Bears62

9 hours ago, tango said:

Not since 2018...

I’m aware, but I stated that because Memorial has been one of the top 3a programs for a while now and GS has had some good teams bow out to them sectionals.

On 6/25/2022 at 10:05 PM, Titan32 said:

Guess we are being penalized for not being in sectional 30.

No you’re being judged for continuing to lose to schools the same size as you in the postseason lol.

Gibson Southern does not belong in the top 10 for public school programs despite what you or your homer buddy @Esso Ayche think. Many schools such as West Lafayette, Merrillville, Zionsville, Western Boone, Decatur Central, Pioneer, Ben Davis deserve to be ranked ahead of them and have shown the ability to have deeper postseason runs outside of one single year. 
 

Congrats on GS’s championship, they deserved it and proved a lot of people wrong. Time to go back to reality though.

5 hours ago, Esso Ayche said:

You HAVE to be a masochist for starting this thread.

For shame, sir. Or ma'am. No judgement.

Are you saying I am wrong? A program advancing past sectionals once since 2016 is a top 10 public program in recent times?

41 minutes ago, Indiana Fan said:

Just simply putting together a top list of programs. Nothing specific. Recent success, moving in right direction, great leadership, places people would want to play at and be involved with

I don’t think Gibson Southern belongs on this list then. Good-Great program but only advanced past sectionals once in Brady Allen’s career. Yeah they’ve had it really tough with Memorial in their sectional, but I don’t think you can be considered a top 10 public program with 1 sectional title in the past 6 years. 

6 minutes ago, Indiana Fan said:

Started thinking of the best overall all around football programs in the state AT THIS TIME. This can obviously be opinionated for some and doesn’t always have to reflect state championships. I tried to think of the best run programs regardless of class. I also kept private schools off of this this because I consider those programs to be run very differently (youth leagues, middle schools, etc.) Top 10 in my opinion:

Center Grove

Carmel

Westfield

New Pal

Gibson Southern

West Lafayette

HSE

Ben Davis

Valpo

Decatur Central

Honorable mentions- Brownsburg, Zionsville, Mt. Vernon, East Central, Lawrenceburg

 

 

I know you stated “at this time” but is there a more specific time frame you are judging these programs off of? Because if you’re going off this past year, Carmel should probably be lower with the huge flop they had against Brownsburg in sectionals. Carmel also majorly disappointed the year before losing to a Ben Davis team in regionals that they had beat 31-9 a few weeks earlier. But if you’re going off, say the past 5 years, HSE doesn’t even belong on this list.

Not trying to throw a slight at you or anything like that, just want know your basis for how you decided these.

Take with these with a grain of salt as it is pretty difficult to find information on teams in the off season. Any insight is appreciated

6A favorites: Cathedral

Can win it all: Ben Davis, Carmel, CG, Westfield, Warren Central

Longshots: HSE

5A favorites: Decatur Central, Merrillville

Can win it all: Michigan City, Valpo, FW Dwenger, FW Snider

Longshots: Harrison WL

4A favorites: Roncalli

Can win it all: Mount Vernon, East Central, Evansville Memorial, Leo

Longshots: Kokomo, Brebeuf, Northridge, New Pal, New Prairie, Lowell

3A favorites: Chatard

Can win it all: West Lafayette, Mishawaka Marian, Lawrenceburg

Longshots: Western Boone, Danville, Tri-West

2A favorites: Andrean

Can win it all: Evansville Mater Dei, Eastside, Fort Wayne Luers, Eastbrook

Longshots: LCC, Indy Scecina, Linton-Stockton

1A favorites: Adams Central, Indy Lutheran

Can win it all: Pioneer, Park Tudor, Covenant Christian

Longshots: North Judson, Churubusco, Parke Heritage

43 minutes ago, roaringthunderdlr said:

Is merrillville vs decatur a lock for 5A state?

Valpo and Michigan City certainly will have something to say about that. We’ll see how Merrillville is this year, losing some talent. DC has a much easier path, south is pretty weak. I agree they’re both probably the 2 favorites 

14 minutes ago, Warren Central Warrior said:

Warren Central got the very short end of the stick here. I don't see the Warriors winning state until 2024

How? Cakewalk sectional then a CG with massive talent losses in regionals is all they could ever ask for. Dodging Cathedral/Ben Davis until Semi State

Initial thoughts: Lafayette schools have to be happy. Jeff avoids any Indy schools until Semi State. Harrison doesn’t have it easy with Decatur Central and Plainfield but they’ll take that over Zionsville any day.

Sectional assignments are out

6a and 5a here

new numbers out

On 1/26/2022 at 10:59 AM, foxbat said:

The regular season for most coaches competing at the WL level means less than what's done in the post-season.  It's the reason that many of the top performing schools take losses in the season to go further in the post-season.

I just don't see the NCC, given what WL already has as being much of an upward jump for WL ... especially in looking at the added travel component.  Again, WL already has McCutcheon and Harrison/Jeff on their schedule while they are still in the Hoosier.  WL vs. Kokomo would be in roughly the same level as WL vs. Western.  Same with Logansport.  And they don't have to jump conferences.

As for the Hoosier pushing WL out, I don't see that happening unless something egregious happens.  At this time, WL provides a level of notoriety for the conference.  WL has won the HC in four seasons of the last decade and has often provided buzz that positively impacts the conference.  I'm not sure why the HC would want to push them out.

West Side’s toughest regular season game has been Jeff for the past 4 seasons, now their toughest game will be Harrison. Being able to play both of them every year would a bump up in difficulty. 

Also, Kokomo is probably a step or 2 above Western and trending up. Western lost twice last year to WL 69-19 and 44-0. Kokomo would give them much better games than that.

But I agree. If I’m the Hoosier conference, I’m begging WL to stay. With that being said.. if WL were to join the NCC and have a conference schedule filled with Jeff, Harrison, Kokomo, Marion (who has even been to semi-state twice within 5 years), and then have 2 non conference games to schedule probably LCC and a good 3a-6a. That’s a much better schedule to get them ready for the postseason. Yeah the travel could suck some years, but nothing too bad. WL has outgrown the Hoosier conference

On 1/20/2022 at 5:55 PM, HHF said:

 

Northwest Indiana Conferences :

Lowell in the Northwest Crossroads Conference - great football school, rabid fan following, huge home field advantage, active alumni

Wheeler in the GSSC - supporters love their Bearcats, aggressive coaching staff, solid over achieving kids

Valparaiso in the Duneland - great talent, big strong athletic kids, tremendous fan and alumni support, winning heritage

New Prairie in the NIC - hard nosed farm boys with high football intellect, winning mentality, great fan support

 

Not necessarily disagreeing with you, but what makes you choose Valpo over Merrillville? The pirates have been churning out some really good athletes in recent time

2 hours ago, scarab527 said:

I remember them getting blown out by LC about 5 or so years ago in sectional play too. Either way, they’ve only proven they can beat whoever the DAC doormat is that year

8 seasons ago but yeah. Jeff was getting blown out by everyone at the time. Pre Shanley era.

They haven’t had any other opportunities to prove themselves against other DAC teams. They would fit right in the Duneland from a competitive standpoint. Down year this year they will be back. 2019 Jeff team very well could have won the DAC

1 hour ago, scarab527 said:

I saw Jeff is playing Michigan City next year. I’d say that’s some “real competition”. The Bronchos have really struggled with the Duneland’s top teams. 

 Not really accurate. Apart from Jeff blowing out Lake Central a couple times in sectionals, Merrillville is the only Duneland team they have played in the past 3 seasons. 2 were blowout losses while one went down to the wire but they still lost.

But yeah they have certainly struggled with Merrillville 

2 minutes ago, HoopsCoach said:

True that many New Castle faithful said for many years that they would never leave the NCC.  It may just be my perception from being at Kokomo, but I felt like any administrator or AD to suggest leaving the conference would be immediately escorted out by the arms.

Why though? Outside of Jeff, Harrison and Kokomo the NCC is full of 4a and 5a cupcakes who have been stuck at the bottom of their class for 10+ years. The NCC is an overall weak conference in all sports, not just football.

Not to mention Harrison and Jeff are probably 2 steps ahead of Kokomo at this point. If Kokomo landed an opportunity to be in a package deal with them, they should jump all over that

1 hour ago, BDGiant93 said:

Nice sub-post. You can call me out by name. I was here eating my crow.

The Giants didn't ask for this route. It was given to them, and I'm sure it won't be given to them again in the next cycle.

Yeah I didn’t remember your username or I would have. I knew you were gonna see it, wasn’t a slight at you.

20 hours ago, temptation said:

BD should make the semi state annually in the current tournament format.  It should be a formality.

A regular season finale against annual MIC bottom feeder North Central, followed by a bye week and then two gimmes before the regional.

Gimme a break.  State championships are how the BD program measures itself.  Not wins over IPS, Perry Township and suburban schools.

Lol okay dude. They still have to play teams like Carmel and Brownsburg in regionals to get to semi-state. Not exactly pushovers. I know their sectional is a joke and they have the easiest path to semi-state. 

Just because they get blown out by one of the best hs teams Indiana has ever had doesn’t mean their program is down the drain. You act like anyone in the world besides the BD poster on here actually thought BD would win lol. Complete ignorance.

4 hours ago, HHF said:

Dandy Dozen - 12 Takeaways from the Semi state games

1. Most Impressive Looking Team - Zionsville

Wow, what a team! As much as we have talked about the Roncalli offensive line, I think the Zionsville one is even better. ZV has 6-6, 290lb Notre Dame recruit Joey Tanona. Roncalli doesnt. The Eagles also have 6-6, 275lb Joe Cannady, 6-2, 275lb Santiago Aguilar and 6-3, 250lb Joe Williams. They are rugged tough and trampled the Michigan City defensive line into submission. The Eagles have fast, great looking athletes all over the field. Scott Turnquist, along with the help of former ZV HC Larry McWhorter, have done a tremendous job with this program both in The HCC and in he post season tournament. And they have great looking uniforms to boot. The road whites with the silver helmets are spectacular.

2. Most Overmatched Team - Michigan City

The Wolves just didn't look like they belonged in a semi state game of this magnitude. Phil Mason found out that hanging close with the DAC heavyweights is not the same as taking on Indys finest.

3. Cinderella Team - Northridge

The Raiders went 5-4 and finished 5th in the NLC, and got beat with running clocks in their last two games of the regular season? Is 4A North really weak or is Northridge a miracle team? The Raiders have beaten Northwood, Columbia City, Leo, Mississinewa and New Prairie to reach the title game, the first in school history. Congratulations to Coach Chad Eppley and his staff, who are in their first year at the school. The Raiders will be heavy underdogs to Mt Vernon in the 4A championship game? Can they finish off the miracle post season?

4. Mr Clutch - Laban Davis / Eastside

Andrean was rolling, on its way to a 17-0 win over unbeaten Eastside when SR QB Laban Davis put the Blazers on his back and carried his team on a great comeback ride. EHS scored 2 late TDs to close the gap to 17-14 but fell just short, as the Fighting 59ers of Broadway in Merrillville held on for the win. Davis is a great leader and should be a Mr Football candidate.

5. Speaking of Merrillville, the era of 6A football at MHS may have come to a merciful end last night, as Westfield pounded the Proud Pirates 48-19, ending their dream season with an ear shattering thud. Enrollment is declining at MHS, and the program will likely drop to 5A in the next reclassification. The Pirates last won a big school state championship in 1976 under Hall of Fame Coach Ken Haupt, but its just not meant to be for this current bunch. The Pirates will be a nightmare for many schools in 5A, but the Indy blockade remains and will only get stiffer as the metro continues to outpace growth in other areas of the state.

6. Congratulations to Coach Andrew Totheroh and his Tri Titans, who made it all the way to the South Semi State before being led to a Lutheran Slaughter house on Friday night . Last nights game reminded me once again why there should be no private schools in Class 1A. If it needs to be explained in further detail, then you are just not paying attention.

7. I was flipping through all the games on the tremendous IHSAA $15 package last night, and I checked in on Center Grove and Ben Davis, with the Trojans holding a 10-6 lead in the 2nd quarter. 20 minutes later, I checked again and it was 38-6 Center Grove. My first reaction was to feel badly for the Giants. The Great Ben Davis Era is now officially over. The Giants, once chased by every school in Indiana, are now just another program left in the dust by Center Grove. Hard to fathom, hard to watch.

8. Was listening to the Bob Lovell Show late last night, and regular guest Paul Condry of Regional Sports Radio Network raised the possibility of a 6 game southern sweep in the finals next week. The collective psyche of northern 5A and 6A football took a big hit last night. A 6 game southern sweep certainly wouldn't help the overall outlook of the rest of the classes.

9. Vince Lidy's Mt Vernon Marauders saved the IHSAA from the possibility of seeing a 5 class private school sweep in 1A thru 5A when they took out Evansville Memorial 42-28 in the 4A south semi state. MV is a scoring machine and they outdueled the bigger and stronger Tigers, finally shutting down Memorial in the second half. Coach Lidy should get some consideration in the Coach of the Year balloting. MV has come out of the enormous shadows of New Palestine and Roncalli and become a force of its own.

10. Andrew Smith, who does New Pal play by play along with a host of other media related activities said last night on the Lovell Show that he sees a possible upset brewing in either of the 5A or 6A championship games. Zionsville and Westfield are both playing at a very high level right now. Cathedral and Center Grove might have been lulled to sleep due to a lack of good post season competition. The Eagles and Rocks will be coming in with a razor sharp edge. Should be fun to watch.

11. Brebeuf handed Mishawaka Marian its 5th consecutive semi state loss. The Knights last played for a state championship in 1976. The Braves are a mystery, as they fly below the radar and were not expected to get past West Lafayette and make it out of the sectional. We would love to hear from Coach Geske this week.

12. Tri West and Gibson Southern should be a terrific matchup this afternoon in the 3A South semi state. The Bruins have one of the most active, aggressive defensive lines in football, and the Titans will counter with strong armed thrower Brady Allen. Should be a tight game and could go either way.

7. Really? You’re speaking like Ben Davis is some underwhelming program or something. They made it back to Semi-state once again. They are fine. CG has blown almost everyone out.

11. Speak for yourself saying Brebeuf was flying under the radar and “wasn’t expected to make it out of the sectional.” Most people were picking them to beat West Lafayette and make it to the title game. They were arguably the favorite in 3a from the beginning of the postseason. Don’t know where that came from.

Lafayette Jeff 0 Merrillville 0 end of 1Q

Jeff drives to Merrillville’s 1 on first drive but get stuffed. Merrillville currently in the red zone 

Jeff responds with their own goal line stand. Score still 0-0 10:26 2Q

57 minutes ago, Yuccaguy said:

If ANYBODY took this as a "parlay" you'd be better off just using your cash as fire-tinder! 

Its the Sectional Finals, sure those who are favored might win, but the spread at this time of year...  +3 across the board, IMO!  No way double-digits on anything is a starting point....These teams are too good...ALL OF THEM!  

It’s impossible to take this as a parlay lol. These aren’t picks, simply the spreads I created. 

So Columbus North and Decatur Central will lose by less than 10 to Center Grove and Cathedral? Come on…

This is the early postseason of high school football in Indiana, not the NFL. There will be lots of blowouts this week, there are many subpar teams playing. There is a 3-7 team playing this week. There are multiple teams with losing records playing. I left out dozens of games.

Tons of great games across the state this week. Reminder these are made up point spreads. Lots of good games so will be leaving out some, apologies if your team isn’t included.
 

Example: (-7) indicates team is favored by 7 points. (+7) would indicate team is a 7 point underdog. pk (Pick ‘em) indicates there is no favorite or underdog

Example: HSE at Westfield (-4.5) is the exact same thing as HSE (+4.5) at Westfield

GOTW: Carmel (-2) at Brownsburg 

HSE at Westfield (-4.5)

Merrillville (-25) at Lafayette Jeff

Chesterton (-5) at Penn

Warsaw at FW Carroll (-11)

Columbus North at Center Grove (-36)

Lawrence North (-4) at LawrenceCentral

Michigan City at Mishawaka (-6.5)

FW Snider (-5.5) at FW Dwenger

Cathedral (-31) at Decatur Central

Whiteland (-2.5) at New Pal 

Evansville Memorial at Northview (-5)

Hobart (-3) at Lowell

Chatard at Roncalli (-7.5)

Eastside at FW Luers (-9)

Eastbrook (-12) at Tipton

LCC (pk) at Speedway

Not incredibly surprising to me. Harrison was up 21-14 going into the 2nd quarter, which means they did not score for the final 3 quarters of the game. They are a run heavy team that runs the triple option I believe. Hard to be that one dimensional and beat a team of Zionsville’s caliber. I think it all boils down to strength of schedule, the NCC is horrible aside from Jeff and occasionally Marion and Kokomo. Harrison and Jeff will never truly be ready for the postseason until they ditch the NCC. Harrison scoring 21 in the first quarter shows they have the talent to compete, but these Indy schools go to war each week, they know how to win a dog fight. Harrison had 2 tough games all year, week 1 against Westfield and week 4 against Jeff. Until these Lafayette schools ditch the NCC, it would take a really special team to beat programs such as Zionsville.

2 hours ago, Johnsnow said:

Good lord, give me Elkhart and New Prairie and name the max.  Free Money.  Id take Marian too.

 

Penn won the first game 31-3. You know something I don’t?