Week 4 - Football Game of the Week Preview

Griffith Panthers (1-2, 1-0) at No. 4 Lowell Red Devils (3-0, 1-0)

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

9-10-2009

TV/Radio/Internet:  WTMK (88.5) FM - Live; Updates: WLPR (89.1) FM; Highlights: Lakeshore TV football recap show
10:30 p.m. Comcast Cable Ch. 17
Tickets: $5.00.  Tickets will be available at the gate but not many.
 
JV game:  Saturday, Sept. 13 at LOWELL - 10:00 a.m.

Freshmen:  Thursday, Sept. 18 at Griffith - 6:00 p.m.

Numbers:  Griffith, Class 4A, enrollment 943;  LOWELL - 4A enrollment - 1,224

Weather:  Good again.  There's been a little rain this week, but we're still looking at temperatures in the 60s for most of the game.  With sunset approaching 7:00 p.m. now, it can only stay so warm on Friday nights.  It may be a little uncomfortable at the start of the game this week due to high humidity but remember how warmth feels when we get to November.

Parking:  Okay, folks.  It's Griffith.  They know what to do to get down to Route 2.  Panthers folks will fill up the grass practice field behind the new visitors grandstand and then they'll fill in the spots in front of the school.  If you want to park next to the tennis courts you'll have to arrive early.  For Griffith folks, they don't charge to park at Lowell.  There is no exit north out of the school complex.  Be patient when the game is over.  The lots actually exit fairly quickly compared to other schools.

The HISTORY:  Griffith leads this series 49-26-3

FAST FOOTBALL FACT:  Every single year Griffith has played varsity football (they began in 1934), they have played Lowell.  Lowell-Griffith and Clark-Whiting (which also began in 1934) are the longest continuous rivalries in Northwest Indiana high school football.

Nate Cleveland (26), who does double duty as fullback and defensive end, will be a focus of the offensive line of Griffith Friday night.

Griffith doesn't want to get into passing situations Friday because it becomes tough to keep Nate Cleveland and Joe Bell (34) away from your quarterback.

Lowell has to control the ball and they will send Jordan Juarez (7) and Brandon Grubbe (6) at the Griffith defensive line.

LOWELL  (9-11-2009) This match up may not be the best one in all of Northwest Indiana, but Griffith-Lowell is probably the best example of "Region football."  Both teams want to run the ball and blow up your game with their defense.  Little passing.  Hard hitting.  And large groups of loyal fans.

Griffith is known for two things.  One is the railroad.  Who among us hasn't been stopped by a train at a crossing in Griffith.  At one time, 130 trains  passed through Griffith every day.  In the 1800s, a surveyor for the Grand Trunk railroad (now the Canadian National) made and signed maps for the trains that intersected through the area.  His name was Ben Griffith and railroaders began calling the middle of what is now Lake County, the Griffith area.  They still do.

Griffith's other claim to fame is high school football.  The Panthers were the 1997 state champions and they have won 15 sectional championships including four in a row.  Griffith is 65-26 all time in post-season games.

Les Thornton (1975-1992) and Russ Radtke (1993-present) have combined for 29 winning seasons since 1975.  If it was not for Hobart's four state titles, Griffith would be the standard by which Lake County schools are judged in football.

Griffith and Lowell are old Lake Suburban Conference (1970-1991) foes so they've always played significant games.  For the run of the LSC, Griffith won them all.  Lately, Lowell has dominated in a way that would have been unimaginable 20 years ago.

It's always been my contention that Lowell and Griffith are basically the same town, separated by about 15 miles.  You can indeed close your eyes, be driven around and dropped off and, if you didn't know where you were, parts of Lowell and Griffith are almost identical.

4A LOWELL (3-0)
Coach: Kirk Kennedy (148-68 years) 19 years
Enrollment: 1,224
2008 record: 13-1
Sectional titles: (9) 1992, 1994, 1999, 2003-2008
Regional titles: (5) 1994, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2008
Semi state titles:  (2) 2005, 2007
State titles:   (1) 2005

Lost 4A Northern Semi state 38-22 at Bishop Dwenger in 2008


LOWELL Red Devils (3-0)
Northwest Crossroads Conference (NCC) games in CAPS - all 7:00 p.m. kickoffs
8-21 (W) 19-0 Crown Point (1-2)
8-28 (W) 34-25 at Morton (2-1)
9-4 (W) 40-13 at KV (0-3)    
9-11 (F) GRIFFITH (1-2)  
9-18 (F) HIGHLAND (1-2) 
9-25 (F) at HOBART  (1-2)  
Oct. 2 (F) Hammond (2-1)        
Oct. 9 (F) at MUNSTER (3-0)
Oct. 16  (F) ANDREAN (2-1)

Sectional 10
Oct. 23 (F) with Concord, Plymouth, Kankakee Valley, Logansport, Clay, Riley and (SB) Washington.



4A Griffith (1-2)
Coach: Russ Radtke (155-51)  15th season
Enrollment: 946
2008 record: 8-5
* Lost the regional championship game 19-13 to Lowell in 2008
Sectional titles  (15)  2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008
Regional titles:  (5) 1991 1994, 1997, 2005 and 2006


GRIFFITH (1-2, 1-0)
Northwest Crossroads Conference
(NWCC) games in CAPS - all games begin at 7:00 p.m
8-21 (L) 0-20 Morton (2-1)
8-28 (L) 6-51 Valpo (1-2)
9-4 (W) 30-21 Hobart (1-2)
9-11 (F) at LOWELL  (3-0)
9-18 (F) Kankakee Valley (0-3)
9-25 (F) Munster (3-0)
10-2 (F) at Highland (1-2)
10-9 (F) at Andrean (2-1)
10-16 (F) East Chicago (0-3)

Class 4A Sectional 9
Oct. 23 (F) with Morton, Hammond, Hobart, Highland, Gary West Side, Lew Wallace and Gary Roosevelt

The FACTORS

1. Don't look at the records

Griffith's 1-2 record is deceiving because even the best Griffith teams would have lost at Valparaiso.  Griffith lost 20-0 at Morton, but Lowell almost lost at Morton, too.  The Devils know that Griffith boys like to play Lowell and they will welcome the standing room only crowd that is customary at Devils' games.  Both teams are 1-0 in the Northwest Crossroads Conference and that's all they care about.

2. Remember that it's tackle football

Griffith has completed 10 passes all year.  They will run the option and you must take down the QB and fullback on every play.  Griffith wants you to fear the pitch but truthfully, they beat you when you over-pursue the option and miss one-on-one tackles.  Traditionally, when Griffith is passing, they are losing.  It's their third or fourth option.  If they can beat you with the thing they do worst, more power to them.

3. Stay under control

I've always thought that Griffith's style of play is very emotional and they want you to lose control and make mistakes.  There is taunting and talking and, while you have to hit hard against a ground-oriented team, you have to leave the talking stuff alone.  Griffith is used to that atmosphere.  If you don't, the Panthers gain an advantage.  These games usually aren't decided by finesse and strategy.  Mostly penalties and fumbles.

The Bottom line...

LOWELL (09-11-200) I feel Lowell will be primed for this game.  Back at home for the first time in three weeks, the Devils will look at their schedule and see no bigger home game.
They will certainly be reminded of the game two years ago when the Panthers upset a Devil team that would reach the state finals.  With Griffith 1,000-yard rusher Ed Johnson missing from action  (suspended until week six), Lowell has the superior weapons and speed.  Junior QB Calvin Bonewits (6-1, 155) has halfback Shawn Galina (5-7, 165) and they can run behind big Kyle Smith (6-5, 258)  but they have an unofficial 10 fumbles in three games.

Lowell will be challenged for a half.  The game may be tied after two periods.  But the Devils backfield of Ray Skamay, Nate Cleveland and Brandon Grubbe should spark another 300-yard rushing night.  Lowell will score three unanswered TDs in the second half to win going away.  I don't think we've seen the best of the Red Devils, especially defensively, and we'll see it Friday.

LOWELL 34, Griffith  14

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