Week 15 -  Football Game of the Week Preview

4A State Championship Game: No. 4 Evansville Reitz (14-0) vs. No. 7 Lowell (13-1) at Lucas Oil Stadium

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith
11-24-2009
 
 

Jordan Juarez (7) has 28 tackles and three interceptions in five playoff games and he' s also rushed 31 times for 192 yards.  He'll start at linebacker in Saturday's state championship game. (Photo by Mark Smith)

When:  2:30 p.m., CST (3:30 p.m., EST) on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009

Where: Lucas Oil Stadium - 500 South Capitol - downtown Indianapolis

TV/Radio/Internet:  WWCA (1270) FM, WGVE (88.5) FM, WZVN (107.1) FM, WLQI (97.7) FM
Note:  WGVE (88.5) will also carry Friday's 6:00 p.m. game matching Monrovia and Bishop Luers.  WZVN (107.1) will also carry Carmel-Warren Central.
Live-TV:  Comcast Digital Cable Channel 114 (all 5 games); (You can watch video highlights of last week's game at RegionSports.com)

Tickets: $15
Note that the price goes up AGAIN for the state finals.  But your ticket for Saturday allows you to see three games if you wish to.  I would suggest that if you have never seen the Lucas Oil Stadium that you should go see it.  I'm intrigued by the giant window that faces downtown Indianapolis through the north end of the building.  The Lucas Oil Stadium has two giant TV screens (97-by-53 feet) at the northwest and southeast corners of the building.  You might want to warn small children since silly-looking 50-foot animated creatures can pop up at any time.  You may end up sitting a long way from the field, but you can't sit where you can't see a TV screen.  Behave yourself at the concession and souvenir stands.  You can spend your life away buying high-priced Indianapolis Colts nick-knacks.  There's more than one reason the Indianapolis Colts agreed to sponsor the state tournament this year one of them is: That Colts' gear they sell is pure profit and they'd like you to pick up a few $20 items for your boys and girls.  Great stocking stuffers.  They'll take any credit card you have all day long.

Enrollment:  Evansville Reitz - 1,345; LOWELL - 4A enrollment - 1,224
 

WEATHER:  A little snow Friday.  Partly sunny and upper 30s Saturday.  But who cares?  The $720 million Lucas Oil Stadium has a retractable roof which they had better have closed Saturday.  One oddity is that, with the giant window, if it is a sunny day (that is NOT the forecast) light can shine onto the playoff field and affect the fielding of punts and passes.

PARKING:  No problem if you've got money.  Obviously, one of the reasons they have state championships in Indianapolis is so we can show up and spend our money.  You will be charged to park.  Maybe $10.  You can park in the downtown area five or six blocks north of the stadium for free, and if it's a warm day, that's an enjoyable stroll.  If it's not a warm day, pay the money.  Downtown Indianapolis is pretty safe, but you'll be leaving the game after dark and you don't want to be walking 10 blocks.
 

 

WHAT's AT STAKE:  For Reitz, it would be their second state title in three years, recalling Reitz domination of the pre-state tourney days.  Since they dropped from 5A to 4A, Reitz has become a state power again.  This would be Lowell's second state title in four years, the most of any Northwest Indiana school (except for Hobart) in the 37 years of the state tournament.  This is Lowell's third state finals appearance in five years.  Only Hobart and Andrean have done that.  Reitz is also the fifth Top-10 team Lowell has faced in the post-season.  I am certain that no Northwest Indiana team has ever defeated five Top-10 teams in the post season.  I cannot determine whether anyone in the state of Indiana has done so, but that is highly unlikely.

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2009 State Football Finals

Class 1A
No. 1 Lafayette Catholic (14-0) vs. Fountain Central (14-0) Friday - 3:30 p.m. (CDT)

Class 2A
No. 2 Monrovia (14-0) vs. (Fort Wayne) Bishop Luers (9-5) Friday - 6 p.m.

Class 3A
No. 9 (Evansville) Reitz Memorial (11-3) vs. No. 1 West Lafayette (13-0) Saturday - 11 a.m.
 

Class 4A
No. 7 LOWELL (13-1) vs. No. 4 (Evansville) FJ Reitz (14-0) Saturday - 2:30 p.m.
 

Class 5A
No. 1 Carmel (13-1) vs. No. 3 Warren Central (12-2) Saturday - 6 p.m..


-- All games at the Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis --

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FAST FOOTBALL FACT:  Francis Joseph Reitz donated the money for what would become Reitz High School in 1919.  Evansville Reitz and Evansville Memorial, which faces West Lafayette in Saturday's 3A title game, are obviously two different schools, even though the full name of Memorial is listed as "Reitz Memorial High School."  Mr. Reitz paid $900,000 to construct Memorial in the 1940s.  Memorial is a private school.  FJ Reitz is a public school.  Both schools in the same city are named after the same person and FJ Reitz may be the only person in the United States who had that distinction.
 

The HISTORY:

EVANSVILLE:  Reitz is 58-8 the last five years and they play in one of the state's great football stadiums, the 90-year old, 10,000-seat Reitz Bowl, which they share with Evansville Mater Dei.  The big move that Reitz made a couple of years ago was when they dropped in enrollment and became a Class 4A school.  Reitz won 5A sectional championships in 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2006, but they never won a regional until 2007.

 

Reitz, which is about 250 miles from Lowell, is the second oldest school in Evansville and was built on the city's west side as an alternative to Evansville Central, which is the oldest high school west of the Allegheny mountains, dating back to 1854.  Reitz was originally to have been called Evansville West Side.  But when they ran short of money, FJ Reitz, who made his fortune in the lumber business, donated the needed funds to complete the school.  Reitz originally had far more students than it does now.  Their tradition prior to the state tournament began in 1973 is greater than their performance has been since that time.  At least publicly, Reitz people seem to be a little sensitive to that point.

 

In reading about Reitz and Memorial football in the present day, a common thread runs through their pre- and post-game comments.  Just like almost every other team in the state every year, 'nobody gives them any credit'. 'Nobody believes in them'. 'Nobody thinks they can win but them'.  I doubt that even THEY believe those 'talking points', but it just proves that even the best teams are afraid to be the favorite and use the motivational 'disrespect card'.  Teams with records and tradition like Reitz should stop trying to be the 'victim'.  Lowell used to play the disrespect card in the 90s, but they have thankfully stopped.  Now that they've won seven sectionals in a row, nobody would listen to it anyway.

The 'Reitz Bowl.' which sits up against the school, is one of the classic high school stadiums in the nation.  Built by someone with a ton of foresight at a time (the post World War I era) when high school football was not very popular, the stadium is a landmark for Indiana high school sports.  In the early 60s, when Reitz was undefeated for three years (1960-62) in a row, the bowl was filled every Friday night and Evansville was the center of the Hoosier prep football world at the height of Indiana basketball's popularity.

 

The field has been upgraded more than once and now has artificial turf.  It was reported that anywhere from 10-12,000 saw Reitz beat Cathedral and, if that's true, then more people watch football in person in southwest Indiana than in Northwest Indiana.

This Saturday should be a great day for Reitz and Memorial, which is taking on 3A No. 1 West Lafayette in the 3A title game Saturday.  It's very rare that the same area plays back-to-back at the finals and it's the perfect situation for fans.  I would expect that Evansville will have more fans in the Lucas Oil Stadium than any other team or area.  If Memorial upsets West Lafayette, the pro-Evansville crowd should be in a loud and proud mood when the Panthers take the field against Lowell.  There may be a mass exodus after the 4A game because the 5A final is a rematch of Warren Central and Carmel.  Nobody from Evansville or Lowell cares about those schools.  They'll all be on the highway by the time they start the second quarter.

This game also features as vivid a contrast of styles as you can get.  Lowell plays the old school, 1960s rushing style of football that, frankly, works when the temperatures are in the mid-30s and you're playing in a storm on a sea of mud.  Over 250-miles to the south, Reitz plays the 21st Century three wide receiver, no fullback college football style that works indoors and in somewhat warmer weather.

 

There may be a conceptual reason that Lowell stops the spread offense teams in northern Indiana and it could also be more than a snapshot that spread offense teams Reitz and Memorial have beaten run-oriented Cathedral and Chatard the past couple of years.  So, this is set up to be a very big day for Evansville youth football.  Lowell's going to have to play very well to stop the party.

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Final 2009 Class 4A Top-10 Associated Press

1. (Indianapolis) Cathedral (13-1) ++
2. (Fort Wayne) Bishop Dwenger (13-1) **
3. Jasper (11-1) ++
4. (Evansville) Reitz Memorial (13-1) @
5. Delta (12-1)
6. Plymouth (9-1) **
7. LOWELL (13-1) @
8. (Fort Wayne) South (8-2)
9. (South Bend) Washington (8-3) **
10. Morton (11-2) **

@ teams still playing
++ team eliminated by Reitz
** teams eliminated by Lowell


4A No. 4 (Evansville) Reitz
Coach: Coach: Tony Lewis (23-2) (2 seasons)
Enrollment: 1,345
2008 record: 9-2*
Sectional titles (12) including 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2009
Regional titles: (5) including 1977, 1992, 2001, 2007 and 2009
Semistate titles: (2) including 2007 and 2009
State titles: (1) 2007
*lost 4A Sectional 14 quarterfinal 38-35 at Jasper

(Evansville) Reitz (14-0)
8-21 (W) 27-0 Henderson County, Kentucky (9-4)
8-29 (W) 14-2 at Daviess County, Kentucky (4-7)
9-4 (W) 49-7 at Evansville Harrison (0-10)
9-11 (W) 28-14 Evansville Memorial (11-3)
9-18 (W) 42-7 at Castle (8-4)
9-25 (W) 55-7 at Evansville Central (6-5)
10-2 (W) 35-6 at Evansville North (3-7)
10-9 (W) 45-27 Evansville Bosse (3-8)
10-16 (W) 59-0 Evansville Mater Dei (7-6)

Class 4A Sectional 16
10-23 (W) 35-0 Seymour (4-6)
10-30 (W) 35-7 at Evansville Central (6-5)
11-6 (W) 42-6 Jasper (11-1)

Class 4A Regional
11-13 (W) 52-28 at East Central (6-5)

Class 4A Southern Semistate
11-20 (W) 31-10 Cathedral (12-2)

Class 4A State Championship
11-28 (S) vs. LOWELL (13-1) - 2:30 p.m.
 

4A No. 7 LOWELL
Coach: Kirk Kennedy (151-69 years) 19 years
Enrollment: 1,224
2008 record: 13-1*
Sectional titles: (10) 1992, 1994, 1999, 2003-2009
Regional titles: (6) 1994, 1999, 2005, 2007- 08-’09
Semistate titles: (2) 2005, 2007
State titles: (1) 2005
*Lost 4A Semistate 38-22 at Bishop Dwenger in 2008

LOWELL Red Devils (12-1)
8-21 (W) 19-0 Crown Point (3-7)
8-28 (W) 34-25 at Morton (11-2)
9-4 (W) 40-13 at Kankakee Valley (3-7)
9-11 (W) 35-19 Griffith (6-5)
9-18 (W) 42-0 Highland (1-9)
9-25 (W) 35-0 at Hobart (4-7)
10-2 (W) 63-0 Hammond (6-5)
10-9 (L) 13-15 at Munster (7-3)
10-16 (W) 25-21 Andrean (9-4)

4A Sectional 10
10-23 (W) 14-6 at Plymouth (9-1)
10-30 (W) 24-7 (SB) Washington (8-3)
11-6 (W) 60-23 Concord (8-3)

Class 4A Regional
11-13 (W) 42-0 at Morton (11-2)

Class 4A Northern Semistate
11-21 (W) 24-21 Bishop Dwenger (13-1)

Class 4A State Championship
11-28 (S) vs. Evansville Reitz (14-0) - 2:30 p.m.

Indiana High School All-time Career Leading Rushers*
*according to the IHSAA
Name - School - Last season - Total yards
1. Otis Shannon Cathedral 2000 7,560
2. Nick Zachary Sheridan 2008 7,331
3. Brandon Robinson Heritage 1998 7,303
4. Luke Schmidt Jasper 2005 7,275
5. Darren Evans Warren Central 2006 7,220
6. Alex Smith Franklin County 1992 6,895
7. Brett Law Sheridan 1989 6,864
8. Dwight Brown Perry Central 2005 6,607
9. Tyler Gholston Floyd Central 2003 6,509
10. Chris Spillmann Owen Valley 2000 6,465

11. Seth Rainey Mount Vernon 2002 6,437
12. Josh Smith Attica 2000 6,392
13. Ricky Crider Evansville Reitz 2005 6,356
14. Kevin Cartwright Jasper 1995 6,355
15. Cory Jacquay New Haven 2001 6,318
16. Robbi Petre Clinton Central 2000 6,080
17. Bo Hundt Bremen 1992 6,031
18. Bryan Schroeder North Harrison 2006 6,003
19. Israel Thompson Martinsville 1996 5,977
20. Derrick Ellis Arlington 1999 5,859

21. Andrew Wolf East Central 1998 5,808
22. Pete Buchanan Plymouth 1977 5,772
23. Brandon Grubbe LOWELL 2009 5,749
24. Drew Leer Lakeland 2001 5,683
25. Travis Hollingsworth Western Boone 1990 5,662


NW Indiana All-time Leading Rushers

1. Brandon Grubbe - LOWELL - 2007-2009 - 5,749 yards
2. Mike Barsich - Whiting - 1991-1994 - 5,062
3. Paul Strabavy - Whiting - 1995-1998 - 5,024
4. Matt Handlon - Valpo - 1998-2000 - 4,600
5. Andrew Patten - Wheeler - 2002-2004 - 4,497
6. Tyler Radtke - Griffith -1999-2001 - 4,428
7. Airrence Shark - LaPorte - 2004-2007 - 4,215
8. Michael Pickett - LOWELL - 1992-1994 - 4,198


Lowell's Halfback Hall-of-Fame
1,000-yard rushers for Lowell since 1990
1. Scott Gray (2005) 323 carries, 2,336 yards
2. Michael Pickett (1994) 339 carries, 2,256 yards
3. Brandon Grubbe (2009) 373 carries, 2,243 yards
4. Toby Goetz (2004) 276 carries, 1,939 yards
5. Brandon Grubbe (2008) 316 caries, 1,831 yards
6. Matt Pernick (1996) 229 carries, 1,827 yards
7. Michael Pickett (1993) 273 carries, 1,687 yards
8. Brandon Grubbe (2007) 281 caries, 1,675 yards
9. Justin Henley (2002) 1467 carries, 1,552 yards
10. Justin Henley (2003) 227 carries, 1,413 yards
11. Mike French (2000) 220 carries, 1,382 yards
12. Matt Pernick (1995) 175 carries, 1,349 yards
13. Max Znika (2006) 224 carries, 1,302 yards
14. Mike French (1999) 226 carries, 1,280 yards
15. Sean Anderson (2001) 242 carries, 1.048 yards
16. Nick Holley (1997) 131 carries, 1,014 yards
17. Steffan Peck (2006) 198 carries, 995 yards
18. Chris Goult (1999) 156 carries, 949 yards

Reitz (14-0) Update...

EVANSVILLE:  The Panthers have one of the state's top offensive teams led by junior quarterback Matt McIntosh (6-1, 175) who has completed 133 of 202 passes for 2,057 yards and 24 TDs.  McIntosh, whose brother Paul quarterbacked the team that defeated Lowell 33-14 in the 2007 state title game, has run for 1,411 yards and 19 TDs.  The key there is obviously the offensive line, led by big senior center Mike Clem (6-4, 350).  Speedy Alorodo Bell (5-7, 180) is a big factor in Reitz' one-back offense with 1,042 yards and 16 TDs.

Reitz gets so many rushing yards because they spread your defense with three wide receivers on almost every play.  Morgan Jones (6-1, 180), Cuda Dimmett (6-1, 205) and Jeff Hudson (5-10, 185) don't have great numbers, but all are good.  Jones caught five passes for 158 yards last week in the 31-10 rout of top-ranked Cathedral.  No one has consistently stopped Reitz in the post-season.

Not No. 3 Jasper.  Not No. 1 Cathedral.

Defensively, all-state end Tony Ewers (6-2, 220) has 13 quarterbacks sacks and it's no fluke.  He had 17 sacks in 10 games in 2008.  Linebacker Brandon Kemp (6-2, 215) also gets your attention.  I don't know exactly what they consider a tackle at Reitz, but Kemp had 170 tackles after 13 games this season and Ewers had 177.  Nose tackle Jeff Fentress (6-0, 210) has been credited with 142 tackles and 9-1/2 sacks, while end Shane Woodget (6-3, 214) has 131 tackles and 9-1/2 sacks.  Those defensive numbers seem inflated.  But if they are accurate, it could mean the offense scores so fast their defense stays on the field a lot.

Reitz has not lost a home game since 2006 and they have won every single game this season by 12 points or more.  This senior class is 38-2 and the two losses were by five points or less.  This is a freight train that Lowell is stepping in front of Saturday.


LOWELL (13-1) Update...
 

LOWELL:  Lowell gave up 421 total yards to Bishop Dwenger last week and the 230 yards rushing by Dwenger's Remound Wright was a season-high against Lowell.  The Devils' pass defense seems to be improving with five interceptions in the last two weeks.  They have to get a couple of turnovers a game from these spread offense teams like Reitz.  Lowell plays an ever-changing umbrella of coverage responsibilities, but it all depends on the pass rush, which should be faster indoors on the artificial turf.  Lowell's best pass rush night (4 sacks) came at Morton this year and the Lucas Oil turf is similar to Morton's.

Brandon Grubbe (6-1, 195) showed a little fatigue playing both ways last week, but Jordan Juarez has proven he can step in on offense for a few plays.  This title match should be a long game.  I don't know the conditions inside the Lucas Stadium.  The old RCA Dome, at times, was very warm and players became a little dehydrated.  Judging from his play at Morton, expect junior receiver Cole Midgett to be a bigger factor on the fast artificial turf as well. 

Senior Lowell QB Ray Skamay is 43-of-123 for 699 yards and he may be more of a threat indoors throwing to tight end Joe Bell and wide receiver Cole Midgett.  Skamay handles the ball well.  Lowell has lost eight fumbles all season and they have thrown just seven interceptions all season.  That's about as good as you can get.

It's a good omen that this stadium is the home of the Indianapolis Colts, a relatively small, fast defensive team.  No one mimics that style more than Lowell and they should excel on this stage.

But two years ago, the Devils could not make Paul McIntosh (24 carries, 151 yards) pitch or throw the ball in Reitz' option offense.  It's an exaggeration, but McIntosh defeated Lowell by himself and his brother reportedly is a very similar player.  Lowell is small in the defensive secondary and everybody knows it.  But you've got to roll the quarterback out to get time to throw deep.

Four victories in five weeks over Top-10 teams is an incredible run for the Devils and Lowell has gained confidence defensively against spread offense QBs.  Reitz' McIntosh is going to have to be better than Concord star Anthony Yoder, Dwenger's Wade Markley or all the other star QBs Lowell has quieted.  Some Red Devil seniors vividly remember the 2007 Lowell-Reitz game, especially star running back Brandon Grubbe (36 TDs), who broke his arm on the final play of the first period two years ago.

Lowell's attack is patient and it is based on the run.  I can't tell you how many teams I've seen jump up and celebrate after they stopped the Lowell tailback on the first series.  The Red Devil offensive line only needs to pop Grubbe into the secondary three or four (out of 30) times and Lowell wins.  As easy as it may seem to stop Lowell, it's kinda like John Dillinger said in the movie 'Public Enemies'.

"I only have to be at one bank at the right time.  They (the police) have to cover all the banks, all the time."
 

No matter what situations arise in the state championship game, Grubbe is Public Enemy No. 1 for Reitz Saturday.


The Bottom Line...

SAGARIN RATINGS:  SAGARIN RATINGS: Reitz by 5 points.

Keep in mind, Dwenger is rated six points better than Lowell and Lowell just defeated them.  But the Sagarin ratings are much more accurate the longer the season goes.  Reitz has defeated the No. 1 and No. 3 teams in 4A and neither game was close at all.  Lowell has defeated four Class 4A Top-10 schools. but they barely survived against No. 2 Dwenger.  And Reitz didn't lose to Munster.

INDIANAPOLIS:  Reitz wants you to get into a shootout with them and Lowell, obviously, never plays that way.  I like the Devils to score first on a run by Ray Skamay after a couple of scoreless possessions.  The Devils' confidence will soar if they stop Reitz on the first series because that didn't happen two years ago.  Reitz will move the ball, but Lowell will force the gains to be passing and not running.  McIntosh will throw two TDs to Morgan Jones, but he will be held to one TD and under 100 yards rushing.

The key to stopping a 3 wide receiver attack, strange as it may seem, is to stop the QB and make him throw the ball.  As the game goes on Brandon Grubbe and Cole Midgett, who will have a big day on the fake grass, will begin to gain yardage.  A key play will be a pass from Skamay to Grubbe, lining up in the slot.  The Devils, while they are quick, don't have the speed to stop Reitz indoors on the artificial turf.  Reitz will gain 350-400 yards, but more of it will be passing yards than rushing yards.  Lowell will get 10-15 incomplete passes which will give the Devils a time of possession victory and a chance to wear on the Panther defense.
 

Lowell was embarrassed by Reitz two years ago and they haven't forgotten.  I don't think either side is as good as they were two years ago, but Lowell is more schooled.  They've seen the spread for four weeks now.  Watch for an interception by Midgett that seals the upset win.  If Lowell defeated Concord and Dwenger, they can beat Reitz.  And if they get three turnovers, they will.

LOWELL 30, (Evansville) Reitz 24