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Chesterton (6-1, 5-0 DAC) at
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Week
8 - Football Game of the Week Preview |
Chesterton (6-1, 5-0 DAC) at
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10-08-2008
When:
Friday, October 10, 2008
Where: at Crown Point High School, 1500 South Main, Crown Point
Tickets: $5
Kick-off: 7:00 p.m. (CDT)
Radio/Internet: WWLO (89.1) FM, www.USA-365.com
WEATHER: Daytime temperatures in the low 70s, but game time temperatures may be in the low 60s and the end of the game may see 50-55 degrees. Should be mosquito-free. No rain is predicted so CP's artificial turf should be fast.
JV game: Saturday, Oct. 11 at Chesterton - 10:00
a.m.
Freshman: Thursday, Oct. 16 at
Crown Point - 6:00 p.m.
Numbers: CP - Class 5A,
enrollment 2,442; Chesterton -
Class 5A, enrollment - 1,959
PARKING: If the weather
holds, parking will be scarce. Not
only is Chesterton on a five-game
winning streak, but this is Crown Point's homecoming and their final
home game, which attracts people who
would otherwise not be here.
You might want to arrive early, if
only to see all the homecoming
details with floats and displays all
over the place. Plus this is almost
certainly the last CP home game in
good weather.
Note that the Homecoming parade may
not come near the high school. The
parade, which will begin about 5:00
p.m. (I'm not sure of the exact
time) will leave Wheeler Middle
school (the site of the old CPHS)
and go around the square and then
back to Wheeler Middle School, even
though that makes no sense. The route has changed many times
in recent years. But at last report,
the parade cars, for reasons that are
not clear, will not go south down
Main Street to the high school. The
natural route would be from the new
Middle School to the 'new' high
school. But at last report, that
will not happen.
THE SERIES: This is only the 25th meeting of
Chesterton and Crown Point. The
Bulldogs have won the last five
meetings to take a 14-10 lead in the
overall series. Chesterton High
School has been around since the
early part of the 20th century, but
they didn't have varsity football on
a consistent basis until 1960. An
indication that Chesterton used to
be a much smaller school is that the
Trojans played in the Porter County
Conference (PCC) basketball
tournament until 1958 when they had
grown too large for the other PCC
schools.
Chesterton was 28-12 in the school's first four years of football (1960-1963) under coach Ray Banary, who coached the Trojans through their first 15 seasons (100-49-3). The Trojans have won only two DAC titles, an undisputed championship in 2000 and a half-share of the title in 1971 and they have had no state tourney success at all. But that may change.
Chesterton is in the eye of the storm as far as the proposed 6-class football playoff set-up is concerned. With an enrollment of just under 2,000, Chesterton is a 5A school in the present format. But if the IHSAA goes to six classes, Chesterton would most likely remain a 5A school. That would improve the Trojans' state tournament prospects significantly. Chesterton does not have the enrollment to compete with schools like Warren Central (4,011 students) or Carmel (4,209) but in a six class scenario, they wouldn't have to. Chesterton has never won a sectional championship in the 36-year history of the state football tournament. But if the IHSAA goes to six classes, you will not be able to say that much longer.
The Trojans can win an outright DAC championship if they win their final two regular season games. But that was also the case last year and Chesterton lost big to both CP and Merrillville. Don't think that fact hasn't come up during practice at Chesterton this week.
Chesterton Trojans (6-1)
Coach John Snyder (44-38, 8th
year)
DAC games in CAPS
8-22 (W) 34-6 (SB)
Clay (4-3)
8-29 (L) 7-28 West Ottawa, Mich.
9-5 (W) 33-21 MICHIGAN CITY (2-5)
9-12 (W) 25-13 at LaPORTE (2-5)
9-19 (W) 12-10 at VALPARAISO (6-1)
9-26 (W) 37-14 PORTAGE (5-2)
10-3 (W) 28-10 at LAKE CENTRAL (3-4)
10-10 (F) at CROWN POINT (4-3)
10-17 (F) MERRILLVILLE (3-4)
Class 5A
Sectional One Quarterfinals
Oct. 24 (F)
Michigan City (2-5) 7 p.m.
Oct 31 (F) Sectional one semifinals
vs. Portage (5-2) or Valparaiso
(6-1)
Nov. 7 (F) Sectional one finals
Nov. 14 (F) 5A Regional
Nov. 21 (F) Northern 5A Semistate
championship
Nov. 29 (S) 2008 Class 5A title game
- Lucas Oil Arena (7:00 p.m. EST) in
Indianapolis
Crown Point Bulldogs (3-4)
Chip Pettit (52-33) 8th year -
DAC games in CAPs
8-22 (L) 0-7
Lowell (7-0)
8-29 (L) 7-13 at Hobart (6-1)
9- 5 (W) 10-7 at MERRILLVILLE
(3-4)
9-12 (L) 5-10 LAKE CENTRAL (3-4)
9-19 (W) 21-6 PORTAGE (5-2)
9-26 (L) 17-38 at VALPARAISO (6-1)
10-3 (W) 35-28 at LaPORTE (2-5)
10-10 (F) CHESTERTON (6-1)
10-17 (F) at MICHIGAN CITY (2-5)
5A Sectional
One Quarterfinals
Oct 24 (F) at
MERRILLVILLE (3-4)
Oct 31 (F) Sectional 1 semifinals
vs. LC (3-4) or Munster (5-2)
Nov. 7 (F) Sectional 1 finals
Nov. 14 (F) 5A Regional final
Nov. 21 (F) 5A Semistate
Nov. 29 (S) Class 5A state final -
Lucas Oil Arena (7:00 p.m., EST),
downtown Indianapolis
| Last Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| CROWN POINT (6-2) | 0 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 42 |
| Chesterton (6-2) | 9 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 24 |
CHESTERTON (10-9-2007)
Russell Chuck ran the ball 28 times for 233 yards as Crown Point rallied to beat the Trojans. Trailing 9-0, scored 42 in the final three quarters. Blake Mascarello threw a career-high four TD passes, two to fullback Mike Kozlowski. Chesterton QB Alex Beierwalter threw two TD passes but CP intercepted him three times.
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| The Bulldogs top receiver is senior Danny Osojnicki (7) who has 30 catches for 409 yards this season. (All photos by Mark Smith) |
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| Starting defensive linemen Steven Strong (94) and Kyle Land (57). CP has allowed just 906 yards rushing (129 yards per game) in 7 games. |
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| Friday is Crown Point's homecoming... starring the cheerleaders and the 'Bulldog'. |
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| The Homecoming Parade starts from Wheeler Middle School (the site of the old CPHS) at 5 P.M. (All photos by Mark Smith) |
Chesterton (5-2)
CROWN POINT (10-10-2008) Chesterton's Aaron Knight (179 carries, 971 yards, 9 TDs) has been a revelation this season. A wide receiver in 2008, Knight clearly used to be a QB somewhere in the Chesterton system. He is a wonderful runner (he caught 34 passes for 430 yards last season), but an inconsistent passer. Knight (35 of 75, 535 yards) is only 4-of-13 in his last three games, all Trojan wins. I'm not exactly sure what's going on there, but Chesterton hasn't even attempted to throw in the last three weeks.
But when the Trojans trailed Valparaiso 10-0 at the half on Sept. 19, Chesterton rallied to win 12-10, throwing just one pass in the entire game.
The Trojan offensive line, led by DeAndre Dukes (5-10, 230) and big David Raffin (6-3, 270), has to be doing a top flight job and they are committed to the option now. I don't think they'll start throwing the ball if they fall behind. Outside speed has been supplied by Phil Frech (5-10, 170), a hurdler on the Trojan track team, who scored two TDs last week, one on a blocked punt. Chesterton ran the ball 55 times against Portage, 46 times against Michigan City and 47 times against Lake Central. You have to hit Aaron Knight on every play.
Defensively, the Trojans benefit greatly from the offense holding the ball. Chesterton has held Lake Central and Portage under 200 yards but those teams are not powers on offense. You can argue that Chesterton has not faced a real good offensive team yet this year (Valparaiso played them without the VHS starting QB Zach Livovich), but is CP a good offensive squad?
Dukes is a very quick defensive tackle, while Frech, Knight and Mike Choucalas (6-1, 185) make up a strong secondary. Sloane Malay (6-2, 210) is a strong defensive end. But two teams have gained 300 yards on the Trojans. Chesterton appears to be winning, largely due to the backs and that offensive line.
Crown Point (3-4)
Enrollment: 2,442
2007 record: 8-3
Sectional titles: (3) 1981, 1988,
2006
Regional titles: (1) 1988
Semistate titles: (0)
State titles: (0)
CROWN POINT - Crown Point found their offense in LaPorte County last week, rushing 38 times for 282 yards and passing for 154 more yards. In the first six games, CP had gained only 1,199 total yards so they have reason to be encouraged. Senior QB Marcus Shrewsbury gained 117 yards on 13 carries and senior fullback Evan Nikrin (5-11, 200) gained 116 yards on 18 carries. Shrewsbury completed 7-of-10 passes for the 154 yards, including six passes to Danny Osojnicki for 120 yards. Halfback Nick Bruno has gained a season-best 46 yards on five carries.
Some of these numbers were gained due to the sub-par LaPorte rush defense, but CP badly needed to gain some yards and score some points. The CP offensive line, led by senior Nick Colonna, had its finest hour and they'll need more this week against a Trojan defense that has been effective when they've needed to be.
Osojnicki (6-0, 175) has caught 30 passes for 409 yards and four TDs, while speedy Nate Haverstock (5-8, 150) has caught 10 for 85 yards. Fullback Mike Kozlowski is a pass catching fullback with 12 grabs for 143 yards, giving CP some balance in the passing game.
Kicker Michael Lipton is 12 of 12 on extra points (yes, CP has only scored 12 TDs) and he has field goals of 27, 29 and 30 yards. The Bulldogs have not been in position for Lipton to kick a game winning field goal but that might happen this week.
Punter Mike Kozlowski is key on this night. Chesterton blocked two punts last week, so not only does Kozlowski have to get the ball off, he has to pin the Trojans back deep where their rushing attack has to go 70 or 80 yards on every possession.
The CP defense is led by senior linebackers Lance LaMere (6-0, 205) and Greg Schillo (5-10, 205). LaMere leads the team with 96 tackles and Schillo is second with 56. The Bulldogs are strong in the secondary with Osojnicki (42 tackles, 3 interceptions) Bruno (31 tackles, 2 interceptions), Haverstock (28 tackles and three fumbles recoveries) and sophomore Scott Hannon (6-1, 155) who has two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
Junior Steven Strong (5-9, 250) gives the Bulldogs much needed size inside while Kyle Land (5-11, 200) and Chris Shimley (5-8, 210) will be key against the Trojans deceptive running attack. CP is small up front so they must find a way to force Trojan backs to run wide where their speed can shut them down. As in most games, CP will be undersized up front and their five linebackers have to force Chesterton's Knight into bad decisions.
CHESTERTON
(6-1) at CROWN POINT (3-4)
Sagarin
Computer rankings: Chesterton by 12
CROWN POINT
(10-10-2008) Last week, Crown
Point scored the team's first rushing
TD of the season. In fact, they
scored four of them. This week, they will score the game's first TD, a pass from
Marcus Shrewsbury to Mike Kozlowski.
The Trojans will rally as QB Aaron
Knight breaks a TD run of 30 or 40
yards before a sustaining Bulldog
drive and a Michael Lipton field
goal gives CP a 10-7 lead at the
half.
This will be a conservatively played game by the Trojans because that's just how they are. There will be a lot of emotion on the field as CP plays its final game at home and Chesterton tries to clinch at least a tie for the DAC title.
Traditionally, the option works early, but struggles later as the defense adjusts to the speed of it. CP has been overpowered on the line in recent weeks and that's a worry, but Chesterton does not have much balance to their attack and CP should be able to eventually stop them.
The Bulldogs take a 17-7 lead on a short run by Shrewsbury in the third quarter before Knight hits Phil Frech on a long pass over the packed-in CP defense to make it 17-14. The Chesterton defense will hold, but the Trojans will not be able to move the ball late in the game and their lack of a passing attack that can dent CP's secondary will allow the Bulldogs to hold on. Danny Osojnicki will intercept Knight late in the fourth quarter and Lipton's second field goal will create the final score.
CP has little chance to tie for a 4th consecutive DAC championship, but they will carry that 'little chance' to the final week after winning back-to-back games for the first time all season.
CROWN POINT 20, Chesterton 14