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Table Of Contents
Our Team
Friday Night Lights is Here...................Page 4 Two-A-Days Is the End in Sight?....................Page 6 New Faces in the Same Old Places..................Page 8
Managing Editor / Publisher: Chris Lannin
Conference Previews Greater South Shore Conference........Page 10 Great Lakes Athletic Conference.........Page 13 Northwest Crossroads Conference.....Page 16 Duneland Athletic Conference............Page 22 Northwestern Conference..................Page 28 Independents.....................................Page 30
Sales / Publisher: Rolando “Roly� Martinez Designer/Layout: Matt Scearce Photographer: Denise Roznowski Jerome Hindman Contact T: 219-200-3877 A: 6212 US HWY 6, Ste. 170, Portage, IN 46368 E: chris@southshoresande.com Sales T: 219-200-3877 E: rolym05@comcast.net
South Shore Sports & Entertainment is a monthly publication by South Shore Sports & Entertainment , LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. All photographs and articles submitted become the sole property of South Shore Sports & Entertainment
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Welcome to... South Shore Sports & Entertainment! Welcome to the premiere issue of South Shore Sports & Entertainment magazine! In this and future issues of this publication we will try to bring you the best coverage possible of the people, places and things that comprise the diverse sports and entertainment scene in Northwest Indiana. In the coming months our staff hopes to provide the readers of this magazine with top notch coverage of football, basketball, baseball and other traditional sports from all across the south shore of Lake Michigan; from the youth level to high school and college, right on up to the pros. Our focus will also include hunting and fishing, auto and horse racing, and boxing and golf; as well as coverage of the myriad of adult amateur sports like softball that are enjoyed by thousands of weekend warriors in our area who play just for the love of the game. And just as we cover the sports scene of today, from time to time we will also take time to remember to honor the proud and storied sports history and tradition of Northwest Indiana with features that pay homage to the legendary players and teams of our past and the legacy they have left us. In addition to mainstream sports, we also plan to bring our readers a look at the less traditional sports scene in our area with coverage of mixed martial arts, extreme sports like longboarding and off the wall sports like disc golf. But sports coverage will not be the only focus of our magazine. We also plan to highlight the rich music and entertainment scene of the south shore of the big lake by featuring the events and personalities that make our popular culture unique, with an emphasis on fun things to see and do. So as we move forward, we welcome input and feedback from you, the reader. Let us know what you think about the magazine, good or bad. In future issues we will publish a
mailbag feature so our readers can sound off. If you have an idea or something you would like South Shore Sports & Entertainment to cover, or if you have a feature or story that you would like to submit for possible publication, please do so. Serious consideration will be given to all submissions. Once again, thank you for picking up South Shore Sports & Entertainment magazine. We hope you enjoy it.
THE BAG!
send your emails to... editor@southshoresande .com
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Friday Night Li As hard as it is to believe, the high school football season is already upon us. Although most teams have been scrimmaging all summer in one form or another, the official start of two a day practices is August 5th, and the kids will start hitting on the 8th of this month. Although it seems way too early to get things started, coaches really don’t have much time left to prepare their teams for the upcoming campaign as the final pre-season scrimmages take place on the 16th of this month and the season officially opens on the 23rd. When the games begin, classes won’t even be in session at many schools but by the time the month is over, the first two weeks of the 2013 prep season will already be in the history books. The beginning of the high school football season is an exciting time for all schools, whether they have been successful in the past or not, because it’s a fresh start; everybody’s record is 0-0 and coaches, players and fans alike are all hopeful that a good start may be a harbinger of a successful season. The first two weeks of the season are also exciting because the schools face non-conference opponents. In non-conference action teams can play better opponents or bigger schools and coaches can use these games as a measuring stick to find out how their teams stack up.
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Non-conference games also serve as an eye opener for coaches because they can find about the relative strengths and weaknesses of their teams. The beauty of high school football is that the makeup of a team is somewhat different every year and these early games give coaches an opportunity to look at their new personnel, and find out what areas they need to improve on to get ready for the conference season. A couple of games that fit this description are Mishawaka Penn at Valparaiso in week one and Andrean at Merrillville in week two. The non-conference games in the first two weeks of the season also allow schools to play old rivals that aren’t in their conference. Some of these games are of marquee quality due to the teams involved. And unfortunately, for some of the less successful programs, these rivalry games may be the highlight of another long season. Worth noting among early season rivalry games is the “Old Leather Helmet Game” between Crown Point and Lowell, the oldest football rivalry in the state. When the Bulldogs and Red Devils square off in week one at the Inferno in Lowell it will mark the 106th meeting between the two schools. Another notable week one rivalry game is the “Battle of 119th Street” between Whiting and Clark at Ray Galivan Stadium in Whiting. This will be the 80th meeting in the rivalry between two
Lights Is Here! By Chris Lannin
schools who have met every year since 1934. What makes this one special is that it features kids from neighborhoods in Whiting and the Robertsdale section of Hammond where the kids all know each other, may have gone to elementary school together or might even be next door neighbors. Other rivalry games that are worth watching in week one feature Morton at the Boneyard in Griffith and Lake Central at the “Mustang Corral” in Munster. In week two fans might want to take in Lowell at Morton at the “Governor’s Mansion” or the Munster at Chesterton game. As always, there are a few rule changes or “points of emphasis” this season, a couple of which are motivated by player safety issues. With the rising concern nationally about concussions, these rules cover situations when a player loses his helmet. One rule is that a penalty will be called against any player who initiates contact against a player whose helmet has come off. Likewise, any player who has lost his helmet will be called for illegal participation if he continues to participate beyond the immediate action in which he had been engaged. Changes have also been implemented in the penalties associated with pass interference also. Both offensive and defensive pass interference will still carry a 15 yard penalty, but offensive pass interference will no longer result in a loss of down and defensive pass interference will no longer result in an automatic first down. And in another change that is bound to cause some controversy in interpretation is the definition of a catch. The IHSAA rules committee clarified the definition of a catch to read that an airborne player who has forward progress stopped inbounds and is
carried out of bounds by an opponent before contacting the ground is awarded a catch at the spot of forward progress. In other words, the force out rule has returned. Finally, although it won’t come into play until the post season in October, in a major change the IHSAA has once again realigned class assignments based on the enrollment of its member schools. While this is always significant, it’s even more so this year with the creation of a sixth class for the ‘mega’ schools. Lake Central, Crown Point, Merrillville, Portage, Chesterton and Valparaiso have all moved up to compete in class 6A in the tournament. As a result of the upward movement of these six schools the sectional lineups in classes 5A, 4A and 3A will be notably changed. (SSS&E will take a closer look at the sectional lineups in our October issue.) But all in all, it should be another fun season. If you haven’t been to a high school football game in a while, you may not realize what you’ve been missing. High school football is the game in its purest form; the kids from one community taking on the kids from another. So take a chance and go out and see your alma mater play or take in one of the games listed above. At five bucks a head you can’t beat the price for quality family entertainment and the warm weather in August makes for a comfortable, enjoyable evening. Plus, you might be pleasantly surprised because the quality of play in Northwest Indiana is better than you think. And anything can happen in the last five minutes of a high school football game, and usually does. You never know, you just might find out that you love “Friday Night Lights”!
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Two-A-Days Is the End in Sight? v
By Chris Lannin
Today, football is a year round sport. The off season is spent in conditioning drills and the weight room. Teams attend camps. And rule changes in recent years have allowed team to participate in 7 on 7 drills and scrimmage in one form or another virtually all spring and early summer. But the official opening of football practice brings with it the start of iconic “two-a-day� practices. Loved by coaches and hated by players, two-a-days in the heat and humidity of late summer have been a hallmark of football training camps since the days of the old leather helmet. In the old days, in the name of conditioning coaches would drive their teams mercilessly, practicing long and hard in the heat and humidity. Many would even withhold water from players in order to build toughness and two-a-day practices were a staple. But the end of two-a-day practices may be right around the corner. Old timers will tell you that men were men in those days, and kids today are soft. In the past, you never heard stories about heat stroke, heat related illnesses and death from two-a-day practices in the heat. But it’s ludicrous to believe that the human body responded to heat related stress any differently years ago than it does now. Today athletes are bigger, stronger and better conditioned than the athletes of yesteryear so there can be no doubt that there were cases of heat stroke, heat related 6
illnesses and death then too. You just never heard about it. Today we live in an information age. Because of the mass media, cases like these receive national attention and the data is compiled and studied. So what may seem like a proliferation of these cases today is merely a realization that there is and always has been a problem here. And heat related illnesses and fatalities are preventable if the proper steps are taken, and both college and professional football are leading the way in this area. On the college level, in 2003 the NCAA prohibited two-a-day practices on consecutive days and eliminated them completely in the first five days of practice. And there has been change on the professional level too. In the wake of the death of Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Cory Stringer from heat stroke, the 2011 NFL collective bargaining agreement with the players association eliminated two-a-day practices completely. High school football essentially has become the last bastion of two-a-day practices. In August of 2012, the National Athletic Trainers Association issued a set of guidelines and recommendations to help athletes become acclimated to practicing in the heat on a more gradual basis. The NATA guidelines also include recommendations limiting the number and duration of practices.
And with the emphasis on safety and injury prevention today, state athletic associations around the country are taking steps to regulate the length and number of practices in the heat that teams can hold. To date, 42 states around the country have taken steps to regulate practices in one form or another. This year football crazy states Texas, Alabama, Florida and Georgia banned two-a-days on consecutive days. North Carolina, Arkansas, Connecticut, New Jersey and Arizona have also placed limitations on two-a-days and Iowa has banned them completely. And if two-a-days are being limited in states where high school
football is a religion, can Indiana be far behind? Generally speaking, coaches don’t like the ban because they feel it makes their teams less competitive. But if the rules are the same for both sides, the playing field is still level so their argument doesn’t hold much water. From 1995 to 2011, there were 51 deaths of football players from heat stroke and 40 of those fatalities were high school players, and one is too many; so look for two-a-day practices to join the old leather helmet as a relic of the past, possibly as soon as next year.
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NEW FACES In THE SAME OLD PLACES The four year period from 2009 to 2012 was unprecedented in terms of football coaching changes in Northwest Indiana. Over that short four year period, an incredible 22 head coaching jobs changed hands. What took place over those four years was an unbelievable series of events that no one would have ever thought possible; five of the eight Duneland conference schools and five of the seven Northwest Crossroads conference schools were included in the schools that changed football coaches in that time frame. Among the casualties were Kirk Kennedy of Lowell, Russ Radtke of Griffith and Mark Hoffman of Valparaiso. Coaches like Kennedy, Radtke and Hoffman were not only coaching icons, they literally defined Northwest Indiana football. Kennedy spent 18 years on the Lowell sideline, winning 161 games there while making three trips to the state championship game, winning the title in 2005. Radtke spent 18 years at the Griffith helm and won 171 games with the Panthers and a state title in 1997. Mark Hoffman retired as Valparaiso head coach after the 2011 season. Hoffman’s teams won 238 games in his tenure, and made three trips to the
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By Chris Lannin state championship game. Ironically, both Kennedy and Radtke are now both coaching teams on the periphery of Northwest Indiana, with Radtke taking over at New Prairie last season and Kennedy arriving at North Judson this year. Sadly, both coaches are now in a position to threaten Region teams once they reach the regional round of the state tournament. Conversely, there are only six new coaches on Northwest Indiana sidelines this year. The limited number of changes this year is a good sign for Region football. With stable coaching staffs in place, programs have a far greater chance to develop. One of the new coaches this year is Robert Harrison, who will guide the fledgling Hanover Central program in its first football season since the school dropped its football program back in 1971. Hanover Central’s return to the Region football scene this year comes after a 42 year absence and the Wildcats will begin play anew with a JV schedule this year. But since the Hanover Central job is a new coaching position, in actuality only five schools made coaching changes heading into the 2013 campaign. One of those five with new coaches this year is Chesterton, where former Bishop Noll and Portage coach Mark Peterson will take over for John Snyder. Snyder resigned abruptly this spring after twelve years coaching the Trojans to take a position on the coaching staff of Valparaiso University. Although Snyder’s teams were very competitive and notched 74 wins under his coaching, the Trojans were unable to win a Duneland conference title or a sectional crown during his time there. Unfortunately, the remaining four new faces are at the same old places; schools that seem to change coaches with regularity. North Newton is a team that seems to have been on the verge of making a breakthrough in each of the last five seasons but hasn’t quite been able to get over the top. Maybe the reason the Spartans
haven’t gotten over the top is because of the frequency with which they change football coaches. Aaron Sauter takes over this year for Pat Brown and so he becomes the fourth coach in seven years at North Newton. This move is curious because Brown had not done a bad job with a 10-12 mark in two seasons. The reason given for the change was that the school district wanted a coach that taught in the building and Brown does not. The district even lauded Brown for a job well done and invited him to stay on as an assistant coach, though at this juncture it’s unclear whether Brown will stay; and who could blame him if he didn’t? In a perfect world, the football coach is in the building every day. but removing a coach after two years on the job because he doesn’t teach in the school is hardly the way to build any momentum. Bowman Academy will have its fourth coach in the six years that the school has played varsity football. This year David Nelson takes over for Robert Gross, despite the fact that Gross posted the first winning season in school history with a 6-5 mark last year. Another change has Ronald Wright taking over at Roosevelt for the fiery Jeff Karras. Wright becomes the third football coach in as many seasons at a school that hasn’t had a winning record since 1987 and last hit the .500 mark in 2007 under Kennedy Hannah. Karras was fired on the eve of the tournament last year after the Panthers had won three of their last four games after an 0-5 start despite low numbers and repeated suspensions of key players. Granted, Karras was and is a maverick, but he cared about the kids and was beginning to get a program established when he was let go. Coaching football in Gary is always a challenge but since Roosevelt was taken over by the state, the Panthers seem to change coaches in all sports like Taylor Swift changes boyfriends. The last new coach is Rich Lunsford at Lake Station, who replaces Mike Hepp and has the distinction of being the fourth coach in six years at the school.
Granted, Hepp won only four games over the three years of his second tenure with the Eagles, but no coach at Lake Station has had more than two wins in any season since Joe Fussell’s Eagles posted four wins in 2004. In fact, the school has won only 16 games since 2000 and has suffered through four winless seasons over that time and almost couldn’t field a team in 2001. Hepp never really had the support of the administration in his second go round and neither did Fussell in his last two years on the job. Hepp was even subjected to the ignominy of not being retained last year before the school board thought better of the action and reinstated him at the eleventh hour. The last Lake Station team to win five games and post at least a .500 record was coached by, you guessed it, Mike Hepp, in his first go round in 1999. Hepp was also the coach when Lake Station last won a sectional, in 1998. The lesson that is obvious here is that stability in a program is a prerequisite for success. It’s no coincidence that Northwest Indiana hasn’t put a team in the state finals in football since Kirk Kennedy coached Lowell to the title game in 2009, because the four year period immediately following is the same time frame marked by the mass volatility in coaching positions. To be successful, a program needs stability. For the most part, the successful programs in Northwest Indiana have had the same coach in place for an extended period of time. And having the support of the faculty and administration is critical to success as well. If the school isn’t behind the coach, how can you expect the kids to buy into what the coach is attempting to do? When a program has some stability, it has a better chance to develop a winning tradition. Taking a program from losing to winning is not done overnight. Building a program is achieved in a series of steps, over a period of time. Hopefully, the recent stability in coaching staffs will continue. It bodes well for the success of Northwest Indiana football in the future. 9
NORTHWEST inDiAnA INDIANA NORTHWEST CONFERENCE pREViEWS PREVIEWS ConfEREnCE
33 Northwest Indiana Prep Football Team Capsules Even in this era of free agency and personnel
So with that in mind, in this section of the South Shore Sports & Entertainment 2013 Prep Football Preview, we will examine the season outlook for each school on a team by team basis for every conference in our area as they head into the 2013 season. Look for the team capsule of your favorite team in the section covering the conference the school plays in. turnover in the NFL, one thing that has remained In some cases, the team capsules will focus on unique about high school football is that every team off the field issues or situations in certain programs is basically a new team each year. Every four years, that we feel will influence their on the field every school will completely turn over the roster. performance. In doing so, our staff has tried to make So as each new season gets started, each team has an honest and fair assessment in all cases and no a unique, individual character makeup for that year, malice is intended towards any school or individual. and when the season ends, that dynamic ends forever. There are a total of 33 team capsules included in And just as the dynamic and chemistry of this section covering teams in the Greater South Shore a team is different each year, so is that team’s Conference, the Great Lakes Athletic Conference, the outlook on the season. And the beauty of Northwest Crossroads Conference, the Duneland prep football is that a new season with a new Athletic Conference, the Northwestern Athletic team is always accompanied by renewed hope. Conference and three Independents.
GREAtER SoUtH SoUtH SHoRE SHoRE GREAtER ConfEREnCE ConfEREnCE Bishop Noll Warriors
2012 Greater South Shore Conference Standings Team 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
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GSSC
Whiting Wheeler South Central Bishop Noll North Newton Lake Station River Forest Calumet
7-0 6-1 5-2 4-3 3-4 2-5 1-6 0-7
2012 Record – 5-6, 4-3 GSSC Head Coach – Mike Juscik 23-38, 7th Year
Overall 10-1 6-4 7-3 5-6 4-6 2-8 3-7 1-10
The Warriors got off to a rough 0-3 start last year against three clubs that eventually finished with winning records in Andrean, Boone Grove and South Central. But the Warriors got it together and were playing well down the stretch, winning 5 of 7 games before suffering a tough, 14-10 sectional semi-final loss to eventual sectional champion Winamac. This season Noll will have to replace virtually all of the key skill position players, including QB Chad Mateja, so a QB and a ‘go to’ RB will have to emerge and quickly. Also gone is K Mitchell Payonk, who kept the Warriors in a lot of games in his career. The season begins with the same three opponents again this year so the Warriors cannot afford to wait too long.
Calumet Warriors
2012 Record – 1-10, 0-7 GSSC Head Coach – Ivan Zimmer 51-102, 16th Year @ Calumet, 125-171, 30th Year Overall 2012 was a season Coach Ivan Zimmer would most likely like to forget as the Warriors lost all nine regular season games by an average margin of 22 points or better before rising like a Phoenix to knock off Gavit in the sectional opener to avoid the school’s first winless season since 1997. The Warriors have struggled with low numbers in recent years but the good news is that there were only four seniors on the roster last year so virtually the entire team returns intact, including RB Noah Fowler. The only way to go is up.
Lake Station Edison Eagles
2012 Record – 2-8, 2-5 GSSC Head Coach – Rich Lunsford 0-0, 1st Year Lake Station was a respectable 2-3 just past the halfway point last year including an upset road victory over arch-rival River Forest when the injury bug hit, and when a school has the extremely low numbers that Lake Station has, you simply cannot replace the skill position players you lose to injury. When sophomore QB Kody Lemley went down, so did the Eagles, who dropped five straight in blowout fashion to end the season. New Head Coach Rich Lunsford will take his turn in the barrel this year and hope that all the sophomores who were getting so much playing time the last two years will come back out for their junior seasons. Two of those players are QB Lemley and junior RB Kyle Gooch, who will both be three year starters this year and that’s a good start. Hopefully, Coach Lunsford has the support of the administration too, because if you want the kids to buy into what the coach is selling, he has to have a fair chance to sell it to them.
North Newton Spartans
2012 Record – 4-6, 3-4 GSSC Head Coach – Aaron Sauter 0-0, 1st Year @ North Newton, 8-42, 6th Year Overall In the past, the Spartans have been a ground oriented football team, but new coach Aaron Sauter prefers a wide open style of offense so the key for this year’s club will be how quickly the transition in offensive philosophies can be achieved. While there are some skill position players returning, four of the top six linemen from last year have graduated so rebuilding the interior line will be the first priority.
River Forest Ingots
2012 Record – 3-7, 1-6 GSSC Head Coach – Jeff Bean 16-44, 7th Year @ River Forest, 19-52, 8th Year Overall Just like neighboring Lake Station, River Forest is perennially plagued by low numbers in the football program so depth is always an issue. Last year the Ingots were sitting pretty at 3-1 (one win by forfeit) when the injury bug hit and just
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like what happened to the Edison Eagles, the wheels fell off for River Forest when play-making QB Justin Pennington went down. Pennington is gone this year, as well as RB John Flores so the Ingots will have to find some playmakers and fast to avoid digging an early season hole they can’t get out of.
South Central Satellites
2012 Record – 7-3, 5-2 GSSC Head Coach – Dan Klimczak 7-3, 2nd Year @ South Central, 66-14, 8th Year Overall Forced to take over the football program at the eleventh hour last year, new SC athletic director turned football coach Dan Klimczak picked up right where he had left off at Wheeler, leading the Satellites to a fine 7-3 record. The building blocks for another good season are on hand and contention for the GSSC title is a possibility this year too as dual threat QB Kyle Sturdy and big play WR Robert Miller both return to lead what should be a high flying offense.
Wheeler Bearcats
2012 Record – 6-4, 6-1 GSSC Head Coach – Tony Klimczak 6-4, 2nd Year While Dan Klimczak was head coach at Wheeler the Bearcats were the class of the GSSC and winners of 43 consecutive regular season games heading into last season. Then when Tony Klimczak took over from his brother as head coach last year the Bearcats stumbled out of the gate and got blown out in their first three games. But no sooner did the pundits begin wondering what happened to the program than Klimczak made a change at QB, and Wheeler righted the ship and rattled off six straight wins to close out the regular season. But QB Jeremy Truchan and workhorse RB Derek Hartwig have graduated so this year one of the young quarterbacks on the roster has to step up. But Wheeler fans shouldn’t be overly concerned because the Bearcats were a young team overall last season. Wheeler only lost nine seniors to graduation so a major rebuild is not in order and the boys in green and orange should be in the thick of the conference race with Whiting and South Central again this year.
Whiting Oilers
2012 Record – 10-1, 7-0 GSSC Head Coach – Jeff Cain 132-72, 20th Year The Oilers roared to an undefeated regular season, the GSSC title and were victorious in ten straight games a year ago before getting upset by West Central in the sectional semi-finals. The bad news for Whiting opponents is that the Oilers should be just as good this year too. Steady QB AJ Veloz returns along with standout RB Ethan Young to key an already explosive offense that will be made even more so by the addition of Field Turf at Ray Galivan Stadium. On the other side of the ball, the Oilers were so dominant a year ago that they allowed opponents an average of just 4.25 points per game in eight of their nine regular season games with three shut outs. Special teams should be solid again this year too with reliable PK Rene Calderon returning. And if that isn’t enough, the really good news is that the Oilers are still a young team. All in all, Whiting has to be considered the prohibitive favorite to repeat as GSSC champions.
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GREAt LAKES AtHLEtiC ConfEREnCE 2012 Great Lakes Athletic Conference Standings
Clark Pioneers
2012 Record – 1-9, 0-3 GLAC Head Coach – Jay Novak 1-9, 2nd Year Long time area assistant coach Jay Novak finally got his first head coaching assignment last year with the Clark Pioneers, but Team GLAC Overall the deck was stacked against him from the beginning and the 1. Hammond High 3-0 6-3 season’s results reflected it. Because he does not teach at Clark, 2. Morton 2-1 7-6 Novak didn’t receive final approval for the head coaching job 3. Gavit 1-2 3-7 until the last minute, and thus he had had no time to familiarize 4. Clark 0-3 1-9 himself with his players and institute an off season conditioning program. And an off season conditioning program with no head coach in place is like a classroom with no teacher; pure chaos. Plus, the best athletes Novak had on his roster were either academically ineligible or injured when the season started. But nonetheless, as frustrating as it was to a competitor like Novak to lose week in and week out, he rolled up his sleeves and started laying the foundation for a real program. But sometimes you have to hit bottom before you can start back up and Clark did just that in week eight with a 77-0 defeat at the hands of Evansville Central. After a 40-7 shellacking at the hands of conference foe Hammond High the following week to close out the regular season, Novak talked to his players about pride and responsibility heading into the Pioneers sectional opener against juggernaut Morton. And while the ultimate result was the still the same, Clark put forth a spirited effort against Morton before falling and the first step back towards respectability was taken. This season, Novak has had a full year to establish his program in the weight room and conditioning drills so the outlook for this year is much improved. There’s an old saying in football that the team that blocks and tackles the best is bound to win some games no matter if they are outclassed talent-wise so heading into this season Novak has concentrated on fundamentals, consistency and working hard to get better every day in everything they do; an approach that is tried and true. And as a result, this year the Pioneers will be faster and stronger. The next step in building the program is when the kids see the results of their hard work on the field and realize that they can succeed and they can respond to adversity. Matt Ramirez returns at quarterback so the Pioneers will have a veteran running the offense. Establishing a solid running game to loosen things up for Ramirez is going to be a priority so FB Travonte Wallace should get plenty of carries. Novak was known for his work with linemen during his career as an assistant so physicality in the trenches figures to be a Pioneer trademark and Novak will be to looking for players who fill the bill. While no one in Robertsdale is predicting any miracles, Clark should be vastly improved in all phases of the game this year and should also take another step towards learning how to win. The Pioneers record at the end of the year should reflect that Clark has made progress in that area.
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Gavit Gladiators
2012 Record – 3-7, 1-2 GLAC Head Coach – Rob Robinson 7-13, 3rd Year at Gavit, 29-24, 6th Year Overall If there is an enigma in Hammond athletics it’s Gavit High School, particularly in football. There have always been athletes in the school and there have been solid, dedicated coaches on the sidelines too, but for whatever reason, things have never clicked. The Gladiators have not had a winning season on the football field since Bill Melby was the head coach way back in 2003. Current coach Rob Robinson came south to Gavit after a successful run at Hammond and thought that last year was going to be the breakout year for Gavit football, but for whatever reason, everybody couldn’t get on the same page. This year, Robinson has to face some heavy losses to graduation in skill position players, including QB Aryk Rivoli-Johnson, but does have some experienced talent on hand to build around, including explosive RB Tashon Rogers. Rogers is a threat to score any time he touches the ball and his presence will help take the pressure off the rest of the offense and give it a chance to develop. The Gladiators had deep junior and freshman classes a year ago so the potential for the quick turn around and break out year that Robinson is looking for is there.
Hammond High Wildcats
2012 Record – 6-3, 3-0 GLAC Head Coach – Eric Schreiber 14-6, 3rd Year @ Hammond, 57-54, 12th Year Overall Hammond High has always had athletes but it takes the right coach to bring them together as an effective football team and third year coach Eric Schreiber has certainly done that at Hammond High. Schreiber has instilled a sense of family and pride in his players about the Wildcat football program with a circle the wagons, us against the world mentality. In his first season Hammond went 8-3, but the knock on the Cats was that they didn’t beat any quality opponents as the Purple Gang lost to the top teams they faced in Morton, Lowell and Griffith. So last year Schreiber set about getting his team to the next level; to be able to compete with and beat those teams, with a particular goal of dethroning Morton to reestablish Hammond High as the premier team in the City of Hammond. And the Wildcats did just that. In week five Hammond knocked off Morton 28-14 at the Governors’ Mansion to wrest the GLAC title away from the Governors. And the following week the Wildcats took Lowell right down to the wire in a thrilling game in the mud at Bernie Krueger Field before falling 35-27. Still, the loss to East Chicago Central in the opening round of the sectional and the overall mark of 6-3 for the season were indicators that there is work still to be done. This season, QB Eric Schreiber Jr., an extension of his coach father on the field, returns as the catalyst for the Wildcats offense but there are some other huge shoes to fill at the rest of the skill positions. Big play men RB/LB Jessie Woods-Curtis, RB/DB Keirahn Richard and WR/DE Anthony McClendon have all graduated, so Schreiber will be looking for some new faces to step up in the backfield. Defensively, Hammond was a young and inexperienced unit last year but with a years experience the defense should be much stronger this year. All in all, although the depth might be a little thin, Hammond should have the speed and athleticism to compete with Morton for the GLAC title once again. But no doubt, given his competitive nature Schreiber is looking beyond the conference title this year. The next step in the growth of the program is post season success, and you know he is challenging his kids to take it to the next level.
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Morton Governors
2012 Record – 7-6, 2-1 GLAC Head Coach – Roydon Richards 100-62, 15th Year @ Morton, 123-87 20th Year Overall When Roy Richards took over the Morton football program fifteen years ago, the Governors were ranked dead last in the Sagarin ratings. In other words, of all the football playing schools in Indiana, Morton was the absolute worst team in the state. But steady improvement through hard work and dedication over the years earned Morton respect to the point where the Governors are now recognized as one of the best 4A football programs in the northern half of the state. The Governors are currently riding a streak of four straight sectional titles and even made a trip to semi-state in 2010 after winning a regional. But it didn’t happen overnight. The Governors were hungry, and measured success in baby steps. And year by year the program improved as each new senior class took the program one step further. But climbing the hill is easier than staying there sometimes. When success is achieved it becomes expected, and it’s easy to get complacent. And that’s what happened to Morton last year. The Governor seniors last year had been a part of a lot of success in their four years at Hessville High, but when it was their turn to carry the torch they didn’t take ownership of the program. They forgot about the dedication and work ethic that was required to achieve that success and took it for granted. There was a lack of focus and senior leadership on the team, and the Governors record reflected it. When you are on top, everybody else is gunning for you and you can’t forget that. Through sloppy, lackadaisical play the Govs shot themselves in the foot repeatedly with turnovers and penalties and as a result dropped four of their first six games, and lost the GLAC title to Hammond High in the process. And even though the Governors recovered enough to sleepwalk to their fourth straight sectional title, last years’ club never did have a defining moment. More often than not, the Governors beat themselves or allowed themselves to be beaten; and the fact that the players were okay with that was not lost on Richards. This year, Richards has challenged his club to regain the hunger that brought the program back from oblivion fifteen years ago. If you want to stay on top, you have to want it as bad as you wanted it when you were trying to get there; so look for the Governors to have an edge to their game this year. A lot of the Governors success will hinge on the continued development of QB Torrey Armstrong. Inexperienced and unsure of himself a year ago, Armstrong received more and more playing time as the season progressed last year and that experience should help. A year ago, Armstrong was a raw talent that lacked some instinct, but he showed flashes of brilliance as well and has the talent to be one of the biggest surprises of the 2013 season if he finds himself. Freddy Creater and Kenneth Coleman provide a solid backfield and Morton has plenty of speed at wide receiver. While the underneath passing game may be spotty, Morton will stretch the field with their speed and the Govs big play capabilities will remind fans of Morton clubs of a few years past. With some new faces on the offensive line it may take the offense some time to hit their stride, but when they find their rhythm the Govs will be dangerous. The other side of the ball should be a huge strength for Morton as plenty of size and experience return on defense. But the biggest key for Morton this year will be attitude. If Morton plays with the hunger and desire that got the program where it is today, the sky is the limit for this football team.
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NoRtHWESt CRoSSRoADS CRoSSRoADS NoRtHWESt ConfEREnCE ConfEREnCE 2012 Northwest Crossroads Conference Standings
Andrean 59’ers
2012 Record – 11-3, 5-1 NCC Head Coach – Phil Mason 44-19, 6th Year @ Andrean, 77-56, 13th Year Overall Last year, Andrean had about as successful a season as you can have short of winning a Team NCC Overall state championship. First, the 59’ers shared 1. Andrean 5-1 11-3 the NCC championship with Hobart and 1. Hobart 5-1 8-3 Kankakee Valley. Then in the sectional opener 1. Kankakee Valley 5-1 8-2 they avenged a 2011 sectional opening loss 4. Lowell 3-3 5-5 to Wheeler by returning the favor in blowout 5. Griffith 2-4 3-7 fashion. And subsequent victories over Boone 6. Munster 1-5 2-8 Grove and Rensselaer gave Coach Phil Mason 7. Highland 0-6 3-9 his fourth sectional title in five years at the school. But the biggest accomplishment of all was the thrilling 66-65 victory over Lewis Cass in five overtimes to win the regional. The win was a nerve wracking one for Coach Mason and not just because of the score; but because it gave him his first regional win in four tries at Andrean to get the monkey off his back. But the dream ended in semi-state with a 3521 loss to Ft. Wayne Luers. Luers went on to win the 2A state title, their fourth consecutive state championship and fifth in six years. This year, Andrean moves back up to class 3A, but so did Ft. Wayne Luers; so if the Niners have any state championship aspirations they will in all likelihood have to go through Luers to do it. And on paper, Andrean appears to have what it takes to make that run. Despite the
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losses of running backs Shamir Johnson and Zack Kogut, linebacker/tight end Nick Serrato and lineman Dennis Fielder to graduation, Andrean has plenty of talent returning. To start, two-way threat Matt DeSomer returns at quarterback. DeSomer has already had a spectacular career and if he plays up to his past accomplishments he could add player of the year honors to his trophy case this year. And DeSomer is not Andrean’s only weapon. 6’6” TE Tylor Petkovich presents a match-up problem for opposing defenses simply because of his size and figures to be a favorite target for DeSomer. Several Division I schools have already made him a recruiting target as well. On the other side of the ball, Andrean will be big and strong. Replacing Serrato will not be easy, but nonetheless Andrean should be tough to score upon. All in all, Andrean not only has the tools to compete for the NCC title, but to make another run at state as well. It’s just a question of whether they will come together and get it done at the end.
Griffith Panthers 2012 Record – 3-7, 2-4 NCC Head Coach – Jim Pickett 3-7, 2nd Year When Highland beat Griffith to open the sectional last year, it was a watershed moment in Griffith football history. Barbarian Visigoths sacked the city of Rome in 410 AD and today historians consider that event the watershed moment in the fall of the Roman Empire. In the future, Region football historians may look at this game the same way because it put an exclamation point on the end of an era. Formerly, Griffith football had been the hub around which the whole town revolved. The Boneyard would be packed with delirious Panther fans and card carrying Russ Radtke disciples on Friday night. But somewhere along the line, something changed. The crowds began to shrink. Radtke fell out of favor in Griffith and moved on before last season. And last year the Panthers struggled on the field, losing four of their first five games including homes losses to New Prairie and former Panther mentor, Russ Radtke, and to Lowell in a double overtime. After winning two games in a brief mid season rally, Griffith collapsed down the stretch like an airplane in a tailspin and suffered their first losing season since 1987.* The finality of it all came crashing down with a thud in a sectional opening 20-18 loss to Highland in a strangely deserted Boneyard. It was even stranger because there was talent on the team last year; but a combination of tough losses followed by injuries finished off the empire. Rome had fallen. But where an empire falls, a new one may arise and hope springs eternal in the pre-season. This year standouts QB Austin Brown, RB Brett Brinkley and DL Ben Parrish are among those who have graduated. There are holes to fill everywhere and there are conflicting reports about whether Kyle Buikema will play quarterback; Buikema hurt his back last year and was thought to 17
be lost to the football program at one time. Sophomore Troy Cullen may get the call if Buikema cannot go. Overall, whether or not the Panthers will bounce back remains to be seen, but Griffith football certainly stands at a crossroads. As so many coaches have found out, it’s never easy following in the footsteps of a legend. Don Howell still casts a shadow over the Hobart program and he retired after the1998 season. Last year the mainstays of the Griffith program were Russ Radtke’s players. This year we’ll begin to see whether Coach Jim Pickett can begin putting his own signature on Griffith football. The line in the movie Field of Dreams probably says it best: “If you build it, they will come.” If Griffith football shows signs of new life under Pickett, the faithful will return. * Editors note: In 2003 Griffith went 7-5 in games played but later forfeited three games for an official record of 4-8.
Highland Trojans
2012 Record – 3-9, 0-6 NCC Head Coach – Trent Grider 3-9, 2nd Year @ Highland, 33-84, 12th Year Overall A year ago, there was cautious optimism heading into the football season in Highland. But after shutting out Lake Station in the opening game, Highland dropped eight straight games by an average margin of 30 points before upsetting Griffith in the sectional opener. Highland then did the unbelievable and won a second consecutive game in what some would call an upset by edging West Side by a 41-34 score. But Morton quickly ended any hopes the Trojans might have entertained of a sectional championship with a 34-0 blanking of the Trojans. So although most of the season was discouraging to say the least, Highland’s two victories in the tournament, particularly the Griffith win, give the Trojans something to build on heading into the 2013 season. And although QB Gunner Grider and stud RB La’Kice Brooks have graduated, there is reason for guarded optimism again this year because Highland was a very young team last year, and lost just twelve seniors to graduation. With the experience gained from last year, a general increase in numbers and a softer non-conference schedule, the Trojans may be able to improve on their regular season victory total of a year ago.
Hobart Brickies
2012 Record – 8-3, 5-1 NCC Head Coach – Ryan Turley 11-11, 3rd Year The ghost of Don Howell has haunted the coaches who have attempted to follow in his footsteps at Hobart. The legacy of Howell is a powerful one, with eleven trips to the state finals and four state championships. But what has had a perhaps more powerful effect on those who have tried to replace him is the unreal expectations of the Brickie faithful. The record of excellence under Don 18
Howell spoiled the faithful for those who were to follow. Third year coach Ryan Turley however, appears to have laid the ghost of Don Howell to rest after two previous coaches before him couldn’t. In two short years Turley, a former Howell player, turned a 3-8 mark and a program in shambles into an 8-3 record. The Brickies won a share of the NCC title and Hobart seemed to be a program on the rise again. However, this year will prove to be a big test of how far the program has come after key losses to graduation. Gone are QB Matt Barras, RB/LB Ian Drobac, WR/DB Anthony Burgos and K Aaron DelGrosso. But the cupboard is not bare. RB Noah Smith returns in the backfield along with WR/DB Drey Devereaux and TE/DL Nick Bokun and several part or full time starters on both the offensive and defensive lines. If Hobart has made the progress as a program Turley hopes they have, the Brickies should be in the thick of the NCC race again this year.
Kankakee Valley Kougars
2012 Record 8-2, 5-1 NCC Head Coach – Brad Stewart 10-10, 3rd Year Another program that made a complete reversal of record in 2012 is Kankakee Valley. In 2011, the Kougars were 2-8. Last year, Kankakee Valley was the surprise team of Northwest Indiana; the Kougars went 8-2, equaled the school record for victories in a season and won a share of the NCC title. Head Coach Brad Stewart, a long time assistant to Kirk Kennedy at Lowell, brought the same type of hard-nosed, physical football to KV that had worked so well at Lowell. In the first year, Stewart worked on changing the culture about how you go about things, said goodbye to seniors who felt they didn’t have to make that commitment, and went to war starting eleven sophomores. And in year two, the Kougars began to see the results of that work ethic. But despite the great regular season, KV lost the sectional opener and that is the focus of this year’s team. Those sophomores from 2011 are now the seniors on this year’s team, and they have led the way for Coach Stewart and the Kougars by demonstrating their commitment to the off season program. The hard work is paying off. This year KV will be even stronger and faster; 22 kids run sub five second forty yard dashes and seventeen kids are in the 1,000 pound weight club (a combination of bench press, squat and clean and jerk). Even though star RB Tyler Birky has graduated, the Kougars shouldn’t miss a beat this year. The Lowell way was to be more physical and mentally tougher than their opponents on every play. The Lowell way is now the KV way. That approach figures to put the Kougars right back in the thick of the NCC race once again; and don’t be surprised if their sectional performance improves too.
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Lowell Red Devils
2012 Record – 5-5, 3-3 NCC Head Coach – Keith Kilmer 16-14, 4th Year Lowell is another program that is trying to begin a new tradition in a post legend era and the Red Devils have found out that life in the post Kirk Kennedy era is not easy. While the Devils have been largely competitive, the results have been mediocre with two consecutive 5-5 seasons following a 6-4 campaign in the initial season after Kennedy. To a program that went to the 4A state championship game three times in five years, three straight first round sectional exits is hard to swallow. This year the challenge will just as great as QB Bryan Thomas, FB Nicholas Hamm and bruising TE/LB’s Mitchell Leckrone and Anthony Maurer have all graduated. The good news is that Lowell had very strong junior and sophomore classes last season. Out of that group a new quarterback and a go to running back will have to step forward to lead the Devils. It must be said that Lowell still has the same kind of talent it had in the Kennedy days but Lowell had an aura about them in those days that intimidated opponents that has been lacking since Kennedy left. It was called “RDP”, or Red Devil Pride. A lot of people think that Kirk Kennedy was “RDP”; by the same token a lot of people in Lowell think RDP was a lot more than just Kennedy. Coach Keith Kilmer thought last year’s team was the first team he could really call his own so it will be interesting to see if Kilmer can put his own personal stamp on RDP this year or if the Red Devils can regain some of that old mystique this season and get the program back among the Northwest Indiana elite.
Munster Mustangs 2012 Record – 2-8, 1-5 NCC Head Coach – Leroy Marsh 199-142, 35th Year At the start of last year Leroy Marsh admitted that the Mustangs weren’t very good. They were young and undersized, but Marsh thought they had the potential to be a good team; the question was how long it would take to be good enough to compete in the NCC. And even though they only had one win in the conference and didn’t win a game after week five for the rest of the season, the Mustangs had their moments. The young Mustangs showed some heart and were able to stay competitive in most games, if only for a half. Munster lost by just two to conference co-champion Hobart and even threw a major scare into Merrillville in the sectional opener before falling. And in the process, Marsh found some toughness and some playmakers, too. There will be an open battle at the quarterback position in camp between Seth Gutwein, who is more of a running back than a quarterback, southpaw Adam
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Ostoich and Joe Jumonville, who returns to the Mustangs this year after a year at St. Rita in Chicago. Look for Gutwein to end up at tailback, with Ostoich and Jumonville battling it out at quarterback; though both may end up seeing significant playing time. But regardless of who plays quarterback, the Mustangs should be okay offensively; it was the defense that was the problem last year so improvement in that area will be a focus in camp. All in all, the Mustangs are still a young team again this year and Munster plays one of the toughest schedules around so the season will be challenging. But if one of the young quarterbacks really emerges to take a step forward and the defense improves Munster could be one of the surprise teams of the year.
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DUnELAnD AtHLEtiC AtHLEtiC DUnELAnD ConfEREnCE ConfEREnCE 2012 Duneland Athletic Conference Standings
Chesterton Trojans
2012 Record – 9-2, 6-1 DAC Head Coach – Mark Peterson 0-0, 1st Year @ Chesterton, 18-15, 4th Year Overall Team DAC Overall Maybe there was another reason that prompted 1. Merrillville 6-1 11-3 former Chesterton Coach John Snyder to resign 2. Chesterton 6-1 9-2 this past spring besides an opportunity to become 3. Crown Point 4-3 8-4 an assistant at Valparaiso University. Maybe it 4. Lake Central 5-2 8-3 was because he looked at what the Trojans lost 5. Valparaiso 3-4 3-7 to graduation and what they have coming back 6. Portage 2-5 3-7 and thought that now was as good a time as ever to move on. As new Coach Mark Peterson 7. Michigan City 1-6 2-8 takes over the reins, 36 seniors have graduated 8. Munster 1-5 2-8 from last year’s club, including standouts such as 9. LaPorte 1-6 1-9 QB Chris Katsafaros and WB Joe Troop, two of the biggest playmakers in the area last season. Nonetheless, Peterson is optimistic that he has a solid nucleus returning for the upcoming campaign. On the offensive line, four of the five starters from a year ago a year ago return this season to give the Trojans offense a solid foundation. At the skill positions, Alex Katsafaros, younger brother of Chris, returns at one of the wingback positions and Avery Beeks is back to man either the other wingback position or the tailback slot, and Jon Horvath returns at fullback. A new quarterback will have to emerge, but with a solid ground game whoever wins the job in camp should have the opportunity to develop in more favorable circumstances. Defensively is where the Trojans will need to rebuild as ten of the eleven starters from a year ago will need to be replaced, including three premiere defensive linemen, but there is some experience back from a year ago. Evan Gill will man one of the defensive end spots and Nate Michael will play nose guard but the rest of the defense will be by committee until new faces emerge. Overall, if the ground game can eat up the clock and keep Chesterton in games while the defense and a new quarterback develop the Trojans should be able to at least be competitive in the DAC.
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Crown Point Bulldogs
2012 Record – 8-4, 4-3 DAC Head Coach – Kevin Enright 8-4, 2nd Year Crown Point got off to a bit of a rocky start in the Duneland conference last year in Coach Kevin Enright’s first season at the helm. The Bulldogs lost by 28 and 20 points to Merrillville and Lake Central respectively before righting the ship to win four of their remaining five DAC contests, including a road win at Valparaiso. The only game the Bulldogs dropped in that stretch was a tough 28-21 home loss to Chesterton. Then in the sectional, Crown Point upended Valparaiso for a second time in the opener, and got revenge on Lake Central with a thrilling upset in the semi-finals in the mud at the Burial Grounds in St. John to end the Indians season. However, the Crown Point magic ended in the championship game of sectional #1 at Merrillville by a final score of 24-14. But it was obvious to the Crown Point faithful that the Bulldogs were coming on strong at the end of the season, which gave rise to great optimism heading into this year. But the optimism must be tempered somewhat, as QB Jake Jatis suffered an injury over the summer. Jatis will play, but his durability and effectiveness may be an issue. Along with Jatis, RB Tristan Peterson returns to spearhead the offense. WR Zach Plesac and multi-purpose WR/WB Tyler Smith have graduated and will be hard to replace, but with Jatis and Peterson the Bulldogs have a great nucleus to work with. The offensive line is where Coach Enright will have to find some new faces. Eric Fiacable should fill one of the offensive line slots and the other jobs will be won in camp. Defensively, Pierce Jones figures to occupy one of the defensive line slots and Connor Andras and Cody Hipp should fill two of the linebacker positions in Enright’s aggressive 3-5 defense. Overall, Crown Point should be able to build on last season’s finish because there is enough talent returning for the Bulldogs to be a legitimate contender for the DAC title.
La Porte Slicers
2012 Record – 1-9, 1-6 DAC Head Coach – Bob Schellinger 101-107, 21st Season @ La Porte, 170-152, 33rd Year Overall Last year was a year to forget for the La Porte faithful as the Slicers dropped seven straight to open the season before a week eight victory over Michigan City got La Porte into the win column. Unfortunately, the win streak ended at one and the Slicers finished at 1-9, notching their third straight losing season. The good news is that when you bottom out there is only one way to go and that’s up. La Porte lost sixteen seniors from last year’s team to graduation but had great sophomore and junior classes. Quarterbacks Mike Ash and Jemini Mason return along with RB Chuck Salary so La Porte should be able to start to get things turned around in 2013.
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Lake Central Indians
2012 Record – 8-3, 5-2 DAC Head Coach – Brett St. Germain 18-13, 4th Year @ LC, 68-25, 9th Year Overall There was a time not so long ago that an 8-3 season at Lake Central would have been considered a great year, but that shows how far the program has come under Coach Brett St. Germain, because despite the respectable record, last year had to be considered a disappointment for Indians fans. Lake Central had gone 8-2 in 2011, with the only two losses coming at the hands of Merrillville in tight contests. So with success comes expectations and with QB/RB David Yancey highlighting a solid squad of returnees last year, LC fans had their eyes on a greater prize. But unfortunately for fans of football in Tri-Town, a season ending injury to Yancey spelled doom for the Indians post season hopes. Yancey, RB Riley Arvanitis and nose guard Michael Hines lead the cast of 22 players who graduated heading into this season, but headlined by LB Gelen Robinson, the Indians have high hopes of bouncing back this year. Plus, Lake Central had strong junior and sophomore classes a year ago and the word out of St. John is that coaches in different sports are working towards sharing the athletes at the school rather than having them specialize, so the Indians may have some surprising new faces on hand this year. Alec Olund, who played extensively at quarterback a year ago, will likely take snaps at the position once again but Coach St. Germain will also be looking at some new backfield personnel combinations. Defensively, Purdue bound Robinson will be one of the strongest candidates in the area for defensive player of the year this year from his linebacker position and CJ Lessenstine returns at one of the end spots for the Indians in St. Germain’s 3-4 defense. Overall, unlike in years past, Lake Central will not be looking to rebuild this season but to reload. So look for the Indians to be in the thick of the DAC race again this year.
Merrillville Pirates
2012 Record – 11-3, 6-1 DAC Head Coach – Zac Wells 67-23, 8th Year What can be said about the Merrillville football program that hasn’t already been said? A year ago, the Pirates captured the DAC title outright, won the fourth sectional and third regional titles in seven years under Coach Zac Wells, and but for a poorly played first half, may have beaten Ft. Wayne Snider in the semistate (42-39 loss) and made it to the state championship game for the first time since 1976. A trip to state didn’t happen, but one of these years the Merrillville Pirates are going to break through and get to Indianapolis on Thanksgiving weekend. Heading into the 2013 season, as usual the Pirates will not be rebuilding but reloading. One thing that will be different this year though, is the last name at quarterback. Like a line of European kings, the long line of Raspopovich quarterbacks at Merrillville has come to an end with the graduation of Jake. Pirate football will have a new feel this season just for that reason alone, if not for any other. But Pirate fans need fear not as DJ Wilkins, a freshman a year ago, will step into the quarterback slot full time this year. An athletic quarterback whose style (if 24
not his size) is reminiscent of Dolapo MacCarthy, Wilkins received extensive playing time last season heading down the stretch and in the tournament so the sophomore already has some seasoning before his first start. Also lost to graduation from last year’s offense are RB Dylon Collins, wide receivers Cleveland Lomax, Joey Cowser and Aaron Dye, and offensive linemen Jordan Turley and Matt Sobczak. Replacing Collins at running back will be Bryant Isbell, who showed flashes of brilliance when Collins was injured last year. On the offensive line, Tristan Coghill and Thomas Scolero return to anchor two of the five spots and the other three will emerge from competition at camp. Wide receiver is where the Pirates will be looking for players, so there will be a spirited competition in camp for those positions. Defensively, the Pirates lost Turley, North All-Star Quentin Lacey-Blackwell and Kevin Wilkerson on the line, Eric DeLuna, John Burris and Eric Gatewood at linebacker and Lomax, TJ Deidigha and Nate Bride in the secondary. Raqib Cox and Frank Webster figure to grab two of the defensive line spots, Rasheed Williams and Anthony Green are likely to emerge at two of the linebacker spots and Ryan Neal and Ronnie Giles appear to be in line for spots in the secondary. The rest of the spots will be filled during fierce competition in camp, and the Pirates have an abundance of returnees battling for jobs. Reliable kicker and punter Matt Warren has also graduated; but the Purple Gang always seem to have a solid kicking game and junior Andrew Ooms was on the roster last year and may be the pick. Overall, Merrillville figures to be just as tough as last year. The Pirates always have athletes and playmakers seem to emerge at Merrillville like no other school in the area, and with a wealth of talent to work with, Merrillville figures to be the favorite to win the DAC again this year.
Michigan City Wolves
2012 Record – 2-8, 1-6 DAC Head Coach – Michael Karpinski 3-17, 3rd Year @ MC, 10-30, 5th Year Overall Despite the overall record of 2-8 a year ago, the 2012 season was a tale of two halves for Michigan City. After splitting their first two games, The Wolves were blasted by a combined 90-0 in their first two Duneland conference games by Chesterton and Valparaiso. Then in week five, the Wolves began to show signs of life. Despite losing by 21 points at Merrillville, perennial doormat Michigan City actually gave the Pirates a run for their money at Demaree Stadium, scoring 41points in the loss. The following week the Wolves pulled off one of the upsets of the season when they knocked off Lake Central 20-16 at Ames Field. Despite not winning another game for the rest of the season, Michigan City was no pushover for the rest of the DAC schedule; as the Wolves lost by three points at Portage, by one to La Porte and by ten points to Crown Point at home. The good thing about being a young team one season is that you have a veteran club the next, and that is the case for the Wolves this year. Quarterback Ryan Washington and RB Ryan Jones return in the backfield for Michigan City and Scott Kaletha and Donovan Winston return at wide receiver. Scott Paull returns at center to anchor an offensive line that will also have
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veterans Jacob Kubath, Hunter Wroblewski and Ryan Venters returning. Defensively Michigan City has some holes to fill, but JaVarrie Oliver returns at defensive end and Anthony Lemon returns in the secondary to build around. The Wolves should be solid on special teams too, as kicker Eric Stevenson is back for another year. Looking ahead to the season, the Wolves have plenty of reason for optimism. Plenty of talent is back so Duneland teams should not consider the Wolves a pushover this year or they will find themselves getting beat. Long considered a sleeping giant, the Wolves are showing signs of waking up. If Michigan City can get a couple of quick wins to start the season, they could be one of the surprise teams of 2013.
Portage Indians
2012 Record – 3-7, 2-5 DAC Head Coach – Wally McCormack 3-7, 2nd Year @ Portage, 73-45, 11th Year Overall Wally McCormack returns for his second season as Head Coach at Portage hoping to turn around the football fortunes at his alma mater. The Indians haven’t had a winning season since 2008 and had the kind of season a year ago that gives a coach gray hair. To say that Portage was inconsistent last year is to understate the obvious. From week to week the enigmatic Indians were up and down like a yo-yo; one week they were Dr. Jekyll and the next Mr. Hyde. But despite the inconsistency, they showed enough to give heart to the faithful at the Warpath that there was hope for the future. Heading into this season, the Indians will be without standout QB/RB/WB Rashaan Coleman, who was lost to graduation. Although Coleman was an exciting playmaker that was a threat to score every time he touched the ball and certainly will be missed, the Indians may have been a bit too reliant on his explosiveness. With Coleman’s graduation, other players will need to step it up. QB Gage Pearman returns to lead the Portage offense this year and showed enough potential last year to hope that he can become a money player. RB Hasheem Simpson, a starter a year ago, also returns and should help provide Portage with a solid ground game. The Indians will be looking for players to step up in camp at wide receiver to help open things up for the ground game but Cameron Vaughan returns as a solid threat at tight end. All in all, with the talent on hand and veterans returning on the offensive line Portage should have a solid offense. On the other side of the ball is where Portage will need to fill some holes. Kenyotta Rollins returns to give the Indians something to build around on the defensive line, Aaron Luick should fill one of the linebacker spots and Nathan Cherry and Joey Roman provide solid experience in the secondary. But on the whole, the Indians will need players to step up on the defensive side of the ball. Overall, as inconsistent as the Indians were a year ago, it’s hard to get a solid read on how competitive this team can be. Portage plays a murderous schedule that includes Penn and Mishawaka in non-conference play so it’s not going to be easy. Still, if the Indians can make a good showing and not get shelled in the first two weeks they may be able to compete in the DAC. But if they get hammered in the first two games, it could be along year. 26
Valparaiso Vikings
2012 Record – 3-7, 3-4 DAC Head Coach – Dave Coyle 3-7, 2nd Year Change is not something that you see every day in the Valparaiso football program. When Dave Coyle took over from Mark Hoffman on the Valparaiso sidelines last year, it marked the first time in 34 years that the Vikings have had a new face as their head coach. And the Vikings 3-7 record a year ago gave Valparaiso something else they hadn’t seen in a while; two consecutive losing seasons. The last time the Vikes had suffered two losing seasons in a row was 1977 and 1978, Hoffman’s first two seasons as Valparaiso coach. As if that wasn’t enough change, there will be some major changes in the Valparaiso backfield this year, too. Battering ram RB Andrew Kittredge and big play running back and kickoff return specialist Stephen Simms have graduated; and those are big shoes to fill. Heading into his second year, Coach Dave Coyle knows that returning Valparaiso football to the level that the Viking faithful are used to will not be an easy proposition without Kittredge and Simms, who had been two of the best players in the area for three years. But by the same token, Coyle is optimistic. Valparaiso is never down too long because the talent pool to draw from is deep, and he is confident that the young players on hand have the ability and desire to get the job done. Senior Dave Hittinger returns at quarterback for the Vikings and should be much improved this year after a season a year ago that Coyle described as an eye opener for his quarterback. A lot of the Vikings fortunes this year will ride on ability of the senior quarterback, who had moments last year when he looked promising but also had moments when he looked lost. There will be a spirited battle in camp between four potential candidates for slots in the backfield and according to Coyle whoever wants it the most will win the jobs; but ultimately all four should play. One area that Coyle is optimistic about is the offensive line, where Valpo has some kids with big time potential. The other side of the ball is where the Vikings coaching staff has real some concerns. The Vikings were undersized on the defensive line and at linebacker last year and opponents were able to run the ball down the Vikings throats. Pursuit wasn’t a strong suit either as Valparaiso lacked speed in the defensive backfield so the Vikings will be looking for players to step up. Overall, in spite of the losses to graduation and the lack of experience Coyle is optimistic and has reason to be. Not counting freshmen, the Vikings have 98 players in camp and as always, there is some real potential in some of the new faces. After two consecutive down years Valpo is due to bounce back; after all the Vikings have not suffered three losing seasons in a row since 1961-1963. Still, Valparaiso plays one of the toughest schedules around and a bad start could hurt this young team. No doubt there is a lot of pressure on Hittinger but if the senior quarterback can step it up and lead his young teammates, Valparaiso could be a real surprise team this year.
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NoRtHWEStERn ConfEREnCE Lew Wallace Hornets 2012 Record – 2-6, 0-2 NWC 2012 Northwestern Alex Williams 7-30, 5th Year Conference Standings Given the crumbling state of athletics in general and football in particular in the City of Gary, it is Team NWC Overall entirely possible that by the time you read this 1. Lew Wallace 0-2 2-6 that an announcement has been made that Lew 2. West Side 2-0 6-5 Wallace will not field a football team this year. It 3. Roosevelt 1-1 3-7 is also entirely possible that by the time you read this it has been announced that Lew Wallace itself has been closed by the Gary School Corporation. At press time, all we are certain of is that Lew Wallace has only four games on their 2013 schedule, less than half a season, and typically, no one in Gary is talking. Repeated phone calls to Hornets Coach (as of a year ago anyway) Alex Williams by SSS&E staff have not been returned. Nonetheless, assuming that the Hornets will have a team, the mystery surrounding the program is hardly inspiring to the kids. Obviously other schools are shying away from scheduling Lew Wallace because if the GCSC pulls the plug at the last minute those schools would be short a game. Lew Wallace has already struggled with low numbers and it is understandable why kids wouldn’t want to buy into the program when there hasn’t been any commitment from school corporation officials. As a result, there obviously wasn’t any off season conditioning or weight lifting program and without one the Hornets will be lagging far behind every other program in Northwest Indiana; and as it is, the Hornets haven’t had a winning season since 1995. In fact, the Hornets have won just 26 games in the 17 years since, an average of a win and a half per year. It’s hard to believe now that Lew Wallace was one of the best programs in the Region under Coach Dave Templin in the 1980’s and early 1990’s. You have to feel sorry for the kids in the City of Gary who are the innocent victims of political wrangling, incompetence and a lack of accountability. If the program does indeed go under, it will be a sad, shameful end to a once proud school that once produced the likes of NFL Hall Of Fame Coach Hank Stram.
Roosevelt Panthers
2012 Record – 3-7, 1-1 NWC Head Coach – Ronald Wright 0-0, 1st Year If Lew Wallace football is on life support then Roosevelt football barely has a pulse. Despite being run by EdisonLearning after the takeover by the state, the ineptitude in athletics at Roosevelt continues. And after the debacle of last year 28
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it would probably be the best thing for all concerned if the school just dropped athletics completely, at least for the time being. Jeff Karras, a noted builder of programs who never shied away from any challenge, was the Panthers coach a year ago and after the nature of his firing any momentum the program had going for it under him is gone. If anything the ripple effect of his firing will hurt the program even more. Karras had low numbers to begin with and every week the Panthers lost key players to suspensions and other disciplinary actions by the school administration; sometimes playing with as few as 16 kids. But Karras let the kids know he believed in them and in spite of everything the Panthers put together a modest streak where they won three of their last four games heading into the tournament when Karras was fired. When the coach who put his heart into his players and wins their hearts in return gets canned the way he was it leaves a bad taste in the mouths of the kids. It will be surprising if more than ten kids show up for the first day of practice. If Roosevelt does indeed end up fielding a team, it’s going to be a long year. It’ll make the kids wonder why they bothered.
West Side Cougars
2012 Record – 6-5, 2-0 NWC Head Coach – Jason Johnson 9-12, 3rd Year Despite the unsettling situation concerning athletics in the City of Gary, West Side remains the last bastion of anything resembling a football program in town. What’s happening in the city is a shame because Gary has put more players in Division I colleges and the NFL than all the other schools in the area combined. A perfect example is West Side standout wide receiver Lonnie Johnson, who just committed to Ohio State before his senior season. Johnson is just one of a bevy of athletic underclassmen returning for the Cougars this season including QB Ramone Adkins. The Cougars are fast and athletic and will throw the ball all over the field and the Cougars offense will score some points. But after the loss of standout LB Torre Hopson to graduation, the Cougars will have to outscore teams to beat them unless the defense steps up. Overall, West Side will be a competitive team that does light up the scoreboard and may sneak up on some teams who don’t take them seriously.
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INDEPENDENT InDEpEnDEnt SCHOOLS SCHooLS Boone Grove Wolves
2012 Record – 7-4 Head Coach – Tony Tinkel 8-13, 3rd Year Boone Gove was one of the most pleasant surprises of the 2012 campaign, racing out to a 5-0 record including wins over Wheeler, Bishop Noll and North Judson before the high flying Cardinals of East Chicago Central slowed them down and brought the Wolves back down to earth. Nonetheless, despite losing three of their last four games down the stretch after star RB Cody Poynter was injured it was an amazing season. This year, however, may be a different story. Poynter has graduated and Boone Grove will not be able to sneak up on anybody. Still, a solid football program is built within the trenches and that means being able to run the football and that’s just what Boone Grove did a year ago. The Wolves were a young team a year ago and only lost thirteen seniors to graduation so the outlook for this year is optimistic. In fact, the program is still so young that the first class of kids who have been in the program for four full seasons are this year’s junior class so the Wolves have already come a long way. All Boone Grove has to do to see it can be done is to look at the success of former PCC rival Wheeler. The Bearcats program is just thirteen years old and in that short time frame Wheeler has become one of the better, most consistent programs in the area. The key for Boone Grove to succeed this year is to find a running back to succeed Poynter. Senior Bryce Long and a group of juniors figure to be in the mix, including Matt Wiggins. Also lost to graduation were QB Dean Hill and TE Jake Clapp so the skill position players will have to step forward at camp. Still, the offensive line returns virtually intact so if the Wolves can keep the ground game going they should have another decent season and could be well on the way to establishing a consistent winning tradition at Boone Grove.
Bowman Academy Eagles
2012 Record – 6-5 Head Coach – David Nelson 0-0 1st Year As future Hall of Fame coach Kirk Kennedy found out when he left Lowell for Bloomington South, it’s hard to build a solid football program at a basketball school, even if you have success. Like Bloomington South, at Bowman Academy basketball is the marquee sport and with Athletic Director Marvin Rea doubling as basketball coach, don’t look for the emphasis to change any time soon. First time Head Coach David Nelson takes over this year for the Eagles but even though this is first year as head coach, he’s not unfamiliar with the program. Nelson has been involved with the program in various capacities from the beginning and so he should be able to hit the ground running. Still, Nelson will have his work cut out for him as the Eagles lost sixteen seniors to graduation, better than a quarter of the roster. Included in the losses was 30
quarterback Antonio Pipken and wide receivers Jalen Knight and Courtney Crouch. This year the Eagles will need to find a quarterback but running backs James Taylor and Michael Hubbard return along with part of the offensive line so the cupboard isn’t bare offensively. Defensively the Eagles will need to continue to improve as Bowman surrendered 34 points or better in each of their five losses last year. Overall, new faces will have to step up and re-stock the roster in order for the Eagles to have a successful season.
East Chicago Central Cardinals
2012 Record – 9-2 Head Coach – Stacy Adams 21-11, 4th Year What Stacy Adams has accomplished in three years at East Chicago Central is remarkable. The rebuilding job that Adams has done at a school that hadn’t had a winning season since 2004 and the job that Roydon Richards has done at Morton could be models for city schools everywhere as to how to rebuild a program in an urban environment. This year, the Cardinals are once again a team to be taken seriously and with player of the year candidate QB/RB/DB/KR Martayveus Carter and TE/LB Tre’Quan Burnett returning, ECC should be one of the top ten programs in the area, period. East Chicago lost just nine seniors, including RB Laronte Fairley, from last year’s 9-2 team and so figure to score a lot of points this year. The biggest issue for the Cards this year will be depth. Many of Central’s top players go both ways and could wear down late in tight ballgames. Nevertheless, with the weapons the Cardinals have East Chicago should be able to give the big boys Morton and Lowell a run for their money in class 4A sectional #17.
Top 5 NW Indiana Coaching Graybeards Coach Leroy Marsh Bob Schellinger Jeff Cain Roy Richards Chris Meeks
School Munster La Porte Whiting Morton Rensselaer Central
Years 35 21 16 15 15
Record 199-142 101-107 132-72 100-62 108-61
Editors’ Note: Ivan Zimmer is in his 16th season at Calumet but the 16 years have not been continuous. Zimmer’s two terms were from 1996 to 2004 and 2007 to the present. Nick Stoming coached the Warriors in 2005 and Jeff Bean was the coach in 2006. No other area coach has been in his present coaching position longer than eight years.
Whiting Coach Jeff Cain 31