Week 9 NW Indiana HS Football Picks

'Mr. Picker' WEEK 8, 2010 Football Picks in Review: Wrong - 6; Right - 4 = 40.0%
The Pick	The Result
Hammond 36, Gavit 32	WRONG ... Gavit 37-36
Calumet 28, S. Central 22	WRONG ... South Central 49-14
Highland 35, KV 14	WRONG ... KV 41-35
Morton 30, Hobart 17	Morton 35-13
ANDREAN 16, Griffith 7	WRONG ... Griffith 20-19 (2 OT)
LOWELL 30, Munster 13	LOWELL 24-17
Rensselaer 28, Sheridan 7	Rensselaer 27-14
CROWN POINT 20, Chesterton 12	WRONG ... Chesterton 49-21
MERRILLVILLE 49, LC 20	MERRILLVILLE 62-23
Portage 28, Valparaiso 24	WRONG ... Valpo 27-7

2010, Week-8: 4 of 10 = 40.0%
2010, Week-7: 10 of 11 = 90.9%
2010, Week-6: 5 of 9 = 55.0%
2010, Week-5: 5 of 10 = 50.0%
2010, Week-4: 8 of 10 = 80.0%
2010, Week-3: 8 of 11 = 72.7%
2010, Week-2: 8 of 10 = 80.0%
2010, Week-1: 8 of 12 = 66.7%
2010 Season: 56 of 83 = 67.4%

Mr. Picker (Through the Years)
2009 (final) OVERALL: 154 of 212 = 72.6%
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%

WEEK EIGHT (8) Analysis: I feel like the Tampa Bay Rays. I lost both overtime games. I lost my upset pick (Portage over Valpo). KV hadn't won a game all year until last week. I've been wrong on Calumet all year and I thought sure CP would finally top Chesterton. Best pick of the week: Lowell over Munster. Lowell actually should have won by more.

WEEK NINE (10-15-2010): This is perennially a very tough week because teams react different to the draw they got for sectional quarterfinals in week 10. Some are encouraged. Some are secretly discouraged. There's no way to know who's going all out here. The Boone-South Newton game got preempted by a recently scheduled Boone game with LaLumiere. Boone won 35-16, but this is Boone's chance for their first ever undefeated season. Boone rules. Until they play Wheeler next year. Week nine of the IHSAA season is why all teams should not make the playoffs. The fact that everyone will be in playoff action in week 10 makes all week nine games irrelevant. And difficult to predict. We don't pick mismatches here so forget Rensselaer's game with Benton Central (0-8) and Crown Point's game at Michigan City (1-7). Lew Wallace (1-7) will be annihilated by Mishawaka Marian and River Forest will get all smoked out by South Central. KV (1-7) can't win at Munster and Gavit has no chance against Morton. But to be honest, there just aren't many decent games this final week. All coaches are already working on the sectional quarterfinal match up or they should be. Anybody who thinks the present playoff system works has had more concussions than Jay Cutler. Nobody likes to hear this, but week nine is totally irrelevant once week 10's schedule is announced.

WEEK (9) NINE

Calumet (3-5) at Wheeler (8-0)

UNION TOWNSHIP (10-15-2010) This isn't a good game, but there just aren't many to pick. Calumet has allowed more points than they've scored. Wheeler averages 51 points a game. If it rains heavily, Calumet could challenge. But in good weather, this is a blowout.

HAMMOND (10-15-2010) The Spartans run the ball well, but they have a two-hour drive to Noll on what may be a bad weather night. This may come down to who cares the most, because it may be a pain to play in the rain Friday. I think the Spartans are encouraged by the draw of weak Bowman Academy and they'll win big.

HOBART (10-15-2010) Again, Highland has little hope unless Hobart simply does not come to play. There's a chance of that. Hobart is surely preparing for the Griffith match in sectional play on Oct. 22. Highland drew Gary West Side, a team they could beat, so they may be in high spirits. This will be close.

EAST CHICAGO (10-15-2010) Here's a case where the draw will affect the outcome. EC drew Valparaiso on Oct. 22 so they'll be slaughtered. Griffith drew Hobart so they could win. But Griffith only has 30 players so they have to rest anyone who's injured. EC has a lot of offense and this is it for them.

HAMMOND (10-15-2010) Hammond still has Antwon McGee so they'll score points and Clark folded up against a sub-par Arlington team last week in Indianapolis. Hammond games that do not involve Morton are live NBA pre-season games. A lot of points that mean nothing. Once the weather changes, it becomes very difficult for teams that rely on speed and passing.

GARY (10-15-2010) These teams are meeting in what they may believe is their final game. West Side did draw Highland but Gary teams rarely win outside of town. Roosevelt may not even show up for the playoffs next week (vs. Morton) so this is their 'championship game'. The weather could slow West Side, but this is a Saturday afternoon (4 p.m.) game so it won't be as bad.

ST. JOHN (10-15-2010) LC had a chance here until Valpo drew East Chicago in the sectional on Oct. 22. That makes this week's game (and a chance to go 9-0) bigger than the Oct. 22 game, which Valpo will win easily. LC is looking ahead to Munster. In the rain, this is a bad game.

PORTAGE (10-15-2010) This would be an even game if LaPorte had their QB, but Kyle Hartson is out for the year and that will limit LaPorte, which is not strong on the road. Portage is looking ahead to a CP game they must believe they can now win. This is a 'week nine' game that neither side needs.

CHESTERTON (10-15-2010) The Ultimate 'week nine' match. Two teams that will meet again in week 10. Neither side wants to play this game. I'd rest most of my star players. Both teams will have winning seasons no matter what and neither can win the league title. This game is a waste of time and a tribute to the all-inclusive state playoff format.