BLACKGOLD2007

Well, Washington I don't think has the team to get a win until maybe the final week of the season (in conference). Riley will beat NP had a surprising defeat to Adams who has had a rough go of it this season. Penn will have it's fourth week in a row where the starters don't make it out of the first half. Penn's three phases have dominated the last three teams with a combined score of 165-20. I expect Penn to have over 40 putting them over 200 points scored in 4 weeks. Elkhart, has issues on the Defensive side of the ball. They are letting bad teams score on them, Washington only got 13 but that game was close late. Riley scored 22 on them and NP dropped 28. Elkhart with Bardo is more dangerous on the offensive side of the ball. St. Joe's D has only allowed 19 points this year, but this is against less than quality opponents. I think this is going to be a shootout. Bardo will likely have 2 or 3 tds. I think 35-30 area where Elkhart gets the win.

Without seeing Elkhart, but looking at their current competition they have struggled against the two better SB schools that Penn worked over. Elkhart v Washington 34-13 (Elkhart pulled away in the fourth) Elkhart v Riley 39-22. Penn beat these teams 111-6. I think Carroll is likely the best team in their sectional and have a tough matchup against CP in the regional.

St. Joe opponents combined record of 4-12 Elkhart opponents have a combined record of 6-10. St. Joe remaining schedule opponents combined record is 12-8 with 3-1 Elkhart and 4-0 Penn remaining. Elkhart remaining schedule opponents combined record is also 12-8 with 4-0 St. Joe and 4-0 Penn remaining. I think it is safe to say Elkhart has seen a better team in Concord than St. Joe has seen yet. Elkhart's D will give up points, The O has put double digits up in each game. I think this game in two weeks will really give us a clue on who will be competing with Penn for the conference title. Elkhart has St. Joe and Penn back to back.

I think this is going to be a big week for the road teams...even though Washington and Adams play at the same field. I think that Elkhart gets a breather when it comes to their schedule. They have struggled with the two better South Bend Schools the last two weeks. A trip over to NP might be a solution the doctor ordered for their team. Penn goes into Marian and ends the game by half. This Penn team is better than last years, but I just don't know if they are ready for a team of CP's experience. St. Joe is starting to form into a contender for the conference championship. With their last game of the season against Penn, could we see an undefeated Penn v undefeated St. Joe for all the marbles. I think Washington exercises some demons from the 62-0 thrashing they took from the Kingsmen last week. Riley may be overlooking their crosstown rivals and end up in a tight battle that it appears Washington might have the players to get them over the top.

NORTHERN INDIANA ALL TIMES EASTERN CONFERENCE ALL GAMES W-L Pts OP W-L Pts OP Streak Penn 2-0 111 6 4- 0 160 41 Won 4 St. Joseph 2-0 74 13 4- 0 136 19 Won 4 Elkhart 2-0 73 35 3- 1 119 77 Won 3 Marian 1-1 21 31 2- 2 49 80 Lost 1 Adams 1-1 35 55 2- 2 76 116 Won 1 Riley 0-2 28 88 2- 2 96 94 Lost 2 Washington 0-2 13 96 1- 3 65 134 Lost 3 New Prairie 0-2 47 78 0- 4 75 161 Lost 5 Friday, Sep. 19 Elkhart at New Prairie ©, 7:30 pm Penn at Marian ©, 7 pm St. Joseph at Adams ©, 7 pm Washington at Riley ©, 7 pm

I know it is essentially win the games in front of you, but I would avoid moving Penn up much further. They will struggle to get out of sectionals. Like Merrillville does they will find a way to make it interesting. haha

What is going on over in Elkhart, allowing Riley to score 22 on them? Plus struggling with Washington the week before until late in the game...Penn dropped 49 before half on Washington and held Riley to 6 points. I think St. Joe might be the second best team as of right now in the conference.

Penn coaches allowed the team to score 62 against Washington. WOW. Normally Penn calls the dogs off and starts asking the refs to throw flags if we score. Avon is a dang good 2 loss team nail biter against HSE and then a shoot out vs Brownsburg. They appear to be better than years prior.

CG drove just a hair over 2 hrs and won the game by 9pts. I think it is fair to say they are pretty good. Most teams don't travel long distances well and come out with a multi score win.

To be fair Rodney, the North is always weak, even with Carmel, Westfield, Frishers and HSE. CP and Carroll help elevate it, but the North is still not the monster that 6A South has been for over 2 decades now.

The two options that may make sense are LaPorte and Michigan City. But, I don't see them leaving the DAC. Plymouth is too far south and Mishawaka is never ever ever getting back together with the NIC.

CP will play the winner of the FT Wayne sectional for regional. It will be in Semi-state when they see a HCC team or Carmel.

They re-up for another 3 years. Penn wont bail.

I think Penn, might struggle with the pass game at first. But, the D will adapt and start to get pressure on the QB. Penn will score on them. I expect it to be a 40+ point night for Penn again.

I for sure thought Elkhart would be better than they have shown. I think they have a lot to show this weekend. With Riley, and Penn just beat the brakes off of them, they should do the same. If they don't I think we have a decent idea of who Elkhart is, playing to the level or their competition.

Marian at St. Joseph ©, 7 pm It's the Holy War - St. Joe is likely the third best team in the conference this year. Penn at Washington ©, 7 pm - Penn by 40+ by half Adams at New Prairie ©, 7:30 pm - Even though NP is down, they are better than Adams. Riley at Elkhart ©, 7 pm - If Elkhart does not score 40 on Riley, they have a problem.

What cant get excited for the Penn v Washington game? hahaha

Man, I am just happy Penn is even considered for Temp's top 25. These first few weeks have surprised me for sure. Going down 16 fast to Mishawaka, to then come all the way back and win by 6. The O looks better than last year. I still think they have a tall task of winning sectionals this year with CP still looking like the team to beat from the true North.

So back in the early 00's like 01 or 02 Grissom's team was not large like ours (Schmucker), however they had enough for a two deep I believe. But, they were good. Some of Penn's best players consistently came out of Grissom. Has anyone outside of the Michiana area had Barnaby's, Bruno's or Saylor's Pizza?

Grissom struggles to field a full team, Schmucker is the middle sized team while Discovery typically has the larger team. Rocket football league numbers I have heard are down but there are more teams in the league than when I played back in the 90's. So, that Idk how to compare. I have also heard that there is a lot of pressure being put on middle school players and even younger to play only 1 sport by AAU/Travel teams. While we all would likely agree it is better for the kids to be multi-sport athletes. I used to never think this way, but as of the last decade I would gladly sacrifice Penn's season for a Notre Dame national championship. To me that is how bad it has become. I thought Penn could put together a season and come away with the title way before ND actually had a chance to win the Natty, now it seems like Penn will never win another state title while ND is at the door step. It is frustrating.

With the collapse of the NIC North/South the amount of non conference games was cut to two games. While I cannot speak for Elkhart and not scheduling better teams. Penn elected to drop Carmel for crosstown rival Mishawaka. It feels and appears that the Administration could careless about winning another state title game at Penn High School. I am sick of the opening of every home game...5 time state champions...yeah that was a bygone era that every Penn poster clings to as the golden age of Penn football. Penn will continue to prove they don't care at the top and the product on the field will show it. I hope I am wrong, but as a former player, this has been decades in the making.

Bardo bailed on his teammates during games. If things don't go well at Elkhart he will do the same.

Penn's program has been falling off a cliff. Last year after the Valpo game was just like poking yourself in the eye for pleasure. Elkhart while there has been big news, (and some concerns how they are doing it please refer back to last year's Mishawaka drama,) regarding new transfers coming in over the past two seasons, this program while not at the level of CP or Carroll in the True North is trending upward now. They are primed to take control of the NIC for the foreseeable future. Especially if Penn cannot right the ship. Look at it like buying stock...Elkhart in the North is a buy with promise. Penn is a sell.

No doubt. Those Warren teams were just different. I think the Penn teams of the 90s were able to adapt and overcome, but I don't know if the results would be any different than to 03 state game. I really am just trying to keep the past Penn team comparison with the most recent Penn teams. While the players are bigger faster and stronger, the Penn title teams in the 90s were playing teams bigger faster and stronger than them. That is why I believe that those teams would beat the Yeoman teams.

The 2003 Warren team was the best team I had seen take the field until I witnessed the 2017 BD team. To think that there are teams in the country better than that football team really had me thinking about the quality of those other teams. In regards to past teams stacking up against current athletes. The mental exercise of the Penn teams from the 90's even the ones that lost state games, I firmly believe those teams would beat the Penn teams that made it to state during the Yeoman years. Even though Yeoman was the DC for Geez, the difference at the top of program is 100 fold. Geez was a difference maker. Penn teams under him were hungry and disciplined, even when the were winning state titles. Yeoman teams (I was on the first 4) eventually became complacent and bought into the we are Penn, we will just win this game. Yeoman had some special teams, but I don't see the 95, 96 or 97 or 00 teams getting beat by 03, 11, 15 or 17. That 2017 BD team was nasty....Carmel was their only close game in the regular season. When Penn went to Carmel and walked them, I had false confidence we could make that a game...We quickly found out that was not the case.