First_Backer_Inside

1 hour ago, tango said:

That includes freshman. Without freshman the roster is about 55. By way of comparison, FJ Reitz has approximately 75 and East Central around 80. 

Both teams put 11 on the field...they aren't out-manned

17 hours ago, MDAlum82 said:

A tribute to the culture Memorial has built over the past decade.  Sometimes out-manned, never out-classed.

They have 76 players on their roster if Maxpreps is correct. How could they possibly be out-manned?

I wanna see Cathedral win this game, and then win the next 2 6A state championships. And then I want everyone to get on board with putting the private schools in their own playoffs together. But I usual don't get what I want, so my guess is Ben Davis is gonna win.

7 minutes ago, BendNotBreak said:

Btw... that Zebea Qb was very very good at what they do... they just don't pass the ball.... I believe Plummer can.....

Very true, only a sophomore, a lot more football in front of him. Plummer has been playing since he was a freshman and now is a senior. The game just slows down so much for those types of guys by the time they get to that senior year.

4 minutes ago, foxbat said:

Field should be pretty much like playing on turf.  Weather looks like very minimal chance of precipitation (2-5%).

To get an idea of field condition, you can take a look at https://www.maxpreps.com/in/lafayette/lafayette-central-catholic-knights/football/media/videos/  and select the Rochester game.  LCC played away this past Friday.

I was on it for the entire 48 minutes and warmups. Like playing on a golf fairway! Also got to play on it two or three times against Coy Cronk and Jackson Anthrop! Don't have a lot of good memories stepping onto LaRocca lol

1 minute ago, BendNotBreak said:

Yes...def not ideal... However LaVille Can pass the ball... had the Zebra Qb been able to hit an open receiver in the West End Zone.. Lcc dose not advance... 

True, there were a lot of ifs for the Zebras that would have them playing right now, the pick thrown in the first half inside the red zone didn't help either. The holding call at the end of the third quarter was in my opinion the biggest killer for the Zebras. It hurt even more when it was sent to the crew from that night and we were told they missed that call. OUCH! But at the end of the day, the Knights made big plays when they needed to to advance. Which is what I think they will do against Laville as well. If you haven't watched Laville play a lot of Plummer's yards passing in my opinion come off of either the athleticism of his receivers going and getting the football over a defender, or him using his legs to stay alive in the pocket to either scramble for yards or wait for someone to get open. Either way he's not really your typical drop back passer and staying in the pocket doesn't play to his strengths in my opinion.

8 minutes ago, BendNotBreak said:

Be my guess...Andrean's  QB rating of 88.5 is quite comparable to Lcc givin the level of competition faced. The Lancers advanced... I'd expect a very close game ... darn ole Intangibles may decide it... btw Foxbat... Donnie Baker didn't say hm field was worth 8pts.... I did.. LoL

Laville caught Andrean on a perfect night. Light rain, torn up field, really leveled the athleticism advantage I think Andrean had over Laville. I don't think Laville will be getting that lucky this week.

Delta looks like they go single back with a mix of formations. Multiple tight end sets. A wing at times. They will spread it out and go out of the gun as well. Coming out of arguably top to bottom worst sectional of 3A I'd say. A lot of people had heritage probably winning this sectional. Sounds bad being the regional, but this will probably be the easiest of the four games Chatard will have played so far this playoffs.

Just now, First_Backer_Inside said:

Delta looks like they go single back with a mix of formations. Multiple tight end sets. A wing at times. They will spread it out and go out of the gun as well. Coming out of arguably top to bottom worst sectional of 3A I'd say. A lot of people had heritage probably winning this sectional. Sounds bad being the regional, but this will probably be the easiest of the four games Chatard will have played so far this playoffs.

3A North*

Park Tudor @ North Jusdson

Adams Central @ Carroll

North Decatur @ Sheridan

LaVille @ Central Catholic

Bluffton @ Fort Wayne Luers

Eastern Hancock @ Southmont

North Posey @ Triton Central

Knox @ West Lafayette

Heritage Hills @ Batesville

New Prairie @ Northwood

Leo @ Mississinewa

Valparaiso @ Merrillville

Fort Wayne Snider @ Mishawaka

Crown Point @ Penn

Hamilton Southeastern @ Westfield

Ben Davis @ Cathedral

If you want to beat LCC you have to limit the big play. This was the difference in the Rochester game that won LCC the game. LCC had a long kick return that set up a 20 yard drive. They had a four play drive where they went 80 yards right before half. A 40 yard touchdown pass and an 82 yard touchdown pass. Rochester was also able to get pressure on the QB early that helped a lot. That ended at the end of the first quarter when Rochesters 6'5" 300 lb DT tore his ACL.

In my opinion Laville is very capable on defense to limit LCC's scoring. I just don't know if they will have enough on offense to make it happen. They will need to use Plummer's legs to move the ball in my opinion.

Very good defensive team, special teams has been big for them in the playoffs from what I've heard. Pretty good run game, and a big quarterback that can sling it. If they are in any other sectional in 3A they win it. Chatard should win by three touchdowns at least.

Hanover Central @ West Lafayette

Bishop Chatard @ Hamilton Heights

Central Catholic @ Seeger

Fishers @ Hamilton Southeastern

Mishawaka @ Concord

Harrison @ Decatur Central

Kokomo @ Mississinewa

Mooresville @ Brebuf Jesuit

Winchester @ Eastern Hancock

Park Tudor @ North Vermillion

North Decatur @ Milan

North Judson @ Triton

3 hours ago, Lucy Draper said:

OMG!!! Gooooood morning guys!!! 🏈 ❤️

My son and his friends will be playing in the second round of the sectional tomorrow night and I have a major concern that I am hoping someone on here can help me out with!!! 😳 I have been trying all season long to find the best water-to-ice ratio for my son and his friends, but I cannot seem to get it right!! 🤬

I have tried 50/50, 60/40, 70/30, 90/10, 55/45, 35/65, 100/0, 0/100, 60/60, 70/50, all to no avail!!! 🙄 

Does anyone know of a time-tested, tried and true water-to-ice ratio for optimum high school football performance??? 💪

Thanks in advance for any helpful tips!!! 🪜 👻 👽

If you get water from a glacier in Alaska that has been blessed by an eskimo medicine man you will not need any ice. It will always stay cold. Vicki Vallencourt has some, but it probably won't be enough for your son and all his friends! Whatever you do don't give them that gatorade $h!t !!!! Not as good as that high quality H2O!

8 minutes ago, FlyingHigh said:

I haven't seen Shively or any of the other teams in the north, so I'll have to trust your assessment of them. I will say that I hope the rest of the state thinks the way that you do in terms of AC not having outstanding players. Zac Wurm (he may not have played in the games that you've seen due to injury) and Keegan Bluhm are among the best in the state in terms of small school football and I'd argue that a there are several others on the team that would start for most, if not all, 1-3A schools.

I'd say most, not all. I'm sure Chatard is good with who they have, and Lutheran is probably okay with having their players over yours since they've beaten you 2 years in a row. Other than that you're probably pretty spot on.

12 hours ago, BendNotBreak said:

This is key... nice catch... means the Knight O needs to protect the ball .. yet b aggressive... Lcc seems to struggle putting up points in their 3 losses...

Metzger's experience leading the offense last year when the senior was injured, and the way in which he has lead it this year benefits the Knights greatly. Not a lot of fall off if any in effectiveness at the QB position from last year to this year, just a little different style. I think the big difference is the offensive line, man were they big and experienced last year with 4 seniors upfront. Will be interesting to see how the front five handles the zebras front four in this matchup.

10 hours ago, dazed and confused said:

I was just brushing my tooth and membered Rochester had last week off... gotta be good, right?

From an injury and preparation stand point definitely. The break does cause a change in routine that has been in place since August 18th of playing a game and preparing every seven days. I think this isn't a problem with good coaching and a good team, so I think you are right that it should be good for the Zebras. 

2 minutes ago, gonzoron said:

I'm torn on who to cheer for in this one. I'll watch online if I don't attend our game in person.

If Rochester's football program is as classy as their wrestling program, I wouldn't be sad to see them win. The Zebras put on a great wrestling tournament every year that my son has attended with HH. He finished 3rd as a Junior and 2nd last year. He lost a match he shouldn't have as a Junior, then won out, but he would have faced the future State Champion HWT if he had made it to the tourney championship. Always a great time up there.

In LCC's case, I'm more looking at a potential matchup in the Sectional final. Nothing better I'd like than to see a certain team get knocked out by a Hoosier Conference team......

 

A lot of the same names on the football roster that are on the wrestling roster. Alex Demming 1100 yard rusher this year has been a two time state qualifier in wrestling so far in his career. Brant Beck 12 yards short of 1,000 yards rushing this year qualified as a freshman last year. Brady Beck, his brother is a force on the offensive and defensive line he is a two time state qualifier. We usually tell our guys you can join the basketball team or the swim team, but if you don't want to do either of those then you ARE going to wrestle.

7 minutes ago, FlyingHigh said:

Yep, you're right. Both Lutheran and AC will bump up to 2A if they make it to state. 1A should definitely be wide open next year.

 

I'm fairly certain that the fullback from last year (#8) is still their fullback. Hard to tell what stats look like because, like AC, Carroll doesn't post anything on MaxPreps.

Your probably right. All I know for certain is they had a dude move in that is "a dude" as I was told. My mama said!

1 hour ago, FlyingHigh said:

Has Carroll improved quite a bit from last year's regional matchup and did they return many starters on both sides of the ball? I know the big back and QB are back. You could definitely tell that Carroll was not ready for Adams Central's level of competition last year, but that could have woken them up to what they'll have to do to compete against AC.

I just know that AC's strength of schedule is quite a bit tougher than Carroll's. I wouldn't say that AC's schedule was especially difficult at all, but the fact that their SOS is quite a bit more difficult than Carroll's leads me to believe they have not really been tested at all. Maybe we'll get an indirect comparison next week when Bluffton and Eastern will likely play each other in the sectional 36 final. AC beat Bluffton 24-0 in a tough battle in bad weather and Carroll handled Eastern 47-7.

They had a move in that was bigger than their big back, so they moved the big back to HB and the move in to FB I'm pretty sure. Maybe its flipped the other way around. All I know is they got a stud move in over the summer.

14 hours ago, Donnie Baker said:

Hey 50 bucks is 50 bucks 

Vicki Vallencourt said those singles were probably even stickier than the ones you get from your mom Phyllis!

16 hours ago, FinePrint said:

Line the HNAC up against the top 8 teams from the TRC and the HNAC teams are favored in 5 of those games.  

       

 

I will agree, the HNAC was probably better than the TRC this year. The top three teams are pretty evenly matched from both conferences. After that, if you're just playing better bad teams are you really getting more prepared for the playoffs is my only thing. I don't think Rochester being in the HNAC would make that much of a difference. If you had every team in the top 200 in the state like the HNAC has had then I'd say there is an argument there. That wasn't the case this year. Also when talking about a conference change, I know its hard because I do the same thing with football being the main reason for someone moving conferences, but you do have to think about the other sports at your school as well. The TRC is just a better fit for Rochester all-around in sports. 

8 hours ago, hondo17 said:

LaVille is pretty solid, they just beat andrean by 2. 

Triton is a pretty solid squad even after that runningback dropped out. 

I think HNAC could have 2 or 3 teams at Semi State.  

I would agree. I expect to see a 1A HNAC team in the semi-state. I think Laville is solid as well. I'm just not sold on them being great yet. They beat an Andrean team that was 3-6. They also did it in conditions that suited them for beating Andrean. The field kind of took away from the speed and elusiveness factor I think Andrean had over Laville. Did not expect Laville to move the ball going right at Andrean like they did which was very impressive. Andrean made a lot of mistakes that Laville capitalized on which is what good teams do. I just don't know that if you play that game over in better conditions that you can confidently say Laville still wins that game.

10 minutes ago, RingLeader said:

Must have been decent as the two bottom dwellers stepped out of conference last week and thumped their opponents. Caston beat unbeaten team. 
🤷‍♂️

So your telling me Rochester playing Caston and Culver would have made them better and more prepared for LCC?

2 minutes ago, foxbat said:

They'll be returning a few next year too, but on the offensive side.  The elder Metzger, Clayton, and Gutwein are just juniors.  Meister's just a sophomore. 

All the more reason Rochester needs to get the win, and send them back down to 1A 😉 

2 minutes ago, RingLeader said:

Rochester should have joined HNAC for toughen up schedule😜

Outside of Knox, how tough was the HNAC really this year?

14 hours ago, Wildcat Willy said:

Proud of our sons and their accomplishments does not mean we "think we're badass."  We are, however, very proud...Proud of Coach Barrett and his staff and the program they have built.  Proud of the character development/community service  aspect that is built into the program.  Proud of our "12th man" for packing the stands at both home and away games.  Proud that they have turned around a program that was struggling.  Proud of the 2 youth football super bowl wins this season and proud of the Banks of the Wabash tournament win for our middle school program.  Proud of Coach Barrett's 100th career win as a head coach.  And yes, we are proud of winning the WRC conference championship.  It's a shame that some of you take that pride as arrogance.  I wish you all could see what I (we) see.

Week after week, we read on here that we are "1A dominant" like it is a negative thing.  We read that we should be winning those games and because we were 2A...and that we should be in a different conference.  I never once read the same thing about Seeger, which is also 2A.  And I don't ever remember reading that we should be in a different conference several years ago when we were getting beat by your 1A teams...then it was OK that we were in the conference when your teams were beating us handily and running up the score on the big, evil 2A Wildcats.   

This season is over and next season started Saturday morning, Wildcats.  Visor up, baby!

The only thing that pride did was get you bounced first round of the sectional. And my mama said visors are the devil!

i thought this was interesting. I went back and looked at starting lineups for both teams. Both defenses return 7 guys that played as starters in the Sectional Championship from last year. The major difference is LCC only returns 2 guys from the starting lineup on offense last year whereas Rochester returns 7 on offense. 

I didn't realize LCC returned that many on the defensive side of the ball. Both defenses played very well last year. Will be interesting to see if that is the theme for this years game.