Renegade 2008 Week-13 NW Indiana High School Football Poll

Week-13: NW Indiana High School Top-10 Football Poll

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

11-10-2008

MERRILLVILLE (11-14-2008) The 2008 season becomes very circular as the top three teams in the pre-season (Lowell, Merrillville and Griffith) are the top three big schools remaining in the post-season after the sectional round.

I think it's clear that teams wear down once we get beyond the sectional and you are playing for the 13th or 14th consecutive week. Of the five NW Indiana teams still alive, Lowell and Andrean did get to the lead to the extent that they were able to get starting players off the field in the fourth quarter. Some times what observers call 'coming out flat' is simply a team wearing out after 12 or 13 consecutive weeks of play. Coaches probably ease up on contact in practice early in the week once we get to November to keep the boys in shape to go four quarters on Friday night. You really don't know who is playing hurt at this point. What I cannot accurately determine is how beneficial it is for JV and freshmen to continue practicing with teams like Lowell and Merrillville for an extra month after their season ends.

There is a theory that says that the same teams go deep into the state tourney every year because some teams like Griffith get a month of extra practice that teams which are eliminated in the sectional quarterfinals do not get. There has been a fan problem everywhere but Lowell, where the new expanded home grandstand was filled even in winter-like temperatures against an unknown opponent.

Fan support reportedly was a little light in Chesterton and at Griffith. Too bad. These are the big games and they should all be sellouts. The length of the playoffs is somewhat to blame here. A lot of folks who call themselves football fans really won't go out in bad weather three or four Fridays in a row, especially if the foe is a team with a mediocre record. Just another reason why the all-inclusive state tourney where everybody, even 0-9 teams, makes the playoff is a broken down system.

Again, everyone who ranks Lowell ahead of Merrillville even though they know the Devils would not beat the Pirates needs to go stand next to all those people who say the Bulls' Derrick Rose is a point guard when they know he's not.

1.) 5A Merrillville (8-4)
2007 (12-2), 2006 (7-5), 2005 (11-3), 2003 (5-6), 2004 (6-5)

MERRILLVILLE: Merrillville has beaten sectional champ Griffith, DAC champ Chesterton twice and they lost 42-0 to Warren Central, a team ranked No. 1 state wide in the computer rankings. I think they are a solid No. 1, but others might want to see how they fare against Northern Indian Conference champ Penn (9-3) this week. Remember who they've played. Griffith. Warren Central. Valpo. Chesterton. Very quietly the Pirate defense has allowed a total of 30 points in the last four weeks. With all the big time Indianapolis gangsters (Carmel, Center Grove, Warren Central and Ben Davis) still alive, it's hard to project Merrillville into the state title game. But the Pirates beat Chesterton at Chesterton twice and Chesterton beat Valparaiso twice at Valparaiso. If you must consider strength of schedule (and you most certainly have to), Merrillville has earned this spot right now.

2.) 5A Valparaiso (9-2)
2007 (6-5), 2006 (3-6), 2005 (5-5), 2004 (6-5), 2003 (5-6)

VALPARAISO: Valparaiso's win over Merrillville and Penn look pretty good now that one of those latter two teams is guaranteed of reaching the 5A Semistate. Again, what's going to hurt Valpo all winter is the fact that they allowed 9.9 points per game over the 25th toughest schedule (among 317) state wide and didn't even get to the sectional title game. The good news is that big QB Zack Livovich (6-6, 195) is eligible to come back in 2009 after completing 84-of-130 for 1,216 yards, 10 TDs in 9 games. So is track star Michael Perkins. They'll be back. Even though they open the 2009 season with Penn and Griffith. They'll be back. It's very hard to look at any week this season and argue that Lowell would beat Valparaiso. Not yet, anyway.

2.) 4A Lowell (12-0)
2007 (13-2), 2006 (7-6), 2005 (11-4), 2004 (9-4), 2003 (11-2)

LOWELL: The best thing that can be said about Lowell's 49-20 win over South Bend Clay is that they got that 6th straight sectional title, the second longest for any NW Indiana team in the history of the state tourney. The Devils did give up a season high 325 yards and three passing TDs, but they also rushed for 300 yards and committed no turnovers. We still have not seen the one dominating four quarter game that you would hope for and maybe this is Lowell's style. I still think their best is possibly yet to come. But I'm not a fan of this, fall behind early, face possible elimination, rally and win in the end, thing. I know. I know. During the 2005 state tourney run, Lowell rallied in the second half in the final three games to win in dramatic fashion. In 2008, Lowell has trailed in every playoff game before rallying. I'll say it again. That's not a blueprint for victory. It's a self-defense reaction. Seriously, no Lowell regular has a serious injury (at least not one that prevents him from playing) and the Devils are home for the regional. Even with Griffith (8-4) coming to town Friday, you can be cautiously optimistic going into the biggest game of the year.

4.) 5A Chesterton (9-3)
2007 (6-4), 2006 (5-6), 2005 (3-8), 2004 (5-5), 2003 (7-4)

CHESTERTON: Chesterton did well, falling 14-7 to Merrillville to end the season in the Class 4A Sectional One championship game. The Trojans' record of 9-3 is all they could expect and the co-DAC championship is an honor. Chesterton's option offense didn't dominate in bad weather the way it might in future years. There could be a drop off here as Chesterton graduates both QBs and several linemen. But QB is an easier position to fill on an option team than it is on a pro-set or spread offense team.
You don't know what they might have done had not QB Aaron Knight broke his hand in the seventh game of the year, but Andy Miller was more than adequate as a fill-in. I like the pickup of Class 3A New Prairie as a second week opponent in 2009. Two option teams and a nearby opponent. NP now begins the season with LaPorte and Chesterton. But next year: Please. No more of this 'Everybody picked us to finish last'. Winning programs don't say things like that.

5.) 4A Griffith (8-4)
2007 (9-4), 2006 (12-2), 2005 (12-1), 2004 (9-3), 2003 (7-5)

GRIFFITH: Griffith did what they had to do to get by Morton 21-7 in the 4A Sectional Nine championship game. Griffith has never lost to Morton (there is one forfeit) and they always do a good job in that game. Some were concerned that the Panthers started slowly, but that won't matter this week. I'm sure Griffith forgot about that game as they walked off the field because their season will be defined by how they play at Lowell this week. Let's go back to the start of the year when Griffith was rated second only to Merrillville in most rankings. Remember? 9 defensive starters back off a sectional title team? Good kicker. Talented newcomers? It's no surprise they're here. To beat Lowell, among other things, the Panthers have to find a way to keep the officials' flag in the old guy's pocket. 94 penalties for 850 yards in 12 games. That'll end the season eventually.

6.) 4A Hobart (9-2)
2007 (8-4), 2006 (10-2), 2005 (6-6), 2004 (9-2), 2003 (5-7)

HOBART: I still do not have a good explanation of what happened to the Brickies after they lead 14-7 at Griffith in the 4A Sectional 9 semifinal (against a team they shut out 19-0 earlier) and ended up losing. In the first half, QB Matt Barras smoked the Panther defense for 8-of-11 and 218 yards. Barras was sacked nine times after not being sacked all year. Hobart gave up a season-high 390 rushing yards. Bobby James (37 catches, 674 yards) ends his four-year career as Hobart's all-time leading receiver and the almost certain NW Indiana MVP. So the Brickies are 41-16 in the last five years. New school. New weight room. New stadium in 2009. Maybe a couple of new students from a nearby by school closing (I'm not saying. I'm just saying). No chance of being slotted into the inevitable new Class 6A that is coming in 2009 or 2010. No NW Indiana school has a football future brighter than Hobart's.

7.) 5A Portage (6-4)
2007 (5-5), 2006 (6-5), 2005 (2-8), 2004 (8-4), 2003 (11-2)

PORTAGE: The Indians were crushed twice by Valparaiso, including a 42-19 loss in the 5A Sectional One quarterfinals and a decent season is over for them. The future is bright here with all-purpose back Jake Dixon (5 interceptions) and promising Jake Huston, who missed the entire year with injury. QB Eric Melcic (41 of 92, 698 yards, 5 TDs) was inexperienced in 2008, but he won't be if he returns in 2009 and 2010. Portage won't get much credit (and they should get little for a 6-4 season, everybody's supposed to be at least 5-5), but they played through a lot of problems this year in a tough league and they came out on the sunny side of .500. I think their program is on the rise to 1990s glory. But they need to be. Portage will certainly be Class 6A when it comes. The Portages, Crown Points and Lake Centrals are going to have to get stronger to ride in a limousine with just the state's elite.

8.) 5A LaPorte (4-8)
2007 (8-3), 2006 (12-1), 2005 (11-1), 2004 (4-7), 2003 (5-5)

LaPORTE: Penn ended the season of LaPorte 33-18, but not until after the Slicers led 6-0 and trailed just 20-18 at the half. Halfback Carlton Austin (1,800 yards rushing, 22 TDs), the DAC's certain offensive MVP, carried 26 times for 156 yards against the Northern Indiana Conference champions. LaPorte gave up more points than they scored in 2008 and that's not what any player or coach wants. But they have QB Dustin DeMuth back in 2008, which means they're going to have an offense. Word also is that when the IHSAA goes to six classes, LaPorte will be high in the 5A Class, instead of one of the smallest 6A schools.
That's something the Slicers will give a 'high 5' to.

9.) 5A Michigan City (4-6)
2007 (2-8), 2006 (1-9), 2005 (6-5), 2004 (4-6), 2003 (3-7)

MICHIGAN CITY: The Wolves had an improving year end with a 28-19 loss at Chesterton on Oct. 24. The future seems bright with Adam Harmon (15 TDs) eligible for one more year. The Wolves' passing game was inconsistent this year and you need a balanced attack in the DAC. But 2008 was a positive. The Wolves had not won a DAC game since 2005, but they won three this season. MC lost three games by less than a touchdown. They need to upgrade the schedule and that may happen naturally. With the consolidation in Gary, second week foe Gary Roosevelt may not be playing varsity football in 2009. I would like to see the Wolves get bold and pursue someone like Plymouth or Northwood to play in August. Smaller schools, but tradition-rich teams with state playoff histories.

10.) 5A Munster (7-4)
2007 (3-7), 2006 (5-5), 2005 (3-7), 2004 (4-6), 2003 (8-3)

MUNSTER: Munster did validate their season with a 23-0 win over Lake Central. Even though LC was last in the DAC, the Mustangs should welcome any win over any team from the bigger, better league and they beat their arch rival. This was a successful season. The blowout 37-7 sectional semifinal loss to Merrillville was not a major surprise and the further Merrillville goes, the better that loss looks. Again, this (7-4 or maybe 8-3) is as good as Munster is going to do under the present set of circumstances. They can't win Sectional One as it's set up now because they play 3A and 4A schools during the regular season. They can't play Griffith and Lowell and then expect to beat Merrillville and Valparaiso. That dog won't hunt. The Mustangs must totally revamp roster-wise for 2009 and it could be a little painful. Wirt closing means Munster will also have a new week two foe in 2009 and it will be Bishop Noll. Not good. Noll may be Class 1A soon. Munster needs to be 5A in a six class system and here's hoping that happens for them.

On the outside looking in...

5A CROWN POINT (3-7)
2007 (8-3), 2006 (12-1), 2005 (11-1), 2004 (4-7), 2003 (5-5)

CROWN POINT: Crown Point hasn't been out of the Top-10 for a while, but they were bombed 42-6 by Merrillville to start the post-season. To be fair, Merrillville is one game away from the semistate for the second consecutive season. This team averaged 11 points a game, but CP lost four games by seven points or less. It wasn't luck, it was lack of offensive production. The Bulldogs will again have a lot of new faces on offense and defense in 2009, so a quick rebound is unlikely considering the schedule they play. The new QB will be a sophomore or junior and much of the offensive line, which was new in 2008, will be gone in 2009. New kicker. Almost an all new secondary. And they open with Lowell, Hobart and Merrillville. Good luck. When the 'change' comes, CP will also be a 6A school.

The RENEGADE 2008 Poll

Week-13: NW Indiana High School Top-10 Football Poll