GREAT LAKES
East Chicago Central (Jay Novak, fifth season): 4-6, lost to Hammond Morton, 27-0, in Class 4A sectional. Opener: vs. Lake Station. Have to replace running back Derek Robinson and quarterback Jashon Jones. Top players back include junior linebacker Michael Perkins and junior quarterback Christian Luevano.
Hammond (Roosevelt Moore, fifth season): 3-7, lost to Griffith, 55-0, in Class 4A sectional. Opener: at South Bend Washington. Have to replace quarterback Senior Lindsey and running back Isaiah Smith. Top players back include senior lineman Alexander Fuentes and junior running back Rigo Andrade.
Hammond Clark (Nick Testa, second season): 1-9, lost to Wheeler, 45-14, in Class 3A sectional. Opener: vs. Whiting. Have to replace Markus Fielder and wide receiver Antwon Herndon-Walker. Top players back include senior quarterback Matthew Johnson and senior defensive back Daniel Mora-Diaz.
Hammond Gavit (Robert Robinson, eighth season): 4-6, lost to Highland, 27-0, in Class 4A sectional. Opener: at Calumet. Have to replace lineman John Stepak and linebacker Jamari Washington. Top players back include senior lineman Eugene Johnson and senior running back Tyler Smith.
Hammond Morton (Sean Kinsey, third season): 8-3, lost to Griffith, 35-21, in Class 3A sectional semifinal. Opener: vs. Highland. Have to replace linebacker Joseph Wharton and defensive back Tim Johnson. Top players back include senior linebacker Cassius Waite and senior wide receiver Kashon Prater.
GREATER SOUTH SHORE
NORTH DIVISION
Calumet (Richard Good, second season): 3-7, lost to Twin Lakes, 43-20, in Class 3A sectional. Opener: vs. Hammond Gavit. Have to replace quarterback Cody Snook and lineman James Lewis. Top players back include senior wide receiver Paris Hernandez and senior lineman Joshua Johnson.
Lake Station (Jason Wolfe, second season): 2-8, lost to North Newton, 36-6, in Class 2A sectional. Opener: at East Chicago Central. Have to replace linebacker Andrew Pavich and running back Joncarlo Villasenor. Top players back include senior running back Dominique Smith and senior defensive back Angelo Guerra.
River Forest (Joe O’Connell, first season): 4-6, lost to Boone Grove, 21-0, in Class 2A sectional. Opener: vs. Wheeler. Have to replace running back Chandler Guess and linebacker Bradley Groover. Top players back include senior wide receiver Judah Lewis and junior lineman Matt Espinoza.
Whiting (Jeff Cain, 25th season): 6-3, lost to North Newton, 20-14, in Class 2A sectional. Opener: at Hammond Clark. Have to replace running back Dylan White and linebacker Pedro Valerio. Top players back include senior quarterback Nino Barbosa and senior running back Tom Davenport.
SOUTH DIVISION
Boone Grove (Dan Kukulski, second season): 8-4, lost to North Newton, 28-14, in Class 2A sectional final. Opener: vs. Glenn. Have to replace lineman Cameron Pfeifer and running back Brandon Vann. Top players back include senior quarterback Dylan Paul and senior linebacker Brian Spears.
Griffith (Ben Geffert, fourth season): 10-2, lost to Lowell, 42-7, in Class 4A sectional final. Opener: vs. Michigan City. Have to replace quarterback Fred Winston and running back Kadafi Coleman. Top players back include senior running back Ernest Johnson and senior wide receiver Cole Cervantes.
Hanover Central (Brian Parker, first season): 5-5, lost to Andrean, 24-9, in Class 3A sectional. Opener: vs. Clinton Prairie. Have to replace quarterback James Delange and linebacker Jacob Weinke. Top players back include senior wide receiver Brandon DeMoff and senior linebacker Sam Momcilovic.
South Central (Buzz Schoff, second season): 4-6, lost to Winamac, 28-0, in Class 1A sectional. Opener: vs. Triton. Have to replace linebacker Brad Eaton and wide receiver Owen Avery. Top players back include senior quarterback Kyle Schmack and junior running back Jake Osburn.
Wheeler (Adam Hudak, second season): 5-6, lost to Wheeler, 69-6, in Class 3A sectional semifinal. Opener: at River Forest. Have to replace lineman Andrew Murray and wide receiver Jacob Strausbaugh. Top players back include senior running back Payton Hinkel and senior tight end Bishop Polizzotto.
NORTHWEST CROSSROADS
Andrean (Chris Skinner, third season): 8-4, lost to West Lafayette, 56-10, in Class 3A sectional final. Opener: vs. Merrillville. Have to replace running back Teely Rhyne and defensive back Jacob Tuttle. Top players back include senior linebacker Cameron Williams and senior lineman Jaylen Matthews.
Highland (Pete Koulianos, first season): 4-7, lost to Lowell, 35-0, in Class 4A sectional semifinal. Opener: at Hammond Morton. Have to replace wide receiver Sam Carpenter and lineman Gannon Grider. Top players back include senior quarterback Dean Foundos and senior running back Brandon Phillips.
Hobart (Craig Osika, first season): 6-4, lost to South Bend Saint Joseph, 19-7, in Class 4A sectional. Opener: at Chesterton. Have to replace quarterback Sam Ehrlich and linebacker Jordan Kraft. Top players back include senior running back Sal Valle and senior linebacker Drake Recio.
Kankakee Valley (James Broyles, first season): 2-7, lost to South Bend Riley, 49-10, in Class 4A sectional. Opener: vs. Rensselaer Central. Have to replace quarterback Nick Schoonveld and running back Randy Sneed. Top players back include senior wide receiver Dylan Parker and senior running back Donald Nannenga.
Lowell (Keith Kilmer, ninth season): 14-1, lost to East Central, 14-7, in Class 4A state championship game. Opener: at Crown Point. Have to replace defensive back Jordan Jusevitch and wide receiver Jaeger Gill. Top players back include senior quarterback Ethan Igras and senior running back Tyler Wildman.
Munster (Jason Grunewald, first season): 4-6, lost to Michigan City, 28-14, in Class 5A sectional semifinal. Opener: at Lake Central. Have to replace running back Dylan Bullock and defensive back Chris Bedenk. Top players back include senior linebacker Jelani Warner and senior wide receiver Javaughn Richards.
INDEPENDENTS
Bowman Academy (David Nelson, sixth season): 6-3, didn’t participate in IHSAA tournament in 2017. Opener: vs. Indianapolis Washington. Have to replace wide receiver A’Torrione Howard and defensive back Al Muhammad. Top players back include junior running back Johntae Hurt and junior quarterback George Johnson.
Culver Academy (Andy Dorrel, 20th season): 10-2, lost to Angola, 31-30 (OT) in Class 4A sectional final. Opener: vs. LaVille. Have to replace wide receiver Brian Loudermilk and quarterback Michael Bocker. Top players back include senior lineman Amari Curtis and senior linebacker Alex Stathakis.
Gary Roosevelt (Craig Chambers, third season): 7-3, lost to Boone Grove, 47-20, in Class 2A sectional semifinal. Opener: at Gary West. Have to replace quarterback Latrell Williams and linebacker Trenton Allen. Top players back include senior running back Keontiz Shumake and senior lineman Brian Hall.
Gary West (Colin McCullough, first season): 2-8, lost to Lowell, 41-0, in Class 4A sectional. Opener: vs. Gary Roosevelt. Have to replace wide receiver Bashaar McCarter and linebacker Tyre Johnson. Top players back include senior quarterback Deon Newell and senior wide receiver Roshaud Bell.