Week 1 is always so difficult when it comes to judging teams.
Is Team A really good? Or is Team B bad?
Could one team be a lot better than we thought? Or a lot worse?
Or is 48 minutes of football just not enough to make any snap judgments?
Blitz loves shaking things up, so some of these moves from the preseason top 10 may seem drastic. Oh well, that’s why you’re here, right?
1. SNIDER (1-0)
WHY #1?
Kudos to the Panthers for pulling one out late with Nick Talamantes connecting on a long field goal as time expired to help Snider start off the season with a win.
While there were some sketchy moments during the game – mostly with a defense that looked lost in the secondary at times – the Panthers showcased that they are a better team than they were a year ago.
Are they No. 1? Well, they started the season there. They won’t move until they falter..
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Impossible.
2. NORTH SIDE (0-1)
WHY #2?
The Legends were seconds away from beating Snider for the second-straight season to open the year. Without the magic leg of Talamantes, the Legends are 1-0.
Brashawn Bassett impressed Blitz and, while not Duce Taylor, showed he can make the throws when needed. His playmakers helped tremendously as well.
This is a Legends team that appears to have not missed a beat with the transition to a new coach.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Well, a loss is a loss, and North Side lost to the No. 1 team.
3. BISHOP LUERS (1-0)
WHY #3?
Another big jumper between preseason and this week. Bishop Luers spoiled the Carroll party as it opened its beautiful athletic complex last Friday. In an unexpected development, it was the Class 2A Knights that wore down the 6A Chargers in the second half on a muggy night.
Can Bishop Luers continue to perform at a high level for four quarters against 5A and 6A programs in the league? That it TBA, but through one week, the answer is most definitely yes.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
You could argue that Bishop Luers had the most impressive win of Week 1, but still, a jump five spots in one week feels fair.
4. BISHOP DWENGER (1-0)
WHY #4?
We will get a better read on the Saints this Friday when they host North Side, but a Week 1 victory over Wayne was a good start.
An interesting/crazy stat: Bishop Dwenger amassed 19.5 tackles for loss in the win, led by Gavin Groves with five. Now the Saints give half-tackles out so it skews things a bit, but that’s still a lot.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Patience Dwenger folks, despite the drop from Week 1, you will shoot right back up into the top two with a win on Friday.
5. HOMESTEAD (1-0)
WHY #5?
Sensing a trend here? Yes, the SAC is dominating the top half of the rankings this week. Why? Well, there is so much uncertainty on who slots where in the hierarchy of the league, coupled with the fact that there were some great performances around Fort Wayne last Friday.
For Homestead, it was a slow start but the Spartans instilled its will against Northrop in the second half.
Junior Jackson Christmon showed out up front for Homestead, amassing eight tackles, four TFL and 3.5 sacks in the win. If the Spartans can be deadly along the defensive front, it bodes well for their chances to win a third straight league title.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Undervaluing the Spartans is just something we do here at OTH. But honestly, Homestead is trending upward, and a Week 3 showdown with Bishop Luers will be telling.
6. EAST NOBLE (1-0)
WHY #6?
The rout of Plymouth would have been a lot more impressive a couple years ago. That said, East Noble looks strong once again and has another non-conference test this Friday against NorthWood.
The smack talk between Leo and East Noble is already reaching a crescendo, over three weeks before the two clash. Blitz is hoping it only continues to magnify between now and then.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Is Blitz overvaluing the SAC? Possible. Is he doing it intentionally? No, he just needs to figure out who is atop that league, and the above five all seem like viable candidates right now.
7. WARSAW (1-0)
WHY #7?
The Tigers demolished Dublin Coffman out of Ohio last Friday, a strong start to what could be another very good year for Coach Bart Curtis’ crew.
Warsaw rushed for over 500 yards on the night while not throwing for a single yard. That’s right, not a single completed pass by the Tigers. I guess when you are running at will, who cares about throwing?
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Lack of area foes on the regular-season schedule hurts the Tigers, but more people in northeast Indiana need to be aware of just how good this team is.
8. LEO (1-0)
WHY #8?
We will get a better read on just where Leo is at over the next few weeks with Angola and Norwell on the schedule. Last Friday, the Lions just went about their business even with finding other rushing threats not named Kaeden Miller. Lots of rushing yardage, not much passing and a stiff defense. Wash, rinse, repeat.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Part of it is Leo is just not a flashy and exciting team. The other part of it is, beat East Noble and we will talk.
9. CARROLL (0-1)
WHY #9?
The Chargers did a lot of good things in Friday’s loss to Bishop Luers, they just wore down as the game went on. Considering that happened against a 2A team, what happens when Carroll begins to face off against like-sized teams?
A date with Snider on Friday doesn’t make things any easier.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
This may be significantly lower than the Chargers belong, but hey, Week 1 snap judgments can be harsh.
10. EASTSIDE (1-0)
WHY #10?
Here come the Blazers in their top 10 debut for the 2021 season. Shutting out Heritage wasn’t altogether surprising, but this week’s showdown with Adams Central in Butler will be indicative of where this team is at.
Could Eastside actually have a better defense than it did a year ago?
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Lack of games against the SAC and NE8 hurts, although Blitz is confident Eastside could beat a few teams from each of those leagues.
NEXT FIVE
11. Northrop
12. Norwell
13. Wayne
14. Adams Central
15. South Adams
Be the first to comment