bonehead63

I was told that this sectional will alternate between griffith and hobart every year. Hopefully everything goes smooth. Will definitely be an intimate setting.

I know there is only one half-hour brake planned. Lets hope for the best. 

C'mon. Don't forget the 3rd place heavyweight match

My bad

Have to admit, the refs had the fans a little raucous to say it nicely. Mostly with back points and very inconsistent out of bounds stuff. I was a little miffed about the slow-motion fall position and reluctant pin calling. There wound-up being a few episodes that shoulve never happened because the match actually shoulve been over but the slow-motion reaction seemed like it was giving wrestlers time to get into a safer position so they could continue into a match that was really lights out! Maybe just me but happened several times to our guy alone and I saw it all over the place. Made me really appreciate the crews we regularly see.

7 semi state champs and 13 finalists from Calumet Regional. Pretty solid.

Calumet!! Last hurrah for taking the sectional and regional away!

Gary West Side! Not far from EC and place seats 7200!

This topic gave me a little different "what if"..

Add Carlos Champagne. State runner-up Marian Catholic 2a Illinois. Griffith resident.

In addition, His brother Jose,(minnesota) Illinois state champ .

What if.....

And if Jake tuckers father decided to stay in his hometown .. of Griffith.

And..if tylor trianas parents would've stayed in their hometown... of Griffith.

And..Brenden Blacks mother would've remained

..in Griffith.

And Colton Cummings parents would've decided to

Raise their boys in their hometown... of Griffith.

Add some names from the past and Jason tsirtsis to boot! What the heckler is in the water ??

What if?

Griffith has been told that they will host even years and Hobart has odd years sectional s. I haven't heard about regional but I'll bet Merrillville is in the mix. There are factors I'm sure. But, traditionally the Calumet sectional has had to deal with team lineup issues and ridiculous scratch changes , in which coach wadkins has ALWAYS handled admirably with the "no wrestler left behind approach. There was a couple things that happened Friday night and Saturday morning that was handled without a second thought. The calumet crew has the experience in which is unmatched. I don't care what anyone says, Calumet has the perfect wrestling venue and I heard is going to have a facelift this year to match their outdoor sports facilities. Also, having the track concourse atop the gym also gives much appreciated elbow-room that a lot of gyms do not have, leaving the bleachers a very uncomfortable place to be and the size of Calumets place gives plenty of open space to spread out and not be cramped in bleachers either. It is centrally located and is tradition for the teams in that sectional to compete there.

This past weekend did have a hold up during the break but did not have anything to do with pairings I was told. John Bogner has been there 17 seasons and attested that Wadkins has handled ridiculous things Saturday morning with no problems.

So, using track probably would've been a nightmare come whistle time.

If it's not broke, don't fix it. Griffith absolutely does not have an inviting place imo and Hobart is nice but still really can't get out of the bleachers and watch from anywhere or get out of the bleachers unless you go into cafeteria. Same issue, no concourse and cramped feeling . At LEAST keep the regional at Calumet if nothing else if the motive is about spreading the money around.

Combine experience, venue, lactation, tradition , and tenure, there is no better place than Calumet!

Not sure why the shake-up but it seems this will be the last foreseeable sectional and regional at Calumet.

Supposedly the ihssa has not given explanation other than its moving out .

Griffith

Danny Bedoy

The most excitement at Bankers Life I've ever witnessed. (Garcia's pin warmed things up). Also the largest crowd I've ever seen there. I've known both wrestlers and their dad's since we all started. Both parties have never been anything but respectful towards me, my son and family. Always encouraged us and willing to discuss technique, training or competition and willing to train or practice together.

The level continues to raised by outstanding individuals we see every year, especially these two.

I grew up a "hilljack" in Southern Indiana, and I wrestled in the EV SS. I have now lived in Chicago, not Northwest Indiana for 12 years. Please don't refer to yourself as someone from a big city to pretend you are more cosmopolitan than other people from Indiana. You don't live in Chicago, and you are just as big of a "hilljack" as everyone else from Indiana, myself included. People from the city look at you the same way you look at everyone else in Indiana, with detain. Simply because you live near Chicago doesn't make you better than any other Hoosier. Also, if you are going to use a Carl Sandberg quotation at least get it right.

Spoken like a "hilljack" (you said it) who moved to the city and doesn't (or ever has) lived in the Region. Thanks for filling me in!

Few other identifiable things about the Calumet Region.

If a party features bratwurst, pierogies, tamales, mostaccioli, ribs, greens, and a pinata.

If you know what the outer drive is

If you spend half the summer at the beach

If you can name all of the high schools that used to be in Gary

If you know where Michael Jackson's boyhood home is

If you understand the magnitude of pierogi fest

If you can drive from Bishop Noll, to Hammond High, to TF North, to Washington, and back to Noll without GPS

If you know why Ridge Road is called so

If you listened to wjob am radio this morning

http://jimdedelow.podbean.com/e/3026-ihsaa-state-finals-wrestling-preview-nwi-edition/?token=0d6f05fa9e394e0e4e47843298ddbe70

Ok. Spot a region guy:

10- Kid wrestled in more IKWF events than ISWA

9- Chooses to wear black leather coat (not bibs)

8- 3rd or 4th generation Latino American

7- wife could coach intricately from the 4 th row with out saying "get em" or "that's what I'm talking about"

6-Can order anything on a Mexican menu in Spanish

5-Has a full set of teeth (sometimes braces too) well into his 40s

4- Works in an industry where people sometimes lose their life

3-Can make a "run for the border" at halftime on Sunday and see the 3rd quarter start

2-May be driving the wrong way on a one way in downtown Indy

And the number one way to possibly identify a wrestling fan from the Region:

He may be an NCAA Champion or All American!

Sure EC coach Paul Chandler deserves big props too.

Showed a cool video before finals. Plenty of room for fans in the gym, and wrestlers to get comfy outside of the gym.

Atmosphere for finals at Merrillville was always outstanding but the event outgrew that venue a long time ago. Keeping 4 mats during semis was nice at EC. In time, I believe the presentation will improve for finals at EC. I know everyone wants to see good spotlights over centermats for the finals presentation, intros and matches. Maybe even pull out that bottom row of bleachers for finals.

Couple of tips for you out of towners...

 

Don't stop to ask for directions and don't come to a complete stop at red lights and stop signs!

Ya. Out of towners a little uncomfortable with the area, May want to take the 10-15 minute drive to Munster, Highland, or Griffith.

So you don't get out much? 

Not really, but when I do......

These are places I like

El Taco Real. 935 Hoffman st. Hammond

http://eltacorealrestaurant.com/

Casa Blanca . 4616 Indianapolis Blvd. East Chicago

El Ranchero. 3809 Main St. East Chicago.

Vallarta. 3825 Main. East Chicago

Cavalier Inn. 735 Gostlin. Hammond.

Authentic Polish and American fare

http://www.cavalierinn.net/

Big Frank's Authentic Polish

1417 Carroll st. East Chicago

http://www.bigfrankssausage.com/index.html

Johnels Family Restaurant. 4145 Calumet ave. Hammond

http://www.johnels.com/

Grillers. 1240 119th st. Whiting

http://www.grillersrestaurant.com/

Columbus drive gyros. 502 W Columbus Dr, East Chicago, IN 46312

Zels Roast beef. 1318 E. Columbus drive. East Chicago

http://m.zelsroastbeef.com/

Taquiera La Hacienda. 640 Gostlin. Hammond

Taquiera Los Comales. 4841 Indianapolis Blvd. East Chicago

https://www.google.com/search?redir_esc=&client=ms-android-att-aio-us&hl=en-US&safe=images&oe=utf-8&q=taquiera%20los%20comales%20east%20chicago&source=android-browser-type&qsubts=1455290825630&action=devloc

Plaza Garibaldi. 4302 Indianapolis Blvd. East Chicago

Lupitas. 533 west Columbus dv. East Chicago

https://m.facebook.com/pages/Lupitas-Restaurant/116115095084023

El Ranchero on main is a fav of mine. Haven't been in a while

Visitors to the East Chicago semi state who are not familiar with the area may be looking for a decent place to catch lunch nearby. There are some fast food places in the area, McDonald's south of school on Indianapolis blvd. I believe there are some good places to Google for sure. El Taco Real and Casa Blanca (Chicago ave & Indianapolis blvd)in East Chicago Come to mind for good Mexican food. The Cavalier Inn on Gostlin street is nearby in North Hammond off of Calumet has excellent Polish food. I'm sure our posters can easily contribute here to add their favorite establishments. Easily, I believe nearby Whiting has a wide variety of places available here in this link

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g37636-Whiting_Indiana.html

The Garbukov

3 previous champs and 2 runners up. Not too shabby

Lots of great memories at Merrillville and was run very well. Lake Central would be nearly identical as merrill lle. As much as we love ontherise announcing, East Chicago not only has the huge upper level seating, there is the concourse around the upper level that allows for plenty of breathing room that the other schools don't have. Personally, I would love to see it at calumet but parking would be the biggest issue and not sure coach Watkins would welcome the workload. East Chicago exemplifies the region and hopefully everyone can seat comfortably and there aren't any hangups or big unforseen issues. I would post a pic of east Chicago's gym if I knew how! Lol

Conference Tournaments?

Calumet Region: Geographic area encompassed by the ancient shorelines of lake Michigan stretching from Blue Island on the west as far south as Sauk trail and route 30 and as far east as Chesterton.

The Region: referral to the heavy industry area of northern lake county and south east Chicago(eastside) . Heavily populated areas of steel and refinery workers and all the subsidiaries. Hegwisch, Roxanna, Robertsdale,Marktown, East Side, Whiting, East Chicago, The Harbor, Hammond,Gary, Calumet City and a few more neighborhoods. If you were from anywhere South of 80/94 , the mentioned areas were often referred to as "up in the region" by our grandparents. Whom were all mostly from there inthe first place.

Da Region: since the communities to the south and further east have grown and developed together, the term has taken a broader area to include the immediate areas to the south as the Heights, Dyer, Schererville, St John. Along Ridge Road(ancient calumet shoreline 10,000 years ago) Thornton, Lansing, Munster, Highland, Griffith, Calumet, and another 10-15 miles east in Glen Park, Hobart, Lake Station, River Forest, Portage.

DaRegion Athletically: Primarily was the reference to the ihsaa schools included in Region 1.

Da Region Wrestling: any team included in the Duneland, Northwest Crossroads, Great Lakes, Greater South Shore, and Northwestern Conferences. (Greater south shore has a few teams from outside the area in n.Newton,wheeler, south central)

Porter county conference teams are often included but are mostly south of calumet region by several miles or more.