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Lowell (2-2) at Highland (1-3) |
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Week 5 - Football Game of the Week Preview
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Lowell (2-2) at Highland (1-3) |
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09-15-2010
When:
7:00 p.m., Friday, September 17, 2010
Where: Highland High School - 9135 Erie St. (Two blocks east of 42nd and Kennedy), Highland IN 46322.
Tickets: $5
TV-Radio-Internet: WKIF
(92.7) FM, WTMK (88.5) FM, live updates of all local scores all night on 89.1 FM.
All Lowell games are aired live on WKIF (92.7) and WTMK (88.5).
Enrollment: Highland - 1,134; LOWELL - 1,224.
WEATHER:
Mid-60s for the kickoff. Low-60s by the fourth quarter.
Another good night. You can always trust the weather man (sure) and they say it
is not supposed to rain after noon Friday.
Field conditions will be a question because there will be rain Thursday. For the
Devils, they need the weather to stay cool because Lowell asks a lot of players
to play both ways.
PARKING:
There is less parking at Highland than there was last week at Griffith, but there
may be less people at the game. The high school has a decent size lot south of
the football field, but let's be honest. Highland has won three games in four
years. The thrill is gone.
And Lowell isn't undefeated so a lot of folks may wait (there were 500 Lowell
people at the Griffith game last week) until the next Red Devil home game. If it
rains Friday morning, there won't be a capacity crowd at this game.
WHAT's AT STAKE: Suddenly, this game means more to Lowell than it does to
Highland. Certainly, an upset victory will give Highland a huge lift. But Lowell
needs a win. They have a tradition of rallying after slow starts and this is the
final game of the first half (everybody gets a 10th game) so the Devils need to
get going. Technically, a Lowell win does keep them in the race for the
Northwest Crossroads Conference title. Check the standings. If Lowell wins its
remaining four conference games and Griffith loses either to Andrean or Munster,
the Devils tie for the NWCC title just as they did last year.
All-time series: Highland leads 30-19 (but has not won since 2002).
Lowell won 42-0 at Lowell last year.
4A 10 LOWELL (3-1)
all games on 92.7fm -WKIF
Enrollment: 1,200 - Class 4A
2009 record: 13-2
Last 5 seasons: 57-14
10 sectional titles; 1992, 1994, 1999, 2003-2009
6 regional titles: 1994, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009
3 semi state titles: 2005, 2007, 2009
1 state title: 2005
Aug. 20 (L) 6-37
at Crown Point (3-1)
Aug. 27 (W) 40-26 Morton (3-1)
Sep. 3 (W) 43-0 Kankakee Valley (0-4)
Sep. 10 (L) 16-19 at Griffith (2-2)
Sep. 17 (Fri.) at Highland (1-3)
Sep. 24 (Fri.) Hobart (2-2)
Oct. 1 (Fri.) at Hammond (1-3)
Oct. 8 (Fri. ) Munster (3-1)
Oct. 15 (Fri.) at Andrean (3-1)
Highland (1-3)
Coach: Ken Bye, 2-12 (2nd year) 107-104 in 23rd year overall
2009 record: 1-9
Sectionals (3) last in 1987
Regional titles: (1) 1987
Semistate titles (1) 1987
Last 5 seasons: 9-43
9-20 (L) 29-32
at Wheeler (4-0)
9-27 (W) Hammond (2-2)
9-3 (L) 6-49 Munster (3-1)
9-10 (L) 17-26 at Morton (3-1)
9-17 (Fri) Lowell (3-1)
9-24 at Andrean (3-1)
10-1 at Griffith (2-2)
10-8 Kankakee Valley (0-4)
10-15 at Hobart (1-3)
10-2: Class 4A Sectional 9
with Griffith (2-2), Hammond (1-3), Hobart (21-2), West Side (1-3), Morton
(3-1), Lew Wallace (0-4) and Roosevelt (0-3)
HIGHLAND update:
HIGHLAND (9-17-2010) Highland topped Hammond 39-8 for their only win.
The
losses to Wheeler (4-0), Munster (3-1) and Morton (3-1)
have been disappointing, but not devastating.
Highland has used both sophomore Gunner Grider (5-9, 160) and Pat O'Donnell
(5-8, 155) at quarterback and Grider, who played on the varsity part time as a
freshman, has four TD passes. Nigel Palmer (5-8, 150) is the returning starter
at running back and he has a 98-yard kickoff return for a TD this season.
Mike Anderson is a very good kicker who has two (27 and 49 yard) field goals this
season. Justin Thiele (5-10, 170) has runs of 67 and 80 yards from scrimmage.
Nike Berrios (5-10, 195) leads the defense with Nick Good (6-1, 220) up front.
There is size available up front with Nick Ruman (6-1, 251), Josh Melton (5-11,
280) and Jesse Solis (6-3, 255). The Trojans seem to be improving.
But this is also a team that has given up over 800 yards rushing and 116 (29.0)
points in four games.
Highland will try to control the ball on the ground and keep their defense off
the field.
LOWELL Update:
Lowell wasn't ready at the start of the game last week. They didn't believe they could do serious damage to Griffith without key players Logan Wright and Justin Juarez, two injured two-way starters.
The Devils have revamped their offensive line with Dominick Rebesco (6-2, 250) at center, Mike Sekuloski (6-3, 200) and Tim McInnis (5-10, 200) at guard and Jay Trappani (6-2, 220) and Luke Mitrisin (6-3, 290) at tackle with Jake Hayden (6-0, 261) rotating in there.
In the second half, they rushed for 150 yards even though Griffith knew that Cole Midgett was the only one who would get the ball. They will certainly come out this way and try to run over Highland at the line of scrimmage because that's what Lowell always does.
You will probably see QB Chris Sekuloski (6-3, 170) run the ball more. With the
much bigger Rebesco at center and everyone keying on Midgett, there's a couple
of yards straight ahead whenever Lowell wants them. The Devils also may go to
the wingback counter play more with someone like Nick Hamilton or Joey
Gruszkowski. The Devils picked up 11 yards on a counter play to Hamilton last
week that was called back by a penalty.
But for the long haul, Lowell has to get Chris Sekuloski (8 of 26, 172 yards,
one TD, 2 interceptions) started as a passer and this may be a good night to do
that. Morton completed 14 passes for 220 yards against Highland last week and
Midgett, a state class sprinter, has caught two passes. It may be time to throw
15-20 passes into the secondary and see what happens. Lowell's tight end will be
open half the night if they can execute pass plays. The Devils will face
nine-man lines until they complete some passes down the field.
To say that Cole Midgett (60 carries, 294 yards, nine overall TDs) has done a lot for Lowell is like saying that Peyton Manning threw a few passes last Sunday. Lowell needs to run Nick Hamilton (5-8, 155) more. He looks like a solid compliment to Midgett and it would allow Cole to line up in the slot or go in motion.
Midgett (5-9, 155) has improved dramatically as a place-kicker. He is 10 of 13 on extra points but he also had a 39-yard field goal last week. Midgett (33.6) and Hamilton (27.0) give the Devils a top return game.
Midgett hasn't been all-pro as a punter but 30.1 yards per kick is acceptable. You might see Lowell pull Midgett off defense for some first and second down plays because they cannot afford their five-position (halfback, defensive back, kick returner, punter and place kicker) player getting hurt.
Lowell's defense is led by linebackers Mike Sekuloski (42 tackles), Jeremy Crocker (15 tackles) and defensive end Jay Trappani (3 QB sacks). Sophomores Anthony Mauer (6-3, 180) and Spencer Kersey (6-0, 205) are new to the mix and they'll get better and, eventually bigger.
Sophomore defensive back Joey Gruzkowski blocked a punt that should have won last week's game and junior Clark Mikesell has 21 tackles. If there's any positive to losing two defensive starters for most of the year, it's that the 2011 Red Devil team will be much stronger because of it. Lowell only has 12 seniors on the entire roster. They are going to have a dominant defense next season.
HIGHLAND
(09-17-2010) The Sagarin ratings get stronger as the season gets longer
because there are more games to draw information from. Highland just hasn't
defeated anyone, while Lowell is the only team to beat 4A No. 13 Morton. Also,
the CP team that defeated Lowell is rated 23rd in the state and in the Sagarin
ratings. It's not so much who you beat. It's also who you play.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN: Highland boys get the newspapers so they think
they have a chance to defeat Lowell this year. Whoever the Highalnd QB is is
going to get outside the hash marks with quick passes and wide runs.
Lowell isn't as fast defensively as they have been, and on tape, the Devils
probably look like they can't run plays down as they have in past years. That
look is deceiving.
The Devils will start strong in this game, driving the length of the field and
scoring on a short run by QB Chris Sekuloski. A short pass to Cole Midgett will
turn into a long touchdown and a 14-0 lead.
Highland rallies on a TD run by Justin Thiele on a short pass, but a Lowell interception sets up a Cole Midget field goal for a 17-7 halftime lead. Sekuloski will throw 10-15 passes and he'll find Jim Szafranski for a TD and a 24-7 lead. The Trojans will get a third quarter field goal from kicker Mike Anderson, but Lowell will get a Nick Hamilton TD run to create the final score.
The Devils won't dominate this game, but they do
have the better offensive line and a couple of fast backs. That will be plenty
good enough here.
LOWELL 31, Highland 10