SCOUTING INDIANA PREP FOOTBALL -- WEEK 7

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| Friday, October 03, 2008 | (No comments posted.)

Crown Point (2-4, 2-2 DAC) at LaPorte (1-5, 1-3)

When: 7 p.m. today.

Radio/Internet: WWLO-FM (89.1), WTMK-FM (88.5), usa-365.com, rrsn.com.

Breaking it down: LaPorte has won nine of the past 15 meetings between the Duneland Athletic Conference rivals, but Crown Point has earned victories in the last two. LaPorte might not have an impressive record, but the Slicers still need to be considered a threat because of their surprising 21-0 victory over Lake Central on Sept. 19, a week after L.C. edged Crown Point 10-5 with a goal-line stand late in the fourth quarter. "They're very dangerous and they're very good," Crown Point coach Chip Pettit said. "When you look at their offense with (quarterback Dustin) DeMuth, (senior running back Carlton) Austin and a big, physical offensive line, they look very good to us. They've caught a couple bad breaks, but going to LaPorte, we're definitely going to have our hands full." The Bulldogs are coming off a 38-17 loss to Valparaiso, so Pettit said his defense needs to improve and return to its impressive early-season form tonight. "They need to rebound not only physically but

mentally," Pettit said. "We just didn't have a good defensive effort at all last week. It's hard to put your finger on it. (Senior LB) Lance LaMere has been solid for us all year, but other than LaMere I don't think there was a whole lot to be excited about.

-- Nate Ulrich

Whiting (5-1, 4-1 GSSC) at Calumet (5-1, 4-0)

When: 7 p.m. today.

Breaking it down: Calumet is looking to snap its seven-game losing streak in this series, and even though the Warriors have been outscored 292-56 during that span, they appear to have their best chance in recent history to turn the tables. Calumet has won four consecutive games, and senior RBs George Ezell and Darcell Ballentine combined to rush for 273 yards, four touchdowns and a two-point conversion last week in a 42-39 victory over Bishop Noll. Whiting coach Jeff Cain said the Oilers defense will need to limit Ezell and Ballentine to succeed. "You better figure out where those two are on the field," Cain said. "Everybody knows you're not going to stop those guys, but hopefully we can slow them down a little bit, hang around and make a run late." While the Oilers are scheming to limit the Warriors' rushing attack, Calumet is looking to limit Whiting senior QB Dan Macon, who threw for 370 yards and four touchdowns in last week's 42-28 victory against North Newton. "He really

throws the ball well, and he's got really good receivers," Calumet coach Ivan Zimmer said. "We're going to have to play a lot better pass defense than we played against Bishop Noll. We're going to have to work on our passing defense, but at the same time maintain our run-stopping defense." Calumet hasn't been 5-1 heading into Week 7 since 1999, and the Warriors defeated the Oilers 28-7 that year. "This is a senior-dominated team for them," Cain said. "With Ballentine and Ezell, this is probably a year that they've pointed to for a while. They've got a lot of good kids who have played for them for a lot of years, and I'm sure they're going to come in pretty confident Friday night."

-- Nate Ulrich

Valparaiso (5-1, 3-1 DAC) at Merrillville (4-2, 2-2)

When: 7 p.m. today.

Radio/internet: WAKE-AM (1500), WEFM-FM (95.9), WKIF-FM (92.7), indiana105.com, xrock1039.com, z1071.com, rrsn.com, regionsports.com.

Breaking it down: In last year's 55-13 whipping by the Pirates, Merrillville quarterback Dolapo Macarthy had his first breakout game. He was 8-for-17 for 154 yards and two scores at Viking Field, while rushing for two more scores. His ability has Vikings coach Mark Hoffman concerned. "Merrillville is very talented and has many big-time, big-play athletes," Hoffman said. "With the injury to their quarterback early in the year, it got them off rhythm. He is healthy and they have improved every game. We will have to do our best to contain him and the tremendous team speed that they have." The Pirates, who learned this week that they got a "win" against Warren Central in Week 1 because the Warriors used an ineligible player in the 42-0 win, are coming off a 35-21 win at LaPorte, where sophomore RB Denzel Pierce had his own breakout game, rushing for 191 yards and one score and catching two more TD passes. Still, the Slicers rushed for 292 yards against the Bucs defense. "We've got

to shore up our run defense," Merrillville coach Zac Wells said. "We have to limit (Valpo's) big plays by their skill players. They've got a nice set of those kids." Like Macarthy, Valpo QB Zach Livovich returned to action last week after missing several weeks due to injury. His ability helped to open up an offense that only scored 10 against Chesterton the week before. "Zach is as fine an athlete as we have ever had at Valparaiso High School," Hoffman said. "He's improved every week. He's very quick (4.6 40) and has excellent strength (benches 270)." The 35 points the Bucs put on the board last week was the most all fall. Wells hopes to see the chains keep moving. "Our players have gotten better at blocking and tackling and catching the football," Wells said. "And that's a good thing because Valpo's gotten better, too."

-- Steve Hanlon

Hobart (5-1, 3-1 NCC) at Munster (5-1, 4-0)

When: 7 p.m. today.

Radio/internet: WJOB-AM (1230), regionsports.com.

Breaking it down: If Munster wins, it will have a larger than life game next week at Lowell's Inferno for the conference championship. But there's no looking ahead with this foe. "Hobart has the most balanced offense in our conference and perhaps the area," Munster coach Leroy Marsh said. "They can run the ball well with (Richard) Oglesby and they have a very good quarterback (Mat Barras). They've also got a nice receiving package (Bobby James and Roger Cardwell). Their defense is real steady, they make you earn everything you get." The 'Stangs are coming off a solid 17-14 win against Griffith, where QB Joe

"Bubba" Gill was 12-of-19 for 149 yards and two scores. The last one was to little brother Justin, a 33-yarder than won the game. "They are very, very, very good," Hobart coach Wally McCormack said of the Mustangs. "They're very physical and I'm impressed with their athleticism. Bubba's tough to sack, even with guys hanging all over him. He's still strong enough to get the ball off." McCormack watched a lot of tape this week and joked that it seemed that Bubba Gill and James have been playing forever, since both seniors started playing varsity as freshmen. Both players will play a big part in who wins. "They just hit people," McCormack said. "I'm sure they're happy flying under the radar with everyone talking about other teams. This is our conference championship game. If we're fortunate enough to win, we will become big Munster fans next week. Munster's got a ton of motivation. This one sets up the big one at Lowell. I hope they spend some time worrying about the Red Devils instead

of us."

-- Steve Hanlon

Chesterton (5-1, 4-0 DAC) at Lake Central (3-3, 1-3)

When: 7 p.m. today.

Breaking it down: The Indians have scored three touchdowns over the last four weeks. Trojans coach John Snyder just hopes the sleeping giant doesn't wake up tonight. "They've had more TDs called back than anyone I've seen," Snyder said. "A couple of their games could've gone either way if those TDs aren't called back. They are very big and have two very strong and talented running backs (Dillon Jamroz and James Robinson, Jr.)." L.C. coach Bill Melby knows his offense is going to need to be more efficient to compete with potent Chesterton. "The last couple weeks have been a little frustrating," he said. "The battle is not to worry about what's happened in the past, even in the last series. We really have done some very good things. Now it's our job to try to keep our defense off the field as long as possible. If we can do that, we give ourselves a better chance." Chesterton has been rolling up big yards on the ground under the controls of QB Aaron Knight. Last week, they

parlayed it into 37 points, its high output of the season. While its offense has been erratic, Lake Central has been pretty steady on the other side of the ball. "They're very solid and fundamentally sound (on defense)," Snyder said. "They read their keys very well. They have not given up many points all year and have prevented the big play for the most part." Chesterton has not lost to L.C. since the Indians joined the DAC in 2003.

-- Jim Peters

Michigan City (2-4, 1-3 DAC) at Portage (4-2, 2-2)

When: 7 p.m, today.

Radio/Internet: WHLP-FM (89.9), rrsn.com.

Breaking it down: Wolves coach Craig Buzea returns to Portage as the opposing coach for the first time and he's got the team with the momentum. M.C. topped Lake Central last week for its first DAC win in three years, while the injury-riddled Indians limp home after consecutive road losses. "The two, three weeks since we went through all the suspensions and stuff, we've been practicing pretty well," Buzea said. "We feel like we're getting better." It's been 15 months since Buzea left Portage, but he's still well aware of the talented senior trio of Clark Mussman, Ryan Cherry and Austin Orlich. "When you play Portage, for the most part, they have the best three players on the field," Buzea said. "I think the world of them. I brought them all up as freshmen. You put Justin Rhein in there, their three linebackers are as good as anybody. I think (coach) Mark (Peterson)'s done an incredible job of getting the ball in his playmakers' hands. Every big play, their big players are making

the plays. It's very difficult to zero in on one guy." Unfortunately for the Indians, only Mussman among them is 100 percent. The Wolves pose a dual threat with RB Adam Harmon and QB Nathan Scully. "Harmon's a factor we have to try to control," Peterson said, "and Scully does a really nice job with the play action pass, setting up the screen and throwing it well down field." Turnovers have doomed Portage the last two weeks. "Unfortunately, it seems to come from different places -- a pick, a fumble, a bad snap, whatever," Peterson said. "We're going to keep doing what we've been doing, we just have to do it better. We have to get healthy, be more responsible with the ball, and we'll have the opportunity to continue to move forward."

-- Jim Peters

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