scarab527

Cool to see this matchup again as I played for Andrean during the last two games. Should be a good one.

I'll happily take WL or Chatard by 3 TDs over Lutheran, and that's no disrespect to the Saints (I think that could even be being kind to them). Monrovia is a great story but imo them being in SS is more of an indictment on the strength of 3A South this year than anything. I think Lutheran could win 2A but truthfully think it would be a toss up with them vs any of the 4 teams in that class left. By-far their closest games have been against 2A teams that are already knocked out. We haven't seen the Saints vs any good 3A+ teams the last few years, as opposed to 3 of the 4 remaining 2A teams. This. The caliber of line play as you increase classes is generally night-and-day. Lutheran might have the advantage in skill but Valpo has excellent size and is extremely physical. I have no problem where Lutheran is ranked here, I usually hate the arguments you sometimes see from people that the Top 25 should all be teams from higher classes. Again, this is really all just a testament to how good of a program Lutheran has built.

I think its apples to oranges there. This Valpo team is much more physical and better coached than that Chesterton team and just held an offense with at least 2 D1 skill players to 14 points. Add in the fact that Lutheran runs an offense that DAC teams see every week as opposed to the Wing-T (with two kids that run 4.4 at wingback I might add). Maybe I was being slightly hyperbolic, but BTF's 80% confidence mark seems accurate. Obviously this is all a big credit to Lutheran for building a 1A program where we can even have a debate like this. Sagarin also would have Lutheran favored vs Warren, Fishers, New Pal, Chatard, WL, etc... I mean let's be real here I think their Sagarin rating is a little over-inflated.

Agree completely with everything said here. To be fair Valpo's MO since Marshall's hire has been to create grinding, low-scoring games dominated by the running game and defense. They got Merrillville trapped in one of those last Friday. But if Snider can come back down 21 to an option offense I don't see how the Vikings can beat them with arguably the same type of formula. As for the last comment, I'll just say that after the game Friday someone said that Seiss should be Valpo's defensive MVP for the game...

I'll take Snider by 21. Huge credit to Bill Marshall and his team for getting to this point because during the summer the rumblings were that Valpo was going to be down quite a bit this year. They've taken their lumps and gotten a lot better but I don't see a way they win this game.

Jeff and WL I'll give you. Lutheran is a great program, but I'll go bet my mortgage on Valpo in that one.

I was there. I'm going to try to keep this diplomatic and not be too critical. Bottom line Merrillville looked asleep at the wheel on offense, both the players and coaches. Seemed like the coaching staff was more concerned with making sure everyone touched the ball instead of feeding the ball to their best players, and for their part, the players looked like they thought that no matter what happened they were going to win in the end, and you could tell that by their shock when they ended up losing. No one in the entire town of Valpo could cover Roche and it was obvious from the jump, he had 2 TDs and over 100 yards receiving, but none of this production came in the second half. Don't even think they tried throwing him the ball in the second half. Even more head scratching was that they didn't start feeding Marshall until about 5 minutes left in the game. Again, seemed like the coaching staff was more concerned with making sure everyone got a touch and just assumed they would win in the end no matter what. The coaching staff also looked over-confident in regards to the decisions they made; with 2 seconds left in the half in a goal-to-go from the 4, they tried lining up in wildcat (after already being stuffed the previous two plays) and got stuffed again instead of taking the field goal to go into half 17-9. Obviously hindsight is 20-20, but if they take those points they win, and Seiss even said postgame he made a mistake there. Either way I think that just showed a lack of respect for Valpo and that stop was a huge momentum swing going into the break. Overall it was the same story with Merrillville that it has been the last few years: a clear overconfidence in their own abilities and a lack of respect for the abilities of their opponents.

John Harrell is predicting a 42-14 Snider victory fwiw.

Snider will be the waxer

Can you blame them? (I kid, I kid)

Ah, the old debate about what's really 'the region'. IMO The Region goes no further than LaPorte to the East and Lowell to the South, and even that's pushing it.

You and anyone else with half a brain lol

Pigs might fly too

If Merrillville plays Snider they're gonna get waxed.

QB - Whitaker RB - Hansen WR - Tibbs TE - The kid from Mt. Vernon Fortville (Forgot name, sorry) OL - Could be a lot of guys but maybe Lauck from Roncalli DL - Mickens LB - Bowen DB - Not sure Just off the top of my head, could be more deserving candidates

The exact same

Of course they stand a chance. That being said I will take Snider by 14.

Touché haha

Honestly I know nothing of LCC but I think it's cool this matchup is finally happening. Should be a good one.

Yes, and I'd be shocked if they didn't.

And I would argue that the Finals should have the running clock as well. But you're right in regards to precedent. Still, after implementation, the first time a semistate game is decided by a questionable call prepare for an absolute uproar.

In this case it is justified imo. When you have people screeching for replays in blowouts in August don't say I didn't warn you lol. In all seriousness, at the very least, you'll have people that want replays for all playoff games. And if you allow for the finals I don't see the argument in not allowing for the entire tournament.