FOOTBALL: RSN Top 10 – Week #4

ON THE EDGE: Calumet (3-0/1-0), Highland (1-2), Hanover Central (2-1/1-0)

KO’D: Lake Central (2-1)

#10.
CROWN POINT BULLDOGS
1-2/0-1

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LAST WEEK: #9

The Bulldogs dropped a heart breaker to rival Merrillville on Saturday, in a game that featured a controversial touchdown for the purple team. Just the same, Crown Point’s offense took the lead back with just over two minutes to play, but the defense couldn’t stop Merrillville when it counted most. Nonetheless, we’re keeping the Dogs in the pile, we mean poll.

9.
PORTAGE INDIANS
2-1/1-0

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LAST WEEK: NR

The Indians have been knocking on the Top 10’s door for three weeks now. Beating former #7 Lake Central on Friday, make that Saturday, was the key that opened that door. With #7 Merrillville coming to the Warpath, the Indians will either move up or move out. Find out what happens by watching Region Sports live coverage of this duel in the Duneland on Friday night.

#8.
BOONE GROVE WOLVES
2-0

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LAST WEEK: #8

Boone Grove’s perfect record stays intact, but they might owe the lightning an assist on that as they were down two touchdowns to Whiting after the first quarter before the game was cancelled. The Wolves now have time to regroup as they host Lake Station this week before four straight on the road, including games against Hanover, Griffith and Wheeler – a pretty tough stretch.

#7.
MERRILLVILLE PIRATES
2-1/1-0

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LAST WEEK: #10

The Pirates prevailed at the purple palace known as Demaree Stadium and although it wasn’t easy, nor without controversy, a win is a win. The 60 yard game winning drive was the textbook version of a two-minute drill and to some degree, wipes out the controversial call from earlier in the game. The bottom line in this one is that when it got to crunch time, the Bucs came through and for that they move up three spots.

#6.
ANDREAN 59ERS
2-1

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LAST WEEK: #6

The Niners pulled off the shocker of the night, a 16-point victory over Russ Radtke’s state ranked New Prairie Cougars, in a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicated. While the win was at least somewhat surprising, that Andrean dominated so thoroughly was perhaps the biggest eye opener. Were they sandbagging it the first two weeks? Sure seems like it.

#5.
VALPARAISO VIKINGS
1-2/1-0

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LAST WEEK: #5

Now that’s the Viking team we thought we’d see this year. Valpo ran all over DAC rival LaPorte to the tune of a 38-8 rout of the Slicers. Can Gang Green carry that momentum with them this week as they travel to Ames Field to battle Michigan City? They’ll have to if they want to knock off the current kings of the Region.

#4.
WHITING OILERS
2-0

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LAST WEEK: #4

The Oilers scored 27 points in ONE quarter of play on Saturday night before Mother Nature cheated the players and fans out of what was shaping up to be a great ball game. Looking at the rest of Whiting’s seven game schedule (BG, BNI games cancelled), Jeff Cain’s crew has a good chance of running the table in the regular season.

#3.
LOWELL RED DEVILS
2-1

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LAST WEEK: #3

No team may have made as much of a statement in Week #3 as the Lowell Red Devils did. A week after losing to Portage 7-3 in the first game without starting QB Ethan Igras, the Devils routed Morton 38-0 to show the rest of the Region they are still a force to be reckoned with, playing with their signal-caller or not.

#2.
HOBART BRICKIES
3-0

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LAST WEEK: #2

The Brickies are the Cinderella team of the Region so far, having pulled off what amounts to three upsets in three games.  We said last week if they could beat Culver Academies, running the regular season table wouldn’t be out of the question. Well, they beat the Eagles…and this week they’ll actually be the favorites when they host EC Central.

#1.
MICHIGAN CITY WOLVES
2-1/1-0

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LAST WEEK: #1

Friday’s rain delay pushing the games into Saturday might not have benefited any team more than Michigan City. The Wolves didn’t look like their usual dominant selves on Friday night as they trailed Chesterton, but when the game resumed the next day, MC controlled the action, taking away a 28-10 win. There’s no time for sleep-walking this week with Valpo coming to Ames.