BY FRANK KIELPIKOWSKI
The 2025 season got under way last Friday with a mixture of great performances, dominate victories, and a few surprises as well. As always, we begin with this week’s Region Top 10.
- Crown Point (1-0)
- Merrillville (1-0)
- Valparaiso (0-1)
- Andrean (0-1)
- Michigan City (1-0)
- Griffith (1-0)
- Hammond Morton (1-0)
- Hobart (1-0)
- Lake Central (1-0)
- Wheeler (1-0)
WEEK ONE RECAP
DUNELAND CONFERENCE
Crown Point 38, Lowell 7: Brayden Schott rushed for 126 yards and three scores as the Bulldogs won their 28th consecutive regular season game and fifth straight decision over Lowell.
Hammond Morton 35, Portage 7: Davion Terry’s 64-yard touchdown romp highlighted the Governors’ surprisingly easy victory in Hessville. Morton has now won two of the last three matchups against the Indians.
Hobart 20, Chesterton 3: Aleks Tatum completed 13-of-19 passes for 165 yards with a touchdown and ran for another tally for the Brickies, who limited Chesterton’s all-state candidate Andrew Goveia to just 43 yards rushing.
Lake Central 45, Munster 28: The Indians actually trailed 21-17 at the half before using a strong second half to register their 10th straight season opening triumph.
LaPorte 32, New Prairie 14: Behind Reed Raymond’s 267 yards rushing and four total touchdowns, the Slicers put their 11-game winless streak in the rearview mirror and played their best game under Austin Epple. The 18-point triumph was their largest margin in a regular season game since 2017.
Merrillville 41, Andrean 14: The Pirates made it nine in a row over Broadway rival Andrean as quarterback Michael Hill completed 19-of-23 passes for 278 yards and four scores.
Michigan City 31, Hanover Central 0: Trinaston Hart threw for 103 yards and a score and rushed for 57 yards as the Wolves racked up over 300 total yards.
Penn 21, Valparaiso 13: Kellen Hosek’s 165 yards passing and 63 yards on the ground were not enough as the Vikings turned it over twice on their final three possessions against Penn.
GREATER SOUTH SHORE CONFERENCE
Calumet 48, Osceola Grace 13: Junior Bryce Brandon ran for 132 yards and a score, and Brody Mueller threw for 119 yards and three touchdowns for the Warriors.
Glenn 43, Boone Grove 0: The Falcons were dominant on both sides of the ball in posting their sixth straight win over Boone Grove, which was limited to just one first down.
Griffith 56, Highland 14: Devin Thomaston caught four passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns in the first half for the Panthers.
Lake Station 42, South Newton 6: Oscar Alderson raced for 163 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback David Parker added 110 yards and two scores as the Fighting Eagles rolled up more than 400 yards on the ground.
North Newton 31, Whiting 12: After getting blanked 63-0 by Whiting a year ago, the Spartans turned the tables to earn their first season opening win since 2021.
River Forest 42, East Chicago Central 28: The Ingots earned their fourth straight season opening triumph in Ed Ekeblad’s debut on the sidelines.
South Bend Riley 35, Hammond Bishop Noll 0: The Wildcats used a 26-point second-half outburst to blank Bishop Noll for the second year in a row.
NORTHWEST CROSSROADS CONFERENCE
Rensselaer Central 28, Kankakee Valley 21 (OT): The Bombers picked up their fourth season opening victory in the last five years against Kankakee Valley.
Wheeler 52, South Central 0 – Logan Fox threw for 151 yards and three touchdowns to wideout Tyne Vettickal, who also returned an interception for a score for the Bearcats. Levi Murray also ran for 136 yards and two scores for Wheeler.
OTHERS
Bowman Academy 58, Christel House Manual 12: The Eagles rewarded new boss Gary Richardson as they halted their 15-game losing streak. They also posted their first season-opening win since 2020 and registered their largest victory margin in nearly six seasons.
Knox 38, North Judson 6: The defending Class 1A state runner-up Bluejays had their 10-game regular season winning streak snapped and suffered their most lopsided setback since 2023.
South Bend Washington 31, Hammond Central 0: Tyler Milby’s debut with the Wolves didn’t go as hoped as Washington snapped an 11-game losing streak.
WEEK TWO CONTESTS
DUNELAND CONFERENCE
Crown Point (1-0) at Indianapolis Pike (0-1): The Bulldogs make the drive down Interstate-65 in search of their 29th straight regular season win.
Grand Rapids Catholic (Michigan) (0-0) at Lake Central (1-0): The Indians look to avenge a 17-10 setback to Grand Rapids Catholic last year.
Hammond Morton (1-0) at Chesterton (0-1): The Governors go for their second straight win over a DAC opponent, while Chesterton looks for its second win in a row against Morton after posting a 36-23 win in Hammond last season.
Hobart (1-0) at Portage (0-1): This is the first meeting between these former Duneland Conference foes since 2004 when the Indians posted a 24-7 victory against Hobart.
LaPorte (1-0) at Lowell (0-1): The Red Devils have won all three meetings against LaPorte, including a 28-6 victory at Kiwanis Field a year ago.
Loyola Academy (Illinois) (0-0) at Merrillville (1-0): In the first meeting between these two programs, Loyola has captured Illinois’ Class 8A state championship the past three seasons.
Michigan City (1-0) at Lafayette Jeff (0-1): The Bronchos have won two of the three meetings with Michigan City, including last year’s hard-fought 17-14 decision at Ames Field.
Valparaiso (0-1) at Chicago Brother Rice (Illinois) (0-0): The Vikings look to avoid their first 0-2 start since 2018 as they hit the road to face tradition-rich Brother Rice.
GREATER SOUTH SHORE CONFERENCE
Gary West Side (0-0) at East Chicago Central (0-1): After having their season opener against Indianapolis Washington canceled because of a power outage, the Cougars go for their sixth straight victory over EC Central.
Illinois Home School (0-0) at Lake Station (1-0): The Fighting Eagles are in search of their first 2-0 beginning since 1990.
Osceola Grace (0-1) at Hammond Bishop Noll (0-1): The Warriors look to even the all-time series at 2-after posting a 28-15 road triumph at Osceola Grace last year.
River Forest (1-0) at Calumet (1-0): The Ingots have had the upper hand each of the past two seasons by recording back-to-back shutouts (33-0 and 35-0) over Calumet.
South Central (0-1) at Boone Grove (0-1): The Wolves are in pursuit of their fourth straight victory over South Central.
NORTHWEST CROSSROADS CONFERENCE
Highland (0-1) at Whiting (0-1): The Trojans have won five of the six matchups against Whiting, including a narrow 22-21 decision a season ago.
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (1-0) at Hanover Central (0-1): The 17-time state champion Trojans venture into the Region looking to make it two straight in the series. Hanover Central had its 25-game regular season winning streak snapped with a rain-shortened 28-7 loss in Indianapolis last year.
Munster (0-1) at Griffith (1-0): Phil Mason’s Panthers look to make it two in a row over Munster, which suffered a 49-0 home loss a season ago.
Wheeler (1-0) at Kankakee Valley (0-1): If the Bearcats are going to achieve their first 2-0 beginning since 2018, they have to snap a six-game losing streak to Kankakee Valley.
Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (0-1) at Andrean (0-1) (Saturday): Although these strong private schools have met three previous times in the northern semistate, this will be their first regular season matchup. The Saints downed Andrean, 48-29, in 2022.
OTHERS
Bowman Academy (1-0) at Calumet Christian (0-0): The Eagles look to start 2-0 for the first time since getting off to a 4-0 beginning in 2017.
LaVille (1-0) at North Judson (0-1): The Bluejays won a pair of contests over LaVille a season ago, including a 44-18 triumph for the Class 1A Sectional 41 championship.
Thorton Fractional South (Illinois) (0-0) at Hammond Central (0-1): The Wolves look to bounce back and make amends for a 26-7 road loss to T.F. South last year.
