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| Chesterton and Portage are set to clash in their annual Duneland Athletic Conference football battle on Sept. 24 at PHS. This year, however, there are two things that make the game unique. It will be played on a Saturday night, and it will be televised throughout Northwest Indiana on Lakeshore Public Television. The game will be the third of four televised on The Lakeshore this season as a part of the Saturday Night Lights package. The broadcast can also be heard on 89.1 FM and seen worldwide on The Northwest Indiana Times website. While many fans are excited about seeing live high school football on their TVs, both head coaches are worried more about preparing their teams for what has become a great rivalry game. “We’re just going to treat it as another game. Chesterton is a very disciplined football team, so we have to be able to match their discipline. We’re not going to worry about the TV thing, just about playing the game,” Portage head coach Jeromy Flowers said. The Lakeshore’s decision to include the game in its Saturday night slate makes sense because of all the intrigue that has surrounded this matchup in recent years. In 2009, Chesterton spoiled the Portage homecoming by handing the Indians a heartbreaking 31-28 loss. A year later, the Indians returned the favor as Jake Dixon shattered the school rushing record by rambling for 378 yards in a 34-20 win on the night of the Trojan’s homecoming. Picking up a victory will be crucial for both teams in this game because of the way the Duneland Athletic Conference is configured. Neither team wants to let this one slip away with teams like Merrillville, Valparaiso and Crown Point on the schedule. The close proximity of the two schools has also helped build up this rivalry. Fans travel well from Portage to Chesterton and vice versa since it is just a short drive away. The Portage/Chesterton thrillers have not been limited to the football field in recent years. In 2010 the boys soccer teams met in the regional championship that resulted in a 3-2 overtime victory for the Tribe. The two schools did battle on the girls basketball court last winter to determine the champion of the Portage Sectional. The Trojans came out on top to complete their unlikely postseason run. When Portage and Chesterton meet on the gridiron on Sept. 24, head coach John Snyder’s Chesterton squad will have a distinct advantage in the special teams department. Division I kicking recruit Kyle Schmidt could be a deciding factor if the game is close. Junior Chris Katsafaros of Chesterton and Portage QB Kris Knies are both in their first varsity seasons under center. Both teams have implemented a running back by committee strategy. Joe Troop, A.J. Snyder, Zach Jenks and Adam Lara have all received carries for the Trojans. The Indians’ running game has featured the versatile Rashaan Coleman, senior Jason Roman, leading rusher Jeron Blake and the up-and-coming speedster Hashim Simpson. The Indians have the toughest home schedule that they have had in years, hosting St. Rita, Crown Point, Valparaiso and Chesterton in the four games. If they want to earn a win for the home fans, the televised game against Chesterton may be their best bet. Former Andrean and Hobart head coach Wally McCormick is the color commentator for The Lakeshore broadcasts. He graduated from Portage and is currently an assistant freshman coach for his alma mater. McCormick is teamed up with play-by-play man and Griffith head baseball coach Brian Jennings. All of the football fans in The Region will turn their attention to this game, either by attending or watching on TV, since it takes place on a Saturday night. The action is expected to kickoff at 7:00, with additional pre and post game radio coverage available on 89.1FM The Lakeshore. |
Chesterton at Portage preview