Pirates topple Wolves

Michigan City’s Rashem Bell turns the corner against Merrillville’s defense during Friday’s game at Ames Field. Photo by Scott Allen

By Adam Parkhouse
Staff Writer
1-866-362-2167, Ext. 13869
sports@heraldargus.com
Published: Saturday, September 17, 2011 5:06 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — After a blowout loss, Michigan City football coach Michael Karpinski wasn’t too worried about the defense.

“Funny as it sounds to say, the defense didn’t play that bad,” Karpinski said after City finished on the wrong end of a 38-0 score against Merrillville on Friday during Homecoming Night at Ames Field.

City’s defense was forced to work with a short field for much of the night, leading to easy Merrillville scores. But it was the offensive performance that left Karpinski scratching his head.

“We just couldn’t get any spark offensively,” he said. “We had some plays, we just missed.”

*
Michigan City dropped to 1-4 overall and 0-3 in the Duneland Conference, marking the 11th time in 17 seasons since the consolidation the Wolves have opened DAC play with a three-game losing streak.

Much like last week’s at Valparaiso, Merrillville opened up a big lead early as City’s defense struggled to get off the field in key situations.

With 7:52 to play, Merrillville’s Darryl Peppers found the end zone from 8 yards out on a fourth-and-1 play.

Just more than three minutes later, facing a third-and-11 from its own 49-yard-line, Merrillville scored again, this time when Jake Raspopovich hooked up with Aaron Dye for a 51-yard touchdown reception. Just like that, it was 14-0 Pirates.

At that point in the game, City had only seven total yards and was yet to achieve a first down.

On the next drive, though, the Wolves went on the move. Joel Hirsch found Scott Kaletha for a 37-yard gain. After a 15-yard personal foul against Merrillville and a pass interference in the end zone against the Pirates, the Wolves were in business.

However, Rashem Bell lost a fumble and Merrillville recovered at the 7-yard line, thwarting City’s best scoring chance of the game.

The Pirates went on to score twice more before halftime, getting a 21-yard field goal from Matt Warren and a 1-yard touchdown run from Raspopovich just before the half to make it 31-0 heading into the third quarter.

In the second half, City’s defense bucked up and allowed just one score the rest of the way, a 1-yard run from Ryan Neal midway through the fourth. But the Wolves’ offense remained stagnant and its senior signal-caller, Hirsch, suffered through his first truly rough game of the season.

“It was not Joel’s best game by any stretch,” Karpinski said. “But that’s gonna happen if you play enough games.”

City struggled up front as the running game sputtered.

“We made some changes in the offensive line and that made a little difference,” Karpinski said. “For whatever reason, we could not get it rolling.”

One big bright spot for City was the continued strong play of senior linebacker Giorgio Karallas, who flew all over the field making plays for the Wolves’ defense.

“He is playing better than anybody in the conference right now,” Karpinski said. “He’s been lights out.”

Time to get together and support Wolves

Published: Thursday, September 15, 2011 5:08 PM CDT
I read today (Sept. 13, 2011) that it was the 40th anniversary of the first day of school at then Rogers High School. Fastforward to the modern age and it is Homecoming Week for the Michigan City Wolves. While many things have changed, many have stayed the same.

The names on the schools are different today, but it is still our community’s kids who are attending them. Many bitter feelings still exist in city over the transition from Elston and Rogers to Michigan City High School, and some of them are understandable.

But here is what I don’t understand, and that is the continued boycott of the Wolves by those upset over the consolidation process. Many people feel that their own history was violated. Having Red Devil blood in my veins I can understand those feelings.

But the reality is that basically no one who oversaw the process of consolidation is still around. The principals and administrators are all gone. The school board of 1995 is gone sans one member who recently returned to the MCAS board (Jeff Jones).

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In other words, the people who are the targets of this unofficial boycott are long gone! Today the only people who are hurt by the people staying away from the games are the kids in our community who are attending our schools today, who see half empty stadiums instead of the powerful embrace of their community that we see in our neighboring towns, and in our own past. Put in real terms, Michigan City’s senior quarterback would have been exactly 1 year old when consolidation took place. Why continue to punish him and his teammates?

At the end of the day, this boycott has done more harm than good. The kids of this generation have mostly heard the merits of the old days instead of how great their own accomplishments are. It leads to the idea that Michigan City doesn’t deserve or expect to have top notch programs in its schools. We have become our own worst enemies as a community by constantly talking bad about it. Remember the old saying, “No one else can love you until you love yourself?” How true it is. Much of the bad perception of Michigan City is due to own non-embrace of what makes this town great. So I stand before you today as living proof. You can have Red Devil (or Raiders) spirit in your heart, while still embracing the Wolves of today. There is plenty of room for both. And the biggest winners would be our own kids. Come on out to Ames Field this Friday night and restore the roar for Homecoming and beyond. Show the kids of Michigan City how much you are behind them.

Michael J. Gresham

Michigan City, IN

IHSAA News Release
September 22, 2011

LAKE CENTRAL FOOTBALL PLAYER TIES NATIONAL RECORD
For the second time this month, an Indiana high school football player has put himself in the national record book.

Senior linebacker Tyler Szczecina of Lake Central High School has returned four interceptions for touchdowns in the last three games to tie the national record for most in a season.

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Football Record Book, Szczecina shares the 11-on-11 mark with Mike Galliger of West Central (SD) in 2007 and Jacob Edelman of Standwood North Cedar (Iowa) in 2009 (confirmed by NFHS, but not yet listed).

Szczecina returned two interceptions – one for 47 yards, the other for 25 yards – against Portage on Sept. 2, another for 25 yards against Crown Point on Sept. 9 and his fourth, an 18-yard return, at LaPorte on Sept. 16. He also leads the Class 5A, No. 8 Indians (5-0) with 53 tackles including eight for loss. Lake Central hosts Michigan City on Friday.

The record may be referenced on page 100 of the NFHS Record Book here.

On Sept. 2, South Bend Washington senior wide receiver Gehrig Dieter hauled in a national record 437 yards (12 receptions, 3 TD) in the Panthers’ victory over Elkhart Central. Dieter's total surpassed the 421 yards amassed by J.D. Felice of Rose Bud (AR), in 2008.

My letter!

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2011/0...a6225688405.txt

Wolves fall on road

Michigan City’s Marcellus Willis breaks up a pass attempt on Friday night at Lake Central High School. Photo by Scott Allen
By Adam Parkhouse
Staff Writer
1-866-362-2167, Ext. 13869
sports@heraldargus.com
Published: Saturday, September 24, 2011 5:06 PM CDT
ST. JOHN, Ind. — It used to be that even a struggling Michigan City team could count on Lake Central for a winnable game.

But these aren’t your older brother’s Lake Central Indians. Under second-year coach Brett St. Germain, the Class 4A No. 7 Indians are undergoing their best season in recent memory and moved to 6-0 (4-0 Duneland) with a 35-9 win over the Wolves on Friday.

“You can see why they’re undefeated,” City coach Michael Karpsinski said after watching his offense struggle mightily.

City did have one late drive for a touchdown which padded its yardage total, but Lake Central’s stout defense dominated the game. The Wolves had just 34 rushing yards on 24 attempts and Joel Hirsch threw his first two interceptions of the season as the offense scuffled.

*
“We’ve gotta do more things offensively and we’re gonna make some changes,” Karpinski said, not wishing to reveal what those changes might be. “We’ve gotta make something happen on offense.”

Lake Central took the opening kickoff and marched straight downfield, converting a handful of third downs and even a fourth down before Drew Hollingsworth reached the end zone from 2 yards out, making it 7-0.

From there, City’s defense held pretty strong. The Wolves forced turnovers on downs late in the first quarter and early in the second, but weren’t moving the ball in between.

With 9:05 to play in the second quarter, Giorgio Karallas broke free for a 15-yard run. Up until that point, City had ran just eight offensive plays for a net gain of zero. Unfortunately, the net remained the same after the run as City committed a personal foul after the play to move the ball back 15 yards, though the first down stood.

Still, with 2:44 left in the half, the score was still 7-0. But Lake Central’s Dylan Morang broke free for a 40-yard punt return to the City 30-yard line, and another City personal foul moved the ball up to the 15. That led to quarterback David Yancey’s 4-yard touchdown run to make it 14-0 at halftime on Homecoming Night.

The Wolves took the opening kick of the second half and put something together offensively for the first time. Scotty Kaletha had a 20-yard catch and run to the 50, but fumbled the ball. Luckily for City, offensive lineman Dan Lemon was there, scooping the ball and picking up another 17 yards on the play. The drive eventually fizzled out in the red zone, and City settled for Erik Stevenson’s 33-yard field goal to make it 14-3.

“In the fourth quarter it’s 14-3 and we’ve got a chance,” Karpinski said.

However, City’s first score wasn’t enough to sway momentum completely, Lake Central wasted no time on its next possession, getting big chunks of yardage concluding in Yancey’s 34-yard touchdown run. Yancey finished with a game-high 155 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns.

“After they scored we needed to come back and answer and we just didn’t,” Karpinski said.

Drew Hollingsworth’s 10-yard touchdown in the fourth all but sealed the Indians’ victory. City did put together a nice scoring drive later with Hirsch and sophomore Donovan Wilson hooking up three times on the drive for 51 yards, the third catch being a 15-yard touchdown reception.

The Wolves had just 34 rushing yards on 24 attempts and Joel Hirsch threw his first two interceptions of the season as the offense scuffled.

Wolves’ defense great, not enough

Michigan City defenders Marcellus Willis (diving), Java Oliver (44) and Giorgio Karallas (28) converge on Portage’s Rashaan Coleman during Friday’s game at Ames Field. Photo by Robb Quinn
By Adam Parkhouse
Staff Writer
1-866-362-2167, Ext. 13869
sports@heraldargus.com
Published: Saturday, October 1, 2011 5:06 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — Michael Karpinski was faced with a decision early in the fourth quarter.

With his team leading by one point, the Michigan City football coach had to determine whether a run or pass was best on third-and-13.

The Wolves opted for a pass, and the result changed the course of the game. Portage’s Jordan Nieto stripped City quarterback Joel Hirsch of the ball and returned the ball to City’s 3-yard-line. Seconds later, Portage scored what turned out to be the game-winning touchdowns as City dropped a heartbreaker, 12-7, on Senior Night at Ames Field.

“That’s where I’ll second-guess myself a bit,” Karpinski said. “Maybe we should have ran the football, but I didn’t expect our QB to get stripped and for them to return it 40 yards.”

City’s defense was stellar Friday, limiting Portage to 59 yards of total offense.

Unfortunately for the Wolves, the Indians’ two scoring drives were just 7 and 3 yards, respectively.

In the first quarter, City was forced to punt from its own 5-yard line. Dan Lemon’s kick went just to the 30, and Rashaan Coleman returned it 23 yards to the 7.

The Wolves drove the Indians back 7 yards on the next two plays, but Coleman finally hooked up with Cody Maldanado for a 14-yard touchdown strike and the Indians led 6-0 after City blocked the extra point.

Afterward, City’s defense continued to stand tall. Marcellus Willis came up with an interception with 10:10 to play in the first half and, finally, with 4:43 to go, City got a break.

The Indians were forced to punt, but a bad snap sent punter T.J. Skelton chasing the ball 33 yards in the wrong direction, where he was tackled. City took over at the Portage 18.

A few plays later, Rashem Bell found the end zone on an option play from 7 yards out. Erik Stevenson’s extra point made it 7-6 City.

That score held until the fourth quarter.

City’s offensive struggles set the table for Nieto’s fumble and return at the 8:44 mark of the fourth. On the next play, Coleman scored from 3 yards out and the Indians led 12-7 after City stuffed the two-point try.

In fact, City’s stagnant running game got quite a lift from Catchings and Jalen Lewis, who combined to gain 96 yards on 18 carries.

City's defense was just incredible Friday night. It was too bad they couldn't pull it out on Senior Night.

http://heraldargus.com/articles/2011/10/01...71114350978.txt

If the O-Line improved this week(???) and the defense was stellar what seems to be the issue. The skill players aren't up to speed? Conservative play calling? I mean Crown Point and Lake Central both spanked Portage and it isn't like the Indians have been posting shut outs! Why does it take 7 games to find a senior running back who runs hard when he runs straight ahead?

You can say what you want about the lines and that may or may not be true but go back in history and the only time MC posted winning records they were led by backs who could run with the football not just backs who posted good track times. Adam Harmon, Ryan Fics, Javan Lee and Jackson/Spicer all could carry the ball. You currently have guys on the roster who can't push a pile to save their life. It wasn't the QB(Rodney Washington) as he couldn't win the sectional games his junior/senior year when the opportunity presented itself. It wasn't the line as they had Pryblla and Issac???

And I will say this again, third system in three years is going to create some problems for these kids.

Sorting out a heartbreaker

By Adam Parkhouse
Home Cookin'
Published: Monday, October 3, 2011 4:13 PM CDT
For some reason, it just wasn’t good enough.

Michigan City’s offensive line did a much better job protecting the quarterback Friday against Portage. It was far from perfect, but a leaps-and-bounds improvement from a week earlier.

The defense was amazing. Specatacular, even. If not for a special teams mistake and an offensive turnover, City’s defense very easily could have pitched a shutout against a team that previously beat Duneland Conference powers Merrillville and Chesterton.

But it wasn’t enough. Somehow, some way, the Indians escaped Ames Field with a 12-7 victory despite producing just 59 yards of total offense.

*
The tide of the game turned on one play, a third-and-13 call early in the fourth quarter. City coach Michael Karpinski called a pass play, which I agreed with. In fact, before the play, I turned to a reporter and said, “If they run the ball here, I’m gonna lose my mind.”

There had been one or two other conservative play calls in similar situations earlier in the game, and this time I just wanted to see the Wolves go for it and be aggressive.

Well, they did, and it went horribly wrong. Coverage downfield was good and protection eventually broke down. When it did, City QB Joel Hirsch went backward, was wrapped up and eventually stripped of the ball. The fumble return went all the way to City’s 3-yard line and Portage scored the game-winner on the next play.

It was a devastating turn of events and you could just feel that the game had slipped away in that moment.

City did have a few more chances with the ball, but couldn’t come up with a scoring drive. It would have been a huge win in a season filled with blowout losses, but instead the Wolves DAC losing streak reached 12 games.

In the loss, though, two things were apparent. First, and in case this hasn’t been made perfectly clear, City linebacker Giorgio Karallas is a bad, bad man.

Even on struggling teams, City has managed to have some good players at linebacker over the years. Durrell and Lemon Kelley come to mind as two of the better ones. Javan Lee is another.

That said, Karallas takes a back seat to no one. The kid is in on every single play. He’s always around the ball and when he gets his arms on a ball carrier, the kid’s going down. It’s that simple. In a disappointing season, Karallas has been a true bright spot.

Secondly, Friday’s result shows me definitively that the team has bought into Karpinski and his staff. The Wolves have gradually started playing a better brand of football over the last few weeks, and that’s a direct reflection of a coach’s philosophy taking root.

Look, I’m not here to tell you that the Wolves are a contender to win the sectional. I won’t even tell you they’re gonna win another game.

At this point, that stuff is secondary. This year is, hopefully, about starting something bigger. It’s about rallying behind a coach and a program and getting in on the ground floor of something you think has a chance to be something greater.

So, yeah, the Wolves lost again Friday night. Whether or not they deserved better is immaterial.

You just need to see that arrow continue pointing up.

As long as it is, City football is headed in the right direction.





Last week I went 8-8 against the number, bringing my season record to 24-24. That’s about as middle-of-the-road as it gets. Here are my Week 4 picks (spreads courtesy of ESPN.com’s Pigskin Pick’em contest):

Bills -3.5, Bears -6.5, Titans +1.5, Cowboys -3.5, Vikings -1.5, Redskins +0.5, Saints -7.5, Eagles -6.5, Steelers +3.5, Falcons -4.5, Giants -1.5, Packers -13.5, Patriots -4.5, Dolphins +8.5, Ravens -3.5, Colts +9.5.

I really got tons of respect for our three year senior varsity members and their families, kid like Joel Hirsch, Rasheem Bell and Giorgio Karallas who have stuck with this program throughout their high school years and had to endure playing through their high school under three different head coaches staffs and three different systems.

Personally I have a lot of respect for any kid who puts in the time and effort to be a part of an extra curricular athletic team. It takes a lot of work, time etc. Whether the kids are playing on a winning team or not they are "winners" in my book. It doesn't matter to me if they played for one coach or three it still takes a lot of dedication.