By RICHIE HALL
The last football team standing between Carmel and the state finals is a group of nearly-perfect Pirates.
Merrillville will travel to Carmel Stadium on Friday for the Class 6A north semi-state game, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. This will mark the seventh straight year that the Greyhounds will play in the semi-state championship contest, while the Pirates are making their first appearance at this level since 2012.
The two teams have not played each other very often, only twice in the past 25 years. The last meeting between Carmel and Merrillville was in the 2009 semi-state, where the Greyhounds traveled up to Northwest Indiana and came home with a 42-0 victory. In 2007, Carmel hosted the Pirates again in the semi-state, winning 35-13.
Merrillville is a team that has made a quick turnaround over the past couple years. In 2017, the Pirates finished 1-9, but improved the next year to 7-4, and nearly won a sectional title before falling to Crown Point 17-13 in the championship game.
This year’s Merrillville team is 11-1. The Pirates began their season with six straight wins, first over non-conference opponents Andrean 48-20 and Hobart 21-0. Merrillville entered Duneland Conference play in Week 3, and won its first four games, defeating Crown Point 27-24 in overtime, Portage 46-7, Michigan City 46-7 and La Porte 21-0.
The Pirates played at Valparaiso in Week 7, and the Vikings handed Merrillville its only loss of the season, 29-28 – but for one point, the Pirates would be perfect. Merrillville won its final two Duneland games over Lake Central 41-21 and Chesterton 27-20, placing second in the conference to unbeaten Valpo. (The Vikings are 12-0 and play Bishop Dwenger in the 5A north semi-state game on Friday.)
Moving into the post-season, the Pirates won Sectional 1, first by stunning No. 2-ranked Lafayette Jefferson 27-20 in the semi-finals, then edging out Crown Point 10-9 in the championship. Merrillville beat Warsaw 42-28 for the regional title.
“Merrillville is a very solid football team across the board,” said Carmel coach John Hebert. “Coach Brad Seiss has done a great job building his program and preparing his team on a weekly basis. What I see on film is a strong, fast, and aggressive team that knows how to win games. Had it not been for a late penalty as Merrillville was scoring to take the lead against Valparaiso in week 7, the Pirates would be 12-0 right now. It looks like we are in for a heck of a game Friday night!”
In Merrillville’s regional win over Warsaw, senior Peter Rodriguez scored four touchdowns, carrying the ball 18 times for 165 yards. Other top ball rushers include seniors Damian Dixon and Darius Schultz, both of whom scored for the Pirates in the regional. Schultz also scored a touchdown for Merrillville in the sectional championship, and junior Austin Pupek’s field goal turned out to be the difference.
Carmel will come into the semi-state with a 9-3 record. The Greyhounds have won their last five games, including a 31-7 win at Homestead for their seventh consecutive regional championship.
Quarterback Christian Williams has thrown for 827 yards and seven touchdowns this season, with Colton Parker his top receiver, Parker has made 23 catches, including five scores. Dylan Downing is Carmel’s top runner, gaining 948 yards and scoring 11 touchdowns.
Hebert also had plenty of praise for his defense, which has only allowed 9.3 points per game during the tournament.
“We are very proud of our defense and the way they have really come together as a unit,” said Hebert. “We have tremendous leaders at every position group; namely Garrett Sharp, Sam Saliba, Jake Paris, Ty Wise, Cole Brevard, Dominic Padjen, and Kyle Lozen.”
The Greyhounds moved tight end Haakon Van Beynen to the defensive line, and Hebert the team has benefitted from the move, saying that Van Beynen is “really hitting his stride.”
“Aidan Palmer, Tamarris Springfield, Andrew Turvy, and Owen Schafer are four others that are playing outstanding football right now,” said Hebert.
Carmel’s Ty Wise (37) and Dominic Padjen (54) have been two of the Greyhounds’ defensive leaders this season. Carmel hosts Merrillville on Friday for the Class 6A north semi-state championship. (Richie Hall/File photo)