College Quarterback Prospect

North Central has best season since 2006

         Terre Haute -- North Central’s offense appeared to be still stuck in high way construction zones between Indianapolis and Terre Haute before rebounding to defeat host Terre Haute North 43-29 – attaining a winning regular season for the first time since 2006.
         North Central (5-4) will travel to Class 5A top-ranked Warren Central (9-0) Friday in the first round of the Sectional 5 state football tournament with a three-game winning streak.
         But in the first quarter, North Central’s offense appeared still stuck in traffic. The Panthers lost two fumbles in the first quarter and fell behind 14-0. But the running of Jalen McIntyre and the timely passing and running of Gavin Alexander helped North Central find the road to victory.
         The comeback started in the second quarter. Facing a third-down-and 17 from the 48-yard line, Alexander raced up the field for a 14-yard gain. On fourth-and-3, McIntyre followed with 9-yard run to keep the drive alive. Three plays later, McIntyre scored the first of his four touchdowns on a 4-yard run, making the score 14-7.
         In the second quarter, North Central continued to find its way. On its next possession, North Central used only three plays that ended with a McIntyre 8-yard run. The big play in the drive was Alexander’s 55-yard pass to wide receiver Reidus Trimble.  On the extra point, back-up quarterback and point-after touchdown holder Michael Loggan threw a pass to Matt Hicks for a two-point conversion, giving North Central a 15-14 lead. It was a lead North Central wouldn’t relinquish.
               In the quarter, Alexander was 3-of-5 passing for 94 yards. He finished the game 5-of-11 passing for 114 yards. He also had 13 carries for 74 yards. and scored on a 20-yard run.
              But it was McIntyre who had his way navigating through the Terre Haute North defense. He finished the game with 26 carries for a career-high 163 yards. He scored on runs of 4, 8, 7, and 19 yards.
                Whenever Terre Haute tried to make the game close, North Central’s defense would come up with a big play. North Central had a strong pass rush, getting a quarterback sack each from two-way linemen Darius Latham and Michael Raby and linebackers Jeff Harris and Wanya Johnson.
                Led by cornerback Melvin Graham, the North Central defensive backs also put up blockades to any Terre Haute North comeback attempts. Graham, a senior, had two interceptions. Cornerback Korey Rogan and Raby, a defensive end, each added an interception. Raby returned his pick for a 10-yard score.
               Melvin’s brother, sophomore middle linebacker Sherrod Graham, was also credited for helping to stop Terre Haute’s running game by making sideline-to-sideline tackles.
               It took a while to get there, but it may have been one of North Central’s best team efforts of the season.          

North Central's football team sings the school song to celebrate its 43-29 victory over Terre Haute North

     

North Central draws Warren Central in football sectional

            It’s official: North Central will play at Warren Central in the first round of the Class 5A Sectional 5 Indiana High School Athletic Association football tournament. According to the Sagarin ratings, which ranks every team in the state regardless of class size, Warren Central (8-0)  is ranked No.1 and North Central (4-4) is No. 13. Both teams play in the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference. Earlier this season, Warren Central defeated visiting North Central 48-16.
            The winner of the North Central-Warren Central game will play the winner of the No. 136 Arsenal Tech (4-4) vs. No. 47 Lawrence North game. No. 8 Lawrence Central (7-1) plays at No. 26 Southport (5-3). No. 33 Perry Meridian (3-5) plays at No. 2 Carmel (7-1).
            North Central is 3-3 against top 25 teams.
           Sagarin’s top 25:
1.      Warren Central (8-0)
2.      Carmel (7-1)
3.      Hamilton Southeastern (7-1)
4.      Ben Davis (7-1)
5.      Avon (7-1)
6.      Brownsburg (7-1)
7.      Cathedral (5-3)
8.      Lawrence Central (7-1)
9.      Penn (8-0)
10.  Fishers (6-2)
11.  Center Grove (5-3)
12.  Zionsville (5-3)
13.  Indianapolis North Central (4-4)
14.  Columbus North (5-3)
15.  Castle  (8-0)
16.  Bishop Luers  (7-0)
17.  Bishop Chatard (6-2)
18.  Pike (3-5)
19.  Lake Central (7-1)
20.  Homestead (8-0)
21.  Andrean (8-0)
22.  Columbus East (7-1)
23.  Crown Point (5-3)
24.  Merrillville (5-3)
25.  North Putnam (8-0)

NC fans celebrate victory at Center Grove

NC's victory formation. Gavin Alexander takes a knee to run out the clock.

NC safety Jaron Clark poses with his dad.

Lineman Darius Latham cuts the tape off his ankles after a great night of rushing the passer and blocking.

The Graham family enjoying the sweet taste of victory with son's Sherrod, No. 55, and Melvin, No. 33.

Quarterback Gavin Alexander tries not to smile following big victory.

North Central defeats Center Grove 14-7

GREENWOOD – North Central proved that it knows how to win.
                The underdog Panthers went on the road to defeat Center Grove on its Senior Night 14-7 Friday night in Indiana high school football.
                But the Panthers victory didn’t come easily, and it never does in the tough MIC, which features three top five teams in the state. But they overcame a few turnovers – including quarterback Gavin Alexander’s fumble 1-yard away from a touchdown. The fumble came after Alexander’s second straight quarterback sneak attempt in a 7-7 second-half game.
                Center Grove recovered the fumble, but North Central’s defense got the ball back to its offense.  The Panthers got the ball on their own 39-yard line and marched 61 yards on seven plays, culminating in a 9-yard touchdown pass from Alexander to wide receiver Krayshawn Brewer. Brewer’s catch gave the Panthers a 14-7 lead with 5:28 left in the game.
                Brewer finished with three catches for 25 yards. Jordan Williams led the Panthers with five catches for 45 yards.
                Center Grove got the ball back looking for a chance to tie, but North Central held the Trojans on a fourth-down play. The Panthers took over on downs. They used the running of Jalen McIntyre to run the clock out. McIntyre picked up two first downs on third and fourth down runs, helping the Panthers run out the clock.
                Alexander and McIntyre’s runs kept Center Grove off balance. McIntyre finished with 119 yards on 25 carries. He also scored the Panthers first touchdown on a 5-yard run. Alexander also had 14 carries for 46 yards to go along with 11-of-17 passing for 109 yards.
                But it’s been North Central’s defense that has contributed mightily to its victories. The Panthers shut out Terre Haute South last week 47-0, and limited Center Grove to one touchdown this week. Two-way linemen Darius Latham (DE/OT) and Michael Raby (DT/TE) have provided a consistent pass rush. Linebackers Jeff Harris and Sherrod Graham have had a big hand in stopping the opposing team’s running game.
                The Panthers (4-4) have won two straight games.

North Central ends its losing streak; tops Terre Haute South

Literally and figuratively, North Central ran away with a 47-0 Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference victory over visiting Terre Haute South Friday night in Indiana high school football, ending the Panthers four-game losing streak.

            It was also North Central’s first home victory since 2008.
            North Central’s overwhelming victory also led to two trivia questions:
            When was the last time the Panthers scored more than 40 points in a game, and when was the last time they recorded a shutout?
            Nonetheless, it was the running game and a tough defense that led to the victory.  Jalen McIntyre carried the ball 22 times and finished with 121 yards.  Halfback Kevin Davis added 62 yards on nine carries, scoring on runs of 5 and 1 yard. McIntyre also scored twice, on runs of 10 and 15 yards. Halfback Brandon Alexander also scored on a 1-yard run.
            In the air, quarterback Gavin Alexander completed 5-of-9 for 98 yards on the windy, cool day. He also had five carries for 32 yards, scoring on a 14-yard run.  Jordan Williams had three catches for 80 yards and Krayshawn Brewer had two catches for 18 yards.
             Gavin Alexander was relieved by Michael Loggan in the fourth quarter with North Central leading 40-0. Loggan kept the running attack going, scoring on a 25-yard run to end the scoring.
             North Central’s defense was also tough, getting two quarterback sacks from Michael Raby and one from Darius Latham.
             North Central (3-4) travels to MIC-rival Center Grove (5-2) on Friday.

North Central honors its senior football players

She's showing her "glove" for NC.

Brandon Alexander poses with his family.

Matt Hicks poses with his family.

William Clinkscales poses with his family.

Kevin Kelly poses with his family.

Jeremy Garcia poses with his family.

Marquel Wattley poses with his family.

Melvin Graham, Jr., poses with his family.

Kevin Davis poses with his family.

Markeez Stocking, right, poses for a picture.

No. 41 is Korey Rogan with his family.

No. 11 is Jaron Clark with his family.

Warren Central proved it's special, defeats North Central

            Top-ranked Warren Central overcame North Central’s comeback attempt before going on to defeat the Panthers 48-16 in a Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference high school football game.
            Warren Central dominated the game early, building a 13-0 first-quarter lead. The Warriors scored on a 55-yard touchdown run by Shaquille Breeding, and Ronnie Alexander’s 5-yard scoring pass from quarterback Kyle Faunce.
            But North Central battled back. Ben Stoller nailed a 35-yard field goal with 3:56 left in the second quarter. After Stoller’s successful pooch kick recovered by the Panthers, NC’s running back, Kevin Davis, raced up the middle for a 37-yard score, pulling NC within three points at 13-10.
            After Davis’ touchdown, time and Warren Central’s strong special teams play put North Central away.  North Central was forced to punt from its own 21-yard line,  but Warren Central’s strong rush resulted in a 3-yard punt, putting the Warriors 24 yards away from another score with under 2 minutes left in the half. The Warriors’ drive was started with a holding penalty and ended with 1-yard run by McFarland Dominique with only 10 seconds left on the clock. Warren led 20-10 at the half.
            Warren Central’s special teams continued to impact the game.  North Central was forced to punt from its own 23-yard-line. But the Warriors nearly blocked another punt, resulting in a negative 2-yard punt, putting WC at NC’s 21. The Warriors took advantage again, getting a 5-yard run from Faunce. The Warriors led 27-10.
          When North Central punted successfully In the third quarter, Warren Central’s Karn Utter returned the punt 62-yards for a touchdown, making the score 34-10.
          By the time North Central scored on a 45-yard touchdown from Gavin Alexander to Krayshawn Brewer, the game was over. The TD made the score 34-16. Alexander finished the game 10-of-23 passing for 159 yards. North Central Jordan Williams had five catches for 39 yards and Matt Hicks added three catches for 57 yards.

North Central loses to LN, losing its swagger

               For two games, North Central had a swagger. They entered games with their chests stuck out, with their heads held high, and with their fists balled up.
                Entering games, NC’s body language said, “Bring it!
This swag – a confidence not seen from a North Central team in several years – led to road victories over ranked Pike and Lawrence Central.
             Where did this swag come from? It came from the football players’ parents. They were parents who gassed up their SUVs, vans, and cars and drove their kids all over the Midwest to compete against the best high school players in the area in front of many Division I, II, and III college coaches.  Our players found out what their parents have been telling them for years: Son, you are good! You are just as good as every player in this camp.  The college coaches also told them positive things.
                   So for the first two games – NC sauntered into enemy territory and came back with enemy heads on a figurative stick.
                   The media was scrambling. Is North Central that good? If they had asked one of the dads who  supported – played catch with them, hopped the NC fence with them, and spent their last dimes on them – they would have gotten a decisive answer to that question: Hell yeah they’re good!
                But over the last two weeks – especially in the recent 14-9 loss to Lawrence North, the Panthers have lost their swagger.
                Against LN, North Central scored first, marching down the field with relative ease before settling on a 26-yard field goal by Ben Stoller. Stoller’s field goal and a 51-yard TD run by Tyrin Liggin in the second quarter may have been the only bright spots for the Panthers.  Liggin, who had a 72-yard TD run last week, gave NC a brief 9-7 third-quarter lead.
                That’s when things got weird. The Panthers had two snaps sail over their punter’s head, leading to two safeties. Throw in a Craig Larew 31-yard field goal and Lawrence North walked away with a 14-9 victory.
                In the game, quarterback Gavin Alexander was held to 10-of-20 yards passing for 96 yards. He also had seven carries for 54 yards. Alexander played without all-county receiver Jordan Williams, who didn’t play because of an injury.
                Reidus Trimble led North Central with three catches for 17 yards. Mike Raby (37 yards) and Marquel Wattley (21 yards) had two catches each.              

Ben Davis pounds North Central

     Sometimes, football is a simple matchup featuring the big boys –an unpublicized cage fight between the offensive and defensive linemen.
     In this bare-knuckle fight featuring No.4 Ben Davis and host No.7 North Central, the aptly named Giants manhandled the Panthers’ offensive and defensive lines en route to a 54-21 victory in a Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference high school football game.
     Before Ben Davis called off the big boys by putting in their second, third, and fourth-string players, the Giants led 54-7 to start the fourth quarter. In the fourth, North Central’s backups were able to score two touchdowns to end the scoring.

Panthers are 7th in AP poll; 9th in coaches poll

Associated Press Poll
Class 5A



W-L Pts Prv
1. Warren Central (14) (2-0) 298 1
2. Carmel (1) (2-0) 264 2
3. Hamilton Southeastern (2-0) 236 3
4. Indpls Ben Davis (2-0) 196 5
5. Center Grove (2-0) 142 7
6. Penn (2-0) 128 8
7. Indpls N. Central (2-0) 106 9
8. Fishers (1-1) 68 4
9. Castle (2-0) 60 T10
10. Crown Point (2-0) 40 NR


Others receiving votes: Avon 38, Lawrence Central 18, Brownsburg 14, Southport 12, Ft. Wayne Snider 10, Homestead 8, Floyd Central 6, Columbus North 4, Lake Central 2,


Indiana Football Coaches Association



Class 5A Poll (8/29/11)
1. Warren Central
2. Carmel
3. Hamilton Southeastern
4. Ben Davis
5. Penn
6. Center Grove
7. Crown Point
8. Homestead
9. Indianapolis North Central
10. FW Snider

NC upsets No.7 Lawrence Central

            This game could go down in North Central High School football lore as “The Drive.”

            With the scored tied  at 27, quarterback Gavin Alexander threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jordan Williams with 1:16 left to help North Central defeat No.7-ranked  Lawrence Central 34-27 Friday night in Indiana high school football.

            It was “The Drive” that led to the victory.  North Central got the ball on its own 27-yard line with about 4 minutes left in the tied game.  But the Panthers used the running of Alexander and Jalen McIntyre to move the ball down the field and eat up the clock.  In the drive, McIntyre had 28 yards on three carries, finishing with a career-high 109 yards on 19 carries.  In the drive, Alexander had 15 yards on two carries to set up his throw to Williams.

            Williams’ catch showed North Central’s heart and determination. Facing fourth-down-and -4 from the Lawrence Central 29, Williams caught an out pattern at about the 15, shook off a couple of tacklers and raced down the left sideline for the winning touchdown. He finished with four catches for 69 yards – including TD catches of 32 and 29 from Alexander.

            Alexander did his best passing in the fourth, completing 5-of-7 passes for 67 yards. In the game, he was 9-of-18 for 133 yards with one interception.

            But it was the tough running of McIntyre and a hard hitting defense that kept Lawrence Central off balance. North Central had consistent pressure on senior quarterback Dre Townsend. The Panthers sacked Townsend six times.  Linebacker Jeff Harris and defensive end Deon Posey had two sacks each. Defensive linemen Darius Latham and Trey Williamson each added a sack.

            The overall team effort helped North Central improve to 2-0 with its second straight road victory.

North Central Beats Pike

In sports, especially football, you can’t give up; quitting is not an option.

        North Central finally got it.
        North Central overcame a 14-7 deficit by scoring 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to defeat host Pike 21-14 Friday night in Indiana high school football. It was the first time that North Central has defeated Pike in football in five years.
         The no-quit attitude was displayed on special teams. After North Central tied the score at 14 on quarterback Gavin Alexander’s 48-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Krayshawn Brewer, North Central kicked off to Pike with 5:17 left in the game.  The Red Devils didn’t field the kick cleanly, the ball was fumbled, and a Panther hustled down the field and recovered it with 5:05 left.
         After a rough first half, Alexander continued his hot passing. Four plays after the recovered fumble, Alexander threw a 14-yard TD pass to Jordan Williams, making the score 21-14. In the final quarter, Alexander completed 5-of-6 passes with TD throws to Brewer and Williams. He also threw the first of his three TD passes to Brewer, a 38-yard strike that gave the Panthers a 7-0 first-quarter lead.
         Alexander finished the game 8-of-17 passing for 135 yards.
         But it was the defense that may have won the game. North Central gave up a lot of field position, many times punting the ball away near its own goal line.  Despite having to defend a short field, the Panthers defense came up with several stops and big plays. Defensive backs Kory Rogan and Melvin Graham came up with interceptions. Defensive lineman Trey Williamson had a sack and Panther teammates Darius Latham and Deon Posey applied consistent pressure on Pike quarterback Aloyis Gray.
        North Central kicker Ben Stoller ended the Panthers’ scoring by going 3-of-3 on points after touchdowns.
         Again, not giving up may have led to the victory.

Hoopers heed these words

      It jumped out at me like a 7-footer playing in a middle school basketball game. With the first high school football game in Indiana about three weeks away, prep basketball players are still playing Amateur Athletic Union games.

LeBron James of the
Miami Heat ices his knees and ankles.

    When I think of obsessively playing a sport out of season without giving a young body a chance to rest before injuries take over, I think of Greg Oden.
     Remember Greg Oden?
     Oden is the former Craig Middle School, Lawrence North, and Ohio State University basketball star. He dominated at Craig, led LN to three straight state titles, dominated AAU games as a teen, and starred at OSU before being a No.1 draft pick of the Portland Trailblazers of the National Basketball Association.
     Oden appeared to live on a basketball court.
     Portland knew that Oden was an awesome 7-foot talent, but the  Trailblazers didn’t realize that “over-use injuries” would have his NBA career dangling by a few surgically repaired knees. At the age of 23, Oden has had three knee injuries and a foot injury since becoming the No. 1 overall pick in 2007
     In my opinion, the oft-injured Oden suffered from “over-use injuries” from playing too many basketball games as a youth.
     Unless you’re 7-0 and 285 pounds like Oden, parents I strongly suggest that you monitor and limit how often your child is playing basketball. Think of the pounding that the legs take on a young teen-age basketball player:

     n  Lay-ups are jumped off one leg at full speed.
     n  Knee-to-knee injuries occur often and hurt like . . .
     n  And driving to the basket, hanging in the air, leaves a player vulnerable to a bad landing or an overzealous defender.
     Girl basketball players are especially vulnerable to knee injuries because studies have shown that females’ hips are made for child-bearing, forcing the knees to bow out slightly, making their knees vulnerable to knee injuries. Look it up!
     Rob Conatser of Sierra Strength and Speed, said overuse is a problem in sports, especially basketball.
     “I feel that what we are seeing in terms of overuse is too much of one sport, too much one dimensional movement, and too much one-dimensional modes of practice,” said Conatser, whose company is located in Nevada and is devoted to personal training and injury prevention in sports like basketball.
     “Basketball year round, performing 5-6 games per weekend with the thought that the only way to improve our basketball athletes is with more and more basketball,” he said.
     He said overload leads to “jumper’s knee” problems in basketball.
     “Overload is the way in which these young athletes are jumping, landing and playing in poor position,” Conatser said. “Their body position is not only very poor for performance but is of great stress to the knee, ankle, and hip -- and the poor ability to put the necessary stress into the muscles to allow them to function and perform.”
     He follows up by saying young athletes need time to rest and recover. He emphasizes quality over quantity.
     But in the long run, athletes can still work hard to get their Division I scholarship or maybe even make it to the NBA. However, they should monitor their games and take care of their bodies, so that if they attain their goals, they can be healthy enough to enjoy it.

Cubs fans: "Wait Til Next Year!"

            By Vince Alexander
            You’ve got to be a Chicago Cubs fan to fully understand.
            I’ve seen the pattern for about 40 years; others for longer.
            For years, by July, Cub fans have shouted, “Wait til next year!”
            This year is no different; therefore, it’s time for the Cubs to make a trade or two and call up a couple more minor leaguers.
            As a longtime Cubs fan, I propose two moves after watching the Cubs lose a series to the lowly Kansas City Royals. To fix the Cubs problem and keep Cub fans interested in the team, first the Cubs should trade first baseman Carlos Pena while he’s hot to a contender for a strong starting pitching prospect.
            In the post-steroid era, teams are winning with strong starting pitching and defense. The Cubs need a strong fourth and fifth pitcher to go with current starters Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano, and Matt Garza. Since Randy Wells and Andrew Cashner were injured to start the season, every pitcher the Cubs have used fell short of major-league standards. Rodrigo Lopez couldn’t get it done. Doug Davis couldn’t do it. James Russell couldn’t do it. And despite the many opportunities – Casey Coleman wasn’t ready.
            As for Wells, his arm still isn't right.
            Pena should be traded for a top pitching prospect. In Pena’s place, the Cubs may as well see how Bryan LeHair will fair against Major League pitchers before they shop for a Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers or Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals. Both Fielder and Pujols are first basemen who will be free agents at the end of the season.
            Before the Cubs dip into the free agent market for a slugging first baseman, they need to see if LeHair can play. This season, LeHair, 29, was hitting .369 with 21 home runs and 60 RBI in 74 games for Triple A Iowa. He is 6-foot-5 and weighs 240 pounds.
            Why not give LeHair a shot? This season, the Cubs had a record of 32-46 and going nowhere fast. LeHair could be put in the middle of the lineup with right-handers Aramis Ramirez, Alphonso Soriano, and Marlon Byrd.
            The second trade should involve Cubs catcher Geovony Soto. Soto hasn’t hit well since his rookie season, and he could be traded for another pitching prospect. In Soto’s place, it’s time to call up catcher Wellington Castro. Soto was hitting .220 with seven home runs and 18 RBI. At Triple A Iowa, Castro was hitting .313 with 11 home runs and 27 RBI.
            After all, Zambrano was right: The Cubs are “playing like a Triple A team.” If that’s the case, bring up the team’s deserving Triple A players and at the end of the season get involved in the Fielder or Pujols bidding war -- and “wait til next year!”

The Bishop Dullaghan Football Camp at Anderson University

North Central's Matt Hicks makes a leaping catch during one-on-ones.

NC's Matt Hicks, red shorts, and Melvin Graham, red socks, line up to catch a pass.

A Ben Davis quarterback throws a pass.

A Homestead High School coach demonstrates a drill.

North Central players quench their thirst.

NC receiver Jordan Williams (black helmet) prepares to attack the Crown Point defense.

NC quarterback Gavin Alexander sets the offense.