Game
time: 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $5
Radio-TV: WYIN-TV Channel 56
Friday night: 10 p.m. - tape delay
Parking: At Griffith? Come on. Griffith does not have enough parking for
the popular football team that they are. Many walk to Panther games because the
school is in a neighborhood but Lowell's traditional following will overflow the
lot. Get here by 6:15 if you want to park on school grounds.
GRIFFITH: The Panthers' 'gang of 3', running backs Derrick Duffy 6-1,
187), Jack Kosinski (5-11, 191) and David Martin III (5-11, 185) give QB
Brad McFarlane (6-1, 181) a triple option or backfield buddies. Duffy,
a 1400-yard rusher from 2001, is the first option and the key for every defense.
Kosinski (47 carries, 441 yards) and David Martin III (49 carries, 400 yards)
are productive and powerful players.
The Griffith defense held Munster to just 39 yards rushing last week but four other teams rolled up over 250 total yards. Defensive lineman Kyle Garibay (6-1, 195) and Robert Wagman (6-1, 175) are not big but they're quick. Linebackers Sonny Kierta (5-9, 181) and Nick Choate (5-11, 215) key on stopping the run. The Panthers held Lowell to just 10 points combined in two games last year.
Passing?
No. Griffith has completed only 10 of 28 passes all year.
The Panthers have run two kickoffs back for TDs this season and Jack Kosinski
has three TDs of 70 yards or more.
Lowell has an elite junior halfback in 5-9, 180-pound Justin Henley (90 carries, 692 yards) and one of the top sophomore players in northwest Indiana in fullback Toby Goetz (5-11, 198), who has 350 yards on 48 carries.
Passing:
These two teams have less of an Air Force than Iraq does. Lowell's Chuck
Thompson has completed only 9 of 23, for 160 yards, 5 TDs and 4 INTs.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN: This game won't take very long. You're out
of here by 9 p.m. These teams believe in the run. They live with it and
they'll die with it and, in truth, both teams have lived pretty well over the
past 10 years with a lot more winning seasons than losing ones. Griffith
appeared too physically strong for Lowell last year and, if that's the case, the
Panthers win this game decisively. The Panthers have lost 26-23 in
overtime to Andrean and 10-0 to Hobart, both games they should've won. Lowell,
a younger team, is going to give up some breakout runs to Duffy, the fullback.
The only team that lined up and ran at Lowell with power was Crown Point and
they rushed for 235 yards. The Panthers will have problems with the straight
ahead power of Goetz and the green grass speed of Henley, a duo that compliment
each other very well.
Lowell has fumbled the ball 13 times this year and that is unacceptable for the type of offense they have. Griffith is just as bad. They've lost 10 fumbles. These two suspects cannot become sectional title contenders unless they cut the number of turnovers. I like Lowell trying maybe 10 passes against Griffith to loosen their defense. Here's the logic. Griffith does not see a great passing offense in practice and they faced two run-oriented offenses the last two weeks in Mishawaka (Marian) and Munster. Traditionally, you can hit the tight end against Griffith if you set it up with a half dozen runs in a row. Goetz is an unknown quantity as a pass catcher. We may find out in this game.
I like Lowell to be even at 7-7 or 10-10 at the half but the Panthers will break a couple of big runs, probably by Duffy to pull away in the second half. Griffith has more experience and physical strength and I still see them as the sectional favorite. That's the caliber running game they have. Their true record is 3-1-1 and the loss to Hobart was a fluke.
Unless Lowell can force 3 or 4 Griffith fumbles, the Panthers will win by a presentable score.
GRIFFITH 28, LOWELL 17
Here's a quick look back at the last six meetings between these two teams:
NOV. 2 . 2001 (4A Sectional championship game)
LOWELL: A hard-hitting battle between 10-1 Griffith and 5-6 Lowell was almost one of Lowell greatest upsets. Derrick Duffy, who had run for 311 yards in a regular season rout at Lowell, was held to 96 yards. Lowell, with several injuries, could muster just 69 total yards but led 7-0 at the half. Paul Worley's first career field goal won the game 10-7 with 6:50 to play. But, if Justin Henley hadn't been caught from behind on a 55-yard kickoff return seconds later, Lowell would've won.
SEPT. 21. 2001
LOWELL: Derrick Duffy rolled up 311 yards on 14 carries as the Panthers routed Lowell 42-3 in Lowell in a game that the Red Devils have not forgotten. Duffy ran 65 yards for a TD on the second play of the game, it was 21-0 after one quarter and the Red Devils were embarrassed, punting 11 times.
SEPT. 22, 2000
GRIFFITH: A classic game matching two undefeated (5-0) teams in front of a sellout crowd. Lowell's two-time 1,000-yard rusher Mike French ran 22 times for 220 yards and three TDs, but Michael Pettigrew's 39-yard run put Griffith ahead 36-33 with 10 minutes to play. But Lowell's Keith Powers picked up a fumble and ran 39 yards for the game-winning TD with 4:29 left to give the Red Devils a 39-36 win. Griffith gained only 266 yards rushing while Lowell rushed for 292. But Lowell did not fumble in the game and that was the difference. Oddly, neither team won the sectional title. Hammond beat them both.
NOV. 5. 1999 (4A Sectional championship game)
LOWELL:
Lowell, playing without all-state linebacker (and state champion wrestler Marcus
Schontube), built a 17-0 lead and held on in front of a roaring home crowd to
beat their arch-rival 17-14.
Shawn Medsker scored two fourth quarter TDs and the Panthers outgained Lowell
251-205. Offensive lineman Derek Curtis was the hero, filling in at linebacker
and making 14 tackles. The fact that Griffith was such a run-oriented team, made
the task easier for Curtis, who was a factor in stopping Griffith great Tyler
Radtke, a 1,000-yard rusher. Schontube returned against pass-happy McCutcheon
the next week and Lowell won the regional title 38-20.
SEPT 24, 1999
LOWELL: Lowell rolled up a 14-0 first quarter lead and staved off a second half rally to beat the Panthers 21-14 in a hard fought battle. Senior QB Joe O'Connell scored on a 14-yard run in the final period to break a 14-14 tie in front of a sellout crowd on Route 2. Griffith outgained Lowell 261-226 but again, Lowell did not fumble in the game.
SEPT. 26, 1998
GRIFFITH:
Griffith rolled up 441 yards rushing and 26 first downs to reject the
unusually diversified Devils 42-21. Lowell's Joe O'Connell hit 13-of-34
passes for 198 yards but Tyler Radtke keyed the Panther triple option and Justin
Newell scored twice for the Panthers. The 34 passes is the most Lowell has ever
thrown in any game in coach Kirk Kennedy's 12 years.