"The Renegade"

Week 11: High School Top-10 Football Poll

A USA-365.com Special Report

10-26-2004

CROWN POINT (10-26-2004) - The playoffs don't really start until the sectional championship game because there's a lot of pretenders in the all-inclusive playoff format. Some of the sectional quarterfinal games every year are embarrassing. When bad teams are routed by good teams in games that are slated by a blind draw, it hurts both sides and diminishes the sport. There will be some more of that this week but the still-warm late fall weather will make it tolerable. No one wins any trophies this week but there will be a couple of good matchups. With top-10 teams Hobart and Whiting looking at the possibility of three consecutive road playoff games, the IHSAA home field playoff rules make about as much sense as the National Hockey League strike.

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 (9-1)

Head Coach: Jeff Yelton (55-30, 9 years)

MERRILLVILLE - The Pirates' 50-19 win over East Chicago in the 5A Sectional 1 quarterfinals was, unfortunately, a contender meeting a pretender. The Pirates scored at will against a team that truthfully, is 4A and plays a far lesser schedule. Tailback James Aldridge (230 carries, 1,686 yards, 17 TDs) carried 31 times for 231 yards. Bart Woodward scored on a 74-yard punt return and grabbed his seventh interception of the season.

Let's tell some truth. Merrillville has at least five Division I players in Woodward (6-0, 185) senior DE Michael Neal (6-4, 225), Dexter Larimore (6-3, 245). Aldridge (6-1, 215) and QB Evan Parker (5-11, 180), who will probably play another position. And there's a half dozen other college athletes on the roster. But it's coach Yelton's defense (remember, he's a defensive coordinator) that is the foundation. In 10 games, nine against 5A schools, Merrillville has allowed about 85 yards rushing a game. Forget what weekly numbers say. On the field, this is the number one defense in northwest Indiana.

The problem is, the offense is still inconsistent. Great one week. OK the next. The Pirates will be 'up' for this week's game. Crown Point has a three-game winning streak against their arch-rival.

There is no such thing as a 'statement game' in the post-season. The Pirates have to go very basic and power the undersized Bulldogs this week. Don't get too fancy.

STATUS: The FRONT RUNNER... but election day is this Friday.

2.) Valparaiso (6-4)

Head Coach: Mark Hoffman (191-125, 27 years at Valpo)

VALPARAISO - Valparaiso stuffed injury-weakened Michigan City 38-14 last Friday as tailback Jeff Brandt carried 24 times for 203 yards and four TDs. Jon Moon (101-199, 1,503 yards, 18 TDs 5 INTs) has the best QB numbers in the DAC. Let's rewind to the start of the season. Valpo has 16 returning starters, most of them seniors. (LB Bo Gilliland is out for the year.) Both lines are big and strong and kicker Kyle Prow (who played tennis all year and joined the team this month) is an all-area player with 45-yard FG range and a 55-yard kickoff average.

Forget what happened when the two teams met earlier this month, Valparaiso is the only team in this region that can beat Merrillville. ALL DAC teams know they are going to see their rivals again in the sectional. Portage beat Valpo earlier this season 14-13 but they probably do not have the power in the lines to do it twice.

STATUS: It's not easy being green... but they look lean and mean.

3.) Portage (7-3)

Head Coach: Craig Buzea (98-31, 10 years)

PORTAGE - Give coach Craig Buzea credit for sacrificing the regular season finale with LaPorte to rest starting tailback Antoine Brown (230 carries, 1,417 yards, 19 TDs). You've got to have 10 winning seasons in a row to make that stick with parents. Brown took the rest and came back to carry 32 times for 172 yards in the 35-28 win over Chesterton. I'm not sure any of us totally understand what it takes out of your body to carry the football 200 times in three months. Senior QB Jake Huston (100-187, 1,341 yards, 9 TDs, 12 INTs) was 8-of-9 for 176 yards but Huston's 12 interceptions are worrisome. Still, he has now started and finished five playoff games, more than any other QB in this region except Tommy Finn. Portage has allowed a lot of points in the last two weeks (69) and they have to be very physical to hang with Valparaiso's running game this week. The first meeting ended 14-13. Portage vs. Valparaiso is the top matchup of the week.

STATUS: A new beginning... but can they keep on winning?

4.) Chesterton (5-5)

CHESTERTON - This team ended the year with a three-game losing streak, all to 5A schools by a grand total of 13 points. QB Casey Martin (95-of-176, 1,333 yards, 11 TDs, 8 INTs) ended a fine career on the football field but he still has basketball and baseball to go. Time ran out on the Trojans last week after they scored 21 second half points.

It's hard to have Griffith ranked above them because they beat the Panthers. Lowell doesn't have the size to deal with Chesterton and Hobart doesn't have the skill and speed. Realistically, the DAC and the LAC are like Florida State and Fresno State.

STATUS: A positive year. Remember where they were 15 years ago?

5.) LOWELL (7-3)

Head Coach: Kirk Kennedy (102-54, 13 years)

LOWELL - The moment of truth has arrived. Lowell walked over Lew Wallace 57-12 and they buckle down for an invasion from Hobart (9-1), who beat them 9-6 three weeks ago. Tailback Toby Goetz (202 carries, 1,558 yards, 26 TDs) gained 126 yards and scored four TDs last week but he was not 100%. There is no way he will not play against Hobart, but it's uncertain whether he'll be able to single handedly wear down the defense as he has in some games.

Lowell did slide Jeff Clemens into the backfield in place of injured fullback Ethan Winel and Clemens gained 100 yards for the second consecutive week. The 170 pound junior is averaging 10 yards a carry, 37 yards a punt and he is Lowell's leading tackler and hardest hitter. Clemens has run three interceptions and three punts back for TDs. Clemens has played safety, WR, HB, FB, Punter, kickoff man and kick returner. Clemens has scored 15 TDs in five different ways (rushing, receiving, interception runback, punt return and fumble recovery). He'd be the placekicker if he hadn't shanked a half dozen early in the year. No one player in this region has done as much for his team this season as has Jeff Clemens.

Lowell has made a couple of personnel changes in the last week or so that are not due to injury. That indicates they're not satisfied with 7-3. Lowell has lost every big game so far this year. All by seven points or less. They know what Hobart will try to do. This will be the fourth meeting in 14 months. It's now or never.

STATUS: The record's nice... but they can't get beat twice.

6.) Griffith (8-2)

GRIFFITH - The Panthers have forgotten the 21-7 loss to Hobart and are basking in the glow of two playoff games against super soft foes. Not since the power days of Highland girls 3A basketball has anyone had playoff games so gift-wrapped. The Panthers beat Calumet 55-0 in the Sectional 17 quarterfinals and they will take another 'cousin' to the woodshed Friday when Morton (4-6) gets clawed. The Panthers lost a two-way player in Brandon Veronesi (6-1, 187) to a season-ending leg injury and it is not certain how that affects them, yet. I wish the Panthers would ash-can the passing attack. They were 5-of-15 last week and are 59 of 136 for the year. It's not an 'attack' if you miss on 60% of the attempts. Griffith has rushed for 3,300 yards this season. When the snow flies, you've got to run the football in this region. The Panthers know that. I still think Griffith is better than Hobart.

STATUS: 3As WMD... only Griffith beats Griffith.

7.) Hobart (9-1)

HOBART - Hobart smacked around Munster 27-10 with Josh Foddrill (5-9, 165) carrying 15 times for 129 yards as the Brickies posted their third consecutive road win. Foddrill gives the Brickies a change-of-pace with senior HB Marc Drobac (175 caries, 1,059 yards, 14 TDs) and fullback TJ Pope (6-0, 210). But there are many backs who can run behind that Brickie offensive line, which has cleared the track for 200 rushing yards a game this season. Hobart is 5-0 on the road and have drawn the short straw again this week. The way it looks, if Hobart wins at Lowell, they'd be on the road for a fifth consecutive week at Highland on Nov. 5. Brickie QB Kyle Gonzales (38-of-95, 4 TDs, 7 INTs) was 5-of-9 last week with two interceptions last week while Munster QB Jake Ernd was 14-of-28 for 196 yards. This team is clearly overachieving. Next year is truly their year. The Brickies' pass attack and pass defense is shaky but nine wins in a row speak for itself.

STATUS: KINGS OF THE ROAD... but when does it get old?

8.) ANDREAN (8-2)

MERRILLVILLE - Apparently Hammond was a little upset at the vigor with which Andrean piled it on the Cats 56-6 last week. Sorry, but that's the way it is in the state tournament. It's too bad that teams that are having years like Hammond (2-8) automatically get in the tournament and have to be taken out by a vastly superior squad. But that's the format.

Andrean's Tommy Finn had his second 300-yard passing game of the season, hitting 16-of-21 for 306 yards and five TDs. Finn (147 of 238, 2,109 yards, 20 TDs, 5 INTs) will be called on to lead the offense to big point totals in the next few weeks. Indiana University recruit Ty Harangody (65 catches, 872 yards) set what may be a school-record with 17 catches for 165 yards. Joaquin Rodriguez scored four TDs and it is crucial that he get 20 touches a game for the 59ers to light up the scoreboard. Still, what's up with 10 more penalties for 82 yards? If the 59ers have punting problems and defensive weakness, the answer is... more points. Andrean plays Gavit this week, a decent team that is tailor made for them to outscore.

STATUS: More weapons than Iraq... can they stay on the attack?

10.) LaPorte (7-3)

LaPORTE – LaPorte won their third in a row, 31-20 over 8th-ranked Elkhart Central in a road upset. Josh Salary returned the opening kickoff 86 yards for a TD and the Slicers never trailed. This was the first playoff victory for LaPorte since 1999. But very bad news from the trainer. The Slicers lost running backs Gerald Sims (68 carries, 547 yards) and Airrence Shark (169 carries, 891 yards) to knee injuries and leading tackler Rocky Buchta (72 tackles) to a shoulder injury.

Shark gained 138 yards on 26 carries before he was hurt. All three may miss this week's game (Oct. 29) against superpower Penn (9-1). There's no good spin to put on that.

STATUS: STILL IN THE FIGHT... but injuries could knock them out.

11.) Rensselaer (10-0)
Head Coach: Chris Meeks (44-22, 5 Years)

RENSSELAER - The Bombers annihilated injury-depleted Bishop Noll 56-0 last week with junior QB Jacob Kiger completing 8 of 13 for 205 yards. Kiger (75-144, 1,505 yards, 9 TDs, 11 INTs) has also rushed for 1,294 yards on 182 attempts. Noll lost QB Bobby Kimp to a broken thumb on the game's first play but they would have lost anyway. This is a once-in-a generation team for Rensselaer, which has played a significantly tougher schedule than most 1A or 2A teams. But bad news from the doctor here as well... senior halfback Andrew Malone (116 carries, 867 yards) is out indefinitely with a knee injury and arch-rival North Judson looms on Nov. 5 .

STATUS: In HIGH GEAR... but Judgment Day is near.

Out of town schedule...

3A No. 4 Hamilton Heights (9-1)

3A Sectional 18... will host West Lafayette (3-7) in semifinals Friday

ARCADIA -- In northwest Indiana, much has been made of the Griffith-Andrean game next month. It may not matter. Hamilton Heights has dominated everyone since midseason and they are almost certain to be a major roadblock for the winner of the Nov. 5 Griffith-Andrean game.

The Huskies (9-1) just massacred Western 68-20 last Friday to start their playoff march. Odds are very good they'll smoke out West Lafayette this coming week. No one has held Hamilton Heights to less than 35 points since August. Hamilton Heights scored an incredible 49 points in the second quarter against Peru on Oct. 8. QB Dustin Shearer (101-167, 1,791 yards, 24 TDs) has thrown for over 200 yards five times. Shearer (6-3, 205) has been in the state's top-10 passing all year. Junior halfback Tanner Pickett (5-10, 180) had 153 carries for 1,320 yards. And all those were regular season numbers BEFORE the 69-20 rout last week.

Hamilton has a good size offensive line led by center Nick Hoffman (5-10, 240) and tackles Kenny Compton (6-1, 280) and Cody Faulkner (6-4, 260). Plus, Hamilton beat Andrean 22-21 at Andrean last November so they don't buy into all our nonsense about how tough the region is.

The only 5A team Hamilton Heights plays is arch-rival Hamilton Southeastern and that's the only team that beat them, by a 28-13 count. The only 4A team they've played is Westfield, a team Hamilton beat 35-24.

So Hamilton Heights' record is a little suspect. But it was the night they won at Andrean last year, too. The problem that arises is, after the local hype the Griffith-Andrean game gets, with the survivor be teed up for a whipping by a team that's been in the top-10 for two years.