Week 9 Picks:  2009 NW Indiana High School Football

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

October 15, 2009

 

'Mr. Picker' WEEK EIGHT  (8), 2009 Football Picks in Review: Wrong - 6; Right - 6 = 50.0%;  Season: 76-27, 73.8%
The Pick	The Result
Wheeler 28, Bishop Noll 7	Wheeler 61-0
Rensselaer 28, Sheridan 21	Rensselaer 33-6
River Forest 20, Whiting 18	Wrong... Whiting 28-6
Calumet 35, South Central 12	Calumet 6-2
Kankakee Valley 28, Highland 7	Kankakee Valley 39-8
Hammond 27, Gavit 25	Hammond 32-14
Arlington 27, Clark 20	Wrong... Clark 35-18
LOWELL 28, Munster 13	Wrong... Munster 15-13
Griffith 17, ANDREAN 14	Wrong... ANDREAN 10-6
Chesterton 28, CROWN POINT 14	Chesterton 14-3
Michigan City 21, LaPorte 17	Wrong... LaPorte 21-7
Portage 32, Valparaiso 17	Wrong... Valparaiso 35-0

 

WEEK (8) EIGHT ANALYSIS: Had I known it was going to rain and turn field into a sea of mud, I'd have taken Whiting over River Forest and maybe gambled on Munster over Lowell. Andrean may be better than I thought and Griffith may not be as good. In the mud, the Panthers should have won that one. I didn't know anything about Arlington and I have found Valparaiso almost totally unpredictable due to injuries and inconsistency. Best pick. None. There weren't any good ones.

 

Mr. Picker (Through the Years)

2008 (final) OVERALL:  145 of 193 = 75.1%
2007 (final) OVERALL:  143 of 188 = 76.0%
2006 (final) OVERALL:  166 of 217 = 76.4%
2005 (final) OVERALL:  170 of 233 = 72.9%
 

The final week of the regular season, as always, was altered by the state tournament draw.  For example, Lowell isn't as concerned with the game with Andrean as they might be since they drew undefeated Plymouth (9-0) in the first round of the state tournament.  Had they drawn a losing team, the focus could be totally on the 59ers.  On the other hand, Munster drew Lake Central (1-7) when they could have drawn Merrillville (7-1).  They'll be in high spirits when they travel to Kankakee Valley (3-5) Friday. 

Looking back to last week, the bad fields that cut down scores and hampered play are still bad.  The mud didn't go away in seven days and it's going to rain again.  Merrillville, Crown Point and Morton get onto the artificial turf so they won't be affected, but beware of games at LaPorte, Hammond, KV and Lowell which have fields that can turn to mud very quickly.  With Wheeler and Munster solidified as first place teams, the only doubt is whether Lowell beats Andrean for the Northwest Crossroads title and Munster joins them with a win at KV. 

Let's leave out Lake Central at Valparaiso.  Come on.  That's not a serious game.  Lake Station has no chance against Whiting so I have no pick there.  Lew Wallace can't stay on the field with Mishawaka Marian and both sides know it.  Benton Central can't handle Rensselaer.  Griffith will fry East Chicago and Morton will spank Gavit like a bad child.  Anyone who picks those six games is either laying 20 points or looking to jack up the old win percentage.  That leaves 10 games that could go either way on paper.  Let see how they come out on mud.
 

Clark 28, Hammond 20

 

Bishop Noll (4-4) at North Newton (2-6)

MORROCCO (10-16-2009) North Newton has not defeated a winning team, but when you've won 31 games in 10 years, you can't be choosy.  Bishop Noll has collapsed in the past two weeks harder than the Colorado Rockies and they're driving two hours to play in the mud.  Go with the flow here.  Noll is easily the better team, but the Spartans can pull the upset.

North Newton 16, Bishop Noll 12

 

River Forest (2-6) at South Central (1-7)
 

UNION MILLS (10-16-2009) South Central and Hobart have had the most disappointing seasons of anyone in Northwest Indiana.  But I know what happened to Hobart.  I don't get South Central.  They could be 7-1 and they are 1-7.  Look at the games.  There's six they should have won.  In the mud, they should turn back River Forest easily, but don't bet your little brother on it.

South Central 30, River Forest 12


Wheeler (8-0) at Calumet (6-2)
 

GARY (10-16-2009) Wheeler averages 53 points a game and Calumet allows eight points a night.  You have to be intrigued by the Bearcats, but they win so easily.  Wheeler has won 24 regular season games in a row and that streak could be in jeopardy if the field is really bad here.  Calumet can't score enough to finish the upset.

Wheeler 20, Calumet 8

Hobart (1-7) at Highland (1-7)

HIGHLAND (10-16-2009) You are on your own here.  Highland has lost six in a row and Hobart has dropped seven straight.  So let's jump in the 'way back' machine and go back to the start of the year.  At that time, everybody thought Hobart was the better team.  So it once was.  So it shall be again.

Hobart 28, Highland 14

 

Munster (6-2) at Kankakee Valley (3-5)

DeMOTTE (10-16-2009) Has Munster stopped celebrating last week's win over Lowell?  KV isn't bad at all and they can run the ball.  At home they'll make this close and Munster will be lucky to get out alive.  Again, the Mustangs know they won't win 5A Sectional One so this game is the goal of the season.  To tie the Andrean-Lowell winner for the league championship.

Munster 14, KV 12

 

Portage (4-4) at LaPorte (5-3)
 

LaPORTE (10-16-2009) Portage averages 24 points per game and averages allowing 23.9 per game so you'd have to be crazy to pick them to do anything but show up.  See, here's where you can be stupid.  All year.  I've talked about how good LaPorte is at home (16-7 the last five years) and how bad they are on the road (7-15 the last 5 years).  But I picked Michigan City to win at LaPorte last week and you saw how that came out.  Not again.  LaPorte.  At home.  They'll win.  Case closed.

LaPorte 28, Portage 16

 

Chesterton (6-2) at MERRILLVILLE (7-1)
 

MERRILLVILLE (10-16-2009) If they played this on the muddy Chesterton field, I'd go with the Trojans.  But on the rubbery artificial turf at Merrillville, this is not the same game. Merrillville is too fast on offense and defense.  Chesterton must try to bring their own mud.

MERRILLVILE 35, Chesterton 17

 

Michigan City (5-3) at CROWN POINT (3-5)

CROWN POINT (10-16-2009) MC has not been the same since QB Rodney Washington left the lineup with an injury.  Crown Point was held without a first down by Chesterton last week and the Bulldogs are more embarrassed than the St. Louis Rams when Rush Limbaugh called.  Michigan City isn't the same without Washington and back on the fake grass, CP's offense will return.

CROWN POINT 30, Michigan City 20

 

ANDREAN (6-2) at LOWELL (7-1)
 

LOWELL (10-16-2009) This was a no-brainer after Lowell's loss.  They'd bounce back strong at home while the 59ers were looking ahead to the post-season.  But then Lowell drew Plymouth (8-0) at Plymouth on Oct. 23 so the Devils' minds are distracted.  Andrean has the multiple offense to win this game.  On a dry field.  But the conditions will not be good.  Cold temperatures.  I'm changing my earlier score.

LOWELL 20, ANDREAN 7