Week 12 Picks:  2003 NW Indiana High School Football

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

WEEK ELEVEN (11) ANALYSIS:  Almost everything went as expected. Winamac over Rensselaer was an upset pick and obviously, Rensselaer has received from getting smoked the final 2 weeks of the regular season. The 36 points East Noble gave up feeds suspicion that they might be overrated at No. 1 in the state. Plymouth has only scored 17 points in two playoff games. They are lucky to still be alive. Penn is allowing too many points.

2002 Regular season (9 weeks) 85 of 109,  77.9%
2002 Playoffs:   78 of 106,  73.5%
Final 2002 (15 weeks) 163 of 215, 75.9%

2003 (Week one) 8 of 12, 66.7%
2003 (Week two) 9 of 12, 75%
2003 (Week three)  6 of 12,  50%
2003 (Week four) 12 of 12, 100%
2003 (Week five) 9 of 12, 75%
2003  (Week six) 7 of 11, 63.6%

2003 (Week seven) 6 of 10, 60%
2003 (Week eight) 8 of 10, 80%
2003 Week nine)  8 of 10, 80%
2003 (Week 10)  20 of 24, 83.3%
2003 (Week 11) 13 of 14, 92.8%
2003 Season: 106 of 139, 76.2%

WEEK TWELVE (12): Nov. 7, 2003

There are usually surprises this week because most games are rematches (Hobart-Lowell, Portage-Merrillville, Carmel SE, Judson -Rensselaer) and teams adjust. 4A is somewhat predictable with two losing teams still alive in the northern half of the bracket.

1A  Sectional 33

LaVille (8-3)  28,  West Central (8-3) 21
Two high scoring teams should produce a high scoring game. LaVille is going for back-to-back titles. West Central lost 14-13 to 2-8 Frontier. How?

1A  Sectional 34

Adams Central (9-2) 28, Southwood (5-6) 14
Stay away from this one you sick, addicted gamblers. Southwood lost most players off a state title team from 2002. They might be better than their record, but they did lose to 3-7 Manchester by a 40-30 score.

2A  Sectional 25

North Judson (7-4)  22, Rensselaer (7-4)   20
Long time rivals go head-to-head for the second time. Judson won the first match 14-0 at home but this one is on the road. Rensselaer has more than one injured player back in action but this is too much to ask. Judson is consistently underestimated but they are a miniature Griffith.

2A  Sectional 26

Jimtown (10-1) 27, Garrett (10-1) 7
A major confrontation. Garrett's only loss was 7-0 in overtime to Central Noble (10-1). Jimtown's only loss was to Class 4A Concord. The Jimmies have five shutouts and Garrett can't deal with the running attack.

3A  Sectional 17

ANDREAN (11-0) 34, Griffith (7-4) 21
In most of the Northwest Indiana rematches this season, the team that won the first game also won the second match. Jack Kosinski should get 100 yards, but this game will quickly turn into a shootout and I just can't see the Panthers defending Andrean's passing attack.

3A  Sectional 18

Twin Lakes (11-0) 35, Hamilton Heights (9-2)  28
Twin Lakes QB Abe Winkle has 37 touchdown passes but Hamilton, which has won 20 of their last 24,  has a seven-game winning streak including four shutouts. This game should be close at the end.

4A  Sectional 9

LOWELL (10-1) 38, Hobart (5-6) 17
Hobart scored a season-high 44 points last week, but Lowell is a very good home team. The Devils are gaining in confidence and they have the number one asset, team speed, that Hobart lacks.

4A  Sectional 10

East Noble (11-0) 28, Plymouth (7-4) 10
Earlier, you might have said that Plymouth wins this one at home, but I'm not sure just who is playing for them now. There's been internal problems. The strength of schedule of East Noble in in the top 50 state-wide. The top-ranked team rolls on.

4A  Sectional 11

Bishop Dwenger (6-5) 28, Columbia City (7-4) 14
I have some doubts about Columbia City after a 23-14 win over Bellmont (5-6) last week. But Dwenger is acting funny as well. They lost 27-23 to Elmhurst on opening night and then beat them 56-19 in the playoffs. All of Dwenger's losses came inside the Summit Athletic Conference.

4A  Sectional 12

Muncie Central (10-1) 42,  Muncie South  (4-7) 12
I don't know how Muncie South got here. They have not beaten anyone with a winning record and Central has lost only to 5A power Jefferson (10-1). Central is a very intriguing team. They were 12-1 last season. But they give up a lot of points.  Lowell may want this tape.

5A  Sectional 4

Carmel (7-3) 21, Hamilton Southeastern (8-3) 16
Carmel won the first meeting 27-21 in August, but Southeastern just took out unbeaten Jefferson 16-14. Southeastern is very big physically but Carmel has played a brutal schedule, losing only to Lawrence North, Center Grove and state champ Ben Davis (10-1).

5A  Sectional 3

Snider (10-1) 49, Homestead (8-3) 14
In the game Snider lost, the 2003 season opener, they scored 45 points, losing 55-45. They are undefeated from that day on. Snider has pushed across an obscene 517 points in 11 games (48.0) playing in a tough league. Homestead lost to 5-5 Warsaw and 6-4 Carroll. Bad weather could even the score but Homestead is over their head. Snider is 23-2 in the last 2 seasons and they have rushed for 3,000 yards.

5A  Sectional 2

Penn (10-1)   27,  Elkhart Memorial  (11-0)  12
Memorial has allowed only 65 points all season. Penn has allowed 165 points, which is high for them. But Memorial has never reached this point undefeated. A senior-dominated team without a big offense, they might be in serious trouble here quickly.

5A  Sectional 1

Portage (10-1) 24, MERRILLVILLE (7-4) 10
Portage's Antoine Brown, a transfer from Merrillville, tries to go over the 2,000-yard mark against his old school. The Pirates' defense has come around in the late going and Brandon Mosely, the Pirates 1,000-yard back, can help control the clock. Portage is too experienced to lose here.

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Revised: June 08, 2004 .