npcougar15

np 47 Lowell 6

np 41 Lowell 6 8:07 2nd

np 34 Lowell 6 start of 2nd

NP 28 Lowell 6 3:09 first quarter

NP 21 Lowell 6 7:19 1st Fun stat of the game. there has been 4 touchdowns this game and Lowell has NOT ran an offensive play yet

NP 14 Lowell 6 8:56 in 1st

Lowell takes the kickoff back for a touchdown NP 8 Lowell 6 10:44 left in the 1st

New Prairie 8 Lowell 0 11:00 left in the 1st

didn't think Penn was going to win this one, but man I thought it would be more of a game than this

Penn New Prairie Elkhart Riley Washington Adams Marian St. Joe Man that's a brutal schedule for Penn (in a bad way). This conference is on borrowed time; or at least I hope it is

Wogoman and Goshen had a great game plan coming into - Slow down the game. NPs second possession came with 8 minutes left on the clock in the 2nd quarter. Eventually Goshen wore down and just couldn't keep up. Goshen has a VERY nice player in that Elliot kid (without him Goshen would struggle to get a first down). If Goshen shortens the games like they did against the Cougars they will be more competitive than they should be in games

Brebeuf Jesuit at Marian - This one will be ugly. BJ big Morton at Elkhart - Intriguing match-up. Going to be a close one. Hopefully Elkhart can get a non-con win here. Glenn at Angola - Surprised Glenn got shut out. This is a tough one to gauge. Angola by a touchdown? Lowell at New Prairie - Last weeks Laporte result really threw me for a loop. Did Laporte just play out of their minds against the cougars? Still think NP wins this one to make it 6-1 against the Red Devils all-time. Osceola Grace at Jimtown - The jimmies gotta get this game off the schedule. They are too storied of a program to play a non-sanctioned IHSAA team. Penn at Cathedral - Penn has passed their first 2 tests to solidify one of the best in the north. But here is their chance to put the state on notice that the Kingsmen are coming back to old form. Don't think they are there yet. the Irish by a few Clay at Chicago Christian (Ill.) - No idea. can Clay get a win here? Riley at Adams - Probably a pretty even match-up here. Get by this one and Riley is looking at 6-0 going into the NP match-up. Washington at St. Joseph - No way Washington should be within 3 touchdowns of St. Joe. Indians by 4+ TDs South Central at Bremen - Lions win this one. Overall not the toughest of tests going on in the NIC week 3. Penn vs Cathedral is the one to keep an eye on. NP vs. Lowell has turned into a fun 4A matchup the last decade of similar schools. And Marian is going to have their hands full. outside of that, every other match-up is against some weak competition.

Agreed, hindsight is 20/20. Penn probably would've scored easily just sticking to the ground game, but in all honesty it was a pretty low risk pass play with a mobile QB rolling out with a receiver (who was open). Just a bad pass. Else where around the NIC big schools: NP - takes care of Goshen rather easily. Goshen had a good game plan coming in (NP only had 1 possession going into the 2nd quarter). And they have a real nice player in their running back. They just wore down. St. Joe - Blows out South, how bad is FW South? Elkhart - Honestly surprised it was a 1 score game. Thought NR was going to run away with it. Anybody have a recap here? Marian - Nice that they were able to sneak one out. Adams - Again nice for them to get in the win column. SB schools beating non-SB schools have been few and far between the past few years; good to see.

NP 22 Goshen 10 Halftime

Mishawaka has the offense to keep the game closer than it should be. If MHS manages to keep with within 2 touchdowns I would be surprised.

Friday, Aug. 25 Boone Grove at Clay - Welp Clay is looking at a 0-10 season. BG easily. Bremen at Washington - Early conference match-up. Bremen takes this one. Culver Academy at Marian - It looks like Marian is going to have a repeat of last year. CMA with a solid win. Elkhart at Northridge - Elkhart with a pretty disappointing week 1. What is going on with that program? Northridge with a major surprise week 1. Granted Northside had 2 difference makers out, still a solid win for the Raiders. Anything other than a NR win would be a major surprise here. Goshen at New Prairie - Heartbreaker for NP in week 1. Laporte is way better than expected, but it still took EVERYTHING to go Laporte's way to come away with the win. Goshen with an extremely disappointing week 1. NP easily in this one. Jimtown at Concord - Intriguing matchup. Head says Concord but wouldn't be surprised to see any outcome in this one. Mishawaka at Penn - Penn with a statement week 1, is this the year they get back to their former selves? Mishawaka with a solid week 1 win but I think Marian is weaker and had a lot to do with it. Penn easily in this one. Adams at Logansport - Toss up Riley at Glenn - Interesting matchup. Riley consistently is hyped up but just seem to beat who they are suppose to and lose to superior teams. Is this year different. Glenn with a proven coach in year 2 seems like a safe bet. Another game that could go either way. St. Joseph at South Side - St Joe with a head turner for all the wrong reasons. No way should they be losing to Lakeland. Can they get a win against what is by far the worst program in Fort Wayne? This one will be a tight one. My early predictions for the big schools: 1. Penn - Look to be the class of the conference (which they should be). They look to be a multiple touchdowns better than everyone else 2. NP - Yeah they loss to Laporte. LP will have a solid season, NP still has weapons around the field. Cut down on some stupid mistakes and they will have another good year. 3. Elkhart - They have to be better than St. Joe, Marian, and Adams, right? 4a. Marian 4b. St. Joe 4c. Adams

Laporte beats NP 20-18 on a last second field goal. I honestly don't know how that field goal DIDN'T get blocked. A VERY entertaining football game the entire way. NP with too many mistakes and Laporte made big play after big play and mistake free football the entire night. Kudos to LP, they are a much better team than I thought they would have. They will have a solid season. LP made 2 catches on 4th downs the keep the game alive on the final drive that were pretty unbelievable.

Boone Grove at Glenn - Will be interesting to see Baron year 2 for the Falcons Concord at Elkhart - 2 Programs trying to take the next step. Should be a good one Culver Academy at Adams - Can Adams right the ship? Don't think it starts this Friday Bishop Noll at Clay - two of the worst programs in the state. Maybe Clay can get a win here during their swan song Jimtown at NorthWood - I think it's going to be a show in Nappannee and the Jimmies aren't going to like it. Lakeland at St. Joseph - STJ has to win this or they are in for a long season LaVille at Bremen - Should be a good one Marian at Mishawaka - Don't think Mishawaka will be as good this season. But Marian doesn't seem to have the horses anymore New Prairie at LaPorte - NP easily. Think it's more Laporte being weak than anything else Penn at Valparaiso - game of the week. Can Penn get back to being Penn Riley at Attica - ???? Riley at West Side - ???? Washington at Hammond Central - HC should win this one

About every sectional in Indiana you can go through and there is a clear top 4. Between Sagarin, AP poll, Coaches Poll, common sense, etc. the IHSAA should be able to figure it out. And guess what? If you are a 2 seed and should be a 1, you still don't see that other top team until the championship which is how it should be. It's such an easy fix, I have no idea why they don't do it. I'm pretty firmly against neutral site games (except for state of course). I know a little bit of it is bias because up here in the northern part of the state there really isn't too much travel between the schools. I know down in southern Indiana it gets to be quite a hall for some of the match ups. But at the end of the day I just don't think playing at a neutral site is going to create a great atmosphere for a championship game. I'd rather have 1 school pack a stadium with the entire community then have 2 schools travel 1.5 hours each with just their family friends. People talk about how the class system ruined Indiana High School basketball. I can see neutral or Saturday games doing something similar to football

I wouldn't change too much about the current season except: 1. Seed sectionals 1-4 (in 8 team sectionals) then random draw the other 4. better seed gets home field advantage. Once you hit regionals and or both teams are seeded it goes to the current format to determine home team. The only other thing I'd think about touching is something with the privates. Don't know if that means they automatically play up a class? Create 2 classes with privates (small and big school) and have their own tournament? Don't know what the answer is exactly but it's time to get creative

Northwood turns into the favorite coming out of the North preseason (I'd still have them ranked in that 4-5 spot behind EC, Roncalli, New Pal, and maybe Reitz). Obviously with the entire season to be played with teams emerging, injuries, etc. It's a long road to LOS but on paper NW has some pretty exciting horses that would run wild on the turf of LOS and controlled environment and probably show the best for a 4A north team. Problem for NW is getting there; are they able to weather to storm (pun intended) of those cold, windy, snowy, muddy, Friday nights of late October and November with their elite WR core?

So you are telling me that Roncalli, East Central, and New Pal wouldn't be favored against Franklin Central (3-7), Penn (7-3), Warsaw (8-3), Noblesville (4-7). Because those 4 schools were ranked smack dab in the middle of 6A

Those 4 would all be near the top in 5A as well and probably be favored against 90% of 6A teams. As you said 4A south is just loaded right now.

There is a major gap between the North/South in 4A right now. Not sure what certain programs from the South lost, but East Central should be the favorite by a long shot. New Pal, Roncalli, Memorial, and Reitz should round out the top 5 if we are being honest. Northwood seems way too high and Kokomo had a lot of impact seniors leave to be considered top 5. My top 10 would look more like: 1. East Central - Heavy favorite 2a. New Pal - Even if they take a step back they are still top 5 in 4A 2b. Roncalli - Even if they take a step back they are still top 5 in 4A 4. Reitz - Damn good team last year, just had a hiccup at a horrible time 5. Memorial - Outside of Roncalli; played EC the toughest. 6. New Prairie - Lost some pieces but have enough returning from a trip to Indy to warrant the top spot from the North 7. Kokomo - Had some big boys that are gone. Don't know what they have returning, but I can see them being TOUGH 8. Northwood - unfortunate circumstance last year, but they weren't getting by NP. NW seems overrated every year. Lost too much to be #3 9. Mooresville - Been solid the last 5 years. And with a HOFer at the helm they Aren't going anywhere. Pretty underrated program. 10. Northview - Not much to go off of. Just like them in this slot

Where is the small school love? Pioneer. 2 state titles. 4 appearances. 5 regional championships. 7 sectionals. Linton Stockton. 1 state title. 2 appearances. 4 regional championships. 5 sectionals. Evansville Memorial. 2 titles. 3 appearances. 4 regional championships. 6 sectionals. Indianapolis Lutheran. 2 titles. 3 appearances. 7 regional championships. 8 sectionals. Andrean. 2 titles. 4 appearances. 5 regional championships. 6 sectionals. But when you take out the numbers and factor in what they've had to work with; Pioneer, New Palestine, and Center Grove have been the 3 most impressive programs the past 10 years. Period.