H.S. FOOTBALL: Merrillville intercepts a half-dozen passes on way to shutout<!--ENDHEADLINE--> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
Oct. 1, 2005
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By Justin Breen / Post-Tribune deputy sports editor[/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--COPY-->
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VALPARAISO — [/FONT]Merrillville needed a game like this.
So did Evan Parker.
The Pirates’ quarterback combined with a dominating defense to hammer Valparaiso 30-0 on Friday, spoiling the Vikings’ homecoming.
One week after a demoralizing, double-overtime loss to LaPorte, Merrillville bounced back. The Pirates outgained the Vikings 308-115 and recorded six interceptions, including three from Drew Dawson.
“I believe we should have won that game last week, so I wanted to come out this week and work hard,” said Parker, who had two rushing touchdowns and threw for another.
Said Dawson: “We’re confident, real confident now. A shutout after a real sad loss — it’s a huge comeback.”
Notre Dame-bound running back James Aldridge nearly scored on the game’s first play from scrimmage — a 68-yard run through the Vikings’ defense. One play later, Aldridge entered the end zone from 2 yards out for a 7-0 Pirates lead with 11:22 remaining.
On the Vikings’ first possession, Carl Hoefler was picked off by Dawson, who returned the interception 43 yards to Valpo’s 4-yard line. On the next play, Parker ran a quarterback keeper untouched to paydirt. With only 2:16 off the clock, the Pirates were up 14-0, with just one first down.
“Those big plays set the tone,” Merrillville coach Jeff Yelton said. “We got them back on their heels.”
Following a 9-yard Vikings punt late in the second quarter, the Pirates scored again, this time on a 13-yard run from Parker. Ryan Stokes missed the extra point, but the Pirates (5-2, 3-2 Duneland) still held a 20-0 advantage at the half.
The edge grew to 27-0 following a 63-yard touchdown pass from Parker to Chad Dawson with 5:32 left in the third quarter.
With its offense struggling, Valpo inserted sophomore quarterback Alex Sarkisian for Hoefler on the game’s next possession. But the ploy failed as Rayshon Richardson intercepted Sarkisian’s third pass.
Aldridge nearly scored two plays later, rushing 32 yards to the Vikings’ 2-yard line. But Aldridge fumbled on the next play, and Valpo (3-4, 2-3) recovered on its 1-yard line.
Merrillville, which beat Valpo for the second straight time, got the ball right back on another Drew Dawson interception.
The turnover led to a Stokes 36-yard field goal with 9:57 remaining in the game. Stokes had missed a 41-yarder, but a running-into-the-kicker penalty gave the freshman another chance.
Aldridge finished with 108 yards on 11 carries.
“I thought our kids played really well tonight,” Yelton said. “It’s about putting things together at the right time, and that’s what we did.”
Valpo, which was shut out 10-0 in the season opener against Penn, was blanked for the second time in 2005.
Vikings coach Mark Hoffman said he didn’t know who would start at quarterback next week, adding that “there is no controversy.”
“We told our kids we’re going to give everyone a shot,” Hoffman said. “(Merrillville’s) defense is tenacious, and we’re not able to throw. We’re not at that level now.”
Contact Justin Breen at 648-3122 or
[email protected]
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