FOOTBALL: RSN Top 10 – Week #7

#10.

 CROWN POINT BULLDOGS
Team Spotlight

3-3/2-2
LAST WEEK:
NOT RANKED
↑

In last week’s Pigskin Pick’Em, 100% of the fans predicted the ‘Dogs to get beat by Valpo. Each member of the RSN staff did as well. So of course, Crown Point puts on one of the more impressive performances from a Region team this season in their 21-6 upset of Valpo. The Bulldogs have alternated wins and losses this year, so putting together their first winning streak would pretty much ensure them of keeping a spot in next week’s rankings, but they have a tough task with LaPorte coming to town.

#9.

WHITING OILERS
Team Spotlight

4-2/3-1
LAST WEEK:
NOT RANKED
↑

A few weeks back it looked like the Oiler run of dominance might be coming to an end as they dropped their second straight game, falling to 1-2 on the year. Since then? All they’ve done is go 3-0 while outscoring the opposition 149-52. They may not win the GSSC title, as they still trail Griffith by a game, but with Calumet, Bishop Noll & River Forest remaining on their schedule, a six game winning streak heading into the tournament isn’t out of the question.

#8

ANDREAN 59ERS
Team Spotlight

4-2/1-1
LAST WEEK: #9
↑

Not only was last week’s 34-0 win over Munster a good way to get over the heartbreak of the OT loss to Hobart from a week earlier, it was the first time Andrean has shutout the ‘Stangs since 1998. Friday’s showdown with KV is the last regular season home game for the year, so if you want to make sure you see the Niners at “The Holy Lands”, you better make it this week.

#7
GRIFFITH PANTHERS
Team Spotlight

5-1/4-0
LAST WEEK: #7
↔

Sound the alarms! The Panther defense finally gave up points in a GSSC game! While Griffith did surrender a whopping 12 points in their 43 point win over Boone Grove, there is hardly cause for concern as the black and gold crew continues to roll on both sides of the ball. Can the playoffs get here yet?

#6
LAPORTE SLICERS
Team Spotlight

4-2/3-1
LAST WEEK: #5
↓

Are we starting to see flashes of the high powered offense that the Slicers displayed last season? After scoring a total of 90 points over the course of their first four games, LaPorte has scored 98 in their last two. The level of difficulty goes up this week though with a trip to Crown Point where they’ll take on a Bulldog defense that can smother the opposition.

#5
HOBART BRICKIES
Team Spotlight

5-1/2-0
LAST WEEK: #6
↑

How dominant have the Brickies been over the course of their five game winnings streak? They’ve outscored the opposition 170-54 and outside of Andrean, no other team has come within 11 points of them. If the post-season started today, would you pick against them repeating as sectional champs? We probably wouldn’t.

#4
PORTAGE INDIANS
Team Spotlight

4-2/4-0
LAST WEEK: #4
↔

Thanks to Crown Point’s upset of Valpo, the Indians sit all alone in first place of the DAC. That’s the good news. The bad news is the final third of the regular season features showdowns against Michigan City, Valpo, and LaPorte, with two of those three on the road. Gonna be tough for Portage to keep sole possession of first and if they do, it’ll be a well earned conference crown.

#3
VALPARAISO VIKINGS
Team Spotlight

5-1/3-1
LAST WEEK: #2
↓

Injuries and lack of offensive production (thanks in large part to those injuries) have finally caught up with the Vikings, who dropped their first game of the season. Thankfully for ailing Valpo, their final three games are against defenses that each give up 22 points per game or more. That may be the cure help fix a stagnant offensive attack.

#2
MICHIGAN CITY WOLVES
Team Spotlight

4-2/3-1
LAST WEEK: #3
↑

Since Rogers and Elston consolidated into Michigan City High School and began playing football in 1995, the program had never won more than 12 games in any given two year stretch. A win Friday over Portage would match that mark. Not a bad run for a program that won a combined 13 games from 2010-2015.

#1
LOWELL RED DEVILS
Team Spotlight

6-0/2-0
LAST WEEK: #1
↔

The last remaining unbeaten in Northwest Indiana, the Red Devils are not only #1 in the RSN Top 10 (where they’ve been all year) but they move to the top spot in both the 4A Coaches’ & AP Poll. Staying there’s not going to be easy. After Munster this week, Lowell has both Andrean and Hobart on the docket – a tough way to close out the regular season. But if anyone can do it…