Friday Night Replay

Week 12

Game of the night

Merrillville 9, Portage 3

No mud. Just good tackling and solid schemes. The Indians came into Demaree Stadium after consecutive shutouts and stifled the Pirates for the majority of the game. The only problem was that Merrillville's defense was equal to the task, limiting Portage's playmakers to next to nothing, then scored a tiebreaking touchdown with 3:39 to play.

Quotes of the night

"Seven straight titles. That's 21 sectional victories in a row. Quite an accomplishment." -- Lowell coach Kirk Kennedy

"(Winning the sectional) was hard. We knew the road to the title was going to be hard. Tonight, it was bad." -- Merrillville RB Denzel Pierce

"We've eaten quarters before." -- Rensselaer coach Chris Meeks in reference to his team's touchdown drive that started the second half and lasted 12:04

"There were some great collisions. We just ended up on the short end of a few. ... What can I say? It's frustrating. But it doesn't take away from what we accomplished." -- Wheeler coach Dan Klimczak

"That made me feel great because our special teams have been behind lately. On that return I just saw great blocking, hit the hole and just finished it from there." -- Andrean WR Mike Skinner on his touchdown return on the opening kickoff

"This defense has been the best one we've put on the field. This was the first full game where we've all been healthy, all been eligible and all been on the field at the same time. I really think you saw our finest moment defensively." -- Morton coach Roy Richards

"If we're going to compete in this sectional, we're going to have to get up to this level of (Culver's) conference. Every year they bring a strong team to the sectional." -- Whiting coach Jeff Cain

"Losing Justin (Rhein), that took about half our offensive game plan away." -- Portage coach Mark Peterson

Plays the night

Andrean's Mike Skinner took the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown to jump-start a rout of Culver Academy.

Merrillville RB Denzel Pierce carried the ball seven consecutive times for 42 yards after QB Zach Raspopovich was knocked out. On his final carry of the series, Pierce barreled into the end zone from the 1-yard line with 3:39 remaining for the only touchdown of the night as Merrillville knocked off Portage.

In the final minute of the second quarter, with his team up 14-12, 6-foot-10, 310-pound Rensselaer lineman Ben Davisson batted a fourth-down pass attempt to the ground to end a Wheeler drive.

Noteworthy

Andrean and Lowell each won their seventh sectional title of the decade, tying for the area's best mark. Merrillville, which won its fifth of the decade and third in a row, came one short of Griffith for second place.

Lowell now has won seven consecutive Class 4A sectional titles and is 75-20 in that span.

Morton won its first sectional title ever and broke a school record for wins with victory No. 11.

Rensselaer ran the ball 65 times, including 21 rushes on a 22-play drive that consumed 12:04 from the start of the third quarter into the fourth quarter.

Wheeler ran just 34 plays and had only six possessions in the game.

Whiting ended its season in the sectional championship game for the fifth time in nine years.

Offensive game balls

Andrean QB Richard Schmidt went 17-for-24 passing for 218 yards and 3 TDs.

Lowell RB Brandon Grubbe had 28 carries for 251 yards and 4 TDs.

Merrillville RB Denzel Pierce had 39 carries for 139 yards and a TD.

Rensselaer RB Justin Bohannon had 43 carries for 223 yards and a TD.

Rensselaer WR Connor Houston had a TD catch and an interception.

Wheeler QB Sam O'Shea completed 9-of-14 passes for 148 yards and a TD.

Wheeler RB Kyle Kellar had eight carries for 73 yards and a TD.

Wheeler WR Robert Hurd had three catches for 67 yards and a TD.

Whiting QB Matt Aponte threw for 208 yards and a TD and ran for a 28-yard TD.

Whiting RB Emerick Quiroz had 8 carries for 67 yards and a TD.

Defensive game balls

Andrean LB P.J. Mason had four sacks of Culver QB Josh Wright.

Morton DB Jaborie Rucks and LB David Sisak had fumble returns of 20 and 25 yards, respectively, for touchdowns.

Rensselaer DL Ben Davisson blocked an extra point attempt and batted down a fourth-down pass.

Next week's big ones

Merrillville (11-1) at Mishawaka (11-1)

The Pirates are in the regional for the fifth time in six years, while the Cavemen haven't been in one since 1991. The programs haven't met since the 2000 regular season, a 28-14 Mishawaka win, so it'll come down to experience vs. the fired-up home team.

Lowell (11-1) at Morton (11-1)

Fresh off the first sectional title in program history, the Governors must avenge their lone loss this season. Lowell, which has played in the last six regionals and won half of those contests, will not take Morton lightly after escaping Zlotnik Field with a 34-25 win Aug. 28.

Andrean (9-3) at Jimtown (11-1)

The 59ers make their seventh regional appearance this decade, while the Jimmies make their sixth. However, Jimtown's last 11 sectional titles before this season came in Class 2A. It's time to see whether the longtime 2A contender can hang with a perennial 3A juggernaut.

Fairfield (10-2) at Rensselaer (10-2)

The Bombers will play for a regional title for the fourth time in five years, but they've never won one. The Falcons, no doubt relieved to have Jimtown out of its sectional, had never won a sectional before Friday night. There's a first time for everything.