Merrillville blasts Munster en route to 7th straight sectional title
Class 5A No. 5 and Indiana Preps NWI No. 2 Merrillville 45, Munster 14
By Paul Honeycutt

MERRILLVILLE – JQ Johnson knows the job isn’t done.

He isn’t looking ahead either.

The three-year starter in the backfield for Class 5A No. 5 and Indiana Preps NWI No. 2 Merrillville was running like every carry was going to be his last, each with more pulverizing force than the previous one.

“(Merrillville) Coach (Brad) Seiss has been looking at me ever since I was in eighth grade,” said Johnson. “I tell coach wherever he needs me to go, just put me there because I’m gonna create some type of a lane, a hole for somebody, and just know it’s not gonna be a negative play.”

What was asked of him 15 times was to run over someone, a task in which Johnson accomplished with great success after rushing for 151 yards and four touchdowns in his team’s 45-14 win in the 5A Sectional 9 final.

Merrillville (9-2) has now won seven straight sectionals and will shoot for its sixth regional in seven years when the Pirates travel to No. 12 Michigan City (8-3), whom the Pirates beat 44-7 back in Week 5.

The Wolves were also victorious on Friday after beataing LaPorte 28-21 to win their first sectional since 2021.

“Coach told us last year that it’s hard to beat a team twice in a season, so we’re just gonna go out there and play Merrillville Pirate football and the football we know how to play,” said Johnson.

Johnson capped off Merrillville’s first drive with a 3-yard TD run for the lone score of the first quarter.

“He packs a lot of punch and he’s very explosive,” said Seiss. “JQ knows the end is coming and that each play could be his last, so he wants to play hard.”

After a 27-yard field goal from Merrillville senior kicker Benito Gonzalez, Johnson grabbed his second score on a 2-yard rushing TD to open a 31-point second quarter for the host Pirates, who won their 23rd overall sectional title.

Munster (4-7) scored its first touchdown on a trick play when senior quarterback Daniel Schassburger connected with a wide open Irie Prieboy on a 58-yard TD pass.

Winners of eight straight games, the Pirates came right back on the next play from scrimmage with a 47-yard rushing TD from junior Cam Jordan.

After Johnson’s third TD, this time on a 1-yard score, Merrillville blocked a 49-yard field goal try from the Mustangs.

A couple plays later, NWI’s leading passer, Pirates junior QB Michael Hill, Jr., fumbled the ball, but he picked it up and turned it into a 52-yard TD pass to Jeremiah Mosby, which was Hill’s 27th of the season.

“He (Johnson) has been such a selfless player this year just with the emergence of Michael throwing the ball and making some changes with utilizing him and Cam Jordan in the backfield,” said Seiss. “He’s our feature back, our lead blocker, and just does whatever we ask him to do.”

Munster racked up 262 total yards, but the Pirates defense, anchored by seniors Stanley Freeman and Quran Moore, made life miserable for Schassburger all night, who was forced out of the pocket on most of his pass attempts.

Freeman picked up sacks on the first play from scrimmage and at the 9:23 mark of the second quarter, forcing a fumble with Moore recovering.

“The best offense you can have a good defense who can get the ball back to them, and they’ve done a good job of that,” said Seiss. “Stanley and Quran are two senior leaders and are our returning starters on the defensive line, with both of them being explosive, strong, and both can use their hands really well and create chaos in the backfield.”

Munster added a late score on a 24-yard TD pass from Schassburger to senior wide receiver Liam Gouveia.



Merrillville 45, Munster 14

Munster; 0 7 0 7 – 14

Merrillville; 7 31 7 0 – 45

MER – JQ Johnson 3 run (Benito Gonzalez kick), 9:54 1st

MER – Gonzalez 27 FG, 10:25 2nd

MER – Johnson 2 run (Gonzalez kick), 8:33 2nd

MUN – Irie Prieboy 58 pass from Daniel Schassburger (Owen Burns kick), 4:58 2nd

MER – Cam Jordan 47 run (Gonzalez kick), 4:47 2nd

MER – Johnson 1 run (Gonzalez kick), 2:00 2nd

MER – Jeremiah Mosby 52 pass from Michael Hill, Jr. (Gonzalez kick), 1:04 2nd

MER – Johnson 1 run (Gonzalez kick), 9:18 3rd

MUN – Liam Gouveia 24 pass from Schassburger (Burns kick), 4:00 4th



Munster;Merrillville

First Downs;11;23

Total Yards;262;506

Rushes-Yards;31-157;32-308

Passing;105;198

Comp.-Att.-Int.;6-15-0;13-19-0

Penalties-Yards;8-45;8-55

Fumbles-Lost;3-1;2-0



INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – MUNSTER, Irie Prieboy 11-64, Daniel Schassburger 15-41, Xavier Rodriguez 2-47 Jake Foerster 3-5. MERRILLVILLE, JQ Johnson 15-151, Cam Jordan 2-60, Michael Hill, Jr. 4-32, Dermont Bogard 2-27, Pelumi Ojo 2-20, Kam Brown 5-16, Steven Sanders 2-2

PASSING – MUNSTER, Daniel Schassburger 6-15-105-2-0. MERRILLVILLE, Michael Hill Jr. 8-11-164-1-0, Pelumi Ojo 5-8-34-0-0.

RECEIVING – MUNSTER, Irie Prieboy 1-58, Liam Gouveia 1-24, Jake Foerster 3-21, Xavier Rodriguez 1-2. MERRILLVILLE, Jeremiah Mosby 2-57, Curtis Walker 3-56, JQ Johnson 3-49, Dermont Bogard 1-16, Mikel Smoot 1-12, Steven Sanders 2-6, Cam Jordan 1-2.