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Logansport no allowance even though three participating schools have been out since Wednesday.

I just heard from a coach that will be wrestling in the Logansport Regional that the IHSAA has denied any pound allownces due to the bad weather over the past three days for this site. The explanation goes somthing like this: Even though some of the schools at this site have been out of school for the past 3 days, since Wednesday (Cass, Delphi, and at least one other), to include yet today (Friday), they do not qualify for any additional pound(s) because there was an opportunity for them to practise in a so called "optional practise". The IHSAA has defined an "optional practise" as a practise where the coach or other staff member could get to the school, normally due to living in that community and not in the country and they called their wrestlers to tell them "if you can make it in, I will be here". When at least one wrestler was able to get to the practise then they had an "optional practise"! As most of the folks know in these rural areas, there was no way with all the snow, sleet, ice and high winds that the majority of the kids on any of these teams could make it in. Most of them could not even get out of their driveways/lanes! But then on the other hand at some of the Indy school sites the IHSAA has allowed the 2 lb allowance for school being closed for two days. Doesn't seem like a just decision to me. JMO

Heard today that the Superintendent got involved and they are back in per his decision. Seems he wa sunaware of all the rucas. Also, if snowed out tomorrow night, it moves to Thursday night with Monday night as an alternate day.

I normally don't post much on the site anymore but I do like to read about my favorite sport. I have officiated I believe every team in this Sectional and nearly all of them more than once. I have been officiating for 40 years and I must say, this year's Twin Lakes Sectional will be a terrific one to watch. When you all post about why this wrestler didn't get this seed or that seed, as one who has run this seeding meeting many times in the past ( but not this year's) there are seeding rules set forth by the IHSAA which in nearly every case mandates who goes where. First criteria is head to head wins, then wins against common opponents, then defending champions in that weight class, at lastly, the big kicker is winning percentage with more than 10 matches. The first three are a given, but that winning percentage can make things look different then they really are. Logansport's Team, does wrestle one MWC team during the year and then maybe some head to heads at the Twin Lakes Invite and that's it. And since they do wrestler in a tougher conference they seldom have a kid come in with a 40-1, 39-2 record and more than likely no undefeated kids. They then usually get second and third seeds based upon winning percentage alone and of course some Number 1 seeds as well. There are several great wrestlers this year in a lot of weight classes and in this sport, on any given day, anything can and will happen. Pioneer, NW, WC, Caston, TL, all have some outstanding kids in different weight classes and there will be upsets for sure. In my humble opinion I have seen the Logansport Team get better and better as the season progresses. As a former Logans Wrestler I can say without a doubt that the Patacsil way is drill and prepare for the Conference and the tournament series. Anything prior to that, really doesn't matter. I give them the edge on the Team title, they have some real tough kids that wrestle real hard for 6 minutes. But given the studs at Pioneer's 5 weight classes, NW great kids and all the others great wrestlers mingled throughout the area, someone is going to have their day that is least expected. And that sports fans, is what we all go to see. As someone has said somewhere else in these post, it will be the 3rd and 4ths that make the difference in the team title and Igive that edge to Logansport. Good luck to all teams.

Braden & Family; You all have been a great family to know. Watching this pudgy little guy grow up to be the class act that he is a real tribute to all the Atwoods. I will always remember the two matches I had with you and Tipton's Moat during your conference tournaments, man what battles those were. Nive to have you Boiler country for another four years. Good luck to all the Atwoods in the future. Tom LaDow

Iwin99 from Whiteland had the same thing happen to his heavyweight at his Semi-State match. His wrestler was behind by one point and was on top trying to turn the bottom wrestler when the official stopped the match to award his wrestler 1 point becasue of stalling on the bottom man. This tied the match up. Unfortunatley, the official then stopped the match to award the point then restarted them down on the mat in referees position and the bottom wrestler escaped for the win in the final 8 seconds. This situation was originally posted in the "ask the officals" section , all the replies to Iwin99 had been deleted. Then after the two incidents this weekend, it seems as if there is a bit of problem in officials recognizing when to and when not to stop the match in stalling situations. When this brain fart happens as an official, sometimes you get lucky and it doesn't effect the outcome of the match, and other times, it can cost a wrestler It was in the 2005-06 Rule Book where the rule was changed as pointed out in above post that you do not stop the match to warn or penalize once wrestlers are on their feet. From what I observed this weekend, this rule was called correctly each time I saw that situation arise.

This story comes to me by way of former Logansport High School Coach Joe Patacsil who was also my early mentor 40 years ago when I first started officiating. As the story goes, back in the late 1950's, Logansport was wrestling Laf. Jeff at Jeff HS and the heavyweights were wrestling. The official was Mr. John Tatum from Wabash. John is the official that gave out Silver Dollars to the winner of the pre meet coin toss. Many of us so called old timers have these coins to this day from the years he officiated. Anyway, these two heavyweights were trying to secure a takedown and continually went out of bounds time after time with no takedown. According to Joe P., after about6 or 7 takedown attempts that ended out of bounds, John called both wrestlers to the edge of the mat along with both coaches and told them " I don't care if we have to wrestle out in the hallway, we're not stopping until there is a takedown, you all got that?". Not sure how the stroy ends, but something tells me there was a takedown soon afterwards. Tom LaDow Logansport

I saw some very dominating performances today. Don't have all the details but Lynde, Atwood, Bell, Vlahos all looked really good all day long with ass kicking matches, Preston from Logansport took a short nap in finals but woke up late and pinned his guy in finals.

I have a conflict with the dates of this years NCAA Finals in St. Louis. I have two pair of great tickets with the "Big Jopn Group" that I need to sell. I will sell for face value but I am not sure what that is, somewhere arounf $150 each I believe. These are full session tickets for all three days with a great group of coaches, officials and fans. I also have a room reserved at the Crown Plaza for Thur & Fri nights if you want to have that transfered to your name as well. I you care to buy them, please contact me at tcladow@comcast.net and we an arrange details. Big John Schattner has not mailed out the tickets yet, but we should receive them any day. Dates this year are March 19-20 and 21. Tom LaDow Logansport

I have been an official since 1971 and over the course of the past 38 years, have seen coaches with every coaching style known to man. Many of the so called "bully " coaches use to really get under my skin with their mat side antics. It took nearly 20 years to harden myself to these guys, it is not easy for a new official, an experienced official or even a younger veteran to do. Then there are those coaches that are a pleasure to work for, even when things don't go their way they are professional and really have the fair but firm demeanor about them even in times of disagreement. After finishing my last rotation at the State Tournament in 2005, I decided to continue to officiate but forego the State Tournament series and let others have the opportunity to move up. It was a great decision and one I have never regretted since. I still work a full dual meet and Saturday Tournament schedule all season long. Two of the past three seasons, the IHSAA has asked me to work a Sectional due to the fact that they were short officials. Knowing that I am not going to advance past the Sectional, I can say without a doubt, that the tournament has been more fun and enjoyable to work. My ratings continue to stay well towards the top 20 each year. But the presuure of not trying to please every coach in every circumstance has given me a whole new perspective on officiating. I think each official must ask themselves on the way home from a Sectional/Regional/SemiState/State all day meet, " Did I having fun?" " Do I enjoy what I am doing? and "Did I have control of my matches?". If the answer is No, then look closely at your schedule and your decision to continue to officiate. If the answer is Yes, then stay with it as long as you enjoy it. Coaches , both good ones, great ones and poor ones, have an uncanny ability to know who and who they cannot manipulate. As an official, where do you feel you fit in? To all those old timers, 25 years and more of officaiting, "God Bless You and the job you do". Without you in the stripes, the IHSAA would be 25-30 officials short each year, not just 5. Yours in Sport; Tom LaDow Logansport, IN