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FOOTBALL: 2024 Great Lakes Athletic Conference + Bowman Academy Team Outlook

EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL CARDINALS

2023: 1-9, lost at Highland in sectional opener

HEAD COACH: Corey Bailey, 1-9 in second year at East Chicago Central

KEY PLAYERS: Anthony Harris, Jordan Fields, Derion Morris

KEY GAMES: Week 2 (8/30) at West Side, Week 6 (9/27) vs Griffith, Week 8 (10/11) at Hammond Central

OUTLOOK: Over the past few seasons, things have not been particularly kind for the East Chicago Central football program. With five total victories since the 2020 season, it has become a period of trying to grow and revitalize football for the Cardinals.

Corey Bailey will be heading to his second year as the head coach, hoping to be the guy to bring back the ECC football program. Doing that requires players on the roster that can both provide talent in addition to leadership, with the hopes of it trickling down to the future teams as well.

Derion Morris is one of the more experienced pieces for the Cardinals. On a roster that was mostly littered with players just getting their feet wet in the game of football, Morris was a name that was heard a lot, playing just about wherever he was asked. He will be going into his junior season with hopes to not only be a name to look out for the Cards this year but the next.

ECC opens up against River Forest, a talented program that was near the top of their division last fall. They follow that up with a trip to West Side and then back home against a Calumet team that is also in their second year with a new head coach. It may not be the easiest of starts for the Cardinals, but the goal is to improve as a program.

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HAMMOND CENTRAL WOLVES

2023: 5-5, lost to Morton in sectional opener

HEAD COACH: Adam Hudak, 15-16 in fourth year at Hammond Central, 41-53 in 10th year overall

KEY PLAYERS: Giovani Bailey-Hannah, Davion Terry, Jamal Morris, Anthony Hinton

KEY GAMES: Week 3 (9/6) vs Whiting, Week 7 (10/4) vs River Forest, Week 9 (10/18) vs Boone Grove

OUTLOOK: After a substantial improvement from the first to second year of the Hammond Central football program, the third year was a small step back. A 4-0 start to this previous regular season had many thinking that the Wolves would take the progression a step further. But after a 1-5 end to the regular season, Central rounded out with a .500 record. 

We now move to year four of Hammond Central football, which is a program that has still been quite competitive among Region teams. Part of the reason of that immediate success has been the play senior linebacker, Giovani Bailey-Hannah. Last year, Bailey-Hannah, who may not fit the mold in terms of the prototypical linebacker size, racked up a whopping 16 sacks in his junior campaign.

The returners on defense does not end there as six of the top seven tacklers for Central will be returning this fall. Jamal Morris placed second on the team leaderboard while only playing half of the season. Anthony Hinton, David Dandridge, and Nikos Evans are some other younger pieces that can take a step up this year.

Davion Terry will be the name to look at on offense, as he will take over the running back position. Terry put together a strong sophomore season in the backup role. Now, he will take the reigns this fall.

MORTON GOVERNORS

2023: 6-5, lost to Merrillville in sectional championship

HEAD COACH: Mac Mishler, 10-21 in fifth year at Morton

KEY PLAYERS: LeBron Hill, Holland Harris, Freddy Brown, DaShawn Woods, Jalen Arnold

KEY GAMES: Week 1 (8/23) at Portage, Week 2 (8/30) Chesterton, Week 8 (10/11) vs Hobart

OUTLOOK: In terms of next level talent, the Morton Governors are loaded with players that could see themselves playing on Saturdays in the near future.

Offensively, things start with an uber-talented QB-WR duo in Holland Harris and LeBron Hill. Hill, the senior wide receiver who has quickly emerged as one of the top aerial threats in the Region, will be a Boilermaker come 2025. His classmate, Harris, has gained interest from a few D1 colleges, as he also put together a solid junior campaign. 

Freddy Brown, the talented LB/DB/RB for the Govs, recently committed to Western Michigan. Brown was second in the team leaderboard in tackles to Jalen Arnold, who will also be back for Morton for his junior campaign.

The uber-athletic DaShawn Woods is another name that will be on the Governors sideline this season, as the senior athlete transferred from Hammond Central. Woods made his impact well known in nearly every game as a Wolf, as he will bring a spark on both sides of the ball for Morton this year.

Although last year’s 6-5 record may have been seen as underwhelming, do not be surprised if that win total increases in 2024. Morton has given itself a great litmus test to begin the year, as they will face two DAC opponents in Portage and Chesterton to kick things off.

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BOWMAN ACADEMY EAGLES

2023: 1-7, lost at South Newton in sectional opener

HEAD COACH: David Nelson, 30-74 in 12th year at Bowman

KEY PLAYERS: Reginald Hicks, Nathaniel Artest, Arzell Davis

KEY GAMES: Week 4 (9/13) East Chicago Central, Week 5 (9/20) at Lake Station,  Week 7 (10/4) at North Newton

OUTLOOK: Bowman Academy is another program that is hoping to find its way back into the limelight. It has been a ride for Coach David Nelson, who is now going into his 12th season as the head coach of the Eagles.

After a three win season in 2022, Bowman Academy was only able to scrape out one victory last fall. Again, this is a program that is hoping to grow every season, whether that results in victories or not. The longest tenured coach of the program’s short history has had some rough seasons but has also had some successful seasons. Coach Nelson understands what it takes to get there.

The Eagles will start things off against South Central, following that with Calumet Christian and then Phalen Academy.

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