scarab527

54 minutes ago, wvigo13 said:

Can I jump in since I didn't participate last week?

Of course!  

Just now, temptation said:

You’re telling me a 4A school with guts committed to Georgia/Michigan can’t stay within 28 of East Central?

Really?

I was gonna say. We haven’t seen a 4A school with two legit Power 5 guys on the outside in who knows how long. Not saying I think they’d beat EC but I believe they’d keep it within 4 TDs. 

Don't think anyone is hanging with NorthWood this year in the North. 

The real question is whether the Panthers can make it interesting down at LOS...

Week 2 Pick 'Em Games:

1. Cathedral @ Brownsburg

2. Homestead @ Noblesville

3. Roncalli @ Franklin Central

4. Harrison @ Plainfield 

5. LaPorte @ Lowell

6. Evansville Mater Dei @ Castle

7. Culver Academy @ Mishawaka Marian

8. Franklin County @ Connersville

9. Brownstown Central @ Charlestown

10. Owen Valley @ South Putnam

11. North Decatur @ Eastern Hancock 

Standings after Week 1:

1. @whiteshoes 10 points

T2. @LC_Bears_04 + @Bears62 9 points

T3. @Muda69, @Boilernation, + @Plymouthfan91 8 points

T4. @temptation, @sbriant20, @WCGrad92, @Mongo, @PCFan1996, @Landrys Hat, @Jbk2, + @swcgillespie  7 points

T5. @FridayNightLights, @CJJL, @DumfriesYMCA, @CLKeller16, @hallrc, + @Formerly Number 39 6 points

T6. @NLCTigerFan07, @gonzoron, @NE8_Fan, @00NWP, + @scarab527 5 points

T7. @1st_and_10, @bigcityp, + @TransplantedPanther 4 points

Tried to be thorough and double check the standings, but please let me know if any errors were made. 

On 8/15/2023 at 2:24 PM, scarab527 said:

1. FW Carroll @ Hamilton Southeastern HSE

2. Lawrence North @ Avon LN

4. Warsaw @ Michigan City City 

5. New Palestine @ Westfield New Pal 

5. Chesterton @ Hobart  Hobart

6. Leo @ Kokomo Leo

7. Jasper @ Evansville Memorial Memorial 

8. Western @ Tri-West Western

9. FW Concordia @ Indianapolis Scecina Scecina

10. Perry Central @ Tell City Perry Central

11. Tecumseh @ South Spencer Tecumseh

 

3 hours ago, CLKeller16 said:

I haven't seen a DAC pick 'em so I figured I'd post my picks here! Last year was my first year giving attention to the conference, so I don't know enough about these teams to give the same write ups that I do for the SAC teams, but I still want to give a crack at it.

 

Andrean at Merrillville - Merrillville by 7

Chesterton at Hobart - Chesterton by 10

Crown Point at Lowell - Crown Point by 28

Lake Central at Munster - Lake Central by 28

New Prairie at LaPorte - New Prairie by 35

Penn at Valparaiso - Valpo by 3

Portage at Morton - Portage by 17

Warsaw at Michigan City - Warsaw by 10

Looks pretty good overall. Actually some pretty interesting games this week.

Andrean hasn't beat Merrillville since 2017, but I think this year is one of their best chances since then, as the Pirates don't look to be as good as they have been in recent years. Think this one will be a low-scoring defensive battle. The team that makes fewer mistakes on offense and can generate some big plays on defense will win. Think Merrillville by 7 is pretty fair. 

Chesterton and Hobart will also likely be a low-scoring defensive battle imo. Both teams return a lot on defense but limited amounts on offense. I have to give Hobart the edge as they'll have the biggest offensive threat in the game in Calumet transfer WR Terrell Caldwell. I'll go Hobart by 7. 

Valpo and Penn I think will be close too. Should be a good early barometer of where both of these teams are at. 

Portage and Morton won't be a good game but it does have the narrative of Roy Richards taking his new team, Portage, back to the place where he originally made his name. Morton hasn't been nearly the same since he left. 

The most-interesting game of the week for me is Warsaw and City. A lot of people are taking Warsaw in this game, but I'm very torn. Last year at Warsaw the Tigers ran all over the Wolves, which was the start of a hugely disappointing season for a MC team coming off a Regional Championship at the time. But they've got a new (albeit young) coach and some really good players, plus this game is at Ames Field. Prior to last year's drubbing, City had one the previous two meetings by 20 and 19 points, respectively. How City does in this game should again be pretty indicative of how their entire season will play out. If they win decisively, they should be a player in the DAC and in 5A as a whole. If they lose decisively, they'll need to figure some things out quick, because with Jeff next week and then DAC conference play beginning, their schedule doesn't really let up.  

Since I haven’t seen anyone else do one like we have in years past, going to run the pick ‘em league this year. Going to be 11 games per week, with Week 9 having 12 games, making the total 100 games for the season. If this catches on we can discuss whether we want to do a different one for postseason or just add it onto this one. 
 

Going to try to get most areas of the state every week and have all classes represented. Going to try to pick games that project to be competitive to make this a little difficult. Also going to omit any games versus out of state competition in order to make this completely about Indiana. 
 

With all that said here are the Week 1 Pick ‘Em games:

1. FW Carroll @ Hamilton Southeastern

2. Lawrence North @ Avon

4. Warsaw @ Michigan City

5. New Palestine @ Westfield

5. Chesterton @ Hobart 

6. Leo @ Kokomo

7. Jasper @ Evansville Memorial 

8. Western @ Tri-West

9. FW Concordia @ Indianapolis Scecina

10. Perry Central @ Tell City 

11. Tecumseh @ South Spencer

Has anyone started a pick ‘em for this year yet? If not, I could facilitate if there’s enough interest. 

Wasn’t able to make a scrimmage last night, but would love to here reports from those who got to go to some around the state.

10 minutes ago, Boilernation said:

I didn't realize Crown Point has a 6'3 Safety committed to Toledo. That's 5 legimiate D1 recurits for the Bulldogs this year, but there is speculation on Region Sports that the IHSAA is going to block Patrick Clack's transfer from Andrean. @scarab527 Has he been a no show at Crown Point practices? 

Honestly no idea whether he’s been at practices and not sure what I can exactly say on here because of a lack of official announcements. 

56 minutes ago, Boilernation said:

No argument from me. All 6 are solid in my opinion. I think Valpo is pretty similiar to the 3 4A teams in that their bread and butter is going to be trying to control the line with size and very physical & disciplined line play. East Central has a very nice added wrinkle this year with 2 MAC recruits that are big and fast to give the ball to. 

I like North, a lot. They have size and D1 talent all over the place. I just don't trust them. The Sectional loss to Snider pgretty much sums it up for me. IMO, they didn't give Johnson enough touches towards the end of the game and Snider clearly has a mental hold on them. IF they could get past Snider this year I would probably pick them to beat Valpo. It's tough to repeat. 

Regarding 5A, 4A obviously has the same problem. 5A is stacked in the North while 4A is stacked in the South. Fortunately  in 5A the South is capable of putting up a fight in Lucas Oil. Valpo vs. Whiteland was a phenomenal game to watch.  I'm sure whomever comes out the South this year will be good enough win. The 4A Title game has the makings of another massacre this year unless NorthWood can put together a team to compliment their absurd talent at WR. I still can't believe they have a Georgia commit and Purdue commit at WR. Pretty wild. 

I think (maybe more so hope) what we'll see in the near future is that EC, Roncalli, and New Pal will become more or less permanent residents of 5A. This will make the class a lot stronger while also making 4A a lot more balanced. In that situation Roncalli and New Pal would likely be at least in the same regional, so they would probably take turns bouncing back down and up again. But I think this would be overall good for the competitiveness of 4A/5A. 

FW North is super intriguing for sure. They've got one of the best players in the state suiting up for them and a buzz around them as an up-and-coming program. As for their Snider roadblock, I think another big thing that gives the Panthers the edge in that rivalry is that Tippman has been coaching probably close to as long as North's coach has been alive. That degree of a gap in experience shouldn't be understated. The mental hurtle that you mentioned is probably playing a factor as well. When you've been 'little brother' for so long, that can start to effect the psyche of a team. Almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

A year after it ended up being the most exciting class in the state, 5A is wide open again and looking like it'll be just as exciting. It won't be easy for whoever is left standing.

I think NorthWood has the best chance of any 4A North team in a while to make the game competitive, assuming they get to LOS. But we'll see how it all plays out. The South has been so dominant in that class that I just would like a halfway decent game. 

24 minutes ago, Boilernation said:

Why are you so bullish on EC/New Pal/Roncalli vs. Valpo, Snider or North? They all seem to match up well as each feed off of dominating line play. I doubt any of the teams would have much of a size advantage on the lines. North probably has the best collection of skill talent among the group with EC possibly being 2nd. In my opinion, North majorly choked against Snider. They had that game won if they kept feeding Johnson the ball on the outside with short passes. I have a feeling they'll end Valpo's bid at a repeat if they can get over the mental roadblock that is Snider. I would be surprised if Dwenger is much of a threat for Snider or North in Sectional 12.

By the eye test and judging their victories last season, in my opinion, those three 4A teams were just a step above the 5A teams. Really more a testament to how good those teams were as opposed to 5A being weak (though it arguably is). 
 

I would also say the lines for those three teams down south were better than those of the northern 5A teams, for what it’s worth. 

North is the most dangerous team just by looking at their roster, but individual talent only takes you so far. As of now, the top teams in the class are all very close in terms of team skill. Valpo is far from a sure thing. 

17 hours ago, BTF said:

Snider and North Side would have been pretty dangerous on turf at Lucas Oil. Remember, semi-state last year was played in a snow storm. 

They would've had to win in that snowstorm to get to the LOS turf. 

Either way, I'd still take EC/New Pal/Roncalli. 

2 hours ago, BTF said:

You're right, a team that beat Carroll, Homestead, North Side, and Dwenger wouldn't have done much in 2A had they not gotten upset in the sectional round.

Well, as it actually turned out, the team that beat all those teams didn’t end up doing much in 2A that year. 

On 7/28/2023 at 7:18 PM, BDOOM said:

Rumor is Tuggle is back for NW there offense should be scary

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. NorthWood has to be the favorite in 4A North now, no?

17 hours ago, BTF said:

Don't ever count out Bishop Luers. They're being treated like a chump right now, but that wouldn't be the case had they won state in 2020 & 2021 like they should have. 

Hard to say a team should’ve won state in a year they couldn’t make it out of Sectionals. 

New Pal beat Westfield (#6 team in 6A per Sagarin) last year by 2 TDs. Roncalli also beat Franklin Central. Don’t think it’s too outrageous to say New Pal, Roncalli, or EC could’ve beat a majority of 6A teams last year in a 1-off game (competing against a full schedule of 6A teams might be a different story however). 
 

I also think any one of those 3 teams would’ve won 5A last year. 

But none of that matters to this year. I think East Central is a heavy favorite in 4A. They bring back all the key players that made them champs last year, and Roncalli/New Pal, their main competition, lost quite a bit (Roncalli more so). Hard for me to see anything other than an EC repeat this year, but this class has had a few big upsets in the Southern half of the bracket the past few years. 

3 hours ago, Bobref said:

The official report lists it as a “calf strain.” But we all remember Kevin Durant’s calf strain in the playoffs a few years ago.

Durant was exactly who I thought about when I saw this.

If it’s really just a calf strain, he’s extremely lucky, because he dodged a bullet.

Gap between 4A South and 4A North is arguably the biggest interclass gap in the state. A public school from the North hasn’t won 4A since Lowell in 2005 (only North school to win in that time is Dwenger), and most of the games haven’t been close. 

Looks like Burrow might’ve just torn his Achilles. Hopefully I’m wrong, but non contact and grabbing the calf like that usually mean Achilles. 

Think you’d have to put Decatur Central & Plainfield somewhere in there, but looks pretty solid overall. This class has a lot of parity again so it should be another fun year. 

Just now, gonzoron said:

I didn't suggest anything. Not my sandbox, there are folks here who take care of things like that. 

But it's extremely obvious you're not from Andrean. 

🤣🤣 

For a guy who thinks he’s really smart, you’re completely clueless. 

28 minutes ago, gonzoron said:

I bet @DACNUT88 does, but he disappeared from this thread when the guy from "Andrean" showed up.

Lmao I’ve been here for years, if you’re trying to suggest we’re the same guy you clearly haven’t been paying attention. 

2 hours ago, Boilernation said:

What's the word?

Nothing official so it can’t be posted. I’ll dm you. 

2 minutes ago, Bobref said:

Since I was on the Merrillville sideline, and not in the end zone, I didn’t see the play well enough to express an opinion at that time. I don’t like to express an opinion without having facts to justify it … unlike a few others on this thread. After I saw the Hudl video, I freely conceded it was the wrong call. Glad that it turned out to be meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

One man’s “cowardice” is a more thoughtful man’s “prudence.”

More flimsy excuses to justify people being bad at their job. 
 

I hope the IHSAA pays you for this, otherwise it’s really just pathetic and bizarre.