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Class 3A Playoff Preview:Sectional 9 |
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Post-Season: High School Football Preview
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Class 3A Playoff Preview:Sectional 9 |
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| The Favorite |  |
Andrean (10-0) |
| The Contender |  |
Griffith (6-4) |
| Surprise Team |  |
None |
Morton (4-6) at ANDREAN
(10-0)
Griffith (6-4) at Gavit (7-3)
GRIFFITH
(10-29-2003) - There is not a real
chance that anyone but Griffith and Andrean can meet in the 3A Sectional 9
championship. The chances of anyone else reaching the final are so slim they
aren't worth discussing. Back on Oct. 10, Andrean beat Griffith 28-27 when
the 59ers stopped a 2-point conversion at the one-yard-line in overtime.
That game was very hard to read, Griffith committed nine penalties and lost 115
yards but they did not complete a pass. Andrean was out-gained 347-287 but they
rolled up 21 first downs.
The 59ers have trouble stopping
option running teams (Chesterton, Noll) and Griffith is northwest Indiana's top
option team. The Panthers have difficulty defending the pass and Andrean
is this region's top passing squad. There is a feeling that the Panthers,
at home, will finally prevail over Andrean, the two-time 3A northern semistate
champion. But some warm November weather could switch the advantage back
to the 59ers.
3A SECTIONAL TEN:
Favorite (Twin Lakes),
Contender (Hamilton Heights)
Surprise team (Frankfort)
Tipton (5-4) at Twin Lakes (10-0)
Frankfort (7-3) at Hamilton Heights (8-2)
TWIN LAKES (10-29-2003) - Twin Lakes has the top passing attack in the north half of the state with senior QB Abe Winkle (92 of 151, 1,684 yards, 30 TDs, 7 INTs) and ace receiver Cliff Cobb (36-710 yards, 16 TDs) and it was very unlikely they'd lose to Tipton. The only challenge to the unbeaten Indians would probably come from Frankfort, a conservative, defense-oriented team that held Western (7-3) to zero yards in the second half of the sectional quarterfinal on Oct. 24. But Twin Lakes had allowed just 57 points after 10 games and no one had held them under 28 points.
STATEWIDE: The two newcomers of note, Mater Dei and Bishop Luers, both up from many years as 2A schools, probably won't go far. Mater Dei (8-2) should be out after their meeting (Oct. 31) with Heritage Hills (10-0). Bishop Luers (6-4) should win sectional 20 but they'd have to take out the section 19 winner, which figures to be perennial power Northwood (7-3) or newcomer Tippecanoe Valley (8-2).
A surprise could come from New Prairie (8-2), which scored a late August win over Duneland Conference co-champion LaPorte.
All eyes are on two-time defending 3A champ Bishop Chatard and they'll have to head to Terre Haute to take out West Vigo (9-1) on Nov. 7. If the Trojans (9-1) win that game, they should reach the semistate level again for another in their series of big money matchups with deep south power Heritage Hills. Heritage Hills was 13-0 when they lost to Bishop Chatard 35-28 last year. Heritage Hills was 13-0 when they lost 34-14 to Chatard in 2001. In 2000, Heritage Hills was 15-0 and the 3A state champ. They have issues with Chatard and those issues could be settled on Nov. 21.
Bishop Chatard, 15-0 last year, is now 9-1 but that record is deceptive. The only loss was 17-16 to Elder high school of Cincinnati. Elder is the defending big school state champion of Ohio from Cincinnati's powerhouse Catholic League South, which includes Moeller and St. Xavier. Elder was 9-1 after 10 games with the only loss 45-20 to Indiana superpower Warren Central. After 10 games, Chatard's defense had four shutouts and had allowed just 70 points.
This is the state's most intriguing bracket with all the powerful newcomers (Griffith, Mater Dei and Bishop Luers) and the three reigning powers (Heritage Hills, Andrean and Chatard).
Would anybody be shocked with a
Griffith-Chatard championship game?