NWI Football

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Broadway Joe
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2020 5:45 pm

NWI Football

Post by Broadway Joe »

New to NWI, moving down from the Chicago NW burbs. Seems like basketball is the primary sport down here. Whats to know about football competition down here? Wheres the best place to see a game on a Friday night? Any cool traditions/rivalries?

Clistonb
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue May 19, 2020 7:04 pm

Re: NWI Football

Post by Clistonb »

Broadway Joe wrote:
Fri Jun 26, 2020 5:48 pm
New to NWI, moving down from the Chicago NW burbs. Seems like basketball is the primary sport down here. Whats to know about football competition down here? Wheres the best place to see a game on a Friday night? Any cool traditions/rivalries?
Nah. Football's always been king in the Region. If this season actually happens, you need to get to Whiting at Hammond Clark in Week 1, because that is one of the oldest rivalries in the state and it is also the last year for it, because Clark is closing after this year. That game is usually on a Saturday, so you could also see a game on Friday night. The best Week 1 rivalry is Lowell at Crown Point. They've been playing for over a hundred years.

Other big rivalries: Hobart at Lowell in Week 5 is a good one. Highland at Munster in Week 6--the Battle of the Bridge. There's a bridge between the two towns, and whoever wins gets to paint the bridge in its school colors (blue and gold for Highland, red and white for Munster). Chesterton at Valparaiso is also in Week 5, but you're probably better off going to Hobart-Lowell. Andrean at Hobart in Week 6 is likely to be a better game than Highland-Munster, but Highland-Munster is the better rivalry (though maybe not by much). LaPorte at Michigan City in Week 8 is a big one.

Week 7, make sure you get yourself to Merrillville, because that's going to be the game of the year when Valparaiso plays Merrillville. The winner will all but certainly win the Duneland Conference, the region's premier conference. Both teams are LOADED.

Your best bet in Week 2 is probably Merrillville at Hobart. This used to be THE rivalry in Northwest Indiana, back in the 1980s and 1990s, and both teams are on an upswing again.

Week 4: Lowell at Griffith is a great rivalry, and they have been playing forever. Griffith hasn't been great in recent years, but when these two programs were on top, it was often the game of the year in the Region.

Week 9: Lowell at Andrean should be the best game of the week. Crown Point at Michigan City might also contend.

The best and most intense small school rivalry is Lake Station at River Forest in Week 3. That series is dead even all-time (32-32-1, with Lake Station averaging 17.8 points per game and River Forest 17.2 points per game over 65 games).

Best places to see a game? Get to a game at Whiting for sure. Cool field. Right by a railroad track. There are trains that come through during games. Valparaiso is a good one too. Ames Field in Michigan City is a great stadium. Andrean's always a great place to catch a game.

Broadway Joe
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2020 5:45 pm

Re: NWI Football

Post by Broadway Joe »

Great post! Thanks for the detailed reply.

pvsharks
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2020 7:40 pm

Re: NWI Football

Post by pvsharks »

Without a doubt the best place to watch a game is Merrillville on the opponents side.

pvsharks
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2020 7:40 pm

Re: NWI Football

Post by pvsharks »

Things are suppose to start rolling July 6th What are your thoughts on starting Monday? If so for how long? It is truly going to be a challenge

Broadway Joe
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2020 5:45 pm

Re: NWI Football

Post by Broadway Joe »

My guess is they will do everything possible to make sure the football season happens. I have some friends in IL coaching at the HS level and the gist of the message from the IHSA is don't do anything to jeopardize the Football season. Football is the money maker for the HS sports programs. No football will most likely equate to all sports seasons being cancelled.

bluewolf219
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2020 4:29 pm

Re: NWI Football

Post by bluewolf219 »

Broadway Joe wrote:
Fri Jul 03, 2020 1:54 pm
My guess is they will do everything possible to make sure the football season happens. I have some friends in IL coaching at the HS level and the gist of the message from the IHSA is don't do anything to jeopardize the Football season. Football is the money maker for the HS sports programs. No football will most likely equate to all sports seasons being cancelled.
It's truly incredible how schools without football are able to survive.

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