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http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/0...4c800418036.txt

City's winning season makes nine stars

La Porte’s Nick Latchford (34) looks for an opening against Merrillville last season. Bob Wellinski/For The News-Dispatch
2010 N-D All Area Team
By Zack Eldridge
Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 4:18 AM CST
This season’s News-Dispatch All-Area football teams are dominated by La Porte and Michigan City, two teams that had a good amount of success in 2009.

The Wolves paced the area with nine selections to the all-area offensive and defensive teams, while the Slicers had eight representatives. Chesterton was next with four selections while New Prairie had three players.

The all-area offensive team is anchored by Player of the Year Adam Harmon, running back from Michigan City.

The all-area defensive squad is led by Player of the Year Ryan Isaac, defensive lineman from the Wolves.

La Porte was best represented with five players offensively on the all-area team.

Leading those selections was running back Nick Latchford.

The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Latchford rushed for 1,047 yards on 155 carries, good for a 6.8 yards per carry average, and 13 touchdowns, despite missing two full games with an ankle injury. At the start of the season, the Slicer coaching staff wasn’t exactly sure what they were going to get out of the backfield, but Latchford was a consistent performer.

Blocking for Latchford were offensive linemen Trevor Sales and Greg Wedow. Sales was named to the Indiana Football Coaches Association (IFCA) Region I All-State Football team and had a 91 percent blocking percentage with 34 pancake blocks. He earned All-DAC first-team honors as well.

Wedow had a game-high 89 blocking percentage in the sectional opener against Mishawaka, and added 14 pancake blocks during the year. He was a first-team All-Conference selection, too.

Wide receiver Emmerson Cooper and tight end Scott Vaughn round out La Porte’s offensive players. The 5-9 junior Cooper got better and more reliable as the season progressed and could pose a dangerous threat come next season. Vaughn, meanwhile, didn’t shy away from contact and was a dependable blocker. He had 153 yards receiving on 15 catches with a pair of touchdowns.

Defensively, the Slicers’ Darius Kincaid, DeMuth and Austin Epple help comprise that unit.

Kincaid led his squad in defensive points, recording 49 solo tackles and 48 assisted tackles with three interceptions, registering first-team All-DAC accolades. DeMuth was a solid two-way player and used his athleticism to make an impact on that side of the ball. Epple was reliable, starting all 10 games, earning 25 solo tackles, 31 assisted tackles, three tackles for loss, and three fumble recoveries. He was a first-team All-Conference selection also.

For City, Harmon put up unbelievable numbers and helped his team finish with a winning record, something it has only done twice since 2001.

The running back led northwest Indiana in rushing during the regular season, compiling 1,264 yards on 181 carries with 16 touchdowns. He was a four-time All-Duneland Conference player. Plus, his pass-catching ability and his skill to play defense at a high level sets him apart from other area running backs.

City junior Rodney Washington, despite missing a portion of the season with injury, flashed enough skills with his arm and legs to be the all-area quarterback.

Also offensively, the Wolves put wide receiver Tracy Rivera and offensive lineman Brenden Lomow on the all-area squad.

Rivera had a breakout senior season and was the area’s leading receiver for most of the season. He had 706 yards receiving on 38 catches (18.6 yards per catch), scoring six touchdowns. His longest reception of the year was an 88-yard touchdown catch against Chesterton. He had the ability to be a potent rusher as well.

Lomow helped clear holes for Harmon and Rivera, the DAC’s top rusher and receiver. He graded out at 92 percent efficiency, including eight pancake blocks. Eighty percent of all of City’s plays were ran behind Lomow with him either base blocking or pulling from his tackle position. Only a junior, Lomow would seem poised to have a big senior campaign.

Defensive lineman Ryan Isaac, defensive end Blake Surface, linebacker Cody Miranda, linebacker Tyree Wright, and the free safety Harmon round out the City players on the all-area teams.

The 6-5, 265-pound Isaac, who will play for Purdue, found himself being double teamed on almost every play or had the ball run away from him most of the time. Despite that, he finished with 50 tackles, 14 for loss, eight sacks and 12 quarterback pressures. He also had four forced fumbles, a pair of fumble recoveries and three passes knocked down.

Miranda was arguably the Wolves’ most consistent performer all year on defense. He earned 73 tackles, 12 for loss, one sack, one caused fumble, two fumble recoveries, one interception and seven passes broken up. Miranda was tabbed to the All-Duneland Conference squad and was voted City’s Outstanding Defensive Back.

Wright paced the team in tackles for the second straight season, notching 109 total tackles from his middle linebacker position. He tallied nine tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one interception. He was named to the All-DAC team for the second straight season.

Harmon, meanwhile, not only excelled offensively, he made significant contributions defensively. He registered 26 tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception, and four passes broken up.

Chesterton’s selections were led by hard-hitting lineback Frank Raudry who had 89 tackles and three fumble recoveries on the season.

Chesterton’s kicking game was led by Kyle Schmidt, who joins punter teammate Alex Lydick as the all-area kickers. Schmidt made 30-of-36 extra points attempts and 7-of-8 field goals, including 3-of-3 from between 40 and 49 yards. Lydick averaged 31.4 yards per punt with a long of 55.

Offensive lineman David Raffin rounds out the Trojans’ selections.

For New Prairie, offensive lineman Carter Thompson will aid the all-area offensive line. The 6-0, 250-pound Thompson was a first-team All-Northern State Conference selection and was an important piece for the Cougars’ run-first offense. He had a 79.4 blocking percentage.

Defensively, New Prairie’s Nick G. Smith, a defensive end, and Robert Tenderenda, a cornerback, comprise that unit.

Smith, earned 58 solo tackles, 21 assisted tackles, nine tackles for loss, and a pair of sacks.

Tenderenda was close behind with 58 solo tackles, 20 assisted tackles, four tackles for loss, and two fumble recoveries.