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FOOTBALL: 2024 Duneland Athletic Conference Team Outlook

CHESTERTON TROJANS

2023: 2-8, lost to Valparaiso in the first round of sectionals

HEAD COACH: Mark Peterson, 52-63 in 12th year at Chesterton, 87-82 in 18th year overall

KEY PLAYERS: Brady McCormack, Owen Edlen, Lucas Anderson

KEY GAMES: Week 1 (8/23) Hobart, Week 5 (9/20) at Valparaiso, Week 9 (10/18) Merrillville

OUTLOOK: After Chesterton’s first 0-3 start since 2005, the Trojans could not turn things around for the better last fall. In years past, Chesterton has been a relatively consistent middle-of-the-pack team in the Duneland, which made 2023’s 2-8 finish, which was their worst since 2016, somewhat unusual. 

However, that record could have been a bit different if a play or two had gone different in a select number of games. The Trojans lost by three to Hobart, two to Warsaw, and six to Lake Central. Chesterton also played very competitively against conference powerhouses Valparaiso and Crown Point – which is something not a lot of teams can say.

The team will graduate some productive pieces like Garrett Lewis, Hayden DeMarco, and Cole Gonzales. Many will be interested to see how Brady McCormack will do in his first full season under center, as he filled in for the injured and now-graduated Sebastian Boswell.

The Trojan defense will be led by Owen Edlen, the lengthy senior D-End who has been offered by Yale, Western Michigan, Army, Air Force, and as a PWO at Notre Dame. Lucas Anderson and Josh Davis will be some more names to look out for for this Trojan squad.

Week 1 against Hobart is always a great litmus test to see where both programs stand. As mentioned before, this was one of the close contests the 2023 Trojans were not able to close out. If they could get on track with a big opening week victory, that could lead up to a better season than the previous.

CROWN POINT BULLDOGS

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

HEAD COACH: Craig Buzea, 28-7 in 4th year at CP, 241-94 in 32nd year overall

KEY PLAYERS: Noah Ehrlich, Larry Ellison, Mark Gonzalez, Lucas Szymborski, Griffin Van Tichelt, Trevor Gibbs

KEY GAMES: Week 2 (8/30) Arizona College Prep, Week 3 (9/6) at Merrillville, Week 6 (9/27) at Valparaiso

OUTLOOK: While the goal going into every football season is to win the final game of the campaign, things could not have gone much better for the Crown Point Bulldogs last year.

CP continued their dominance against the Region, rolling through the regular season en route to a conference championship and the program’s first-ever Semi-State title. Although the Bulldogs fell to state powerhouse Ben Davis at Lucas Oil Stadium in the State Championship, there is plenty to be looking forward to for the 2024 season.

Yes, the Bulldogs graduate the Mr. Indiana Linebacker award recipient Will Clark. His twin brother, Paul, a fellow RSN All-Area first-teamer, will be on his way to Buffalo with Will. Other pieces like Seamus Malaski (Purdue – track and field), Landen Delich (Toledo), and Jeff Meschede (Case Western), will be playing a sport next season… but for their respective colleges.

Nonetheless, the Bulldogs are not expected to go away. The offense will be led once again by a pair of All-State weapons, Noah Ehrlich and Larry Ellison. Ehrlich, who recently committed to Miami-Ohio, is arguably the most talented signal caller in the area. His backfield mate, Ellison, in just his first season as a running back broke numerous school records at the position and his primed to better that level of production in 2024.

Although some big names on the defensive side left the program, that same unit featured four sophomore starters in the State Championship. Trevor Gibbs (who also started at H-Back for the Bulldogs), has gotten offers from Indiana, Ball State, Cincinnati, and more. Mark Gonzales offers both size and quickness at the nose tackle position, as he finished second on the team in tackles at a position that rarely achieves that feat.

CP also did some work in the transfer market, as Lucas Szymborski, who was born and raised in Crown Point is coming over from Cleveland High School (TN). The Ball State commit offers some more firepower on the defensive side. He also is a two-time state champion wrestler, so he will also be a name to watch out for this winter.

Expectations have been and will continue to be high for Craig Buzea’s Bulldogs… but in recent years, they always seem to find a way to meet or even exceed them.

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LAKE CENTRAL INDIANS

2023: 5-6, lost at Crown Point in sectional championship

HEAD COACH: Pete Koulianos, first year at Lake Central, 45-48 in 10th year overall

KEY PLAYERS: LJ Richardson, Christian Gavin, Tyler Becich, Jimmy Johnsen, Ryder Fernandez

KEY GAMES: Week 4 (9/13) at Crown Point, Week 8 (10/11) at Merrillville, Week 9 (10/18) Valparaiso

OUTLOOK: Although 2023 marked the eighth straight sub .500 record for the Lake Central Indians, there was a fair amount to be satisfied with. 

For one, LC reached five wins in the regular season – a number they have not met since the 2015 campaign. They also won their first playoff game since the 2014 season. The Tribe did this without their top weapon for a chunk of the season, Xavier Williams, who faced lingering injuries in his Senior campaign.

While the Indians left 2023 with some things to be proud of – any accomplishments made in the 2024 season will be done with a new coach at the helm, as Pete Koulianos will take over for Rick Good this fall.

Koulianos, who was previously at Highland and Hanover Central, is optimistic about where his alma mater is at as a program. While graduating pieces like Williams (Iowa) and Jeffrey Lucas (Saint Francis) are not the easiest holes to fill, Coach Koulianos is excited to get to work in hopes of revitalizing the school he called home as a student.

Lake Central opens up at home against Munster but then will travel to Michigan to play the Catholic Central Cougars out of Grand Rapids. It will be quite the early season test for the Tribe, as the Cougars went 13-1 en route to a state title last year. A matchup like that is most likely aimed at preparing Koulianos’ group for the tough Duneland conference schedule ahead of them.

LAPORTE SLICERS

2023: 2-8, lost to Michigan City in first round of sectionals

HEAD COACH: Austin Epple, 2-8 in second year at LaPorte

KEY PLAYERS: Aiden Penziol, RJ Carnes, Lucas Del Rio

KEY GAMES: Week 1 (8/23) at New Prairie, Week 5 (9/20) at Lake Central, Week 8 (10/11) at Michigan City

OUTLOOK: Things got off to an ideal start for the Slicers in the 2023 season with an upset over rival New Prairie on a last-second field goal. LaPorte had not beaten rival New Prairie since 2017, so things seemed to be looking up for last year’s Slicer squad.

Fast forward three months and New Prairie would go on to win a sectional title while LaPorte would conclude their third straight two-win season.

Nonetheless, while some experienced pieces were leading the way for the Slicers last year, the majority of the team (and coaching staff) were getting their first taste of the Friday Night Lights. Therefore, it is almost certain that a program that is displaying youth both on the field and on the sidelines will experience a bit of rough patches the first year working together.

Epple, a LaPorte alum, was under the interim head coach title last year. By October, he earned the trust of the administration and community as he was stripped of the “interim” tag and officially named the Head Football Coach of the LaPorte Slicers.

Aiden Penziol, who was only a sophomore last year, is expected to take a jump with now a full season under his belt at the QB position. Penziol will be backed by some solid defensive pieces returning for the Slicers like RJ Carnes, Lucas Del Rio, Jack Borrelli, Keli Hay, and others.

Some new faces may need to step up on the offensive side of the ball but an improved 2024 season for the Slicers is definitely in the picture in year two of the Austin Epple regime.

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MERRILLVILLE PIRATES

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

HEAD COACH: Brad Seiss, 72-35 in 10th year at Merrillville, 85-52 in 13th year overall

KEY PLAYERS: John Peters, JQ Johnson, Jeremiah Jordan, Adam Camphor, Trenton Nixon

KEY GAMES: Week 1 (8/23) Andrean, Week 3 (9/6) Crown Point, Week 7 (10/4) Valparaiso

OUTLOOK: While the Pirates were not quite able to get over the semi-state hump they have been tied to for some time, the 2023 season was another chapter to an impressive span of consistency for the Merrillville football program. Since 2018, Merrillville has been at or eclipsed the seven-win mark in every season, and it may be safe to say that they have the talent to achieve that feat once again.

The returning Pirates will be highlighted by Western Michigan commit, John Peters, who started both ways for Brad Seiss’ squad last year. Fellow receiver Xamere Martin will be another offensive weapon to look out for. Sophomore breakout JQ Johnson will be the main guy in the backfield in his junior season.

Although some marquee names from Merrillville’s stout defense will be gone, they have the pieces to potentially pick up where they left off. The Pirates leading tackler, Jeremiah Jordan, will be the leader. Trenton Nixon, who has racked up offers from Ball State, Illinois State, Miami Ohio, and more, brings some size and speed at the LB spot. Adam Camphor will clog up the D-line, while Jaylen Ramsey, fittingly enough, is a solid corner for the Pirates. 

Again, on paper, the 2024 Merrillville Pirate team has all of the tools to be a force on both sides of the ball. Expect another competitive team and hopefully another successful season to stack up in what has already been an impressive stretch for the program and for Coach Seiss.

 

MICHIGAN CITY WOLVES

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

HEAD COACH: Cody French, 6-5 in second year at Michigan City, 21-11 in fifth year overall

KEY PLAYERS: Adrian Holley, Michael Crawford JR., Kyron Hart

KEY GAMES: Week 3 (9/6) at Chesterton, Week 4 (9/13) Valparaiso, Week 5 (9/20) at Merrillville

OUTLOOK: Cody French’s first campaign as the lead man at Michigan City featured a respectable bounce back season from the year before. 

The main concern going into this previous season was if the Wolves can win the close ones. The 2022 team, who finished 2-8, could have walked away from that season differently if a few bounces had gone their way in numerous games. Fast forward a year later and City was able to turn some of those heartbreakers into wins.

Now, we can only wait and see if this current City team can follow suit. The squad will certainly miss the three-year starter at QB, Tyler Bush. Syracuse commit, Jaden Hart, is another weapon that will be difficult to replicate.

City’s returning pieces is highlighted by one of the top defensive forces in the area – Adrian Holley. The RSN All-Area first teamer and recent Kansas commit has quickly became an offensive coordinator’s worst nightmare with a solid junior campaign in 2023. Michael Crawford is another name to look out for on the defensive side.

The Michigan City offense will mostly feature some new faces, but two receivers will stick out the most. Kyron Hart performed beyond his years in his freshman campaign while Zaire McKinney brings both size and speed, as he will only be a junior.

The second year in a new head coach’s tenure is always an interesting one to look out for. We saw an improved and a team that found ways to win in 2023. We can only wait and see how City follows suit in a few weeks.

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PORTAGE INDIANS

2023: 0-10, lost at Lake Central in first round of sectionals

HEAD COACH: Roy Richards, 0-10 in second year at Portage, 141-101 in 23rd year overall

KEY PLAYERS: Kodie Young, JoJo Mabon, Daequon Fields, Jayjouir Pleasant Jr.

KEY GAMES: Week 1 (8/23) Morton, Week 3 (9/6) Lake Central, Week 7 (10/4) Michigan City

OUTLOOK: The first year of the Roy Richards regime at Portage has come and gone and one thing should be noted about schools going through a rebuilding period: it isn’t all easy at first.

No, it is never in a program’s interest to finish a season in that fashion. But, going through a year like that allows both the staff and the players to get acclimated to one another – which is a challenge that often gets overlooked in any level of athletics.

Again, we have said it once in the previous team outlook and will say it again: Coach Richards has been in this situation before. 

His first year at East Chicago Central in 1994? He went 1-8. In the next three seasons, the Cardinals improved. He then went to Morton. After a 3-8 in his first campaign, he would go on to keep the job for nearly 15 years after that.

Kodie Young, who is already a two-year starter under center, will be suiting up for his junior season in hopes of taking another step forward. Young’s classmate, Daequon Fields, will be a solid backfield mate this fall. JoJo Mabon is another talented piece on the offensive side that is poised to provide both some senior leadership and production for the Indians.

Jayjouir Pleasant will anchor the Indian defense, as he is another member of that promising 2026 Portage class that can be an integral one to the early stages of the Roy Richards era. Week one calls for an intriguing matchup against a school Richards’ once called home – Morton.

VALPARAISO VIKINGS

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

HEAD COACH: Bill Marshall, 61-14 in seventh year at Valparaiso

KEY PLAYERS: Thomas Burda, Julian Stokes, Benjamin Fedorchak, Drayden Wilcox

KEY GAMES: Week 1 (8/23) at Penn, Week 2 (8/30) vs Andrean, Week 7 (10/4) at Merrillville

OUTLOOK: Heading into the 2023 season, many people believed that Valparaiso was the surefire team to beat in the area, as they brought back many key pieces from that 2022 State Championship-winning squad. 

While a 9-3 season is still very much to be proud of, it could be argued that more was expected from a Valparaiso team that had plenty to look forward to. The Vikings dealt with injuries, new faces, and just a lack of consistency in some areas. Long story short, it is why repeating in any sport is one of the most difficult things a program can accomplish. Even with what they dealt up to the regional championship against Merrillville, the game came down to the last play.

Nonetheless, Valparaiso has been one of the most consistent programs since Bill Marshall has taken over as head coach. Since his first full season in 2018, the Vikings have not lost more than three games in a season. 

As always, things will start fast for the Vikings, as they will take a trip with longtime rival Penn, the team that dampened Valpo’s home opener a year ago.

Thomas Burda stepped up big time for the Vikings last season, as he became the lead workhorse in the backfield when Travis Davis II went down. Julian Stokes will be the main target through the air. The main question is who will be handing/throwing the ball off. Longtime starter Justin Clark in addition to Andrew Alcorn were the only two that logged passes for the Vikings last year. They both graduated.

The defense also lost a chunk of talent. 10 of Valpo’s top 13 tacklers from 2023 were seniors. While the offense may have some key positions to round out, the Viking defense may look completely different this fall. 

But in some fashion, Valparaiso always finds a way to be in the mix. It is all they have done in Marshall’s tenure. Week one will be a nice test, to say the least, but do not count the Vikings out come Duneland play.

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