Merrillville jumps to 50-0 halftime lead in route to 50-13 win over Bulldogs at Crown Point

 

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

9-11-2021

 

Crown Point captains Zach Rausei (99), Sammy Brewer (1), JJ Johnson (2) and Brett Croell (22) stand at the center of the field for the coin toss. (All photos by Mark Smith)

Big Kenneth Grant (78) clears the way for halfback Lavarian Logan (4) during Friday's game in Crown Point. Logan scored four touchdowns, giving him eight in the first three games.

Crown Point's Eli Davis (48) tries to catch Merrillville quarterback Angel Nelson (12) early in Friday's game. Nelson threw for two touchdowns. He has eight TD passes in the first three games.

This could have been a Crown Point highlight. Tight end Randy Lach (88) just can't get to this pass from JJ Johnson at the Merrillville 10-yard line while Rondell Latiker (3) watches.

This Merrillville kickoff bounced around until Merrillville's Justin Marshall (23) recovered it at the Crown Point 23-yard line. Angel Nelson threw a touchdown pass on the next play to make the score 26-0.

Crown Point's Cody Goodwin (33) tries to get his hands on QB Angel Nelson (12). Merrillville scored all seven times they had the ball in the first half.

Crown Point's Elijah Tiawhan (5) looks to break through against Merrillville's Devin Jarett (22) and Phil Riche (2) in second quarter action last week.

CP junior tight end Randy Lach (88) looks for who to block against rival Merrillville last week. The Pirates have defeated CP three times now in two seasons.

Merrillville seniors Kenneth Grant (78) and Caleb Carter (5) loomed large over the line of scrimmage last Friday. Grant later blocked a field goal, his third blocked kick of the season.

CP was backed up most of the first quarter. Here JJ Johnson (2) and Elijah Tiawhan (5) operate from their own end zone.

A near sellout crowd watched the Crown Point-Merrillville game last week. Let's just say that not all of the home fans were around at the end of the game.

One of the few things Crown Point got that they liked Friday was a scholarship grant connected with the IHSAA-sponsored tailgate tour. Crown Point principal Russ Marcinak accepts the ceremonial check for CPHS. Both Crown Point and Merrillville were awarded $1,500. (All photos by Mark Smith.)

Copyright © 2021 USA-365.com and Meyer Multimedia Services, a division of Meyer Broadcasting Corp.  All rights reserved. Revised: September 11, 2021 .

Team	1	2	3	4	F
MERRILLVILLE (3-0)	20	30	0	0	50
CROWN POINT (1-2)	0	0	6	7	13

Friday, September 3, 2021 -  71 degrees (at kick-off) at CROWN POINT, Ind.
 

1st Qtr: MERRILLVILLE (7-0) Lavarian Logan (HB) 3-yard run. 63-yard drive, 8 plays Angel Nelson kick. 6:10 left.
MERRILLVILLE (14-0) Angel Nelson, 43-yard pass to Justin Marshall. 43-yard drive, one play. Angel Nelson kick. 4:50 left.
MERRILLVILLE (20-0) Lavarian Logan (HB) 75-yard run. 76-yard drive, 2 plays. Kick wide. 0:00 left (final play of the first quarter.
2nd Qtr: MERRILLVILLE (26-0) Angel Nelson, 21-yard pass to Silas Mathis. (1st play after onside kick) Kick wide. 11:51 left.
MERRILLVILLE (34-0) Lavarian Logan (HB) 6-yard run. 2-point pass from Angel Nelson to Silas Mathis. 58-yard drive, 8 plays. 4:06 left.
MERRILLVILLE (42-0) Lavarian Logan (HB) 1-yard run. 67-yard drive, 2 plays. 2-point pass, Jaylen Thomas to Tyron Frazier.
MERRILLVILLE (50-0) Justin Marshall, 40-yard run. 42-yard drive, 2 plays. 2-point run by Justin Marshall. 6:10 left.
3rd Qtr: CROWN POINT (50-6) Jason Kostick, 15-yard run. 53-yard drive, 4 plays. Bad snap on extra point. 5:13 left.

4th Qtr: CROWN POINT (50-13) Jonathan Zimmerman, 4-yard run. 43-yard drive, 6 plays. Sammy Brewer kick. 8:19 left.

MERRILLVILLE (26 carries, 182 yards, 5 TDs): Lavarian Logan (RB) 11 carries, 95 yards, 4 TDs); Justin Marshall (HB) 3-50 yards, TD; Angel Nelson (QB) 3-48 yards; Taijon Spen (RB) 2-3 yards; Cameron Crisp (HB) 1-1 yard; Jaylen Thomas (QB) 3 (minus-7 yards); Detrick Curtis (RB) 3 (minus-8)

CROWN POINT (32 carries, 134 yards one TD, no fumbles): Jonothan Zimmerman (RB) 7 carries, 59 yards, TD; JJ Johnson (QB) 6 carries, 11 yards; Elijah Tiawhan (RB) 14 carries, 53 yards; Jason Kostick (RB) 3-25 yards, TD; Logan Hadt (QB) 2 (minus-14 yards)

PASSING:

MERRILLVILLE (12 of 10, 268 yards, 2 TDs) - Angel Nelson (QB) 6 of 6, 194 yards, 2 TDs; Jaylen Thomas (QB) 4-6, 74 yards.
CROWN POINT (4 of 11, 43 yards, one interception) - JJ Johnson (QB) 4 of 11, 43 yards; Logan Hadt (QB) 0-for-3.

RECEIVING:
MERRILLVILLE: Silas Mathis (WR) 2 catches, 35 yards; Jakar Ward (WR) 1-48 yards; Justin Marshall (WR) 1-44 yards, TD; Alex Sharp (WR) 1-25 yards; Tyreese Frazier (WR) 1-21 yards, TD; Marcell Tyler (WR) 2-17 yards.

CROWN POINT: Landen Derlich (WR) 2 catches, 23 yards; Randy Lach (TE) 2-20 yards.

TOTALS:
CROWN POINT – 178 yards, 15 first downs, one turnover;
MERRILLVILLE - 450 yards, 13 first downs, no turnovers.

CROWN POINT  (9-03-2021) I remember telling someone on the sidelines that this Merrillville-Crown Point game last Friday almost had to be closer than the two meetings between the two schools in 2020, won by Merrillville 43-7 and 39-0.

Let’s just say that didn’t turn out to be true.

The Class 6A No. 3 Pirates zapped Crown Point with a double dose of speed and precision, roaring to a 50-0 halftime lead on the way to a 50-13 win in the first Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) game of the year.

Yes, it was 50-0 in the half. I don’t think in the 100-plus years of Crown Point varsity football that the Bulldogs have ever trailed 50-0 at the half. Never. As in, not ever.

“It was just our regular game plan,” said senior quarterback Angel Nelson, who completed first down passes of 23, 43 and 66 yards on two quarters, “Nothing special.”

“We’ve got some big play ability,” understated Merrillville head coach Brad Seiss. “With a strong running game and some of our receivers on the outside. We knew we wanted to be aggressive and we kept getting stops and giving our offense opportunities.”

“What our line and with Lavarian (halfback Lavarian Logan), it opens up our ability to throw the ball whether it's short intermediate stuff or way down the field.”

It didn’t look like a massacre from the start.

Crown Point began the game with a 10-play drive that ended with an incomplete pass on 4th-and-16 from the Merrillville 37-yard-line.

But the purple Pirates got real when senior quarterback Angel Nelson tossed a 48-yard pass to junior Justin Marshall at the Bulldog 15-yard line. Three plays later Logan scored from the 3-yard line for a 7-0 Merrillville lead.

Nelson had to handle kicking duties for Merrillville as senior Jaiden Almarez was away at a weekend soccer tournament and somehow Nelson’s kicks seemed to dazzle Crown Point. His boot after Logan’s first TD hopped inside the 10 and was covered by Nate Woodrick at the CP 3-yard line. Two plays later on 3rd and-9, Crown Point’s JJ Johnson surprised Merrillville with a quick kick that rolled dead at the CP 49-yard-line.

On first down, Nelson aired out a 49-yard pass to Marshall behind the CP defense making it 14-0.

Crown Point launched another drive to inside the Merrillville 10-yard line but CP senior Sammy Brewer’s fourth down field goal attempt was blocked by Merrillville star lineman Kenneth Grant.

On the first play after the block, Logan (5-9, 205), the Pirate running back standout, roared through a big hole in the center of the line and raced 75 yards for a TD, making it 20-0 on the final play of the first period.

The second quarter was amazing.

On the first play, Merrillville’s Nelson kicked off and know it was somewhat of a bouncy, dribbling kick that no one from Crown Point decided to go after before it was too late. Merrillville’s Marshall raced down the field and fell on the ball at the Crown Point 21-yard line. On the very next play, Nelson fired a 21-yard TD pass to top receiver Silas Mathis for a 26-0 Pirate lead.

On CP’s next possession. Tyreese Frazier intercepted CP quarterback JJ Johnson at Merrillville 42-yard line. Seven plays later. Logan scored from six yards out for a 34-0 Pirate edge with 4:06 left in the half.

Three Crown Point plays and punt later, Nelson fired a 66-yard pass to Mathis at the CP 1-yard-line from where Logan scored his third TD with 2:15 left.
 

Was there time for another TD? Sure there was. Crown Point was 4th-and-8 from the Merrillville 42 yard line, but Johnson was sacked by defensive end Jordan McGee. One play later, Mitchell took a handoff 40 yards for Merrillville’s seventh first half touchdown and the 50-0 lead.

The kicking situation was odd. Angel Nelson is not Merrillville’s place kicker. Soccer player Jaiden Almaraz is.

“Our kicker is my cousin,” Angel explained. ”And he’s away at a soccer tournament. I think I did okay.”

Crown Point scored two TDs in the second half as both teams put in reserves and junior varsity players. A running clock (it never stopped except for touchdowns) made the final two quarters mercifully short for the home team while the Pirates got an early start back north to Merrillville with a third consecutive victory over their arch-rival.

“We just want to stay humble and work hard,” Nelson said of the meaning of the win. “We have much bigger expectations for the season.”

“Because we’re so close to each other,” said Seiss, “this is definitely a team our players get up for. Our coaches get up for. Obviously, they (CP) are building. Playing some young guys. We were able to take advantage of situations early. That’s what we were hoping to do. Regardless of what happens, it's exciting when our kids are ready to go and they’ve been ready to go three times so far.”

DOG/PIRATE NOTES: I cannot find a time when the Crown Point Bulldogs trailed 50-0 at the half in varsity football. On September 4, 1998, Merrillville did lead Crown Point 47-0 at the half in a 53-13 victory. Twenty-five years ago in 1996, CP trailed Portage 42-0 at the half in a 49-7 loss. And 18 years ago on September 19, 2003, Portage led Crown Point 49-0 at halftime of a 56-0 win.

The Portage head varsity coach both times was the present Crown Point head coach Craig Buzea.

It was against Merrillville subs and junior varsity players, but in the second half, Crown Point junior Jonathan Zimmerman (5-9, 150) carried seven times for 59 yards and a touchdown in his varsity debut.