Week 11 -  Football Game of the Week Preview

Plymouth (10-0) at Lowell (10-0)

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith
10-30-2008
 
 

When:  Friday, October 31, 2008

Where:  Lowell High School, 2501 Commercial AVE, Lowell, IN.
Tickets: $6
TV/Radio:  WTMK (88.5) FM, WKIF (92.7) FM
ENROLLMENT:  Plymouth 4A, enrollment - 1,059;  LOWELL - Class 4A, enrollment - 1,254

WEATHER:  Lowell and Plymouth get a small blessing here because the weather for the day before November is going to be far better than anyone can expect.  How can October 31st see a high of 65 degrees and sunny skies in Northwest Indiana?  That is not the real world.  Even if temperatures drop 10 degrees from the 5 p.m. high, a 55-degree kickoff sure is better than last week when you needed to be a fish in a blanket to enjoy the game in Lake County.  There is reportedly no chance of rain at all this Friday.  I think that helps Lowell's speedsters like Brandon Grubbe, Jake Belt and the Midgett brothers.  But Plymouth certainly has to feel it helps 1,500-yard halfback Austin Hodges.  The wind may be high, possibly 15-20 miles per hour.  This is good weather for Halloween costumes, which will be out in force Friday.  There's going to be some strange looking characters in the stands on both sides.  But, on this night, everyone will be smiling at the weirdos.

PARKING:  Let me mention up front that this game is being played at 7:00 p.m. Lowell time, which is 8:00 p.m. Plymouth time.  Marshall County is less than 90 minutes from Lowell.  Everyone in Plymouth who wants to come to this game is coming.  They've got plenty of time to get here.  Plymouth has a large following, probably as large as that of Griffith or Hobart.  I don't know if the Rockie fans see this game as bigger than the two games with 10th-ranked Concord.  But they're coming and they are loud.  Lowell fans who can walk to this game should do so.  It won't rain and it won't be very cold.

If PLYMOUTH wins: They host either Northridge (2-8) or Clay (5-5).
If LOWELL wins:  They also host either Clay (5-5) or Northridge (2-8).

Last years game:
Lowell (10-1)    0-7-7-0 = 14
Plymouth (5-6)  0-8-0-0 =  8

PLYMOUTH  (10-26-2007) Brandon Grubbe carried 28 times for 168 yards as Lowell rallied to beat Plymouth in a Sectional 10 semifinal game played in the rain in Marshall County.
Now-graduated Steffan Peck scored with 2:50 left in the half to cut the Plymouth lead to 8-7.  Grubbe scored on an 8-yard run with 2:54 left in the third quarter.  Plymouth fullback John Popi carried 19 times for 91 yards and Austin Hodges caught a 16-yard TD pass from QB Gordy Holloway (8-of-19, 126 yards) for the Rockies only TD.  Lowell's Kurt Monix did not complete a pass in the bad weather and Plymouth outgained Lowell 228-204.

The SERIES:  Plymouth is a 172-year-old town of 10,000 located 22 miles south of South Bend and named after Plymouth, Massachusetts, one of the original settlements in the United States.  Oddly, Lowell is named after Lowell, Massachusetts.  Plymouth, Indiana is based on the crossroads of Route 30 and 31, the US first east-west highway and the first road from the Ohio Valley to Lake Michigan.

I wouldn't call Plymouth rural as much as I would say it is a residential suburb of South Bend, which is a half hour to the north.  With that said, most suburbs don't have 'The Blueberry Festival', Plymouth's 40-year-old annual event that is its No. 1 gathering of the year.

The town has a classic old downtown area that looks a little like Valparaiso or the old section of Chesterton but the high school, which goes back to the 1800s, has always been the 'real' center of Plymouth.  This is just the second-ever meeting of Lowell and Plymouth, even though both played high school football for most of the 20th century.  Few schools have more pride in their football program than Plymouth, which began football in 1924.  Lowell has the "Inferno".  Plymouth has the "Rockpile", a 4,200-seat stadium out behind the high school. The Rockies, who have now finished with a winning record 45 times, won the Class 2A state title in 1977 under longtime baseball coach Bill Nixon who also coached football from 1975 to 1978.  Plymouth had about 800 students at that time and as the school grew, they did not fare as well.  From 1986 to 1995, the Rockies did not win more than six games in any year. But from 1996 to 2005, Plymouth roared back to state contention with a combined winning record of 84-39 including an 11-1 season in 2005.  After going 5-6 last year, Plymouth has completed the schools fifth undefeated regular season this year.

Plymouth is one of the quintessential Indiana sports towns.  They have won two state boys basketball titles (1982, 2007) and 33 sectionals.  The school won the girls basketball title this year.  Baseball was a state runner-up in 2000.  Like Lowell, Plymouth sits quietly about 20 miles south of the "big city" and about the only time you hear about the place is when the local high school team does something.

Lowell and Plymouth may not see much of each other after Friday.  Due to some weird gymnastics by the IHSAA, Plymouth and Lowell were placed in the same sectional even though they're 75 miles apart.  Another realignment is coming for next season and it is assumed that situation, caused by a temporary bump in enrollment from Griffith, will be corrected.  Lowell and Plymouth should meet in the regional, not the sectional.  In some ways, it's not fair these to play this soon.  But from a pure competition standpoint, Lowell and Plymouth should get together every year.

Lowell Red Devils (10-0)
Coach Kirk Kennedy, 144-67 in (18th year)
8-22 (W) 7-0 at Crown Point (3-7)
8-29 (W) 47-20 Morton (7-3)
9- 5 (W) 42-0 Kankakee Valley (3-7)
9-12 (W) 27-12 at GRIFFITH (6-4)
9-19 (W) 55-7 at HIGHLAND (0-10)
9-26 (W) 35-32 HOBART (9-1)
10-3 (W)  63-0 at Hammond (7-3)
10-10 (W) 24-7 MUNSTER (7-3)
10-17 (W) 35-6 at ANDREAN (3-7)

Sectional 10 Quarterfinals 
Oct. 24 (W)  24-7 at (South Bend) Washington (7-3)
Oct 31 (F)  vs.  Plymouth (10-0) 7 p.m.
Nov. 7 (F) home vs. Clay (5-5) or Northridge (2-8)
Nov. 14 (F) 4A Regional final
Nov. 21 (F)  4A Northern Semistate
Nov. 29 (S)  Class 4A state final - Lucas Oil Arena (4:00 p.m. EST)  downtown Indianapolis

4A No. 7 Plymouth (10-0)
Coach  John Barron (42-15) 5 years
Northern Lakes Conference champion
8-22 (W)  42-27 Bremen (4-6)
8-29 (W)28-20 at Rochester (9-1)
9-5 (W)  35-7 Warsaw (5-5)
9-12 (W) 21-0 Northridge (2-8)
9-19 (W) 35-21 at Elkhart Memorial (6-4)
9-26 (W) 42-7 Wawasee (1-9)
10-3 (W) 27-25 at Concord (8-2)
10-10 (W) 41-10 Goshen (4-6)
10-17 (W) 28-6 Northwood (8-2)

Class 4A Sectional 10
Oct 24 (W) 25-24 Concord (8-2)
Oct 31 (F) at Lowell (10-0)
Nov. 7 (F) home vs. Clay (5-5) or home vs. Northridge (2-8)
Nov. 14 (F) 4A Regional
Nov. 21 (F) Northern 4A Semistate  championship
Nov. 29 (S) 2008 Class 4A title game - Lucas Oil Arena (4:00 p.m. EST) downtown Indianapolis

The Lowell defense, which will have to stop the 250-yards-rushing per game attack of Plymouth,  are Justin Juarez (55), Russ Russnak (54) and David Eastling (52). (All photos by Mark Smith)

Lowell's offensive playmakers include Jake Belt (8) and Cole Midgett (13), with the help of big blocker Brian  DeMario (75).

4A No. 7 Plymouth (10-0)
Coach: John Barron - 5th year
Enrollment: 1,059
2007 record: 5-5
Sectional titles: (4)  1977, 1998, 2000 and 2001
Regional titles: (4) 1977, 1998, 2000 and 2001
Semistate titles: (0) none
State titles: (1)  1977

PLYMOUTH (10-31-2008) Plymouth took two things out of last week's 25-24 win over Concord and only one of them is good.  Concord became the first team to shut down Plymouth's running attack holding the Rockies to 48 yards on 25 carries.  But Plymouth QB Gordy Holloway completed 6-of-9 passes for 120 yards and a 9-yard TD pass to Brock Smith in the fourth quarter that rallied Plymouth to victory.

The Rockies survived star halfback Austin Hodges being held to minus yardage in the game, 14 carries for minus-7 yards.  That's significant because Hodges is Plymouth's answer to Lowell's Brandon Grubbe.  After nine games, the 165-pound senior had carried 191 times for 1,695 yards.  No one had held him under 100 yards in any game until last week.  Austin will have time to adjust to Lowell's field, a place he has never played, because the Rockies figure to use fullback John Popi early to soften up the Devil defense.  Plymouth's defense returned eight starters from the team that lost to Lowell last year.

Plymouth has a 300-pound right guard (Evan Skirvin 6-3, 300) and they run their fullback John Popi (5-8, 190) behind him out of a 3-back set.  The wide speed comes from Austin Hodges, who has 1,600 yards.

Last week when the run was stuffed... their QB Gordy Holloway fired some key passes to a very big tight end Leniel Hines (6-2, 245) to rally them.  Brandon Elliott (5-10, 170) is the only wide receiver on many plays.  There isn't anybody in Northwest Indiana like this... outside of Valparaiso.  Plymouth also very much has some of Griffith's attitude... which is to say... "We're better than you because we're Plymouth."  "What part of that don't you understand?"

It's too bad Griffith and Hobart are playing at the same time because their people would really appreciate this game.
 

Plymouth ran for 2,450 yards during the nine game regular season and Hodges ran for 1,500 of them.  If Hodges breaks a couple of long runs, it will be a big lift to Plymouth, which won't throw many passes.  Hines (5 TD catches) will be hard to control here because he's also a main blocker.  It's going to be very difficult to beat his block, but still cover him on pass plays.

Defensively, Plymouth gave up 500 yards passing in two games against Concord and they have allowed 1,300 yards in 10 games this season.

Plymouth had not kicked a field goal all season until Brandon Elliott booted a 40-yarder in the first quarter last week.  Junior cornerback Curtis Ivy had a 99-yard kickoff return in the season opener against Bremen.

4A Lowell Red Devils  (10-0)
Enrollment: 1,254
2007 record: 13-2
4A Sectional titles: (9) 1992, 1994, 1999, 2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08
4A Regional titles:  (4) 1994, 1999, 2005, 2007
4A Semi state titles: (2) 2005, 2007
4A State Titles (1) 2005

LOWELL (10-31-2008) Lowell trailed 7-3 last week before they rallied for a 24-7 victory at South Bend Washington (7-3).  Despite eight penalties, the Devils still stacked up 330 yards rushing against a team that had not allowed more than 200 all year.  They'll need that confidence this week against a Plymouth squad which has held seven teams under 100 yards rushing.

As always, Lowell will try to get 25 carries for junior halfback Brandon Grubbe (221 carries, 1,418 yards), who has three 200-yard games.  Lowell has two other smaller halfbacks in Cody Midgett (28 carries, 262 yards, 6 TDs) and Deron Johnson (48 carries, 291 yards, 6 TDs) who have consistently reached the end zone and fullback Bryan DeSomer (57 carries, 291 yards, 6 TDs) who run behind the quick offensive line which includes center Ryan Russnak (6-3, 175) with Justin Juarez (6-3, 227), Brian DeMario (6-3, 232), Nick Schultz (6-0, 238), and David Eastling (6-0, 213).

Senior Jake Belt (5-8, 160) has caught 17 passes for 403 yards (23.6 per catch) while Midgett (10 catches, 186 yards) has added another threat for QB Kurt Monix (55 of 92, 1,155 yards, 8 TDs) who has two interceptions.

The Lowell offense hasn't been great the last three weeks even though they've posted three 300 yards rushing games.  Four fumbles two weeks ago and eight penalties last week are uncomfortable numbers for the Devils, who have won 16 consecutive sectional games.

Matt Berkos has three field goals including a 25-yarder last week.  All his boots are under 30 yards.  Berkos has made 31 extra points in a row since missing a point boot against Griffith on September 12th.  Lowell has allowed just 36 points in the first half all season and they have outscored eight foes 148-14 in the second quarter.

Defensively, Lowell has faced three passing attacks (Munster, Andrean and Washington) in a row and now they see a power running game.  The defense, led by three-year starting linebackers Justin Juarez (6-3, 225) and David Eastling (6-0, 210), might have trouble finding the fullback John Popi behind Plymouth's good sized line.  But the game should come down to whether the outside linebackers like James Zelenka, who had six solo tackles last week, and Bryan DeSomer, who had four, can keep speedy Austin Hodges from turning up field.

Lowell may again use Brandon Grubbe, who has linebacker size (6-1, 175), to force plays inside, especially since the field should be dry and the footing should be good.

Falling behind last week had to be good for the Devils, who have had a lot of success this season.  There needs to be a sense of urgency to make some big play on offense or defense early Friday night because Plymouth is a team built for holding a lead.