Northwest Indiana 2004 Top-10

High School Baseball Poll: Week 12

6-15-2004

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

The poll was justified when the No. 1 team reached the state finals. To be honest, the six county region (Lake, Porter, Jasper, LaPorte, Newton and Starke) we call Northwest Indiana is lucky to still have any representative. Noll had to rally twice to win the 2A Semistate and Andrean needed an eight-run fifth inning to win a 3A Plymouth Semistate semifinal. LaPorte and Lake Central, the dominant teams in the big school Duneland Athletic Conference, both left in the semifinals. That's the perils of being a Class 4A team. The level of competition is much tougher. Understand that if Bishop Noll's enrollment had not forced them down to Class 2A, only one region team would be playing on Saturday (6-19-4). And if all private schools were forced to compete in the highest class, as many insist they should (off the record), then no northwest Indiana teams would still be playing. Only LaPorte, Lake Central and Andrean in our region has anywhere near the level of talent than Brownsburg has.

1. Andrean (26-7)

MERRILLVILLE - Andrean justified their spot in the poll and reached the state championship game for the first time with wins 11-10 over Western (18-8-1) and 6-1 over Bellmont (25-5). Andrean got only three of the seven home runs in the Western game and it was Tommy Finn's homer with his side leading 10-6 that put the 59ers over the top. Andrean has outscored four foes 43-13 in the playoffs and they'll need big-time offense in the 3A title game against New Palestine Saturday. You might remember that the preseason Class 3A poll had Andrean and New Palestine 1-2. Coach Dave Pishkur reaches the title game in his 25th try and, fittingly enough, it is when his son Ryne, is a senior first baseman. But Andrean has a decision to make, although I don't think it's really any mystery what will happen. Ace RHP Mike Ryan (9-3) has been not pitched especially well since May. But coach Dave Pishkur will remember that Ryan was knocked out in the state finals last year and will give him the ball again. Great drama here as Ryan, who is a transfer from Bishop Noll, may watch his old school win the 2A state title at 12 noon before he takes the mound against New Palestine, which lost in the 3A state title game last year.

2. LaPORTE (25-6)

LaPORTE - The tournament got to LaPorte's pitching staff. Junior left-hander Andy weeks, pitching against a top team for the third time in nine days, got beat by Brownsburg, the preseason No.1 team, 6-5. Weeks gave up home runs to Lance Lynn and state HR leader Nick Shipley (18 homers) in the first three innings. Kyle McDonald, who appeared to be improving as the season ended, pitched four strong innings in relief as LaPorte's rally fell short. The Slicers return most of their squad again next year when they will be one of the favorites for the state title. Catcher Blake Hindsley, 2B Nick Overmeyer, RHP Nolan Weeks and SS Joel Matheney all are back. The 2005 Slicers appears to be one of the strongest LaPorte teams in their storied history.

3. Lake Central (24-6)

ST. JOHN - Lake Central had a 10-game winning streak broken in a 7-0 Lafayette Semistate semifinal loss to Carroll. Region homers considered it an upset but Carroll (26-7) was ranked No. 8 in the preseason. This game blew up late as LC trailed only 1-0 in the fifth inning. 6-5 RHP Brett Summers struck out eight but Tyler Shippy hit two home runs in the final two innings to end LC's quest for a boys-girls baseball-softball state title sweep. LC returns Summers (9-3) to lead the staff next season and they have a lot of players on the junior varsity who have not had a chance. As of next year, the Indians will have more than one excellent baseball class in school, including the freshman class which has Summers' younger brother. And that does not include the next dominant LC class, potentially, the 2003 Little League state finalists.

4. Munster (23-6)

MUNSTER - While they may not have the pitching to be a 20-game winner next season, Munster has some very strong baseball classes coming. Watch the Hammond American Legion Post 168 this summer. They play at Munster high school and use a lot of Munster players including Scott Stareweicz. But Munster must also deal with the Munster curse. The Mustangs are the largest and most affluent school in their league, the LAC. They SHOULD dominate those teams. But in the sectional, unlike other LAC teams, they must beat a much larger school (LC) that plays a tougher schedule in a tougher league. The Mustangs beat North Newton, TF South, Portage, and Chesterton this season. That's nice but they need to drop those schools. Munster must play as many difficult road games as they can. Penn, McCutcheon, Brownsburg, Providence (New Lenox), Lafayette Catholic, Harrison, should all get a call. Stop bragging about how great the LAC is and schedule road games against the caliber of teams you need to beat. Andrean is very good. But Andrean would lose to Brownsburg, more often than not. Home games do not help you. Munster has some elite Little League classes coming up to high school. But LC does, too. The Mustangs can win 20 every year and lose to LC at the sectional every year. It has happened two years in a row. Or the ponies can pay the cost to be the boss.

5. Chesterton (19-9)

CHESTERTON - A wonderful comeback year for Chesterton baseball was capped by a 2-1 win over rival Valparaiso for the 4A Sectional title. The Trojans were blown out 12-2 by Lake Central but LC is a better team. The Trojans were just 9-19 in 2003. Chesterton missed regular John Lambert in the playoffs due to injury and they'll return Matt Maple and Casey Martin to start the team next season. The Trojans will need pitchers to replace Tom Albano (7-2) and Josh Malone (5-5) and that will be very difficult. Still, the Trojans improved by 10 games and won a tough sectional, beating three rivals. They shouldn't worry about next year too quickly. Coach Jack Campbell manufactured a pitching staff out of very little in 2004 and it will be interesting to see if he can do it again.

6. Bishop Noll (20-11)

HAMMOND - At the start of the season, everybody thought that Bishop Noll had one of the top 5 teams in the area. Here's a team that isn't even honorable mention in the final state 2A poll but everybody in this part of the state felt this was a sure state finalist. Bishop Noll trailed twice at the semistate, rallying from a 3-2 deficit to beat Churubusco 5-3 and rallying from a 3-1 hole to beat Heritage 7-3. Pitcher Ryan Bobos (9-1) walked five but struck out 13. Andy Loomis (5-5) walked three and struck out 10. Noll has played 14 Class 4A teams not including five games against Griffith and Andrean. Wapahani can put the ball in play though, so the Noll defense will have to be solid. Many teams choke in their debut in Victory Field. Noll must get over that and do what they can do. This team has paid their dues with a wide ranging schedule. Last week's struggles probably knocked some overconfidence out of them. If it didn't, the record of Wapahani ace pitcher Eric Van Matre (15-0) and the Raiders' 20-game winning streak might. Wapahani has won 36 of their last 43 games. Noll cannot fall behind by more than a run early this week.

7. Crown Point (17-11)

CROWN POINT - CP's 9-3 loss to Chesterton ended a season that numerically was good but, in reality, was somewhat disappointing. CP was 4-0 at one point, 6-5 seven games later, 14-6 with a four run seventh inning lead against Lake Central (24-7) on May 23 and then 17-11. In retrospect, the 5-4 loss to Lake Central when CP had a four run lead and two out in the final inning, broke the confidence of the Bulldogs who lost four of their final seven. CP returns 75% of the playoff roster including four of the top five pitchers. Another winning season is assured but with the sophomore class CP has coming back, the Bulldogs have high hopes for 2005. But while CP figures to be a potent DAC team next year but they'll have to be, as Merrillville and Valparaiso will be significantly improved, LaPorte returns ace pitcher Andy Weeks (11-3) and Lake Central has a very deep program. CP scored a lot of runs against soft teams but they didn't do much against heavy duty foes. The Bulldogs need offensive players to improve this summer. They are in a league which returns Division I college pitchers next year in Brett Summers (9-3) and Andy Weeks (11-3) and an emerging star in Valpo's Clint Krysa (7-4). Let's tell it like it is, Bishop Noll can get to the state finals by beating Hanover Central and Churubusco. CP probably can never get out of the sectional without beating Merrillville or Valparaiso.

8. Merrillville (16-11)

MERRILLVILLE - It was surprising that Valparaiso shut out Merrillville 5-0 and eliminated the Pirates in the Merrillville 4A Sectional quarterfinals. Not only had the Pirates beaten Valpo twice during the regular season, Merrillville had a big time offense all year. But a young team sometimes chokes up during the playoffs. It doesn't mean they aren't good players. The only teams that don't choke are teams that don't make the playoffs. This was a team that was 7-20 last year. Coach Zac Wells graduates only hard-hitting SS Jason Plys. The Pirates need to develop pitching. No one pitched well consistently but a lot of young pitchers had moments like Kevin Marsh beating Andrean 4-2 and Caleb Douglas stopping Munster 11-4. Offensive stars Daryl Evans and Bo McLendon will play for the Hammond Seminoles 17-and-under traveling team and the Pirates offensive prowess will improve. Oddly, Merrillville's double-header win over Munster and a victory over 3A state finalist Andrean during the final week of the season, meant nothing but good feelings for 2005. The Pirates improved by nine games this year, second only to Chesterton's 10.

9. Griffith (19-14)

GRIFFITH - The Panthers were blown out by Andrean 14-2 in the regional championship game. Griffith was 0-3 against Andrean and was outscored 40-4 in those games. But the 59ers were the only 3A team better than Griffith in this area and with Andrean in the state finals, those losses don't look so bad. The future here is very bright with pitcher Matt Kuna (7-5) and 3B Ryan Bridges back for three more years and top-hitting Jimmy Swienconek back for another season. Todd Polgar really hasn't played much yet. Here is the coming team in northwest Indiana. Swienconek will play for the 19-and-under Hammond Chiefs while Bridges and Matt Kuna will probably play for the Hammond Seminoles. Only Merrillville will have more offense coming back in 2005. Crown Point and LaPorte probably have better pitching coming back than the Panthers do. But Griffith has the whole package returning in 3A and the window of opportunity is open for them to knock off Andrean in 2005.

10. Valparaiso (16-13)

VALPARAISO - Clint Krysa (7-4) had a streak of three consecutive complete-game victories stopped with a 2-1 loss to Chesterton in the Merrillville 4A sectional championship game. Krysa is a sophomore. The Vikings improved dramatically as the season went on, going from 8-12 to 16-13. The core of senior players like Brain McMillan, Doug Lang, Tim Kucharski and Ryan Nuppnau was responsible for much of Valpo's 2004 success. McMillan especially had a memorable year. But I know a little bit about what's coming for Valpo and two boys, Nate Windsor and Chooch Sizemore, are definite all-DAC caliber players in the making. And there is more coming out of Valpo's youth baseball and Valpo begins an American Legion team this summer to cook up more green power. But the Vikings have to understand how good they need to be. Valpo could win 20 and still be in the second division of the DAC next season.

39th State BASEBALL FINALS

High School Baseball CHAMPIONSHIP PAIRINGS
Saturday, June 19, 2004 at Victory Field - downtown Indianapolis

CLASS A       Lafayette Catholic (26-8) vs. Shakamak (27-2), 8:30 a.m.
CLASS 2A     BISHOP NOLL (20-11) vs. Wapahani (27-5), 40 minutes after Class A game

CLASS 3A     ANDREAN (27-7) vs. New Palestine (29-4), 40 minutes after 2A game
CLASS 4A     Brownsburg vs. Lawrence Central (27-8), 40 minutes after 3A game

Note: Brownsburg defeated Carroll 9-2 in the 4A Lafayette semistate championship game on Monday.

Out of town...................

2A No. 7 Wapahani (27-5)

SELMA - If you are not familiar with Wapahani, you are not alone. This is their debut on the state-wide athletic stage. This is the first time any boys team from this 346-teen school has ever reached the state championship game in any sport. They are down home Indiana, a rural, small town (Selma, Indiana) school in suburban Muncie. The unique name attracts attention and, like almost every old town or county in this state, it has a strong Native American heritage. Wapahani high school is a consolidation of Selma and Center high schools in 1968 and the schools' full nickname is the Raider Indians. Although I have not seen this in print, the school Wapahani, I believe, is named after the historical White River Wapahani Trail that runs through Marion County and Indianapolis. The Lenape or Delaware Indians, one of the greatest Indiana nations, who date back to the 1600s founded what was then called Munceytown (named after a Delaware Indian Chief in the early 1800s) as they were being forced west by European settlers. That is what Muncie, Indiana and Delaware County are named for and they named the Wapahani Trail.

The Raiders, from the metropolitan Muncie area of Delaware County, were 7-5 after 12 games. But they have now won 20 games in a row and dominated Speedway 15-2 in the Southridge Semistate title game late Saturday. Wapahani's team has not defeated a ranked team in the state tournament so far, but that may not matter.

21st year coach Brian Dudley (438 victories) will pitch ace left-hander Eric Van Matre (15-0), who defeated South Knox by a 2-1 score. Matre sounds like he is a problem. First of all, the last thing a high school team wants to see in a state final game is an undefeated left-handed pitcher. Prep teams don't see many left-handers and to see one in the biggest game of the season, throws your hitters off stride. Matre has pitched four complete game victories in the state tournament so far and, while he didn't dominate South Knox (21-7), allowing 11 baserunners. Matre picked three runners off first base and is backed up by what is described as an elite defense.

Shortstop Brad Reinke (.476, 6 HRs, 37 RBIs) is a top caliber defender and Chais Turner is a three-year starter in center fielder. Reinke and second baseman Jeff Reinke (42 runs scored, 23 stolen bases), Brad's cousin, are a top double play team. Drayk Duncan (.420, 6 HRs, 37 RBIs), and RF Ryan Granger (.423, 17 stolen bases). Understand, I know about numbers and how they can't help but be up against weak competition. Clark had the greatest numbers in northwest Indiana this year and locals knew they weren't that good.

Before the semistate, Wapahani was 104-11 in stolen bases and state finals foe Bishop Noll has not faced this style of team in the state tournament yet. In pro-sized Victory Field, where speed is crucial and power is negated, the Raiders may be better suited for this one game than Bishop Noll, which has faced a far better schedule.

Everybody in this area is assuming a Noll win, and has never heard of Wapahani. A totally unknown team with a weak resume and an old coach who hasn't won it all in 20 years can't beat a more prestigious team with better players and a lot of publicity. Wonder what the LA Lakers would say about that?

BASE NOTES: The preseason 4A No. 1 team, Brownsburg (27-6), won the rain-delayed Class 4A Lafayette Semistate Monday night with a 9-1 win over Carroll. One of the few good things about the new IHSAA 'hurry up'' format which forces teams through the sectional, regional and semistate in 13 days, is that a semistate rainout is no problem. Teams can simply play Monday and still have four days off before the state championship game.

State officials might want to consider playing the 1A and 2A championship games on Friday night and follow with the 3A and 4A games in daylight Saturday. The final day with four games on the same field does not allow for a rain delay or a four-hour game. The four girls state softball finals on the same field lasted 13 hours last Saturday. Baseball is not as likely to go into extra innings as softball but regulation baseball games are much slower with high pitch counts, pickoff throws to first and pitching changes.

In northwest Indiana, three radio stations WJOB (1230) AM, WWCA (1270) AM and WEFM (95.9) FM will all carry Bishop Noll's 2A game with Wapahani and Andrean's 3A game with New Palestine. There will be no TV for the state finals which speaks to where the game is in the state of Indiana.

Coaches like to say that rankings mean nothing but three of the pre-season No. 1 teams, Brownsburg (4A), Andrean (3A) and Lafayette Catholic (1A) are in the state title games. Then again, in Class 2A, neither Bishop Noll or Wapahani were anywhere near the top-10 when the season began. I do not believe that Noll, which lost six of their first eight games, has been in the top-10 at any time this season.

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