Week 3 Picks:  2004 NW Indiana High School Football

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

September 1, 2004

WEEK TWO (2) ANALYSIS:

The KV-Rensselaer pick was good for a half. The CP-Hobart pick was good for 2 ½ quarters. The Highland-Whiting pick was good until the opening kickoff. highland obviously took Whiting very lightly. LaPorte may have underestimated Elkhart Central. I know I did. North Newton is stronger than they, at first, appeared. This was the shakedown week that usually occurs in the first week of the season.

(Week One) 11 of 14, 78.5%

(Week Two) 8 of 13, 61.5%

2004 Season to date, 19 of 27, 70.4%

WEEK THREE (3): Sep. 3, 2004

Week three has only a couple of close games. East Chicago and Roosevelt and Munster vs. Highland are no contest. Truthfully, Hobart vs. Hammond and Whiting vs. Calumet may also fall into the blowout categories.

Kankakee Valley (0-2) 28,  Lake Station (1-1) 14

The Kougars led 2A No. 10 Rensselaer 10-7 at the half before losing 40-10. Lake Station played a very dramatic overtime game and won an emotional victory. I don't think they can go on the road the next week and beat a 4A school. Even a winless one. Remember, before the season started, KV was looking at a comeback season. The Kougars have allowed 670 yards rushing but that was against two powerful run teams in Munster and Rensselaer. Lake Station needs to keep playing hard but KV must win Friday.

A good small school matchup of teams that are coming off hard times. South Central was 1-9 last year and they beat Culver, but Culver has very few players. North Newton was 3-7 last season, but they may be more legit. The Spartans played within nine points (35-26) of Rensselaer and beat Wheeler for the first time ever. Halfback Garret Schuitema (5-9, 160) gained 148 yards on nine carries. Both of these teams can run the ball, but North Newton is on the move.

Almost certainly a playoff preview because both are ranked and both are in the same sectional. Rensselaer has scored 74 points in their first two games, largely with a running attack. They'd stated they wanted to go to more of a balanced offense this year, but that has not shown up yet. North Judson has won 40-16 over Tippecanoe Valley and 47-0 over Knox. Judson rolled up 484 total yards and held Knox without a first down. But Rensselaer has rushed for 615 yards. Both have beaten larger schools and there isn't much to choose from. Rensselaer is at home and they have played two quality foes, not one. The Bombers win the first of two meetings.

Gavit (0-2) 26,  Bishop Noll (0-2) 14

Two teams that just felt the pain in August and are looking for better times. Gavit was held to eight yards rushing in a 42-14 home loss to Morton last week. Noll gave up 480 yards to Andrean in a 41-7 loss. Both these teams have been very bad. But Gavit comes out of it here. The Gladiators have not led at any time all year and they will like it when they get there. Noll has a new coach and there just isn't a quick fix when you change your offense. The Warriors are playing for the end of the season while Gavit must win this week or they have little hope this year.

Lake Central scored 50 against South Bend Riley, but was shut out by giant Loyola Academy of Wilmette, Ill. 19-0 in week two. Portage pulled away from Hobart in the second half 24-7 and buried East Chicago 54-23. LC could not move the front line of Loyola and Portage may not be as formidable. This game should be close for a while, but Portage has a big edge at skill positions including Antoine Brown, who has rushed for 300 yards in two games and Jake Huston (19-of-31, 257 yards) who has not yet thrown an interception. Portage has elite skill position players. LC does not.

Chesterton (1-1) 40,  Michigan City (2-0) 13

This is annually the biggest game of the season for Michigan City, but this isn't who they want right now. The Wolves typically win their first two games and then get blasted in the tough Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC). Chesterton rebounded from an opening season loss to Andrean (2-0) by winning at Griffith 34-21. The offensive line is MC's only hope. They must keep the ball away from the potent Chesterton offense because the Wolves cannot stop a Chesterton attack that rolled up 343 yards last week including four touchdowns of 30 yards or more. MC just needs to play hard here and look down the line.

Who is going to stop James Aldridge (6-1, 215), who has run for 400 yards and nine TDs in routs of East Chicago 42-13 and Chicago's Dunbar high 56-0?  Crown Point will use a variety of defensive fronts which should leave them vulnerable to the pass. The passer might be James Reitz, who took over for Evan Parker last week and hit 6-of-8 for a TD. Only a big pass rush will stop the spread offense of Crown Point and with another dry, warm night expected, CP will be able to score some points. But the Bulldog defense will almost certainly wear down in what should be an entertaining game.

Valparaiso's record is deceiving. A 17-14 overtime loss at 5A No. 5 Penn is not truly a loss. LaPorte struggled with underrated New Prairie (2-0) before winning 24-17. The Slicers were them silenced by speedy Elkhart Central (2-0), a 28-7 loss. LaPorte will certainly work on offensive line play this week after being held to three yards rushing last Friday. Valpo is not the team to work out your problems against. This is a solid team loaded with senior starters and a steady quarterback in John Moon. Valparaiso has not committed a turnover in two games. They are one of the state's top-10 5A teams. LaPorte will improve over week two but they will lose big.

Andrean (2-0) 51,  Morton (2-0) 24

I wish Morton well but it will have to come after this week. Only Portage balances the running and passing game as well as Andrean. The 59ers were fortunate to beat Chesterton 18-13 on opening night, but luck had nothing to do with a 41-7 rout of Bishop Noll in Hammond last week. QB Tommy Finn has completed a region-leading 36-of-56 passes for 480 yards and he is very difficult to sack. Senior Ty Harangody has caught seven for 160 yards and he is very difficult to cover.

Morton has rolled up 93 points in wins over Clark 51-20 and Gavit 42-14 but they have not faced a winning team yet. Tailback Willie White (5-10, 180) has carried 33 times for an unofficial 411 yards, but again, who have they played? The key stat? Despite getting creamed, Gavit and Clark passed for a combined 335 yards against Morton.

The only teams on Andrean's schedule that can beat them are Chesterton, Lowell and Griffith.

Hobart (1-1) 28,  Hammond (2-0) 0

A bad matchup. The big, physical Brickies, who are still used to battling in the 5A dominated DAC, against a roster-short Hammond high that has some good athletes, but no where near the physical strength of Hobart. The Brickies won a dramatic game last week, rallying from an 11-point hole to win 21-17. Hammond got two pass interceptions for touchdowns from Chris Moore last week and that would be significant if Hobart falls behind this Friday. They won't. You have to pass on Hobart to win and Hammond has only passed for 60 yards. Hammond may get beaten up physically because Hobart has been playing DAC teams while Hammond has defeated the weakest of the weak.

Whiting (2-0) 24, Calumet (0-2) 6

Calumet has been ridden hard by Indianapolis Manual 50-6 and Lowell 57-0. They are almost helpless against the run, allowing over 700 yards in two games. But Whiting likes to throw the ball around. The Oilers have passed for 450 yards and rushed for 255 yards. Whiting must understand that every time they throw the ball against Calumet, they are doing them a favor. Calumet has 176 total yards all season but the Whiting defense has given up 448 yards to two bad offensive teams. This game will not be the blowout that the previous two weeks would indicate.

Lowell (2-0) 16,  Griffith (1-1) 14

This is the top game of the week. A classic matchup of hard rushing teams. Lowell has rushed for 673 yards while Griffith has ripped off 738 rushing yards. Griffith rolled up 400 total yards in a 34-21 loss to Class 5A Chesterton. Lowell rushed for 260 yards against Class 5A Crown Point but that's not the big deal. The Devils forced Calumet to punt 10 times. Their quick defense is not that well-recognized because of where they play. Very few teams (read: Andrean) have the weapons to move on Lowell consistently. But Griffith has added a new weapon, Rich Lehmann has completed 17 of 33 for 186 yards. But every pass Griffith throws helps Lowell. The Panthers, who are slightly larger, must wear down Lowell and stick to the game plan. I don't think they can do it. Three fumbles will give Lowell a narrow edge.

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Revised: October 06, 2004 .