[mcstumper]

Three minutes left...all I can say is WOW! What a game. Way to go Wolves! One thing - Parky...you might not want to use the term "S.O.B." on the radio...Both you guys are great on WIMS.

31-21 Wolves! Great game. Great night for football. Great crowd.

[Southsider2k12]

Three minutes left...all I can say is WOW! What a game. Way to go Wolves! One thing - Parky...you might not want to use the term "S.O.B." on the radio...Both you guys are great on WIMS.

Why you son of a...



Yeah, that one was a lot of fun. What a response by the Wolves. I really believe winning that game last week gave the boys the testicular fortitude to win this one, even after being down 14 early. Great games by Harmon and Washington.

[taxthedeer]

Yeah, that one was a lot of fun. What a response by the Wolves. I really believe winning that game last week gave the boys the testicular fortitude to win this one, even after being down 14 early. Great games by Harmon and Washington.

That was simply the biggest win for a Michigan City football team since Elston defeated Penn then went on to beat Portage to win the sectional title in 1984. It's only going to get better for the Wolves, Buz has proven himself year in and year out as the type of coach whereas his teams has always displayed the uncanny ability to vastly improve as the season progresses week by week. That's why he is the third fastest coach in Indiana history to reach 100 wins amongst 5A coaches. A true mark of greatness.

[lovethiscity]

Why you son of a...



Yeah, that one was a lot of fun. What a response by the Wolves. I really believe winning that game last week gave the boys the testicular fortitude to win this one, even after being down 14 early. Great games by Harmon and Washington.

Should you guys be giving kudos to the chearleaders? I meen that was quite a pumped up crowd. It was one of the most exciting games I have been to, High School - Pro and all in between.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=39682.46

Miscues Prove To Be More Costly To Chesterton
Michigan City 31, No. 7 Chesterton 21

Nick Dettmann
Staff Writer

MICHIGAN CITY - Plain and simple: If you turn the ball over more than your opponent, more often than not you're going to lose.

Case in point: Friday's Chesterton-Michigan City game.

Class 4A No. 7 Chesterton put the ball on the brand-spankin'-new turf at Ames Field not once, twice, three, not even four times.

Try eight. And the Trojans lost possession on four of those.

Three times when it happened was when the Trojans on the move, including once inside the 10-yard line late in the first half of a ball game tied at 14.

"At best, we should've came away with a field goal," said Trojans coach John Snyder after his team's 31-21 loss Friday. "It wasn't anything that was going (wrong) really. You just can't put the ball on the ground. That hurt us.

"... They didn't stop us. We stopped ourselves."

City (3-0, 1-0 Duneland) was also guilty of the turnover flu on a perfect late summer night for football. At the time, it hurt.

Chesterton's Dan Jensen fumbled on the Trojans' first possession, which gave City the ball in good field position - Chesterton's 31-yard line. But on the next play, Tracy Rivera coughed it up after a short completion. The Trojans' Frank Raudry recovered the ball and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown.

Then on City's next possession, Rodney Washington was picked off by Greg Nowak. Two plays later, the Trojans (2-1, 0-1) scored a touchdown to make it 14-0.

City was more protective of the ball after that, while Chesterton wasn't, and it hurt each time. Junior quarterback Jon Watson coughed it up six times himself. Cody Miranda, Tyree Wright, Blake Surface and Jeff Bibb were all beneficiaries of the Trojans' fumbles.

For the night, there were a combined seven turnovers. But it was Chesterton 4, City 3 - the only time City, or any coach for that matter, wants to be on the low end of that statistic.

Most of the time the fumbles came off early pitches on the option by Watson because of a quicker defense than what Chesterton had seen up to this point. City's pressure gave the Trojans fits all night.

"We have to think we were the cause of some of those," City coach Craig Buzea said. "... We play pretty quick. Our emphasis on defense is quickness. I think they had to make some (quick) decisions with the option.

"... Maybe we were closing a little faster than what they thought. I think that might had something to do with it. Not to downgrade anybody, but I don't think they played anybody like us."

Because of the turnovers, City controlled the possession by an almost 2:1 margin. By the end of the night, the Wolves were running basically at will against a defense that some believe is one of the best in the region, if not the best. And by game's end, the Trojans' defense had their hands on their hips gasping for air as City continued to pound the ball at them.

All because of the Wolves' defense resilience in swarming the Trojans' ball carriers and forcing turnovers.

"We've got to get better," Snyder said. "Offensively I was still pretty happy. But we were in position to put more (points) on the board. We just got to hang onto the ball.

"We were in position. We just can't turn the ball over. ... We just put the ball on the ground too many times."

Contact sports writer Nick Dettmann at ndettmann@thenewsdispatch.com or 874-7211, Ext. 447.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=25671

PROVING THEY BELONG
Michigan City 31, No. 7 Chesterton 21

Adam Parkhouse
Staff Writer

MICHIGAN CITY - Craig Buzea was reduced to tears in the Michigan City locker room.

This time, for City fans, coaches and players, any tears shed were tears of joy.

Michigan City, ranked No. 16 in the Class 5A coaches poll, pulled off arguably the biggest win in 15 seasons since the consolidation, coming from behind to beat No. 7 Chesterton 31-21 before a raucous, capacity crowd at Ames Field behind a career-high 246 yards rushing from senior Adam Harmon.

"I can't even explain it," said City junior quarterback Rodney Washington, who passed for 196 yards and two touchdowns. "You work so hard and then it finally pays off."

For Buzea and his program, the win - which puts City at 3-0 for just the second time since the consolidation - is the culmination of hard work by players, the coaching staff and partially the result of belief from the community.

"This is what I came here for," Buzea said, "when I left Portage, which at the time was the best team in the Duneland Conference, to the team in the cellar.

"This was my vision."

Then Buzea's thoughts turned to his late father Virgil, who passed away during the offseason.

"This is for my dad," Buzea said, fighting back tears unsuccessfully. "This is the first year he hasn't been with me. He never missed one of my games in 25 years.

"But he was with us tonight."

For some time, it didn't appear City would get its defining win.

In fact, for most of the first quarter, this game very much resembled last season's sectional loss at Chesterton, in which the Trojans opened up a big early lead the Wolves couldn't recover from.

City recovered a fumble - which would become a theme on the night for the Trojans - on Chesterton's opening drive, taking over possession after the Trojans moved down the field.

However, on the very next play, Washington completed a pass to senior Tracy Rivera, who also fumbled. Chesterton's Frank Raudry scooped it up and rumbled 35 yards to paydirt, giving Chesterton a 7-0 lead.

On the next drive, Washington had busted loose for what appeared to be a 43-yard touchdown but had it called back on a penalty. After a City punt and a subsequent Chesterton punt, Washington was intercepted by Greg Nowak at City's 43-yard line. Just a couple players later, Chesterton's Taylor Brown busted loose for a 39-yard touchdown run, and the Trojans appeared to be off and running.

"Coach just told us to keep our heads up," Harmon said. "... Don't put our heads down."

Unlike last year's sectional, City was able to stop the bleeding and get back in the game. Washington completed a 25-yard touchdown pass to wide open tight end Trevor Woolum near the end of the first quarter, and suddenly City was right back in the game.

"The biggest difference in the whole Michigan City team is they have matured," Chesterton coach John Snyder said. "In the past, they'd get down and their heads would go down."

City got the ball back after a Chesterton punt and just minutes later Washington connected with Rivera on a long pass that turned into an 88-yard touchdown, knotting the score at 14-14.

Late in the half, City appeared prepared to head to the locker room with a tie score, but a 21-yard run from Harmon and a 22-yard strike from Washington to Woolum gave City a chance at a field goal. Last week's hero, Dustin Rivich, knocked home a 37-yarder as time expired, giving City's it's first lead at 17-14.

The Wolves got the ball to start the third quarter and capitalized.

Harmon punctuated an 80-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown run, his first of the game, giving City a 24-14 lead with 24 unanswered points.

With 1:10 left in the third, Chesterton answered. The option pitch went to fullback Frank Raudry, but the burly senior pulled up and heaved the ball downfield to a wide open Andrew Bobrowski for a 27-yard touchdown, cutting the City lead to three points.

But in the fourth quarter, four years and two days after Ryan Fics led the Wolves to a win over Chesterton to improve to 3-0, Harmon took over. On that night in 2005, Fics ran for 368 yards with six touchdowns in a 49-35 City win. Harmon didn't quite reach that mark, but his impact was the same.

With 5:46 left, Harmon busted free, shedding Chesterton tacklers all the way to the end zone on a 39-yard touchdown run. Harmon was pumped up on his way back to the sideline, as was the overflow crowd.

"I have to congratulate my offensive line," Harmon said. "They did it all for me."

Harmon's score gave City a 10-point lead with 5:46 to play, making Chesterton's next possession crucial.

The Trojans went on the move, but faced a fourth-and-6 with 4:41 left. Taylor Brown fumbled and Jeff Bibb recovered for Michigan City. It was Chesterton's eighth fumble and fourth that City recovered.

"... we were in position to put more (points) on the board. We just got to hang onto the ball," Snyder said. "We were in position. We just can't turn the ball over. ... We just put the ball on the ground too many times."

City was then in a position to run out the clock, and the Wolves did just that. Lining up in a power "I" formation with two lead backs in front of Harmon, City plowed up the field and ran out the clock, setting off the celebration.

"When you have support, you feel like you have to do it," Washington said of the big crowd.

Harmon added, "This felt like a college stadium. There were so many people yelling for us."

It doesn't get any easier for the Wolves, who go on the road next week to take on Valparaiso. City's only beaten Valpo once, 35-14 at Valpo in 1999. The Vikings lead the all-time series 14-1.

"We're the hunted now, and I don't know that Michigan City's ever been in that position," Buzea said. "But I don't think we snuck up on anyone tonight. Someone let out the secret that we were pretty good."

Contact Sports Editor Adam Parkhouse at aparkhouse@thenewsdispatch.com or 874-7211, Ext. 461.

[MC Born & Raised]

Three minutes left...all I can say is WOW! What a game. Way to go Wolves! One thing - Parky...you might not want to use the term "S.O.B." on the radio...Both you guys are great on WIMS.

LOL ... caught in the moment? What was the context? I remember using it but don't remember how.

[MC Born & Raised]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=25671

Sorry this was so long ... LOL. Lot to write about.

[Southsider2k12]

LOL ... caught in the moment? What was the context? I remember using it but don't remember how.

I can't remember who it was, but you referred to someone as "one tough SOB". I'm thinking it was either Isaac or Harmon.

[MC Born & Raised]

I can't remember who it was, but you referred to someone as "one tough SOB". I'm thinking it was either Isaac or Harmon.

Yeah, maybe I'll avoid that in the future. At least I used the acronym. Coulda been worse.

[CaddyRich]

I can't remember who it was, but you referred to someone as "one tough SOB". I'm thinking it was either Isaac or Harmon.

It was Frank Raudry from Chesterton.. No problem...I'm sure in the thrill of the game there were people saying the same thing.

[citycheercoach]

Should you guys be giving kudos to the chearleaders? I meen that was quite a pumped up crowd. It was one of the most exciting games I have been to, High School - Pro and all in between.

[font=Arial Narrow]Thank you! Those are my girls and they work really hard! Thanks again! I think it help that it was Pop Warner night and you had all of those young football fans in the stands.

[MC Born & Raised]

City's No. 8 in the latest coaches poll ... media poll due out soon.

http://ifca.zebras.net/ifca/ifcapoll.cfm

[taxthedeer]

MICHIGAN CITY MAKES THE TOP TEN!!!

INDIANA FOOTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION - CLASS 5A POLL 09/07/2009
RANK PREV RANK SCHOOL POINTS
1 2 Penn 96 (9)
2 3 Carmel 78
3 4 Ben Davis 65
4 5 Warren Central 64 (1)
5 6 Columbus East 58
6 1 Center Grove 34
7 8 Fishers 34
8 -- Michigan City 23
9 10 Zionsville 20
10 -- Munster 16

Others Receiving Votes
FW Snider - 11, Mishawaka - 10, Pike - 9, LaPorte - 7, Hamilton Southeastern - 6, Merrillville - 6, Columbus North - 5, Homestead - 5, Floyd Central - 3

[citycheercoach]

City's No. 8 in the latest coaches poll ... media poll due out soon.

http://ifca.zebras.net/ifca/ifcapoll.cfm

I was just about to post this myself! This is the most exciting thing to happen to MC sports in a LONG time!

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.chestertontribune.com/Sports/ch...alls_in_dac.htm

By TR HARLAN

It’s hard enough to beat a really good team. It’s near impossible if you hand them the ball.

The Chesterton football team fumbled seven times, losing four, and dropped its first game of the season with a 31-21 Duneland Athletic Conference loss at Michigan City on Friday night.

“I’m actually extremely proud of our kids,” Chesterton coach John Snyder said. “I thought we played really well. It may not look that way, but we were in a position to get ahead and we just turned the ball over.

“This was as close to a playoff atmosphere as I’ve seen this early in the season.”

The Trojans took the game’s opening kickoff and moved to the Michigan City 31-yard line before a fumble by Dan Jensen was recovered by the Wolves.

One play later, City quarterback Rodney Washington hit Corban Cavanaugh in the flat and he fumbled. Chesterton’s Frank Raudry picked up the football and rumbled 35 yards for a touchdown.

On City’s second possession, Greg Nowak picked off a Washington pass and then the Trojans’ needed just two plays to push the lead to 14-0. Taylor Brown scored from 38 yards out.

City responded with a seven-play drive that covered 80 yards with the final 25 coming on a pass from Washington to Trevor Woolum down the middle of the field.

“They have great athletes and do a great job,” Snyder said. “I knew they were going to be able to move the ball and do some things that really make it tough for us.”

The Trojans were forced to punt as the second quarter got underway and it didn’t take long for the Wolves to tie the score. Washington hit Tracy Rivera with an 88-yard scoring strike that tied the game at 14.

Chesterton’s ensuing possession took them from their own 44-yard line all the way to the Michigan City 8-yard line, but quarterback Jon Watson was stripped of the football and the Wolves recovered.

“In the first half, we fumbled deep in their territory,” Snyder said. “At worst, we get a field goal and go up 17-14. Instead, it’s the other way around.”

The Wolves took their 17-14 lead on the final play of the half when Dustin Rivich hit a 36-yard field goal.

“At halftime, we look at our plays and 17 of 22 are positive plays,” Snyder said. “The negative plays were fumbles and incomplete passes. Everything we were doing was good, we just can’t put the ball on the ground.”

Michigan City came out of the locker room and immediately marched 80 yards in 11 plays that finished in Adam Harmon’s 33-yard touchdown run.

The key play in the drive was on second and 10 when the Trojans sacked Washington for a three-yard loss, but a personal foul on the tackle gave the Wolves a first down.

The Trojans fumbled again, but the defense forced a punt that led to Chesterton’s pulling within 24-21 when Frank Raudry hit Andrew Bobrowski from 26 yards away on a halfback option pass.

“Offensively, I know we only put 14 points up, but I was pretty happy,” Snyder said. “We were in position to put more points on the board, we just have to hang on to the football.”

Michigan City would add the game’s final score in the fourth quarter when Harmon pulled away from the defense for a 39-yard touchdown run. Harmon rushed for 235 yards on 25 carries, while Washington was 8-of-17 through the air for 193 yards.

“We have to get better and find a way to defense that type of offense,” Snyder said.

The Trojans return to the field on Friday night when they play host to the LaPorte Slicers. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Michigan City 31, Chesterton 21

C MC

First Downs 11 22

Net Yards Rushing 148 322

Net Yards Passing 91 193

Total Yards Gained 239 515

Passes att/comp/int 11/6/0 17/8/2

Punts/avg. 3/34.7 1/34.0

Penalties/yards 4/35 8/45

Fumbles/lost 7/4 1/1

SCORING BY QUARTERS

Chesterton 14 0 7 0 -- 21

Michigan City 7 10 7 7 -- 31

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

C -- Frank Raudry 34 fumble return (Kyle Schmidt kick)

C -- Taylor Brown 38 run (Schmidt kick)

MC -- Trevor Woolum 25 pass from Rod Washington (Dustin Rivich kick)

MC -- Tracy Rivera 88 pass from Washington (Rivich kick)

MC -- Rivich 36 FG

MC -- Adam Harmon 14 run (Rivich kick)

C -- Andrew Bobrowski 27 pass from Raudry (Schmidt kick)

MC -- Harmon 39 run (Rivich kick)

　

Posted 9/8/2009

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=40282.01

Who's Crazy?
Money On Tuesday

Nick Dettmann
The News-Dispatch

When Craig Buzea came to Michigan City more than three years ago, he says people called him crazy. Silly.

They questioned why he would go from the perennial power of the Duneland Conference at the time, Portage, to the laughingstock of the DAC, City. Piling up wins week after week is all fine and dandy, but what are the players and coaches really getting out of it?

Nothing.

We all know life is about its ups and downs. What do you learn from the downs to get you back up? When you're always on the up, you don't learn as much - if anything. Coaches often love a challenge. Building a program from the ground up.

That's what Buzea has now done with the Wolves in three years. He's got them from the cellar to the top of the mountain - at least for the time being.

Buzea said our town can't organize any victory parades yet. "There's a long way to go," he added. Twenty-five years of coaching have prepared him for this, and more than 15 in the Duneland Conference. He knows the DAC is as tough as they come here in Northwest Indiana, or even the state. You can be on top one week and on the bottom just as fast.

Both Buzea and Chesterton coach John Snyder said Friday the race for the DAC title will more than likely go down to the final weekend of the regular season. I bet if you ask any other coach in the DAC that same question, I guarantee you'll get the same answer.

City's victory over Class 5A No. 7 Chesterton on Friday night taught us so many things that could be used as valuable life tools.

But the one that stands out to me is: If you work hard for something, you set your heart out to accomplish it, you will achieve your goal, your dream. Give tons of credit to Buzea, his coaching staff and his players for their victory. The way Friday's game started when City fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter, Many Wolves teams of the past would've just rolled over and died. Not this bunch.

Snyder said that is a sign of maturity. Buzea agreed.

In sports, we often don't get a reminder how important it is until the full game, match or competition is fully completed. Football games don't end with five minutes and change left in the first quarter. It ends with 0:00 on the scoreboard after the fourth quarter (unless it's tied, obviously).

This comes from a group of players believing in each other. Trusting each other. Dedicating themselves to each other. That is a sign of good - great - coaching.

City came in to the year with the goal - the expectation - of competing for the DAC, and Friday was a good first step in that direction.

Winning a game like Friday night's in front of a capacity crowd where the ticket line reached the park adjacent to the stadium about a half-hour before kickoff puts City in the discussion. Winning a game like Friday night's and seeing the reaction from the coaches, players and fans was why Buzea came to City. He said so himself Friday night.

"This was my vision," he said.

Who's calling him crazy now?

Contact sports writer Nick Dettmann at ndettmann@thenewsdispatch.com or 874-7211, Ext. 447.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=40084.13

Great Feelings, Rare Air
Home Cookin'
This is, indeed, rarefied air.

Only one Michigan City High School football team can lay claim to feeling what the 2009 Wolves are feeling right now.

In 2005, the Wolves were also 3-0 behind superstar running back Ryan Fics and a senior class with a tremendous will.

One person on a Michigan City message board, www.citybythelake.org, even called Friday's 31-21 win over No. 7 Chesterton the biggest win in football around here since Elston beat Penn back in 1984 on its way to a sectional championship.

I can't disagree. It was an important win for many reasons. The biggest reason? It puts City atop the Duneland Conference standings.

Remember, only one other time has City been able to say they're in first place in the conference.

For now, winning conference is what this City team should be focused on. There's absolutely no reason why that can't make a push for the title. There's no singularly dominant team in the DAC this year as there might have been in other years.

I said before that we'd learn a lot about teams once DAC play began. Here's what we know so far, based on Friday's results:

Michigan City 31, Chesterton 21: We learned that Michigan City is for real, that Adam Harmon is a two-way beast and that the Wolves don't plan on laying down for anyone.

We also know that Chesterton, while a good team, is prone to the perils of turnovers like any other team. I don't care who you are, you can't fumble eight times and lose four and expect to win a game. Expect the Trojans to get back on the right track and by in the mix by season's end.

[taxthedeer]

One person on a Michigan City message board, www.citybythelake.org, even called Friday's 31-21 win over No. 7 Chesterton the biggest win in football around here since Elston beat Penn back in 1984 on its way to a sectional championship.

OMG!

The Wolves now need send a stong statement to the rest of their upcoming opponents by going on the road Friday night and just flat out kick Valpo's a$$!!!---quote me on that in Friday's edition.

[Ang]

You're famous!!!