Northwest Indiana 2004 Top-10

High School Baseball Poll: Week 2

4-8-2004

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

No big surprise in the first week. Andrean, I believe, lost to Providence of New Lenox, Ill, although that game wasn't reported anywhere. Other than LaPorte and Lake Central, nobody looked ready to dominate. The biggest surprise so far? Probably Griffith, which was supposed to be shorthanded without P-1B Todd Polgar.

1. LaPORTE (2-0)

LaPORTE - A 4-3 extra-inning win over powerful Penn and a 14-4 rout of neighbor New Prairie put the Slicers two over .500. Star junior lefty Andy Weeks allowed just 6 hits in 7 1/3 in the Penn game. His younger brother Nolan Weeks was the star and winner in the New Prairie game. Offense was a weak spot last year and just six hits in eight innings against Penn is a little worrisome. But to beat Penn in the opener in Covaleski Stadium is a fitting opener for a championship season. Even in the tough DAC, LaPorte has a shot at 25 wins.

2. Andrean (0-1)

MERRILLVILLE - Slow start. Not because of the loss to Providence but because the 59ers didn't have games scheduled Monday through Wednesday (April 5-7) and road games Thursday (Portage) and Saturday (Penn) were in doubt due to the weather. The 59ers just need to be patient. The LAC season begins Monday night in Highland and then the home opener Tuesday (April 13) against Washington Township. Andrean still projects out to 20 wins.

3. Lake Central (3-0)

ST. JOHN - As long as Brett Summers pitchers, LC is walking on happy street. Summers got the win in the 11-0 season opener against Lowell. The 6-6 right-hander then pitched a two-hit shutout against a good-hitting Bishop Noll team. The biggest win of the start was probably John Babinski's five-hit shutout against Morton. No one has scored on LC yet but they haven't played a truly strong team yet either.

4. Bishop Noll (1-1)

HAMMOND - Noll lost 4-0 to Lake Central but don't put to much stock in that. Sophomore Dan Faulkner pitched a one-hit shutout in Monday's (April 5's) 8-0 opener against Michigan City. But I wouldn't put too much stock in that either. Noll got HRs from Brian Clark and Ryan Bobos against MC. Noll should be a warm weather, offensive team but with seven errors in the first two games, lets hope so. This is still a 20-win team.

5. Crown Point (2-0)

CROWN POINT - CP romped 35-0 over helpless Hammond and held off a Gavit rally to win their home opener 4-3. Complete game victories for soph left-hander Matt Jansen and senior right-hander Mike Schultz. Despite the 35 runs, this is not a big hitting team but CP is again blessed with pitchers. The Bulldogs have high hopes for junior Jimmy Wilson, who was to start Thursday (April 8) weather permitting. Junior Dave Dickerson has good potential as the new RF and No. 3 hitter. CP will see 1A No. 4 Kouts (3-0) or host Kankakee Valley (3-0) Saturday at the four-team Kankakee Valley Invitational.

6. Highland (3-1)

HIGHLAND - Right-hander Billy Metzen won his first two starts including a 12-strikeout game against Gavit. I think that coach Dan Miller was experimenting with new players in the 14-10 loss to Boone Grove. Both sides probably were. Kris Boyd has hit safely in every game. Here's another squad that should close out right at 20 wins.

7. Valparaiso (1-0)

VALPARAISO - A very strong start for Valpo, a six-hit shutout for Jon Charlson in the RailCats Stadium in Gary against Elkhart Memorial. Big first baseman Brian McMillan stated off with an RBI single. Returning SS Ryan Nuppnau, 2B Tim Kucharski and catcher Doug Lang should fuel a winning season but the pitching may be short for 20 wins.

8. Lowell (2-1)

LOWELL - Lowell lost 11-0 to Lake Central but coach Kent Hess was experimenting in that game. The Devils defeated Wheeler and Hanover Central but those are teams they should beat. Ed Overdorf will be a potent No. 3 hitter. 6-4 Jason Corns appears improved as a pitcher. The core of this team will produce runs but the Devils need all three senior pitchers to have solid years and that's a lot to ask.

9. Munster (2-1)

MUNSTER - Munster will be involved in some high scoring games. The Mustangs swept two games in southern Indiana, 8-3 over Terre Haute South and 13-3 over New Haven. But the ponies got bombed 10-4 Monday by winless TF South. Nine errors in three games is obviously too many. Brian Bokowy, a solid left-hander pitcher, struck out six against TH South. The Mustangs always hit well and have an outside chance to win 20 but they've got to beat Andrean in league play and LC at the sectional. Munster's bar is set very high.

10. Merrillville (3-1)

MERRILLVILLE - I love Merrillville's start but the word is that senior pitcher Jason Plys will be only a position player this season due to injury. That will limit what this team can do. Daryl Evans and Bo McClendon are adding speed and Plys is a good hitter. But the 8-2 loss to a Griffith team that had 11 hits might be a sign of things to come for the pitching staff. The Pirates will be involved in some high scoring games and that will make it hard for them to win 20.

On the Rise: Griffith (4-0)

GRIFFITH - Everything worked for them in the first two weeks as the Panthers smoked out Lake Station, Boone Grove, Wheeler and Merrillville. Two freshmen, pitcher Matt Kuna and much heralded SS Ryan Bridges, reportedly look good. But its the veterans who have started fast. Left-handed hitter Jim Swienconek had an extra base hit in every game and 10 hits (2 HRs and 5 doubles) in four starts. He also beat Boone as a left-handed pitcher and I don't remember him pitching last year. The Panthers scored 31 runs in four games and were not held under seven. Why aren't they in the top-10? Because the teams they've beaten are Lake Station, Boone, Wheeler and Merrillville. And because, without 6-6 junior pitcher Todd Polgar (out until May), I wonder how much pitching they have.

NOTES: Boone plays Lowell at 2 p.m. in the RailCats Stadium on April 11. The game will be aired live on WEFM (95.9) FM. Crown Point's May 7 game with Class 4A No. 2 LaPorte has been switched to a 7 p.m. start at the new Crown Point high school. Chesterton is at Class 4A No. 3 McCutcheon Friday night in the opening game of the 6-team Heath Classic. No. 5 Terre Haute North is also in that tournament. The finals are Saturday at Loeb Stadium in West Lafayette. LaPorte plays in the Heath Classic in 2005.

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