Merrillville senior Stanley Freeman has a strong sense of the moment and the history behind it.
So the 5-foot-11, 225-pound defensive end realizes what’s at stake when Merrillville hosts Concord in a Class 5A semistate on Friday night.
“I took my offseason more seriously,” Freeman said. “I’ve been trying to better myself for the seniors in the past, trying to make their goals come true through me.”
Freeman has 12 tackles for loss and three sacks in the postseason as the Pirates (10-2), who are ranked No. 5 in the state coaches poll, have advanced to a semistate for the sixth time in seven seasons. Their remarkable run was interrupted only in 2022, when they lost in a regional to Duneland Athletic Conference rival Valparaiso, which won the state championship.
Having lost each of those semistate games, Merrillville seeks a breakthrough against No. 6 Concord (11-1).
“We’ve really been staying aware of what the true goal is — making it to state,” Freeman said. “We’re usually known for falling short, but every year we strive for the best. No matter how many struggles we have, we always do our best to make it to the top.”
Freeman has been trying to do his part in his second season as a starter. He has 68 tackles with team highs of 23 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. But he has elevated his game even higher in the postseason.
“He’s played really well,” Merrillville coach Brad Seiss said. “We grade our guys off production points, and even last year — even though he was the junior and Adam (Camphor) went to Southeast Missouri and Quran (Moore) this year is going to Southeast Missouri — Stanley was our highest-impact production-points guy last year.
“Sometimes he’s the forgotten guy a little bit. In stature, he’s 5-11, 225, so he’s not some Kenneth Grant, Adam Camphor massive-looking guy up front. But he’s always causing disruption in the backfield. He’s really explosive. He’s a weight-room warrior that’s really, really strong. He’s been really good for us as a two-year starter.”
Freeman had 59 tackles, seven for loss, 2.0 sacks and two interceptions last season.
“He’s gotten better just the fact he was a returning starter, senior leader,” Seiss said. “He’s a quiet guy. He doesn’t say a whole lot. But he brings it every day in practice. He’s a serious, focused guy when it comes to football. He’s that way in the weight room too.
“He just takes a blue-collar approach to working really hard and playing really well for us.”
Freeman’s approach can produce eye-catching results.
“Stanley Freeman is an electric player,” Merrillville junior linebacker A’Marie Eller said. “He’s one of the most hardworking players we have, for sure. Stanley knows how to pass rush and defend the run all in one. He’s a freak athlete and definitely needs to be recognized more than he is currently.”
Freeman and the Pirates could gain additional recognition by recording one more victory to advance to the 5A state championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium on Nov. 28. They’ve never won a semistate title, although they did win the 3A state title in 1976.
Concord is coming off its first regional title since 2013 and last won a semistate title in 2006.
“I played in their conference growing up at Warsaw,” Seiss said. “Concord was always in our league, so I’m kind of familiar. Just looking at their roster, I played against some of their coaches in high school, so it’s kind of cool to be playing someone that, even though us up here might not have any familiarity with, me playing some of the people that they play growing up, there’s a little bit of familiarity with that.”
Seiss has become familiar with narrow misses but provided perspective.
“To be in this game six of the last seven years, it speaks volumes about just the consistency of our program,” he said. “Each year, a new wave of guys steps up with the same expectation of being really good and having tournament success.
“For us to be one of only 24 teams left playing football in all classes and having an opportunity at home to play in the state championship, all the kids are excited, the coaches are excited, the school’s excited. We’re ready to go.”
Including Freeman.
“It’s all hard work, staying hungry,” Freeman said. “Just keep practicing. Not trying to overwhelm my ego. Just staying focused, staying hungry.”
