Week 2 - Football Game of the Week Preview

4A Lowell Red Devils (0-1) at 4A Hammond Morton Governors (1-0)

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

8-26-2011

TV/Radio/Internet:  This is why we're playing Saturday. This game will be on TV live. WLPR (89.1) FM, WKIV (92.7) FM, WJOB (1230) AM, WTMK (88.5) FM. Lakeshore Public Television (LPTV) Comcast Cable Ch. 17 - live.

ENROLLMENT: Morton, 1,450; Lowell 1,296

WEATHER: Temperatures in the upper 70s are predicted with a slight chance of rain Saturday. Light rain isn't a major problem because Morton has artificial turf. The Governors want it dry and warm and they could get every bit of that.

PARKING: Morton doesn't really have much parking. They never have. You have to arrive early. Also, you may have to pay to park on school grounds here. When the lot fills up, you're pretty much on your own on the side streets like the situation is at Griffith. Don't complain. This is Morton's big revenue sport. They know Lowell brings a healthy crowd and they need the cash.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: Nothing really. It seems like Morton and Lowell are league members but they aren't. Lowell was the only Northwest Indiana team to defeat Morton last year, but in truth, Morton wants to beat schools like Griffith and Hammond high and Andrean a lot more than they want to beat Lowell.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Lowell leads 15-5. Lowell won 34-25 and 41-0 at Morton in 2009 and 40-26 at Lowell last year.

HISTORY: Morton is a good football school now, but that is a recent development. Hammond high is the king in Hammond. Hammond football travels all the was back throughout the 20th Century and they have more wins than anyone in this half of the state.
 

Morton High School, named after Oliver P. Morton, the first native-born governor of Indiana (hence the school nickname) opened in 1954 and was a pigskin power broker in the 1960s and 70s when Hammond, as a city, was at a peak with a population of over 100,000.
 

In the 1990s, declining enrollment (as the city got smaller) 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 2009 and 2010’s sectional championships were the first in the 38-year history of state tourney play.
 

Morton and Lowell never met before 1985. The Governors were champions of the old Lake Shore Conference in 1969, 1970 and they were the undefeated league champ in 1971 and 1972. But they wouldn't have played Lowell then on a bet because the Devils were not a neighbor or and equal.

Morton went 12-2 last year wining Class 4A Sectional; 9 and defeated Concord (after Concords' all-state QB was injured) to reach the semistate. It was the best season in school history.

The scenario of last year's regional win helps Morton because it allows them to play the 'underdog' some more. If you doubt the Morton win over Concord, it allows them to proclaim something proven. All high school teams want to be the underdog. It's an easy role to play.

But Morton, under veteran coach Roy Richards, is on the rise. Their enrollment is rising and they are a magnet school, which means that any player in Hammond can choose to go there.
I don't actually think Morton should be playing Lowell. The Governors need to face someone like Merrillville or LaPorte so they can compensate for a somewhat weak regular season slate and semi-strong Sectional (4A Sectional 9). Morton also will eventually be a 5A school and they need to move in that direction.

But Morton has not defeated Lowell in the last five meetings and that gives them an edge heading into this contest. There have been no televised games in Northwest Indiana for six or seven years now so there could be curious eyes next to a few TV sets Saturday night. But the big numbers hopefully will be in the stands. Morton does not draw what a winning team should draw. They are an entertaining team to watch, but the fans don't come out. There may be a few more kids in the stands at Morton just hoping to be on TV. Whether they win or lose, Morton is the big winner because of Saturday. They elevate their program by being on the live TV Game-of-the-Week.

Lowell Red Devils

Coach Keith Kilmer (6-4, 1 year)
2010: 6-4, 2009: 13-2
Sectional titles (11): 1992, 1994, 1999, 2003-2010
Regionals (6): 1994, 1999, 2005, 2007- 09
Semistates (3): 2005, ‘07, ‘09
State titles (1): 2005

Aug. 19 (L) 6-27 Crown Point (1-0)
Aug. 27 (Sat) at Morton (1-0)
Sept. 2 (Fri) at KV (0-1)
Sept. 9 (Fri) Griffith (0-1)
Sept. 16 (Fri.) Highland (1-0)
Sept. 23 (Fri.) at Hobart (1-0)
Sept. 30 (Fri.) Hammond (1-0)
Oct. 7 (Fri.) at Munster (0-1)
Oct. 14 (Fri) Andrean (1-0)


Morton Governors (1-0)
Coach: Roy Richards, 82-55) 13th season
Enrollment: 1450
2010 recoerd: 12-2
Sectional titles: (2) 2009, 2010
Regional titles: (1) 2010
Last year: Lost 4A semistate 48-12 to Bishop Dwenger

Aug. 19 (L) 21-14 at Griffith {0-1}
Aug. 27 (Sat.) Lowell {0-1}
Sep. 2 (Fri.) Clark {1-0}
Sep. 9 (Fri.) at Highland {0-1}
Sep. 16 (Fri.) Munster {0-1}
Sep. 23 (Fri.) at Hammond {1-0}
Sep. 30 (Fri.) at West Side (0-1} Oct. 7 (Fri) Hobart {1-0}
Oct. 14 (Fri.) Gavit {1-0)

Class 4A Sectional 9
With Gary West Side, Roosevelt, Hammond, Clark, Highland, Griffith and East Chicago

LOWELL (0-1) Update:

"Ball security" is what they call it. To me it's okay to throw an interception or two if you take some chances down the field. But a ball-control team like Lowell cannot fumble the ball. The Red Devils fumbled four times against Crown Point and they deserved to lose a game they could have won. I would guess it's been a long and difficult week at Lowell filled with wildly changing weather, mud, mosquitoes and some very hard feelings over a 21-point home loss.

There's no excuse for 122 yards rushing, but when you keep giving the ball away, you can't get started. What went unnoticed last week was that the Devils gained 4 yards a carry. If they get 50 carries this week, that may mean something.

There's no secret what Lowell will do this week.

Lowell's offensive line of Spencer Kersey (6-2, 226), Tyler Wright (6-4, 245), Luke Mitrisin (6-3, 308), Jake Hayden (5-11, 266), Scott Pitrowski (6-3, 276) and tight end Nick Kijurna (6-3, 226) is the heart of this team. Assuming Lowell backs find new motivation (that's the best way of putting it) to hold onto the ball this week, Lowell's line will be asked to wear down the Morton front line defense.

Lowell QB Bryan Thomas was 4-of-6 last week and he'll throw more than Lowell QBs ususlly do. But probably not this Saturday night. Lowell wants to keep the clock running to limit Morton possessions.

The Devils' new punter Austin Hamm averaged 32 yards on four boots last week. Lowell's new placekicker, sophomore Sebastian Zagarena, missed his only extra point. His range is said to be about 30 yards.

Morton (1-0) Update:

The key to Morton is senior QB Chris McCormack (6-3, 200) who was 15 of 29 for 173 yards last week with three TDs. The Governors only had 89 yards rushing last week and while that's something they'd like to improve with halfback Kendall Huff (6-0, 175), tonight might not be the night for that.

The Morton offensive line has some players who will be starting for the first time at home but McCormack does not need much time to get rid of the ball. Lowell isn't going to sack him very often.
 

Defensively, linebacker Faron Osborne (5-11, 210) and defensive end Curtis McDonald (6-0, 215) will key on Lowell's tailbacks and that's where this game will be won. Last year, Morton could not get Lowell's offense off the field. They have to force Lowell wide to see if they have the speed they've had in past years.
 

McCormack throws to Robert House (6-1, 165), Brock Daniels (6-4, 185) and Alfred Dickey (6-1, 180) ad they will score. But they can't let Lowell dominate time of possession and wear out their defensive line. Morton has allowed 173 points in the last four meetings with Lowell.

Zach DeWitt was 3-for-3 on extra points. Morton has been traditionally weak punting, but they got 33 yards a boot last week.
 

This is a big night for the Governors. Morton will play to the crowd to back them against a team that has defeated them five times in a row.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN...

HAMMOND (08-27-2011) Last year's game was a 40-26 roller coaster at Lowell and this one will be, too. Here's another case of where neither side can stop the other all night. McCormack is a veteran quarterback and he's going to force the ball to Robert House (6-1, 165) and Alfred Dickey (6-1, 180) easily in the game. Morton should score first on a TD pass.
But there will be a sense of urgency for Lowell to run the ball here. The Devils had a 90-yard drive last week where they looked like kings, but fizzled on the launching pad for the rest of the game.
 

Lowell's Zac Wolfe will get into the end zone twice, but the game may be tied 14-14 at the half. The Devils will run a pass interception back for a touchdown, probably a corner back like Nick Hamilton. Lowell will extend the lead with a 10-play drive and a Bryan Thomas TD run.
 

This will be a long night as McCormack throws at least 30 passes and rallies the home team to 28-21 lead with a third TD pass. We're probably going to run into a fatigue factor and that's where Lowell can pull away. If the Devils turn the ball over, they cannot defend the pass against a tall QB and good speed on the Governors' perimeter.
 

But the Devils seemed about to take control of last week's game when they were hit by an attack of butterfingers. That won't happen again. I see a second TD for Wolfe and one for fullback Jeremy Crocker. Morton does not have the defense they had last year so they will have to outscore good teams.

The problem is that Lowell has long possessions and the Governors may not get the ball that much in the second half. Morton can't hold up if Lowell gets 45-50 rushing plays. Lowell was embarrassed last week and the scenario is there for them to be embarrassed again on region-wide TV.
 

The three great motivators are: Reward, pain and embarrassment. Reward and Pain go away in time. Embarrassment stays with you. Take snacks because this one may approach the 3-hour mark. But Lowell can't let last week's game stand as an example of what kind of team they are.

LOWELL 41, MORTON 28