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Lowell (1-2) at Morton (2-1) |
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Week
4 - Football Game of the Week Preview |
Lowell (1-2) at Morton (2-1) |
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9-8-2005
When:
Friday, September 9, 2005
Where: at Morton High School - 6915 Grand, Hammond -- Exit Cline at 169th.
Tickets: $5 - There will be plenty available.
Kickoff:
7:00 p.m.
Radio-TV: WJOB (1230) tape-delay - 10:00 p.m.
Weather:
Too warm. Mid-70s, chance of rain.
Parking: Morton does not draw well for football
and here's another school built for more kids than they now have. There
will be room for your car.
Rivalry: There really isn't
any rivalry between Lowell and Morton in any sport because the schools are miles
apart in history, geography and lifestyles. Lowell's 'green acres' reputation is
a little overstated (almost all communities outside of north Lake County have
lots of farms. It's Indiana, folks) but the only animals in Hammond are on key
chains at the gas station on Indianapolis Blvd.
Lowell high is much older than Morton and the Red Devils rarely scheduled Hammond schools, even in the 50s and 60s when they scheduled Momence, Ill., Morocco (the predecessor of North Newton) and Dyer Central (the school that became Lake Central).
In the 50s, 60s and 70s, Hammond schools were powers and Lowell was largely under .500. Morton played schools like East Chicago Washington and Roosevelt, Hammond Tech and Horace Mann, all schools that no longer exist. The Governors came to power in the 1960s after beginning football in 1952. Morton went undefeated in 1961 (9-0) and 1965 (10-0).
I don't know the story of the mythical state title in 1965 and why Morton got the vote from Associated Press. But it is an indication of the esteem that NW Indiana football had in those days. Beating the other five (including Tech) Hammond-based schools and East Chicago Roosevelt meant a lot back then. Lowell and Morton shouldn't have met in the 60s and 70s. It would have been a mismatch so understandably, there is no record of any Morton-Lowell games in the 50s, 60s or 70s.
The Governors were obviously looking for games in the early days as is evidenced by several 1950s matchups with Benton Harbor, Michigan and Rensselaer. Even though it would have been an even game in the 50s, there was hardly any demand for anybody to play Lowell.
That changed in the 80s as Morton's fortunes (and enrollment) fell and in the 90s as Lowell's success rose. They met in a handful of nonconference and playoff games. Finally Lowell and Morton fell together in the same league and the Devils have won two regular season meetings 52-21, and 42-7 since Morton joined Lowell in the LAC Black Division in 2003.
Morton came from 15 points behind in the fourth quarter to win a memorable 2002 sectional semifinal playoff game 24-21, one of Morton's greatest all-time wins. Lowell was 6-1 against Morton in the 1990s and 2-0 in the 80s.
Since 3A Morton is now a smaller school, any win over 4A Lowell, now a two-time defending sectional champ in a larger playoff class, would have great value.
JUNIOR VARSITY: Lowell at Morton - Sat.. Sept. 10 - 10 a.m.
FRESHMAN GAME: Lowell at Griffith - Thurs. Sept. 8 - 6 p.m.
Morton at Lowell - Thursday, Sept. 15 - 6 p.m.
Class 4A Lowell
Coach: Kirk Kennedy (105-56, 15 years)
Enrollment: 1,150
Sectional titles: (5) 1992, 94, 99, 2003, 2004
Regional titles: (2) 1994, 99
2004 record: 9-4
Lost the regional championship game at home 28-21 to eventual state Class 4A runner-up Wawasee.
Lowell Red Devils (1-2)
8-19 (L) 6-16 CP (2-0)
8-26 (W) 61-14 Calumet (0-2)
9-2 (L) 0-21 Griffith (3-0)
9-9 (F) Morton (2-1)
9-16 (F) ANDREAN (3-0)
9-23 (F) HAMMOND (0-3)
9-30 (F) at Munster (2-1)
10-7 (F) at Hobart (2-1)
10-14 (F) Highland (2-1)
4A Sectional 9 playoffs
10-21 (F) quarterfinals
10-28 (F) semifinals
11-4 (F) championship
Class 3A Morton
Coach: Roy Richards (38-33) 7th year
Enrollment: 947
Sectional tiles: 0
Regional titles: 0
State titles: 1* (1965)
* Morton was voted a mythical Associated Press state title after they went 10-0 in 1965. In those days, the weekly poll ended with the No. 1 team being unilaterally declared the state champ. There were no playoff games. The IHSAA state tournament did not start until the mid-70s.
2004 record: 4-7
Last year: Lost 3A Sectional 17 semifinal game 43-22 to Griffith
3A Morton Governors (2-1)
8-19 (W) 41-6 at Clark (1-2)
8-26 (W) 46-0 Gavit (1-2)
9-2 (L) 20-35 at Andrean (3-0)
Sep 9 - Lowell (1-2)
Sept 16 - at Griffith (3-0)
Sept 23 - at Munster (2-1)
Sept 30 - HOBART (2-1)
Oct 7 - HIGHLAND (2-1)
Oct 14 - at Hammond (0-3)
3A Sectional 17
10-21 (F) quarterfinals
10-28 (F) semifinals
11-4 (F) championship
Lowell (2-1, 0-1 LAC) at Morton (2-1, 0-1 LAC)
LAC Black Division - 9-9-2005 @ 7:00 p.m. (CST)
HAMMOND - This is a pure 'opposites' match-up of the wide-open offense of Morton and the quick defense of Lowell. Morton's passing against Lowell's running.
The longer Lowell can keep Morton's inferior unit, the defensive unit, on the field, the easier this game becomes for the Devils. If Morton's elite troops, the offense with seven returning starters, gets 12-15 possessions, the Red Devils cannot win.
Lowell is often a better team on the road than they are at home and the Devils will have to be as Morton tries to bounce back from what had to be a disappointing loss to Andrean. The Lowell situation is complicated by injuries. If senior
safety/WR Jeff Clemens (ribs) and junior linebacker/RB Ethan Winel (leg) can't go, the Devils will need a couple of first time starters.Morton rolls behind senior QB Robert Dutton (27-59 412 yards, 4 TDs) who will try to find 6-3, 215-pound basketball star Andre London, the Governors' top receiver.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN: Dutton will hit London for an early TD as the Governors spread the field with four wide receivers.
Morton gave up 250 yards rushing to Andrean last week and that's where Lowell will attack with halfback Scott Gray and soph runner Steffan Peck (5-6, 165), a coming star, who will probably replace Winel on offense. Lowell runs the pitch sweep wide and then hits inside the tackles. So the Governors can't be impatient and blitz, giving up big plays to Gray, a sprinter.There is sometimes a strength disparity in the lines here. But the quickness of the attack is what moves the ball for Lowell, or at least it did. CP and Griffith held Lowell under 100 yards rushing.
Do not be surprised if the short-handed Devils still rush for over 300 yards in this game. None of their offensive linemen are injured and they did bust loose for 450 rush yards against Calumet on Aug. 26. Lowell's blockers will be challenged to win this game by themselves. Morton gave up 250 rushing yards against Andrean and Lowell has better running backs than the 59ers.
The Governors do not really appear to have a true tailback, so Dutton (6-2, 175) will lead the Governors in carries. The Governors' spread offense wears people out. So Lowell, which always has at least a half dozen two-way players, can be worn down.
Look for Dutton to gain 50-100 yards and score twice.
Without Clemens, Lowell QB Jimmy Ritter will find success with TE Chris Lampa (6-0, 180) for two scores as this game turns into a shootout. Joe Wojcik and Michael Dowling have to make big catches in this game because they will get only single coverage. There is a chance on some plays that Ritter will line up at receiver and Josh Kuiper will go in at QB. Ritter was a tight end in 2004. There will be an unknown on the field here, however. When skill position players get hurt, you bring up your top skill position players off the JV. I'm not sure who that is.
But you don't bring up a lineman to replace a wide receiver. Watch for a new boy split wide for the Devils Friday. But Lowell has to run the ball to kill the clock. Again, watch the number of possessions and time of possession. Lowell's offensive line holds the key to this game against the rebuilt Morton defense, but the short-handed Red Devils are going to be stressed out on the perimeter against an experienced QB.
This game may go similarly to the 2002 playoff game which saw Lowell take a big lead (21-6) and Morton rally in the second half. This is a moment of truth for Morton. The Governors mop up other Hammond schools 24-7, but if they can't beat a Lowell team which arguably, has its two best defensive players injured, the question will be asked, outside of the city, who can they beat?
On the other hand, Lowell has lost two home games and they haven't been 1-3 in seven years. The fact that they have lost to two undefeated top-10 teams in Crown Point (3-0) and Griffith (3-0), is a convenient excuse, as are the injuries. But 3A No. 2 Andrean (3-0) is next up for Lowell and they need to play better, especially on offense.
I look for Lowell to lead early but Morton to rally. The heat (if it does not rain) will work in Morton's favor and they don't have anyone who can cover Andre London. It's an overstatement, but everybody runs on Morton and everybody throws on Lowell. This is clearly a TD-friendly shootout.
But unless some Lowell backup players have big nights Friday, this one looks like an upset. Morton's offense is a bad match-up for Lowell's defense. Look for 800 yards and 60 points in the books by 10:00 p.m. and the Governors win a high-scoring game at home.
Morton 37, Lowell 28
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Revised: September 08, 2005 .