Football
SuperSam’s Area High School Football Games and Picks (Week 4 of 2024 Season)
SuperSam is back for some area high school football games just moments before the opening kickoff of Week 4 of the high school football season.
Carroll (1-2, 1-0 SAC Big) @ Bishop Dwenger (1-2, 1-0)
Last week saw Carroll’s offense and Dwenger’s defense taking center stage in their wins over South Side and North Side respectively. Tonight, it will come down to which team can slow down the other.
Will Carroll’s big boys up front match Dwenger’s intensity? Can Dwenger’s pass coverage solve the riddle against Jimmy ‘Football’ and the Charger offense?
SuperSam says Carroll finds a way
Players to Watch
Carroll: Jimmy Sullivan Senior Quarterback
Dwenger: Dylan Tippmann Junior Outside Linebacker
Carroll by 7
Central Noble (0-3) @ Prairie Heights (2-1)
After going 0-10 last season, Prairie Heights is seeking their first 3-1 start since 2003. However, while Central Noble is winless, they have shown some life in losses to Woodlan and LaVille.
If the spread offense, and more specifically Brody Morgan (the program’s career leading in passing yards, touchdown passes, and single game completions and passing yards) has a strong game, ‘We the Heights’ is in serious trouble.
Players to Watch
CN: Brody Morgan Senior Quarterback
PH: Jordan Klumpp Senior Wide Receiver
Central Noble by 14 in a SuperSam Upset Special!
DeKalb (2-1, 1-0 NE8) @ East Noble (2-1, 1-0 NE8)
Both teams are up to good starts but both are capable of performing even better. Recently, East Noble has dominated this series having won every meeting since their last loss to DeKalb in 2007. For DeKalb, they have not won in Kendallville since 1998; 2 years before EN won their lone state championship.
East Noble has an elite run defense, while DeKalb has a very strong offensive line. One of these two things will out perform the other. The battle up front will decide this game.
Right now, I still like the Knights
Players to Watch
DeKalb: Will Weber Senior Quarterback/Defensive Back
East Noble: Logan Hatton Senior Wide Receiver/Defensive Back
East Noble by 10
Huntington North (2-1, 0-1 NE8) @ Columbia City (3-0, 1-0 NE8)
Prior to Week 3, Huntington North fans waited 17 years for their first 2-0 start. While they came off 1 half short of their first 3-0 start in nearly 3 decades, the Vikings are not going to be pushed around this season.
Huntington North has to refine their running game and cut down the turnovers to which has been an issue in various portions. It is a tall task against a Columbia City team that hammered Bellmont 61-0. Granted, it’s Bellmont. Granted, their first 3 weeks don’t spark any fear upon most decent teams. But this is a team that returns a lot of experience.
Can the Vikes regain their successful start or will the Eagles have their way?
I say Columbia City wins, but not in blowout fashion.
Players to Watch
HN: Tony Decker Senior Quarterback/Defensive Back
Columbia City: Sam Bean Junior Guard/Middle Linebacker
Columbia City by 8
Lakeland (3-0) @ Garrett (3-0)
All things considered, this is the undisputed game of the week in this area, and it’s about to be appetizing for all fans out there. A legitimate ‘Clash of the Titans’ between the lethal spread attack and one big rolling train! Lakeland’s elite athleticism vs Garrett’s blue collar mentality of hard-nosed physical football. Garrett is like one big wrecking ball. Right? They want to mash, bash, and takedown people to enforce their physical will.
It’s going to be a blast on the night Garrett celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 1974 state championship football team. And guess what, I think Garrett is going to leave the fans and that 1974 team with a smile on their face.
Players to Watch
Lakeland: Keyan Arroyo Junior Wide Receiver/Defensive Back
Garrett: Brayden Nusbaum Junior Linebacker/Running Back
All I gotta say is ROLL BIG TRAIN
Garrett by 3 in a SuperSam Classic
Norwell (0-3, 0-1 NE8) @ Bellmont (0-3, 0-1 NE8)
The Bellmont Braves have not won a football game since Oct. 8, 2021, which is a span of 1,071 days between wins. In fact, when adding more context here, Bellmont has lost 51 of their last 52 football games, something that hasn’t come close to happening in this area since the days of Fort Wayne Elmhurst and their 64-game losing streak from 21 years ago.
Will the Braves finally end the streak? They should compete early in this game, but even a superhero doesn’t think their heroic efforts will be enough.
Players to Watch
Norwell: Drew Graft Senior Wide Receiver/Free Safety
Bellmont: Easton Curtis Junior Quarterback/Middle Linebacker
Norwell by 16
South Adams (1-2, 0-1 ACAC) @ Heritage (3-0, 1-0 ACAC)
The Starfires are looking for a bounceback performance following a tough 33-7 loss to the Bluffton Tigers. This is a less than ideal matchup against a Heritage team that’s huge up front, and has the playmakers like Eli Tigulis and Braden Walter to be a serious ACAC contender.
South Adams does have playmakers of their own led by quarterback Tytus Lehman and wide receiver Derick McKean. But this South Adams defense will need a better showing in pass coverage, and that’s a tall task to achieve.
Players to Watch
South Adams: Grant O’Dell Senior Defensive Line
Heritage: Charlie Riddle Offensive and Defensive Tackle
Heritage by 18
Wayne (1-1, 0-1 SAC Small) @ Bishop Luers (2-1, 1-0 SAC Small)
Wayne received a good taste of humble pie last week against the bigger, more athletically gifted Homestead team that had a chip on their shoulder in blowout losses to Carmel and Noblesville.
Homestead laid a beating on Wayne in a 22-8 Sparty win, which felt like a 44-8 game. Wayne needs a get right game against the defending state champions Bishop Luers, who dominated a shorthanded Northrop team by 34 points.
Just like Northern Illinois, the ‘Lu Way’ fights and drives their way to victory lane.
Players to Watch
Wayne: Kimar Nelson Senior Middle Linebacker/Running Back
Luers: Daveon Surry Junior Slotback/Cornerback
Bishop Luers by 3 in a squeaker
West Noble (3-0) @ Angola (1-2)
If it wasn’t for the hype train up in Garrett, this game at the Hornets’ Nest would very interesting because of how close these games have been between the Chargers and Hornets.
While Hawk Hasselman and Korbin Roan can be the spark for the ‘Angry Purple Eaters’, do they have what it takes to withstand a stampede?? Not just any stampede but the Los Caballos Grandes??
Give me the amigos from West Noble!
Players to Watch
WN: Xavier Yates Junior Strong Safety/Slotback
Angola: Hawk Hasselman Junior Quarterback
West Noble by 7
Woodlan (1-2) @ Bluffton (3-0)
Woodlan knows how to start off games well, but clearly struggling to put two halves together. It doesn’t help that it’s a sophomore heavy roster, and they’re running a new system in the Power-T scheme.
Meanwhile, Bluffton has their 2nd straight 3-0 start, which has never happened in program history following a 33-7 win over South Adams. Woodlan has a tall task trying to generate any offense against this stellar defensive line, let alone trying to contain the speedy quarterback Axton Beste.
I am riding with the Tigers!
Players to Watch
Woodlan: Carter and Drew Fleek Seniors
Bluffton: Axton Beste Sophomore Quarterback
Bluffton by 21
