Several teams have been surprises this season. Crown Point, which has won 41 straight regular-season games, is not one of them.
Surprise teams
Bishop Noll (3-2): The Warriors already have exceeded their total victories from last season.
One more win under Rick Good, who in his second season as coach after previous stops at Calumet and Lake Central, and they’ll have their most since they went 5-5 in 2013.
Junior running back/linebacker Jeremiah Patton has rushed for 759 yards and nine touchdowns on 76 carries. He also has 40 tackles with five for loss.
Senior wide receiver Jeremiah Alford has 17 catches for 186 yards and a TD, and senior wide receiver Samuel Rosas has added 10 catches for 162 yards and two scores.
Whiting (3-2): The Oilers, who haven’t won as many as five games since 2021, also have more victories already this season.
First-year coach Adam Hudak, who also has led Hammond Central, Wheeler and Lake Station, could be in the process of providing the program with the most stability since Indiana Football Coaches Association Hall of Famer Jeff Cain stepped down after the 2018 season.
Versatile junior Julian Madrueno has rushed for 640 yards and seven TDs on 80 carries, and senior fullback Romeo Rosario has added eight scores. Rosario also has 32 tackles, and senior defensive lineman Eddie Mansfield has 10 tackles for loss.
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Calumet (4-1): The Warriors have won four straight games after a season-opening loss.
Another experienced first-year coach, Nick Testa was previously at Wheeler and Clark and has had early success at Calumet.
Senior running back Bryce Brandon is putting together another strong season with 637 yards and 10 TDs on 89 carries.
Sophomore quarterback Jaden Campbell has emerged by completing 43 of 71 pass attempts for 885 yards and 11 TDs and just one interception. Junior wide receiver Brandon Smith Jr. has 17 receptions for 452 yards and six TDs, and he also has three interceptions.
Junior defensive back Khyran Wright has four picks, and junior linebacker Aden Douglas has 68 tackles with six for loss.
Valparaiso (4-1) and Hanover Central (4-1): These two teams haven’t as much surprised as they’ve returned to form.
Valparaiso has bounced back from a highly uncharacteristic 2-8 record in 2025, its first sub-.500 mark since 2014.
Sophomore quarterback Cooper Gear has shined with 609 yards rushing and 14 TDs on 61 carries in his first season as the starter.
Senior defensive lineman Ryan Cheek has 36 tackles and is one of five players on the team with at least 30.
Hanover Central is markedly improved in coach Tony Bartolomeo’s second season after going 4-6 in 2025, its first sub-.500 record since 2018.
Senior quarterback Wyatt Tewell has completed 74 of 105 pass attempts for 1,049 yards and 13 TDs with just one interception, connecting with an assortment of receivers.
Senior running back Dominic Giglio has rushed for 416 yards and five TDs on 82 carries. Junior linebacker Ben Baswell has 31 tackles.
Memorable games
Crown Point at Merrillville, Sept. 4: In a matchup between the Region’s top two teams and two of the state’s best, the Bulldogs gained the inside track to a fifth straight Duneland Athletic Conference title with a 23-14 victory.
The score was tied 14-14 when Merrillville star senior quarterback Michael Hill Jr. suffered an injury early in the fourth quarter, and Crown Point (5-0, 3-0) seized control.
Bulldogs senior quarterback Tyce Custy, a Lindenwood recruit, completed 12 of 15 pass attempts for 207 yards and two TDs, and senior running back Brayden Schutt had 98 yards and a score on 10 carries.
Bulldogs senior cornerback Jaden Saddler recovered a muffed punt and snagged an interception to help seal the victory over the Pirates (4-1, 2-1).
Crown Point and Merrillville should meet again in a Class 6A sectional.
Andrean at Hobart, Sept. 18: The 59ers stood tall in a key Northwest Crossroads Conference game to win 28-10.
Andrean (4-1, 3-0) was particularly impressive on defense, largely containing the prolific offense of the Brickies (4-1, 2-1). Junior linebacker Javier McCoy had 10 tackles.
Sophomore wide receiver Stetson Sullivan caught five passes for 77 yards and three TDs from junior quarterback Dylan Gore. Senior running back Brady Stovall added 125 yards and a score on 16 carries.
The NCC has a number of formidable teams, but Andrean has to be considered the favorite.
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Games to watch
Wheeler at Griffith, Oct. 13: It’s shaping up to be another de facto Greater South Shore Conference South Division championship game between these teams.
Standout senior Desmond Neylon Jr. has run wild for Griffith (5-0, 1-0), which won 34-10 to close out the 2025 regular season. He has rushed for 1,127 yards and 17 TDs on 113 carries behind a massive and experienced offensive line led by senior Gavin Edwards, a Northern Illinois recruit.
Senior quarterback Ryan Bullion has completed 63 of 94 pass attempts for 915 yards and 15 TDs with just two interceptions. His targets include senior Sebastian Kutscher, who has 16 catches for 245 yards and three TDs; senior Davon Thomaston, who has 14 catches for 181 yards and four TDs; and senior Jason Quillin, who has 14 catches for 182 yards and two TDs.
Senior defensive back Mason Litke has 45 tackles for Griffith.
Junior running back Levi Murray also has excelled for Wheeler (5-0, 1-0) with 870 yards and 19 TDs on 112 carries, and senior quarterback Logan Fox has completed 35 of 54 pass attempts for 538 yards and three TDs.
Senior linebacker Keegan Catone has 40 tackles with seven for loss for the Bearcats.
Crown Point at Valparaiso, Friday: The Bulldogs have won 41 straight regular-season games, and the matchup with the resurgent Vikings figures to present the biggest remaining hurdle to another DAC title.
Valparaiso has won four games in a row since a season-opening loss at Penn, but Crown Point has won four straight games in the rivalry. The Vikings last won in the series in 2021, Craig Buzea’s first season with the Bulldogs.
10 breakout players
Jaden Campbell, Calumet, sophomore, quarterback: Has completed 43 of 71 pass attempts for 885 yards and 11 TDs.
Kingston Connelly, Crown Point, senior, wide receiver: Has 24 catches for 423 yards and six TDs.
Cooper Gear, Valparaiso, sophomore, quarterback: Has rushed for 609 yards and 14 TDs on 61 carries. Also has completed 45 of 70 pass attempts for 561 yards and four TDs.
Gavin Gutierrez, Lowell, senior, quarterback: Has thrown for 690 yards and eight TDs and rushed for 285 yards and four TDs.
Marcus McBride, Morton, senior, wide receiver: Has 19 catches for 418 yards and four TDs.
Samuel Posavac, Chesterton, junior, running back: Has rushed for 495 yards and seven TDs on 101 carries.
Chris Rudolph, West Side, junior, running back: Has rushed for 709 yards and 11 TDs on 74 carries.
Stetson Sullivan, Andrean, sophomore, wide receiver: Has 21 catches for 251 yards and seven TDs.
Curtis Walker, Merrillville, junior, wide receiver: Has 19 catches for 486 yards and seven TDs.
Ethan Ziolkowski, Crown Point, senior, wide receiver: Has 19 catches for 353 yards and three TDs.