Friday nights in the Region just hit differently. If you grew up around here, you know the smell of popcorn and damp turf is basically our unofficial autumn scent. But honestly, the 2025 campaign felt like a fever dream for anyone following northwest indiana high school football scores closely. We saw titans fall, underdogs find their teeth, and a few local legends cement their names in the IHSAA history books at Lucas Oil Stadium.
It wasn't just about winning. It was about how some of these teams clawed back from the brink.
The Andrean Miracle and Why It Matters
Let’s talk about Andrean. The 59ers are usually the "big bad" of 2A, but this year felt like they were playing on a different level of stress. They entered the state finals against a powerhouse Brownstown Central team that looked unbeatable on paper.
Basically, nobody expected a defensive slugfest.
Brady Stovall became a household name with five minutes left on the clock. That two-yard plunge wasn't just a touchdown; it was the exclamation point on a 7-0 victory that secured Andrean’s fourth state title. Seeing a score like 7-0 in a state final is wild. It felt like 1950s football in the best way possible. They finished the year on a 13-game winning streak, proving once again that in the Region, defense still wins hardware.
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Class 5A: The Heartbreak at New Pal
Merrillville had a season for the ages, but man, that finale was tough to swallow. The Pirates rolled into the Class 5A state championship with all the momentum in the world. They had just dismantled Concord 41-14 in the semi-state, making a statement that the Duneland Athletic Conference was still the gold standard.
Then they ran into New Palestine.
New Pal is a buzzsaw. They’ve won 28 straight games now. Merrillville hung tough early, but a 21-point explosion in the fourth quarter by the Dragons turned a competitive game into a 38-17 loss for our guys. Jacob Davis and Caden Jacobia just found gaps that didn't exist in the first three quarters. It’s a bummer, sure, but Merrillville finishing 12-2 is nothing to scoff at.
Breaking Down the Sectional Chaos
If you weren't at the sectional finals on November 7, you missed the real drama. The scores that night were coming in so fast it was hard to keep track.
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Highland and Calumet played a game back in September that people are still talking about—a 31-30 nail-biter that Highland managed to steal. But when the playoffs hit, the intensity shifted. Look at the Class 4A Sectional 17 final: Hobart 35, Lowell 15. The Brickies just had too much firepower for the Red Devils this time around.
Then you had the Class 5A Sectional 10 battle. Michigan City vs. LaPorte. It’s a rivalry that can get ugly, and this one was a 28-21 grinder that saw the Wolves come out on top. Honestly, Michigan City has this weird knack for winning the games that look the messiest.
- Crown Point's Dominance: They went 7-0 in the Duneland. Total point differential? They scored 246 and gave up only 45 in conference play.
- The Knox Run: Coach Russ Radtke is a wizard. Knox made it all the way to the semi-state before hitting a wall against Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, losing 35-0. But before that? They were putting up 40+ points like it was practice.
- The Duneland Standings: - Crown Point (13-1 overall)
- Valparaiso (9-3 overall)
- Merrillville (12-2 overall)
- Michigan City (6-5 overall)
What Happened to Crown Point?
People keep asking what went wrong for the Bulldogs. They were the #1 team for a huge chunk of the year. They were 8-1 at one point and looking like a lock for a deep 6A run.
But then the Penn game happened.
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Losing 28-24 in the playoffs is the kind of result that keeps coaches awake until 3:00 AM. It was a game of inches, literally. Crown Point had the ball, the clock was ticking, and they just couldn't punch it in. It doesn't take away from their 7-0 conference record, but in the Region, if you don't have a deep November run, people tend to get quiet.
Small School Grit: North Judson and Wheeler
We can't just talk about the big 6A and 5A schools. Some of the best northwest indiana high school football scores came out of the smaller brackets.
Wheeler had a solid year, finishing 7-1 in the regular season. They had a 52-0 blowout against Hammond Noll that showed just how wide the gap can be sometimes. But the playoffs are a different beast. In 2A Sectional 33, Andrean was the king, but Rensselaer Central and Wheeler showed they weren't just there to fill out the bracket.
Over in 1A, Pioneer and South Putnam were the talk of the state. South Putnam eventually took the crown with a 55-29 win over Pioneer, but the road through the north was paved with some brutal games. LaVille and North Judson-San Pierre are always in the mix, with LaVille getting bounced by Pioneer 34-14 in a game that was closer than the score looked for three quarters.
The Actionable Takeaway for Fans
If you're looking to keep up with the 2026 cycle or just want to dive deeper into the stats from this past season, here is what you need to do:
- Follow the IHSAA Success Factor: Because Andrean and Adams Central have been so dominant, keep an eye on class reassignments. Teams that win too much often get bumped up, which changes the whole landscape for next year.
- Watch the DAC Transfers: The Duneland is always shifting. With coaches like Craig Buzea at Crown Point and the vacancy at Portage being filled, the off-season moves are just as important as the Friday night scores.
- Check Regional Radio Sports Network: For the most granular, play-by-play breakdowns of NWI games, Paul Condry’s team is still the gold standard. They catch the stuff the bigger Indy outlets miss.
- Mark Your Calendar: The 2026 season starts practices on August 3. The first Friday night lights will be August 21.
The Region is a place where football is a language everyone speaks. Whether it's a 7-0 defensive masterpiece or a 55-point blowout, the scores tell a story of a community that shows up regardless of the weather. Next year, we do it all over again.