Scouting LaPorte: Slicers junior running back Reed Raymond a big-play threat closing in on a 1,000-yard rushing season

Tom Keegan
Onwardtrojans.com

The Chesterton defense did much better than most in limiting explosive LaPorte junior running back Reed Raymond to 51 yards and a 2.6 average per carry in defeating the Slicers, 34-14, on Sep. 12.
Raymond, who wears No. 1, has rushed for 967 yards and nine touchdowns and averages 5.3 yards per carry.
The Slicers (3-6) will try to push their winning streak to two games after finishing the regular season with a 35-22 win over Portage. The previous week, the Slicers threatened to upset Michigan City, taking a 7-0 lead into the fourth quarter, before losing 20-7.
Defensively, senior linebackers Jack Borrelli, No. 32, and Lucas Del Rio, No. 9, lead the way. Borrelli leads the Slicers with 91 tackles. Del Rio ranks second with 74 tackles and leads the team in tackles for loss (eight) and sacks (three).
From the moment the 5A sectional pairings were released, nobody from the Chesterton camp was talking about them as if the Trojans caught a break. Instead, they have been focusing on playing well themselves, regardless of the opponent.
Head coach Mark Peterson has been sounding similar sentiments to the ones senior receiver Patrick Mochen[s wrestling coaches harp on.
“When you’re wrestling Crown Point you don’t wrestle differently,” Mochen said. “You wrestle your best, no matter who you’re going against. You shouldn’t tackle differently because of who you’re tackling. You should run a route differently because of who you’re facing.”