2011-2012 Official Wolves football thread |
2011-2012 Official Wolves football thread |
Jun 27 2011, 07:58 AM
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Spends WAY too much time at CBTL Group: Admin Posts: 16,460 Joined: 8-December 06 From: Michigan City, IN Member No.: 2 |
http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/613986...ick-around.html
QUOTE Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. New football coach at Michigan City. Really excited about the gig. Sees unlimited potential in the “sleeping giant.” Plans to stick around and really build something at Ames Field. Sound familiar? Craig Buzea said all that in 2007 when he stunned Portage by leaving for the downtrodden Wolves. After three years and some significant progress, he left for Homewood-Flossmoor, and the program once again was in tatters. Eric Schreiber said all that last summer when he took over for Buzea. One season and one win later, he left to take the top job at Hammond High. Enter Michael Karpinski, Michigan City’s new head coach, who was approved last week by the school board. He’s really excited about the gig. He sees unlimited potential in the “sleeping giant.” He plans to stick around and really build something at Ames Field. And he means it. Honest. “I’m excited to add some stability,” he said. “I’m not planning on going anywhere. By no means am I looking at this as a stepping stone. I’m looking to build something here. I understand people have heard that before, but you don’t understand — my wife will kill me if we move again.” Indeed, Karpinski’s no nomad. He’s no football mercenary. Heck, he only went after this job because he lost his teaching job at Franklin Central during a reduction-in-force that gutted the school district. The 43-year-old spent the last eight years coaching at Franklin Central — a former powerhouse that won four state championships between 1980 and 1990, but has fallen on hard times lately. After six years as an assistant, he was the head coach the past two years, going 7-13 with a pair of close losses in sectional openers. Before that, Karpinski coached for six years at the University of Indianapolis, where he wound up after playing cornerback at Hillsdale College. Hillsdale is about 90 miles from his hometown of Hastings, Mich., where he was a high school quarterback. Moving to Michigan City brings him much closer to home — and gives him a teaching job and an exciting opportunity. “I just feel real blessed to be right here,” he said. The Wolves can only hope he sticks around and helps the moribund program (no conference or sectional titles since Rogers and Elston were consolidated in 1995) realize the potential it briefly showed under Buzea. After just four practices, Karpinski has been particularly impressed with the enthusiasm the players have for the game, for him and for his new system. It’s easy to assume that the Wolves would be jaded and cynical while dealing with yet another new coach making the same old promises. But Karpinski was thrilled to find that they’re not like that at all. “I sure haven’t noticed it,” he said. “They sure haven’t shown it if that’s the case. They’ve been working their tails off and have done everything I’ve asked of them. I’ve come in with a lot of enthusiasm, and they seem to have responded.” Karpinski made a good impression with his first practice. Rather than the usual morning workout, he brought his team to Ames Field — probably the coolest football stadium in the region — under the lights on Monday night. And while it took more than a half hour just to teach the kids how to warm up and break the huddle — “baby steps,” Karpinski said — things quickly came together. He introduced the players to his offense — a traditional power-I. Not as complicated as Buzea’s multiple-set spread offense, not as one-dimensional as Schreiber’s option. “It’s basic football,” Karpinski said. “In today’s game, it seems like a lot of coaches try to get too cute. We’re going to come out and run the football, be physical, and we’re really going to stress blocking and tackling — shoot, that’s usually what it comes down to. We’re going to play power football, fire off the ball and really be physical out there.” Karpinski insisted he’s not daunted by the enormity of the task, trying to wake up the sleeping giant. But he’s got his work cut out for him. The football program always has taken a backseat to basketball. And the relentless losing has made it even tougher to convince kids to come out for the team. Karpinski said he’s ready for all of that. He also said he’s not intimidated by the meatgrinder that is the Duneland Conference, a brutal schedule that makes rebuilding difficult — and painful. He knows the drill; at Franklin Central, he played state powers Lawrence Central, Pike and Columbus North every year. “I just know it’s an unbelievable conference, and I’m excited,” Karpinski said. “I’m ready for the challenge.” Heard that before, too, right? Every coach has said that. But the hard truth is nobody in the 16-year history of Michigan City High School has proven to be up to that challenge. Not for any extended period of time, at least. Will Karpinski be any different? He sure seems to think so. But, of course, it’s too early for anyone to tell. He won’t really get a feel for how well his new players can handle his system until they put on the pads in August. And the Wolves won’t really get a feel for Karpinski until they sweat their way through those two-a-days. But Karpinski feels good about what he has. And while he knows these kids and this community have been burned before, he hopes the feeling is mutual. “Kids are the same all over,” he said. “I think these kids are really looking for someone to step up and lead and fight for them. And I’m that guy.” |
Aug 29 2011, 12:55 PM
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#2
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Spends WAY too much time at CBTL Group: Admin Posts: 16,460 Joined: 8-December 06 From: Michigan City, IN Member No.: 2 |
http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2011/0...7a348987371.txt
QUOTE Tough loss, but did you see that kid? By Adam Parkhouse Home Cookin' Published: Sunday, August 28, 2011 11:31 AM CDT I have a deep appreciation for greatness and watching athletes and teams accomplish great things. I appreciate the hard work that goes into such feats and the raw, natural ability that gets honed into a finely-tuned athletic machine that wows us as sports fans. With that in mind, I have a confession: I’m equal parts disappointed and elated about Michigan City football’s loss Friday to South Bend Washington. I’m disappointed because the Wolves lost a game that, with 8.2 seconds to play in the second quarter, they had a terrific opportunity to win, which was not my expectation heading into the game. Click here to find out more! But I’m also elated that I got a chance to witness greatness Friday night. Washington receiver Gehrig Dieter, named for the Yankee Clipper himself, is great. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone play that position better than he played it Friday, and it wasn’t even his best performance in a two-game season. In Week 1 against Bloomington North, Dieter caught eight passes for 373 yards and five touchdowns. He followed that up against Michigan City with 11 receptions for a paltry 346 yards and three touchdowns. Off night. I mean, come on, Gehrig. Only 31.5 yards per catch? Child’s play. Mostly, I think there’s a good chance we might some day watch this kid play on Sundays. Obviously, a lot has to happen before he gets to that point, but the 6-3, 210-pounder has just about everything you’d want in a receiver. He’s big, strong, fast and has terrific hands. And for anyone else in attendance Friday, you can also say five years or more from now when lounging on the couch on a Sunday afternoon, “Hey, I remember that kid!” Please, please don’t get me wrong, City fans. My stomach churned as yours did when Washington erased City’s lead and pulled away in the second half. I’m far from happy the Wolves lost. But you know what? Sometimes you just tip your cap to the guy or team on the other side and move on to the next game. After all, what I wanted to see from this game I saw in the first half. I wanted the Wolves to compete, to show the fire that seemed so lacking in 2010. They delivered on that. With 8.2 seconds left in the first half, City held an eight-point lead. But, a long touchdown pass to maybe the best offensive player in the state started a downward slide coach Michael Karpinski’s crew couldn’t recover from. Make no mistake though, Friday was a step forward for the Wolves. They played hard and they mostly played well. They’ll continue to improve and continue to compete, and that’s all anyone can ask. On this night, they ran into a buzzsaw named Dieter. Many others will fall victim this season. Contact Sports Editor Adam Parkhouse at aparkhouse@thenewsdispatch.com or 874-7211, Ext. 461. |
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