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Crown
Point
(5-3, 3-3 DAC)
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Week 9 - Football Game of the Week Preview
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Crown
Point
(5-3, 3-3 DAC)
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10-14-2010
When:
7:00 p.m. Friday, October 15, 2010
Where:
Ames
Field, 1 Wolf Trail, US 421, 3 miles north of I-94. Remember, Ames Field is nowhere near Michigan City High School.
Tickets:
$5
TV/Radio/Internet: No radio. Live Internet on
www.USA-365.com. There won't be any
highlights on the 10:30 p.m. 'Scoreboard Show' on Lakeshore Public Broadcasting
(Comcast Cable Ch. 17) as this is most definitely not one of the key games of
the night.
Enrollment: CP - 2,442; Michigan City - 1,846
WEATHER: It should rain sometime Friday but temperatures will be
in the low 60s for the kickoff. We've been blessed with unusually warm and dry
weather, but that may end this week. Ames Field has artificial turf so any rain
that stops by game time will have no effect on the game.
PARKING: Ames Field is not at the high school so parking sometimes
can be scarce. But this is not a big game in any way and very few people are
expected to make the 45-minute drive from Crown Point to watch this one.
Especially if it rains. I don't think it matters how late you get to Michigan
City; you'll be able to park close to the field and there won't be any crowd
getting back on US Route 421.
JV Football: Saturday, Oct. 15 - 10 a.m. - Michigan City at CROWN
POINT.
Freshman Football: Thursday, Oct. 20 - 6 p.m. - CROWN POINT at
Michigan City.
All-time series: Crown Point leads the series 8-7. Michigan City
won 35-3 at Crown Point last year and 7-3 at Michigan City in 2008.
The HISTORY: Michigan City and Crown Point have nothing in common.
Michigan City is a town of 32,000 about 50 miles east of Chicago and 40 miles
west of South Bend. Unlike most places in Northwest Indiana, MC's rise had
nothing to do with the steel mills or its proximity to Chicago. Michigan City
had a population of 20,000 100 years ago. Michigan City High School is a 1995
consolidation of Michigan City Elston and Michigan City Rogers high schools.
Follow me now: The present MCHS is in the Rogers building. But Elston, which is
now a middle school, was the original Michigan City high school. Issac Elston
founded the town of Michigan City in 1830.
Most towns and cities exist because they are either a train depot on the way to
somewhere or they are on a lake. MC is both. In no small manner, Michigan City
exists because it's the way around Lake Michigan from Detroit to Chicago and the
direct line from South Bend to Chicago. The South Shore railway runs from South
Bend to Chicago through Michigan City..
I can't find a discussion of the origin of the town's name and that may mean that it's obvious. This is the 'Michigan' City. Michigan City High School is losing enrollment as the town is losing population. MC had 40,000 citizens 20 years ago. The high schools consolidated because there was not a need for two high schools. Michigan City high seemed to be on the verge of contending in the Duneland Conference after a 6-4 season in 2009 but coach Craig Buzea left to go to Homewood-Flossmoor and new coach Eric Schreiber was left to rebuild. The problem isn't coaching. MCHS is now the smallest school in the DAC and they are falling behind the other schools in facilities and enrollment.
At one time, this school was thought to be an athletic power in the making. But except for basketball, it does not seem that way. The urban nature of Michigan City and its tradition of basketball success may be draining football talent. Winning football against the competition they must face now seems years away. I would not be shocked if Michigan City considered a jump to the Northern Indiana Conference (with Penn, the five South Bend schools, Mishawaka and Penn) in the next 10 years. I believe that Elston was formerly in that league. Michigan City seems a much better fit for the NIC than the DAC.
Michigan City (1-7, 0-6
DAC)
Coach Eric Scheriber (1st year)
2009 record: 6-4
Michigan City has never won an IHSAA post-season football championship
Last 5 seasons: 19-32
8-20 (W) 49-0 Gary Roosevelt (1-7)
8-27 (L) 7-31 at (SB) Washington (6-2)
9-3 (L) 0-55 at Chesterton (6-2)
9-10 (L) 0-49 Valparaiso (8-0)
9-17 (L) 14-68 at Merrillville (6-2)
9-24 (L) 0-31 Lake Central (2-6)
10-1 (L) 7-40 at Portage (4-4)
10-8 (L) 16-28 LaPorte (4-4)
10-15 (Fri.) Crown Point (5-3)
5A Sectional (2) Two
10-22 (Fri.) Goshen (3-5)
10-29 (Fri) at Mishawaka (8-0)
CROWN POINT (5-3, 3-3 DAC)
Coach Chip Pettit (60-46, 10 years)
2009 record: 3-7
Sectional titles (3) 1988, 91, 2006
Regional titles (1) 1988
Last 5 seasons: 37-19
8-20 (W) 37-6 Lowell (5-3)
8-27 (W) 48-14 at Hobart (4-4)
9-3 (L) 21-24 at MERRILLVILLE (6-2)
9-10 (W) 42-21 LAKE CENTRAL (2-6)
9-17 (W) 24-7 PORTAGE (4-4)
9-24 (L) 7-10) at VALPARAISO (8-0)
10-1 (W) 40-13 at LaPORTE (4-4)
10-8 (L) 21-45 CHESTERTON (6-2)
10-15 at MICHIGAN CITY (1-7)
5A Sectional (1) One
10-22: vs. Portage (4-4)
10-29: at Munster (6-2) or Lake Central (2-6)
Michigan City Update:
MICHIGAN CITY - To say it's been a tough year for Michigan City is like
saying Brett Farve has abused his phone privileges. The Wolves have lost seven
in a row and they have allowed 302 points the last seven weeks. They have used
senior Rodney Washington (6-2, 215) as a wide receiver and as quarterback with
mixed success, but he rebounded somewhat last week. Washington completed 10 of
19 for 172 yards last week in a 28-16 loss to arch rival LaPorte. Junior tight
end Kevin Kreigbaum (6-2, 210) caught four passes for 99 yards last week.
Halfback Rasheem Bell (5-5, 160) carried 11 times for 64 yards two weeks ago in
the 40-7 loss to Portage.
But the Michigan City line has had hard times. Washington is very mobile and
he'd better be because the protection is not strong. MC has lost nine fumbles
and had seven passes intercepted. Kicker Dustin Rivich is very good. He
connected on field goals of 30 and 43 yards last Friday. The defense is a waste
land. In the last seven games (28 quarters), MC has been scored on in 26
periods. They have allowed 2,000 yards rushing in the last seven games.
The Wolves gave up five TDs to Portage's Jake Dixon, four TDs each to Merrillville's Darryl Peppers and Denzel Pierce, 191 yards to LaPorte's Nick Latchford and three TDs to Chesterton's Jon Watson. Everyone has scored on Michigan City. If MC puts Washington and Arthur Williams (6-2, 190) in the secondary, they have some size and speed, but again, the trouble is on the lines, which is anchored by seniors Brendan Lomow (6-3, 215) and Dylan Justice (6-2, 255).
The Wolves were competitive last week. They badly
need some success early Friday or the outcome cannot help but be what it has
been the last seven weeks.
CROWN POINT Update:
CROWN POINT - Crown Point was having a good year until last week when
they were routed at home by Chesterton 45-20. The Bulldogs hadn't fumbled all
season, but they lost three to the Trojans. The Bulldogs had allowed just 750
yards rushing all season, but they gave up 267 to Chesterton. CP was down 38-0
in the third quarter before they scored three consolation TDs. There has to be
concern over the teams' reaction and it certainly was a tough week of practice.
The Bulldogs need a good clean game to get back on track. Halfback Cody Bacon
(166 carries, 907 yards) could clear the 1,000-yard barrier on this night. QB
Joe Hopman (73 of 118, 1,322 yards, 15 TDs, 5 interceptions) carried the ball 13
times for 71 yards last week and that may add another aspect to the CP offense.
The Bulldogs don't want to have a running QB, but they also don't want to remove
that option. Receiver Austin Atherton has caught 37 passes for 682 yards.
Fullback Pete Parks has 12 catches for 161 yards and four TDs.
Defensively, the Bulldogs are probably still wondering what went wrong last
week. I do not know of any serious injuries they suffered that weakened the
defense so I'd be surprised to see them fail to bounce back. Now is the time
before they face all-stater Jake Dixon and Portage next week in the sectional
quarterfinals.
MICHIGAN
CITY
(10-15-2010) This is a little unfair because Michigan City hasn't
beaten anyone of any quality. The Sagarin computer ranks CP the No. 23 team
(of 314) in the state. CP's schedule is rated 25th in the state. CP and
Michigan City play the same teams except for Lowell and Hobart which the
Bulldogs play and South Bend Washington and Gary Roosevelt, which MC plays.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN: Crown Point will start slowly on this night, being
conservative and running the football. Late in the first quarter a
play-action pass should find Pete Parks or Jordan Jurasevich open for a TD.
The Bulldogs are going to wear out Cody Bacon and Jake Lindeman on this
night running the ball as CP wants to establish control and calm things down
after all the mistakes and opposing TDs last week. Bacon will score twice to
give CP a 21-0 lead at the half and pass the 1,000-yard mark. A TD pass to
Austin Atherton will up the score to 28-0 in the third quarter and Brett
Bayer will add a fourth quarter field goal.
I'd like to tell you this is going to be an exciting game, but it won't be.
I don't know how much Michigan City has left to give after seven losses in a
row. The Bulldogs need an impressive win going into the post-season and
they'll get it. The worst thing that happened to Michigan City here was CP
losing last week.
CROWN POINT 31, Michigan City
0
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Revised: October 14, 2010
.