Week 3 -  Football Game of the Week Preview

Kankakee Valley (0-2) at No. 8 Lowell (1-1)

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

09-01-2010
 

When:  Friday, September 3, 2010

Where:  Lowell Valley High School  - 2501 E. Commercial AVE., Lowell, IN

Tickets:  $5

Kickoff:   7:00 p.m.
TV/Radio/Internet: WLGI (97.7) FM, WKIF (92.7) FM, WTMK (88.5) FM, live updates of all local scores all night on WLPR (89.1) FM. All Lowell games are on WKIF (92.7) FM and most are on WTMK (88.5). In an area dominated by Class 5A schools, there will not be a Lowell football game this season that is NOT on the radio.

Enrollment: Kankakee Valley 1,020; LOWELL - 1,224

WEATHER: Cooler. Friday highs in the 70s and temperatures in the mid 60s at kickoff with a slight chance of rain. A welcome break from the almost painful heat of the week. There were a total of 21 90-degree days in July and August and we'll have to wait until late in the season to see if this has an effect on players. Coaches publicly say that the boys don't get tired and teenagers can practice eight hours a day. Privately, I'm sure they wonder about burning out a team in a season where there are no bye weeks like those sissy National Football League players have. They may lie about it trying to fake toughness, but the month of August was brutal for all outdoor athletes.

PARKING: I'd like to tell you that KV fans will flood Lowell in anticipation of the epic collision Friday night but I wouldn't bet on that. Two large defeats in the first two weeks may not have demoralized the team, but the Kougar fan base probably would not say the same thing. Since KV has not beaten Lowell since Ronald Reagan was in office, Jasper County folks may find something else to do Friday. That will leave a healthy amount of parking for Lowell fans on a pleasant night to be outside.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: The Milk Can. What?

About 15 years ago, KV and Lowell got together and decided to come up with a trophy to be awarded to the winner of this annual game. Since the Lowell and DeMotte school districts both have rural areas, I suppose that's why a large dairy style milk can was chosen. The winner of the KV-Rensselaer game gets the 'Cracker Barrel' trophy. KV boys are clearly well schooled in all the major food groups. Either that or nobody could raise money for real trophies. The "Milk Can' is not the Stanley Cup, but the boys like it and KV has never won the Milk Can from Lowell.

This is the Northwest Crossroads Conference opener for both teams, a second birth for the Kougars if they can take advantage. But while Lowell has played a 5A and a 4A school in the first two weeks, KV has lost big to two Class 2A schools, albeit two Top-10 teams. KV will get off the bus with nothing to lose.

The HISTORY: Lowell and Kankakee Valley are neighbors as Lowell is the southern most school in Lake County and KV is the northernmost school in adjoining Jasper County.

KV is a 1970 consolidation of DeMotte and Wheatfield high schools which both go back, I believe, to the 1930s. I think KV was supposed to grow into a much larger school than it is, but the projected housing surge never happened. There are acres and acres of open area in Jasper County that was projected to be the home to large scale 21st Century development. The opening of the new $60 million dollar KV Middle school next year (it is almost complete already) signals that many are betting that population explosion could still happen.

The history of Crown Point high school is that the enrollment was in the 1,000-1500 range in the 70s, 80s and 90s until if grew 'suddenly' into the 2,500-kid monster it is today. There are only two schools in Jasper County (the other is 400-teen Rensselaer) so the potential is there. The potential for school athletics is there, too. In its 40 years of existence, I do not believe KV has ever sent a team to the state finals in any sport. KV has not won a football sectional title in 25 years and they've never won a regional.

KV also hasn't beaten Lowell in 25 years and it does not look like a break through is imminent on that front. The Kougars have the potential to rival Lowell in football. They are both 4A schools from somewhat similar (KV is more of a farm area) communities. The move of former Lowell coaches Mark Reid and Brad Stewart to KV this season had to suggest what is possible (and could still be), but being outscored 98-14 in the first two games certainly chilled that hope.

With four Top-10 teams in the eight-team Class 4A Sectional 10, KV's road to football success is a rocky one.

All-time series: Lowell leads 18-2. Lowell won 33-12 at KV last year.

4A 10 LOWELL (1-1)
all games on 92.7fm -WKIF
Enrollment: 1,200 - Class 4A
2009 record: 13-2
Last 5 seasons: 57-14
10 sectional titles; 1992, 1994, 1999, 2003-2009
6 regional titles: 1994, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009
3 semi state titles: 2005, 2007, 2009
1 state title: 2005

Aug. 20 (L) 6-37 at CP (2-0)
Aug. 27 (W) 40-26 Morton (1-1)
Sep. 3 Kankakee Valley (0-2)
Sep. 10 at Griffith (0-2)
Sep. 17 at Highland (1-1)
Sep. 24 Hobart (1-1)
Oct. 1 at Hammond (0-2)
Oct. 8 Munster (2-0)
Oct. 15 at Andrean (1-1)


4A Kankakee Valley (0-2)
Enrollment: 1,100 - Class 4A
Coach Mike Peo (18-26) 5th year
2009 record: 3-7
Sectional titles (2) 1984, 1985
Last 5 seasons: 25-27
NW Crossroads Conference games in CAPS

9-20 (L) 6-48 Rensselaer (2-0)
9-27 (L) 8-50 Wheeler (2-0)
9-3 at LOWELL (1-1)
9-10 HOBART (1-1)
9-17 GRIFFITH (0-2)
9-24 at North Judson (0-2)
Oct. 1 ANDREAN (1-1)
Oct. 8 at HIGHLAND (1-1)
Oct. 15 at MUNSTER (2-0)

10-2: Class 4A Sectional 10
with Clay, Riley, Washington, Logansport, Concord, Plymouth and KV.

KANKAKEE VALLEY Update

DEMOTTE - It's probably best to recall that last year, after playing Rensselaer, Wheeler and Lowell, KV was 0-3 and had been outscored 109-28. It's a tough 1/3 of the schedule. All three foes are in the Top-10. It might be best for the Kougars to just assume an 0-3 start and go from there.

In the opener, KV trailed Rensselaer 21-0 after one quarter and gave up 397 totals yard in a 48-6 loss. Last week, KV trailed Wheeler 21-0 at the quarter and gave up 543 yard in a 55-0 defeat.

The odd things is, the Kougars have allowed 550 yards passing and 11 passing TDs in two games. Rensselaer only threw eight passes in the game but completed four for TDs. Wheeler threw 17 passes and completed seven for TDs. How can almost every other pass (11 of 25) go for a TD? The Kougars cannot possibly be that slow. I'm suspecting that KV may have been shorthanded in their first two games.

Senior running back Dylan Patrick (264 carries, 1,430 yards in 2009) was not in the scorebook last week and may be injured. He gained 33 yards on 14 carries last week and Patrick (6-1, 190) would carry the ball more than 14 times in a normal KV game.

The Kougars are a little smaller than Lowell in the lines, but junior Casey Wilson (6-0,250) anchors both lines. Sophomore Joel Bugen (6-1 165) is the starting QB and freshman Keenan Higgins (5-9, 155) is a backup although senior Bobby Hearod (6-0, 155) is also listed at QB and he may step in here as changes must be made to the KV offense. Hearod gained 93 yards on 16 carries last week, but I don't know what position he was playing. The Kougars have just 13 first downs and one touchdown in two weeks.

I don't think there are any positives KV can take from the first two weeks of play so they should simply declare this game the 'real' beginning of the season. The Kougars must run the ball and attempt to shorten the game, hoping for turnovers from an overconfident Devil squad.

LOWELL Update

LOWELL - It's going to be difficult for the Lowell offense to be overconfident. Of Lowell's six TDs last week in the 40-26 win over Morton, defense and special teams scored three of them and a fourth occurred late in the game when Morton gambled on fourth down at their own 19. Lowell has had very little running attack in two games and that will certainly be the focus this week.

I don't have any game tape so I don't understand how a team with four returning offensive linemen and two veteran backs in Cole Midget and Jordan Juarez suddenly can't run the ball for 3-yards-a carry. Lowell's totals of 198 yards rushing on 70 carries are embarrassing for a team that gained 3,500 yards rushing in 15 games last season. Lowell has run the ball successfully for 20 years and once that works, their defense automatically gets better. They know all this and they'll be working on it this Friday.

The QB tag team of Chris Sekuloski, Jeremy Crocker and Cole Midgett is probably going to be paired down for two reasons. This is the first run-oriented team Lowell has faced and Crocker (6-2, 210) will be needed at linebacker. Also, it will be difficult for Midgett to continue to play all the positions (DB, KR, WR, TB, QB) he's lined up at in the first two games. He's best suited to play tailback, which would keep Jordan Juarez at fullback and linebacker. Sekuloski (6-3, 175) gives the Devils a legitimate passing attack even though he's just 3-for-12 for 132 yards so far. Sekuloski did not get much time at QB last year due to injury and these are his debut games. Against a struggling KV secondary, this could be a breakout night for the Lowell QB.
 

Lowell might also want to get the ball to little Nick Hamilton (5-8, 155) more. The junior halfback has 55 yards in four carries and he might benefit as teams gang up on Midgett. But, as I've said for three weeks, it all comes down to the offensive line. Lowell has to get a good push out of the big boys up front like Tyler Wright (6-4, 245), Luke Mitrisin (6-3, 290), Dominic Rebesco (6-2, 250), Mike Sekuloski (6-3, 180) and Jay Trappani (6-2, 220). They have faced two strong defensive fronts and they have not won many battles so far. That should change this week.
 

LOWELL 42, Kankakee Valley 7