Week 4 Picks:  2005 NW Indiana High School Football

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

September 8, 2005

WEEK-3 ANALYSIS:  North Newton had to make five turnovers to lose to South Central by four points. The Spartans have the better team. Gavit made seven turnovers against Bishop Noll and that's how they scored just seven points. Gavit has lost more than one winnable game the last 2 years. River Forest may be looking at 0-9 with so few players (less than 25) on the varsity. Wirt was their chance to win. Lake Station has fallen into personnel problems as well. Quantity, not necessarily quality. Word is their game with KV was stopped with 9 minutes left with the published reason beings 'due to injuries of Lake Station players.'

Lowell had three long sustained drives against Griffith and couldn't score. I'm not sure how much better Griffith is than the Devils.
The biggest surprise of the season though, by far, is CP over Merrillville. The Pirates turned the ball over four times and couldn't shake their No. 1 nemesis. Honestly though, if they met tomorrow, with the present CP healthy roster, I'd still pick Merrillville.

WEEK 3 (2005) PIX recap

WEEK 3: 7 of 13, 53.8%

WEEK 2: 11 of 15, 73.3%

WEEK 1: 16 of 20, 80%
2005 Season: 34 of 48, 70.8%

2004 Overall: 156 of 216, 72.2%

WEEK 4 (FOUR) PREDICTIONS 9-9-2005

Kankakee Valley (1-2) 28, Bishop Noll (2-1) 21

DEMOTTE - The Kougars should be boosted by winning their first game and getting their starting QB back off injury. Noll got a seven turnover gift wrap last week against Gavit as Noll DB Pat Ramker grabbed four interceptions.

Gavit (1-2) 27, Clark (1-2) 26

HAMMOND – Here's a battle between two teams that need a win worse than you and I need an electric car. Ten Clark penalties helped the Pioneers lose 14-12 to Wheeler last week while Gavit gave away the Bishop Noll game. I like the running of Victor Ayala to be the base as the Glads hold off a late rally in a spirited city battle.

(SB) Clay (1-2) 24, East Chicago (1-2) 12

SOUTH BEND – Clay got crunched by Michigan City (3-0) and all smoked out by Penn (3-0) so they can't wait for the bus from East Chicago to arrive. The Cardinals have a chance as long as the weather stays good, but Clay is stronger in the lines.

Hobart (2-1) 35, Highland (2-1) 21

HIGHLAND – I don't know if Highland can handle Hobart's power up front. Hobart gave up 278 yards passing last week and Highland QB Andrew Helmer must like the sound of that.  But the Brickies are hard to handle up front and it's going to be difficult for the Highland offense to get the ball.

Griffith (3-0) 42, Munster (2-1) 7

GRIFFITH – Since Griffith crushed Munster 49-14 last year and may be better in 2005, the conventional pick says that Griffith should whip the Mustangs like government mules, but don't bet your bicycle.  Munster traditionally defenses Griffith's option well and the Mustangs can throw, which is Griffith's defensive weakness.


LaPorte (3-0) 42, Chesterton (0-3) 21

CHESTERTON – Nobody in NW Indiana has a quarterback-running back-kicker combination like LaPorte and the Slicers want to even the score after Chesterton beat them last year. Chesterton passes like it's going out of style, but they can't control the clock so the New Orleans Saints will have a home game before Chesterton beats LaPorte.


Culver Academy (3-0) 23, North Judson (1-2) 20

NORTH JUDSON – Culver Academy has never advanced beyond the regional level in high school football and they've only beaten North Judson once in history. The irony of this game is that 1,000-yard rusher Neven Fingerhut, a North Judson native, is the top offensive player for the Eagles, who average 30 points a game. Judson is bigger than Culver and the Jays are at home but they have injury problems and have had little offense all year.


Tipton (3-0) 28, Rensselaer (3-0) 21

RENSSELAER – It's been a great year for Rensselaer but Tipton is averaging 34 points a game and the Bombers defense is vulnerable to the run. Speed is a factor but it could rain. Rensselaer, which won this game 38-24 last year, may suffer a letdown after the big win over arch-rival North Judson.


Valparaiso (1-2) 33, Michigan City (3-0) 20

VALPARAISO - Valpo has lost to Penn (3-0) and LaPorte (3-0), but they were solid in both games. MC's pass defense, which has allowed 600 yards in 3 games, is about as effective as the office of 'Homeland Security.'  HB Robert Fics has 14 TDs and over 750 yards for MC but Valpo is working all week and they held him to 68 yards on 13 carries in a 38-9 win in 2004 in Michigan City.


Merrillville (2-1) 28, Portage (2-1) 20

MERRILLVILLE – Here's the game of the week as the Pirates rebound off the 13-0 upset loss at Crown Point. Portage should be 3-0 but they eased up against St. Joseph's and lost a 12-point lead. The Indians play the same base defense that Crown Point plays and they are more potent than the Bulldogs offensively. But here's the old 'bounce back' theory. When a good team loses a road game they should have won, you don't want to play them the next Friday at home.


Crown Point (3-0) 23, Lake Central (2-1) 7

ST. JOHN - This may be a down tick game meaning that both sides were up for action last week and the spirit won't be as willing this Friday.  The Bulldogs have salvaged seven drives with Donny Keiser field goals and that helps a defense and field position team which is what the Bulldogs are.  But CP only averages 18 points a game. LC has made 10 turnovers and averaged 19 yards a punt last week. They are very lucky not to be 0-3.


Morton (2-1) 37, Lowell (1-2) 28

HAMMOND – The upset of the week. Lowell may have to go without WR-S-P-K Jeff Clemens and FB-LB Ethan Winel due to injury. That's a lot to replace. Morton QB Robert Dutton has been very productive and the quick-score Governors can light up the board. Morton can't run well so Lowell will get plenty of chances, but the wide receivers of the Governors will be a mismatch for the DBs of Lowell.

STATE GAME OF THE WEEK...

4A No. 3 Wawasee (3-0) and 4A No. 10 Concord (3-0)

ELKHART - The defending 4A state finalist Warriors have three 2005 knockouts, but they face a tall order to go 4-0. The winner here will be tied with Plymouth at the top of the tough Northern Lakes Conference. Concord has allowed only 40 points and they fly the friendly skies with QB Bob Cira (1,498 yards passing in 2004) who was 12 of 20 for 272 yards in a 24-21 win over Northwood.

Wawasee returned 30 players from last year's 13-2 team and seven starters on defense are back.

New QB Joe Leach was 15 of 23 and tossed two TD passes in Wawasee's 28-10 win at Northridge last week. The Warriors still run the four wide receiver attack and they'll try to jump on Concord like Northridge did last week... running up a 14-0 lead.

Last year's game was a classic with Concord scoring with 40 seconds left to break a 21-21 tie and won 27-21. Wawasee then won 10 games in a row including a 28-21 win at Lowell in the 4A regional title game.

It's dangerous to pick against an experienced QB (Cira) in warm weather. But Wawasee is home and those defenders, mostly seniors, remember the loss from 2004.

Wawasee 32, Concord 21

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Revised: September 08, 2005 .