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Hammond Morton Governors (1-0)
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Week 2 - Football Game of the Week Preview
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Hammond Morton Governors (1-0)
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8-27-2010
When:
7:00 p.m., CDT on Friday, August 27, 2010.
Where:
Lowell High School,Route 2, Lowell, IN (2 miles west of I-65).
Tickets:
$5 (for everybody)
TV/Radio/Internet:
WWCA (1270) FM, WKIF (92.7) FM,
WTMK (88.5) FM, live updates of all local scores all night on 89.1 FM.
All Lowell games are on WKIF (92.7) FM and most are on WTMK (88.5) FM, a far cry
from the days (just 20 years ago) when you couldn't find out the Lowell final
score until Saturday morning.
Enrollment: Morton 1,315; LOWELL - 1,224
WEATHER: Much better than last week. Much cooler. Low 80s during the
afternoon but mid-70s by kickoff time. Fewer bugs. (I said, fewer bugs, not no
bugs. There WILL be mosquitoes at Lowell.) This might be the best night of the
season for young and old and Lowell's just lucky it's the home opener.
PARKING: Morton traditionally does not bring many fans, but that
may change after last year's 11-2 season. We will see tonight. If Morton fans
don't make the trip to Lowell this year they need to be quiet forever about
being in a real conference.
If you don't have fans who travel with you, you aren't welcome in any league.
The usual large Lowell crowd will show up for the home opener, but there will
probably not be a mob scene on the visitor's side. Fans will not be able to
miss the new concession stand at the south end of the field. After years of the
old, closet-like north end concession stand and washroom facilities, the new
structure at Lowell is a beautiful thing. You should forget the football game
for a few minutes and just visit the washroom.
WHAT'S AT STAKE: Nothing out of the ordinary. This is a non-conference match between Class 4A teams that are not in the same sectional. Both
teams have more significant games ahead than this one. Morton was crushed 41-0
in the regional championship game last year by Lowell and it would be a big
victory to upset the Devils on this night. I'm sure they were not happy when
they saw the CP-Lowell score because it means they will not find a happy
opponent Friday.
This will be a high-scoring game and it will be front page news Saturday. But
you can't win or lose anything in August. There is a chance these two will meet
again in November and nothing that happens on this Friday will have any bearing
on that game.
All-time series: Lowell leads 14-5. Lowell won 34-25 and 41-0 at
Morton last year.
LOWELL - There's not a lot of history between Lowell and Morton. The Devils'
41-0 regional championship victory over the Governors last year might have
signaled a big rivalry if Lowell and Morton were in the same league or the same
sectional. They aren't.
Morton High School opened in 1957 and was a power
until the 1990s, when declining enrollment hurt them in all sports. In 2002, the
Governors (10-2) scored 436 points in 12 games, but they were not facing the
schedule they play now. The Governors had never won more than 10 games in any
season and last season's sectional championship was the first in the 37-year
history of state tourney play.
This series is relatively short. Morton and Lowell never met before 1985.
Hammond high was the original Hammond school and the original football dynamo.
The Governors were champions of the old Lake Shore Conference in 1969, 1970 and
they were the undefeated league champ in 1971 and 1972. Neither ever even
thought about playing Lowell in the 1970s as Lowell was not a football power.
There's nothing wrong with Lowell vs. Morton but it's hardly a natural rivalry. Morton needs to play a 5A school like Portage in week two because they have a soft schedule which is going to get softer in future years because most of the teams they play are in football decline. Lowell needs to look at the box office and play one of its traditional rivals like North Judson or Rensselaer, which would bring more fans.
Morton and Lowell have never had anything in common and they still don't. Other than some good football.
4A 10 LOWELL (0-1)
all games on 92.7 FM - WKIF
Enrollment: 1,200 - Class 4A
2009 record: 13-2
Last 5 seasons: 57-14
10 sectional titles; 1992, 1994, 1999, 2003-2009
6 regional titles: 1994, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009
3 semi state titles: 2005, 2007, 2009
1 state title: 2005
Aug. 20 (L) 6-37 at CP (1-0)
Aug. 27 Morton (1-0)
Sep. 3 Kankakee Valley (0-1)
Sep. 10 at Griffith (0-1)
Sep. 17 at Highland (0-1)
Sep. 24 Hobart (1-0)
Oct. 1 at Hammond (0-1)
Oct. 8 Munster (1-0)
Oct. 15 at Andrean (1-0)
4A No. 9 MORTON (1-0)
Enrollment: 1,500 - Class 4A
Hammond Athletic Conference
2009 record: 11-2
Last 5 seasons: 38-20
1 sectional title: (2009)
9-20 (W) 28-27 Griffith (0-1)
9-27 at Lowell (0-1)
9-3 at Clark (0-1)
9-10 Highland (0-1)
9-17 at Munster (1-0)
9-24 Hammond (0-1)
Oct. 1 Gary West Side (0-1)
Oct. 8 at Hobart (1-0)
Oct. 15 at Gavit (0-1)
MORTON Update:
HAMMOND - The Governors should have lost to Griffith. They were outgained
309-295 and would have gone to overtime if Griffith's kicker had not missed an
extra point and a 30-yard field goal in the final minutes. Morton was 7 of 15
passing last week and Andrew Glidewell (6-6, 185) will be firing as deep into
the Lowell secondary as time allows. The Devils must watch halfback Kayln Aaron
(143 carries, 1,092 yards) on every play. Aaron gained 88 yards on 12 carries
against Griffith and the Governors will use him to keep the pass rush honest.
Morton alternates quarterbacks Andrew Glidewell and Chris McCormack with the plays instead of running the plays in with another player. Few teams make that work but Morton has had offensive success with it. Glidewell (6-6, 195) is the better passer. McCormack (6-3, 190) is the better runner. Aaron runs behind Darius Taylor (6-3, 265) a lot. DJari Griffin (6-0, 180), who caught two TD passes from Glidewell, is the top wide receiver. This is a solid offensive unit and they will not be shut out all year.
Defensively, there are problems. Morton gave up 230 yards rushing to Griffith
and that's been a traditional Morton problem.
The Governors quick hitting attack often leaves the defense on the field for a
long time. Morton will probably play a lot of games like last week's 28-27
battle with Griffith.
LOWELL Update: The report was that Lowell did not play well on either
side of the ball last week in the 37-6 loss at Crown Point, but that's not
totally true.
Lowell held Crown Point to 99 yards rushing on 32 carries and they allowed just
eight pass completions. What they did allow was big plays, including TDs of 27
and 73 yards. Linebacker Mike Sekuloski (6-3, 180) had 10 tackles including a QB
sack. Defensive end Tyler Wright (6-4, 245) had six tackles including a sack.
But the three-man secondary of Nick Hamilton, Jason Parker and Cole Midgett had a total of eight solo tackles and that's a 'red flag'. If the secondary is making that many solo stops against a team that only completed eight passes, your team is getting beat.
But the defense was no worse than mediocre. The offense was very poor. A lot of that was CP's defense with nine retuning starters, but Lowell's strength figured to be an offensive line with four returning starters from the 2009 playoffs.
But Lowell didn't really block well. Lowell gained 121 yards on 39 carries, but they've got to get more than that so they can control the clock.
I expect to see senior Chrs Sekuloski (6-3, 180) at QB in front of fullback Jordan Juarez and halfback Cole Midgett. Midgett (5-8, 165) has to get the ball on passes or runs. He only had five touches last week and that's not enough. Juarez gained 56 yards on 16 carries and he's a hard runner who almost certainly goes to tailback if Lowell gets the lead. I would not be shocked to see Lowell in a double-tight end set early to establish the run.
Lowell clearly tired in the heat late in the game
last week so quick little Nick Hamilton (5-8, 155) may get some carries if
Lowell can get started. But it all comes down to the offensive line. Lowell has
to get a good push out of the big boys up front like Wright, Luke Mitrisin (6-3,
290), Dominic Rebesco (6-2, 250) and Jay Trappani (6-2, 220). They have to give
the backs room to run.
Lowell has to get the ball to Cole Midgett. CP stopped him from scrimmage and
covered him well on pass plays last week but the Devils can't change. Midgett's
speed has to be a threat to the Morton defense and a lot of the Lowell offense will
open up after he is established on the ground or through the air.
Sagarin ratings get
more accurate as the year goes on and that may be in evidence here. I do not
think Morton has ever been favored to win at Lowell and I would be very wary of
that three-point spread. If you are wondering why Morton is favored to win over
a team still ranked 10th in the state after the Governors needed two missed
fourth quarter kicks by Griffith to win by one point at home, I don't have that
answer.
What will happen ...
LOWELL (8-27-10) Morton may play
conservatively early, running Kalyn Aaron, but they will meet a fired-up Lowell
squad. Jordan Juarez will get the ball early and he'll be in the end zone by the
end of the first quarter. A punt return for a TD by Cole Midgett will double the
Lowell lead before Morton roars back on two TD passes by Andrew Glidewell. But
the Devils' offensive line will begin to open holes for Juarez and Midgett and a
long drive gives Lowell a 21-14 lead.
A sack by Mike Sekuloski will force a fumble which will lead to a QB sneak TD for his brother Chris Sekuloski at QB. Morton will go to the air to rally but an interception by Jason Parker will lead to Lowell's fifth TD. Aaron will score on a screen pass to make it 35-21 and Morton's Nick Bogucki will launch a long field goal to cut the lead to 11. But Chris Sekuloski will find tight end Jimmy Szafranski again for a TD toss creating the final score.
The Governors did not stop Griffith running the football last week and they can't beat Lowell unless they hold them to under 200 yards rushing. Morton is an offensive power house and they could defeat Lowell if the two teams meet again in the regional in November.
But Lowell is laying it all on the line Friday night because they can't be embarrassed again in front of the home crowd. Morton's defensive front against Lowell's offensive line is not a good match for the visitors.
This Friday the Governors are in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Lowell 42, Morton 24