npcougar15

I'm going to go out on a limb and say even if they didn't play a soft schedule they weren't getting by Luers

On paper this is an awesome sectional championship game, hopefully it delivers!

If this is true New Prairie needs to go all-in for NLC membership. might be some longer drives for the cougs but they would fit like a glove in that conference

NP v Marian - Should be a good game. NP offense isn't bad, NP defense is...... Washington v Adams - another competitive game. I'm thinking Panthers? Riley v St. Joe - St. Joe is looking like mid 2000s St. Joe. They easily get by here Penn v Elkhart - It seems year after year Elkhart never lives up to expectations. If you are a St. Joe fan you might travel over to this match-up and cheer on the Lions. Elkhart has the athletes but my head says Penn

NP is way down this year. A lot of factors. McKim leaving for Lowell is NOT the reason for the drop-off, NP would be 0-4 with him on the sidelines as well. NP lost 10 seniors on the defensive side of the ball; it's tough to come back from that even if Lombardi was leading your squad. the injury bug has been relentless. For a team that was already going to struggle being young, inexperienced and really just not the most athletic they almost have no chance with all the starters standing on the sideline. NP is starting a ton of underclassmen Unfortunately with a good St. Joe team you essentially have 4 losses before the ball is ever snapped (St. Joe, Penn, Northwood, Elkhart), not beating either LaPorte or Adams is going to put NP in some uncharted waters the last few decades. Marian will probably handle the Cougs with ease. That leaves Washington and Riley as the only possible wins in the regular season (and that's no guarantee), there are some a couple weak teams in sections 17 so there might be a win there.

Cougars just aren't good. Holy War is keeping this from being the least interesting week in NIC history

This is the problem with the NIC; there is just no interest or storylines to due to the lack of competitive balance. 95% chance Penn and Elkhart are going to be 1-2, 100% they both finish in the top 3 at worse New Prairie, St. Joe, and Marian are going to be in the next tier with an outside chance one of those 3 elevates themselves and defeats Penn or Elkhart to challenge for the title. Then you have the 3 South Bend schools at the bottom. Next year will be the same, and the next year, and the next year, and the next year. The only "intriguing" thing about the league this year is all the transfers Elkhart is getting and if they finally burst through the glass ceiling that seems to be there for them

I think it depends on the area and what schools are there. I could see Crown Point absolutely dominating "Da Region" market and competing with the Indy schools consistently. But if that happens it might not make for the most thrilling DAC season(s). Elkhart and Penn are obviously the big boys in Northern Indiana. Penn has the pedigree and won't go anywhere but does Elkhart hire the right guys and make a push to become the power they should be? if that's the case they are pulling from Concord, Mishawaka, Goshen, Northridge, Northwood, South Bend etc. I think historically smaller schools in the shadows of bigger schools with history will suffer. Jimtown and Bremen AREN'T in the best positions right now; you have Penn, Mishawaka, Concord, Elkhart, Northridge, Northwood all within a stones throw that run very good football programs (that's a ton of playing time available at "higher levels" than the INSC) I'm just old school and high school sports seemed to be one of the last untouched and pure form of sports entertainment out there. Nothing better than seeing a group of kids that have been playing together for 10 years have a town rally around them go on a run in the postseason. Once the toothpaste is out of the tube it's not going back in.

The gap is going to widen, but it'll probably be between the 6A and the smaller surrounding schools. Athletes aren't going to be transferring from 6A to 6A they are going to be transferring around at all different levels. In this area Elkhart seems to have gotten a few real good transfers that have come from lower levels. If they are pulling the best from Mishawaka, Goshen, Jimtown, Bremen, Concord, Northridge, Northwood, South Bend, etc. Sure Elkhart might close the gap in 6A (but the other top 6A schools will be doing the same, so does the gap really get closed?) and it might be looked at as a success; but is it really a success if now those smaller 1A-5A schools are not near the quality they once were?

Not the fastest TD ever but in an oddity, NP was beating Lowell 21-6 before the red devils took an offensive snap a few years ago. - NP takes opening kickoff for a TD 7-0 - Lowell takes kickoff for a TD 7-6 - NP scores on next possession 14-6 - Lowell fumbles kick return - NP scores on next possession 21-6

x1000. Majority of the assistant coaches you can tie back to the Curtis days in some capacity. They are hard working, loyal, bleed blue & gold and have been around the block, any hs program would kill to have the assistants NP has. Radtke rejuvenated the program and took it to a new level. Those same assistants have decades + of working under some of the best football minds in Northern Indiana. As you said McKim will get the credit for the last 4 years, but anybody with an ounce of knowledge of the program know it was the men behind the curtain running the show. Also spot on with the strength program at NP being a difference maker. While I believe their have been some Xs and Os deficiencies the last couple of years (insane to think about with the success that has been had) the strength/conditioning and talent alone has been a difference maker. and it has spread throughout the school. football state title game appearance in 2014, 2022, Softball has had a great run lately with a state title in 2023, baseball won state in 2024. coupled with the rise in enrollment and other factors NP is poised to be a winner for any coach wanting the job

you're on the right path, now read between the lines.

It wasn't sudden. it's been in the works for a while. the assistant was gone before McKim, it was just announced after.

Maybe I'm bias, but I'd imagine this is a VERY attractive job. Winning culture, community support and a school that has elevated its athletics programs the last 15+ years and going in a great direction. Coupled with the industry boom in the district NP is set up for long-term success. Really a program that is built to win right away. No clue if there are any assistants wanting the gig but there are a couple that I'd imagine are front-runners. Will be interesting to see who is hired.

I'm sure it's been discussed. But not having the finals broadcasted on television isn't good for high school football. I truly miss turning on local television the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving and watching some championship football in the background while you indulge on some holiday traditions. I know a lot of people looked forward to it; just something about it. What I'm not going to do is sit down and watch it on computer when I really don't have any interest in who wins or loses, and if my team is making it to Indy you can bet your bottom dollar my butt is in Lucas Oil and not my couch. Just seems like it will hurt the sport long term not showcasing it for the casual observer

Those are my favorite teams, just a good group of athletes that play as a team. That's what high school athletics is all about. Good luck this Friday as EN is my pick to make it down to Indy

For being so dominate and highly rated, I haven't heard much on East Noble this year. What's their identity? some D1 talent?

Kind of a fun fact. Bart Curtis has coached at 4 schools Maconaquah, New Prairie, Mishawaka, and Warsaw. All 4 teams came home with a sectional championship last night. I believe it was Macanaquah's 1st sectional championship, New Prairies 10th, Mishawaka 17th, and Warsaw's 2nd. I believe Curtis has been apart of 10 of those championships. (2 at NP, 6 at Waka, and 2 at Warsaw)

New Prairie sneaks out a 15-14 win. 4 special teams decided the game. Kudos to Hobart they played damn near mistake free football and was about of even match-up as you can get

New Prairie 7 Hobart 7 about 5 minutes left in the first half. Both teams playing pretty good defense so far. NP with a muffed punt that essentially gave Hobart a touchdown has been the big play so far

Pretty good line up of games this week, NIC could flex some muscles or go quietly into the night. Lake Central at Penn - Going to go with Penn here but LC is better than there 3-6 record indicates. They got beat soundly by CP and Merrillville but the other 4 losses were all 1 possession. Could be 7-2 if the breaks went there way. Winner of this one gets to play 1 more week, and that's all they are getting when Crown Point will be waiting. Snider at Elkhart - One of the biggest games in the short Elkhart high school football history. Could really send a message by beating a pretty good FW Snider team. Or it's just the same ole' same ole' from the city with a heart. Really intriguing match-up Lafayette Jeff at Adams - LJ with a running clock New Prairie at Hobart - Hobart might be smelling blood after the cougars have embarrassed them the last 2 seasons in the playoffs. Brickyard is always a tough place to play and I think the Brickies will come out emotional. Cougars are 12-3 vs "Da Region" schools in the last handful of years. NP wins the battle on paper but it's tough to bet against a motivated Hobart squad. NorthWood at St. Joseph, - These 2 seems extremely even across the board. Like all season the STJ offense has kept the huskies from being a very good team. If Northwood can score 21 points I like their chances, but the Huskies can keep them under that I'll take STJ. Jimtown at Marian, - 2 different philosophies playing out here. You have Marian playing up in competition and coming in 5-5 and Jimtown that aligned with more like sized schools and won a share of their conference title. I think all the bumps and bruises Marian has gone through will have callused them a sectional championship game appearance

Extremely wild how Brebeuf "won" that game. There were multiple points where there had to be less than a 1% chance of winning for each team in the last minute of the game. Insane. 34D-35B, 40 seconds left. If Danville doesn't get the 2 point conversion game is over. 36D-35B, Brebeuf throws a pick 6 with 14 seconds left. If the Danville kids goes down. Game over. Hard to fault a kid for scoring there but at that point Danville had the game won. 43D-35B, 4 seconds left. Brebeuf has to 60 yards on 1 play. They have 4 laterals, one of which is even batted down by Danville and bounces perfectly to the Brebeuf player. Insane. 43D-41B, Brebeuf has to convert on the 2 point conversion. A mass of humanity takes place and the Brebeuf kid barely gets into the end zone (he did get in though) 43D-43B, Danville scores. 49D-43B. Goes for 2 but gets stuffed right at the line. 49D-43B, 4&8 Danville appears to sack the quarterback but he drops the football nearly simultaneously when his knee is about to hit (super smart). Brebeuf lineman picks it up and is immediately tackled by multiple Danville kids. Game over. Coaches shake hands. Refs meet for a few minutes. Throw a flag. VERY controversial call; move the ball up 5 yards and redo play. 4&3, Brebeuf scores. 49D-49B. Brebeuf's extra point is good. But of course there is a flag. Offsides on Danville, the penalty is "declined" refs say the game is over. But wait. The Danville coach points out that they would have to rekick. Rekick is good Brebeuf wins 50-49. Just an absolutely insane serious of events.

West Side 5-4 at New Prairie, 6-3 - NP takes this one rather easily. West Side has played one of the worst schedules in Indiana this year. NP used to always play schools from Hammond/Gary area during the post-season in the 80s-00s. This is the first match-up with a team from that area since the 2013 regional against East Chicago Central and the first with a "Gary" school since Gary Roosevelt in the 2008 sectional opener. St. Joseph 5-4 at Riley, 2-6 - I like St. Joe here. Game might have a score closer than the on field product. STJ just struggles to score and create that separation. Washington 0-9 at NorthWood,4-5 - Northwood got about the best possible draw they could possibly ask for. They take care of the Washington to set up what should be a good game with STJ next week. Calumet 5-4 at Marian, 4-5 - I think this is where the Marian schedule pays off. The knights went through the gauntlet this year Mishawaka, New Prairie, Penn, Elkhart, and 8-1 CMA squad are all respectable losses. The issue with the knights is STJ is the only team they beat that's better than average. We will see what Marian is made of in 3A I could see a nice run for them

Laporte and New Prairie: Battle for the Milk Jug

New Prairie at Washington - Don't think there will be any drama in this game as neighbors battle it out. This used to be such a great game back in the 2000s, but times have changed. Don't want to jinx it but a win here would give NP a winning season 23 of the last 27 seasons. A 5-5 record in 2020 means only 3 losing seasons in nearly 3 decades, pretty cool to see how far the program has come since the 70s, 80s, 90s. Adams at Elkhart - Congrats to Elkhart on a NIC championship. Hopefully they can stay healthy going into sectionals Riley at Marian - The knights look to be getting to some winnings ways heading into sectionals. Riley has had a rough time with the new conference realignment. On paper Marian has played the 2nd toughest schedule in 3A, Hopefully that pays off them. St. Joseph at Penn - Penn wins this one. Unfortunately STJ just doesn't have the offense to keep up. Their defense is good enough to keep them in it for a while but Penn will eventually pull away due to field position and special teams.