Preview: 5A No. 11 Portage (4-0, 2-0) at

5A No. 14 CROWN POINT (4-0, 2-0)

Friday,  Sept. 20, 2002  at Crown Point

Game Time:   7:00 p.m.
Tickets:  $5
Weather:  Low 60s, windy
Radio-TV:  WYIN-TV Channel 56 Friday changed their schedule to broadcast this game Friday night (tape delay) at 10 p.m.  There is no live radio for this game.

Parking:    Not nearly enough for a game like this. You need to be at Crown Point at 6:00 p.m. if you want to park in the lot.

History:    Portage beat Crown Point 47-0 last year.  While Crown Point leads the series 18-16, Portage has won 9 of the last 10.

CROWN POINT:    This will be the biggest home game of the season in Crown Point as the Bulldogs take their shot at the region's largest school.  The Bulldogs' 47-0 loss at Portage last season was the low point of the season and CP may be reminded of that this week.

Portage comes in with left-handed first year quarterback Adam Hasiak (73 of 115, 841 yards, 9 TDs) another in the long line of successful Portage signal-callers. Tight end Steve Vaught (6-1, 210) has caught 17 passes for 302 yards and he's the key, pulling the secondary to the center of the field and allowing fast boys like sophomore Milton Rivera (5-10, 155) to run the perimeter. Hasiak is also Portage's leading rusher but truthfully, you welcome a passing quarterback running because you get a shot at him.  Portage dares you to hit Hasiak if you can. He is very mobile.  For what it's worth, soph QB Jake Huston (6-1, 165) is very highly regarded. When a QB runs a lot in the Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC), the back-up quarterback eventually has to enter the game.

Dan Paulsen (6-1, 180) is a key two-way performer with 11 catches for 155 yards and two TDs. Paulsen , a safety, led Portage last season with 72 tackles. Frank Knez (6-2, 185) is also a solid pass catcher and linebacker and Kyle Sonaty (6-2, 180) also is reliable. At times, all five of the receivers I've mentioned will be in the game. And Portage often goes without a huddle.

The Indians' defense has allowed only two TDs all season, shutting out East Chicago 38-0, Lake Central 31-0 and Hobart 27-0. Portage was tied 14-14 at the half last week with Merrillville, but won 27-14.  Portage has 12 interceptions  and their secondary is very experienced with Paulsen (4 interceptions) Joey Montoleone (6-1, 175) and Chuck Severs (5-8, 160).  The next touchdown pass against Portage this season will be the first.  Ryan Wring (6-0, 230), a three-year starter, is an all-area player on the defensive line.  The Indians aren't overly big but they are very quick and aggressive defensively. Coach Craig Buzea is an old Griffith player and they emphasize quickness and strength over size.  No one has rushed for 100 yards against them as of yet.  You can overpower them once in a while but it's hard to run wide.  They have yet to face a true power running team.

Crown Point may go back to their preseason plan of running tailback Dave Swenson (6-2, 221) behind fullback Troy Bush (6-1, 215) in this game.  The Bulldogs need to accumulate first downs almost as much as touchdowns because Portage (31 points per game) will eventually outscore them if they don't.

CP's Bobby Rutherford (38 carries - 359 yards - 3 TDs, 13 catches - 260 yards - 5 TDs) had a leg problem last week but he should be close to full strength this Friday.  Portage may have trouble with 6-foot-4, 235-pound Sean O'Drobinak (9 catches- 138 yards) but the Bulldogs need a third receiver to be a factor in this game.  Look for the ball to go to junior Adam Miller.

Portage has been getting less than 30 yards a punt so they don't want to exchange with all-area CP senior Chris Kutanovski (34.9).

Crown Point will have to use five defensive backs on most downs so lineman like Sean O'Drobinak, Dave Swenson and Riste Jakimoski have to be physically ready to rush the passer all night.

What do you do against the 'west coast offense', which is five linemen, one back and four wide receivers?

I've seen teams use a 3-4-4 alignment, three linemen, four linebackers, two cornerbacks and two safeties which crates a question in the offensive line about which of the eight perimeter people will be blitzing on which play. I've also seen a 4-1-6, allowing for man-to-man coverage (the linebacker takes a slower receiver) and a two-deep safety set.  Gambling teams will also blitz the cornerbacks to the back of the left-handed QB. He can't see the blitzer coming and a cornerback blitz is very difficult for the halfback (usually 140-pound Paul Reed) to pick up.  I've seen teams occasionally rush three and blitz both corners against the west coast set.  There's no way to block that.  You've got to do something because this offense destroys conventional defenses.  And you've got to make up your mind and stick with it because Portage's no-huddle offense does not allow the defense to substitute for different situations.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN:  Crown Point will go the route of five and six defensive backs on first down to try to force Portage to run. Adam Hasiak will hurt them with QB draw plays and rollout runs but he will take some hits and the Bulldogs will be in the game at halftime.  I think the Bulldogs will be able to run between the tackles (I'm not sure anybody with big backs has tried against Portage as of yet) and gain some key first half first downs.  That will open up Matt Cowan on the option and he could gain 100 yards in this game.

CP's inexperience and lack of depth in the secondary will lead to three touchdown passes for Hasiak and while CP will not be blown out, they will need three or four turnovers (Portage has 6 turnovers all year) to pull the upset in front of a sellout crowd. That's not impossible but Crown Point must play at an absolute peak and they've been shaky the last two weeks.


Portage  31,   CROWN POINT  17


DOG NOTES:  Crown Point's Troy Bush, who suffered a concussion last week, may be ready to go Friday at fullback and at linebacker.  Channel 56 (WYIN-TV) will tape-delay the game for TV at 10 p.m. and make no mistake, if CP was not 4-0, this game would not be on.  At this point, no other CP games are scheduled for TV.  Crown Point's crowd may figure in this showdown game. CP's field is close to the home stands and QB Adam Hasiak calls signals at the line in the no huddle attack. The Bulldog fans can make that very difficult.  

The Crown Point statistic sheet

Rushing

Bobby Rutherford  38 carries, 359 yards (9.4)  3 TDs
Matt Cowan  41 carries, 235 yards (5.7)  2 TDs
Dave Swenson  19 carries, 76 yards (4.2)  1 TD
Chris Kutanovski  8 carries, 27 yards (3.4)  1  TD

Receiving

Bobby Rutherford  13 catches, 260 yards (20.0)  5 TDs
Sean O'Drobinak  9 catches - 138 yards, (15.3)  2 TDs
Chris Sprehe  1 catch - 21 yards

Passing

Matt Cowan  25 of 49 (51.0%), 451 yards, 7 TDs, 1 INT

Tackles

Chris Kutanovski  49 tackles  (4 for losses)
Troy Bush  35 tackles  (1 for loss)
Bobby Rutherford  34 tackles  
Brad Wilson  27 tackles  (2 sacks)  
Chris Sprehe  19 tackles  (4 interceptions)
Eric Gulbrandsen  17 tackles  (2 sacks - 2 interceptions)
Sean O'Drobinak  14 tackles  (4 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries)