npcougar15

Did Northridge just get back their top RB from injury?

Not a lot of local flavor making it to the regional rounds this season but here are the matchups none-the-less. 5A #1 Snider (10-1) @ #4 Mishawaka (10-1): Battle between 2 teams that have occupied the top spot in 5A at some point this season. Snider comes in with a lot of momentum taking care of business against a real good North team. Mishawaka did what they were suppose to do in a pretty weak sectional. Gotta give Snider the love in this one as their SOS and resume' FAR exceeds that of the Cavemen. 4A Northridge (8-4) @ #6 New Prairie (11-1): Rematch of lasts years semi-state battle. Another crazy story line brewing in Middlebury as the Raiders take down an undefeated 2 years in a row. Where-as NP has DOMINATED in their march to a sectional title that many thought would be closer. Does Northridge have what it takes to get by a red hot Cougar squad with revenge on their minds? Lots of story lines coming out of this one and I honestly have no idea what to expect. But after seeing the way NP has handled it's last 4 opponents it's tough to bet against the Cougars at this point....But their appears to be some magic left in those Raiders... 3A #1 West Lafayette (12-0) @ Knox (9-3): Radtke gets a sectional title at a 5th different school, but his prize is a red devil juggernaut coming to Community Field. Knox has put together a solid campaign in 2022; the kind that was expected when Russ took over 3 years ago. But I cannot see the Redskins getting past this one. WL has been one of the best mid-sized publics the last 15 years. 1A #4 North Judson (11-1) @ Park Tudor (9-3): NJ is darn close to being 12-0 in a TOUGH HNAC. Park Tudor comes in with an offense that can put points on the board but also gives up a ton on the other side of the ball. The Blue Jays shouldn't have a problem with the Panthers as they rolled through their sectional to get to this point. NJ should score on about every possession one would think.

New Prairie (10-1) @ Hobart (8-3) - Wow, NP having arguably the best stretch of games in program history. 42-6 at the inferno and 49-14 at the brickyard IN THE FIRST HALF against teams that tied for the NCC championship this year; crazy. Offense is absolutely firing on all cylinders. Defense has been solid (they have been all year) with athletes all over the field. Would of been an awesome showdown against a 12-0 Northwood team in New Carlisle this Friday, but I think every NP player as well as fan will happily take on Northridge. Congrats to the Cougars! Knox (-3) @ Jimtown (9-2) - Kind of what I expected. Jimtown was a decent team in a bad conference this year where-as Knox was a good team in a good conference. Andrean (7-3) @ Bremen (7-4) - No surprises

6 minutes left in the half 28-7 New Prairie halftime score 49-14 New Prairie NP had an easy pick 6 dropped with 15 seconds left that would of finished an insane 6 minute span. NP to get the ball to start the 2nd half with a running clock. 2nd time NP has a running clock at halftime against a NCC champion.

NP: 49 Hobart 14 20 seconds left in the half

NP with an interception with 55 seconds left in the half

NP 42 Hobart 14 1:22 left in the half NP gets the ball to start the second half. Starting to get into running clock territory

NP with a quick score NP 35 Hobart 14 2 and some change in the half

NP 28 Hobart 14 3:26 left in the first half

NP 28 Hobart 7 6 minutes left in the half

Hobart with a long run NP 21 Hobart 7

NP 21 Hobart 0 11:49 in the 2nd

After 1 NP 14 Hobart 0 NP with the ball at the Hobart 3 yard line looking to score

New Prairie with 3 offensive plays and 2 touchdowns. NP: 14 Hobart: 0 7 minutes in the first

Don't want to hijack the thread or not speak highly of Freeby and Co. too much because they do a hell of a job for local athletics, we are truly lucky to have them around us. But in my mind they had 3 options to show this week: Mishawaka vs. Concord Jimtown vs. Knox Northridge vs. Northwood I get why they aren't showing Northridge and Northwood as they are banking on NP winning and then having the NP vs NW/NR Regional next week (I'll bet my life savings if NP wins it'll be the game of the week next week). That really leaves them with 2 options. Really think Jimtown vs. Knox deserves it as BOTH teams have put together nice seasons and it'll probably be a really good game. Not too mention Jimtown has been featured once and Knox zero. Where-as Concord and Mishawaka will have been on a combined 5 times when this one is all said and done. Not too mention the Cavemen get more than there fair share year after year. But as someone said the Cavemen have a nice following and I'm sure viewers and advertisement $ play a part in all of this. Something has to keep the lights on.

New Prairie (10-1) @ Hobart (8-3) - Hobart has been a little bit of a thorn in the side of the Cougars in recent history. I think NP gets it done this year against the Brickies. Hobart has a solid running back and if the Cougars can figure out how to contain him it should be another "W". Always nerve wracking going over to "Da Region" for a championship but if NP plays like they have been playing I'm feeling good about our chances. Knox (8-3) @ Jimtown (9-2) - Something tells me Knox is going to knock off the Jimmies. Should be a great game either way; really wish Channel 46 picked this one up for the game of the week as I think they are falling in love with Mishawaka a little too much lately. Andrean (7-3) @ Bremen (7-4) - Don't think Bremen has much of a chance in this one.

Can someone please tell Northridge it's alright to win football games during the regular season. Amazing how the bracket/circumstances are opening up for another chance at a run for the Raiders. Not really knowing much about NR or the new look NW, what are the chances the Raiders get it done this upcoming week?

Carroll (9-0) at Penn (7-2) - Welp it looks like Carroll is for real. The newspaper made it sound like it was a pretty tight game except for a span where Carroll scored a couple TDs in a minute or two to break it open. Elkhart (7-2) at Warsaw (7-2) - Good game down in Warsaw which is what I was expecting. You can't help but think a 7-3 finish with 1 win over a team with a winning record is a bit of a disappointment for the Lions. It seemed like they had athletes all over the field, what happened too them? Adams (1-8) at Mishawaka (8-1) - The last SB public bows out New Prairie (9-1) at Lowell (7-3) - NP playing their best football. 42-6 at HALFTIME. This is the kind of team I knew the cougars had last year as well as this year. That is why it was so frustrating to watch conservative play and no creativity. The cougars are finally doing counters, misdirections, new wrinkles, and getting everyone involved; and it's a thing of beauty. Kudos to the kids and staff for finally figuring it out. NorthWood (10-) at St. Joseph (4-6) - NW dispatches st Joe rather easily. Kind of surprised they put up 52. Should be a little bit tougher going for the panthers from here on out. Jimtown (8-2) at Glenn (6-4) - Jimtown quietly put together 9 wins in a row. Will be their toughest battle coming up as the take on a 8-3 Knox team that is 4 points away from being 10-1 in the tough HNAC. Bremen (6-4) at Lake Station (4-6) - Congrats on Bremen on making the Sectional championship.

final np 42 Lowell 6 not much happened the 2nd half

NP 42 Lowell 6 30 seconds go before halftime. NP without a rushing touchdown. Looking to have a running clock to start the 2nd half

3:22 in the 2nd NP facing a 2nd and 36 and connects for a 68 yard touchdown pass. NP: 35 Lowell: 6

9:00 in the 2nd New Prairie: 28 Lowell: 6 NP with 3 TD passes and a 92 yard kick return for a TD

TOUGH situation at NW. Feel bad for everyone involved. The coaches and administration are in a real difficult situation now.

Some pretty good/intriguing gams on tap this week. Carroll (9-0) at Penn (7-2) - Carroll - Only because they don't have a blemish on the resume'. Penn could win this one, it's tough to tell when Carroll plays in the FW bubble. Either way I think people will be talking about this game. Elkhart (7-2) at Warsaw (7-2) - toss up - Can elkhart respond after the NP game? I also don't think Warsaw is that good this year; they just benefited from being in a down NLC outside of NW and Mishawaka and their non-con opponents shat the bed. Tough sectional to predict. Adams (1-8) at Mishawaka (8-1) - Mishawaka - No contest here New Prairie (9-1) at Lowell (7-3) - NP - All things point to NP but man is it always scary going against Lowell in October/November. Fun fact; NP will have played 3 times at the inferno in the same time frame they have played 6 times in New Carlisle. NorthWood (10-) at St. Joseph (4-6) - NW - Not much going on here. St Joe got their annual sectional win and will bow out against one of the best teams in 4A. Jimtown (8-2) at Glenn (6-4) - Jimtown - Could be a good one in Walkerton this Friday. Would love to see the Falcons take down the Jimmies, I think there is a chance. Bremen (6-4) at Lake Station (4-6) - Bremen - The ping pong balls get Bremen to the sectional championship for a blood bath.

I spent entirely too much time figuring out the 4 SB public schools records for the past 10 seasons: Adams: 38-64 Best season: 8-4 Worst season: 0-10 Number of losing seasons: 7 Washington: 35-65 Best season: 8-3 Worst season: 1-10 Number of Losing Seasons: 8 Riley: 36-64 Best Season: 7-4 Worst season: 1-10 Number of losing seasons: 5 Clay: 6-92 Best Season: 2-8 Worst season: 0-10 (x4) Number of losing seasons: 10 Total: 115-285. Average record: 2.8-7.1 But wait, lets take out the games where the schools play each other and against non-sanctioned teams. Adams: 19-60 Best Season: 5-4 Worst Season: 0-8 (x2) Number of losing seasons: 9 Washington: 19-52 Best Season: 5-2 Worst Season: 0-6, 1-8 Number of losing seasons: 9 Riley: 19-51 Best Season: 4-4 Worst Season: 0-5 Number of losing seasons: 9 Clay: 1-67 Best Season 1-6 Worst Season: 0-8, 0-7(x5) Number of losing seasons: 10 Total: 58-230 Average record: 1.4-5.7 That is some bad football over the course of 40 seasons.