Blitz wanted to get a few weeks into the season before he revisited his preseason power poll. So here we are.
And yes, there has been a lot of changes.
It is tough to make sense of what has happened in the non-conference portion of the season. What defines a good loss? What defines a bad win?
With not much in the way of head-to-head showdowns to go on, there is still a lot of guesswork on where teams slot in.
Blitz takes his best shot as league play begins this Friday around the area.
1. CARROLL CHARGERS (0-2)
WHY #1?
What? Despite two losses the Chargers are still No. 1 in Blitz’s intense, vengeful eyes?
For the doubters, a question – which area team has beaten Carroll? Exactly, no one has. Losses to Hamilton Southeastern and Center Grove, both ranked in the top 5 in Class 6A in this week’s USA TODAY Network HS Football Poll, are not bad defeats. In fact, there was a lot to like from the Chargers in the first two games.
Carroll gets Concordia this week followed by a home showdown with Bishop Dwenger in Week 4. That matchup will tell us a lot about both teams.
2. WARSAW TIGERS (1-1)
WHY #2?
As if it needed to still prove a point, Warsaw put the area on notice of the level of its program under Coach Bart Curtis when it knocked off Snider 38-30 in Week 1.
The Tigers followed that game up with a competitive loss to Warren Central at home.
Last year, we never got to see Warsaw take on another area foe, so it was incredibly difficult to compare and contract, but the Tigers have now won their last two games against SAC teams, a 31-17 win over Carroll in the playoffs in 2023 and Week 1’s victory over the Panthers.
If anything, Warsaw’s unique offense exposes defenses, and Snider’s got exposed in Week 1 when the Tigers rushed for over 425 yards.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Warsaw’s win over Snider is impressive, but would be more impressive if the Panthers hadn’t been routed by East Noble one week later.
3. EAST NOBLE KNIGHTS (2-0)
WHY #3?
You simply cannot describe how dominant East Noble was against Snider last week unless you witnessed it firsthand. Physically, the Panthers were no match, and we don’t say that. EVER.
Is it because Snider is down or East Noble is up? Maybe a bit of both?
Point is, East Noble in outscoring its first two foes, both SAC programs, by a combined 71-7 shows that the Knights are picking up where they left off last year when they advanced to the Class 4A state finals.
This is the most complete team in the Northeast Eight right now, and perhaps by the end of the season could lay claim to being the best in the entire area.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Wayne is in rebuild mode and we are still TBA on Snider, so while the victories have been impressive, we need more data points on their opponents to judge HOW impressive.
Leo looms in Week 5, always a telling week for both squads.
4. BISHOP DWENGER SAINTS (1-1)
WHY #4?
With the off-season hype surrounding the Saints, we were all kind of surprised to see them shut out in Week 1 at Roncalli. But the defense was lights out against a team that may be one of the top in Class 4A, and the offense found itself in Week 2.
Unlike the last two years where Bishop Dwenger was routed in weeks 1 and 2 against the likes of Brownsburg and Cincinnati Moeller, the Saints showed that competitive spirit that’s going to make them a tough out in the SAC. Playing programs more their speed has allowed them to properly diagnose what needs work and what doesn’t heading into the conference season, as opposed to being completely lost playing a pair of super teams that the Saints can’t hope to match up with.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
No area foes, yet. Bishop Dwenger heads to Wayne this week before going to Carroll in Week 4 and hosting Homestead in Week 5.
5. SNIDER PANTHERS (0-2)
WHY #5?
None of us quite know how to react when Snider is “down,” as they have looked through the first two weeks. After all, the Panthers are 0-2 for just the fifth time in program history.
However, Snider has played two state-ranked foes in Warsaw and East Noble. While the inability to stop the rushing attack, a hallmark of Snider teams, has been very concerning, the opponents haven’t been slouches.
That said, the Panthers desperately need to find a way to get in the win column, with a trip to Luersfield this Friday the next opportunity.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Snider’s 0-2 isn’t built the same as Carroll’s 0-2.
6. HOMESTEAD SPARTANS (1-1)
WHY #6?
There wasn’t a score that caught Blitz’s eye more in Week 2 than Homestead going to Noblesville, a team that had beaten the Spartans by 43 and 42 points the last two years. And doing it with junior Logan Frieden making his first-ever start at quarterback, no less.
The offense still needs work as it is averaging just 1.3 yards per rush through two games. But the defense has some budding stars, not least of whom is junior Caleb Hollingsworth, who leads the team in tackles (16) and interceptions (two) from his safety spot.
A visit to South Side is on deck for this week, followed by a gauntlet of Northrop, Bishop Dwenger, Snider, Carroll and North Side in successive weeks.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Noblesville is a good win, but it doesn’t move the needle enough to soar into the top five.
7. NORTH SIDE LEGENDS (2-0)
WHY #7?
Being 2-0 for the first time in 13 years isn’t good enough for you?
With 60 points through two weeks, North Side is off to its best start offensively since 2020. Jaydin Rivers is the real deal, completing 70 percent of his passes for 567 yards and five touchdowns against zero interceptions so far.
However, the Legends have yet to beat a team that has a victory this year, with Northridge and New Haven both 0-2. When talking about teams in the SAC that have been challenged in the non-conference, North Side is close to the bottom of the list.
Look, that’s OK. The SAC is a gauntlet, but let’s not go crazy about the Legends quite yet.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Much like Northrop, which is also 2-0, Blitz is in wait and see mode with the Legends. And it just so happens, those two undefeated squads meet up at Spuller Stadium this Friday. Funny how that works!
8. COLUMBIA CITY EAGLES (2-0)
WHY #8?
We typically had to wait awhile to get an accurate read of how good Columbia City was, but that Week 1 victory at NorthWood this year was quite telling.
The strength of this team is going to be its run game, which is averaging 279 yards per contest so far. There are tests coming soon, perhaps as soon as Week 4 at Huntington North.
Meanwhile, the defense has already accounted for 27 tackles for loss, which is absolutely astounding. Senior Sam Bean has been phenomenal at linebacker in leading the team in tackles and having seven TFL already.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
No area opponent for one. And Blitz wants to see Columbia City win a game where it is unable to run all over an opponent.
9. LEO LIONS (2-0)
WHY #9?
Blitz will surely hear it from Leo fans on this relatively low ranking. After all, the Lions beat Bishop Luers in Week 1, then handled an Angola team that knocked off DeKalb on the road last Friday.
But what do those victories mean? Bishop Luers is working in a LOT of sophomores, and Angola has not beaten the Lions in its last seven tries.
No one is questioning that this Leo team isn’t good, but HOW good? We may not know until Week 5 up in Kendallville.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Two victories over Class 3A opponents isn’t moving the needle enough for Blitz to vault Leo over some other contenders.
10. NORTHROP BRUINS (2-0)
WHY #10?
What has impressed Blitz when it comes to Northrop is, in Week 1 it pitched a shutout against a team in New Haven that dropped 48 on the Bruins last year, then followed it up by erasing a 14-point deficit to Huntington North in winning last Friday.
That’s not just showing improvement, it’s a huge step forward for a defense, followed by displaying that this team isn’t going to fall apart when down multiple scores.
North Side visits Spuller Stadium this Friday. How long has it been since Northrop had a game of this magnitude?
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Well, we can’t jump Northrop TOO high after victories over teams that are a combined 0-4, right?
Patience, Bruins fans. Just keep winning and everything else will take care of itself.
NEXT FIVE
11. Adams Central
12. Bishop Luers
13. Bluffton
14. West Noble
15. Eastside
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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