Indiana football playoffs: 6-foot-4 safety Jake Jaeger is big obstacle as Crown Point stops Merrillville

Crown Point junior free safety Jake Jaeger snagged one interception and nearly made two more against Merrillville on Friday night.

But the 6-foot-4, 195-pound Jaeger wasn't complaining after the Class 6A sectional semifinal between Duneland Athletic Conference rivals.

"We just rallied together," Jaeger said. "No matter what happens, the score's always 0-0 in our eyes. We just played together, and we didn't break. We came close, but we didn't break."

Indeed, Crown Point held off host Merrillville 43-33 in a dazzling and dizzying matchup pitting the area's top two teams and two of the state's best.

The Bulldogs (10-0), who were ranked No. 4 in the final Class 6A state coaches poll, led 29-0 and nearly triggered a running clock before the Pirates (8-2) drew as close as 29-27.

Jaeger's third interception of the season is tied for the team lead after senior cornerback Jaden Saddler also made one in the waning minutes against the Pirates. Jaeger had a pick-six during the Bulldogs' regular-season finale against Michigan City.

"Jake Jaeger has done a great job," Crown Point coach Craig Buzea said. "It's his first year playing free safety, and he's done an outstanding job. I ask coach (John) Snyder (the team's defensive coordinator) who he wants to be captain every week because we pick game captains, and Jake's always in that conversation. He's done a great job leading. He's just a fantastic, fantastic kid and a dual-sport athlete, and he really did a good job directing our secondary.

"He's just an athlete, and he's going to get better. I think he'll find himself, if he wants to go play at the next level, because he's only a junior, he'll be able to do that just with this length and size, and he's worked hard. He's worked his butt off to get to where he's at."

Jaeger, who has also played basketball for Crown Point, agreed he was dedicated to making strides with both his skills and his strength. Last season, he played primarily on the junior varsity team and had 14 tackles in a largely mop-up role behind three-year starter Dominic Fantin.

"I used to be pretty nervous before games," Jaeger said. "I've been calming my nerves down and just playing football."

Jaeger, who has 16 tackles this season, has been doing it at a high level.

"Jake's really good," Crown Point sophomore quarterback/linebacker AJ Summers said. "He covers that field really well. He had to fill big shoes with Dom Fantin from last year, and he definitely filled them. He's doing a great job back there."

Jaeger even drew praise from Merrillville senior quarterback Michael Hill Jr. , who nearly engineered a stunning comeback by completing 31 of 54 pass attempts for 415 yards and five TDs.

"He's just back there," Hill said. "He's tall, he's long, and it's just hard to really get the deep balls over him."

As for Summers, he generally ran over and through defenders. He rushed for 222 yards and five TDs on 28 carries.

Buzea enthusiastically extolled Summers' virtues.

"I think we all witnessed the best player in high school football," Buzea said. "No. 4 is the best player in Indiana. I don't care if he's a sophomore, a junior, a senior. What he does at a 6A level, nobody does. Against a team like that?

"Now, did he have help? Yes, our offensive line was tremendous. But AJ Summers is the best player in Indiana. That's what I witnessed. Incredible. Incredible. He's on the field every play for defense. I haven't coached many kids like him, and he's 16 years old. I know it, I get it — people know he's going to run the ball. But you have to stop him."

Behind Crown Point's offensive line, Summers is not easy to slow down, never mind stop.

"I will say our offensive line's pretty good," Buzea said. "When you can line up against those guys and say, 'Hey, we're running the ball,' and pop runs like that, they're doing something too. So let's give props to our offensive line."

Merrillville coach Brad Seiss also gave credit to Summers and Crown Point's offensive line.

"He's a big, physical runner," Seiss said. "They do a good job of getting good push up front. We had a lot of opportunities to get off the field, where he would just kind of show his strength and break tackles. He's a really good player."

So, too, is Hill, whose high school career ended with a memorable performance against the Bulldogs.

"Man, they have a great quarterback. … You don't see many like him," Buzea said. "He's very, very talented. He's AJ on their team, but in a different way."

Merrillville senior running back/slot receiver Cameron Jordan had 12 catches for 166 yards and three TDs, junior wide receiver Curtis Walker had 12 catches for 152 yards, and both of sophomore wide receiver William Golden's catches went for TDs as Hill deftly distributed the ball.

"We decided at halftime, we're just going to throw it every play and let our best player go to work, whether it's him throwing it in phase or using his legs to extend plays," Seiss said. "You just don't find many guys that can do the things that he does because most quarterbacks in high school, especially when they scramble, they scramble to run or they just totally look down and freak out.

"For him to have the composure he has to not only evade rushers and see down the field, he really showed crazy ability that second half, just kind of running around everywhere and finding open guys. He's a special talent. On top of that, he's a really good kid."

The Bulldogs, who advance to a sectional final on the road against Duneland Athletic Conference foe Lake Central (5-5), handed Merrillville its only two losses this season. The Pirates, who moved up to 6A this season, had won seven straight sectional titles, six regional titles during that stretch and broke through to reach the 5A state championship game last year.

"Shoutout Crown Point," Hill said. "I hope they take it all the way and put the Region on the map."

Crown Point's last loss to a Region team was a sectional opener against Merrillville in 2021, a game that ended Buzea's first season with the team.

"I have a ton of respect for Brad and his staff," Buzea said. "This was the type of football game you were supposed to have here. Unfortunately, it's not for a championship. That's a whole different thing if you want to sit down, have a conversation with me."

Now Jaeger and the Bulldogs can talk about trying to win a sectional title.

"I'm glad that I've been playing so good, but it's just really about the team and what we've been able to accomplish," Jaeger said. "I'm just glad I can contribute."