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Lowell (13-1) vs. Evansville Reitz (14-0)
4A State Championship When: Saturday, November 28th – 2:30 PM
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis
Last Week: Lowell 24 Fort Wayne Dwenger 21
Evansville Reitz 31 Indianapolis Cathedral 10
Last Meeting: Evansville Reitz 33 Lowell 14 – 2007 State Championship
Favorite: Evansville Reitz Radio: 1270 AM WWCA; 88.7 FM WGVE; Regionsports.com Games Notes: For the third time in the last five seasons, Region football will be represented by the Lowell Red Devils in Indianapolis at the state finals. The Red Devils capture the school’s first state title in 2005, and fell short in their return to the “Circle City” in 2007 to this very same Evansville Reitz team that they are facing this Saturday. The Red Devils are one of the rare teams that is talented enough and so well-coached that the opposition (and all the folks in the stands) know what the Devils are going to do on offense 95% of the team, but still can’t be stopped. Lowell plays power football, keeping the ball on the ground and when you have the luxury of a back like Brandon Grubbe, why wouldn’t you? Grubbe, the Region’s all-time leading rusher, has over 2,200 yards on the ground this season and has 36 touchdowns.
While the Devils like to attack with the run game, the Reitz Panthers feature a balanced offensive attack that is equally as dangerous whether they run or pass. Quarterback Matt McIntosh is the main cog in the Panther machine. The junior signal-caller has not only thrown the ball for 2,048 and 24 TDs, but he has also carried the ball for over 1,400 yards and has found the end zone 19 times on carries. Reitz also features another 1,000 yard rusher in Alordo Bell, which will force Lowell to worry about two explosive playmakers out of the backfield. Breakdown: Both teams feature special players on offense that have the ability to put their teammates on their back and win ballgames. The question is, which defense is going to step up enough to make key plays and force mistakes when needed. Reitz’s defense is giving up just over eight points a game and has been dominating all season long. Lowell’s is formidable as well, giving up 10 points per contest. Reitz is going to have to try to slow down the abilities of Brandon Grubbe. If they are able to succeed where many have failed before, it will be up to quarterback Ray Skamay and other Devil backs such as Jordan Juarez and Nathan Cleveland to carry the load. All of those rushers are perfectly capable of moving the chains themselves, so expect them to be a big part of the game plan early for Lowell, to not only take the pressure off of Grubbe, but prevent Reitz from keying in on #6. The Panthers have the luxury of forcing opposing defenses to “pick their poison” in how they lineup against Reitz with the talents of McIntosh. If Lowell brings extra defenders into the box to stop the run, McIntosh can hit his targets deep. If the Devils focus on stopping the passing game, McIntosh and Bell will pick up chunks of yards on the ground. Lowell is going to have to play disciplined defense and keep to their gap assignments and make all the right reads. One small mistake in reading a pulling guard, jumping a route or over-pursuit can spell disaster for Lowell. While that may sound ominous, playing sound, smart defense is a strength for the Devils. While looking at the stat sheets, results pages and history favor Reitz, I’ve learned one thing in this industry – when all the chips are on the table and the odds seemed stacked against them, never pick against Kirk Kennedy and the Lowell Red Devils. Someway, somehow, the Devils get it done. A player who isn’t a superstar makes a key tackle, a ball that gets tipped in the air is picked off by a Red Devil defender. Somebody for the Devils always makes a play when his team needs it the most, but most importantly, every player on the field and on the sideline knows that no matter what the situation, that play will be made. Expect Saturday to be no different. Nathan Laird Says: Lowell 24 Evansville Reitz 21
Carmel (13-1) vs. Warren Central (12-2)
5A State Championship
When: Saturday, November 28th – 6:05 PM
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis
Last Week: Carmel 42 Merrillville 0
Warren Central 28 Center Grove 10
Last Meeting: Carmel 24 Warren Central 22 – Week #7
Series, Last 15 Years: Tied at nine wins a piece
Favorite: Carmel Radio: 1270 AM WWCA; 88.7 FM WGVE; Regionsports.com Games Notes: Over the past week or so, there has been a vocal crowd wondering why two teams that are in the same conference can not only be in different sectionals or regionals, but in different halves of the state come tournament time, which is the situation presented this weekend as Carmel and Warren Central meet for the 5A state title. Whether or not you take umbrage with two schools that are separated by only 17 miles being on two different sides of the geographically divided bracket, there is little to no doubt that these are the two best 5A teams in the state of Indiana and both teams deserve a shot at the title. Carmel enters their fourth consecutive state title game after an impressive 42-0 win over the Merrillville Pirates. The Greyhounds have won 13 in a row following a 7-3 loss to Indianapolis Cathedral to open up the season. While their offense, averaging 28.8 points per game is impressive, it’s the Greyhound defense that puts the team in great position to win week in and week out and will make them the favorites in the championship. The Carmel D is giving up just over eight points a game and less than 200 yards of total offense per contest. The defense is led by senior linebackers Brian East and Adam Davis, who both, barring any unforeseen circumstances, will go over the 100 tackle mark during the state championship. While Warren Central’s 28-10 victory over Center Grove didn’t open as many eyes as the 42-0 Carmel drubbing of Merrillville did, the Warriors were impressive in victory. The 18 point margin of victory doesn’t tell the full tale of the Warrior domination over Center Grove. The Warrior offense runs through one player – running back Shakir Bell. The 5’8” 180 pound Bell has speed on the outside and can burst away from opposing secondary players, but is also very effective running up the gut with a combination of surprising power for a player of his size and shiftiness that can make linebackers miss at the point of contact. Breakdown: The Carmel defense has the luxury of focusing their defensive attention on Bell to slow down the Warren Central offense, which is easier said than done. Carmel needs to stop the explosive back on first and second downs and force Warrior quarterback Derek Hart into passing situations, which is not his forte. If the Greyhounds are able to slow down Bell, look for Warren Central to return to the “Wildcat” offense that they were able to run successfully against Center Grove with Nathan White taking the direct snaps and running up-field. Carmel can attack Warren Central through the air and on the ground. Greyhound running back Devin Brinson has rushed for over 1,100 yards this season and quarterback Adam Shaffer has scored seven times on the ground. If Carmel looks to go to the air, and they are able to with Shaffer’s arm, they are going to have to stretch the field vertically. The Warren Central defense is very quick from sideline to sideline and can take away and swing passes or quick outs that Carmel can run. Like most games, this championship will come down to whether one defense can shut down the opposing team’s star player – in this case the Greyhound D vs. Shakir Bell. The old adage says that defense wins championships, but after seeing his performance in the semi-state round, I would say that Bell might make people rethink that mindset. Nathan Laird Says: Warren Central 28 Carmel 24
West Lafayette Red Devils (14-0) vs. Evansville Memorial Tigers (11-3)
Class 3A State Championship Game
When: Saturday November 28th – 11:00 PM
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, IN
Last Week: West Lafayette 28 Jimtown 14
Evansville Memorial 37 Indianapolis Chatard 21
Favorite: Pick ‘Em Radio: 1270 AM WWCA; Regionsports.com Game Notes: Evansville Memorial is making their second consecutive appearance in Indianapolis for a state title as they fell last year to Bellmont 28-14. West Lafayette last appeared in a state title game in 1993 which is the only state title in the school’s history. Memorial’s losses this season have all come in games outside of 3A while has loaded up a number of 2 and 1A schools but do have a convincing win over Jimtown last week in their back pocket. The Tigers started slow this season at 1 – 3 but have been on a roll of ten straight wins since September 18th. Evansville Memorial is led by senior QB Grant Gribbons has thrown for over 3200 yards and 35 touchdowns on the season while completing 62% of his passes. Senior teammate Jonathon Wandling leads the team in receptions and yardage while adding 13 touchdowns on the year. The Tigers can also move the ball on the ground with Ryan Hatler rushing for 1258 yards on the season and scoring 8 touchdowns.
Linebacker John Browning leads the team with 82 tackles while also intercepting 3 passes on the season. West Lafayette has been highly ranked all season and used a dominating performance to secure their place in Saturday’s title game. Senior QB Daniel Wodicka leads an offense that averages 37 points a game. Last week Wodicka was a one man wrecking crew accounting 240 yards total while running for 3 touchdowns and passing for one more. On the night the Red Devils would use their superior team speed to account for over 300 yards on the ground while adding another 110 through the air. This team likes to run the ball and that rushing attack is led by Wodicka. The defense is strong and has been a bend but don’t break team all season. Early in the season they gave up some big totals but as the season progresses so did the performance of the defense. Breakdown: These two teams use different styles but both are very successful at what they do well on offense. Evansville showed it’s might by soundly defeating the top ranked team in the state entering the playoffs last week and they will look to build on that in Saturday’s title game. This team has played a tough schedule this season and it has prepared them for these tough games in November. Evansville will look to their high powered passing attack to move the ball down the field as they work in the running of Hatler to try and keep West Lafayette off balance. The Tigers passing attack is so strong that it makes Hatler that much more dangerous and will also allow Memorial to incorporate some play action passing into the offense. The West Lafayette defense has been forcing some turnovers recently and will need to do so again this weekend. Gribbons did throw double digit INT’s this season so he has struggled with turnovers at time this season. Expect West Lafayette to try to hide some coverages and confuse the senior QB. West Lafayette is going to do everything they can to keep Gribbons and his receivers off the football field. Wodicka will be called on to lead the rushing attack and mix in the pass to keep the Tigers off balance. The Red Devil QB is known for his feet but has demonstrated the ability to throw the ball down field. As West Lafayette will try to take away the passing attack of Memorial, expect Memorial to bring their secondary up and look to take away the run first. Wodicka will need to complete some passes early and get those guys back off the line of scrimmage. This should be a great battle as these two teams match up real well against each other. Both teams are physical, athletic, and playing great football when it matters most. The edge in this one goes to Memorial though because they have been here before and will know how to handle the pressure of a State Final. Expect a close game but Memorial finds a way to get it done at Lucas Oil this year. Mike Bryant Says: Evansville Memorial 21 West Lafayette 17
Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (9-5) vs. Monrovia (14-0)
2A State Championship
When: Friday, November 27th – 6:00 PM
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis
Last Week: FW Luers 55 Rensselaer Central 21
Monrovia 30 Paoli 13
Last Meeting: Carmel 24 Warren Central 22 – Week #7
Favorite: Pick ’Em Games Notes: A 9-5 team taking on a 14-0 team and it’s listed as a “Pick ‘Em” game? You must be thinking “That the guy who wrote this is crazy.” Maybe I am, maybe I’m not, but there is more to both teams’ records than the basic won-loss results. Bishop Luers plays a schedule comprised of mostly 4 and 5A teams as they are a part of the Summit Athletic Conference, which is made up of the Fort Wayne schools. The Knights play only two 3A schools during the regular season and don’t play a 2A school until sectional start. While a schedule this brutal usually leads to an unimpressive record, it prepares the team for the time when wins mean playing another week and losses mean that you are done for the year. Any team that can go through the regular season undefeated and earn a spot in the state championship game deserves a ton of credit and are obviously talented. But, some teams have easier runs than others, which might be the case with the Monrovia Bulldogs. During the regular season, Monrovia faced only three teams that finished the season with a winning record and their regular season opponents’ win-loss record is a combined 40-58. Not exactly running a gauntlet. But, to give credit where credit is more than due, the Bulldogs defeated all challengers, and in convincing fashion in most cases. Monrovia has seven shutouts on the season and has not allowed more than 16 points in a single game. Breakdown: Bishop Luers can put some points on the board and put them up in a hurry. The lowest point total for the Knights during the post-season was the 35 they scored in the sectional semi-finals, so Monrovia would be advised not to try to get into a shootout and match Luers score for score. Junior running back Ken Mullen is the leading rusher for Luers and averages over 10 yards per carry. Monrovia likes to keep the ball on the ground themselves and has a dangerous weapon in senior Austin Parks. Parks has carried the ball for close to 1,700 yards and found the end zone 22 times this season. Backup runner Jake Hadley is an effective ball carrier as well, as he has totaled over 800 rushing yards. The key to this game will be which defense can slow down the opposition’s running game and force them to the air. This is where Luers has the advantage. Knight quarterback James Knapke has thrown for over 1,400 yards and 17 TDs this season, compared to Monrovia’s Tim Conner, who has only 35 passing attempts this season. Monrovia has had a great season and deserves to be in this final game, but I think that this is where the streak ends. Not only is Luers battle-tested this season, they have the playoff experience and knows what it takes to get it done at this level. Nathan Laird Says: FW Luers 31 Monrovia 17
Fountain Central Mustangs (14-0) vs. Lafayette Central Catholic Knights (14-0)
Class 1A State Championship Game
When: Friday November 27th – 3:30 PM
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, IN
Last Week: Fountain Central 42 Clinton Central 14
Lafayette Central Catholic 47 Southern Wells 13
Favorite: Lafayette Central Catholic Game Notes: These two teams will be meeting for the first time and both will be looking for their first state title in a while. LCC last won a State Title in 1999 while it was 1983 when the Fountain Central last hoisted a Championship trophy. Both these teams have been strong all season reeling off undefeated seasons and will be looking to complete perfection this Friday. Fountain Central uses a spread offense led by QB Scott Moore who is truly dynamic player with his ability to generate offense. On the season he has completed 60% of his passes for 1757 yards and 19 touchdowns. Additionally he has added another 720 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. He is joined in the backfield by Trent Spear who has rushed for over 1400 yards and 26 touchdowns on the season. The Mustangs average 42 points a game while only giving up 8 points per game. Moore is also a leader on the defense following up his All-State selection as a junior with another strong season this year. With 84 tackles and 5 interceptions on the season, Moore has proven to be a force on both sides of the ball. All Lafayette Central Catholic has done this season is leave a wake of destruction in their path by winning games by an average of 50 points a game. Their closest game this season was a twenty point victory over #2 ranked Pioneer in the opening round of Sectional play. The Knights love to throw the ball over the field with talented QB Chris Mills leading the way. On the season he has completed 66% of his passes while throwing for nearly 3000 yards with 43 touchdowns and only 7 interceptions. Cody Christopher, Danny Anthrop, and Marc Withers are his three favorite targets catching 120 balls between them for over 2100 yards and 30 touchdowns. On defense the Knights have only allowed points in 5 games this season and Mark Strong leads the way in tackles and sacks. The secondary has picked off 21 passes on the season with Greg Burns and Scott Windler picking off 12 of those. Breakdown: Both these teams are explosive but these use different approaches in moving the ball down the field. While Fountain Central will be looking to control the clock with their balanced attack, LCC will be looking to score quickly and find big plays on offense. A huge thing for Fountain Central will be not coming into this game intimidated by what the Knights have done this season. LCC will be looking to jump out early and the Mustangs must survive the early push from the Knights. Additionally the Fountain Central offense will need to control the time of possession and keep the LCC offense off the field. Moore will need to manage the offense and keep the Mustangs from turning the ball over. If Moore is able to get going and Spears has success running the ball then the Mustangs will be able to hang around and maybe make a game of it in the fourth quarter. Expect Lafayette Central to do what they have done all season and that is throw the ball a lot. Moore and fellow players in the secondary will have to force some interceptions and try to give the FC offense a short field. Mills has been dependable all season and the offensive weapons he has at his disposal will allow LCC to score some points. On defense the Knights will be looking to make the Mustangs one dimensional. They will likely look to take away the run and force Moore to try and beat them through the air. Lafayette has proved capable of taking on top teams in the state with their win over Pioneer a month ago. This team is so talented on offense and Fountain Central will need to be perfect all day to pull the upset. Look for the Mustangs to play their hearts out but it won’t be enough to defeat the Knights. Mike Bryant Says: Lafayette Central Catholic 28 Fountain Central 10
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