Week 2 NW Indiana HS Football Picks

'Mr. Picker' WEEK 1, 2010 Football Picks in Review: Wrong - 4; Right - 8 = 66.7%
The Pick	The Result
EAST CHICAGO 40, HAMMOND 20	East Chicago 45-26
RIVER FOREST 26, LEW WALLACE 8	River Forest 40-14
SOUTH NEWTON 28, NORTH NEWTON 7	WRONG... North Newton 41-12
MORTON 34, GRIFFITH 14	Morton 28-27
ANDREAN 27, BISHOP NOLL 0	Andrean 68-25
HIGHLAND 14, WHEELER 13	WRONG... Wheeler 32-29
WARREN CENTRAL 42, MERRILLVILLE 14	Warren Central 49-14
PORTAGE 35, MARIAN 21	Portage 27-2
LAKE CENTRAL 26, MUNSTER 14	WRONG... Munster 17-7
CROWN POINT 24, LOWELL 21	Crown Point 37-6
RENSSELAER 20, KANKAKEE VALLEY 13	Rensselaer 48-6
PENN 27, VALPARAISO 14	WRONG... Valparaiso 10-7

2010, Week-1: 8 of 12 = 66.7%

Mr. Picker (Through the Years)
2009 (final) OVERALL: 154 of 212 = 72.6%
2008 (final) OVERALL: 145 of 193 = 75.1%
2007 (final) OVERALL: 143 of 188 = 76.0%
2006 (final) OVERALL: 166 of 217 = 76.4%
2005 (final) OVERALL: 170 of 233 = 72.9%

WEEK ONE (1) Analysis: Not a lot of big surprises in what usually is the toughest week of the year to predict. The upsets by Highland and LC never materialized (almost doesn't count) and Penn got surprised by Valparaiso in the 4th quarter. The biggest upset was North Newton over South Newton for the first time in five years. The only trend that was obvious in week one was for high scores. Chesterton scored 35 on Adams, Hobart over West Side was 35-30. Michigan City got 49, North White scored 47 on Lake Station. The offenses aren't supposed to be ready to go in the first week.

WEEK TWO (8-27-2010): The key here is not to overreact to week one. Football games are not connected by momentum the way baseball games are. Week one is very deceptive because of how many boys are starting for the first time. Nobody believes you saw the best of Lowell and Merrillville last week and now they both go home for the home opener. Michigan City and Andrean simply weren't challenged. Plus Portage travels to Chicagoland to take on powerhouse St. Rita. This is the final traveling week as teams hit the road for the final non-conference game.

Out of respect, let's leave out Munster-Bishop Noll, New Prairie and Chesterton and Valparaiso-Griffith. Griffith just has too small a roster to be playing DAC schools. I'm going to leave out the Gary 'World Tour' as well, (Chicago) Bowen and Gary West Side and Lew Wallace at Hartford, Michigan. And I don't know enough about Eau Claire, Michigan vs. River Forest to even hazard a guess. I could have sworn Eau Claire was in Wisconsin. Downstate this is the week of the football showcase in the Lucas Oil Arena in Indianapolis headlined by the annual match up of Penn and Ben Davis.

CLARK (0-1) at CALUMET (1-0)

GARY (8-27-2010) Did Calumet really have three boys rush for 100 yards last week in the 56-28 win over Gavit? Chakese Whitfield, who gained 206 yards on 27 carries. I don't know how far Calumet can go this season, but Clark didn't gain 100 yards last week in the loss at Whiting. Baring overconfidence, Calumet's sure to go 2-0.

CALUMET 35, Clark 7

LAKE CENTRAL (0-1) at EAST CHICAGO (1-0)

EAST CHICAGO (8-27-2010) LC didn't run the ball like I thought they might against Munster and EC gained 400 yards against Hammond High with QB Everett Coleman throwing for 4 TDs. This has to be a high-scoring game.

LAKE CENTRAL 34, EAST CHICAGO 28

GAVIT (0-1) at WHITING (1-0)

WHITING (8-27-2010) The Oilers were solid in turning back Clark 23-0 last Saturday. A few too many (8) penalties, but a balanced offense. Gavit has some offense but they also gave up 500 yards on the ground. You can't win like that.

WHITING 35, GAVIT 21

NORTH NEWTON (1-0) at RENSSELAER (1-0)

RENSSELAER (8-27-2010) The Bombers dropped the big one on KV last week 48-6, gaining 400 yards with no turnovers. But North Newton signaled there's a new sheriff in town with a 41-12 win over South Newton. I think the 'new sheriff' is about to be thrown out of office.

RENSSELAER 28, North Newton 8

SOUTH CENTRAL (1-0) at CULVER (1-0)

CULVER (8-27-2010) The Jeff Karras 'Victory Tour' heads to Marshall County following a 20-14 come-from behind debut win over LaVille. SC needs more than 0-for-7 passing, though. Culver was 8-5 last year (ask Whiting) and they won the opener last week. But SC's Ethan Biggs (13 carries, 58 yards) is about to return to his 100-per game form.

SOUTH CENTRAL 21, CULVER 14

WHEELER (1-0) at KANKAKEE VALLEY (0-1)

DeMOTTE (8-27-2010) Did you know Wheeler has won 26 regular season games in a row? The last team to beat them was KV in 2007. I was surprised at the size of the 48-6 KV loss to Rensselaer last week. Even at home, I don't think they want to see Wheeler's passing attack right now.

WHEELER 35, KANKAKEE VALLEY 24

MICHIGAN CITY (1-0) at (SB) WASHINGTON (0-1)

SOUTH BEND (8-27-2010) MC rolled over Gary Roosevelt 49-0 in week one, but they will have their hands full with the spread passing attack of South Bend power Washington. There's no way to keep the score down in this one either. Later in the year, MC would win this but not now.

WASHINGTON 37, MICHIGAN CITY 27

CROWN POINT (1-0) at HOBART (1-0)

HOBART (8-27-2010) The Brickies have new power offense with TF North-transfer James Merritt (6-0, 175) at running back and they'll be fired for the home opener after the 35-30 win at Gary West Side. But Crown Point was very strong (no turnovers - no penalties) in a 31-point win over Lowell. If they aren't overconfident going in here, they should roll.

CROWN POINT 35, HOBART 14

MORTON (1-0) at LOWELL (1-0)

LOWELL (8-27-2010) Morton held off rival Griffith 28-27 in a roller-coaster season opener while Lowell got ambushed up in Crown Point 37-6. The Governors rolled 16 first downs and 300 yards of total offense in week one, but they are in the wrong place at the wrong time here. Lowell is going to light a fire under their veteran offensive line this week and Morton, which gave up 200 yards rushing to Griffith last week, won't have an answer.

LOWELL 42, Morton 24

PORTAGE (1-0) at (Chicago) St. Rita (0-0)

CHICAGO (8-27-2010) Here's a commendable effort by Portage to find top flight competition. I don't know why other teams don't see the best foes in non-conference games. Portage may wonder why they did that after this Saturday night game. St. Rita has a powerful running game and every bit of the size to deal with the DAC Indians.
This one will be worth driving to Chicago for - especially if you like to see points scored.

St. Rita 40, PORTAGE 28