USA-365's Week-4 NW Indiana High School Football Poll

MERRILLVILLE (9-12-2005) The myth of the forward pass reared its ugly pigskin head last week as passing teams lost and balanced teams won, which, to be honest, is the way it should be.

Chesterton soared over the 1,000-yard mark for passing yards on the year as they lost for the fourth time in a row. Lake Central tossed 26 passes at Crown Point and got shut out while undefeated Tipton fired 22 passes at 2A No. 3 Rensselaer and the Bombers beat them like they stole something, 42-6. Hammond threw 30 times and dropped to 0-4 with a 34-0 spanking against Andrean. East Chicago fired up 24 big ones and got annihilated 35-2 by Clay.

Whiting is passing and winning, but Whiting is facing one of the 10 worst schedules in the state. The Oilers could run the old single wing with nine players and beat the four teams they've played.

I love to see the little brown ball flying through the air just as much as the next guy. But you've got to understand that spreading the field and throwing 30 times is about as effective as that hurricane evacuation plan they had down in New Orleans.

The biggest myth of the 2005 season is the new passing attack of Griffith. All the talking heads and paper boys have bought the talk.

Two weeks ago, Griffith threw all of seven passes in a 21-0 win over Lowell. Last week, they threw nine passes in a 63-0 win over Munster.

Everybody who PLAYS Griffith says you've got to stop the option because that's what they do 80% of the time. Like Griffith, Crown Point scares everybody into thinking they can throw and that their '35' defense will eat your players up.

Your defenders are running around chasing men in motion and reacting to formations. Meanwhile they're running through your line like you were so many ginger bread boys. The Bulldogs are a 5A school with the prerequisite intricate offense, but they also have all of 18 completed passes all year and they're 4-0. They won't be able to do that forever, but runs keep the defense rested.

Griffith has rushed for 1,000 yards in four games and they're going to continue to run because they know that's how you win. The Panthers throwing the ball is about as odd-looking as Gwen Stefani, and their pass defense takes about as many hits as Kyle Orton. What to do? Throw enough passes to sucker the opposition and the media, but take the money and run like an oil company executive.

Defense puts you in position to win but running teams (Warren Central, Chatard, Roncalli, Penn and Hobart have 25 titles between them) win almost all the trophies. Quarterbacks talk the talk. Linemen walk the walk. If all you do is throw it, it's not football, it's Frisbee.

MERRILLVILLE - Merrillville barely survived Portage 15-13 as rookie kicker Ryan Stokes booted A 31-yard field in the final seconds.

Let's be honest, if you've got a 14-year-old soccer player saving your bacon, your powerful offense and defense is not getting the job done.

The Pirates had three more turnovers giving them seven in two weeks. After being held under 100 yards rushing in a 13-0 loss at Crown Point on Sept. 2, Merrillville gained just 115 yards rushing with a Division I tailback in James Aldridge and a big offensive line.

But trailing 13-6 in the third quarter, the Pirates came from behind to pull it out and that means a lot more than beating Munster 63-0. Absolutely no one that I know of at Crown Point feels they are better than Merrillville and they are all correct about that.

Everybody remembers how Merrillville went 8-1 last fall and swept three sectional games.

PORTAGE - Portage should have won at Merrillville but the Pirates rallied to win 15-13 with a late field goal. QB Erik Rhein was 10-of-15 and the balance (139 yards rushing, 117 yards passing) indicates that the Indians are on-line. The Indians traditionally and religiously go about 60-40 run pass with efficiency and that's a necessity in Class 5A, where the strength and skill levels (like the enrollment levels) are so much higher than the other four classes.

Portage was not at full strength last week as HB Justin Smith, a potential 1,000-yard rusher, did not play. The Indians quick defense has not allowed more than 250 yards in any game so far but I get the feeling they haven't played a really strong game yet.

This is the top program in NW Indiana over the last 15 years and you know it's coming.

QB Blake Mascarella pitches football to Donny Keiser #37, as Ryan Forney #12 and Ryan Walsh #80 move into position on the double reverse option pass that scored in the first 30 seconds against Hobart on Aug. 26 in the 26-0 win at Crown Point.

CROWN POINT - The Bulldogs posted their third consecutive shutout, a 23-0 victory over Lake Central. Senior Donny Keiser ran for his third TD of the season and kicked his NW Indiana leading eighth field goal. The Bulldogs' 3-5 defense faced 26 passes and gave up some shorties, but did not allow the home run ball.

This might have been the best game of the year for tackle Nick Conway, the center lineman whose strength and quickness allows the Bulldogs to get away with a three-man line that features two small defensive ends. The quickness of the Bulldog defenders has denied four consecutive teams as many as 100 yards rushing.

The CP offense is still under construction. The Bulldogs' 19.5 points per game wont get it done and they know it. Eight field goals by Donny Keiser is great for Keiser but if an NFL team had eight field goals and eight touchdowns in four games, folks would be worried about the offense.

Here comes the test. Crown Point NEVER beats Portage. They have lost nine in a row to the Indians and there isn't a player who isn't aware of that fact by now. With injured players coming back, they could go 8-1 or 9-0 if they beat Portage. However a Bulldogs loss to Portage... with Valpo, LaPorte and Michigan City remaining, could easily mean a 4-5 or 5-4 season record.

Griffith's David Alexander #20 moves in to tackle Lowell's RB Scott Gray #6 in the Panther's 21-0 win at Lowell, 9-2-2005.

GRIFFITH - Griffith coasted by Munster 63-0 in a game that may have said more about Munster than it did Griffith. Drew Rogowksi ran the opening kickoff back 89 yards for a score and the game was probably over at that point. Munster never turned the ball over and lost by nine TDs. The Panthers have back-to-back shutouts and over 1800 yards of total offense but the next winning team they play will be the first.

New QB Matt Nelleman was 5-of-9 for 114 yards but 272 rushing yards sent Munster home. The Panthers have over 100 yards passing and rushing in all four games so far.

This could be a great team. Certainly 9-0 and even 12-0 is possible. But while 3A boss Bishop Chatard is down in Indianapolis is playing superpowers Cathedral and Roncalli, Griffith is playing winless Chesterton and out manned Munster. The jury is still out on Griffith because the schedule they've played is comparatively about as macho as a 'Gilmore Girls' marathon. The combined record of the four teams Griffith has beaten (4-12) is lower than dirt. We'll know about the Panthers when they line up against Andrean and Hobart.

LaPORTE - LaPorte's skilled offense rolled up 421 yards and 20 first downs in a 38-27 win over Chesterton but the Trojans gained 405 yards, including 305 through the air. Three LaPorte turnovers kept it close. HB Airrrence Shark chomped on Chesterton (Sorry, Airrence) for 241 yards and three TDs on 38 carries. Kris Staats gained 107 yards on seven catches. But the 27 points allowed are worrisome. It was 31-27 with 10:31 left in the game. LaPorte also gave up 24 to New Prairie. But, this is the first 4-0 start for LaPorte in the 12-year career of coach Bob Schellinger.

LaPorte is the opposite of Crown Point. The Slicers have a tested proven offense with experienced people. Defensively, the usually tough Slicers have been about as scary as a yard full of puppies in the first four weeks. But like CP's offense, LaPorte's defense figures to be back in form by the end of the year.

This is a top team and they will have to be. The final four games of LaPorte's schedule (Merrillville, CP, Michigan City and Portage) could be more painful than listening to the three-hour Chicago Bears radio pre-game show.

QB Josh Miracle #18 drops back to pass in Hobart's 26-0 loss to Crown Point, 8-26-2005.

HOBART - Hobart got out of town alive with a 14-0 win at Highland. The Brickies rolled up 367 yards but scored just two TDs.

Young QB-in-training Josh Miracle was 14 of 19 but it didn't go anywhere. The Brickies didn't turn the ball over once. Only five penalties and they only punted three times. Hobart just didn't get into the end zone. I'm not sure what happened.

Hobart has more than one injury on offense, the latest to fullback Steve Gascy, who scored five TDs in week 3. Soph Jeremy Coons gained 116 yards on 26 carries as a back-up. Hobart hosts Munster (2-2) next week as a home favorite, but the Brickies have to gear up to deal the pain or they'll feel the pain down the stretch against Andrean (4-0), Morton (3-1), Lowell (1-3) and Griffith (4-0).

VALPARAISO - Valparaiso blasted Michigan City 28-7 as the natural order was restored. Michigan City has improved but there's no substitute for a strong nonconference foe and MC didn't play one.

Valpo held MC halfback Robert Fics to 84 yards on 21 carries a week after Fics had gained 350 yards. QB Carl Hoefler hit 7-of-ll through the air for 115 yards. Valpo HB Hollis Ballard gained 120 yards on 26 carries and Valpo sacked MC QB Kevin Collyard five times.

Valpo has to go from the one-dimensional running attack of Michigan City to the one-dimensional passing attack of Chesterton this Friday (9-16-2005). Here's another team with storm clouds on the horizon.

MERRILLVILLE - It's hard to be too impressed by Andrean's 34-0 shutout of winless Hammond (0-4). That's one of those games where you hope nobody gets hurt and everybody gets home for dinner.

Fullback Alex Kadish didn't play, but the 59ers still rolled up 412 total yards and 21 first downs. This was the first shutout of the season for the 59ers but beating Hammond is like pounding your little brother in a fistfight. You feel bad while you're knocking him out but you've done it 10 times in a row so you know how to get it over with quickly.

No more week's off for the 59ers and they'll need all hands on deck. Griffith (4-0) and Hobart (3-1) are still on the schedule.

This is a good year for Andrean. No full page newspaper stories talking about their 'era'. No glaring broad sheet tributes to how great they are. No whining TV weenies pledging allegiances to overgrown teenage boys rolling around in the dirt. The 59ers are back to being a normal high school team and, football aside, the team is much better off for it.

Andrean usually beats Lowell at full strength and the Devils are injury riddled and riding a painful home losing streak.

MICHIGAN CITY - Michigan City got their first rejection slip of the season, losing 28-7 at Valparaiso. The Vikings stacked the line of scrimmage and the Wolves could not throw the ball.

No shame. This was one of the games on the schedule the Wolves did not figure to win. Truthfully, here comes more pain Friday (9-16-2005) as Merrillville visits LaPorte County. MC is all about running and no one has lined up and run the ball on Merrillville. MC has about as much chance of beating the Pirates as Ozzie Guillen does of speaking fluent English.

The Wolves have given up 63 points in two DAC games and it would be more if MC didn't have a time-eating running game.

A lot of people did a lot of talking, but the Wolves simply need not to fold against the powerhouses as they improve. The big thing about MC's loss last week is no turnovers and only four penalties.

They got beat by the better team which is preferable to getting beat by yourself as Michigan City has for the past 10 years.

RENSSELAER - The Bombers crushed undefeated Tipton 42-6, rushing for 368 yards. HB Ryan Kauffman scored four TDs and Rensselaer got the whipping stick out on Tipton's run-and-shoot attack, holding the visitors to 187 total yards.

The 2A Bombers step up to face 3A Twin Lakes and West Lafayette the next two weeks as the Bombers prepare for the state tournament by facing larger schools with quality programs consistently. Rensselaer plays four 3As and a 4A.

The Bombers average 40 points per game. The only worry is that they are a small, speed team that is built for warm weather. Fast offenses are great in warm weather or indoors. It was 90 last week. It'll be 70 this week. What happens when its 30 in November?.

Lowell's Ryan King #54 stops a Griffith ballcarrier as Christopher Lampa #24 and Michael Staniewicz #76 assist on the play, 9-2-2005.

LOWELL - Lowell turned the ball over five times in the FIRST HALF of their well-deserved 32-13 loss at Morton. The Devils needed to be mistake-free playing without senior Jeff Clemens and junior Ethan Winel, both sidelined by injuries.

HB Scott Gray ran for 200 yards on 26 carries, but that only made the score look better. Lowell gets some slack for losses to Griffith (4-0) and Crown Point (4-0), but they should beat Morton, a 3A school.

Lowell is more vulnerable to injuries than other schools because they have seven or eight two-way players.

Clemens is the Red Devil's best wide receiver, punter, safety and kick returner. Winel is a key fullback-linebacker. That's six positions to fill and it may take some time. All players think they should play but they sometimes shy away when injuries shove them into the lineup.

Lowell has to concentrate on getting the running game going, something they showed hints of doing late in the Morton game. There's still time to regroup for the playoffs but if the Devils turned it over five times in one half against Morton, how can they stay mistake-free against undefeated Andrean Friday?

WHITING - Whiting coasted past helpless Lake Station 44-0 leading 28-0 at the half. QB Matt Kobli was 8-of-12 for 293 yards. The Oilers have outscored four teams 176-7 but they are four very bad teams. Lake Station (1-3), River Forest (0-4), Riley (1-3) and Calumet (0-4) are all having bad seasons to this point and Whiting has not been challenged by any of them at any time.

No one on Whiting's schedule has a winning record and that has to be a concern with just five weeks left before the state tournament. Whiting schedules gets them ready for the playoffs about the same way that Michigan State playing Hawaii gets them ready for a road game at Notre Dame.

Many small schools don't schedule very tough teams because they'll be over matched in down years. Whiting could play Rensselaer and North Judson but they'd get hammered five times out of six. But in that sixth year, the game could prep them for a state title run.

I understand not wanting to be over matched, but Judson is a good team that brings a good crowd. When the LAC breaks up in 2007, I think Whiting will see if they can get some quality on that non conference schedule.

There has been lots of talk this month about a Class 6A in Indiana, something that many are realizing is inevitable. There are 311 football playing schools in a six week, five class playoff. The maximum number of teams in that format is 320 and there are four more schools beginning football programs in 2006.

The IHSAA, as it usually does, denies it has any plans for change. The IHSAA is very slow to change anything at any time. Almost everyone knows that the state baseball tournament format is dangerous to the health of young pitchers and very susceptible to bad weather. And that news will get to Indianapolis is a couple of years.

As for football, the tournament must and will change in this decade as soon as the number of football schools projects to 321.

The numbers problem is caused by the borderline insane practice of allowing ALL teams into the state tournament. I'm sure that some other state does that somewhere but I'm not sure where.

As for 2007, 4A Lafayette area schools McCutcheon and Harrison hint they know they'll be 5A when schools are realigned after 2006. 5A East Chicago hopes to be 4A while 4A Munster also suspects they'll be a 5A school in 2007.

There is a question of how close 3A Wirt is to 2A and how near 2A Bishop Noll is to Class 1A. It's hard to tell because the ranking is determined by enrollments state wide.

If there is a jump to 6A, it is hoped that the playoffs could be staggered so 1A, 3A and 5A playoff games could be held on Fridays and 2A, 4A and 6As could meet on Saturday. That would increase attendance greatly.

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Week 4: NW Indiana High School Top-10 Football Poll