Week 6 - Football Game of the Week Preview

Hobart (2-3) at Lowell (2-3)

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

09-25-2014

Ike James (32) and Zac Bobos (18) will be on the lookout for Hobart this Friday night in Lowell. (Photo by Mark Smith)

When: 7:00 p.m. Friday, September 26, 2014.
Where: Lowell High School  - 2501 East Commercial Ave. (Route 2 & Holtz Road, 3 miles west of I-65), Lowell, IN.
Tickets: $6
TV/Radio/Internet: WTMK (88.5) FM live; live updates of all local scores all night on WLPR (89.1) FM.
Enrollment: Hobart - 1,283; LOWELL - 1,207

WEATHER: As good as it gets. Daytime high in the low-70s. No chance of rain. A dry week means the field will be in good shape. Exactly what you would hope for in the final week of September.

Parking: I don't know what kind of crowd Hobart is going to bring. The Brickies have lost three of their last four, but they played very well last week in a 21-17 loss to Andrean. Lowell is 2-3, but the Devils have won their last two and Lowell folks almost always attend home games. There is a feeling the team is on the rise.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: Lowell is still alive in the Northwest Crossroads Conference (NCC) race with a victory, because the Devils (2-3, 2-1 NCC) still get to play Munster (4-1, 2-1 NCC) and Andrean (5-0, 3-0 NCC). Kankakee Valley (4-1, 3-0 NCC) also has yet to play Munster and Andrean. Hobart is in a tough stretch that includes KV (4-1), Andrean (5-0), Morton (4-1) and Munster (4-1). They have to survive it and get ready for the post-season.

The series: Over the last 30 years, Lowell leads 12-7.

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HISTORY: The biggest question about Hobart has a new answer. Why Hobart is the only team in Indiana that is called the "Brickies." When the Hobart city council named the stadium at the new school, "The Brickyard" (with permission from the famed Brickyard auto race track on 16th street in Indianapolis) school board member Bob Marszalek explained that before Hobart had high school football, they had track. And much of the boys track team (there were no girls sports then) worked at one of the local brickyards, places that made bricks for buildings and roads, a common business 100 years ago.

That's as good a story as any on how Hobart high athletes became known as Brickies, long before Hobart played its first football game against Lew Wallace on Sept. 14, 1939. Most towns are named after somebody. Hobart began when English immigrant George Earle bought some Indian land and put a damn up on the Deep River to power sawmills and gristmills. The lake became known as Lake George and Earle named the settlement after his brother Fred Hobart Earle.
 
Hobart's tradition in football is second to none in Northwest Indiana. The school had great success under coach Russ Deal (115-48-6) from 1948-1965 and then one of Deal's players, Don Howell (314-73) carried that success almost through the end (1966-1998) of the 20th Century. Hobart won 4A state titles in 1987, 1989, 1991 and 1993, many times defeating larger schools during the season.

But time passed and the schools around Hobart grew larger. The Brickies' 50-year run of success is gone, but not forgotten and the program has spent the last 15 years trying to return to near that level of prominence. Similar to how Lowell, after its run of seven sectional titles (and 3 state finals berths) in the last decade, is trying to get back to that lofty level. Two programs whose 2-3 records just aren't good enough.

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4A Hobart (2-3)
Ryan Turley (18-19, 4th season) NCC games in CAPS
5-5 (2013), 8-3 (2012), 3-8 (2011), 5-6 (2010)
8-22 (W) 67-7 at Gary West Side (0-5)
8-30 (L) 0-21 at LaPorte (2-3)
9-5 (W) 61-20 GRIFFITH (0-5)
9-12 (L) 27-40 at KANKAKEE VALLEY (4-1)
9-19 (L) 17-21 ANDREAN (5-0)
9-26 (Fri) at LOWELL (2-3)
10-3 (Fri.) at MUNSTER (4-1)
10-10 (Fri.) Morton (4-1)
10-17 (Fri.) HIGHALND (3-2)

Class 4A Sectional 18
with South Bend schools Clay (0-5), Riley (1-4), Washington (1-4) and St. Joseph's (4-0), KV (4-1), New Prairie (4-1) and Plymouth (5-0).

The 'Distant' Replay

Lowell upsets Hobart 13-10 in sectional semifinals

Friday, Oct. 29, 2004 - Class 4A Sectional 9 Semifinal at LOWELL, IN

1st Qtr:  LOWELL (6-0) Jeff Clemans, 5-yard run. Kick failed.
HOBART (6-3) Andrew Martin, 33-yard field goal.
2nd Qtr:  No scoring.

3rd Qtr:  HOBART (6-10) Marc Drobac, 2-yard run. Andrew Martin kick.
LOWELL (13-10) Toby Getz, 4-yard run. Mark Ziedel kick.

4th Qtr:  No scoring.

GAME STATISTICS

RUSHING:
HOBART (28 carries, 108 yards)
LOWELL (51 carries, 274 yards, 2 TDs): Toby Goetz (TB) 34 carries, 211 yards, Jeff Clemans (FB) 12 carries, 64 yards.

PASSING:
HOBART - Kyle Gonzales (QB) 11 of 20, 155 yards, one interception; LOWELL - Scott Schultz (QB) 0-for-1

RECEIVING:
HOBART - Nick Nelson (WR) 5 catches, 52 yards, Andrew Martin (HB) 3 catches, 81 yards.

TOTAL YARDS:
HOBART - 263, LOWELL - 274.

LOWELL (10-29-2004) Ten years ago, Hobart topped Lowell 9-6 in the fifth week of the season and the rematch came in the sectional semifinals. And two of Lowell's finest carried them to a narrow win. With no passing game at all (no completed passes) the Devils' senior Toby Goetz and junior Jeff Clemens carries the ball a combined 46 times for 275 yards and both TDs in a 13-10 upset.

The game match 1,000 yard rushers Goetz and Marc Drobac, who score his 15th TD of the season to put Hobart ahead in the third period. Goetz' 27th TD of the year won the game later in the period.

Lowell would go on to lose to Wawasee 28-21 in the regional championship game, but it was a season on the brink. Lowell would reach the 4A state title game in 2005, 2007 and 2009. Toby Goetz finished his senior season with 1,954 yards and 27 touchdowns on 276 carries before he went on to play at Saginaw Valley State on defense. Goetz is is now in his fourth season as an assistant football coach at Robert Morris College in Chicago. Jeff Clemens went on to be an all-state safety on Lowell's 2005 team, the one that won the Class 4A state title 28-27 over Roncalli.

HOBART by the numbers:

HOBART - Hobart has outscored five foes 68-15 in the first quarter. Kankakee Valley and Andrean did not score on Hobart in the first period, but came back to defeat them. Hobart has been outscored 42-14 in the fourth quarter. The Brickies have rushed for 1,118 yards, but they gained just 62 yards on 25 carries last week in the 21-17 loss to Andrean. Hobart has won 19 sectionals, but they have not won any since 1997.

Quarterback - JARED ZANOLLA (5-7, 160, 165) Sophomore:
Zanolla, a very famous Hobart football name, has moved in as the Brickies QB. He is 32 of 69 for 479 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. Last week he was 9 of 21 for 116 yards with three rushes for 18 yards. He hasn't been effective running the ball as of yet, but with just two interceptions as a sophomore in 71 throws, he's clearly an up-and-coming passer.

Fullback/linebacker NOAH SMITH (5-11, 195) Senior:
A power runner, Smith has 518 yards and five TDs on 73 carries this season and it's no fluke. He gained 1,003 yards and 12 TDs on 192 carries last fall in just 10 games. He'll get the ball a lot Friday night. Hobart has run the ball 182 times this fall and Noah has carried it on 73 of those plays. Smith also starts at linebacker where he has 36 tackles, including four tackles for losses. On paper, he's their best player.

Wide receiver/defensive back - MONTE WHITE (6-1, 170) Junior:
White has 23 catches for 340 yards this season. All five of Jared Zanolla's TD passes have gone to White. He is a threat to go coast-to-coast on any play. Even a defensive play. As a cornerback, Monte White has two interceptions. When Lowell throws the ball, they'll want to watch where White is. When Hobart throws the ball, Lowell will need to know where White is.

LOWELL by the numbers:

LOWELL - Lowell has out scored the last two opponents 93-40 overall and 52-0 in the first half. The Devils have rushed for 1,305 yards on 203 carries, an average of 261 yards a game. Lowell has lost three games by a combined 20 points and they have punted only 13 times all season. Lowell opponents have averaged 5.4 yards per rush and 234 yards per game.

Halfback-safety IKE JAMES (5-10 177) Junior:
In the first half Friday, James (120 carries, 941 yards, 14 TDs) will become Lowell's 13th 1,000-yard rusher (seven boys have done it multiple times) in the last 25 seasons. Only Scott Gray (323 carries, 2,336 yards - 2005) and Brandon Grubbe (404 carries - 2,417 yards - 2009) have rushed for 2,000 yards in one season, both times in 15 games. That subject came up because James has gained 170 yards (vs. KV), 214 yards (vs. Griffith) and 195 yards (vs. Highland) in his last three games. Lowell might have to diversify the offense as teams key on James, but that would suggest that they haven't been doing that already.

Linebacker JT THOMAS (5-9, 186) Junior:
Thomas led the Devils with 11 tackles last week and it wasn't "breaking news." Thomas was credited with 10 tackles in the loss to Kankakee Valley. JT, whose brother Bryan was a Lowell QB in 2012 and is now a starting defensive back at Division III Concordia in Wisconsin (he had 12 tackles last week against Albion) leads Lowell with five tackles for loss. With Hobart certain to run Noah Smith much of the night, JT will be among the many trying to stop the Brickies' offense.

Right guard/Defensive end Rob McINNIS (6-1, 220) Senior:
McInnis made six tackles last week against Highland in Lowell's 45-14 win and two of them were quarterback sacks for 17 yards in losses. Hobart has a young passing prospect in Jared Zanolla and McInnis will be trying to convince the Brickie sophomore to make some quick and rushed throws. McInnis is one of Lowell's "iron men" and he'll do time on both sides of the ball. Seniors often carry Lowell teams in the second half of the season and Friday's game begins the second half.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN:

LOWELL 31, Hobart 17