Preview:  East Chicago (0-2)

                at LOWELL  (1-1)

Friday, Sept. 6, 2002  -   7 p.m.

TICKETS:     $5  (please note new price this season)
Radio-TV:  None
WEATHER:  Uncomfortable, upper 70s

Parking:  Plenty, East Chicago has few football fans

HISTORY: There is very little. While Lowell sure played East Chicago Roosevelt and Washington, until last year, the Red Devils did not play East Chicago Central, the school that was created when Washington and Roosevelt consolidated in 1985.

Last year, East Chicago beat Lowell 34-24 in one of the wilder games of the year. The Cardinals Sammy Daniels returned the opening kickoff 88 yards for a TD and EC led 13-0. Lowell rallied to cut the lead to 13-10 before 66 and 73-yard runs by now-graduated Jon Woods upped the count to 27-10. Lowell rallied to 27-24 before Woods iced the game with a 36-yard run.

LOWELL:   I was surprised at how poorly East Chicago played last week. The Cards seemed not to care about tackling as Crown Point rolled up 28 first quarter points last Friday night in CP's 49-21 rout. Something is wrong at EC and they must address it this week.

Another blowout loss and the season is over for them so I think they'll respond by showing some pride. Portage beat EC 38-0 and Portage is only about 21 points better than the Cardinals.

East Chicago must get the ball to Jamaal Garrett, the 5-foot-10, 200-pound wide receiver. Garrett caught seven passes against Crown Point for 122 yards.  What happen if they throw him 15 passes and hand him the ball five other times? That could happen against Lowell. Hammond learned last year that to put a dominating game-breaker at wide receiver is a blueprint for losing if you can't get him the ball.  I'd line Garret up in the slot and give him the ball with the option of running or throwing. When you've been outscored 87-21, you don't have much to lose.

Quarterback Willie Frazier, a 6-foot-4 senior, is also a better wide receiver than he is a passer. The Cardinals should put Jamie Stewart (6-3, 170) at quarterback and live with it. They cannot line up tailback Sammy Daniels (5-8, 170) and fullback Jeremy Kelly (5-8,180) and run consistently because of an inexperienced offensive line. The Cardinals need to open things all the way up this Friday and attack Lowell's perceived (although it hasn't shown up yet) weakness, their defensive secondary. I'd throw 30-40 times. There's no way guys like Justin Henley and John Huseman can guard Garrett and Frazier.

But Crown Point ran for 249 yards on East Chicago and Lowell's strength is running Henley, QB Chuck Thompson and sophomore Toby Goetz behind a good-sized and improving offensive line.  Lowell's runners are too quick and strong for EC to stuff them all night. And in the heat, the Cardinals defenders will wear down.

This game should be a track meet.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN?  Lowell will jump to a big lead early, maybe 14-0 on a long drive and a turnover or blocked punt. The Cardinals will rally when Garrett or Daniels breaks a long one but Lowell will lead 17-7 or 14-7 at the half.  Jim Jeffries will catch some key passes early against an overplaying (against the run) EC secondary but the Devils can run straight ahead on this team.

The Cardinals will rally in the third quarter and may even take a brief lead as their passing opens up quick runs by Daniels and Kelly.  The Red Devil crowd will get into a game and exchanges of possession will gain yards for the home team.  Finally, Lowell will wear down the tiring Cardinal  lines for a couple of rushing TDs in the fourth quarter. The Red Devils will rush for 300 yards but EC won't give up this time and they'll have a chance to win in the final two minutes.


                   LOWELL  -   33,   East Chicago  - 31


DEVIL NOTES: There was a chance that sophomore fullback Randy Lukasik would not play. Randy was to have a balky knee and a bad foot examined this week.  Lukasik may look at the EC defensive line and postpone any medical treatment until after this game.

Watch for Lowell to use junior Ed Overdorf (5-11, 150) as a pass receiver in this game.  The Lowell Little League baseball star is virtually unknown to the Cardinals (you don't usually pay attention to fourth quarter mop-up time and that's the only time Overdorf has played) and they won't pay him any special attention.

East Chicago averaged 19 yards on three punts last week and lost 90 yards on nine penalties.

Lowell's playing field seems especially fast this season. Red Devil turf, in past years, has been damp and slippery on dry days but that was not the case last week. Lowell has a touch more speed than they've had in recent years and they will be hurt on wet, slippery playing surfaces.