Week Nine Picks:  NW Indiana High School Football

- by Mark Smith

WEEK EIGHT (8) ANALYSIS: Bishop Noll is very difficult to predict. They should've beaten Whiting. Lake Central and Muskegon Michigan was just a guess. Muskegon is a top- 10 big school team in Michigan. Clark is getting better. Hobart has lost two games where all they had to do was kick a short field goal. Crown Point over Chesterton was predictable if you had seen both teams play. The LaPorte prediction should've been a shutout. Why I thought MC could score on LaPorte is beyond me.

WEEK NINE (9)

There's nothing earthshaking in the final week of the year but there are several interesting games.

GAVIT (1-7) 20, CALUMET (1-7) 8

Probably the two worst teams in the region. Hammond beat Gavit 13-2, which isn't bad, until you consider that Hammond had allowed almost 30 points a game. Calumet has just been annihilated all season after a season opening 26-12 win over River Forest. In the last five weeks, Calumet has been outscored 277-8. Gavit has scored just 85 points all season and both teams play in one of the state's weakest leagues.  

CLARK (4-4) 27, WHITING (6-2) 21

Whiting has won four in a row since a 40-12 loss to Morton. Clark has won three straight since a 14-0 loss to Bishop Noll. This is one of the classic rivalries in northwest Indiana and this should be a proud renewal with both teams on the rise. The sub-40 degree temperatures should aid a Clark win.  

RENSSELAER (7-1) 14, BENTON CENTRAL (7-1) 7

BC was outgained in a 24-21 win over Delphi (3-5) last week. Rensselaer has dominated everyone but North Judson.

WIRT (44) 23, St Francis DeSales (2-5) 17

The Troopers should top a squad that East Chicago and Hammond have defeated.  

RIVER FOREST (2-6) 22, SOUTH CENTRAL (1-7) 8

South Central has scored just 68 points all season and River Forest has allowed 30 points only once. River Forest hasn't fumbled in three weeks.

LAKE CENTRAL (3-5) 13, (SB) St. Josephs (6-2) 9

St. Joe ran for 358 yards on Class 3A Lakeland last week but Lake Central has lost to three top-10 teams in three different states.  

EAST CHICAGO (2-6) 24, Broad Ripple (2-6) 12

The Cardinals have had a long year and the ride plus the cold may be too much for them. But all things being equal, East Chicago appears to be the better team. 

NORTH NEWTON (2-6) 8, SOUTH NEWTON (3-5) 6

Another bad match-up but North Newton scored 20 points on Wheeler last week. They clearly haven't given up. 

HIGHLAND (4-4) 24, MORTON (7-1) 14

Highland has played twice the schedule Morton has. On a cold night, the Governors passing attack will be neutralized. 

CHESTERTON (6-2) 28 MERRILLVILLE (3-5) 10

This may be optimistic. The Trojans may be looking ahead to a rematch with Crown Point. Merrillville has the defensive pedigree to stop the option.

ANDREAN (8-0) 23, LOWELL (5-3) 21

Closer than the newspapers predict. Andrean will have trouble throwing in the 40-degree weather. Lowell doesn't bother to throw and they have more reason to win this game.

LaPORTE (5-3) 17, PORTAGE (6-2) 14

LaPorte has the perfect defense for Portage's 'west coast' offense. The Slicers have lost twice in overtime. Plus, the weather will shut down the wide-open attack of the Indians.

VALPARAISO (7-1) 28, HOBART (2-6) 0

Hobart has lost three close ones but they have no chance against a larger, stronger Valpo squad.