Week 9 Picks:  2006 NW Indiana High School Football

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

October 12, 2006

WEEK (8) EIGHT RECAP:  The scores continued to soar in the DAC, 41-21, 42-28, 51-21 and LaPorte over Michigan City 39-13.  What happened to defense?  Hobart and Griffith advanced to the Lake Conference Black Division title game this week.  Whiting and KV did the same in the Lake Conference Blue Division.  None of those four games was a surprise, although Clark and Lowell came closer than was expected.

Chesterton just isn't a good match up with Crown Point.  They could beat a lot of other teams.  Morton still has some life left and Merrillville's offense is getting warmed up.  The trend again was for high-scoring contests.  I thought North Newton had a lot more than they did and Valparaiso simply defies prediction.

BIGGEST WINNER - WEEK (8) EIGHT:  PORTAGE - After a 1-4 start, Portage won for the third week in a row and beat up on one of their biggest rivals. To score 51 points on Valparaiso is a big jump from losing 28-6 to St. Joseph's or 10-3 to Lake Central. Major turnaround here. More than by any team in recent years. I don't now how you change the offensive line after the season begins and make it work like they have here.  This team has gone from being a source of frustration to being a source of concern for Sectional one teams like Crown Point and Merrillville..

RUNNER UP: WEEK (8) EIGHT: Hobart - Hobart absolutely, positively had to beat Lowell.  The score doesn't matter.  It would have been a disaster to lose again at the No. 1 sectional rival.  Hobart won 7-0 and ran the ball well.  There's no guarantee the Brickies win a rematch in three weeks, but Hobart went home with 100 times more confidence than they would have had they lost at Lowell or gone to overtime.

WEEK 8 (2006) PIX recap

WEEK 1:  9 of 13 = 69.1%
WEEK 2:  10 of 15 = 66.7%
WEEK 3:  11 of 13 = 84.6%
WEEK 4:  11 of 14 = 78.6%
WEEK 5:  9 of 12 = 75.0%
WEEK 6:  10 of 13 = 76.9%
WEEK 7:  11 of 12 = 91.7%
WEEK 8:  10 of 11 = 83.3%
2006 Season to date:  81 of 103 = 78.6% 
2005 (final) OVERALL:  170 of 233 = 72.9%

Northwest Indiana
WEEK 9 (NINE) PICKS, 10-13-2006

(10-13-2006)  WEEK (9) NINE -  The big match ups are in the Lake Athletic Conference where Whiting (7-1) and Kankakee Valley (7-1) show down while Griffith (8-0) and Hobart (7-1) get it on.  Another game of interest sends offense-minded LaPorte (6-2) to born-again Portage (4-4).  The big news this week will be the weather.  Late word has temperatures dipping into the low-40s or upper 30s Friday night.  This changes the game.  Teams that rely on throwing the ball (and there are more of them every year) will need a 'Plan B' late Friday.  I would guess that cold helps the defense which, obviously, doesn't have to handle the ball and can make up for mistakes simply by running hard.  Offense can break down and crumble in the cold.  I would be shocked if the trend of teams scoring 30, 40 and 50 points continues this Friday.  Let's see if weather matters.  Check back with me here this time next week.

IN THE CLOSET:   There are some games which, let's just say, take the path less traveled.  They walk alone.  Largely because no one wants to watch.  And when its 35 degrees, we're talking limited attendance.  Games that drift off into the forest and are never heard from again.  So, with that in mind, games like Hammond and Morton, CP-Michigan City, Indianapolis Cathedral and Gary Roosevelt (Oh my God, who scheduled that?), South Central vs. River Forest and South Newton and North Newton will slide into history out of view of most of us.

Let the winners win, let the losers buy tickets to that Bears-Colts Super Bowl (You know? The one we were supposed to have LAST YEAR?) and we'll see you all on Oct. 20 for the 34th Indiana state tournament.

Gavit (2-6) 24, Calumet (1-7) 21

HAMMOND - I'm not sure I'm buying into the Calumet revival although they have played better the second half of the season.  Gavit's on a one-game winning streak and they beat Lake Station more decisively than the 27-25 score would indicate.  Both teams run the ball, so their offenses won't be affected by the weather.  I still think Gavit is better than they have shown.


Clark (3-5) 20, Lake Station (1-7) 6

LAKE STATION - Clark might be limited here because they like to throw it around.  Reports of Lake Station's demise were fortunately premature. The Eagles scored 25 points last week and were within a 2-point conversion of tying Gavit.  But Clark should have beaten Whiting last week leading 19-0 in the first half before losing 21-19.  A letdown will make this one closer than it should be.


Wheeler (5-3) 23, Bishop Noll (5-3) 14

UNION TOWNSHIP - I thought Wheeler was very strong last week against Kankakee Valley and could have won.  The Bearcats led 21-10 in a game they lost 30-21 on three long runs by Dustin Wilson.  Wheeler had 21 first downs against KV.  Noll can run the ball and it's a night to run the ball.  But Wheeler is stronger.


Merrillville (5-3) 30, Chesterton (3-5) 20

CHESTERTON - This is the most unpredictable game of the week.  In the last two weeks, Chesterton has won 63-36 and lost 41-21 after trailing 34-0 at the half.  Pirate QB Josh Raspopovich has been over 200 yards passing in the last two weeks, but Friday will not be a good night for passing.  Chesterton QB Alex Beierwalter is nearing 2,000 yards passing, but he can't beat Mother Nature either. Cold weather helps defense and Merrillville has the better 'D'.


Kankakee Valley (7-1) 31, Whiting (7-1) 14

DeMOTTE - This game may be the most affected by the weather.  A cold, dry track won't bother Dustin Wilson, but Whiting's QB Jeremy Dumezich will be handcuffed in 30-degree wind chill.  You've got to put Wilson in the lockbox for four quarters, not two or three and Whiting can't do that.


Valparaiso (3-5) 35, Lake Central (4-4) 27

ST. JOHN - I still think Valpo is better than they have shown.  But since this is the ninth game of a nine-game regular season, they better start showing it.  The Vikings multiple attack will stay ahead of LC all night and halfback Hollis Ballard will get over 150 yards.


Twin Lakes (7-1) 14, North Judson (7-1) 12

NORTH JUDSON - Down home cold in Starke County will drag the score down in this one.  No one has scored more than 18 points on West Lafayette all season and that 18 was by 1A No. 1 Sheridan.  TL also plays a tougher schedule than Judson does.


New Prairie (7-1) 42, Knox (5-3) 13

KNOX - Knox has won four in a row, but New Prairie has taken six straight.  Here's another match up between teams that have played different levels of opposition.  New Prairie has played 5A LaPorte and 4A South Bend Washington.  Knox plays all 1A and 2A  teams except for New Prairie.  New Prairie also runs exclusively.  They will love it Friday.  This is the lock of the night.


Lowell (3-5) 28, Highland (2-6) 14

HIGHLAND - Lowell is a cold weather team because they don't throw much, so they won't miss passing when the elements prohibit it.  The Devils' quick defense has allowed just 16 points a game.  Highland has been ineffective on offense all season and that's highly unlikely to get better in windy, 35-degree weather.


Andrean (6-2) 28, Munster (5-3) 0

MERRILLVILLE - The Niners got rejected at Griffith last week, but they'll buckle down.  Munster needs to throw to win here and they cant do it consistently in the cold.  Munster is 2-3 after a 3-0 start and the wins were over Hammond and Morton, teams not at Andrean's level.  The Niners have probably worked all week on run defense.  Munster will get shut down and out.


Griffith (8-0) 28, Hobart (7-1) 16

GRIFFITH - Hobart needs to throw to win and Griffith does not.  The Panthers, at home, have run the ball on everyone and Hobart will be no exception.  Hobart has not faced a defense this physical or a perimeter this fast.  This doesn't seem like a good matchup for the Brickies, right now.


Portage (4-4) 20,  LaPorte (6-2) 14

PORTAGE - Here's the upset of the week and you can see it coming.  Portage has become a force with 1,000 yards rushing in the last four games.  The Indians have outscored Michigan City and Valpo 41-0 in the last two weeks.  LaPorte relies on HB Airrence Shark, but they might be running into the first team all year that can stop him.

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Revised: October 12, 2006 .