2025 Duneland Conference Preview

[23andCounting]

1 hour ago, Rodney said:

its time to take the rose tinted glasses off and join the hate parade. since 2000 we've had what, one victor north of carmel?

So to qualify as a respectful program, you have to be one of the best 6 or 7 teams in 6A. Got it. The North should start out with three programs that have potential to be respectful, but in the end, there will be only one. East Central and Decatur Central don't qualify. New Pal probably because they return a lot of starters from what I hear. The Dragon's will go back to non-respectable next season more than likely. 

Edited June 28, 2025 by 23andCounting

[temptation]

3 hours ago, 23andCounting said:

Jimmy Sullivan transferring to Carroll to play for Dinan didn't do Sparty any favors. The Millers had the luxury of catching Homestead during some of their most mediocre ball of the 22 year Chad Zolman era. Odds are that they'll trend back up. 

I’m old enough to remember when a one win Noblesville took Homestead to the brink…

It’s just different down here man.

Edited June 28, 2025 by temptation

[Flyingangel]

On 6/27/2025 at 10:24 AM, temptation said:

Back on topic…

Crown Point/Pike this fall will tell us a lot.

I know it’s early in the season and just one data point but if Crown Point wants to be taken seriously they need to win that game by double digits.

What happens if they lose? And Merrillville down the road can stay within 14 of there week 2 opponent? Heard there opponent is harder than anyone this state has to offer? 
 

and can’t the DAC do like a challenge with another conference where like let’s say week 2 all teams play someone from same conference?

[Flyingangel]

On 6/27/2025 at 11:10 AM, Justasportsfan said:

Eh, from an outsiders pov...I think think the Vikings reclaim the top spot this year. Cp had a good run of talent recently and I would like to see if they can keep reloading...that rb/qb D1 combo would make a lot of teams look bad the past few years. Valpo is "due" for a Duneland title.

Personal opinion there are 3 gaps in duneland 

 

crown point
Medium gap

merrillville

medium gap

valpo

tiny gap

Rest of duneland

On 6/27/2025 at 12:36 PM, RegionFBFan said:

I have the utmost respect for Bill Marshall at Valpo. Yes they are due for a nice run but I don’t see them getting by CP and Merrillville. I think it’s Merrillville, CP then Valpo in the DAC this year. Team on the rise is LC. Coach K doing a good job with this program.

As stated before, CP lost some very good skill players. Tough to replace but I heard Buzea went into the portal and found a QB.

What makes you pick Merrillville over crown point?

[Justasportsfan]

3 minutes ago, Flyingangel said:

Personal opinion there are 3 gaps in duneland 

 

crown point
Medium gap

merrillville

medium gap

valpo

tiny gap

Rest of duneland

Ur saying the torch has been passed? Valpo carried the banner for that conference quite some time..

[23andCounting]

4 hours ago, temptation said:

It’s just different down here man.

I follow Snider first and foremost, so not that much different. 

[23andCounting]

4 hours ago, temptation said:

I’m old enough to remember when a one win Noblesville took Homestead to the brink…

That means nothing to me. Homestead played that game half asleep until they needed to wake up enough to win. The following week they played the best team in the state (Carmel) even up for a half without their best player.

[RegionFBFan]

I stated why on an earlier post. CP has to replace a lot of their offensive production from last year and when it comes to skill players, CP can’t come close Merrillville. 

Merrillville loses a lot at wr and db but they just reload every year at those positions. Their RB tandem is outstanding. Their issue has been quality QB play and I believe that issue is resolved this season with the transfer QB that had limited eligibility last season. 

[23andCounting]

18 minutes ago, RegionFBFan said:

I stated why on an earlier post. CP has to replace a lot of their offensive production from last year and when it comes to skill players, CP can’t come close Merrillville. 

Merrillville loses a lot at wr and db but they just reload every year at those positions. Their RB tandem is outstanding. Their issue has been quality QB play and I believe that issue is resolved this season with the transfer QB that had limited eligibility last season. 

One of the best pound for pound programs in the state, they'll get their fair share of unfair criticism all season long. 

For those of you who need an education regarding "pound for pound." Pretend that the Pirates had the same enrollment as Ben Davis or Warren Central. Good grief. 

[Sparty]

50 minutes ago, RegionFBFan said:

I stated why on an earlier post. CP has to replace a lot of their offensive production from last year and when it comes to skill players, CP can’t come close Merrillville. 

Merrillville loses a lot at wr and db but they just reload every year at those positions. Their RB tandem is outstanding. Their issue has been quality QB play and I believe that issue is resolved this season with the transfer QB that had limited eligibility last season. 

Who is the transfer QB and where did he transfer from?

[temptation]

1 hour ago, Flyingangel said:

What happens if they lose? And Merrillville down the road can stay within 14 of there week 2 opponent? Heard there opponent is harder than anyone this state has to offer? 
 

and can’t the DAC do like a challenge with another conference where like let’s say week 2 all teams play someone from same conference?

Crown Point, while admirably scheduling this game, honestly has lose/lose situation from an optics standpoint.

If they win, it will be spun as “well, it’s just Pike” (annually a bottom tier MIC unit)…

If they lose, it’ll reinforce the belief of many (including myself) that the only serious 6A football is played in Hamilton, Marion and Hendricks counties.

44 minutes ago, 23andCounting said:

One of the best pound for pound programs in the state, they'll get their fair share of unfair criticism all season long. 

For those of you who need an education regarding "pound for pound." Pretend that the Pirates had the same enrollment as Ben Davis or Warren Central. Good grief. 

I’m on board with this.

Edited June 29, 2025 by temptation

[Flyingangel]

4 hours ago, Justasportsfan said:

Ur saying the torch has been passed? Valpo carried the banner for that conference quite some time..

We can agree to disagree. Winning a title doesn’t mean they have the banner. If you gotta lay it out the last decade Merrillville has carried the conference. With valpo 2nd. And everyone else fighting for 3rd.

but the last 5 years it’s crown point, Merrillville, valpo. 
 

people forget Merrillville was doing stuff in 6A that no school in the DAC was able to do before them. Crown point has now cracked that by making state. 

Edited June 29, 2025 by Flyingangel
Misspelled

[Flyingangel]

3 hours ago, Sparty said:

Who is the transfer QB and where did he transfer from?

The transfer is Michael hill JR. I can not confirm the following. if I was told correctly the young man was at pierce in 8th grade and then transferred out to a school in Illinois and played some as a freshman on varsity. And then transferred back to Merrillville as a sophomore and was supposed to be the starter but the IHSAA game him limited eligibility he was there in QB last year till right here state tourney. If his highlight tape is correct he started playing for them limited on varsity the last game of year. Kids arm is solid and he is extremely mobile. The junior from last year supposedly quit or didn’t go out for team this year. If the kid is as good as advertised Merrillville going by stats will have 3 people in their backfield that all ran for 1000 yards last season except QB did it on jv. That’s was I have gathered looking into them. 

[Flyingangel]

3 hours ago, Sparty said:

Who is the transfer QB and where did he transfer from?

This is what I found by researching him 

[Flyingangel]

3 hours ago, Sparty said:

Who is the transfer QB and where did he transfer from?

I found where he came from. He came from mount carmel (IL)

[23andCounting]

9 hours ago, temptation said:

If they lose, it’ll reinforce the belief of many (including myself) that the only serious 6A football is played in Hamilton, Marion and Hendricks counties.

Insulting considering The Region and Fort Wayne represented the north two of the past three season. Then you have Snider wasting WC on their home field a couple seasons ago. Can't say football isn't serious up here Temp. I get it, by and large, the rest of the state can't match up with Indy's massive enrollments and high paid coaches, but there's some good programs up here nonetheless. I remember a time when the HCC was a tune-up game for the northern powers. The gap will close, it's just a matter of time. 

Edited June 29, 2025 by 23andCounting

[Sparty]

6 hours ago, Flyingangel said:

I found where he came from. He came from mount carmel (IL)

Thank you

[RegionFBFan]

7 hours ago, Flyingangel said:

The transfer is Michael hill JR. I can not confirm the following. if I was told correctly the young man was at pierce in 8th grade and then transferred out to a school in Illinois and played some as a freshman on varsity. And then transferred back to Merrillville as a sophomore and was supposed to be the starter but the IHSAA game him limited eligibility he was there in QB last year till right here state tourney. If his highlight tape is correct he started playing for them limited on varsity the last game of year. Kids arm is solid and he is extremely mobile. The junior from last year supposedly quit or didn’t go out for team this year. If the kid is as good as advertised Merrillville going by stats will have 3 people in their backfield that all ran for 1000 yards last season except QB did it on jv. That’s was I have gathered looking into them. 

Yes, that is him. He can play! 

[temptation]

1 hour ago, 23andCounting said:

Insulting considering The Region and Fort Wayne represented the north two of the past three season. Then you have Snider wasting WC on their home field a couple seasons ago. Can't say football isn't serious up here Temp. I get it, by and large, the rest of the state can't match up with Indy's massive enrollments and high paid coaches, but there's some good programs up here nonetheless. I remember a time when the HCC was a tune-up game for the northern powers. The gap will close, it's just a matter of time. 

“Good programs” sure.  

But I don’t see that gap closing anytime soon…if anything it’ll get larger.

[Flyingangel]

1 hour ago, RegionFBFan said:

Yes, that is him. He can play! 

He is intriguing I look forward to seeing how he does against Loyola and crown point. I won’t see either matchup as Merrillville is not the team I watch weekly. But I do hope Merrillville allows live stream of the Loyola game 

[CoachGallogly]

It’s been 25 years since a northern team (Penn) won the biggest class. And 48 years since someone from the region accomplished such a feat. 
 

The gap at the top is noticeable…the gap in depth is enormous. 

[Rodney]

On 6/28/2025 at 4:02 PM, 23andCounting said:

So to qualify as a respectful program, you have to be one of the best 6 or 7 teams in 6A. Got it. The North should start out with three programs that have potential to be respectful, but in the end, there will be only one. East Central and Decatur Central don't qualify. New Pal probably because they return a lot of starters from what I hear. The Dragon's will go back to non-respectable next season more 

In my eyes to be respectful you need to have at least had a prayer of winning the whole thing in the last 2 decades and put up a decent fight on your down years

[23andCounting]

9 hours ago, temptation said:

“Good programs” sure.  

But I don’t see that gap closing anytime soon…if anything it’ll get larger.

As good as you're going to get considering enrollments and pay scales. I honestly think some coaches put family before ego. Kudos to them. 

[Justasportsfan]

18 hours ago, Flyingangel said:

We can agree to disagree. Winning a title doesn’t mean they have the banner. If you gotta lay it out the last decade Merrillville has carried the conference. With valpo 2nd. And everyone else fighting for 3rd.

but the last 5 years it’s crown point, Merrillville, valpo. 
 

people forget Merrillville was doing stuff in 6A that no school in the DAC was able to do before them. Crown point has now cracked that by making state. 

U got it.. I thought within the last decade or so valpo had been winning the conference..mea culpa

[temptation]

1 hour ago, 23andCounting said:

As good as you're going to get considering enrollments and pay scales. I honestly think some coaches put family before ego. Kudos to them. 

Don’t forget SES…😉