"The Renegade"

Week 5: High School Top-10 Football Poll

A USA-365.com Special Report

9-15-2004

CROWN POINT (9-15-2004) Merrillville rose up and topped top-rated Portage, but we're going to have to see more. You don't judge teams on any one game, but on a stretch of games. In Merrillville's last 2 games, they played very well once and very poorly once. In one game, teams show what they can do, but not what they will do. Most everyone else in the poll kept charging as teams are buckling down for the long run. Again, this clearly is not a strong year in northwest Indiana. It would appear there are seven good teams in the DAC, four in the LAC Black and we don't really know if there are any as of yet in the LAC Blue. Near perfect weather keeps the passing teams (Whiting, Crown Point, Portage, Andrean) on the fly. Watch what the ground-based teams (Lowell, Griffith, North Judson, Rensselaer) do when the weather changes on the fly.

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 (3-1)

Head Coach: Craig Buzea (91-28, 10 years)

PORTAGE - Portage was overwhelmed by Merrillville 29-14 as the Pirates bounced back from an upset by Crown Point. At the start of the year, I wondered about Portage's revamped defense against top talent and questions still stand after four weeks. Merrillville's 325 yards rushing is very telling. But just because Merrillville's defense stopped Portage doesn't mean that anybody else can. Portage won't make four turnovers every day either. Portage has no turnovers coming into last week's game. The Indians have only drawn 12 penalties all year and none last week. Many who don't watch the game closely will run away from Portage now but you shouldn't. Judge a team by a series of games, NEVER by any one game. With what the Indians can do offensively, you wouldn't want to be Crown Point this week.

STATUS: WOUNDED. You don't want to play them this week.

2.) Valparaiso (2-2)

Head Coach: Mark Hoffman (185-122, 27 years at Valpo)

VALPARAISO - Valparaiso had a solid week, rolling over Michigan City 38-9 in a game that was only 20-9 after three quarters. Jeff Brandt ran 21 times for 111 yards. TE Collin McShane caught nine passes for 105 yards. Valpo may have found a new field goal kicker in sophomore Colin Krupchak. We'll see. Krupchak hit a 23-yarder last week. Don't laugh. Valpo is two missed field goals away from being undefeated. The Viking defense has given up just 53 points (13.2 ppg.) all season. No one has scored on Valpo in the third quarter all year and the Vikings have given up only 10 first quarter points all season. That's the sign of a well-coached team. How you play immediately after getting your walking orders.

STATUS: Steady. In the hunt for a big victim.

3.) MERRILLVILLE (3-1)

Head Coach: Jeff Yelton (46-29, 9 years)

MERRILLVILLE - The Merrillville defense moved them into the top-10 state wide by dominating Portage, holding the high-powered Indians to just 210 total yards in a 29-14 road win. No other team in northwest Indiana has this caliber of defensive players and the Pirates have allowed a region-low 34 points (8.5 ppg.) in four games. Tailback James Aldridge posted his fourth consecutive 100-yard plus game and leads all of northwest Indiana with 95 carries and 781 yards. QB Evan Parker returned after missing the loss to Crown Point and completed 7-of-11 for two TDs, along with a seven yard TD run. What you need to see from the Pirates now is consistency. On their second half schedule, only Valparaiso is talented enough to beat Merrillville. But the offense can't have any more days like they did in the 7-3 loss to CP.

STATUS: On the rise. You don't want to play them right now.

5.) ANDREAN (4-0)

Head Coach: Brett St Germain (1 year, 12-1)

MERRILLVILLE - For the third week in a row, Andrean was not impressive again against an overmatched Hammond school. But truthfully, the 59ers have not been overly impressive all season. TB Joaquin Rodriguez (63 carries – 413 yards) ran for over 100 yards for the second week in a row as the 59ers rallied from a 12-0 deficit and beat Hammond 34-12. Andrean has allowed just 668 yards all season as the defense has been carrying the 59ers. QB Tommy Finn 55-of-93, 719 yards, 59 carries, 247 yards) runs a mistake-free show and 6-3 Ty Harangody (21 catches – 332 yards) is hard to hold. I've got a feeling the 59ers have not been very interested in games against Noll, Morton and Hammond. You should see the REAL Andrean this Friday (9-18-2004) against Lowell.

STATUS: STEADY. Looking for a big victim.

6.) LOWELL (3-1)

Head Coach: Kirk Kennedy (95-51, 13 years)

LOWELL - Lowell bounced back from a 21-20 loss at Griffith with a 52-21 home victory over Morton. Senior tailback Toby Goetz (5-11, 216) ran over and around the Governors for 302 yards on 22 carries. Goetz (84 carries, - 748 yards, 10 TDs) runs hard all night and all-purpose star Jeff Clemens has scored two TDs on offense and two more on pass interceptions. Lowell has rushed for an incredible 1,373 yards on 173 carries. The Devils want to know if their power running attack can stop the three-year LAC Black Division domination of Andrean this Friday. What is uncomfortable is 30 penalties for 261 yards and 11 missed one and two point conversions. The Red Devils aren't playing as well as they need to. And they probably know it.

STATUS: SLEEPING GIANT. Not bad but not playing up to potential.

7.) Griffith (3-1)

GRIFFITH - Griffith has scored 143 points (35.7 per game) and has rushed for 1,159 yards in four games. The Panthers have gone to the air somewhat this year with Rich Lehmann connecting on 30 of 60 for 475 yards. But three interceptions last week in the 44-14 win over Munster might chill the passing game. Griffith could have beaten Chesterton, a game they lost at home 32-21. But they should have lost to Lowell, a game they won 21-20 after trailing 14-0. Lehman has scored a TD in every game so far and he is having an MVP year. The Panthers also have an unofficial 332 yards in penalties, (including 10 for 82 yards last week), far too many. Morton, Highland and Hammond (the next three weeks) are games that Griffith can lose only with three fumbles and 100 penalty yards.

STATUS: STEADY... Ease on down. Ease on down the road.

8.) CROWN POINT (2-2)

CROWN POINT – The quick strike offense that CP has been hinting at for three weeks had a breakthrough last week in the 27-6 victory over Lake Central. Left-handed quarterback Matt Jansen (60 of 108, 865 yards) hit 18-of-25 passes for 293 yards. WR Matt Ernest has caught 23 passes for 485 yards. Top running back and place-kicker Donny Keiser is out (knee), but tailback Jon Sertich (5-9, 160) ran for 102 yards last week in his first varsity start. CP's offensive line, led by Steve Ellingsen (6-4, 280) is improving. The CP pass defense has not been tested, but they've allowed only one TD pass so far. CP has not won more than two games in the month of September since they joined the DAC in 1993. They stand 2-0 but Portage and Valpo are next. 

STATUS: On the rise. But the hurricane is about to come ashore.

9.) Hobart (3-1)

HOBART - The Brickies held off Highland 10-7 in game they should have won by more. The Brickie defense held Highland to only five yards. Hobart has allowed only 38 points all year and they have allowed only two second half touchdowns all season. Hobart is the John Kerry of the Lake Athletic Conference. Not flashy. Not exciting. And few expect them to win. But they've been through the old wars, they've got a big constituency that's been in hiding for a few years, and at least, they're going in the right direction. This is a down year in the LAC Black Division. The winner should be Lowell, Griffith or Andrean but what if Hobart beats them all? And just like with John Kerry, the real election for Hobart is in November.

STATUS: On the rise. You don't want to play them right now.

10.) LaPorte (2-2)

LaPORTE – LaPorte had a 14-0 lead and lost 21-14 to Chesterton, but there were positives. Soph RB Airrence Shark (5-9, 200) had his first 100-yard rushing game. But the Slicers are 1-1 with powers Chesterton and Valpo in the rear view mirror. LaPorte could easily go 4-1 the rest of the way and place 5-2 for the season, all without their starting QB Lance Juergensen. All four of the teams LaPorte has played are either 2-2 or 3-1. Second string QB Anthony Dubbs is 17 of 35, 258 yards in two starts. LaPorte gained 20 first downs against Chesterton and they've lost only two fumbles all season. Kicker Nick Ford is 9-of-9 in extra points. They have a must-win game against Lake Central this week before they host Merrillville on Sept. 24.

STATUS: Hard to tell. More mood swings than David Terrell.

11.) East Chicago (2-2)
Head Coach: Mark Hidalgo (28-29, 4 years)

EAST CHICAGO - Could they beat Munster, Highland, Lake Central or Rensselaer? Yes. You have to open at least one eye after EC wins 53-8 over Roosevelt and Leo 61-34. The Cardinals losses are to Merrillville and Portage, two top teams. Tailback Sammy Daniels (76 carries – 727 yards, 7 Tds) is running wild and WR Jamie Stewart (8 catches – 253 yards) is a home run hitter. Maybe we don't know how good they are because they've been over matched in two games and overwhelming in two others. But EC's 38.2 points per game offense. QB David Rodriguez hasn't hit a high percentage ( 42 of 90, 846 yards) but yes, that's 20 yards a completion. They could win their last five games (look at the schedule) and we STILL wouldn't know the truth about them.

STATUS: On the rise. Looking for a big victim.