Week 3 NW Indiana HS Football Picks

'Mr. Picker' WEEK-2, 2011 Football Picks in Review: Aug. 26-27, 2011 Wrong - 4; Right - 8 = 66.7%
The Pick	The Result
WASHINGTON 42, MICH. CITY 14	Washington 40-21
HAMMOND 26, HIGHLAND 24	Hammond 26-21
BISHOP NOLL 30, BOONE GROVE 16	Noll 20-6
LaPORTE 28, CLAY 27	LaPorte 35-28
CARMEL 24, VALPARAISO 14	Carmel 42-0
SOUTH CENTRAL 21, CULVER 20	(wrong) Culver 29-12
BOWMAN 61, LaVILLE 26	Bowman 41-3
GAVIT 28, WHITING 14	(wrong) Whiting 36-21
MERRILLVILLE 24, ANDREAN 16	(wrong) Andrean 21-12
GRIFFITH 29, New Prairie 20	Griffith 49-7
CHESTERTON 29, MUNSTER 14	Chesterton 28-0
LOWELL 41, MORTON 27	(wrong) Morton 13-6

WEEK ONE (2) ANALYSIS: Lowell should have beaten Morton. They gave that one away. I should not have been fooled by Culver's first week loss. I would still suggest that Merrillville is a better team than Andrean and I cannot explain how Whiting couldn't score in week one and then puts up 28 against a rejuvenated Gavit. That's the last time I make a "lock of the week."

BEST PICK: Hammond rallies over Highland 28-26. Have to admit. That was a lucky pick. Stone cold luck. I didn't know that would happen.

2011 Season, 1st 2-weeks: 14 of 23 = 60.8%

Mr. Picker (Through the Years)
2010 (final) OVERALL: 135 of 184 = 73.3%
2009 (final) OVERALL: 154 of 212 = 72.6%
2008 (final) OVERALL: 145 of 193 = 75.1%
2007 (final) OVERALL: 143 of 188 = 76.0%
2006 (final) OVERALL: 166 of 217 = 76.4%
2005 (final) OVERALL: 170 of 233 = 72.9%

WEEK (3) THREE: There should not be any illusions at this point. Whiting lost the first week and then turned it around against a superior team. Culver lost the fist week and then reversed it against a better foe. But everybody's got somewhat of a track record now. If anyone thinks Valparaiso is somehow sub-par because they lost to Penn and Carmel they don't understand the game. And there will be an earthquake and a hurricane in the same place in the same week before Merrillville beats Warren Central again.
The biggest early surprise is Hammond high (2-0), but beware Wildcats. Lowell and Morton are left on the Hammond schedule. The Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) begins play this week and teams like LaPorte (2-0) and Crown Point (2-0) have to justify their early records. It's week three. The week where reality traditionally sets in. And with mid-90s predicted for Friday, we'll see who REALLY wants to play.

Clark (1-1) at Morton (2-0):

HAMMOND (09-02-2011) Morton has won twice and has not played that well. They are a warm weather speed team and sooner or later, they will drop 'the big one' on somebody. It will happen Friday. Clark has about as much chance to win this game as Jay Cutler does of being the NFL MVP.

Morton 42, Clark 14

Highland (1-1) at Munster (2-0):

MUNSTER (09-02-2011) Highland let a 2-0 start slip away in the fourth quarter last week against Hammond high. Munster is 0-2 but 0-2 against DAC teams. The Mustangs have defeated Highland four years in a row and they must have this one to save their season.

Munster 31, Highland 7

Lew Wallace (1-1) at Boone Grove (0-2):

CROWN POINT (09-02-2011) They'll play this one on the new artificial turf at the Junior Bulldog field in Crown Point. I think this is Boone's first win over an IHSAA school. LW won last week but the team they beat, Gary Lighthouse, only had about 13 players. In the superheat Friday (upper 80s at game time), Boone should wear down the Hornets.

Boone Grove 28, Lew Wallace 12

Bowman Academy (2-0) at Hammond (2-0):

HAMMOND (09-02-2011) Hammond's new rushing attack against Bowman's air show. Nobody's going to stop anybody here until they get tired. I think Hammond's revival continues with a big second half rally.

Hammond 42, Bowman 33

Hobart (1-1) at Griffith (1-1):

GRIFFITH (09-02-2011) The Panthers came close to Morton and they can control the play against a Hobart team that just isn't ready for prime time yet. Did you forget that last year... Griffith won 35-10 in the regular season and lost 35-14 in sectional play? I can guarantee you Griffith, which rushed for 300 yards last week, has not forgotten.

Griffith 33, Hobart 14

Whiting (1-1) at Wheeler (2-0):

UNION TOWNSHIP (09-02-2011) I was shocked at Whiting's win last week over Gavit 36-21. Gavit may not give up 36 points again this year. Whiting would have to hog the ball rushing because they do not have the pass defense to stay in this game. Wheeler will end the night with as many wins as the Chicago Bears have contract disputes.

Wheeler 42, Whiting 14

River Forest (1-1) at Lake Station (0-2):

LAKE STATION (09-02-2011) The 'Hillbilly Super Bowl' (I thought that was the one they're playing in Indianapolis in February) will be a lot more fun after River Forest took the big ride to Eau Claire Michigan for a 26-8 win last week. Lake Station has lost 21 of their last 22 games but they've scored 40 points so, an improvement for a team that averaged 11 per game in 2010. I'll go with a bit of an upset in what is the game of the year to these two schools.

Lake Station 18, River Forest 16

Bishop Noll (1-1) at South Central (1-1):

UNION MILLS (09-02-2011) South Central's rushing attack should prevail here, but it should have prevailed last week, too. The Satellites got stomped 29-12 by Culver. I didn't think Noll did much against Boone in a 20-6 win last week and they can't go all this way and win.

South Central 27, Bishop Noll 17

Rensselaer (2-0) at North Judson (1-1):

NORTH JUDSON (09-02-2011) The Judds got 19 first downs and 240 yards rushing last week against Knox. Rensselaer has scored on 23 points in two games so far. Judson has lost four in a row to the Bombers, but North Judson wins here in a low-scoring battle.

Judson 16, Rensselaer 14

Valparaiso (0-2) at LaPorte (2-0):

LaPORTE (09-02-2011) You've got to understand here that Valpo has lost to 5A No. 2 Carmel and 5A No. 6 Penn. LaPorte has done a fine job to grab two nonconference victories. But Valparaiso has a dominant offense that has been dormant. Valpo comes alive here. Corn will pop itself before LaPorte wins this one.

Valparaiso 44, LaPorte 14

Portage (0-2) at Lake Central (2-0):

St. JOHN (09-02-2011) A big night for LC at home trying to go 3-0 for the first time since 2007. Here's another case where Portage has played much tougher competition (Mishawaka and St. Rita) than LC has. The speed of Portage can win a close one here.

Portage 28, Lake Central 24

Chesterton (1-1) at Michigan City (1-1):

MICHIGAN CITY (09-02-2011) Get on board here, Chesterton has dominated two games so far. They just found a way to lose to 4A No. 3 St Joseph's. Just because Chesterton has never won a sectional title doesn't mean they never will. The Trojans have rushed for 400 yards so far and MC is in over their heads here. Don't be surprised at this score.

Chesterton 51, Michigan City 6

MERRILLVILLE (0-2) at CROWN POINT (2-0):

CROWN POINT (09-02-2011) Everybody in the DAC will want to know if CP is as good as they've looked and if Merrillville can rebound after two losses to 2A No. 3 Andrean and 5A No. 1 Warren Central. The Pirates' secondary will look to pick off CP QB Joe Hopman twice like Hobart did last week. But the Bulldogs may be able to overwhelm Merrillville on the ground. Traditionally, CP beats Merrillville during the regular season and the Pirates get even in sectional play.

CROWN POINT 27, MERRILLVILLE 17