After two weeks, things are starting to come into focus a little bit for Blitz.
Perhaps the biggest question is, who is worthy of the No. 3 spot entering Week 3?
Let’s dive right in with a change at the top and a lot of questions behind the “Big 2.”
1. SNIDER (2-0)
WHY #1?
Blitz may be a week late, but the Panthers are atop the area power poll, and for good reason.
A week after handling business at Warren Central, Snider did the same up in Kendallville against East Noble.
The offensive line of the Panthers is the best in the area, and its defensive front can make a case. Combined, the two position groups set the tone for Snider and have owned a pair of solid opponents in the trenches in back-to-back weeks.
If there is a question, it is a defense that has allowed 48 points through two weeks. However, Blitz remembers asking the same question last year when North Side and Carroll put up 46 points on Snider through Week 2. The Panthers then held eight of their next nine opponents to seven or less points.
2. CARROLL (1-1)
WHY #2?
The Chargers drop to No. 2 in BLitz’s mind because of the direct comparison of opponent with them and Snider – Warren Central. Snider cruised on the road, while Carroll struggled at home.
Credit to Coach Doug Dinan’s team for making the plays in the fourth quarter to earn the win. The defense was clutch throughout, including Cam Lentz who was seemingly involved on every play in the second half.
Carroll has Snider and Wayne looming in Weeks 5 and 6.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Common opponent tells the story with both Snider and Carroll playing Warren Central. Blitz also has some legitimate concerns about an offensive line that has had trouble protecting QB Jimmy Sullivan and opening holes for the running backs.
Then again, the defensive front of HSE and Warren Central isn’t necessarily laden with slouches.
3. LEO (1-1)
WHY #3?
See, this is where it starts to get weird.
New Haven is 2-0. Columbia City is 2-0. Wayne is 2-0. So why not one of those teams in the No. 3 spot?
Leo’s thrashing of Angola last Friday was impressive. The Lions had that game in hand halfway through the first quarter, displaying how good the team can be if it comes out of the gate energized and focused.
But more telling for Blitz is the Week 1 loss to Kokomo. The Wildkats went on the road in Week 2 and beat up a Whiteland team that was getting first-place votes in Class 5A. Leo had Kokomo down 11 points in Week 1 before letting the game get away.
Put simply, Leo’s four-point loss to Kokomo is more impressive than several area teams’ 2-0 records when you consider the competition.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Leoonsidering how good 1-2 are, anyone in the No. 3 spot feels overrated.
4. HOMESTEAD (1-1)
WHY #4?
What was that?
Coming out of Week 1, we felt pretty good about Homestead, considering they battled Carmel to the end of a seven-point loss.
Despite being young, Blitz looked at the Spartans as having an outside shot to knock off Noblesville on the road in Week 2. At the very least, we expected a good showing.
Homestead returned to Allen County with a 42-0 loss in a game that didn’t even feel THAT close. It was the worst loss for the program since a 49-7 defeat at the hands of Carroll on Oct. 25, 2013.
Is Sparty more Week 1 or Week 2? Blitz still thinks this team has what it takes to be the third most-complete team in the SAC. Time will tell.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
You can make a case that Homestead still belongs above the likes of the NE8 teams, but Noblesville hasn’t had a winning season since 2001 (not a misprint). Yes, it plays a tough 6A slate, but that 42-point loss last Friday was the most surprised final score of the night for Blitz.
5. EAST NOBLE (1-1)
WHY #5?
East Noble struggled to stop the run game of Snider last week in suffering its first defeat of the season, but Blitz feels plenty of teams will struggle in that regard against the Panthers.
But the Knights did have some success offensively in putting up 28 points. They have a stout running back room with multiple weapons. The offensive line is consistent.
A few big games loom at DeKalb in Week 4 and a home showdown with Leo in Week 5.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Blitz still has questions. Can that passing game deliver consistently? Is that defense good enough to slow down some of the top offenses in the NE8?
6. ADAMS CENTRAL (2-0)
WHY #6?
It’s going to be tough to slot in Adams Central all year due to the simple lack of NE8 and SAC opponents. Couple that with trying to figure out how a 1A team matches up against a Power Poll laden with 4As and above and it can get messy.
Are the Flying Jets the sixth-best team in northeast Indiana? Maybe. Or maybe they are the 14th best. Who knows. With a lack of clarity regarding the teams below AC in this poll, No. 6 feels fair for now.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Come on now.
7. NEW HAVEN (2-0)
WHY #7?
Back-to-back routs of SAC teams to start the season is a good way to kick off 2023. Donovan Williams is completing 72 percent of his passes, the offense has multiple studs showing out on offense and the defense has held the first two opponents of the season to single-digit point totals for the first time since 1989.
First decent test comes Friday at home against DeKalb.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
This is the biggest issue with Blitz trying to rate this week’s Power Poll. Yes, New Haven is 2-0, but Northrop and Bishop Luers are struggling, so how good are those wins? Do we truly know how good New Haven actually is yet?
Hint: The answer is, no we don’t.
8. COLUMBIA CITY (2-0)
WHY #8?
Read what was said about New Haven and just insert the Eagles.
Yes, 2-0 is 2-0, but Churubusco and Plymouth aren’t up to CC’s level this year.
So how good are they really? What happens when they just can’t throw the ball up to Stratton Fuller time after time for TDs?
Make no mistake, Columbia City is a good squad. But HOW good? They could be tops in the NE8 or fifth. We just don’t know yet.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Need an impressive win. Or two. Or three.
9. WAYNE (2-0)
WHY #9?
The confusion isn’t just relegated to the NE8. Take Wayne, which looks the part of perhaps the best team in the small division of the SAC (also, we need proper division names ASAP).
But Attucks and Northrop aren’t a good enough gauge to be confident in just how good the Generals are.
Luckily for us, we don’t have to wait long. A Friday showdown with Homestead will tell us a lot about both teams.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
This No. 9 ranking could feel low if the Generals emerge from Week 3 with another victory.
10. WARSAW (2-0)
WHY #10?
The Tigers have started the season with back-to-back wins over Class 5A opponents on the road. Impressive.
There is nothing sexy about what the Tigers do. They are averaging 12 points and giving up nine points per game. Not exactly eye-opening. But Coach Bart Curtis just continues to roll, with Warsaw having won 41 of 56 games since he took over.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Beat Concord is Week 4, then we will talk.
NEXT FIVE
11. North Side
12. DeKalb
13. Bishop Dwenger
14. Bluffton
15. West Noble
These opinions represent those of Blitz and Outside the Huddle. No opinions expressed on Outside the Huddle represent those of any of our advertisers. Follow Blitz on Twitter at Blitz_OTH
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