Week 8 - Football Game of the Week Preview

Munster (5-2) at Lowell (4-3)

When:  7:00 p.m. Friday, October 8, 2010

Where: Lowell High School  - Route 2 (Commercial Ave.) & Holtz Road, Lowell, IN (3 miles east of I-65 on US/2)

Tickets:  $5

Radio-TV:  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). TV highlights on Comcast Cable Channel 17 - 10:30 p.m.

Enrollment: Munster - 1,630; LOWELL - 1,224

WEATHER: Too much like summer. Mid-70s during the day. Fortunately, it's dark well before kickoff now and the temperatures will drop quickly into the mid-60s. This is still a little warm for football. Prime football weather for players is probably about 55 degrees.

PARKING: Lowell is hoping for a big crowd from Munster because this is the odd year where the Devils only get four home games. I am not sure large amounts of Munster people will come this far south, but there is room for them. Munster folks may want to know that in the last two years, Lowell has opened a new parking lot behind the home grandstand and a new concession stand at the south end of the field. There's plenty of room for the size of crowd that figures to show up.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: This is a very interesting question. Munster is one game behind Andrean in the Northwest Crossroads Conference and can still win the league if Andrean loses its final two games. The league means more to Munster than it does to Lowell because Lowell is a seven-time defending Class 4A sectional champ. Their season's success or lack of it will not be determined until the nights of Oct. 22, 29 and Nov. 5.

Munster is Class 5A and they have about as much chance of winning 5A Sectional One as Rick Sanchez does of being elected president of the Jewish Defense League. Munster (5-2, 3-1) closes the season with winless Kankakee Valley. Andrean (6-1, 4-0) closes with Griffith and Lowell. It's not impossible that they could lose them both.

Lowell needs a win over a good teams. They've only really defeated Morton (6-1) this year. But if Lowell lost to Munster and defeated Andrean, they would be 100% ready for the post-season. Lowell needs a win over Munster. Munster must beat Lowell or they cannot fulfill their season's goals.

HISTORY:  Munster is an affluent town of 22,000 in the center of Lake County. Folks there take home more than you and I do. The average family income in Munster was about $75,000 the last time anybody checked. Munster, Indiana is named after Jacob Munster, who immigrated from the Netherlands in the mid-1800s. He opened a general store, which eventually added a post office in the back. To send a letter to the center of what is now Munster, you sent it to the "Munster area." Munster had 4,500 people in 1950 and 20,000 in 1980, probably due to the building of I-65, the rise of the steel industry and the large Community Hospital on Calumet Ave.


I'm a little confused as to how Munster high has grown from a school of about 1,100 in the 90s to a school of 1,600 now. I get around and I don't know of any undeveloped areas in the town that have bloomed into housing developments in the last decade like they have in St. John and Crown Point. Munster high may be getting students who pay their way in from old and raggedy Hammond high or painfully overcrowded Lake Central high.

All five schools in the Munster school system have been given a "5-star" rating by the state of Indiana, which means everybody from the big kids to the rug rats gets a quality education. Munster high school is good in the "rich kid" sports like tennis, where the Mustangs just won their 30th consecutive tennis sectional and swimming, where Munster is a regional power. Munster has never been a state football power, probably because of competition. They are surrounded by Griffith, Andrean, Hobart and Lowell, which all have been powerhouses (not to mention state champs) at one time or another in the last 30 years.

The Mustangs have had only two coaches in school history: John Friend (104-31-4, 12 years) and Leroy Marsh (190-127, 31 years) in the school's five-decade existence. I think this is a source of pride at the school as Marsh is a respected leader who represents his school well. They'd like to win post-season titles, but they probably would trade a general quality reputation for playoff trophies. In the future, the IHSAA football playoffs will certainly have six classes. At that time, Munster will be in a 5A sectional that they can win. Until then, the Mustangs are playing for regular season glory. If word comes during the game Friday that Griffith is defeating first place Andrean, Munster folks will get excited.

Is this the year Munster wins the sectional? Uh, no. If you really knew how overmatched Munster is in Class 5A, you would sit right down and cry. Katy Perry will be elected to the Supreme Court before Munster defeats Merrillville and Valparaiso and wins a 5A sectional championship.

But that's why winning the Northwest Crossroads Conference (Munster and Lowell tied for the title in 2009) is so big to them. And they must beat Lowell Friday to win the league championship. There's no way around that.

All-time series: Munster leads 33-11. Munster won 17-12 last year at Munster.

LOWELL (4-3)

all games on 92.7fm -WKIF
Coach Keith Kilmer (1st season)
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 (5-2)
Aug. 27 (W) 40-26 Morton (6-1)
Sep. 3 (W) 43-0 Kankakee Valley (0-7)
Sep. 10 (L) 16-19 at Griffith (4-3)
Sep. 17 (W) 42-3 at Highland (1-6)
Sep. 24 (L) 41-42 Hobart (3-4)
Oct. 1 (W) 51-20 at Hammond (2-5)
Oct. 8 (Fri. ) Munster (5-2)
Oct. 15 (Fri.) at Andrean (6-1)


Munster (5-2)

Coach: Leroy Marsh (31st year) 190-127
5 sectional titles: 1985, ‘86, ‘86, 1993, 1996
one regional title - 1986
Last 5 seasons: 25-26

8-20 (W) 17-7 at LC (2-5)
8-27 (W) 62-21 Bishop Noll (2-5)
9-3 (W) 49-6 at Highland (1-6)
9-10 (L) 28-29 (2 OTs) at Andrean (6-1)
9-17 (L) 21-25 Morton (6-1)
9-24 (W) 19-14 Griffith (3-4)
10-1 (W) 24-7 Hobart (4-3)
10-8 (Fri.) at Lowell (4-3)
10-15 (Fri.) Kankakee Valley (0-7)

5A Sectional (1) One
10-22: with Chesterton LC, Merrillville , East Chicago, Valparaiso, CP, and Portage

MUNSTER Update:

MUNSTER (10-8-2010) Munster has played four games decided by 10 points or less and they are 2-2. So they could be 7-0 and they also could be 3-4. But the 5-2 record is probably accurate. If Lowell on offense is geared around Cole Midgett, Munster is built around QB Mark Strbjak (6-3, 195), a big, strong running, passing, punting triple threat. Strbjak (46 of 73, 648 yards) leads the way in a conservative attack that has him as the team's leading rusher. Strbjak (67 carries, 433 yards) controls the game behind a good-sized, but inexperienced line led by senior Tyler Kerrick (6-2, 230).

Munster has always used a double-wing running attack with one wide receiver and a lot of misdirection. You can see from the numbers (combine Strbjak's carries and passes) that the ball ends up in the quarterbacks hands more than half the time. Munster's numbers are not great, because frankly, they shorten the game with long possessions and tight defense.

Munster's defense pivots around nose guard Tyler Mosgrove (5-9, 185) and big senior end Jack Seamon (6-5, 235). The linebackers are also both seniors with Garrett Peck (6-0, 200) and Lukas Nossem (6-3, 225). Corner Nate Egan has three interceptions,.

Munster gave up 10 points a game last year and they've allowed just 15 points a game this season. The number must be flavored with the fact that the Mustangs play no other 5A schools and that 2A Bishop Noll is an easy win. If they keep it close, Munster can win the game with a field goal. Senior Jake Smith (6-1, 160) has connected on boots of 25, 32 and 38 yards. Munster has scored 21 rushing TDs, eight passing TDs and two defensive TDs.

But in the last three weeks (Morton, Griffith and Hobart), Munster has scored eight TDs, six on passes.

Conclusion: They don't start the game throwing the football like Crown Point or Morton. They won't throw it until you stop the run.

Defensively, Munster comes to Lowell looking "run" on every play. You'll see eight or nine men up front. Passing teams and teams with wide speed (Morton, Andrean) beat Munster. Running teams don't. Straight ahead power hasn't beaten them, but again, that may be because of the schedule.

Like Griffith, Munster is coming hard at the line of scrimmage and they've got something for you. That's Lowell's reputation, but they have been overpowered on some nights this season. Munster hopes this Friday is another one of those nights.


LOWELL Update:

LOWELL (10-8-2010) Lowell got injured all-area linebacker Jordan Juarez (dislocated elbow on August 28) back into action last week and he scored on a run and a pass in the 51-20 win at Hammond. Juarez, a junior all-stater, may not be 100% but he gives Lowell a scoring threat so defenses cannot gang up on halfback Cole Midgett (115 carries, 942 yards, 15 rushing TDs). Midgett and Juarez are the running back team Lowell projected at the start of the season.

What went unnoticed on offense last week may have been QB Chris Sekuloski, who hit 5-of-6 passes for 70 yards, one TD and no interceptions. Those are modest numbers, but that's all Lowell needs through the air to make their rushing attack (27 carries, 1,889 yards, 24 TDs) work.

There is a misconception that because Lowell is 4-3 that their offense has been failing. The Devils average 34 points a game and have scored 40 or more five times.

Cole Midgett continues his remarkable play. He'll pass the 1,000-yard rushing mark this week and he has scored 18 total TDs in seven games. Midgett is 27 of 32 on extra point and has booted two field goals. He has also returned five punts for a 24.6 yard average and six kickoffs for a 35.5 yard average.

For the life of me, I don't understand why Lowell doesn't simply lateral the ball to Midgett on every kickoff as teams are breaking their backs trying to kick away from him. I would not be surprised to see Lowell maximize their strength in the weeks to come. The Devils have more quick running backs than anything else. You might see a three-back alignment, especially near the goal line.

Defensively, Lowell has allowed 4.3 yards a carry defensively and they have given up an uncomfortable 12 rushing TDs. They have looked physically weak at times. But pass-happy Hammond was held to minus yardage last week. Juarez' return on defense teams him with leading tackler Mike Sekuloski (67 tackles), and undersized Clark Mikesell (33 tackles), making linebacker a strength again.

Up front, the pass rush had been missing injured end Tyler Wright (out for the season), but Lowell did get a season-high four QB sacks last week. Junior Jeremy Crocker (6-2, 215) may have found a home at defensive end teaming with wrestler Jay Trappani (6-2, 220) around tackles Luke Mitrisin (6-3, 290) and Jake Hayden (6-0, 275). This front seven or front eight gets a severe test against Munster which wants to run over them and kill the clock much like Griffith did in defeating Lowell last month.

Lowell's secondary of Midgett, Nick Hamilton, Jason Parker and speedy sophomore Joey Gruszkowski has to take note of Mark Strbjak's six TD passes in the last three games as well. The return of Juarez, who plays some safety on passing downs, will help this group as well.

But it all comes down to how well the offensive line does, and with former guard Dominick Rebesco (6-0, 250) switching positions with former center Tim McGinnis (5-10, 200), the line has sparked Cole Midgett to five consecutive 100 yard games and Lowell runners as a group to three consecutive 300-yard games.

Lowell's defense has had bad games, but since August, the offense has not.