Week 11 - Football Game of the Week Preview
Hammond Morton Governors (6-4)
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10-30-2015
Morton quarterback Tevin Armstrong (7) knows all about playing at Lowell. The veteran quarterback starts at Lowell for the fourth time in two seasons this Friday night in the 4A Sectional 17 semifinals. The only win for Morton at Lowell in the last two seasons was a 42-41 overtime Morton win at Lowell in August of 2014. (Photo by Mark Smith) |
When: 7:00 p.m., CST on Friday, October 30, 2015
Where: Lowell High School, 3 miles west of I-65 on Ind. Rt. 2, Lowell, Ind.
Tickets: $6
TV/Radio/Internet: WTMK (88.5) FM live, live updates of all local scores all night on "The LakeShore," WLPR (89.1) FM.
ENROLLMENT: Morton, 1,337; Lowell 1,187
WEATHER: Low-50s for the kickoff this week. Upper-40s most of the
game. No rain is predicted for Friday, but the field might be muddy from rain
earlier in the week. But there’s no question it will be cold. Wear your warmest
Halloween costume.
PARKING: Morton should bring more fans to Lowell than they did three weeks ago but probably not enough to fill the visitors stands in cold weather. Lowell fans will be out in force but the weather should keep this from being and overflow, standing room only crowd.
WHAT's AT STAKE: A berth in the 4A Sectional 17 championship game on November 6. If Morton wins, they are at home next week against either Gavit or East Chicago. If Lowell wins, they will play on the road at Gavit (5-5) in Hammond or at East Chicago (5-5).
CLASS 4A
SECTIONAL 17
Morton [6-4] at No. 1 LOWELL [10-0]
Gavit [5-5] at East Chicago [5-5]
SECTIONAL 18
(South Bend) Riley [1-9] at (South Bend) St. Joseph [5-5]
No. 12 ANDREAN [7-3] at No 14 (South Bend) Washington [7-2]
SECTIONAL 19
NorthWood [7-3] at Northridge [7-3]
No. 11 Plymouth [8-2] at DeKalb [5-5]
SECTIONAL 20
Fort Wayne South [2-8] at No. 6 Leo [9-1]
No. 3 Bishop Dwenger [9-1] at New Haven [7-3]
SECTIONAL 21
No, 10 (Indianapolis) Roncalli [6-4] at Lebanon [3-7]
Greenwood [6-4] at No. 2 Northview [10-0]
SECTIONAL 22
Mount Vernon (Fortville) [6-4] at Pendleton Heights [4-6]
New Castle [2-8] at Delta [7-3]
SECTIONAL 23
No. 7 Seymour [4-6] at Silver Creek [6-4]
No. 9 East Central [8-2] at Shelbyville [9-1]
SECTIONAL 24
No. 5 Jasper [9-1] at No 4 (Evansville) Reitz [9-1]
Boonville [7-3] at No. 13 (Evansville) Harrison [8-2]
ANALYSIS: A lot of things favor the Morton-Lowell winner (and Andrean) beyond
Friday. There’s only two Top-10 teams (Bishop Dwenger and Leo) outside of
Sectional 17 in the north half of the bracket and those two schools figure to
meet next week in the sectional 20 title game. Andrean, which reached the Class
3A state title game in 2013 and 2014, would be at home for the sectional
championship game on Nov. 6, but the foe might be St. Joseph’s (5-5).
St. Joe’s record is a bit deceptive. They have lost to Adams (7-3), Marian
(7-3), Jefferson (7-2), Mishawaka (6-3) and Penn (9-1). Andrean has played 17
Class 3A state tournament games in the last three seasons and they are 15-2 in
those games.
At the regional level, it is likely Lowell would be at home, but they would
travel (and travel quite some distance) if the Devils reached the semistate
title game. Fort Wayne’s Bishop Dwenger has won nine games in a row and has
defeated three 6A schools including Homestead (7-3) and Carroll (7-3).
Third-ranked Dwenger was 4-6 last year, but they were 13-2 and lost the state
title game 28-27 in 2013.
Lowell and Bishop Dwenger met for the 4A semistate title in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Six Top-10 teams are in the bottom half of the state and, obviously, only one
can reach the final. Class 4A No. 4 Reitz defeated Lowell in the 2007 and 2009
state championship games. Longtime Lowell fans also remember that No. 10 Roncalli is the school Lowell defeated 28-27 in the 2005 state 4A championship
game.
THE HISTORY: Lowell leads this series 18-8,
but the two schools never met before 1985. Oliver P. Morton high school, the
61-year old school, named after the first native-born governor of Indiana plays
at Maury Zlotnik Field, named after their first coach who led the team from
1952-1975. Under coach Roy Richards, Morton won four sectional football
championships (2009 to 2012), the first in the history of the IHSAA state
tournament, which began in 1973. Richards took over at Morton in 1999 and
sparked a rise that included 10-win seasons in 2002, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2014.
The transition from Richards to new coach Rippy Morales this season has been
heavily scrutinized. Many folks who follow Morton football didn’t want the
change (Richards resigned after last season) and don’t like it. But, after an 0-2
start, the Governors have won six of their last eight and the offense has been
strong, averaging 32 points a game over the entire year.
Morton defeated the other Hammond city schools and that’s dominance they have
consistently been able to achieve. Until there is a consolidation of high
schools (probably Hammond and Gavit) in Hammond turns into serious plans, Morton
will be the top athletic school in Hammond. In football, the Governors' recent
history of winning (59-16 over the last 6 years) will keep young football
players with high hopes coming to Morton and the football program figures to
remain one of the most consistent in North Lake County. But they probably judge
themselves on how they do against schools like Lowell and Munster more than they
do the other ‘city’ programs like East Chicago, Hammond and Gary West Side.
Five years ago, Morton faced Bishop Dwenger, a team that I believe was 13-0 and
top-ranked at the time. Playing in Hammond,the Governors were overmatched,
losing 48-12. A win over the top-ranked team in the state is a landmark in
school athletic history in any sport and Morton football gets a second chance
this Friday.
I have no doubt they are looking forward to it.
The 'Distant' Replay...
Lowell crushes Morton 42-0 in regional
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
LOWELL (12-1) | 7 | 14 | 21 | 0 | 42 |
Hammond Morton (11-2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Friday, November 13, 2009, 52 degrees, Class 4A, Regional Championship in HAMMOND, IN
1st
Qtr:
LOWELL (7-0) Jordan
Juarez, 20-yard interception return. Boge Pejoski kick.
2nd Qtr:
LOWELL (14-0) Brandon Grubbe, 3-yard run. 51-yard drive, 12 plays.
Boge Pejoski kick. 6:25 left.
LOWELL (21-0) Brandon Grubbe, 4-yard run. 50-yard drive, 6 plays.
Boge Pejoski kick. 4:05 left.
3rd
Qtr:
LOWELL (28-0) LOWELL (28-0) Jordan Juarez, 45-yard interception
return. Boge Pejoski kick. 10:47 left.
LOWELL (35-0) Brandon Grubbe, 5-yard run. 33-yard drive, 5 plays.
Boge Pejoski kick.
LOWELL (42-0) Brandon Grubbe, 1 -yard run. __-yard drive, 7 plays
after fumbled punt. Boge Pejoski kick. 0:03 left.
4th Qtr:
No scoring.
RUSHING:
LOWELL (49-263 yards, 4 TDs) Brandon Grubbe (HB) 31 carries, 172 yards,
4 TDs; Ray Skamay (QB) 2-23 yards; Cole Midgett (WR) 3-16 yards; Nate Cleveland
(FB) 3-10 yards;
Jordan Juarez (TB) 1-5 yards; Zach Wolfe (HB) 4-14 yards; Nick
Tokarz (FB) 1-3 yards; Nick Hamilton (HB) 4-20 yards.
MORTON (24-38 yards) Kalyn Aaron (HB) 10-36 yards; Chris McCormack (QB) 10
(-2 yards) 4 sacks, Andrew Glidewell (QB) 2 (-4 yards) one sack; Cody Moczynski
(HB) 2-8 yards.
PASSING:
MORTON (2-of-10, 17 yards, 3 interceptions) Chris McCormack (QB) 1 of 2,
11 yards; Andrew Glidewell (QB) 1 of 7, 17 yards 3 interceptions; Kalyn Aaron (HB)
0-for-1.
LOWELL (3-of-12, 42 yards) Ray Skamay (QB) 3-1,2 42 yards.
RECEIVING:
LOWELL: Cole Midgett (WR) 1-13 yards; Nate Cleveland (FB) 1-22 yards;
Jordan Juarez (FB) 1-5 yards.
MORTON: Jerry Watson (WR) 1-11 yards; Cody Moczynski (WR) 1-17 yards.
TOTAL YARDS:
LOWELL: 305 yards, 15 first downs, no turnovers;
MORTON: 55 total yards, 3 1st downs, 4 turnovers (3 interceptions).
HAMMOND – This might have been Lowell’s best team, even better than the state
championship team in 2005. The 2009 Devils shut out Crown Point 19-0, won the
sectional quarterfinal at undefeated Plymouth 14-6 and rolled up the points on
Concord 60-23.
Facing Morton 10 weeks after defeating the Governors 34-25, Lowell was in top
form, getting four rushing TDs from all-time leading rusher Brandon Grubbe and
two interception TDs from all-state linebacker Jordan Juarez. A crowd estimated
at 5,000 fans watched Lowell record their fifth shutout of the season to win the
regional for the third year in a row.
These were the days when Lowell had been shipped out by the IHSAA to play in a
sectional with teams nowhere near Lake County. The sectional pitted the Devils
against Concord, Plymouth and (South Bend) Washington.
The Devils, who had already defeated No. 6 Plymouth and No. 9 Washington would
win the semistate game at home 24-21 over third-ranked Bishop Dwenger the next
week before losing the state final 23-9 to No. 2 (Evansville) Reitz.
The 2010 senior class, which played in 2007, 2008 and 2009, rolled up a record
of 39-5, the best three-year mark in Lowell football history. The best class
since then is the one that will be on the field this Friday night against
Morton.
MORTON Update:
HAMMOND – Morton was solid in a 40-25 quarterfinal win at Highland last week.
The Governors have scored 40 or more points five times now in 10 games. Morton
has scored 40 or more 14 times in the Governors’ last 22 games.
Morton is the only team to defeated Hammond high (9-1), a 44-24 victory on the
road on September 11 and they have the memory of last year’s 10-2 season.
The Governors won't win 10-9. They have to score 30-35 points to win at Lowell
and they have the players to get that done. Morton has lost to Lowell 28-3 and
31-0 in consecutive games, something they certainly are being reminded of this
week.
Part of tonight’s game will be that the Governors have more two-way players than
Lowell. Time of possession will be crucial to Morton so a tired defense won't be
on the field late in the game.
HB Mark Snorton (5-10, 200) Sr.
The big question this week is: Will Mark Snorton be able to play?
The senior halfback, who missed most of three games this fall, still has gained
1,015 yards on 140 carries. When Lowell won 31-0 over Morton three weeks ago,
the thought was that one player could not make that much difference. Don’t bet
on that. In 2014, Snorton on the season carried 214 times for 1,569 yards and 23
touchdowns.
Last week, Snorton gained 14 yards and scored a TD. Mark Snorton is why Lowell
won't defeat Morton 31-0 again.
Quarterback-Tevin Armstrong (5-8, 165) Jr.
Armstrong is the key to the Morton attack with 63 of 116, 769 yards on the
season. The QB is a very effective runner with 101 yards and three TDs last week
in Highland. Three weeks ago, Armstrong ran 11 times for 46 yards and hit on 10
of 19 passes for 89 yards.
For Morton to win, Tevin Armstrong has to be a run-pass threat numerically in
the neighborhood of 200 total yards. He’s a veteran player who is capable of
just that.
WR – Lorenzo Topps (6-2, 170) Sr.
Lorenzo Topps is a big, big play receiver who caught a key 17-yard TD pass from
QB Tevin Armstrong last week at Highland. For the season, Topps has just 16
catches, but 260 total yards, an average of 15 yards a grab. Topps and Jerome
Donald (5-7, 165) are big pass catching threats who combined for six catches and
55 yards last time Morton came to Lowell.
They have to take those little plays and make them big plays or the Governors
can't win Friday.
LOWELL Update:
LOWELL – Lowell held Munster to just 159 yards last week in a game that had
to see their confidence soar. It’s not so much that the Devils defeated Munster
31-0. It's that they did it two weeks after defeating the same team 20-17. That’s
significant because normally when two teams meet for the second time in the same
season, the team that loses gains some ground in the rematch.
The Devils have won 18 times in Lowell’s last 20 games over two seasons
including eight homes games in a row. Lowell has allowed 94 points all season
and just 36 points in five home games. The Devils' first five wins were over
teams with records that are below .500. The last five wins have been against
teams .500 or better.
Numbers aside, this is the final game in which Lowell can't win a championship.
Starting next week, there is a post-season trophy awarded at the 50-yard line
after the game.
Halfback - Ike James (6-0, 195) Sr.
Keeping track of Ike James' numbers is a sidelight to the season the Devils are
having.
For the record, Ike carried the ball 19 times for 97 yards as sophomore; 319
times for 2,411 yards in 2014 and 255 times for 1,425 yards this season. That’s
593 carries for 3,933 yards. That puts James within 67 yards of 4,000 for his
career and 75 yards south of 1,500 for this season.
Lowell almost always has had a top caliber running back in the last 25 years.
Sometimes it gets lost how many carries 600 is and how many yards 4,000 is for a
high school running back.
Kicker - Robbie Smetana (5-10, 190) Sr.
Quietly, Smetana had a strong game at Munster last week. Lowell’s senior kicker
was 4-of-4 on extra pints, booted a 39-yard field goal and averaged 48.5 yards
on four punts.
In the post-season, you can't miss extra points or field goals and you need to
gain field position on punts.
Smetana, who averages 42.5 yards a punt over the entire season, came through in
every category last Friday.
Linebacker – Chris Han (5-7, 195) Sr.
I don’t know how much it means, but let the record show: Three weeks ago when
Lowell defeated Morton 31-0, Chris Han made 11 tackles including seven solo
stops. Last week when Lowell defeated Munster 31-0, Chris Han made 11 tackles
including seven solo stops, including a QB sack and a forced fumble.
For the 2015 season, Chris Han has 84 tackles including 10 tackles for losses. In the
13 games of the 2014 season, Chris Han had 85 tackles. The numbers are very consistent.
4A
Morton (6-4) at 4A No. 1 LOWELL (10-0)
SAGARIN RATINGS: LOWELL by 24.
This spread is partly due to Lowell having defeated everyone including two teams
(Kankakee Valley and Hobart) that lost to Lowell. The big weight behind this
spread is Lowell’s 31-0 win over Morton earlier this month. The fact that Mark
Snorton, Morton’s best player, was not in that earlier game cannot be reflected
in the computer ratings.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN...
LOWELL (10-30-2015)
After falling behind 14-0 after one quarter at Lowell on October 2, Morton is
going to play conservatively early to stay in this game. That means that QB
Tevin Armstrong and running back Mark Snorton will handle the ball almost
exclusively.
Lowell opens the scoring on a short run by Darion Hornickel after an extended
drive. A Morton fumble will set up Robbie Smetana for a field goal and a 10-0
lead.
The Governors get on the board in the third quarter on a pass from Tevin
Armstrong to Jerome Donald. The Devils again control the ball on the ground and
Jordan Jusevitch scores on a reverse. A late interception and a TD run by Ike
James clinches a conservatively played game on both sides.
Lowell gained 231 yards on 39 carries (5.9 per carry) and it going to be
difficult for Morton to take the ball away from them. With Smetana eliminating
kickoff returns and punting the Governors' deep in their own territory, Morton is
going to have a lot of trouble scoring. Unless Lowell loses two or three
fumbles, Friday’s game should go the way of Morton’s last two visits to Lowell.
LOWELL 24, MORTON 7