"The Renegade"

High School Top-10 Football Poll

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

CROWN POINT (9-21-2003) No. 3 Andrean beating No. 4 Lowell is right in line with the poll, so the top-4 teams don't change again. Merrillville is underrated at 5th. The very vivid slaughters that River Forest and Rensselaer suffered (RF lost 62-12 to Pioneer and Rensselaer was blanked 49-0 by Twin Lakes) last week justified their position out of the polls.

Penn (37.5 ppg.) has won their last three games and they loom large against Portage or Chesterton at the 5A Regional level in November. Bishop Chatard (4-1) is heavily favored to win their last four games in quest of a third consecutive 3A title. Class 5A superpower Warren Central (5-0) averages 52.2 points per game. No. 2 (5A) Ben Davis crushed undefeated Center Grove 28-7 last week at Center Grove. The two new 3A teams that were supposed to block Andrean's path to the state finals, Bishop Luers and Griffith, are both 2-3.

As always, 'The Renegade', with no allegiance to any school or any sponsors (not yet, anyway) can tell it like it is about local prep football. All schools in the six county Northwest Indiana region count and records are irrelevant. These are the BEST teams.

1.) Portage (5-0)

Antoine Brown has carried 86 times for 819 yards and the junior has scored 15 TDs and Portage has good running backs behind him who aren't playing much. Few teams average 40 points per game but Portage is at 41.4 per game after five wins over 5A teams. Portage has outscored the opposition 48-0 in the fourth quarter through five games and reportedly, there are a couple of other players suspended who will be returning for Portage in the second half of the season. This is the only team in northwest Indiana in recent years with the speed to take on the Indianapolis city schools on the artificial turf of the RCA Dome. But I'll withhold judgment on whether they'll see Indianapolis until after this week's game (Sept. 26) against Chesterton (4-1).

2.) Chesterton (4-1)

Chesterton has gained over 1,700 yards in five games and they have a four-game winning streak. The Trojans are alternating junior passer Casey Martin and senior option runner Ryan Kelley at quarterback with considerable success. Oddly the Trojans have trailed in four of five games so far, rallying to win all but one. With the only loss to 3A No. 1 Andrean (a game where Chesterton outgained the 59ers 330-220), the Trojans have a strong resume. They'll get fullback Jim Sosnowski back for Friday's showdown (Sept. 26) at Portage. The Renegade is worried that Chesterton is too slow to play Portage.

3.) ANDREAN (5-0)

Andrean justified their ranking with the 21-7 win at Lowell. QB Tommy Finn had his best game with 16-of-22 from the field for 173 yards and 2 TDs. Finn still has not been intercepted this season. Andrean handled a hostile crowd, but you knew they could because of state tournament games on the road in recent years. The 59ers have not faced a good passing team yet and they will against Munster on Oct. 17. Andrean always has to think 'state tournament,' which is why beating Lowell is important. Griffith, a certain sectional foe, is almost a carbon copy of Lowell. The Munster game is important, not for the LAC title, which has no real value, but in preparation for a potential regional matchup with state-rated passer Abe Winkle of undefeated Twin Lakes, who has thrown 19 TDs in five games. The 59ers did not handle Winkle well in last year's regional. The 59ers have to avoid thinking they've accomplished something, a common mid-season problem among undefeated teams. The memory of last year's 31-12 blowout loss to Bishop Chatard in Indianapolis last year should keep heads on straight.

4.) LOWELL (4-1)

Lowell didn't play a solid game against Andrean and it'll be a couple of weeks before they can redeem themselves on the road against Munster (5-0). The Red Devils did not give themselves a chance to win, consistently dropping the ball and playing with enthusiasm but little efficiency. The Red Devils, who were outgained 297-113, get to host Hammond high (0-5) and work on their offense before the next big game. Lowell can't attempt to explain the 21-7 loss to Andrean by saying the 59ers were great. They weren't. The Red Devils' poor ball-handling and penalties made it relatively easy for Andrean. The scary part is that Lowell had eliminated the fumbling problem (27 fumbles lost in 2002) and it returned in a key game. But Lowell-Andrean doesn't matter to Lowell. Lowell-Munster matters because both are 4A.

5.) MERRILLVILLE (3-2)

Merrillville is a talent-laden team that is still on the rise. The 35-14 victory over Michigan City last week would have been worse had the Pirates not fumbled three times. Brandon Mosely (6 TDs) has scored in ever game this season. If the Chesterton-Portage game goes as I suspect, the match-up this week with the Pirates against LaPorte (2-3) might be the best game of the week. The Pirates should be gaining more rushing yards. Only 147 against a Michigan City team that everybody has run on. Merrillville is a two-point conversion (in the 23-22 loss at CP) away from being in the state top-20. I'm not totally sure that Merrillville would beat Lowell.

6.) LaPorte (2-3)

LaPorte is coming and more teams are going to have to pay like Lake Central did last week. LaPorte led 41-0 at the half before winning 48-7. Fullback Kyle Cepeda gained 124 yards and scored four TDs while up-and-coming soph QB Lance Jurgensen was 9-of-11 for 176 yards. The Slicers have gained 1,070 yards in their last three games. If LaPorte wins at Merrillville this week, they can still tie for the DAC title. But LaPorte is wildly inconsistent. They outscored Valparaiso 28-0 in the fourth quarter one week, were outscored 21-0 by Chesterton in the fourth quarter the next week and then outscored LC 27-0 in the second quarter last week. They are far stronger than local Lake County-based media gives them credit for.

7.) CROWN POINT (3-2)

Crown Point was absolutely annihilated at undefeated Portage 56-0 and they had to undergo major ego repairs after week five. But you should always wait 2 weeks (see LaPorte) to see how a high school football team reacts. The Bulldogs may bounce back this week against Valparaiso. Top receiver Aaron Miller (35 catches, 440 yards) was shut out by Portage's mobile defense and QB Matt Cowan was held to 2-of-10. CP may have been lucky in consecutive one-point wins over Merrillville and Lake Central. But we need to wait a week to see if CP was that bad or if Portage is that good.

8.) Munster (5-0)

I'm still not sure Munster is better than Griffith and one of their wins was the overtime game. Munster seems very solid but they have not been tested. QB Wally Cirafesi (45 of 75, 694, 10 TDs, 4 INTs) had the Mustangs up 24-0 after three quarters of last week's 24-8 win at Hobart. The Mustangs have over 750 yards rushing. Take away the bizarre 49-42 OT win over Griffith, Munster has allowed only 17 points all season but the Mustangs have not played anyone with a winning record yet. That won't change when they blow out Morton Friday (Sept. 26). Are they overrated at No. 8? We'll know Oct. 3 against Lowell and Oct. 17 against Andrean.

9.) Griffith (2-3)

Griffith regained injured QB Rich Lehmann and he ran for three TDs in the 49-28 rout of Morton. The Panthers have given up an alarming 142 points in four games (they shut out Noll 49-0 in the season opener). The rushing game of Griffith (1,484 yards in 5 games) is what should lift the Panthers in the weeks to come. Jack Kosinski (79 rushes, 677 yards) has 6 TDs. Griffith averages 32 pints a game even though they were shut out 33-0 at Lowell. The combined record of the 5 teams Griffith has faced is 18-7, the best in northwest Indiana.

10.) Valparaiso (2-3)

How can Valparaiso gain 395 yards and lose 42-14 at Chesterton? The road has been rough. The three VHS losses are to unpredictable LaPorte (2-3) and state top-10s Chesterton (4-1) and Penn (4-1). QB Jon Moon had to go to the air last week and he was 21 of 45 for 251 yards and three TDs. Valpo is a young, mistake-prone team but they average 22 points a game and they'll be a worthy opponent for Crown Point this Friday.

JUDGMENT Day is coming....

for Highland (3-2)

The Trojans are on the verge of a breakthrough after beating three smaller schools. This week's foe is also a smaller school but not in football terms. Griffith is on the rise and has the running attack that could bust up Highland's defense. The Trojans' QB Kris Boyd has thrown nine TDS in five games and he should see situations he likes against the Panther defense. But somebody's got to win and the Trojans giving up 196 yards rushing to winless Hammond is not promising for this week.