Speedy Merrillville buries LaPorte with big plays

Updated: September 24, 2011 3:06PM

MERRILLVILLE — Merrillville looked fast Friday night. Really fast. And LaPorte, at least did not.

And the Pirates exploited that, rolling up 33 first-half points and leading 33-3 at halftime before hanging on in the second half for a 47-24 Duneland Conference victory.

Behind quarterback Jake Raspopovich and running back Darryl Peppers, Merrillville used big play after big play to build the big early lead. And when the Slicers finally found a way to move the ball in the second half, it was too late.

The game was delayed by a 50-minute lightning delay, which came with 8:55 to play in the third quarter.

Peppers ran for 226 yards and two second-half touchdowns, while Raspopovich rushed for 129 yards, all in the first half and all on just eight carries. Peppers had runs of 42 and 35 yards to set up scores in the first half and then, deservedly, found the end zone on runs of 59 and 32 in the fourth quarter to silence a Slicers comeback effort.

Merrillville (3-3, 3-1 DAC) scored on the game’s fourth play from scrimmage when Raspopovich took off on a 72-yard sprint to the end zone to give the Pirates a 7-0 lead less than a minute and a half into the game.

LaPorte pulled within 7-3 on a John Shuble 30-yard field goal late in the first quarter. But Merrillville dominated the second quarter, posting 20 points.

The Pirates scored in three plays after Peppers busted off a 42-yard run that set up a 12-yard touchdown run by Aaron Dye on an end around. After forcing a Slicers punt, it took Merrillville just four plays to score when Raspopovich ran one in from 16 yards out for a 20-3 cushion.

Merrillville made it 27-3 when linebacker Michael Dicken stepped in front of a Mike Ash pass and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown. Dicken also had an interception late in the game. A Kourtney Berry 3-yard TD run made it 33-3 at the half.

The Slicers came to life in the second half, finding some running room and taking to the air at times. Ash threw three second-half touchdowns, two to Jared Ross, including a 66-yarder to Ross that pulled LaPorte to within two scores, 40-24, with 7:01 left in the game.

But Peppers’ 32-yard dart into the end zone on the Pirates’ sealed the game.

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