5A

[BTF]

2023 looks to be stacked at the top with at least four teams. It’s looking like the usual suspects once again.

 

1.           Valparaiso – With 19 starters returning from last years state title team, this is a pretty easy pick at the #1 position. They would easily qualify as a Top 10 team in 6A this year. They’ll get their opportunity in 2024 after graduating most of the guys who made the prior two years successful. This is a major glitch in how the success factor works.

2.           Snider – The panthers return half their team and will have a chip on their shoulder after missing a golden opportunity last year to win their third state title. Look for Snider to be as good as they were last year and make another run at the title.

3.           Merrillville – The Pirates are another team that felt they had a good shot in 2022. They just happened to be the victim of a team hitting on all cylinders at the right time. We might as well get used to the fact that Merrillville will be in the conversation every year, they just seem to reload.

4.           North Side – The Legend’s coach feels that his team is stronger and faster than a year before. If that’s the case, they’ll be a dangerous team to face for any team at any level.  It doesn’t hurt to have, arguably, the best player in the state of Indiana and half their starters back from a team last year that was one play away from taking out Snider in the sectionals and a touchdown behind a very good Carroll team.

5.           Decatur Central – It’s been said by the Indy fan base that this growing community will produce solid football teams for years to come. It appears they lose too much from a year ago for me to have them any higher than the 5 spot.

 

I have a hard time creating a complete list not knowing much about what the south has to offer this year. I just know that the north is stacked at the top. Would love to see some opinions from all parts of the state.

 

Honorable Mention:

Dwenger – It’s hard to leave a program like this out the conversation. They have a coach going into his fifth season. His first two years were very successful with an enormous amount of talent at his disposal. The past two seasons have been average at best. I’m betting on an uptick this season. Dwenger is a machine that rebuilds from within. Off years are an anomaly for the Saints. Up next: Brownsburg…….good luck, God strength, and God speed.

 

[Staxawax]

15 hours ago, BTF said:

2023 looks to be stacked at the top with at least four teams. It’s looking like the usual suspects once again.

 

They would easily qualify as a Top 10 team in 6A this year. 

 

 

doubtful

[BTF]

5 hours ago, Staxawax said:

doubtful

Beating the likes of Center Grove, Brownsburg, Warren Central, Hamilton Southeastern, or Carroll would be a chore............I wouldn't bet on that. I don't think placing them somewhere between 6-10 is unrealistic. Nineteen returning starters, big line, good runners, solid defense. Very realistic to me. 

[BLACKGOLD2007]

21 hours ago, BTF said:

2023 looks to be stacked at the top with at least four teams. It’s looking like the usual suspects once again.

 

1.           Valparaiso – With 19 starters returning from last years state title team, this is a pretty easy pick at the #1 position. They would easily qualify as a Top 10 team in 6A this year. They’ll get their opportunity in 2024 after graduating most of the guys who made the prior two years successful. This is a major glitch in how the success factor works.

Let's just put it into perspective, a young not experienced Penn team last year hung a W on the 5A champs 35-6.  Be it first game of the season, but this year will probably be a better game, with both teams gaining experience, and Valpo finally getting that state title.  

 

We will see in the weeks coming.  

[BTF]

4 hours ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

Let's just put it into perspective, a young not experienced Penn team last year hung a W on the 5A champs 35-6.  Be it first game of the season, but this year will probably be a better game, with both teams gaining experience, and Valpo finally getting that state title.  

 

We will see in the weeks coming.  

Valpo didn't hit on all cylinders until the end of the season. No offense, but I don't think how Valpo played in Week 1 of last season has any bearing on them potentially being one of the Top 10 teams in the entire state this year. 

[BTF]

10 minutes ago, BTF said:

Valpo didn't hit on all cylinders until the end of the season. No offense, but I don't think how Valpo played in Week 1 of last season has any bearing on them potentially being one of the Top 10 teams in the entire state this year. 

It's really hard to conclude anything by the score of one game. If you consider only the following games in bold, one could conclude that Valpo was better than Penn last season. 

Week 1          Penn 35, Valpo 6

Week 2         Carroll 28, Snider 21

Week 3         Carroll 28, North Side 20

Week 10       Carroll 35, Penn 7

Week 13       Carroll 21, HSE 15

Week 13       Valpo 22, Snider 21

[BLACKGOLD2007]

37 minutes ago, BTF said:

It's really hard to conclude anything by the score of one game. If you consider only the following games in bold, one could conclude that Valpo was better than Penn last season. 

Week 1          Penn 35, Valpo 6

Week 2         Carroll 28, Snider 21

Week 3         Carroll 28, North Side 20

Week 10       Carroll 35, Penn 7

Week 13       Carroll 21, HSE 15

Week 13       Valpo 22, Snider 21

Wait!

We now know that by virtue of the Carroll Penn outcome that the Ft. Wayne conference was very strong, which is helped by two teams making it to the 5A and 6A semi-state games and one state finals game. 

IF you look at the 3 losses that Valpo had last year they were 35-6 Penn, 34-13 Crown Point and 37-10 Merrillville.  Did Valpo improve from those losses to the state final...obviously. 

However, to conclude based on outcomes of the Ft. Wayne games that came before the Penn Carroll game, in my opinion is a stretch.  Until the playoffs no one was certain how good the teams from Ft. Wayne stacked up, since they played a closed schedule. 

Valpo grew and avenged their loss to Merrillville, in a nail biter, then squirmed their way past a good Snider team.  By outcome, yes Valpo had a much better season, but head to head Penn was the better team.  We wont know if they would have beat Penn in the playoffs because they dropped to 5A (due to growing number of 6A schools around Indy).

[BLACKGOLD2007]

1 hour ago, BTF said:

Valpo didn't hit on all cylinders until the end of the season. No offense, but I don't think how Valpo played in Week 1 of last season has any bearing on them potentially being one of the Top 10 teams in the entire state this year. 

So, Valpo caught lightning in a bottle and rode it all the way to state, that is very similar to my freshmen year at Penn.  I was not basing their being in the top 10 of the state on 1 game from last year.  It is based on the fact that they played three games where they were handled in the regular season.  

The question is, which team is Valpo going to field next year, the team the won state or the team the got waxed three times in the regular seaon?

We don't ask these questions about the Blue Bloods of Indy.  Valpo at this point is not a shoe in for the top ten, but they are close. 

[Jon Scott]

Sort of amazing to listen to Penn fans question whether Valpo is a blue blood program in the north at this point.... 

[psaboy]

13 hours ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

Let's just put it into perspective, a young not experienced Penn team last year hung a W on the 5A champs 35-6.  Be it first game of the season, but this year will probably be a better game, with both teams gaining experience, and Valpo finally getting that state title.  

 

We will see in the weeks coming.  

Valpo was not coming in at full strength last year for first 3-5 games. RB Davis was out most of the start of the season. He ripped Snider for 270+ running over left tackle again, again and again. Snider couldn't stop, they were overpowered and manhandled. Valpo should have no problem with Penn in upcoming game. 

[psaboy]

7 hours ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

So, Valpo caught lightning in a bottle and rode it all the way to state, that is very similar to my freshmen year at Penn.  I was not basing their being in the top 10 of the state on 1 game from last year.  It is based on the fact that they played three games where they were handled in the regular season.  

The question is, which team is Valpo going to field next year, the team the won state or the team the got waxed three times in the regular seaon?

We don't ask these questions about the Blue Bloods of Indy.  Valpo at this point is not a shoe in for the top ten, but they are close. 

See above, Valpo was not a full strength at the start of last season. I will take Valpo - 20 in August. 

Edited June 25, 2023 by psaboy

[BTF]

9 hours ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

Valpo at this point is not a shoe in for the top ten, but they are close. 

Fair

[BTF]

1 hour ago, psaboy said:

Valpo was not coming in at full strength last year for first 3-5 games. RB Davis was out most of the start of the season. He ripped Snider for 270+ running over left tackle again, again and again. Snider couldn't stop, they were overpowered and manhandled. Valpo should have no problem with Penn in upcoming game. 

In all fairness, Snider did hold them to 14 points in regulation. 

[psaboy]

9 hours ago, BTF said:

In all fairness, Snider did hold them to 14 points in regulation. 

Not into moral victories, just was disappointed that they couldn't stop the off left tackle play and they got gashed for 270+. Just a game though so there is always this year. could be possible rematch??

[BTF]

1 hour ago, psaboy said:

Not into moral victories, just was disappointed that they couldn't stop the off left tackle play and they got gashed for 270+. Just a game though so there is always this year. could be possible rematch??

Either that or a semi-state matchup of Merrillville vs North Side. Then you have Mishawaka and Dwenger, neither of whom will take lightly being left out of the conversation. It'll be fun to see how 2023 goes down. 

[psaboy]

9 hours ago, BTF said:

Either that or a semi-state matchup of Merrillville vs North Side. Then you have Mishawaka and Dwenger, neither of whom will take lightly being left out of the conversation. It'll be fun to see how 2023 goes down. 

Yep, no guarantee that Snider makes it out of their sectional. 

[BTF]

15 hours ago, psaboy said:

Yep, no guarantee that Snider makes it out of their sectional. 

Dwenger proved in 2021 that you have to be ready for them no matter what kind of year they're having. North Side proved last year that there's a new kid on the block. 5A north is strong at the top with six dangerous teams. 

[DACNUT]

Wow, back for another season and looking forward to the DAC doing big things in 5A again.  Valpo and Merrillville will be back at the top in the region, however Valpo much better than Merrillville as the jury is out for QB1 for Merrillville.

Michigan City should be much better than last year, Chesterton and LaPorte about the same last year, they won't challenge for the sectional. I agree Valpo looks like a top 10 team regardless of class. In previous years when they were the small 6A school, they knocked on the doorstep of winning the semi state. 

[BLACKGOLD2007]

On 6/24/2023 at 8:43 PM, Jon Scott said:

Sort of amazing to listen to Penn fans question whether Valpo is a blue blood program in the north at this point.... 

I never said they weren't a blue blood program, I just don't think that Valpo has earned the ability to question what type of team they are going to be each year.  If you had said that Valpo would win state in 5A after their second loss in a row by 20+ points not one person in the DAC or northern Indiana would have believed it.  Valpo is a great program, they caught lightning in a bottle and won a title.  At this point it is a matter of proving that the post season was not a fluke. 

As a matter of Penn, we are not anything near a program that we used to be.  We aren't even favored to win most of our games anymore. The program is a shell of what it was.  But, I can still cast my doubts on a team that lost to a program in decline (over the past 5/6 seasons) by 29 points.

Game 1 of this season will tell you which direction the two programs will be heading.  Penn likely will be 1-3 after week four.  That has become the norm here in Mishawaka.  It is pathetic and down right crap.  A school of 3500, and cant coach a team worth watching.  (Coaching is to blame not the students)

[BLACKGOLD2007]

On 6/24/2023 at 9:24 PM, psaboy said:

Valpo was not coming in at full strength last year for first 3-5 games. RB Davis was out most of the start of the season. He ripped Snider for 270+ running over left tackle again, again and again. Snider couldn't stop, they were overpowered and manhandled. Valpo should have no problem with Penn in upcoming game. 

But, they were at full strength against Crown Point and Merrillville, and still lost by similar outcomes?

 

[scarab527]

To clear up some confusion, Davis did play against Penn last year. He got hurt week 4 against Chesterton. Big difference in the Penn game was Justin Clark was not at QB for Valpo, he came in halfway through week 3 against MC when the original starter got hurt. Big thing for Valpo was that Clark and Davis didn’t play a whole game together in the backfield until the sectional championship against Chesterton, and they really didn’t start clicking offensively until the second half of the regional against Merrillville. That’s when it became clear that the combo of Davis inside and Clark outside would be hard for teams to deal with. Which you saw against Snider and Whiteland. 
 

As for whether Valpo should be considered a top 10 team all classes currently, I’d have to say no. Even if I give them that they weren’t at their full potential during those games, they played two middle of the road 6A teams last year and did not fair well against either of them. Right now, I think they’ll beat Penn (they had beaten them the previous 4 years before last), but I don’t think they will beat CP. Is CP a top ten all class team? Right now the answer is obviously no. Not just the 6A teams, is Valpo better than East Central, Roncalli, or New Pal? Probably not. They are a blue blood but they are not as good as they were when they took Carmel and then New Park down to the wire in back to back years. 

[BTF]

1 hour ago, scarab527 said:

To clear up some confusion, Davis did play against Penn last year. He got hurt week 4 against Chesterton. Big difference in the Penn game was Justin Clark was not at QB for Valpo, he came in halfway through week 3 against MC when the original starter got hurt. Big thing for Valpo was that Clark and Davis didn’t play a whole game together in the backfield until the sectional championship against Chesterton, and they really didn’t start clicking offensively until the second half of the regional against Merrillville. That’s when it became clear that the combo of Davis inside and Clark outside would be hard for teams to deal with. Which you saw against Snider and Whiteland. 
 

As for whether Valpo should be considered a top 10 team all classes currently, I’d have to say no. Even if I give them that they weren’t at their full potential during those games, they played two middle of the road 6A teams last year and did not fair well against either of them. Right now, I think they’ll beat Penn (they had beaten them the previous 4 years before last), but I don’t think they will beat CP. Is CP a top ten all class team? Right now the answer is obviously no. Not just the 6A teams, is Valpo better than East Central, Roncalli, or New Pal? Probably not. They are a blue blood but they are not as good as they were when they took Carmel and then New Park down to the wire in back to back years. 

They beat Snider, who took Carroll to the wire. Granted, Snider was rendered one dimensional playing in a snow storm. Maybe I'm giving the Vikings too much credit. We'll find out. 

[Rodney]

oh were reloaded alright, we got 67 kids going d1 next year and one being recruited by the avengers

[Boilernation]

One thing Valpo really has going for them is they are built to win in November. As mentioned above, they killed Snider and Whiteland by continuing to run off tackle over, and over, and over again with a power running game. It'll be the same story this year with a presumably healthy 6'0 220 Travis Davis at RB and a huge OL anchored by 6'6 270 Toledo committ Matt Hofer at Tackle. 

[Bulldog15]

On 6/23/2023 at 10:39 AM, BTF said:

 

Quote

   Decatur Central – It’s been said by the Indy fan base that this growing community will produce solid football teams for years to come. It appears they lose too much from a year ago for me to have them any higher than the 5 spot.

 

Who all did they lose?  I thought they have a lot of young talent from last year.