"The Renegade"

Week 10: High School Top-10 Football Poll

A USA-365.com Special Report

10-20-2004

CROWN POINT (10-20-2004) - Merrillville , Whiting and Hobart won league titles last week and they all must realize that those titles are meaningless come this Friday. 5A Merrillville, 4A Hobart and 2A Rensselaer face rematches of narrow three-point victories over difficult opponents. Whiting, which has allowed 58 points and over 800 yards the last three weeks, must fight themselves the next couple of weeks not to believe their own hype and get overconfident.

The cold weather of last weekend will fade and late summer conditions may rule to start the state tourney. That's good for passing teams like Andrean, Whiting, River Forest, CP, Portage and Elkhart Central and it could creates some upsets.

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.) MERRILLVILLE (8-1)

Head Coach: Jeff Yelton (54-30, 9 years)

MERRILLVILLE - A nice comeback for Merrillville to win 20-17 at Chesterton for the DAC title. Junior running back James Aldridge (199 carries, 1,456 yards, 14 TDs) rallied the Pirates with a 75-yard run when they trailed 17-7 in the third quarter, perhaps Merrillville's biggest play of the year. The Pirates top-ranked defense held Chesterton to just 72 yards rushing but the Pirates offense is still inconsistent.

STATUS: The FRONT RUNNER... but everybody's campaigning.

2.) Valparaiso (5-4)

Head Coach: Mark Hoffman (190-125, 27 years at Valpo)

VALPARAISO - The assumption that the loss of one player (LB Bo Gilliland) cripples a school and program of this size and stature is simple-minded. Valparaiso has lost two games in overtime, one by one point and one other to Merrillville. Valpo probably wants a rematch with Merrillville and they need to start by not overlooking Michigan City(4-5) which has a very strong running attack. (MC may go without top LB Lemon Kelley). VHS QB Jon Moon (88-of-171, 1,282 yards, 16 TDs, 5 INTs) is a very profitable passer and the Vikings still have 15 senior starters plus kicker Kyle Prow, just back with the team after playing tennis all year.

STATUS: Record's not great... but it's not too late.

3.) Portage (6-3)

Head Coach: Craig Buzea (97-31, 10 years)

PORTAGE - Last week's loss to LaPorte speaks to the rushing ability of Antoine Brown (189- 1,244, 17 TDs), who played very little resting a shoulder injury. The Indians gave up 270 yards rushing last week and that indicates they might be getting beat up a little physically. Jake Huston (87-of-154, 1,123 yards, 8 TDs, 8 INTs) needs a mistake-free night to beat Chesterton in the 5A sectional 1 quarterfinals Friday.

STATUS: Not playing at a peak... But they just need a good week.

4.) Chesterton (5-4)

CHESTERTON - Should have beaten Merrillville, leading 17-7 in the third quarter. QB Casey Martin (82-of-154, 1,142 yards, 10 TDs, 8 INTs) was 11-of-25 for 214 yards, the top passing total against Merrillville this year. The Trojans have lost the last two weeks by a field goal and their 34-21 win over Griffith doesn't look so good this week. These four teams are the top four in the region and there's a bit of a gap down to everyone else.

STATUS: Lost the big test... and there's not time to rest.

5.) LOWELL (6-3)

Head Coach: Kirk Kennedy (101-54, 13 years)

LOWELL - Back-up tailback Scott Gray(5-9, 180) ran for 202 yards last week in a 42-6 runaway at Highland. The Devils have been strong on turnovers, giving up only four all season. But Lowell has more than 600 yards in penalties this season and that cannot go on. Tailback Toby Goetz (185 carries, 1,432 yards, 22 TDs) sat out last week but he'll be at back this week at Lew Wallace. The Devils are still 12 points away from being undefeated and they want a rematch with Hobart (8-1) on Oct. 29. This is Lowell's most skilled team since the 1999 team that went to the semistate.

STATUS: The record's OK... Do they have more to say?

6.) Griffith (7-2)

GRIFFITH - Griffith's high-powered offense (340 points – 37.7 per game) self-destructed against Hobart and the triple option is no good when you trail 21-0 at the half. The Panthers lost a two-way player in Brandon Veronesi (6-1, 187) to a season-ending leg injury. On a bad weather night when they should have excelled, the Brickies gave up four turnovers. The Panthers held Hobart to just 168 yards and lost by 14. Don't judge a team on any one game. Especially one that swung south so early.

Griffith's got to forget about that. The Panthers are heavy favorites against Calumet (2-7) and either Wirt (0-9) or Morton (3-6). They need to relax and play. The only rival in Sectional 17 is Andrean.

STATUS: KNOCKED DOWN... But there's time to get back up.

7.) Hobart (8-1)

HOBART - Hobart again jumped on their foe's mistakes, winning 21-7 at Griffith with four turnovers. The Brickies are in the midst of as big a test as you can find. Four consecutive road games. Lowell (6-3), Griffith (7-2), Munster (4-5) and Lowell (6-3) again. This is Hobart's best start since 1997 but they must understand that it's only a start. There's another 6-game season that Hobart fans know well. The Brickies have struggled offensively in the last three games averaging just 187 yards per game. But I think they were lucky to beat Lowell. Hobart must get more offense than Marc Drobac (153 carries, 923 yards, 12 TDs) to win the sectional.

Along those lines, Hobart QB Kyle Gonzales (29 of 69, 392 yards 4 TDs, 5 INTs) hit 4-of-5 for 65 yards last week. He has not thrown an interception this month. Hobart has lost six fumbles all year. A lot of that is the offensive line. They don't get hit a lot in the backfield. Since Portage scored a fourth quarter TD on opening night, no team has scored a point against the Brickies in the fourth period.

STATUS: UNBEATEN ON THE ROAD... But the favorite's weight is a heavy load.

8.) ANDREAN (7-2)

MERRILLVILLE - People have forgotten how much firepower this team has. The 59ers rolled up 384 yards in a 34-17 victory over Munster. Senior QB Tommy Finn (131 of 217, 1,803 yards, 15 TDs, 5 INTs) led the 59ers to a 31-3 lead against the Ponies before Munster rallied against the subs. Ty Harangody (48 catches, 707 yards) is still the top pass catching threat in this region and he also has 54 tackles, plus three QB sacks. HB Joaquin Rodriguez (120 carries, 700 yards 9 TDs) and WR Jake Kocal (44 catches, 625 yards) are also big threats. The 59ers need better than 26 yards a punt and they must keep shuffling up front defensively. Andrean has allowed 16 rushing TDs and 1300 yards rushing in nine games.

STATUS: RUNNING FAST BUT LIGHT... Still time to get it right.

10.) CROWN POINT (3-6)

CROWN POINT – Still an oddity. They have led seven times in the fourth quarter and lost four of those games. QB Matt Jansen (112-of-211, 1,1,581 yards, 12 TDs, 9 INTs) still has good numbers but two interceptions have been run back for key second half TDs. Tailback Jon Sertich (116 carries, 695 yards, 5 TDs) and WR Matt Ernest (39 catches, 846 yards, 5 TDs) have good numbers but they may simply be too young a team to win consistently. 

The loss of DE Justin Sprehe (6-2, 210) has been felt up front. But when you lead in the fourth quarter, you should win, no matter who's injured. Lucky to draw Lake Central (1-9) to start the playoffs.  You just cant ignore that the Bulldogs have beaten Merrillville (8-1) and Chesterton (6-3).

STATUS: VERY GOOD FOR a HALF... But who gets the last laugh?

11.) Rensselaer (9-0)
Head Coach: Chris Meeks (43-22, 5 Years)

RENSSELAER - It's probably time to admit that a Rensselaer team that has been tested in the last two months would out score an East Chicago team that has not been. No one has done more this season than junior QB Jacob Kiger who has carried 160 times for 1,218 yards while completing 60-of-120 passes for 1,133 yards, (6 TDs, 9 INTs) . He may not be the best player in northwest Indiana (Lake, Porter, Jasper, LaPorte, Starke counties) but Kiger (6-1, 180) has had the best year. Kiger might not be the best player on his own team as halfback Andrew Malone (6-0, 180) has 116 caries for 874 yards and 10 TDs. Rensselaer has beaten 4A KV, 3As Benton Central, Twin Lakes, Tipton, West Lafayette and 1A No. 4 Sheridan (8-1). No team in the northern part of the state has had a better year.

Would they beat Whiting (9-0)? They leveled Sheridan by 36 points. Would they beat speedy East Chicago or big and strong Michigan City. If you played the game in Rensselaer? I'd give them a 50-50 chance.

STATUS: PUTTING ON A SHOW... But they've got a long way to go.

Out of town schedule...

1A No. 2 Pioneer (9-0)
1A Sectional 35 - Pioneer will host Caston (6-3) in quarterfinals

ROYAL CENTER -- A good old-fashioned country school that hasn't lost a regular season game in three years. Pioneer blasted 1A No. 8 West Central 42-12 last week for a third consecutive Midwest conference (MWC) title last week. There's no secrets here. The Panthers average 400 yards rushing every game with Matt Vianco (124, 1,168 yards) and Miles Shanks (112, 1,009 yards) running in what's called the Delaware Wing-T offense, a mis-direction formation that Hobart ran for in their glory years and similar to what Munster runs now. They are described as physical but the line isn't that big.

Pioneer has won 29 consecutive regular season games and for them to level West Central (7-2) indicates that this is a monster.

Here's the good news for Whiting, a 1A hopeful. Whiting (9-0) might never see Pioneer (9-0). If the Panthers win their opener, Pioneer must travel to West Lebanon and play undefeated and top-ranked Seeger (9-0) and all-stater Eli Cook (31 TDs) in the Sectional 35 semifinals. Of the trio of Seeger, Pioneer and pass-happy Lafayette Catholic (with QB Thomas Haan (150 of 243, 2,562 yards), only one can line up next to Whiting in the the Northern 1A semistate on Nov. 19.

But Pioneer is 36-2 the last three years. There are better places to be than Royal Center in late November.