This may or may not be SuperSam’s final area football game predictions of the 2023 season. However, if it is, I want to thank you for your support and your interest in high school football all season long! 

We have 4 area teams looking to punch their ticket to state. Which ones will find their way to Lucas Oil Stadium next Saturday?

5A: #6 Merrillville (10-2) at #2 Snider (11-1)

Series (1992): 2-0 Snider 

After a dramatic scare at Mishawaka, the Panthers find themselves right where they were one year ago: playing in the Semistate round. 

This time, however, they’ll be facing a speedy and athletically gifted Merrillville Pirates team that dispatched their Duneland Conference rivals, Valparaiso, 24-20.

There are several playmakers on both sides of the ball that are a threat, but for all intense purposes, it starts with quarterback Dontae Pope and the exceptional two-way playmaker Trey Stephens. Stephens was the one responsible for breaking up a pass in the end zone on the last play of the game to help Merrillville reach this Semistate game.

The Pirates have never won this round despite being crowned 1976 state champions. For Snider, they have been motivated to get back to this stage and taking care some unfinished business from a year ago when they lost 22-21 to Valpo in OT. 

It’s going to come down which team can limit the mistakes and which team is able to contain their playmakers, primarily in the backfield. I think this is going to be a ballgame down to the wire. Merrillville will be able to force Snider to walk the plank, but like Wendy in Peter Pan, the Snider Panthers stay alive. 

Players to Watch

Merrillville: Trey Stephens Senior Running Back/Strong Safety

Snider: Brandon Logan Junior Strong and Free Safety

Snider by 3

4A: #11 NorthWood (11-2) at #10 Leo (11-2)

Series (2011): 4-0 Leo 

This is a tremendous football game between two very talented teams that have a variety of different ways they can match up to negate some of their strengths. Northwood is big and physical with a lethal passing attack.

Leo, they’re also big and physical but they have a unique and balanced offensive scheme with the ability to run the football and find the ball across their receivers. The key will come down to defense and turnovers. Who will be able to pressure the QB? Who will negate the passing attack? And which team is able to utilize the field to their advantage?

This is probably as close of a game as you’ll get…Northwood has the track record to get it done, but this Leo team has something quite special of their own. This should be an amazing game at Lions’ Field, and I think the Leo faithful will be rewarded to a SuperSam Classic!

Players to Watch

Northwood: Nitro Tuggle Senior Wide Receiver (Georgia Commit)

Leo: Landin Hoeppner (Senior Cornerback) and Kamden Zeisloft (Senior Safety)

Leo by 1

2A: #10 Lafayette Central Catholic (10-3) @ #7 Bishop Luers (10-3)

First Meeting 

For the first time ever, two of the winningest football programs in IHSAA history with a combined 19 state championships will square off at Luers Field. Both teams got off to a slow start (LCC 1-3, Luers 0-2) before going on a tear since. But these are two different looking teams in this matchup. 

Bishop Luers, to their credit of being resilient and finding ways to win games despite the odds, has not played a team like Lafayette Central Catholic this season. Throughout the postseason by itself, Luers’ opponents were almost exclusively to being run-first teams. That’s not to say that a run-first team can’t win, but preparing for one is completely different to preparing for what is an air raid attack.

When’s the last time Luers played against a team that throws the ball this well?? Maybe Wayne back in Week 4?? But even Wayne does not have the offense that resembles that of LCC. 

This shotgun offense is centered around Junior Bobby Metzger and his 2,700 yards passing and 33 TD’s. He is the most talented quarterback of the area games listed here because he has the most potential to throw the deep ball at a high rate. What is more impressive is their linebackers unit with an arsenal of big, physical linemen. 

Their top linemen are combining for over 200 tackles and 16 TFL’s. LCC also gets to the QB at a rate of a college football program with 32 sacks! Yes, I know Luers also has 32 sacks led by Damiun Jackson’s 9.5 and Wes Javins’ 8, but this Central Catholic team poses a huge challenge.

If Luers is going to win this game, they have to play sharper than they did a week ago against Bluffton. Luers left a LOT of points on the board. I hate to burst your bubble, but LCC is NOT going to be intimidated whatsoever going to Bishop Luers. They also play on grass.

The other thing is Kohen McKenzie has to be great tonight. He hasn’t thrown for more than 1 TD since Week 8 against Bishop Dwenger. And since then, he has nearly thrown as many INT’s (5) as TD’s (6).

LCC is simply way too talented and big to being giving them extra possessions and great field positioning. If Luers can’t find their rhythm, it’s going to be a long night. 

Players to Watch 

LCC: Ryan Delgatto Junior Linebacker

Luers: Damium Jackson Senior Defensive End/Tight End 

Central Catholic by 10

1A: North Judson (9-4) @ #2 Adams Central (13-0)

Series (1984): 2-2 Tie 

The last 2 years have seen AC blowing out the Blue Jays by a combined score of 77-7. But when you talk to Coach Mosser and the AC Jets roster, they think this will be a battle tonight. 

North Judson does have a unique that will have 3 guys primarily running the football, and they are very good at pounding the ball when effective and they’re not turning the ball over. The Blue Jays have played some quality teams with close losses to Culver Acadmies, Knox (who is playing Bishop Chatard in Semistate), and LaVille. So this isn’t a bad team by any stretch.

The concern on their end is more to do with how good Adams Central is, and if they’re disciplined and not laying off the gas, which it happened in the first quarter of the Madison-Grant sectional title game, they are the best 1A team out of the North. The only reason I give the Blue Jays a shot is if they can force some turnovers and they can grab a 1-2 score lead early. 

The Blue Jays will need a good dose of Brock Benson (1,401 yards rushing on 202 carries and 19 TD’s) to keep this game close early. 

Otherwise, Adams Central is superior up front, and their skills guys are too deep and can make any good team struggle. I don’t know if AC necessarily “rolls”, but I think the Jets have the best chance of the remaining 260 teams to get to state. 

Players to Watch:

NJ: Brock Benson Junior Full Back/Inside Linebacker 

AC: Jack Hamilton Senior Quarterback/Strong Safety 

J-E-T-S JETS by 20

BONUS PICKS

6A

Westfield by 3 over Crown Point

Ben Davis by 3 over Center Grove

5A

Bloomington South by 4 over Decatur Central 

4A

East Central by 24 over New Palestine 

3A

Bishop Chatard by 30 over Knox

Heritage Hills by 1 over Gibson Southern 

2A

North Posey by 21 over Southmont

1A

Indianapolis Lutheran by 28 over Sheridan 

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