Crown Point begins the season on top of the rankings, but multiple Northwest Indiana teams have the talent to make playoff runs.
TOP 10 TEAMS
1. Crown Point (12-1): Craig Buzea and the Bulldogs have been putting together an historic stretch, including a Class 6A semistate appearance and third straight undefeated regular season in 2024. Senior linebacker/tight end Trevor Gibbs (Indiana); senior offensive lineman Nolan Cicero (Ball State); senior safety Dominic Fantin; senior safety Griffin Van Tichelt; senior defensive lineman Mark Gonzales, who missed most of last season with a torn ACL; senior offensive lineman Austin Reading; and junior kicker Oliver Brewer are third-year starters. Numerous talented players graduated, including quarterback Noah Ehrlich (Miami of Ohio) and running back Larry Ellison, but the Bulldogs have clearly established themselves as elite.
2. Merrillville (11-2): The Pirates have reached a semistate in five of the past six seasons, and they’re poised to make another deep run in 5A. They have a dynamic one-two punch at running back with senior Jac’Quarious “JQ” Johnson and junior Cameron Jordan. Senior tight end/wide receiver Rynell Lewis is a big-play threat, and junior Michael Hill Jr. could emerge at quarterback. Their defense also is loaded with senior defensive back Warren Brown, senior defensive lineman Quran Moore (Southeast Missouri State), senior linebacker Aarion Kuykendall, senior defensive back Greg Hughes Jr. and senior defensive lineman Stanley Freeman Jr.
3. Valparaiso (8-4): The Vikings should be a force in 5A again. Senior quarterback Kellan Hosek and senior linebacker Ben Fedorchak will lead the way. Senior offensive lineman Caleb Hazlett and junior linebacker Brody Wheeler also return. Senior Gage Finlay will be relied upon at running back, and junior wide receiver Jimmy Parisi and junior tight end Matteo Micciche are expected to be top targets.
4. Andrean (9-5): The amount of Division I-level talent on the 59ers, a contender in Class 2A after reaching a semistate last season and earning a share of the Northwest Crossroads Conference title, is eye-catching. There’s senior offensive lineman Ben Novak (Wisconsin), and junior linebacker/running back Ethan Reyna and sophomore linebacker/running back Javier McCoy are top prospects. Also returning are junior defensive lineman Landen Murray, senior quarterback Brady Elish, sophomore linebacker Vinny Zsuppon and senior defensive back Gavin Jones
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.5. Michigan City (3-7): The Wolves have a wealth of talent, including senior wide receiver Zaire McKinney (Northern Illinois). Senior defensive back Da’mon Thomas and junior offensive lineman Jeremiah Jones both have multiple Division I offers. Senior quarterback Trinaston Hart, senior linebacker Ethan Buskirk, senior offensive lineman Edgar Garcia and senior defensive lineman Julius Heard also are back. They added senior running back Daequon Fields, who transferred from Portage.
6. Hobart (6-5): It’s shaping up to be a promising season for the Brickies, an NCC tri-champion last season, under second-year coach Eric Schreiber Jr. Junior quarterback Aleks Tatum, junior defensive back/wide receiver Bryce Tolliver and senior running back Max Pickett highlight the group. Senior offensive lineman/linebacker Josh Diaz, senior tight end/defensive lineman Logan Peters, senior two-way lineman Ethan Abrego, junior wide receiver/defensive back Nathan Sobczynski and junior tight end/defensive lineman Aiden Kasch also return.
7. Chesterton (6-5): The Trojans, continuing to pursue the program’s first sectional title, have a strong nucleus. Senior running back Andrew Goveia and senior offensive lineman Carlos Leon are top players, along with senior linebacker Roberto Stabolito. Senior linebacker Lucas Anderson, senior defensive back Logan Chestovich and senior offensive lineman Braxton Ozug all return. Senior wide receiver Louis Raffin also is back after missing most of last season with a broken collarbone.
8. Lake Central (3-7): The Indians, seeking their first winning season since going 9-2 in 2014, could make a move under second-year coach Pete Koulianos. Senior quarterback/defensive back Cameron Reddick (Air Force) is a standout. Junior linebacker Brody Ramirez, junior running back Jacob Turley, senior offensive lineman Matthew Kafka and junior linebacker Brian Rzyski also return.
9. Hanover Central (9-3): Tony Bartolomeo takes over as coach of the Wildcats, an NCC tri-champion last season. Junior H-back Anthony Layman, senior two-way lineman Sean Conlon, senior two-way lineman Nathan Conlon and senior linebacker/running back Lincoln Zerby are among their returnees. Several key skill position players graduated, including running back Caiden Verrett; and defensive back Dylan Bowen, an Oklahoma State baseball recruit, is focusing on that sport.
10. Lowell (4-6): Casey McKim is the new Red Devils coach after five successful seasons at New Prairie that included a Class 4A state runner-up finish in 2022. Senior quarterback Brody Kalwinski leads the way. Senior linebacker Lincoln Schneider, senior tight end Zak Scharnke, senior offensive lineman Dylan Sinde, junior offensive lineman Kash Komorowski, senior defensive lineman Matthew Gangwisch, senior defensive back Max Arredondo and senior defensive back Roan Vasko all return.
25 PLAYERS TO WATCH
- Warren Brown, Merrillville, senior, defensive back
- Ryan Bullion, Griffith, junior, quarterback
- Nolan Cicero, Crown Point, senior, offensive lineman
- Dominic Fantin, Crown Point, senior, defensive back
- Ben Fedorchak, Valparaiso, senior, linebacker
- Trevor Gibbs, Crown Point, senior, linebacker/tight end
- Andrew Goveia, Chesterton, senior, running back
- Kellan Hosek, Valparaiso, senior, quarterback
- Jac’Quarious “JQ” Johnson, Merrillville, senior, running back
- Cameron Jordan, Merrillville, junior, running back
- Carlos Leon, Chesterton, senior, offensive lineman
- Javier McCoy, Andrean, sophomore, linebacker/running back
- Cameron Miller, Morton, senior, offensive lineman
- Landen Murray, Andrean, junior, defensive lineman
- Ben Novak, Andrean, senior, offensive lineman
- Brody Ramirez, Lake Central, junior, linebacker
- Cameron Reddick, Lake Central, senior, quarterback/defensive back
- Ethan Reyna, Andrean, junior, linebacker/running back
- Martece Smith, Morton, senior, defensive back
- Aleks Tatum, Hobart, junior, quarterback
- Davion Terry, Morton, senior, running back
- Bryce Tolliver, Hobart, junior, defensive back/wide receiver
- Aiden Torbeson, Boone Grove, senior, offensive lineman
- Griffin Van Tichelt, Crown Point, senior, defensive back
- Tyne Vettickal, Wheeler, senior, wide receiver/defensive back