Week 5 Takeaways

[Komets2727]

1 hour ago, Rodney said:

with numbers like that they have to be closing the gap with Merrillville

Yeah, only need 40+ more college level players to get to that level…

[BLACKGOLD2007]

6 hours ago, Coach Lou said:

Don't count Warsaw out yet. Last year we wrote them off after loosing to Plymouth and the Tigers ended ups making it to Lucas Oil.

Concord's win is impressive.

Mishawaka may be the real deal. I hear they had 53 by half this week and actually threw the ball some.

 

They played Goshen. That is like claiming that Penn is back because they have held their last three opponents to 20 points total while scoring 165....They played Riley, Washington and Marian. That isn't a pat on the back. They took care of business like they were supposed to. 

Mishawaka lost credibility when they crapped away a 16-0 lead over Penn and lost by 6. No team from North Central Indiana should be taken seriously right now. Concord on down, we are all paper tigers until I am proven otherwise. 

[23andCounting]

10 minutes ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

Mishawaka lost credibility when they crapped away a 16-0 lead over Penn and lost by 6.

No team from North Central Indiana should be taken seriously right now. Concord on down, we are all paper tigers until I am proven otherwise. 

Love your take, but in all fairness, it is a 4A program taking on a large 6A program.

[BLACKGOLD2007]

5 hours ago, BDGiant93 said:

So you disagree?

 

2 hours ago, temptation said:

I guess it depends upon how deep your list of “top teams in 6A” goes.

I mean there are only 32 in the class and think Warren is in the top-third.  I think a couple of 6A teams behind them in my poll could also hold their own.

They seem to like to turn the ball over…can get away with that against the bottom feeders and a down BD squad but the teams atop 6A will punish you for it.

Penn beats Warren, change my mind.... hahahahaha

In all seriousness I am kidding I just want to bring you two into agreement, that no Penn would not beat Warren. 

[23andCounting]

Warren Central's program is an up and down yoyo. They're still pretty good during the down years due to an enrollment of 3700 kids. No stability there with regard to coaching, just a bunch of natural talent.

 

[BLACKGOLD2007]

2 minutes ago, 23andCounting said:

Love your take, but in all fairness, it is a 4A program taking on a large 6A program.

Goshen is a modest sized 5A team that got taken to the shed against a 4A team. The size of the school in the situation of Penn coming back against Mishawaka had nothing to do with the outcome of the game. Mishawaka came into the game more prepared and with more passion. Penn eventually got their feet under them and was able to exert their will. Only giving up 6 points over the next three quarters. This was against an unproven Penn, and to this point in the season Penn is still unproven.

We have seen 4A and 5A teams upset their larger counterparts in the past, yes it is the exception to the rule.

Mishawaka, Penn, Elkhart and Concord are about as reliable in the playoffs as used diaper.

28 minutes ago, 23andCounting said:

Warren Central's program is an up and down yoyo. They're still pretty good during the down years due to an enrollment of 3700 kids. No stability there with regard to coaching, just a bunch of natural talent.

 

They should have brought Wright back. They would pop off another 4 or 5 season run of state titles. 

[BDGiant93]

3 hours ago, temptation said:

I guess it depends upon how deep your list of “top teams in 6A” goes.

I mean there are only 32 in the class and think Warren is in the top-third.  I think a couple of 6A teams behind them in my poll could also hold their own.

They seem to like to turn the ball over…can get away with that against the bottom feeders and a down BD squad but the teams atop 6A will punish you for it.

Fair.

[temptation]

Just now, BDGiant93 said:

Fair.

I'd have Warren as significant underdogs against Brownsburg, Center Grove, Carmel, Westfield and Lawrence North.  Big drop off after that.  (I know Fishers beat LN.)

I'd have Warren as slight favorites against Fishers, Hamilton Southeastern, Avon, Lawrence Central, Decatur Central, and Cathedral.  Another big drop off after that.

[BDGiant93]

14 minutes ago, temptation said:

I'd have Warren as significant underdogs against Brownsburg, Center Grove, Carmel, Westfield and Lawrence North.  Big drop off after that.  (I know Fishers beat LN.)

I'd have Warren as slight favorites against Fishers, Hamilton Southeastern, Avon, Lawrence Central, Decatur Central, and Cathedral.  Another big drop off after that.

Mark the tape. We're in agreement.

[US31]

1 hour ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

They played Goshen. That is like claiming that Penn is back because they have held their last three opponents to 20 points total while scoring 165....They played Riley, Washington and Marian. That isn't a pat on the back. They took care of business like they were supposed to. 

Mishawaka lost credibility when they crapped away a 16-0 lead over Penn and lost by 6. No team from North Central Indiana should be taken seriously right now. Concord on down, we are all paper tigers until I am proven otherwise. 

"True North" Indiana is 20 years late on MAJOR realignment in all athletic conferences....I would include the SAC & DAC in that...althought those conferences are "healthy" conferences....they could make a few changes and be really solid conferences.  The driving distances/time change issues are just an excuse.  

Both metro Indy schools and "rural" schools have way more driving on the average Friday night.

[BLACKGOLD2007]

10 minutes ago, US31 said:

"True North" Indiana is 20 years late on MAJOR realignment in all athletic conferences....I would include the SAC & DAC in that...althought those conferences are "healthy" conferences....they could make a few changes and be really solid conferences.  The driving distances/time change issues are just an excuse.  

Both metro Indy schools and "rural" schools have way more driving on the average Friday night.

I don't disagree. I think most of the NIC schools would like to see Penn leave in Football, which actually open it up as a small school conference and they could bring back some of the smaller schools that left. 

If Penn left in all sports then I think the more natural route would be head west to the DAC, I think Elkhart may try to squeeze into the NLC, if not they may tag along with Penn as a package deal. 

At this point idk if the DAC would even be interested in Penn and Elkhart. I think the SAC bigger schools would be interested in teaming up in a conference. 

SAC Big - Penn, Elkhart, Snider, Carroll, Dwenger, Homestead and Northrop that is a decent division (worst case you go to Ft. Wayne 3 times in the regular season). 6 conference games 3 non. Penn gets to keep Mishawaka and Valpo on their schedule and could go search after a game with another DAC school (CP or Mville) or head south and do a meet and greet with Westfield, HSE or Fishers. 

[23andCounting]

48 minutes ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

Mishawaka, Penn, Elkhart and Concord are about as reliable in the playoffs as used diaper.

I was impressed with Mishawaka in 2022 & 2023. I felt like they played as well as they possibly could against a better opponent. Hard to find fault in them during those years. Last year East Noble was playing at a very high level during the playoffs. So no shame in losing that game either. I can't speak to there performances prior to that. 

52 minutes ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

They should have brought Wright back. They would pop off another 4 or 5 season run of state titles. 

Or 6 or 7 if he were there ten years. Fifteen years ago, I would have said 9. He'd be down to 6 or 7 with the emergence of programs like Brownsburg or Center Grove. 

[23andCounting]

3 minutes ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

SAC Big - Penn, Elkhart, Snider, Carroll, Dwenger, Homestead and Northrop that is a decent division (worst case you go to Ft. Wayne 3 times in the regular season). 6 conference games 3 non. 

Now that I can get on board with. 

[BLACKGOLD2007]

24 minutes ago, 23andCounting said:

I was impressed with Mishawaka in 2022 & 2023. I felt like they played as well as they possibly could against a better opponent. Hard to find fault in them during those years. Last year East Noble was playing at a very high level during the playoffs. So no shame in losing that game either. I can't speak to there performances prior to that. 

 

I agree I thought those Mishawaka teams were good, but they don't seem to get over that hump. I think they have had only a few trips to semi-state and only one visit to state. I just do not trust teams from the Elkhart/St. Joe county areas anymore. 

[23andCounting]

11 minutes ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

I agree I thought those Mishawaka teams were good, but they don't seem to get over that hump. I think they have had only a few trips to semi-state and only one visit to state. I just do not trust teams from the Elkhart/St. Joe county areas anymore. 

Mishawaka is on the cusp, they'll get there I think. Looking forward to hopefully a matchup with them and East Noble/Dwenger.

[BLACKGOLD2007]

1 hour ago, 23andCounting said:

Mishawaka is on the cusp, they'll get there I think. Looking forward to hopefully a matchup with them and East Noble/Dwenger.

🤷‍♂️time will tell.

[PDB26]

8 hours ago, 23andCounting said:

Warren Central's program is an up and down yoyo. They're still pretty good during the down years due to an enrollment of 3700 kids. No stability there with regard to coaching, just a bunch of natural talent.

 

I only watched Warsaw play Warren and Concord on the internet, so that might negate anything I have to say, but Warren would maul Concord's offensive line and their defense would play much freer against Concord's much more conventional offense. Warsaw is way too unconventional in their scheme and strategy to infer that Concord's margin against them would translate in a matchup with Warren. Concord might have manhandled Warsaw on the scoreboard, but Warren manhandled them physically.

7 hours ago, US31 said:

"True North" Indiana is 20 years late on MAJOR realignment in all athletic conferences....I would include the SAC & DAC in that...althought those conferences are "healthy" conferences....they could make a few changes and be really solid conferences.  The driving distances/time change issues are just an excuse.  

Both metro Indy schools and "rural" schools have way more driving on the average Friday night.

Maybe the large northern schools, specifically in the Region and Michiana, have actually been playing the long game with the state's demographic shift while they await their eventual return to 5A. Some visionary administrators will be needed if northern 6A's ever hope to have a shot at state. As it stands those schools need to luck into a year where they have one of their best teams ever while about 10 or so Indy metro schools are having a down year at the same time.

7 hours ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

I don't disagree. I think most of the NIC schools would like to see Penn leave in Football, which actually open it up as a small school conference and they could bring back some of the smaller schools that left. 

If Penn left in all sports then I think the more natural route would be head west to the DAC, I think Elkhart may try to squeeze into the NLC, if not they may tag along with Penn as a package deal. 

At this point idk if the DAC would even be interested in Penn and Elkhart. I think the SAC bigger schools would be interested in teaming up in a conference. 

SAC Big - Penn, Elkhart, Snider, Carroll, Dwenger, Homestead and Northrop that is a decent division (worst case you go to Ft. Wayne 3 times in the regular season). 6 conference games 3 non. Penn gets to keep Mishawaka and Valpo on their schedule and could go search after a game with another DAC school (CP or Mville) or head south and do a meet and greet with Westfield, HSE or Fishers. 

The Big SAC is a great idea, even if impossible to imagine given the longer and less direct route between Penn and Fort Wayne as compared to traveling to the duneland. 

Edited September 23, 2025 by PDB26

[WestfieldRocks]

16 hours ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

Goshen is a modest sized 5A team that got taken to the shed against a 4A team. The size of the school in the situation of Penn coming back against Mishawaka had nothing to do with the outcome of the game. Mishawaka came into the game more prepared and with more passion. Penn eventually got their feet under them and was able to exert their will. Only giving up 6 points over the next three quarters. This was against an unproven Penn, and to this point in the season Penn is still unproven.

We have seen 4A and 5A teams upset their larger counterparts in the past, yes it is the exception to the rule.

Mishawaka, Penn, Elkhart and Concord are about as reliable in the playoffs as used diaper.

They should have brought Wright back. They would pop off another 4 or 5 season run of state titles. 

Could WC afford Wright? Carmel had no problem in that area. 

[Just a dad]

22 hours ago, Rodney said:

the idea that an 18 year old kid plays exactly the same after a multi hour bus ride, as he would on his home field makes so little sense that I have to believe that the study you're referencing is inherently flawed.

 

 

 

A bigger factor than travel is wether or not his girlfriend was chatting with some other guy on social media that day or if the girl he has a crush on is dating someone else and won’t let him side into her DM’s. There are so many things that affect the mindset of a teenager on any given day. The mind of a teenage boy is the number one variable in the success of the team. 

[23andCounting]

4 hours ago, WestfieldRocks said:

Could WC afford Wright? Carmel had no problem in that area. 

Purdue or Ball State could. What do they have to lose?

[Komets2727]

1 hour ago, 23andCounting said:

Purdue or Ball State could. What do they have to lose?

Many Purdue fans are happy with Odom and like the direction they are going 

[Justasportsfan]

11 minutes ago, Komets2727 said:

Many Purdue fans are happy with Odom and like the direction they are going 

Yes, and if they win one more for the gipper, they will beat vegas. 2 wins and they're thrilled! 

[Komets2727]

6 minutes ago, Justasportsfan said:

Yes, and if they win one more for the gipper, they will beat vegas. 2 wins and they're thrilled! 

Their best chance to get that 3rd win is at Northwestern. I really don’t see another possible won on their schedule…

[Justasportsfan]

14 hours ago, PDB26 said:

 

Maybe the large northern schools, specifically in the Region and Michiana, have actually been playing the long game with the state's demographic shift while they await their eventual return to 5A. Some visionary administrators will be needed if northern 6A's ever hope to have a shot at state. As it stands those schools need to luck into a year where they have one of their best teams ever while about 10 or so Indy metro schools are having a down year at the same time.

 

Been saying this for years, go to 7 classes, with the mega classes competing for hardware the first sectional contest. If you are a 7a program, you compete for titles from jump. Schedule has always been the sticking point. Move the first game on saturday to 9am and have the last matchup begin at 8p. More money and more communities at LOS.

[Rodney]

I'm all for adding more games to the state championship weekend

(see my idea for all of them to be best of 5s)


but do we really need to make a whole new class just so nwi has a chance?