Week 4 - Football Game of the Week Preview

Morton (2-1) at Lowell (1-2)

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

9-06-2006

 

When:  Friday, September 8, 2006

Where:  Lowell High School  - 2051 Commercial Ave (Route 2) Lowell, IN.

Tickets:  $5 - (for everybody).

Kickoff:   7:00 p.m.
Radio-TV: 
WWCA (1270 AM) and www.rrsn.com  will carry this game live.  WWCA, the Region Sports Network, will almost certainly (although they had not announced that Monday) replay the game at 9:00 a.m. Saturday as well.

Weather:  Getting better each week. Kickoff temperatures should be in the low 60s with a slight chance of rain.   Warmer, drier weather favors faster, more perimeter oriented Morton. Colder, wetter weather favors ground-based Lowell.  There's no middle ground.  Football is meant to be played in 55-degree weather so the boys will be comfortable in their jerseys and helmets. It's not about you needing your wooly sweater while you're eating your little weenies and drinking your Pepsi up in the stands.

 

Parking:  No problem. Morton does not come with a large crowd. Lowell has plenty of space in front and behind the school. Let's be honest. Big time losses last week took the bloom off the rose form both schools.   When you get shut out  by five TDs, some of your less loyal fans might find something else to do on Friday night.    And when you get smoked at home like Morton did last week, why travel 25 miles south to Lowell?  You can show up at 6:45 Friday and you'll be okay.

Rivalry:  Absolutely none.  Make no mistake.  Morton, which didn't begin to play football until 1952, was a superpower in another era.  The Governors were 9-0 in 1961, 10-0 in 1965 and 9-1 in 1971.  When you hear people speaking with pride of Morton football that's where it comes from.  But like all schools in Gary and Hammond, enrollment declines and deteriorating facilities have made Morton a second-tier program.  Morton was 16-52 from 1992 to 1999.

 

And for almost a decade before that, Morton beat up on the declining Gary and Hammond schools to make their record look better than it was.  What changed?  Roy Richards.  Dumped by East Chicago in the late 90s, coach Richards signed on very late to coach Morton before the 1998 season.  Morton had gone 0-9 in 1996 and 0-10 in 1997 and there probably weren't very many candidates for the job.

 

Richards has been able to raise the numbers on the roster and success has followed because he has stayed.  Richards could have left after Morton was 10-2 against a very weak schedule in 2002.  He certainly knew that, with the then-upcoming move of Morton from the LAC's Blue to the strong Black Division, that the Governors would not again go 10-2 in the LAC Black.  That's not an idle comment.  Barring a consolidation of the Hammond schools, Morton was never going to get more than a split with Hobart, Lowell, Griffith and Andrean in the same season.  Richards could have left but he chose to stay.  The football program at Morton is better for it because if Richards leaves, Morton goes right into the dumper again.  There just isn't that good a feeder system for football in Hammond.

 

It's ironic that some at Morton grumble at the forced break up of the clumsy Lake Athletic Conference.  They have short and very convenient memories.  When  Morton was good, they didn't play Munster or Highland, because those programs weren't good.  When Morton was in their heyday in the 50s and 60s, they were happy to play the other Hammond schools and wouldn't have played Lowell on a bet.  They certainly wouldn't travel down to Route 2 because Lowell wasn't a quality program.

 

And the breakup of the LAC Black is the best thing that could happen to Morton competitively.  Hobart is growing again into a monster and Lowell is at a peak numbers-wise.  Overcrowding at Crown Point and Lake Central is going to jack up enrollment at Andrean and Griffith is as good as they've ever been.  They'd love to get the crowds those four schools bring.  But Morton, even with rising enrollment (they are bigger than Lowell), cannot compete with that foursome on a regular basis because of the advanced level of the feeders at Hobart, Lowell and Griffith.

 

Morton will continue to play Lowell, but it's highly unlikely they'll play Andrean, Morton or Hobart because those teams can schedule someone who will bring in a large crowd.  I'd like to see the Governors play East Chicago, a natural rival that needs local foes and maybe Chesterton, a small 5A that would bring fans and provide good competition.

 

But instead of invoking the 'everybody's against us' and 'nobody likes us' line, I wish Morton would work hard on getting Hammond people to come out follow their very exciting team.  The Governors often have far more yards gained in road games than they have fans in the visitors stands.  If Morton filled the seats, teams would be calling up and begging to play them.

 

If the Hammond schools consolidate in this decade, they better give Richards the football job because that will be their best chance to bring back the glory days.  Part of Morton's fans' frustration is how long it takes to bring back the glory.  How long it takes to build a quality football program from the ground up.  Morton has a couple of levels to go before they are among the best teams in NW Indiana.  But they are on the way up when all other city schools are descending or flat-lining altogether.  Hammond high used to be where it's at from a football standpoint (555-324-44 all time) among city schools in Lake County, but now it's all about the Governors.

Lowell has inadvertently helped boost Morton up the credibility ladder by being the victim in two of their greatest recent victories.   In October of 2002, that 10-2 Morton team trailed Lowell 24-6 with 11 minutes left before the Governors ripped off three TDs to pull off a stunning victory.  Last year, Morton smoked Lowell like a Christmas ham feasting on five turnovers and winning 32-13.  That game went straight to the Governor Hall-of-Fame when Lowell rebounded to win the 4A state title.

 

Some of the Lowell wins over Morton recently have been ugly.  Lowell won seven in a row over Morton from 1992 to 1999 including 49-0 in 1993 and 41-0 in 1994.  Lowell beat Morton 63-7 in 1996, 42-7 in 2003 and 52-21 in 2004.  The Red Devils have won 10 of the last 13 meetings between these two schools going back 15 years.

 

But last year and last week are the focus on this night.  Lowell was embarrassed both times.  Morton has heard how their win over Lowell last year came because the Devils had several serious injuries at the time.  The numbers that are not mentioned often concerning Morton are, Morton's record in this decade, 38-28.  20-3 against the other Hammond schools, 9-0 against Calumet, Lake Station and Whiting and a miserable 9-25 against everybody else.  The Governors would truly love to whip up Lowell at a time when the Devils have no excuses.


Class 4A Lowell (1-2)

Enrollment:  1,150 - Class 4A
Coach: Kirk Kennedy  (116-60, 16 years)
Sectional titles: (5) 1992, 1994, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005
Regional titles: (3) 1994, 1999, 2005
2005 record: 11-4,  Won first state title with a 28-27 win over eight-time champ Roncalli


2006 LOWELL Red Devils
Coach: Kirk Kennedy, 116-60 in 16th year at school

Aug. 18  (L) 0-17 at (5A) Crown Point (3-0) 
Aug. 25  (W) 63-6 (3A) Calumet (0-3)     
Sep. 1  (L) 0-35 at (3A) Griffith (3-0)     
Sep. 8  (F)  (3A) Morton (2-1)  
Sep. 15  (F)  at (3A) Andrean (3-0)   
Sep. 22  (F)  at (3A) Hammond (0-3)     
Sep. 29  (F)  (4A) Munster (3-0)  
Oct. 6  (F)  (4A)  Hobart (2-1)    
Oct. 13  (F)  at (4A) Highland (1-2)

2005 Lowell Red Devils (11-4)

8-19 (L) 6-16 5A No. 2 Crown Point  (11-1)
8-26 (W) 61-14 at 3A Calumet (4-6)
9-2   (L) 0-21 3A No. 1 Griffith (12-1)
9-9  (L) 13-32 at 3A Morton  (8-4)
9-16 (L) 0-7 3A No. 4 ANDREAN (8-2)
9-23 (W) 41-7 3A HAMMOND (1-10)
9-30 (W) 48-7 at 4A Munster (3-7)
10-7 (W) 14-7 at 4A Hobart (6-6)
10-14 (W) 41-14 4A Highland (4-6)
4A Sectional nine

10-21 (W) 41-7 at Roosevelt (3-6)
10-28 (W) 41-6 vs Kankakee Valley (7-4)
11-4 (W) 32-6 Hobart (6-6)
 4A Regional
11-11 (W) 30-23  at Concord (9-3)
4A Semistate

11-18 (W) 16-14 (FW) South (11-3)
4A State Championship

11-27 (W) 28-27 at Indianapolis Roncalli (12-3)

Class 3A Morton (2-1)
Enrollment:  1,146 - Class 3A
Head Coach:  Roy Richards  (44-36, 9 seasons)
2005:  8-4, lost 24-21 to Griffith in the 3A sectional 17 championship
Championships

SECTIONALS (0) none;  REGIONALS (0) none

2006 MORTON Governors
8-18 (W) 40-0 Clark (1-2) 
8-25 (W) 54-7 at Gavit (1-2)
9-1 (L) 6-21 Andrean (3-0)
9-8 (Fri)  at Lowell (2-1)
9-15 (Fri) Griffith (3-0)
9-22 (Fri)  Munster (3-0)
9-29 (Fri)  at Hobart (2-1)
10-6 (Fri)  at Highland (2-1)
10-13 (Fri)  Hammond (0-3)

2005 Morton (8-4)

Aug. 19 (W) 41-6 at Clark (3-7)  
Aug. 26 (W) 44-0 Gavit (3-8)  
Sep. 2  (L) 20-35 at Andrean (8-2) 
Sep. 9   (W) 32-13 Lowell (11-4)
Sep. 16 (L) 13-58 at Griffith (13-1)
Sep. 23  (W) 47-20 at Munster (3-7) 
Sep. 30  (W) 28-21 Hobart (6-6)  
Oct. 7  (L) 14-31 Highland (4-6)  
Oct. 14  (W) 20-0 Hammond (1-10)
3A Sectional 17 

Oct. 21  (W) 24-10 Andrean (8-2)
Oct. 28  (W) 52-18 Hammond (1-10)
Nov. 4  (L) 21-24 at Griffith (13-1)


MORTON (2-1) at LOWELL (1-2)

Sagarin computer ratings:  Lowell by 9

LOWELL (9-8-2006) - Some are saying that this spread should be reversed because Lowell was not competitive at Griffith last week while Morton, at least, gained 300 yards against Andrean.  The Governors have over 100 yards rushing and passing in all three games so far and the reason is new QB and converted halfback David Wallace (6-0, 190), who is the ultimate double threat.  Last week against Andrean, the senior completed 14 of 29 passes for 157 yards and carried 12 times for 140 yards.  Wallace (35 of 54, 566 yards, 8 TDs, 3 INTs) is one of those players who must be hit or tackled on every play, no matter where you think the ball is going.

 

The line, led by Jeremy DeRolf (6-2, 260) always has good size, but they have always had quickness problems and they couldn't move the 59ers in key situations last week.  The Governors have top-flight senior receivers in Jeremy Jeffries (5-10, 175) and Damone Howard (6-3, 200).  On the ground, senior halfback Armani Handy (5-10, 185) can run and catch.  The 'Handy Man' caught four passes for 53 yards in the season opening rout of Clark while carrying seven times for 59 yards.  Nobody's going to shut this team out.

 

On defense, there are problems.  Morton may have gotten a false sense of security outscoring weak sisters Clark and Gavit 94-7 in two non conference games.  Andrean rolled up 314 total yards on the Governors and would have had a lot more if the Governors hadn't totaled 17 first downs themselves.  The basic flaw in Morton is that their offense puts their defense on the field a lot and the Governors probably have their best athletes on offense.  That means Morton has to outscore good teams most nights.  The Governors have just two starters back from last year, one being cornerback and kick runner Mike Pinkins (5-11, 180).

 

The Governors are using some of Crown Point's '35' defense which fits their personnel.  Put a big guy on the nose and line up five guys who can run to the ball.  The '35' is basically a run defense which is good going into the Lowell game.  You can use a defense with only three defensive backs against Lowell because Lowell throws so few passes.  But the five linebackers have to make strong sure tackles and can't get overpowered, which has been a problem against Lowell in the past.

 

Lowell will go without linebacker Kaleb Layman (5-10, 180) who suffered a knee injury last week and they need somebody like sophomore David Eastling (6-0, 187) or junior David Lang (6-0, 206) to step into the spotlight.  The small Devils will probably lineup Josh Kuiper (6-0, 187), Ben Rigby (5-10, 163) and Danny Remboski (6-0, 193) with four defensive backs to counter Morton's passing and wide speed.  Lowell's all-junior secondary of TJ Lukasik (5-7, 165), Steffan Peck and Lukas Palmer (5-11, 160) has been the highlight of the defenders, but that's a mixed blessing.  Palmer and Lukasik lead the team in tackles and that's a time-honored sign that your defensive line is getting manhandled.

 

Lowell's Jeff Barker (6-5, 187) was running down the option from behind last week at Griffith and fellow junior Joe Carlson (6-2, 186) has three sacks.  The Devils' defensive line should be up to the challenge of chasing Morton's Wallace if they can shut down the Governors between the tackles, a major question.

 

The Devils have run fairly well with halfback Steffan Peck (52-309 yards, 5 TDs) and Max Znika (14-147, 1 TD).  QB Josh Kuiper is 8 of 18 for 88 yards.  Barker has five catches for 61 yards.

 

One big difference in this game is kicking.  Lowell's Lang is 9-for-9 in extra points and has made 13 in a row going back to 2005. Morton had their only extra point blocked last week and the Governors were just 2-of-6 on extra points in a 54-7 win over Gavit.    Morton's Mike Pinkins returned the opening kickoff for a TD against Gavit and Lowell has to work on that because they gave up a 98-yard second half kickoff return for a TD to Griffith's David Alexander last Friday.

 

WHAT WILL HAPPEN:  These teams do not match up.  You will not mistake these teams for the Chicago Bears.
Morton can pass it and Lowell can run it.  Morton is all seniors at offensive skill positions, while Lowell has largely a junior defense. Lowell always runs well and the Governors have a questionable run defense.  I'm looking for a blocked kick and a run-dominated drive to give Lowell a quick 14-0 lead.  The Devils will be challenged all week to do something about the blowout shutout they suffered last week.  Lowell is a little quicker than they appear to be and that will show up early.

 

Once David Wallace gets away from the pass rush, he'll find Jeremy Jeffries for a TD to cut the lead.  But a short punt and a TD run by Peck will make it 21-6 at halftime.  Look for a long kickoff return by Michael Pinkins and a two-point conversion run by Wallace to get Morton back in the game at 21-14.  But Josh Kuiper will use a play-action pass (after about 10 consecutive runs) to Johnny Underwood for a breakaway TD.  An interception by Lukas Palmer and a field goal up the count to 31-14, but Wallace will go exclusively to the air and Damone Howard will catch a long score.

 

The biggest surprise play of the night will be a breakaway by TJ Lukasik on a wide receiver reverse that restores the three score lead.  A Lowell fumble will set up a Wallace to Jeffries score to cut the edge to 38-28, but another possession will end in a sack by Barker and another David Lang field goal will end the scoring.

 

The Governors will total 300 yards of offense, but they will lose three pass interceptions.  Morton's lines will wear down in this game.  The Red Devils' running consistently and Morton's short possessions will be a bad combination.  The Morton aerial attack they need to score on Lowell will make for short possessions and more running attempts by the Devils.  No matter what they say, both of these teams have doubts after last week.  And they'll both still have doubts when this game ends.  But Morton is playing outside of Hammond for the first time all season and they will see the best running attack they have faced so far Friday while, after facing 5A No. 6 Crown Point (3-0) and 3A No. 2 Griffith (3-0), nothing Morton can do will scare the Devils for four quarters.

 

LOWELL 41, Morton 28

 

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Revised: September 06, 2006 .