everyone thought they would. It could still happen and the Mustangs host their own eight team Invitational this weekend, weather permitting.

The Mustangs had four games against top foes rained out at the Carmel Invitational last month. They simply will not play as many games as LC and Andrean will and that does matter. Munster could still beat Lake Central. They played that 0-0 six-inning tie back in March. But the 59ers had two chances to beat Andrean and couldn't get it done either time. What I thought was their greatest strength (offensive punch) has not really manifested itself yet. And if this weekend's tournament gets rained out, Munster will not play nearly as many games as Andrean and Lake Central will. That does matter. There's still time but Munster needs to get to play the home tournament (please, no more rain) this week and swing those bats.

4.) 4A Chesterton (16-2-1)

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

CHESTERTON – Chesterton drops largely because Andrean jumped over them. The Trojans' only sin is the two losses to LC, hardly a death penalty offense. Laura DeLeon pitched a perfect game against LaPorte on Tuesday (5-10-2005).

The Trojans lost the Chesterton Invitational to the weather and they'd have gotten two more games of good competition there. You'll notice that I'm really big on playing as many games as you can against as many top teams as you can dig up.

What needs to be kept in mind about Chesterton is that neither Lake Central or Munster will beat them at the Crown Point sectional because LC and Munster aren't there. This team needs to eye rival Portage, a team they will see in the sectional quarterfinals.

Chesterton, which has a nonconference game with Munster next week, could still reach the state finals this year. Their chances are downplayed because of where they are. You hear more about Highland than you do Chesterton and Highland has as much chance of beating LC as Sammy Sosa does of playing 20 games in a row without getting hurt.

5.) 4A Portage (14-9)

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

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

PORTAGE – Portage 1-0 to Lake Central Tuesday (5-10-2005), but they lost two games 1-0 and 4-0 this year to LC, not bad against a team that's undefeated. Soph pitcher Meaghan Gutierez held LC to just six hits and they do not hit her well. In the earlier game, it was 2-0 in the seventh inning.

Gutierrez had three two-base hits in a 10-0 win over Michigan City last week and she pitched two shutouts, 10-0 over MC and 5-0 over Merrillville. The Indians haven't scored much on good pitching all year. They're going to have to win 1-0 or 2-1 and that's hard with underclassmen on the field.

But Portage is 12-6 since a 2-3 start. If they can beat Chesterton, they have an outside chance to win the regional title.

6.) 2A HANOVER CENTRAL (17-3-3)

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

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

CEDAR LAKE – Hanover Central probably came away somewhat disappointed in the Twin Lakes Invitational as they tied 2A No. 1 Eastern 3-3, lost 1-0 to 1A No. 7 Frontier and beat Boone Grove 11-3. HC had a 2-0 lead against Eastern and would have won except for three unearned runs.

The split Saturday has less meaning because several juniors including SS Andria Trock and catcher Jill Sjoerdsma were missing due to SAT tests. I'd throw out those results, especially since Boone did not pitch top pitcher Lauren Denhart against HC.

The positive development for Hanover was that they created three runs against Eastern's Breanna Howell, as good a pitcher as they will see in the 2A playoffs. HC should have won.

The disappointment might be for the best as the Lady Cats have something to prove at this weekend's Porter County Conference (PCC) tournament. HC faces Morgan Township and then is looking at a probable matchup with struggling, but very experienced South Central (10-8). The Lady Cats can't luck into the title this weekend. They will probably meet the other three top teams in the league.

The draw forces Hanover to play three games at the Bishop Noll Sectional, starting with Boone Grove. Boone is not confident right now and that can only change in the PCC tournament. The Boone-HC playoff match could be the fourth meeting between the two schools.

HC would welcome a rematch with Bishop Noll, a team they traded 1-0 games with in April. Bremen and Jimtown are good, but beatable in the 2A LaVille Regional bracket. Senior 1B-OF Christie Wick, who hoped to be back by the PCC tournament, will not be back. If HC advances to the regional, the Lady Cats will be playing on June 4 and Wick (who had ACL surgery in March) could still make it back. Wick, who was all-conference in volleyball and basketball, would have state tournament value. She got big hits in the state tournament last year and Hanover could use her as a DH even if she could not run.

Hanover still has Lowell (17-5) to play on May 19 and Crown Point (10-10) set to face on May 21, but those will be state tourney warm-ups. In the PCC, you want to win the PCC tournament. Hanover is the four-time defending champion. We'll know about their state tournament chances after this weekend because this is just as important to them as the sectional title.

7.) 4A Lowell (18-5)

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

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

LOWELL – Lowell went 3-1 at the Twin Lakes Invitational last week, losing 3-1 to 2A No.1 Eastern (16-2-1).

Kelly Johnson hit a grand slam homer against Merrillville and collected six hits in four games at Monticello. I believe Johnson has five home runs and that should be a Lowell school record for softball. Lowell got shut out by Bishop Noll and this is the type of team that simply cannot be shut out. Junior Ryssa Nord (8-0) is not the No. 1 pitcher but she's getting better in each start.

Lowell then blanked Merrillville 5-0 Monday (5-9-2005) but was shut out by Bishop Nolll 2-0 Tuesday night. As impossible as it may seem, Kankakee Valley, Pioneer and Highland are the only winning teams the Devils have beaten and none of those three is going very far in state tournament play.

Lowell still has Munster (16-2-1) and Hanover Central (15-4-2) and Penn (19-6) left to play and that's good. I think they are exactly the type of team that could upset Munster and Lake Central on back-to-back days (which is what the Highland sectional draw will require them to do) but the Red Devils haven't upset anybody all season. With the talent they have, they've won the games they should have won.

But Lowell needs to charge down the stretch like 2004 when they won four straight in the final week of the season. And Lowell can't get shut out. This type of team should never be shut out.

8.) 3A New Prairie (18-4)

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

NEW CARLISLE – New Prairie blasted Jimtown (12-6) in a road game 6-0 last week, an impressive victory over Jimmies star Sierra DeKeere (10-6), who has two no-hitters.

There is an assumption that Culver Academy (19-2) is going to be the Elkhart area's representative in the 3A Twin Lakes Regional but New Prairie clearly has not accepted that logic as of yet.

New Prairie crushed 4A Clay 13-1 and 3A Plymouth 12-1 Saturday, collecting 27 hits. Shaina Smith (12-1) and Becky Sheedy (6-3) recorded easy wins.

New Prairie wasted Culver 12-0 Monday in a no-contest matchup and washed out Culver 12-0 Wednesday. Culver did defeated New Prairie 3-1 early last week.

Are some of these teams New Prairie is facing that weak? Certainly. But even now, with the draw on paper, the Twin Lakes Regional almost certainly features Andrean, Griffith, West Lafayette and either No. 7 Culver Academy or No. 10 New Prairie, and a case can still be made for both sides.

New Prairie seems to understand that it's time to turn up the heat or else you'll be kicked down to the street.

9.) 2A Bishop Noll (13-7)

17-14 (2004), 18-13 (2003), 13-15 (2002),

18-12 (2001), 17-15 (2000)

HAMMOND - Noll pitcher Kristen Chico (11-3) allowed just three hits in a 2-0 win over Lowell (17-5) Tuesday. Noll has defeated 4A squads Lowell, Clay, Hobart and LaPorte this season. Not bad for a 2A team. They have not hit good pitching but Chico keeps them in every game and the defense has improved.

Chico struck out 13 against St. Francis DeSales in nine innings and that type of showing may have something to do with the lack of errors. The lack of offense is a little disturbing. Noll has scored 10 runs in a game only twice all year and, in softball, you've got to 10-run people if you're good. But Chico has seven shutouts and they have home field plus a quarterfinal bye in the sectional.

Of all the teams at the Bishop Noll Sectional, Noll is the one who has the most reason to believe they can beat Hanover Central. Everybody else is just hoping they can.

10.) 4A Crown Point (10-10)

CROWN POINT – Okay, we're back to these guys. Take away the five losses total to Chesterton, Portage and Lake Central and how bad are they? Take away the losses to state rated Lowell and Munster and how bad are they?

I realize that you can't go for a job interview with the argument, 'Hey, I'm not that bad!!!” But this team has just two seniors and, as many time as they are knocked down (a 16-0 loss to LC last week), they get back up (a 4-0 win over Michigan City Tuesday, May 10).

CP lost to Munster 1-0 in eight innings Monday, a moral victory in itself. They have to be encouraged by drawing Valparaiso (7-15) in the state tourney. Valpo and CP are equal teams that have split two games so far.

This team is not a state contender. Far from it. But a .500 record home playoff win would cap a rebuilding year.

On the horizon...

3A Culver Academy (19-2)

840 students – Culver, Indiana

CULVER – Indiana's most interesting school has two of the state's best players.

Robot-like junior pitcher Jackie Lawrence (19-2) pitches every game for the Eagles and never gets tired. She has split two games with superpower Andrean and could be waiting for a third match at The Twin Lakes Regional.

Lawrence smoked out South Central 3-0 Tuesday (5-10-2005), allowing just two hits. She struck out 13 in the 1-0 loss to Andrean Saturday after fanning 18 in an 8-0 win over 1A No. 2 Pioneer Friday.

There is a tendency for NW Indiana athletes and followers to underestimate players from outlying areas, but Andrean does not underestimate this girl, who throws noticeably harder than she did last year.

Lawrence, who has five pitches, was 20-6 in 2004 and 22-2 in 2003. Culver lost 4-3 to West Lafayette in 2003 and didn't get out of the sectional last year, losing to Mishawaka Marian. Lawrence is probably a larger version of Hanover's Amanda Wendlinger, the two-time 20-game winner of the 2A state champs. But as good as she is, most top teams have somebody like Jackie Lawrence.

What is scary about Culver Academy is catcher Alexis Clay, who has reportedly played with Lawrence on traveling teams for over six years. Clay, who bats third, hit her seventh home run of the season Saturday and her career total of 24 is No.1 all-time in Indiana. Clay's two-run homer defeated Andrean 2-1 in April. You cannot twist your thinking into believing you can pitch to her.

No. 2 hitter Randi O'Neill is an adept bunter but the CGA lineup is not deep. Of 13 players on the roster, nine are juniors. But Lawrence and Clay play every inning of every game. Lawrence pitches both ends of double-headers and Culver Academy is at an advantage if the game goes into extra innings because their girls are used to going 14 innings in one day.

2A No. 3 Hanover Central (17-3-3, 7-0 PCC)
Coach: Larry McMillen

(W) 19-0 (5) at 1A River Forest
(T) 0-0 (7) 4A Chesterton
(L) 0-1 at 4A Munster
(L) 0-1 (8) 2A Bishop Noll
(W) 1-0 2A Bishop Noll
(W) 5-0 at 1A Morgan Township.
(W) 1-0 3A Clark
(W) 1-0 at 1A Hebron
(W) 6-0 at 2A Wheeler
(L) 0-1 Beecher, Ill.
(W) 13-1 (5) 1A North Newton
(W) 15-3 (5) 3A Morton
(W) 11-1 at 1A South Newton
(W) 11-0 (6) at 1A Kouts
(W) 8-2 at 1A South Central
(W) 6-1 3A Gavit
(W) 6-0 at 2A Rensselaer
(W) 13-0 at 2A Boone Grove

Twin Lakes Invitational
(T) 3-3 (7 innings) 2A Eastern
(T) 1-1 (7innings) 1A Frontier
(W) 11-3 2A Boone Grove

5-10 (W) 10-0 (5 innings) at 1A Washington Township
5-11 (W) 10-0 (5 innings) 1A LaCrosse

PCC Championship
5-13 (F) at 1A Morgan Township
5-14 (S) semifinals at LaCrosse
5-14 (S) PCC Finals at LaCrosse

5-19 (W) 4A Lowell
5-20 (F) 1A Whiting
5-21 (S) 4A Crown Point

2005 Porter County Conference (PCC) Championship

LaCROSSE (5-13-2005) Hanover Central heads into this tournament with the same goal they had in 2004. To send softball playing Lady Cats seniors on to the graduation stage as four-time PCC softball champions.

Hanover Central beat LaCrosse 10-0 Wednesday (5-11-2005), HC's 47th consecutive PCC victory. The Class of 2004 never lost a PCC game. This is the weekend the Class of 2005 can walk away saying the same thing.

HC got the toughest draw, opening on the road at up-and-coming Morgan Township and right-hander Michelle Madden (8-5), who shut out Calumet 5-0 Wednesday. The Cherokees will have to strike early however, because HC beat Morgan 5-0 in April and the Lady Cats are playing much better now than they did at that time.

Hanover's 8-2 victory over Class 1A No. 9 South Central on May 3 begs the question of whether anyone in the PCC is going to beat HC this season because SC is a senior-laden team built to win this year. The expected rematch with South Central would be the 10 a.m. semifinal at LaCrosse and Hebron, with strikeout star Maggie Riggs, could be the title game foe.

It is to Hanover's advantage to play the games when scheduled. They have had practice time and two easy games this week.
A postponement until Monday would require Hanover to drive an hour to the game on a week night. South Central is 15 minutes from LaCrosse. Hanover Central has lights, though. If the first round is completed by the end of the day Saturday, the semifinals and finals could be moved to Hanover and played Monday night. That actually happened three years ago.

Some rain is almost certain Friday and it's 50-50 for Saturday. But let's be blunt. Hebron hasn't beaten Hanover in this decade. Morgan has overachieved this year and is overmatched against Hanover. South Central is probably almost as good as HC but they are in a major slump. If the rain allows this tournament to be finished this weekend (May 13-14), it looks like Hanover is going to be five-time champs.

But lets say rain wipes out all play Friday and Saturday (a definite possibility). Then South Central or Hebron could pull a major upset.

PCC Quarterfinals
Fri. May 12 - home sites - quarterfinals - 4:40 p.m.
HANOVER CENTRAL (17-3-3) at Morgan Township (11-7)
Kouts (5-6) at South Central (11-8)
Hebron (13-8) at Washington Township (3-14)
BOONE GROVE (7-13) at LaCrosse (4-12)

Saturday, May 13 - championship
Semifinals game one - 10 a.m. - Semifinal game two - 12 noon
PCC Championship game - 3 p.m.

Hebron (10-7)

HEBRON - Probably the No.1 surprise candidate because they are opposite Hanover and South Central in the bracket. Junior Maggie Riggs has 250 strikeouts this season and she has the potential to dominate this tournament. At the Tri-County Invitational in Wolcott on April 30, Riggs (14-6) struck out 17 batters in two complete game wins.

But it was a loss against Kouts that opened eyes. On April 22, Kouts beat Hebron 1-0 in 12 innings. Riggs struck out 25 batters, the most ever by NW Indiana pitcher. (The state record was just broken last week... 37 strikeouts by Hamilton Southeastern's Morgan Melloh in a 25-inning 2-1 win over Avon.) But to prove there was a new sheriff in town, Riggs struck out 17 the day before in a 6-0 win over North Newton and 15 six days later in a 3-0 beat down of Morgan Township. Riggs was also 4-for-4 at the plate in a 10-0 win over Washington Township.

The right-hander has never defeated Hanover Central but the HC victory on April 16 was just 1-0. When Hebron loses, it's because the defense collapses. If they can keep that from happening, it is conceivable they could get to the final game. There could be an upset here.

BOONE GROVE (7-13)

PORTER TOWNSHIP - Boone Grove junior Lauren Dehnert has pitched some solid games for Boone, including a one hitter against North Newton and a no-hitter against Washington Township. But Boone has had some five and six error games that have kept them below the .500 mark.

Senior multi-sports star Becky Keller had a triple and three RBIs in last week's 9-4 win over Kouts, a game Boone won despite seven errors in the field. Boone was not good in a 10-0 loss to Hebron Monday (5-9-2005) and they have never hit HC's Amanda Wendlinger. No secret here. The Wolves are not power hitters, but they'll keep it close if they play errorless ball. With Boone this season, that's a tall order.

South Central (11-8)

UNION MILLS - Still ranked in the 1A top-10, South Central, with 15 returning varsity players off a 20-win team, didn't expect to have five losses at this point. Pitcher Chantal Gross was hit hard on May 2 by a Hanover team that isn't known for offensive prowess. Could be the Lady Cats just chose that day to start playing up to their potential. But SC also has losses to Morgan Township and Kouts.

The top of the order is speedy, led by base stealer Angela Ward, and SC did beat a good Marquette team 3-1. State-ranked Frontier (13-6) shut down South Central 5-3 Monday, SC's eighth loss in 14 games. But this team was 5-0 and on the launching pad for a great season when they took a detour to mediocre city. There's still time but it would have to start with a win over Hanover Central, and they are 0-3 against HC in the last two years.

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