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Crown Point (3-1) at Portage (2-2) |
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Week
5 - Football Game of the Week Preview|
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Crown Point (3-1) at Portage (2-2) |
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09-13-2007
When:
Friday, September 14, 2007
Where: Portage High School, 6450 US Hwy. 6, Portage, IN, 46368 (Portage is the easiest school to locate in NW Indiana. If you go east down Route 6 out of Hobart and do not see Portage high school, park the car and let someone else drive.)
Tickets:
$5
TV/Radio/Internet:
WWLO (89.1) FM,
and www.USA-365.com.
Weather: Low 60s (upper 50s late in the game), wet field (artificial turf), windy. Real football weather is on the way. Friday will be cool for fans but perfect for players.
Parking: Portage is a big school and has a very big parking
lot. Not as big as Merrillville but very big. This would have been a
good Saturday night game. With Chesterton at home nearby against rival
Valparaiso and neighbor Hobart playing a big game at Andrean, the crowd here
won't be as big as it might otherwise be. You cannot see the field from
the parking lot (so you can't sit in your car and watch) but you won't have to
park a half mile from the field or walk across a busy roadway.
Junior Varsity:
Portage at CP - 10:00 a.m. - Sat, Sept. 15
Freshmen: CP at Portage - 10:00 a.m. - Sat, Sept. 15*
Freshmen: CP at Portage - Thurs, Sept. 20. 6:00 p.m.*
*Portage at CP both have two freshman teams.
The series:
Portage leads CP 26-17 all-time, but CP has won three in a row including two
last season, 17-10 and 14-13 in overtime.
Here's another school that has seen its fortunes reverse in 15 years. When
Crown Point joined the Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) in 1993, Portage was
on the rise. With coach Craig Buzea, they reached the finals in 1994 and
the Indians dominated the middle of the decade. In the 1990s, Portage was
81-33 and they were 11-2 in 2003 and 8-4 in 2004. This was not the
Indians' first rise to power.
Portage, which has only played varsity football for 58 years (CP has played over 100 years), is one of the charter members of the DAC and they were a part of the Northwest Indiana domination of the mid-1970s when Valparaiso (1975), Chesterton (1976) and Portage (1977) all won state titles. Because they are now DAC and sectional rivals, this will be the 21st meeting of CP and Portage in 15 years. Still, there just isn't a lot of love or hate here.
Crown Point, in some respects, has become Portage, the big DAC school that everybody measures themselves against. Portage once won 19 consecutive DAC games in 1994, 1995 and 1996. Over a decade later, CP has a 16-game DAC winning streak. CP coach Chip Pettit stated when he was hired that he'd like to emulate Portage and Valparaiso. That certainly got done. Portage set their program above everyone's facility-wise when they were the first Northwest Indiana school to install artificial turf in 2005. Guess who emulates them again and puts down the fake grass next year? Crown Point.
Portage is still ahead of CP from a multicultural standpoint. The town is 10-15% Hispanic and the Indians' last two star football runners (Albert Evans and Antoine Brown) were black kids who moved in from Lake County. Those high-profile students send a message to other families that they, too, can move in and it will be OK. CP and Portage remain largely white schools, but in the next 10 years, CP will have black and Hispanic students putting a multicultural face on their athletics as well. Young folks may not know that 25 years ago, Merrillville was an all-white high school. After some initial hard times, everybody benefited.
Portage has gone through an athletic slump in this decade. The dominance of boys wrestling ended. Baseball and basketball had major problems. Girls team sports all slumped, although recent success in soccer and basketball indicates a rally is on the way. Though they may not admit it, the loss of football coach Craig Buzea to Michigan City hurt the school. Buzea was basically the face of Portage athletics and a symbol of discipline and success.
The football and wrestling programs are in transition right now and football and wrestling are the marquee programs at Portage. When the IHSAA expands the football playoffs to Class 6A in 2009 (almost a certainty), Portage and CP will both go there as well. Well down the line, a consolidated Hammond high or a consolidated Gary West Side may be 6A but Portage and CP would still be in the same sectional in most team sports and there's little chance of either leaving the DAC in the foreseeable future. These two aren't getting away from each other any time soon.
Class 5A Crown Point (3-1)
Coach: Chip Pettit (44-25, 7th year at CP)
Enrollment: 2,400 (est.)
2006 record: 12-1*
Sectional titles: (3) 1981, 1988, 2006
Regional titles: (1) 1988
Semistate titles: (0)
State titles: (0)
*Lost 28-21 (OT) at LaPorte in the regional championship game
Crown Point Bulldogs (3-1, 2-0 DAC)
8-17 (L) 14-23 at Lowell (3-1)
8-24 (W) 22-20 Hobart (3-1)
8-31 (W) 20-17 Merrillville (3-1) OT
9-7 (W) 24-13 at Lake Central (3-1)
9-14 (F) at Portage (2-2)
9-21 (F) Valparaiso (2-2)
9-28 (F) LaPorte (2-2)
10-5 (F) at Chesterton (4-0)
10-12 (F) Michigan City (2-2)
5A Sectional (1) One
Oct. 19: vs. Valparaiso, Portage, Chesterton, Lake Central, Michigan City,
Munster or Merrillville.
Schedule analysis: CP won its first tough road game last week and here comes another. This is the 'stay at home' year for CP football, with no trips to LaPorte County to play LaPorte and Michigan City. But road games at Lowell (3-1), Portage (2-2), Lake Central (3-1) and Chesterton (4-0) are especially formidable. For the final time this season, every opponent on the CP schedule is at .500 or above. After this week, that's not a mathematical possibility. One 'comfortable' aspect of the CP 2007 schedule is that the predominately running teams are bunched together at the start (Lowell, Hobart, Merrillville, LC, Portage) and the teams that throw 20 times a game are back-to-back at the end (Valparaiso, LaPorte, Chesterton, Michigan City). If you would plan it, that's exactly the way you would want it. Similar teams together. Running teams in warm weather and passing teams late when the weather helps your defense. The Sagarin computer ratings say that Crown Point plays the eighth toughest schedule in the state of Indiana. There are over 300 teams.
Class 5A Portage (2-2)
2006 record: 5-6*
Enrollment: 2,543
Sectional titles: (8) last in 2003
Regional titles: (2) 1977, 1994
Semistate titles: (1)1994
State titles: (1) 1977
*Lost 14-13 at CP in the 5A Sectional 1 semifinals
Portage Indians (2-2, 0-2 DAC)
(W) 16-14 at Andrean (3-1)
(W) 28-0 Highland (0-4)
(L) 6-14 at LC (3-1)
(L) 14-2 at Merrillville (3-1)
Sep. 14 Crown Point (3-1)
Sep. 21 Chesterton (4-0)
Sep. 28 at Mich. City (2-2)
Oct. 5 Valparaiso (2-2)
Oct. 12 at LaPorte (2-2)
5A Sectional 1 One Playoffs
10-19 (F) vs. Portage, Merillville, CP, Valparaiso, Michigan City, Chesterton or
Munster
Schedule analysis: Portage's schedule is good because they play in the DAC which is all 5A schools with programs that are either good, or on the rise. Andrean is a difficult opening night foe. They are almost never 'down'. Highland is not a quality opponent right now and that's a spot where the Indians could upgrade if they wished to. Portage could take on someone like Lafayette Jefferson or Morton in week two, but Highland figures to get better in years to come and Portage may want a smaller school the week before league play begins. On the computer, Portage's schedule is rated 63rd toughest in the state.
CROWN POINT (3-1, 2-0) at PORTAGE (2-2, 0-2)
Sagarin ratings: Crown Point by 12
PORTAGE -
The Sagarin computer ratings are a lot more accurate at this point than they
were three weeks ago. If you regularly read these previews, I probably don't
have to remind you that, on the computer, CP was an 11-point favorite over Lake
Central last week and the final score was 24-13. Portage simply has scored only
64 (16 ppg). points all year and that includes a 28-0 win over Highland.
Only Notre Dame has less offense. The numbers are scary. The Indians
have scored 16 second half points all season. Portage has completed 23 passes
all year in four games. There is more than one problem.
Quarterback Vance Johnston (6-0, 185) improved last week, hitting 10-of-19 for
166 yards, including a 43-yard TD toss to big tight end Clark Mussman (6-3, 245)
in the second quarter. Senior halfback Albert Evans (6-2, 190) isn't totally
healthy. After rushing for 1,604 yards (on 254 carries) in 2006, Evans has
less than 400 yards this year and you can't totally blame the offensive line.
The big 4.5 sprinter did get 109 yards on 25 carries last week.
There is a feeling that once he gets healthy, Evans will break loose again with
a 200-yard game. But there are other problems. The lack of a passing game
makes it easy for teams to load up on Evans. WR Billy Doll (6-0, 175) has been
injured most of the first half of the season, but he figures to be a factor
catching passes on this night.
Defensively, Portage gave up a season high (209 yards) in rushing yards last
week and it may have something to do with the loss of Nolan Chavez (5-10, 265),
a starting defensive tackle who is lost for the year with a torn ACL.
Obviously, injuries aren't broadcast, but Doll, Evans and Luke Manoski have all
been hurt.
Vance Johnston is the new kicker this year and he's made 8-of-9 extra points
(with one blocked). Portage has not successfully kicked a field goal as of
yet, but I would think that Johnston could hit something under 30 yards.
The offensive line has had problems, but they have just gone against two top run
defenses in Lake Central and Merrillville. What scares you about Portage
is that they have so much ability. Evans, Doll, defensive end Sam Gonzalez
and Mussman are all future college players. The Indians have more than one
player who is on the disabled list or is playing hurt. You need to hurry
up and get out of town before they all put it together.
Crown Point gained 207 yards and 15 first downs last week, but the offense didn't really decide the game against Lake Central. QB Blake Mascarello hit 8-of-19 passes for only 45 yards and halfback Russell Chick ran 34 times for 120 yards, his fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing game.
CP's big offensive line led by center Matt Polus (6-2, 260) and guards Zach Brumm (5-11, 220) and Kurt Wermers (6-5, 270) has been the key. When they've done well, so has the Bulldog offense. Since opening night, no one has consistently stopped Crown Point from running the football. Mascarello (36 of 76, 467 yards, 4 TDs 6 INTs) is throwing less, but a lot of that is because of all the wide receivers. Tight end Zach Cecich has caught 12 for 242 yards and Chick has caught 10 for 86 yards out of the backfield.
But other than senior transfer Ron Burton (7-for-83 yards) and junior Matt Osojnicki (2-for 25 yards), the Bulldogs have not gotten the ball to the wide receivers. They have not been able to threaten the defense to either sideline and far down the field.
That makes the numbers of Russell Chick (113 carries, 569 yards, 5 TDs) more amazing. Without a strong passing game to make it easier for the line, Chick (5-11, 180) has carried over 25 times a game and has allowed CP to win time-of-possession wars. The Bulldogs need a second back to take the work load off Chick. Of CP running plays, minus Mascarello, 113 handoffs have gone to Chick and seven to anybody else.
A lot like the situation with Portage, you want to play CP right now. If they get the wide receivers into the offense consistently (which could happen at any time), and the secondary starts intercepting passes, the Bulldogs go from averaging 20 points a game to averaging 30-point per game and CP starts to look like a Top-10 team.
Defensively, Crown Point has been steadily improving. After giving up a
total of 400 yards rushing to Lowell and Hobart in the first two weeks, the
Bulldogs have controlled play for the most part against Merrillville and Lake
Central. The six TDs CP allowed against Lowell and Hobart were all rushing
TDs. Of the four TDs allowed against Merrillville and Lake Central, three
were passes and the fourth was a kickoff return.
Senior linebacker and state finals wrestler Andrew Szymborski has 38 tackles
including 21 solo tackles and defensive end Nick Hladek has 29 tackles,
including 19 solos. Crown Point does not have a big physical defense. Cody
Blue (6-4, 230) or Zach Brumm (5-11, 220) are the largest players on defense.
Hladek
(5-9, 195) and Marcus Shrewsbury (6-0, 210) are probably the smallest defensive
end combo in Class 5A in NW Indiana. But that speed should serve CP well
on the artificial turf Friday. Safety Nick Bruno's interception last week
was CP's first of the year to go with eight fumble recoveries (3 by Zach Brumm)
and seven QB sacks (3 by Nick Hladek).
CP kicking has been strong with junior Matt Kozlowski averaging over 37 yards a punt and junior Michael Lipton, who oddly is doing better (3 of 4) on field goals and he is on extra points (5 of 7).
The question, and it may not be answered this week, is the pass defense. CP is largely a senior group in the front eight and they are quick and effective. But CP has faced teams that largely run the ball all the time. The secondary is all first year starters and three are juniors. They could be strong. They could be weak. Nobody knows yet because every QB CP has faced so far is a rookie. I don't know if Portage will or can test the CP secondary on a chilly, windy night. When you've got a runner like Albert Evans, how can you justify throwing 20 times?
WHAT WILL HAPPEN...
PORTAGE - I would like to tell you that I see an offensive
resurrection on this night on either side, but that would be like saying that
Rex Grossman will throw for 5 TDs this weekend. Possible, but not likely.
These two teams played last year and the scores were 17-10 and 14-13.
Crown Point has no reason to try to challenge Portage's strength, which is the
secondary, with a struggling Bulldog passing game. They will and should
stay conservative on this first fall weather night. Portage has an excellent
defense. I think the 330 yards they gave up to Merrillville last week was
somewhat of a fluke. One carry went for 89 yards. CP does not have
that kind of speed.
CP will open the scoring on a Michael Lipton field goal after a short pass to Russell Chick picks up first down yardage in Portage territory. Frustrated by run attempts against CP's eight-man front, Portage will try to exploit single coverage down the sidelines with Bill Doll. A CP sack and forced turnover will set up Lipton for a second field goal and the Bulldogs will lead 6-0 at half-time.
In the third quarter, Evans will break loose on a run of over 50 yards and the Indians will take a 7-6 lead. Evans will carry 25 times for 100-125 yards. I think Portage will make it their mission to hold Russell Chick under 100 yards and they will, but a 4th quarter run of less than 10 yards by Chick will give the Bulldogs a 13-7 lead. A pass interception and a third Michael Lipton field goal will create the final score.
There are better days ahead for both teams. I don't think the Indians are at full strength and they are facing a confusing defense. Crown Point would like to strike deep into the secondary early on this night because Portage is not a come-from-behind team. But CP's going to have a tough time passing against an experienced defense that has faced them many times.
This is going to be a lot like the Bears against the San Diego Chargers. Don't expect many more points than that.
CROWN POINT 16, Portage 7