Week 2 NW Indiana HS Football Picks

'Mr. Picker' WEEK-1, 2011 Football Picks in Review: Aug. 19-20, 2011 Wrong - 5; Right - 6 = 54.5%
The Pick	The Result
Calumet 40, Gavit 28	Gavit 47-7 (wrong)
ANDRERN 52, Noll 14	ANDREAN 69-17
Clark 28, Whiting 14	Clark 13-7
Bowman Academy 47, River Forest 20	Bowman 36-14
LAKE CENTRAL 20, Munster 14	LC 28-21 (OT) (wrong)
Valparaiso 42, Penn 24	Penn 21-10 (wrong)
Griffith 27, Morton 20	Morton 21-14 (wrong)
East Chicago 49, Hammond 26	Hammond 37-14 (wrong)
Rensselaer 20, Kankakee Valley 14	Rensselaer 14-7
Warren Central 40, MERRILLVILLE 17	Warren 64-13
CROWN POINT 31, LOWELL 27	CP 27-6

WEEK ONE (1) ANALYSIS: Remember (in the case of LC-Munster) that a tie is a loss for purposes of predictions. I guess I didn't know about Penn QB Chad Hindelberg (who?) who was 10 of 12 for 176 yards and 2 TDs plus 11 caries for 59 yards in an 11-point win over Valpo. Gavit over Calumet, to me, isn't as big a surprise (and indicator for future weeks) as was Hammond over EC. Griffith didn't play as well as I'd hoped in week one. Morton controlled that game by more than 21-14.

BEST PICK: Rensselaer over KV by a TD.

Mr. Picker (Through the Years)
2010 (final) OVERALL: 135 of 184 = 73.3%
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 (2) TWO: We're still in the nonconference mode, but there should be a lot of improvement from the near 50% rate in week one. In a lot of respects, the first week is almost unpredictable because you don't even know for sure who's starting as coaches do not talk about injuries, suspensions and who they really have high hopes for. That's what makes St. Rita and Portage difficult to predict this week. This is the opening week of the season in Illinois. Nobody know what St. Rita REALLY has.

Now, we know. And in week two, we know not to pick some games, although this week, not many. Moist teams are evenly matched. I'll leave out Lew Wallace vs. Lighthouse Charter school because I see that LC doesn't have many players at all. I thought Mitch Daniels plays for Lighthouse Charter. (At the very least, he makes public schools pay for Lighthouse's uniforms.) River Forest vs. Eau Claire, Michigan would only be a guess. As I said last year, I thought Eau Claire was in Wisconsin. And I'll choose not to pick East Chicago and Lake Central or Kankakee Valley and Wheeler.

MICHIGAN CITY (8-26-11) Washington is big and fast. They returned nine starters and they ran up the score 46-23 on Bloomington North. MC will never have extended success until they stop playing Gary Roosevelt in the season opener. MC gets blown out like the Chicago Bears on Monday night.

HAMMOND (8-26-11) I did not see Hammond routing East Chicago. If they can control the ball on the ground, they can win again here. But Highland had no turnovers against LW and they have to improve sometime. Also, this is a must game for Highland if they hope to win in league play. Don't bet on this one either way.

HAMMOND (8-26-2011) Both sides were smoked in week one. Boone losing 51-7. Noll losing 69-17. So throw out week one. I thought Noll had a winning team before they took the field against Andrean. There will be earthquakes in Indiana because Boone bats Bishop Noll.

BISHOP NOLL 30, BOONE GROVE 16

LaPORTE (1-0) at (South Bend) Clay (1-0)

SOUTH BEND (8-26-2011) Clay stopped Riley 26-13 in week one, while LaPorte topped New Prairie. Wesley Thomas caught six passes for 137 yards and three TDs last week and LaPorte has to contain him. This is a tough one to pick and the Slicers will have to hold on in the end.

CARMEL (8-26-2011) I'm confused. Valpo's strength was their running backs, both of whom could gain 1,000 this year. But they got just 21 yards in the second half at home last week against Penn. Carmel has an all-stater Shawn Heffern (6-6, 235) in the defensive line. Valpo will be better this week, but it's unlikely they win here.

UNION MILS (8-26-2011) Culver lost 26-21 at home in their debut, but I didn't know that Culver led 21-6 heading into the fourth quarter. South Central has a strong running game and that should carry them here. But that's another one that's too close to call.

GARY (8-26-2011) I think they'll play this one at Morton Friday night on the artificial turf. LaVille lost 40-0 to South Central last week and they just can't hang here. Bowman is defense-free as well. In good weather, a very high scoring game.

HAMMOND (8-26-2011) The Glads came out and stomped Calumet, but that may say more about Calumet than it does about Gavit. Whiting could not get the offense rolling against Clark in a 13-6 loss. There are concerns the Oilers won't score any more this year than the Colts will without Peyton Manning. Gavit goes to 2-0. Here is the "Lock of the Week."

MERRILLVILLE (8-26-2011) Here's the toughest game of the week to pick. Andrean won 69-17 last week and Merrillville lost 64-13. Andrean rolled up 500 yards rushing. THe Pirates gave up 600 yards. The Niners are primed for a big year and they have no reason not to be confident. But Merrillville has a lot on offense and speed that didn't show against Warren. If you've watched NW Indiana football for a few years, you know how this is going to come out and it isn't an upset.

NEW CARLISLE (8-26-2011) Griffith meets an option clone in New Prairie, which lost to LaPorte 34-13 last week. Griffith could lose this game if they don't see the "Prairie dogs" as a worthy opponent. Griffith. Are you listening. Take this game seriously. The Panthers SHOULD win.

CHESTERTON (8-26-2011) Chesterton should have won at South Bend St. Joe. They led 28-14 in the fourth quarter. I actually think Chesterton is one of maybe four teams that can win the DAC. Munster could eventually win their league, too. But they won't be able to move the ball consistently here. This isn't that close and it isn't an upset, either.

HAMMOND (8-27-2011) Saturday night's TV game sends Lowell to Morton after Lowell committed six turnovers against CP in a 27-6 loss. Morton's Chris McCormack threw three TD passes last week and he'll throw three more this week. But Morton is 0-5 against Lowell because they concede time of play to the Devils. Lowell never gave themselves a chance last week and they will this week. Here's a game worthy of live TV.