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Griffith (1-2) at Lowell (3-0) |
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Week
4 - Football Game of the Week Preview|
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Griffith (1-2) at Lowell (3-0) |
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A
USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith
09-06-2007
When:
Friday, September 7, 2007
Where: Lowell High School - 2051 E. Commercial AVE (Route 2), Lowell, IN.
Tickets: $5 - (for everybody).
Kickoff:
7:00 p.m.
Radio-TV: WTMK
(88.5) FM, WWCA (1270) AM.
Weather:
Upper-60s, wet field, chance of rain.
These teams are pretty similar and the rain wouldnt give one or the other an
advantage. A very bad field would hurt Lowell who has the better place-kicker in
David Lang.
Junior Varsity:
Griffith at Lowell - Sat. Sept. 8, 10 a.m.
Freshmen: Lowell at Griffith - Thursday, Sept. 13 - 6 p.m.
Parking: Griffith almost always brings a big crowd but
the 1-2 record will test the loyalty of the Panther fans. With wet grounds, the
practice field immediately east of the visitors stands might be a little muddy.
You would do well to arrive early so you can be in the parking lot. I have a
feeling that rain will knock this crowd down considerably and there will be
plenty of room for you.
The series: Griffith has dominated this series leading 48-23-3
and the Panthers won big 35-0 last year. But few football programs now are
traditionally more similar than Lowell and Griffith. Both schools run the ball
90% of the time, have loyal fan bases and play for hard-driving no nonsense
coaches.
Coach Russ Radtke and Lowell coach Kirk Kennedy are two of the more consistent leaders on the local scene. You know what you get when you watch their teams. In the last 15 years, the records are similar. Lowell's state title came in 2005. Griffith's came in 1997. Lowell has won four consecutive sectional titles. The Panthers won seven sectional titles in the 1990s and they've won four in this decade. Two peas in a pod.
But it wasn't always that way. Griffith defeated Lowell every year for 17 years in a row from 1976 to 1993. Radtke's Griffith built a tradition of success on the backs of past trophy-winning campaigns under old coach Les Thornton. Kennedy had to build Lowell's success from the ground up, because Lowell was .500 or below for 25 consecutive seasons before he arrived.
Leagues are supposed to have similar schools with similar programs. Griffith and Lowell are so similar that they have been league rivals in the Calumet Conference (1949-1969), the Lake Suburban Conference (1970-1991), the Lake Athletic Conference (1997-2006) and now the new Northwest Crossroads Conference.
Griffith is a Class 4A team as is Lowell. But, due to the fact that the IHSAA doesn't really know the geography of NW Indiana, Griffith is in Sectional Nine and Lowell is in Sectional 10. These two teams would have to both win their sectional to meet in the post-season.
It's also going to have to happen this year or next year because it's is almost certain, if enrollment projections are accurate, that Griffith will be reclassified as a 3A school in 2009 Griffith is a glorified 3A school. They have almost 200 less students than Lowell does by any barometer and they are a little overmatched statewide against some 4As. Truthfully, even though the towns are separated by 15 miles and they see themselves as different, if you closed your eyes and walked down the residential streets in Griffith and Lowell, you'd be hard-pressed to point out differences.
The way that Lowell townspeople and Griffith folks follow their teams you'd think they were the Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts. The last three state titles won by NW Indiana teams were won by Lowell (2005), Andraen (2004) and Griffith (1997). With the possible exception of Hobart, nobody has more loyal and intense fans than Griffith and Lowell. They are economically, racially and socially pretty much the same town. And I cannot imagine any scenario short of one school refusing to admit large boys into the school, where the Devils and Panthers will ever stop playing each other.
Every year Griffith has had varsity football, they have played Lowell. Every single one. And with the crowds both teams draw, they wish they could play twice. There is no rivalry in this part of the state where two towns and schools that are so similar in style, setting and stature, go head-to-head. It's not pretty, unless you watch from field level.
Class 4A Griffith (1-2)
Coach: Russ Radtke (135-44, 15th year)
Enrollment: 962
2006 record: 12-2*
Sectional titles: (13) Regional titles: (5)
Semistate titles: (1)
State titles: (1)
*Lost 35-7 in the 3A Northern Semistate title game at Norwell
Griffith Panthers (1-2, 0-1)
(W) 35-21 Morton (1-2)
(L) 6-14 at Merrillville (2-1)
(L) 14-28 HOBART (2-1)
9-7 (F) at LOWELL (3-0)
9-14 (F) Kankakee Valley (2-1)
9-21 (F) MUNSTER (2-1)
9-28 (F) at HIGHLAND (0-3)
10-5 (F)at ANDREAN (2-1)
10-12 (F) East Chicago (0-3)
5A Sectional (9) Nine
Oct. 19: vs. Griffith, Highland East Chicago, Hobart, Hammond, Lew Wallace, or
Gary West Side.
Class 4A Lowell (3-0)
Coach: Kirk Kennedy (125-65, 17 years)
Enrollment: 1,247
2005 record: 7-6*
Sectional titles: (7) 1992, 1994, 1999, 2003, 04, 05, 06
Regional titles: (3) 1994, 1999, 2005
Semistate titles: (1) 2005
State titles: (1) 2005
*Lost 33-14 to 4A state finalist Concord in the regional championship game
Lowell (3-0, 1-0)
8-17 (W) 23-14 Crown Point (2-1)
8-24 (W) 3-0 at Morton (1-2)
8-31(W) 38-0 at Kankakee Valley (2-1)
9-7 (F) GRIFFITH (1-2)
9-14 (F) HIGHLAND (0-3)
9-21 (F) at HOBART (2-1)
9-28 (F) Hammond (3-0)
10-5 (F) at MUNSTER (2-1)
10-12 (F) ANDREAN (2-1)
4A Sectional 10 Playoffs
10-20 (F) vs. Northridge (2-1), Concord (2-1), Clay (1-2), (SB) Washington
(0-3), Logansport (3-0), Kankakee Valley (2-1) or Plymouth (1-2).
GRIFFITH (1-2) at
LOWELL (3-0)
Sagarin
computer ratings: Lowell by
16
LOWELL
(09-06-2007) -
Again, the Sagarin ratings are unreliable early in the year. I would doubt
strongly, especially if it rains, that Lowell will win this game by 16 points.
Griffith is led by all state candidate David Alexander (6-2, 185) who has scored
eight of the Panthers' nine touchdowns. Alexander is a converted wide receiver
who is the Panthers halfback in their option offense.
Last season, Alexander gained 1,558 yards on 193 carries, scoring 28 TDS. As a receiver, he caught 31 passes for 457 yards. He's not a power runner, but once he can get outside the ends, he's as big a threat to score as anyone in this part of the state.
Senior QB Derek Hitt (5-10, 175) is looking for a breakout game. He was 3-of-11 last week for 52 yards in the 24-14 loss to Hobart. For the season, he is 10 of 35, with 6 interceptions. The Panthers just don't throw it well. The offensive line is inexperienced, but it does include junior Brad Hardin (6-7, 255) and senior Zach Macak (6-1, 215). Senior fullback Doug Ashenbaugh (6-3, 201) has been moved to defensive end where he is a starter. He might play fullback against Lowell but I can't be certain.
Defensively, the Panthers have allowed just 59 points, which is very good considering the offense has 11 turnovers. Alexander had 79 tackles and seven interceptions last year. Jake Fitzsimmons (5-11, 181) is an undersized but experienced defensive end. Zack Butkus (6-1, 191) is a promising junior linebacker and Kyle Najar (5-11, 170) is an experienced senior defensive back. The Panthers are quick getting to the ball defensively. They stayed within range of Merrillville and Hobart so nobody's going to blow them out.
If Griffith can lock up Lowell's top receiver Jeff Barker with Alexander, they can commit nine men to the front and stop the Devils. But until the offense can avoid turnovers, Griffith won't be a winning team. They have the capacity to beat Lowell. But they'll have to play better on offense than they have so far.
Lowell is coming off the Devils' first good offensive game. They gained 219 yards rushing on 42 carries in the 38-0 win over KV and QB Kurt Monix was 7-of-10 for 129 yards and 2 TDs. The Devils had only one punt and no turnovers. Monix is 14 of 24 for 223 yards passing in his first season as a starter and Barker (6-4, 205), an all-state candidate on defense, has caught seven passes for 142 yards. Lowell's strength, as always, has been the running game and senior halfback Steffan Peck (5-8, 165) has gained 336 yards on 82 carries. Sophomore Brandon Grubbe (5-10, 171) has 20 carries for 188 yards. Lowell's attack would be complete if Monix gained more yards. The junior wrestler has quickness, but has been hesistant to run the ball. Junior Johnny Black (6-2, 195) and senior Danny Remboski (6-0, 190) are used largely to block. But Remboski did have a 25-yard reception against Morton and Black carried six times for 22 yards against Crown Point.
David Lang, who is attracting college offers as a place-kicker, has been a potent force with a field goal in each game so far. Lang has hit from 20, 39 and a school-record 46 yards.
Lowell's offensive line, including center Josh Hayden (6-1, 210), guards David
Lang (6-0, 206) and Nick Schultz (5-11, 231) plus tackles Eugene Wentworth (6-3,
240) and Brian DeMario (6-3, 222) is the key to everything and they'll have to
be Friday for a nine-man front from Griffith. The Devils lure you into stopping
their basic running plays (Peck has run 82 times in three games) and then
misdirect you or throw over the top of you.
Lowell's offense just needs to chew up the clock. The Devil defense does the
rest. After Crown Point's Russell Chick scored two first quarter TDs at
Lowell on Aug. 17, Lowell has shut out everyone else. The Devils' defense has
produced 11 consecutive shutout quarters.
This is one of the schools' best ever defenses. Barker and Joe Carlson (6-0,
203) have recorded eight QB sacks from the defensive end positions. Safety
Lukas Palmer has 20 tackles and cornerbacks TJ Lukasik and Brandon Grubbe have
been good. Junior linebackers like Justin Juarez (6-2, 221), David
Eastling (6-0, 198), linebacker Bryan DeSomer (5-11, 175), end Trevor Kersey
(6-2, 216) and tackle Logan Wright (5-10, 250) all have significant potential
and seniors Wentworth and Jon Sgouroudis (6-1, 260) anchor the defensive line.
If you add difficult to block senior outside linebacker Ben Rigby (15 tackles)
plus Remboski at linebacker and Black at end, Lowell has abouit 15 boys
shuffling to play 11 spots.
Coach Kirk Kennedy likes to have his best athletes play on offense and defense
but he has so much defensive depth, that simply may not be necessary this
season. Lowell has allowed 190 yards rushing on 90 carries in three games.
They have allowed 11 completed passes and 172 passing yards so far. When they
are intense, this is as good a defense as Lowell has had in recent years.
What Will Happen?
LOWELL - Griffith boys will be challenged this week to come to Lowell and
do away with the Devils undefeated record. But I think a Griffith fumble
in their own territory will give the Red Devils a chance and Brandon Grubbe's TD
run will make it 7-0 for Lowell. Two-way Griffith star David Alexander
(6-3, 185) will be assigned to keep Lowell tight end Jeff Barker (6-4, 205) from
catching TD passes from Kurt Monix like he did last week at Kankakee Valley.
The Panthers have to gamble defensively here, because they can't let Lowell just
grind slowly down the field. They need to force turnovers.
A TD by Alexander (he has scored eight of Griffith's nine TDs so far) will tie
the game after a Lowell fumble in the second quarter. But a short run by
Peck in the third quarter re-establishes the Devils' seven-point edge. Peck
will get his 25 carries and Lowell will win the time of possession battle after
an even first half.
Lowell ran some misdirection plays to try to counter the speed of Morton on Aug. 25 and you will see some of that again here because Griffith is going to overman the front and dare Lowell to throw in the rain.
Griffith's offense does not match up with the Lowell defense. They can only run Alexander so many times. Griffith has completed 11 passes all season and they've had five intercepted. The Panthers cannot throw the football safely. When the Devils commit an extra man to the front to stop the run, Griffith must throw and they have not exhibited that skill. Expect Coach Russ Radtke to empty the playbook and use all the tricks.
But on a bad weather night, very little will work. The Devils average five sacks a game and they should get more than that on this night. Griffith has not lost three in a row IN four years, but if Lowell does not fumble, this will be the Devils' third consecutive shutout.
LOWELL 17, Griffith 7