After a season full of somewhat unpredictable results, we’re left with the three Summit Athletic Conference traditional football powers at the regional level: Snider, Bishop Dwenger and Bishop Luers.
This raises a question: Does tradition matter?
The answer: No doubt about it.
Even though players come and go and talent ebbs and flows, Snider, Dwenger and Luers keep finding ways to reach the regional, semi-state and state level.
As we head into this Friday’s regional matchups – Snider (9-2) at Carmel (9-2) in Class 6A, Angola (12-0) at Dwenger (11-1) in Class 4A and Mishawaka Marian (8-4) at Luers (8-4) in Class 3A – I touched base with all three SAC head coaches to ask them what role tradition plays in postseason success.
SNIDER
2 state titles
7 semi-state titles
16 regional titles
27 sectional titles
Coach Kurt Tippmann’s team had its growing pains this season, losing big to Carroll and being stymied by Wayne. Yet the Panthers kept improving on both sides of the ball. When they fell behind by two touchdowns to Homestead in the sectional championship, they didn’t flinch. They dug deep and came back.
Snider entered the season without any clear-cut superstars, but numerous players, including Tavareon Scott, Gianini Belizaire, Ethan Hoover, A’Nyis Lockett and Jon Barnes rose to the occasion.
Tradition, Tippmann said, has two implications at Snider. The first one has to do with the expectations of advancing deep in the playoffs.
“They have history to provide proof that advancing deep is a realistic achievement,” Tippmann said. “Some groups even use past success as a sense of pressure to accomplish the same and more. They have to live up to history. It is a goal in our program that every senior class leaves having won some type of championship – conference, sectional, etc. When they do, their team picture is placed in our wall of fame picture display in the school gymnasium area. We talk about it being there forever. We have been able to accomplish this for the last 12 years.”
The second implication plays into something that perhaps contributed to the Panthers’ early-season loss to Carroll.
“(Tradition) also gives the false sense that wins are automatic,” Tippmann said. “This is something we have to combat every year – the success of each team is due to their willingness to work extremely hard and execute the tasks necessary to be successful on the field. When you frequently experience success, players coming up often get a false sense that it was easy…Both are great learning experiences and are part of just growing up, and certainly can apply to more important things in each of their lives as they become adults.”
BISHOP DWENGER
4 state titles
9 semi-state titles
20 regional titles
25 sectional titles
The Saints had a major change this season as Chris Svarczkopf retired from coaching and Jason Garrett took over. Garrett’s experience as Dwenger player under Andy Johns gave him some insight into the program’s traditions.
Dwenger’s only loss so far this season was to Snider after the Panthers found their stride. Dwenger’s defense has led the way, anchored by dominant linemen Jordan Watercutter and Joe Tippmann, linebackers Hayden Ellinger, TJ McGarry and Jared Lee and productive players at every spot.
The expectations driven by tradition are important to continued success, Garrett said.
“At every Bishop Dwenger game, you will see throngs of young kids, five years old through eighth graders running around and playing football in the open fields,” Garrett said. “These kids all dream of being on the field someday with the gold helmet. Many of them have brothers, uncles, cousins that have played for Bishop Dwenger. It’s obviously a huge asset to normally have 35-45 freshmen show up in the fall that have been dreaming of playing Bishop Dwenger football for years. It’s also helpful many of them have been teammates since third grade.”
Consistent success also allows traditional powers to simply play more football.
“If your team routinely makes it to the regional or semi-state level, they are playing 50 percent more games than teams who exit early in the playoffs,” Garrett said. “So, many of our seniors have played the equivalent of an extra season by the time they are finished with their careers here. This is a factor that really benefits teams like Dwenger, Luers and Snider. The more repetitions a player gets, the better they are going to become.”
BISHOP LUERS
11 state titles
15 semi-state titles
18 regional titles
24 sectional titles
Luers coach Kyle Lindsay played quarterback at Luers under his father, Matt, so he has a long connection to the program and to its postseason success, which is unmatched at the state level in Fort Wayne. Luers’ 15 semi-state titles rank as the most in Indiana history, with its 11 state titles ranking third behind Indianapolis Chatard (13) and Indianapolis Cathedral (12).
Luers, like Snider and Dwenger, has had a lot of continuity in its coaching staff. As a Class 3A (and sometimes 2A) school, competing in the SAC prepares it for a level of play that few schools its size can match. Luers’ skill players, including quarterback Norm Knapke, running back Jordan Presley and receivers Jamic Johnson, Nate Moore and Justin Gaston, are as dynamic as any players in any class.
“I don’t know if our past has any bearings on our current success, but we have talked repeatedly about how expectations have not changed,” Kyle Lindsay said. “They’re expected to wear the Luers football uniform with pride. They’re expected to hustle everywhere they go. They’re expected to have a desire to get better, and to make their teammates better.”
Lindsay points to a saying that he heard many times from former assistant coaches Mike and Dave Egts. He said they always talked to players about “earning their PHD,” which is an acronym for Pride, Hustle and Desire.
“Whether or not this has an impact on today’s generation, I can’t be for certain,” Lindsay said. “I can be certain the tradition of our expectations lives on and is a quality blueprint for any young man to have success in his life. This group has lived up to these expectations – there’s always hiccups along the way – and has become a great group for us to coach.”
