Lowell rolls in shuts outing Hammond High at Inferno, 63-0

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

10-04-2009

 

Team 1 2 3 4 F
Hammond (4-3) 0 0 0 0 0
LOWELL (7-0) 13 29 14 7 63

Friday, Oct. 2, 2009,  51 degrees, light rain at LOWELL, IN

1st Qtr:  LOWELL (7-0)  Nate Cleveland, 5-yard run. 65 yard drive, 10 plays.  Boge Pejoski kick.  8:08 left.
LOWELL (13-0)
Brandon Grubbe, 6-yard run, 48 yards, 8 plays.
 Boge Pejoski kick.  3:12 left.
2nd Qtr:  LOWELL (21-0) Brandon Grubbe, 1-yard run. 60 yard drive, 7 plays.  Grubbe, 2-yard run.  10:13 left.
LOWELL (28-0)  Nate Cleveland, 30-yard run. 35 yard drive, 2 plays.  Boge Pejoski kick.  7:37 left.
LOWELL (35-0)  Brandon Grubbe, 1-yard run. 25 yard drive, 3 plays after Tony DeMario recovered Jesse Woods fumble at the Hammond 25-yard-line.  Boge Pejoski kick.  6:04 left.
LOWELL (42-0) Nate Cleveland, 1-yard run. 30 yard drive, 6 plays.  Boge Pejoski kick.  0:26 left.
3rd
Qtr:  LOWELL (49-0)  Brandon Grubbe, 23-yard run. 23 yard drive, 1 play after Cole Midgett's 26-yard punt return.  Boge Pejoski kick.  8:08 left.
LOWELL (56-0) Brandon Grubbe, 5-yard run. 7 yard drive, 2 plays after Nate Cleveland recovered fumble Hammond QB snap at the 7-yard line.  Boge Pejoski kick.  7:31 left.
4th
Qtr:  LOWELL (63-0) Nick Hamilton, 1-yard run. 26 yard drive, 6 plays after Jay Trappani blocked a Hammond punt at the Hammond 26.  Boge Pejoski kick.  11:50 left.

RUSHING:
HAMMOND (18 carries, 21 yards, 2 fumbles): Antwoin McGee (QB) 4 carries, 23 yards; Jesse Woods (HB) 4 carries, 13 yards; Dion Lewis (QB) 6 carries (minus-9 yards);

LOWELL (50 carries, 315 yards, 9 TDs): 
Brandon Grubbe (HB) 23-169 yards, 5 TDs; Nate Cleveland (FB) 11 carries, 70 yards, 3 TDs;
Ray Skamay (QB) 4-15 yards; Nick Tokarz (FB) 2-9 yards; Nick Hamilton (HB) 3-9 yards, TD; Zach Wolfe (HB) 6-34 yards; Clark Mikesell (HB) 1-9 yards.

PASSING:
HAMMOND: Dion Lewis (QB) 1-2,  3 yards; Antwoin McGee (QB) 1-6, 20 yards, interception.
LOWELL: Ray Skamay (QB) 1-1 12 yards

RECEIVING:
HAMMOND: Sayvon Shields (WR) 1-20 yards; Kendal Harwell (WR) 1-3. 
LOWELL: Nate Cleveland (FB) 1-12 yards.


LOWELL (10-02-2009) I'm not sure they're this good.  The last three weeks:  Lowell over Highland 41-0.  Over Hobart 35-0.  Over Hammond 63-0 on Friday night.  I think they know that, while it's been impressive, it's also been far too easy.

"We have two very great teams coming up," said senior QB Ray Skamay, after the fourth-ranked Devils ran for 300 yards and nine TDs in the rain to roll over Hammond's injury-riddled Wildcats.  "And then it's do or die.  We've got to crank it up now."

Lowell has been outstanding the last three weeks.  This is the first time they've shut out three teams in succession since the Devils blanked Lake Station, Twin Lakes and Highland early in the 2000 season.  In the last three weeks, Lowell has scored 139 points.  But, with the possible exception of Griffith, Lowell has not faced a strong team all season.  The coaches have been leaning on the players not to 'let up' and, so far, they haven't.

Lowell scored all six times they had the ball in the first half.  Playing in a misty rain, the Devils scored six TDs with 35 running plays and one 12-yard pass from Ray Skamay to fullback Nate Cleveland.

"They did what they always do," said Hammond coach Robert Robinson.  "They block and tackle and they run the ball."

Lowell coach Kirk Kennedy addresses the Red Devils under the Inferno scoreboard following their 63-0 win over the Hammond High Wildcats, 10-02-2009.  (Photo by Mark Smith)

"I think our line's done well," said coach Kirk Kennedy.  "The last couple of weeks, they've been having some trouble blocking linebackers.  We went over that on film and I think we did a little better tonight.  We just had trouble picking up blitzing linebackers.  A lineman blocks out when they're supposed to block down.  Non-talent issues.  Just mistakes they can correct."

This was the first 300-yard rushing game for Lowell in the 2009 season, something that's insignificant unless its a sign of things to come.

"I think the game dictated that," Kennedy said.  "We didn't need to do a whole lot else.  We only threw the one pass.  But tonight was not a good night for offensive linemen because you can't get good footing."

Everyone who's watched Lowell for several years knows the team does not go anywhere unless the offensive line plays well.  Lowell's offensive line, all new at the start of the season, includes big sophomores Luke Mitrisin (6-3, 281) and Tyler Wright (6-4, 223) along with seniors Chad Ulanowski (5-10, 215), Anthony Demario (6-1, 184) and junior Dominic Rebesco (6-2, 215) with senior tight end Joe Bell (6-4, 207).

"Basically, when they're down, Grubbe and I just tell them they've got to pick it up," said Nate Cleveland, who scored a career-best three TDs.  "It's all mental.  Don't let anyone intimidate you.  You're part of something big here.  Let's go.  They're really starting to 'bring it'.  When they get clicking.  They're really good."

Skamay added, "We try to stay positive with them (the sophomores).  Sometimes they make young mistakes.  They're big.  They've been doing really well.  This was a good night for them to start believing in themselves."

It was another good night for senior running star Brandon Grubbe (123 carries, 915 yards) who gained an unofficial 169 yards on 23 carries, scoring five touchdowns.  Cleveland added a season-best 70 yards and three TDs on 11 carries.  Hammond hit hard, but didn't tackle that well and the Devils could have scored more points had they wanted to.  Once Lowell led 56-0, both sides agreed to let the clock run at all times to end the game before anyone else got hurt on a 50-degree, rainy night.

Hammond played without top receiver Robert Stone (6-1, 170) who had an injured wrist and will return for the Oct. 9 game with Gavit.  Junior QB Antwoin McGee, a junior with a powerful arm, did not play the first two quarters by his coaches decision (a disciplinary situation) and by the time he got in, the game was over.  The Wildcats want to play Lowell, but they clearly put more emphasis on their games with sectional rivals and the other Hammond teams.

"We got down tonight early," said Robinson, who suggested his team may have sacrificed any chance in this game to make an internal team point to the players.

"We'll come back," he said.  "Get healthy.  It's a conference game next week against Gavit.  We were physically beat up tonight.  But they had to learn a lesson with the injuries and the suspensions.  There's some things off the field we have to handle.  We'll get them handled and try to come back strong against Gavit."

"The kids are really respectful," said Cleveland of Hammond.  "They play hard.  I just think our coaches and the way they have us aligned sets us apart from other teams."

"I like playing against them," said Skamay.  "I don't know what's wrong (the low turnout of fans) with their program.  But they are probably the most respectful team we play in the region."

DEVIL NOTES:  Lowell hopes senior defensive back Stephan Garton (5-8, 158) will be okay.  Garton, who will be needed against passing teams, left the game with what appeared to be a hamstring (leg) injury in the third quarter.

Lowell also shut out Lake Central, River Forest and Calumet in succession in the 1982 season.  The Devils defeated Crown Point, Calumet and Merrillville (Yeah, Lowell defeated Merrillville) back-to-back to back in 1968.

But, even if Lowell blanks Munster next week, they will not set a record.  In 1937 under coach Walter Floyd (in his only season as coach) Lowell shut out seven consecutive teams.
To be fair, those teams were: Rensselaer, Crown Point, Morocco (which later consolidated into what is now North Newton), Momence, Illinois; Griffith, Gary Tolleston and Crown Point (Lowell and CP played twice for many years).  There weren't many schools back then.

What happened to them?  Lowell lost the final game of the year 1938 by a score of 12-0 to Valparaiso and finished at 7-1.  Those 12 points were the only points scored off Lowell that entire season and those seven consecutive shutouts are a school record, although Lowell, under coach Jim Carter, did shut out seven teams (not in succession) in 1936.  Jim Carter will always be the most successful coach in Lowell history.  He coached undefeated Red Devil teams in 1935 (9-0) and 1936 (8-0-1).

You may be asking the question, 'Why did Walter Floyd coach just that 1938 season after setting a defensive record that has stood for seven decades?'  Why did Jim Carter coach only those two seasons, never lose a game and then turn the program over to Floyd?  I would like to know that myself.

I was also totally unaware that recently graduated Lowell star Cody Midgett is on the roster at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

"I went and saw him play in week three," said Nate Cleveland.  "He's doing a good job.  He's on special teams and he's one of only five freshmen who are playing.  They're playing Valpo (last) Saturday.  He likes it there.  Says its a been a big transition in conditioning.  Obviously, we do a lot of conditioning here, but out there, they don't do any running.  They just do a very fast-pace practice to get them in good shape.  He's up to about 165 or 170.  He's never going to gain a lot of weight.  But he's gotten a little faster."


CLASS SECTIONAL ORDER YOUR INDIANA FOOTBALL DIGEST RECENT SEASONS
4A 10 E-MAIL CORRECTIONS MAP TO SCHOOL 7-0
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
LOWELL
RED DEVILS
Coach: Kirk Kennedy, 155-68 in 19th year at school
DATE OPPONENT CENTRAL TIME OA 38.3, DA 8.1
Aug. 21 Crown Point {5A}  W 19-  0  
Aug. 28 at Hammond Morton {4A}  W 34-25  
Sep. 4 at Kankakee Valley {4A}‡  W 40-13  
Sep. 11 Griffith {4A}‡  W 35-19  
Sep. 18 Highland {4A}‡  W 42-  0  
Sep. 25 at Hobart {4A}‡  W 35-  0  
Oct. 2 Hammond {4A}  W 63-  0  
Oct. 9 at Munster {5A}‡ 7:00 pm  
Oct. 16 Andrean {3A}‡ 7:00 pm  
‡NORTHWEST CROSSROADS CONFERENCE GAME
NORTHWEST CROSSROADS
ALL TIMES CENTRAL
  CONF. PTS OPP ALL PTS OPP
Lowell   4-  0 152   32     7-  0 268   57  
Griffith   4-  1 126   76     4-  3 132   147  
Andrean   3-  1 134   53     5-  2 265   94  
Munster   3-  1 63   28     5-  2 166   73  
Kankakee Valley   1-  3 48   126     2-  5 97   219  
Highland   0-  4 0   133     1-  6 35   231  
Hobart   0-  5 60   135     1-  6 101   162  
Friday, Oct. 2
Andrean 44, Kankakee Valley 9‡
Griffith 35, Highland 0‡
Lowell 63, Hammond 0
Munster 10, Hobart 7‡
Friday, Oct. 9
Griffith at Andrean‡, 7 pm
Highland at Kankakee Valley‡, 7 pm
Hobart at Hammond Morton, 7 pm
Lowell at Munster‡, 7 pm
Friday, Oct. 16
Andrean at Lowell‡, 7 pm
East Chicago Central at Griffith, 7 pm
Hobart at Highland‡, 7 pm
Munster at Kankakee Valley‡, 7 pm
‡Conference game

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Revised: October 05, 2009 .