Boilernation

Hoping Cathedral can win this one. Loyola is a likely a Top 5 8A team in Illinois this year. The Ramblers aren't short of top shelf talent either: 6'3 Jr TE with offers from a majority of the Top 25 6'4 Jr QB with some mid tier Big Ten offers 5'11 JR RB with offers from Auburn, BC, Colorado, Purdue, Kansas, Wisconsin, and Northwestern. 6'3 SR DL committed to North Dakota 6'1 SR LB committed to Boston College 6'6 SR TE commited to Boston College

I don't like any ranking that puts Penn and Crown Point behind Merrillville. And their info on Crown Point is wrong. They beat Lowell 42-7 and played Chicago Taft 3 years ago. The Pike Red Devils will be visiting Crown Point on Friday night.

Is the Georgia team a prep school? I did notice last year they played some heavy hitters and the losses were close scores. This should be interesting. Yes, Ames Field in Michigan City is a gem. Did you watch the Chicago Mt. Carmel / East St. Louis game? Those 2 teams have high end D1 talent all over the field. Clearly a regional All Star team type of feel to them. I noticed you have Lincoln Way East ranked with Chicago Brother Rice. Did you add LWE for beating Rice on Friday? I didn't watch that one. But, I have a hard time believing the top 10 teams in Indiana aren't as good as Lincoln Way East. Their enrollment is about 2,600. Area is fairly white collar. A lof new development south of Orland Park in Frankfort. They probably lose some good talent to Providence Catholic or Joliet Catholic. Just seems like they can't be any better than a Carmel, Westfield, Warren Central, etc.

That's why I was thinking about the transfers above. I get that North Side currently is a trendy place for transfers. But, it could always be better. Especially if you have celebrity coach cranking out D1 talent AND winning. Interesting situation.

Is it safe to assume Jaylon is a popular figure in Fort Wayne and the youth look to him as a celebrity? I can't help buy wonder how his hire changes the landscape in Fort Wayne if he's there for the long haul and can build a competitive 5A team. I would think that would make North a trendy location for transfers.

Tech's DL had absolutely no answer for a Noblesville OL that has 2 high end D1 recruits. It was pretty bad. My understanding is a lot of the new white collar developments towards the south end of St. John feed into Hanover Central and not Lake Central. I guess it was only a matter of time until the South Lake Country development finally reached Hanover. Ha...Yeah, I'm sure the locals would not be happy. Especially the old guard of Crown Point who have never seen this level of domination over their rival.

LOL...And of course it would be Lane Kiffin who wants to bring in that WR. https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/ole-miss-fbi-sweep-bugs-lane-kiffin-lsu/

Yikes, Michigan City is playing Detroit Cass Tech this week.

Jaylon Smith is an interesting choice. Has he been assisting with North Side?

And I know that's why it'll never stop. But, mercy, RDP is no longer competitive in this game. Their only points this time was from stripping a CP ball carrier and returning it for a TD.

Death, Taxes, and Evansville Memorial has a QB. That kid was throwing some very nice balls against Jasper on Friday night. The TD pass while rolling to his left in the 1st half was an elite throw. I have a feeling GIbson Southern should be higher than 6. Big one this weekend for Reitz as the younger Sorgi visits the Bowl.

I drove by there a few weeks ago. The new pressbox is looking VERY nice on top of their home stands.

North Central has a few elite offensive playmakers. There offense has the potential to make a lot of games interesting. Tech, to be nice, is really bad. Noblesville would have been better off playing their own JV team. Michigan City looked very small and Hanover had the clear talent advantage. This could be a bounce back year for Hanover Central. How about Crown Point vs. Lowell? RDP has been outscored 208-28 going back to the 2022 game. Is it time to shelve this classic rivalry? Crown Point would be better served to schedule outside of the Region in Weeks 1 and 2.

New Pal's lines and overall team looked to be playing the toughest late into the 4th. There were times when SF's OL looked gassed. SF's speed at the skill positions also seemed to catch New Pal a little off gaurd. A lot of uncharacteristic missed tackles in the 1st half. Couldn't keep SF off the field on 3rd downs. SF's 1st TD drive went 17 plays. Enjoyable crew. Good humor. No homerism. Seemed like they did their research on SF.

Hat's off to the New Pal crew for scrambling to get the feed straightened out in the 1st quarter and putting out a great product. 1st time listening to that crew. Well done. Great coverage. Halftime interview with Coach Ralph was good as well. Loved his honesty that Saint Francis caught them off guard with the D they were running and they were going to adjust to it at the half.

More so that they are now the biggest HS in the Region and have the financial resources to be good at sports, all across the board. They fit in more with the Hoosier Crossroads than the Duneland at this point. Buz came in and built the football program that a school with their size and money should have.

And I'm assuming this really doesn't surprise anyone in The Fort.

Final: New Palestine sends the Illinois defending 5A Champs back to the Chicago burbs with a 28-17 loss.

58 yards TD pass on 3rd and long. SF was playing for the run. Ralph is the man. New Palestine: 28 Wheaton St. Francis: 17 A little over 1 minute to go.

4th down deep ball is incomplete. New Pal ball at their own 39 with a few minutes left.

New Pal is killing themselves. Couldn't execute a 4th and 1 and fumbled. SF ball from the New Pal 38.

3 and out for SF. New Pal getting the ball at the SF 46. SF's OL looks gassed.

84 yard TD run for the QB! Great play call. SF D was completely fooled. 21-17 New Pal. 8:32 to go

3rd and 21 for SF. Big tackle for a loss. INT for New Pal on a hail mary throw. New Pal takes over from their own 16.

NP should have ran up the gut from the 1. 2nd down play is an INT returned back to the New Pal 40.