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FOOTBALL: Preseason Top 10 8/20/24

Check out our first Home Improvement Top Ten of the 2024 football season! This list is presented by Eenigenburg Exteriors.

10. BOONE GROVE WOLVES

2023: 8-3, lost at Hanover Central in sectional semis

FIRST GAME: John Glenn

WHY ARE THEY HERE?: They have arguably the most exciting offensive unit in addition to some cornerstone pieces that have seen it all.

When describing the Boone Grove offense from 2023, it is close to a collegiate offense as you may see from a 2A school. We have seen changes from some of the larger schools in regard to offensive schemes, but none this drastic at the smaller school levels. 

From jet passes to RPOs to complicated route concepts, the most important piece to that puzzle is a trusted QB. Luckily for the Wolves, “trusted” may be putting it lightly. Mark Rowland will be going into his fourth year under center for the Boone Grove Wolves. The senior is a gifted passer who can also make plays on the ground when called upon. To keep things light, Boone Grove will go as Rowland goes.

The Wolves lost some offensive weapons from last year’s team to graduation, but one name that is expected to take a jump in that department in addition to his play defensively is Chris Gonzalez. Hunter Anthony and Khaled Alzeer will also make their presence known all over the field. Alzeer, similar to Rowland will be going into his fourth year as a starter. Anthony will be going into his third.

This season in particular may be special to those players like Rowland, Alzeer, and Anthony, who four years ago could not have imagined Boone Grove hosting a true home opener. The same could be said for head coach Dan Kukulski, who has been with the program for years. Although Boone Grove opened up their brand new facility late last year, they will open up the season with a true home opener against John Glenn, a team they are hoping to avenge their loss from a year prior. 

 

9 . WHEELER BEARCATS

2023: 6-4, lost at Bremen in sectional semis

FIRST GAME: at #4 Hanover Central

WHY ARE THEY HERE?: The reigning division champs are solid from top to bottom and have a real chance of repeating their magical season from 2023. 

We have mentioned it before, but three weeks into the season last year, things looked bleak for the Bearcats. They would later circle the wagons to a division title and found themselves on our top ten list at year’s end. Now, the expectations have taken a leap heading into 2024 – as reigning GSSC Coach of the Year, Nick Testa, is heading into his second year at Wheeler.

The Bearcats will return a trio of offensive weapons who made first-team all-conference in 2023. Bryce Compton, Jayden Ortiz, and Caleb Klimczak can arguably be up there for one of the top offensive trios in the area. These are three seniors who stepped up tremendously in ’23, especially during Wheeler’s hot streak. 

Mitch Krolikowski and Tyne Vettickal will also be back, as they both made honorable mention all-conference in the GSSC.

One of the goals for the Bearcats for 2024 could be to get off to a much better start. However, that is easier said than done, as they will travel to their former conference mate, #4 Hanover Central. It will be quite the test for Testa’s squad, as Wheeler has not beaten the Wildcats since 2018. Nonetheless, if Wheeler finds a way to scrap one out in Cedar Lake, they could shake up this list entirely. 

 

8. HOBART BRICKIES

2023: 7-3, lost at New Prairie in sectional opener

FIRST GAME: at Chesterton

WHY ARE THEY HERE?: There are new faces on the field and on the sidelines for the Hobart Brickies – so we decided to leave the Brickies some room for growth throughout the season.

2023 was another solid season record-wise for Hobart. Although no trophies were added to Hobart’s illustrious trophy case, a 7-3 overall record and a second-place finish in the NCC is an overall respectable campaign. While that may not be the consensus given the high standards set by the history of the program, the Brickies were good in ’23 and are planning to do the same this fall. 

The Eric Schreiber Jr. era of Hobart football is expected to be an exciting one. The former Brickie assistant and West Side head coach has shown that he is a proven winner and has seen firsthand the importance of Brickie football in the city of Hobart. 

Looking into this upcoming Brickie team – Schreiber Jr. will not be the only new face in a key position for the squad. The Brickies struck gold by landing QB Jonny Sorensen and WR TJ Caldwell in the offseason of 2023. The two created a 1-2 punch through the air that added a layer to last year’s Hobart offense that hasn’t been seen in some time. However, as great as that connection was, that was a one-year project. 

Bradley Gibson, Aiden Olague, and Zach Bloom are some other 2023 all-conference nods that have since graduated.

The expectation is that Hobart, as they have been in the past decade, will be competitive. They have been at or above the .500 mark in every year since 2015. Going further, they have had seven wins or more in every campaign since 2017. The Brickies always seem to find a way.

It will be a challenging start once again for the Brickies, as they will be on the road against a Chesterton team who is looking to have a bounce back season. From there, they will open up the Brickyard against #2 Merrillville in week two. 

 

7. ANDREAN 59ERS

2023: 3-7, lost at LaVille in sectional opener

FIRST GAME: at #2 Merrillville

WHY ARE THEY HERE?: With a group of talented senior leaders and some up-and-coming pieces, the Niners are in a prime position for a bounce back year and give themselves a chance to compete for the NCC crown.

Last year’s 3-7 season seemed to be an anomaly for Andrean. The three wins was the program’s least since 1988 (!) and they went winless in the playoff for the first time since the 2011 season (!!). That is how good Andrean has been for quite some time, which made 2023 a bit of a weird season for the Niners.

However, it is difficult to judge an Andrean team off of their record alone. After all, they may have most difficult non-conference schedule in the area. They suffered losses to Merrillville, Valparaiso, and Indianapolis Chatard in the regular season. They met with LaVille in the first round of sectionals, a team who would go on to win the sectional.

Long story short, the 2023 Andrean 59er squad featured some younger players that are poised to lead them to a better 2024.

So far, we have mentioned a few names as the top offensive and defensive players in the area. Andrean may have the best two-way player in Jimmy Finley. The Northern Illinois commit will be the guy on both sides of the ball. After graduating a premier passer in Scotty Ballentine, Brady Elish is in line to be the next Niner quarterback. A second receiver threat alongside Finley will be Logan Urbaniak, who paced the team in receiving touchdowns last year.

Jayden Holmes is another senior leader in the defensive backfield that pairs well with Finley. Sophomores Landen Murray and Ethan Reyna will only get better.

One thing about Andrean is that they will continue to schedule difficult games to get ready for the playoffs/conference schedule. Once again, they will start with the gauntlet of Merrillville and Valpo before NCC play. Chatard will make the trip up to Andrean in week 7. While the schedule remains tough, Andrean is in line for an improvement in 2024.

6. MICHIGAN CITY WOLVES

2023: 6-5, lost at Valparaiso in sectional championship

FIRST GAME: At Warsaw

WHY ARE THEY HERE?: A proven head coach in Cody French is entering a pivotal second year with City, which has became a group that has learned how to win the close ones.

As mentioned before, the key for Michigan City in 2023 was winning those nail-biter games that are decided by a possession. While scrapping those said games were an issue in 2022, things were a bit different last fall.

The team will have to replace some experienced pieces that may have been key in those close games. Three-year starter Tyler Bush will have to be replaced at the QB position, along with Syracuse RB Jaden Hart. The Wolves will also graduate four of their top five receivers from 2023.

While the offense may experience some turnover, the defense is expected to be the strong suit heading into 2024. Michigan City may have the best defensive player in the are with the recent Kansas Jayhawk commit, Adrian Holley. In a conference that is seemingly moving towards more of a pass-happy group, having a quality edge rusher like Holley is crucial if you want to win some games. Michael Crawford is a great complimentary piece on the defensive side. 

Going back to offense, there will be some youth in the receiver room. Kyron Hart made some big time plays as a freshman, while Zaire McKinney has started to gain traction from upper-level college coaches. Trinaston Hart, a junior, is set in line to take the reigns under center. Week one on the road against a tough Warsaw team is always a solid early season test for City.

5. MORTON GOVERNORS

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

FIRST GAME: At Portage

WHY ARE THEY HERE?: Things are starting to turn the corner in the Mac Mishler era at Morton and signs are pointing to an even better 2024.

In this previous three seasons, Morton went a combined 5-16. The Govs bested that win total by one in 2023 and are planning to follow suit again in 2024.

Based off of pure next-level talent, Morton is up there with some of the best of the best in the Region. If there is someone who may rival a name like Caiden Verrett or Noah Ehlrich for the most productive offensive player in the area, it is Morton’s Lebron Hill.

The future Purdue Boilermaker is the ideal combination you want in a receiver. He has a red zone threat frame at 6’5 but also has next level quickness that allows him to run any route he pleases. His QB is a recent Indianapolis Greyhound commit in Holland Harris, who also possesses plenty of high quality traits at the signal caller position. Western Michigan commit Freddy Brown will continue to do damage on both sides of the ball. Jalen Arnold, the Govs’ leading tackler from last year, will be entering his junior campaign this fall.

Arguably the biggest loss from the 2023 Govs team was the graduation of the now current Marian Knight, Dontell Harris Jr. The North-South All Star was a workhorse at the RB position. Luckily for Morton, they will have two quality replacements in his absence.

Martel Kelly is expected to take a huge leap in his senior season. DaShawn Woods, the transfer from Hammond Central, is as close to box office with the ball in his hands as it gets.

Morton will open up on the road against an improved Portage team. The matchup will be a test for both sides, and once again a great litmus test to see where this Morton team is at.

4. HANOVER CENTRAL WILDCATS

2023: 11-1, lost at West Lafayette in sectional championship

FIRST GAME: #9 Wheeler

WHY ARE THEY HERE?: The “Lakeshow” has lived up to the name and have quickly became the front runner in one of the area’s most competitive conferences.

Much has been said about Hanover Central’s move to the Northwest Crossroads Conference going into the 2023 season. Many did not know if they could withstand the jump in competition in addition to the physical nature of their new counterparts.

But now, many are wondering if Hanover’s new counterparts can keep up with them.

The Wildcats are looking for their second straight NCC title in as many years in the conference and to take things a step further once the playoffs roll around. No matter who has been in their path, Hanover Central has been quite dominant, going 33-4 over the last three seasons. 

Part of the reason for that success was a dominant senior class that has since graduated. The Wildcats lose a three-year starter in Matt Koontz and quality defensive pieces like Collin Foy, Jacob Strominski, Joey Lopez, and others. However, they are this high on our list for a reason, as we expect the team to be just fine with a strong class of returners.

Having arguably the most exciting offensive player in the area is a good start, as Caiden Verrett is suited up for a magical senior campaign. The do-it-all running back is expected to be the top dog in this offense, both through the air and on the ground. Henry Maurer offers some size on the outside at the receiver position. Alongside Maurer will be Rocco Bartolomeo, the team’s leading receiver from ’23 in addition to his production on the defensive side of the ball. Dylan Bowen, Lincoln Zerby, Kyron Turner, and Luke Kopec will all highlight a presumably strong defensive unit for the Wildcats.

The season opener with our ninth-ranked Wheeler will be an exciting, but relatively favorable matchup for the Wildcats, who have not lost to the Bearcats since 2017. Hanover is hoping to start the season strong, follow suit come conference play, and then make some noise in their new sectional (Class 4A, Sectional 17).

3. VALPARAISO VIKINGS

2023: 9-3, lost at Merrillville in regional championship

FIRST GAME: At Penn

WHY ARE THEY HERE?: There are plenty new faces in valuable places…. but it is the Valparaiso Vikings.

Expectations were high riding into 2023 for Valparaiso. Coming off of a State Championship the season prior, along with a plethora of talent coming back – the sky was the limit.

However, a mix of injuries and the aforementioned Merrillville Pirates shot down any chance of a championship repeat for Valpo. That heartbreaking defeat in the regional championship at Merrillville signaled a bit of a new chapter for the Valparaiso Vikings.

Although the goal may remain the same for the Vikings, expectations may not exactly be where they were riding into 2023. Valparaiso will graduate their two-year starter at QB in Justin Clark, one of their top rushers before injury in Travis Davis II, their top receiver in Scotty Bradney, current Toledo Rocket Matt Hofer, and a lot on the defensive side of the ball.

Nonetheless, although there are many holes on paper that Bill Marshall and his crew are hoping to fill, Valparaiso always seems to find a way to be competing for hardware come the later months of the season. This year, Valpo is hoping to win their seventh consecutive sectional title and their fifth regional in as many seasons. If Merrillville or Crown Point has been deemed the most impressive programs over the past half decade, Valparaiso is not too far behind if they are not in front of those two teams to begin with.

And while, yes, there is a lot of production to make up, Valpo does have some names that are expected to take a leap this year. Thomas Burda stepped up tremendously in Davis’ absence, as he wound up ahead of him in total rushing yards and yards per carry in 2023. Julian Stokes was second to Bradney is the team’s receiving yards leaderboard. Jacob Moore and Benjamin Fedorchak took big leaps in their junior campaigns and are both in line to lead the defense.

The opener against Penn is always an exciting one, as the Vikings are looking to win their first in the meeting since 2021. Win or loss, it will be a key learning experience for those new faces that we are expected to see for Valparaiso this fall.

 

2. MERRILLVILLE PIRATES

2023: 10-3, lost at Fort Wayne Snider in semi-state

FIRST GAME: #7 Andrean

WHY ARE THEY HERE?: They have been the most consistent team in the Region over the past five years and they have all the tools to keep that going.

2023 was another magical season for the Pirates. Although they did not end the regular season with the conference title, Merrillville peaked in the playoffs – including the thrilling 24-20 victory over Valparaiso in the regional championship. It was the Pirates’ fourth regional title in five seasons. 

However, in those four semi-state games, the Pirates have fallen short in each of them. The 2024 rendition of the Merrillville Pirates are hoping to get over that hump.

That Pirate team will once again be loaded with playmakers in the important offensive positions. Arguably the biggest breakout of 2023, at least for the Pirates, was the now-junior running back, JQ Johnson. In what once was a position of uncertainty for the Pirates leading up to the previous season, Johnson quickly put those conversations on hold and is in line for an even bigger jump in ’24. Johnson may not be the most physically imposing running back, but the 1,000+ yard rusher from a year ago can beat you with speed and his power.

The offensive threats don’t end with Johnson, as senior receivers Xamere Martin and Western Michigan commit John Peters will cause numerous problems for opposing defensive backfields. Peters offers a scary combination of size and speed that can certainly make a quarterback’s job a bit easier.

Then we get to the defensive side of the ball, which always seems to be strong for the Pirates. Southeast Missouri State commit, Adam Camphor, is a wrecking ball on the defensive line. Jeremiah Jordan was the Pirates’ leading tackler in ’23 and is a sure tackler that can line up just about anywhere. Jaylen Ramsey is a big play machine on the boundary at the cornerback position. Trenton Nixon, a Northern Illinois commit, has all of the tools you can imagine for an edge rusher.

Week one for the Pirates always begins with the Battle of Broadway, as our seventh-ranked Andrean 59ers will make the trip a few blocks south. While this is always a highly anticipated matchup, Merrillville has not lost to their cross-city rival since 2017.

 

1. CROWN POINT BULLDOGS

2023: 13-1, lost to Ben Davis in the State Finals

FIRST GAME: Lowell

WHY ARE THEY HERE?: An ideal combination of a promising upcoming class, an uber-talented wave of senior leaders, and an overall skyrocketing ascension into the new standard of Region football.

A few years ago, if you were to ask football fans around the area where the hottest area is in the sport, it would have taken a bit of time before you got to Crown Point. While the Bulldogs were able to string together some positive seasons in the later 2010s, things took off when Coach Buz arrived. 

In just three years under head coach Craig Buzea, the Dogs have gone 28-7, including back-to-back DAC titles and most recently Sectional, Regional, and Semi-State trophies. The city of Crown Point can just about call itself a “football city,” as the community has backed its program tremendously during this impressive stretch.

Good news for that same CP community – they can expect another talented Crown Point football team this fall. 

A program that has seen the stretch of success that Crown Point has seen over the past few seasons is bound to lose some key players at year’s end. Will Clark, Paul Clark, Seamus Malaski, Landen Delich, Jeffrey Meschede, Nate Kalk, and others are some names that helped spark this exponential growth in the program. Those are names that you may not be able to replicate from the first game without them. However, the next wave of seniors might be equally as talented.

Noah Ehrlich will be the straw that stirs the drink for the Bulldogs, as the Miami-Ohio commit is looking to cap off an already impressive high school career. His backfield mate is Larry Ellison, who is coming off arguably the best season by a running back in Crown Point history. Ball State commit and transfer Lucas Szymborski will be a huge addition to the linebacker core. Jacob Soley, a recent Indiana State commit is another piece to note. Non-seniors like Trevor Gibbs, Nolan Cicero, Griffin Van Tichelt, and Mark Gonzales will be promising pieces this year and the next. 

The Old Leather Helmet game against Lowell is first up for CP. Although Lowell is never to be taken lightly, the home opener is shaping up to be a favorable week one contest before an interesting date with Arizona College Prep on the 30th.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

KAKAKEE VALLEY KOUGARS

WHY ARE THEY HERE?: A head coach that has quickly turned the program around along with a strong senior class to put it into action.

As mentioned before, Kirk Kennedy did some great things for KV in year two at the helm. Now, KV is expecting to take things a step further and could potentially find themselves in the mix for the NCC crown come October.

In a run-dominant offense, Marco Castro is one of those players who you would want the most, as he blossomed in his junior season. QB Diego Arroyo has also shown his dual-threat ability. 

The Cougars will open up at home against rival Rensselaer Central, as they will hope to not follow suit from last year’s 28-27 heartbreaking loss.

RIVER FOREST INGOTS

WHY ARE THEY HERE?: They were a midseason skid away from a division crown. With an energetic head coach entering his second year in addition to a proven piece under center, RF is going for the division title.

Ayden Silver might be the top mobile quarterback in the area, as he will be entering his fourth year as a member of the varsity roster, with three of them under center. Silver has also been one of the top defenders for the Ingots. Head coach Mark Hidalgo prides his team on defense, which will be a unit that was very young last year and is only planning to get better in 2024.

RF opens up at East Chicago Central before jumping right into conference play in week two.

WEST SIDE COUGARS

WHY ARE THEY HERE?: They continue to be consistent and all signs are pointing to another solid campaign.

In head coach Alger Boswell’s first two seasons with the Cougars, West Side has gone 7-3 and 6-4 respectively. Although postseasons have been short and the trophies are just out of reach for West Side, they have done quite well in recent memory. But, they are hoping to play for a few trophies in their second season in the GSSC.

West Side returns three first-team all-conference selections from last year’s squad with Guiseppe Moore, Raynell Body, and Marcell Dixon. That alone is something not a lot of teams can say.

West Side is hoping to get things started on the right foot against Indianapolis Washington.

PORTAGE INDIANS

WHY ARE THEY HERE?: Yes, we know that it may be out there to place a team that went winless a season ago anywhere near the ensuing preseason’s top ten list – but I ask that you hear us out for just a second.

It has been mentioned throughout this list that coaches entering their second year with a school is an intriguing one, and that is certainly the case here. Roy Richards, like other coaches entering year two, gains a sense of familiarity between his players, staff, and the overall idea of Portage football. From what we saw in the summer, Richards has his team (specifically the defensive side) playing with passion that you would not see from a team that went winless a year ago. Kodie Young is also entering his third year under center, as he will only be a junior this fall. 

Week one against #5 Morton will once again be an interesting matchup. The Indians will be hungry to get back on track, especially against a team that they have played in the opener for the past three seasons and has become a mini rivalry.

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