Crown Point Secures Victory Against Merrillville in Key Conference Match

Jaden Saddler proved critical for Crown Point on a hot Friday night. The senior cornerback recovered a muffed punt early in the third quarter and secured an interception late in the fourth. This was during the Bulldogs’ Duneland Athletic Conference match against Merrillville, featuring two of the top teams in the region. Reflecting on his performance, Saddler said, It felt great, but I couldn’t do it alone because my teammates were there. When I messed up, allowing deep balls and a touchdown, they picked me back up.

The Bulldogs succeeded in taming Merrillville’s strong offense, led by senior quarterback Michael Hill Jr., winning 23-14. A lot of hard work, said Crown Point coach Craig Buzea about his defense. We can’t simulate what they do – no huddle, unbalanced. They’re tough to defend, but I believe we have the best defensive coordinator in the state in John Snyder. Our kids execute well.

Saddler, who had a more limited role last season, stepped up after being challenged by Buzea. Saddler received some coaching at halftime, and he responded, Buzea noted. Saddler acknowledged, He got on me about how I started, but you have to play through it because the game wasn’t over.

Before this game, Saddler had an interception against Indianapolis Pike and three tackles in the season opener against Lowell. His dedication over the summer was evident. I’ve been working since May, training all summer and spring so I can perform out here, Saddler shared.

Sophomore linebacker AJ Summers praised Saddler’s impact, calling him a great leader and hard worker. He deserves this. He’s a super hard worker and you can tell he wants it bad, Summers said.

The match was tied 14–14 when Hill suffered an injury during a scramble. Merrillville’s backup quarterback later entered but faced pressure, resulting in a safety for Crown Point leading 16-14. Crown Point expanded the lead with Ethan Ziolkowski’s 46-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown on Tyce Custy’s pass. A forced fumble by Brody Hood, recovered by Ben Clark, further solidified Crown Point’s advantage.

Michael Hill returned briefly, completing 3 of 4 passes for a total of 217 passing yards and two TDs, both to Curtis Walker. Meanwhile, Tyce Custy added a 21-yard TD pass to Kingston Connelly, and Brayden Schutt delivered 103 rushing yards, including a 70-yard dash for a TD.

Saddler concluded, Pregame, we told each other we’d play and fight for each other. Even if not everyone showed up in both halves, we showed up together. With this win, Crown Point extended their regular-season winning streak to 39 games, their fifth consecutive victory over Merrillville.

Buzea noted, This is not the best version of Crown Point football yet, but we’ll improve. If many teams are better than this team (Merrillville), it might be time to retire. They’re a juggernaut, for sure.