Top 10 teams and players of the week for NW Indiana
Blake Vanek and Highland debut in the rankings as Crown Point and Merrillville hold onto the top spots heading into their showdown Friday.
Top 10
With records through Wednesday and previous rankings in parentheses.
1. Crown Point 2-0 (1)
Noah Ehrlich completed 15 of 17 passes for 194 yards and four TDs in a win against Chicago Taft.
2. Merrillville 2-0 (2)
JQ Johnson ran for 160 yards in a win against Hobart.
3. Valparaiso 1-1 (3)
Travis Davis ran for 176 yards and three TDs in a win against Andrean.
4. Hanover Central 2-0 (4)
Matt Koontz passed for 163 yards and ran for 58 yards and three TDs in a win against Morton.
5. Hobart 1-1 (5)
Will Shearer had 13 tackles and ran for a TD in a loss to Merrillville.
6. Lake Central 1-1 (7)
Amarion Brooks had a 97-yard kickoff return for a TD in a loss to Providence Catholic.
7. Andrean 0-2 (6)
Jimmy Finley had three catches for 65 yards and a TD and made seven tackles in a loss to Valparaiso.
8. Lowell 1-1 (9)
Colton Scott ran for 150 yards and two TDs in a win against LaPorte.
9. Morton 1-1 (10)
Dontell Harris Jr. ran for 142 yards and a TD in a loss to Hanover Central.
10. Highland 2-0 (NR)
Blake Vanek ran for 134 yards and two TDs and passed for 91 yards and a TD in a win against Whiting.
Offensive Player of the Week
Senior running back Omarion Youghbor rushed for 212 yards and four TDs in West Side’s 50-6 win against East Chicago Central.
Defensive Player of the Week
Junior linebacker Giovani Bailey-Hannah had 12 tackles with three sacks, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble in Hammond Central’s 33-6 win against T.F. South.