Tippy

When the cluster system went in effect in 1983, the state's 319 football teams were divided by enrollment into 4 classes. The 4 classes were based on male enrollment in grades 10-12. The 80 largest schools, all of which were Class AAA in 1982 were now AAAA. The next 79, more than 50 of which were Class AA in 1982 were now AAA. The next 80 schools, consisting mainly of former Class A and AA teams but also with a number of parochial schools that were AAA, were in the new Class AA. The 80 with the smallest enrollment-including one former AAA team, Mishawaka Marian, and one AA team, Lafayette Central Catholic- were in the new Class A. It looks like LCC was in Class 2A in 1981 and 1982. LCC didn't make the playoffs during those years, so it didn't make that much difference.

The biggest inequity before 1983 was that an unbeaten team could miss the playoffs because of the format for selecting district champions. It was based on a point system with more points awarded for beating schools in higher enrollment classes. Under the Cluster System, each school was required to play every school in its cluster- and only those games would count toward qualifying for the playoffs. Thus if a team beat every opponent in its cluster, it automatically got into the playoffs. You could go 4-6 and still get in the playoffs. LCC didn't have to worry about the Cluster System because they didn't beat anybody in 1983 and 1984.

No, they only used the cluster system in 1983 and 1984. Most people didn't know that LCC was very close to being moved up a class in 1980.

LCC was readmitted to the Hoosier conference in 1980 after a 4-year stint as an independent. One of the criteria the conference set for LCC being readmitted to the conference was that it change its football status from Class A to Class AA. LCC applied to the IHSAA for the change in status, but it was learned early in October 1980 that LCC was still on record as being a Class A School. The IHSAA allowed a status change only in odd-numbered years, thus LCC's opponents in 1980 received 1 playoff point for a victory over the Knights instead of 2 had the Knights been a Class AA school. It was the Conference's opinion that LCC made a legitimate mistake, and they understood.

The Sectional Championship game of November 5, 1993 at LCC. The Knights are playing North Miami. LCC it up 20-0 at the half and everything looks good. North Miami returned an LCC fumble 45 yards for a td in the 3rd to make the score 20-14. LCC had the ball at the NM 16 yard line with 2:59 left, but did not score. North Miami won the game 22-20, and went on to win the 1A State Championship 37-16 over West Washington. LCC was left thinking about what might have been. LCC 0-20-0-0 NM 0-0-14-8

Central Catholic Broke the Law on Friday November 3, 1989. The Knights shutdown Brett Law (Indiana's leading rusher) and beat Sheridan for the Sectional Championship 17-7. LCC's first sectional Championship since 1976. Sheridan was ranked #1 in Class A at the time. LCC went 4-4 during the regular season. LCC 0-10-7-0 Sheridan 7-0-0-0 Sheridan scored on their first possession of the game. LCC blocked a punt with 4:39 left in the first half and Scott Ebershoff picked the ball up and scored to tie the game at 7. Knights QB Craig Ebershoff was taken to the hospital with a shoulder injury in the 3rd Q and Ed Bogan took over for the rest of the game.

LCC Football Captains for the 1971 Football Season! Rob Reuzenaar Mark Stodgell Chico Hatke Mitch Clayton rushed for 2473 yards and scored 49 td's to help LCC win state in 1999. Eric Anthrop was the QB on that 1999 team. Central Catholic dropped out of the Hoosier Conference after the 1975 season, and rejoined the Hoosier in 1980. The Knights severed ties with the conference due to the fact the other schools were all Class AA in football and wanted the Knights to declare as Class AA

I know one public school that has a homogenous student population

They might win 5 years from now, so to be on the safe side, they will have to move up. 🙂

Should South Bend St. Joseph's, Mishawaka Marian, Hammond Bishop Noll, and Indy Ritter have to do that? Those teams were good at one time, but they don't win many football games anymore.

Central Catholic football talk in September 1989! Rick George became the head Coach at LCC in 1989. LaRocca retired after the 1976 season, and 6 men have coached the Knights since. LCC's varsity football record from 1980 through 1988 was 32-60. The talk included questions like, Yes, LCC is good this year, but will they have enough numbers to field a team in 1990? The 1989 roster had 28 players of which 10 were Seniors. There were 4 juniors, 6 sophomores and 8 freshmen on the 89 team. One of the freshmen was 5 foot 4 and 140 pounds. There were six 8th graders playing junior high football in 1989, there was no freshman team at LCC, and the JV had a 5 game schedule. The 7th and 8th graders combined on one team. Athletic director Dave Worland said LCC had 19 7th graders playing football and that its Little Gridiron program for 5th and 6th graders soon would make it possible for the Knights to field a 7th grade team, an 8th grade team, a freshman team and a JV team.

Tim Brewster was Head Coach at LCC for the 1987 and 1988 football seasons. I thought he did a good job of getting the LCC football program back on the right track. 6 of those 11 losses were to West Lafayette, McCutcheon and Harrison. I wonder if what happened at Seeger in 1988 was one of the reasons he left LCC? LCC 1987 Football Season Friday Aug. 28, at LCC LCC 33 0-13-7-13 Benton Central 7 0-7-0-0 Friday September 4, at West Lafayette West Lafayette 31 13-0-15-3 LCC 13 0-0-13-0 Friday September 11, at LCC McCutcheon 20 7-0-6-7 LCC 19 7-12-0-0 Friday September 18, at Twin Lakes LCC 28 8-8-0-12 Twin Lakes 27 7-8-6-6 Friday September 25, at LCC LCC 50 14-20 -8-8 Seeger 26 8-0-12-6 Friday October 2, at Delphi LCC 18 0-12-6-0 Delphi 14 0-14-0-0 Friday October 9, at Riverton Parke LCC 58 12-30-16-0 Riverton Parke 0 0-0-0-0 Friday October 16, at LCC LCC 8 8-0-0-0 Harrison (wL) 34 0-14-13-7 Friday October 23, at Caston (Sectional) LCC 44 14-18-0-12 Caston 14 0-0-7-7 Friday October 30, at LCC (Sectional) LCC 44 16-14-0-14 Tri-County 22 0-8-8-6 Friday November 6, at LCC (Sectional Final) LCC 0 0-0-0-0 Frontier 42 7-13-15-7 (Frontier was 10-0 when they played LCC)

Central Catholic in 1983! Some members of the 83 team Steve Hannon QB Tige Smith Mike Dimmitt Jeff Garrity Doug Elming Jeff Brose Paul Hunckler Andy Dudzinski (now Fr. Dudzinski-Pastor at St. Lawrence Church) Jim Riehle Lee Bruce Sean Reidy Paul Sullivan Jeff Fassnacht Tony Pounds Darren Hicks Head Coach -Dennis Metzger (Had never been a head high school football coach before) Assistant Coaches - Jim Croussore, Pete Weiand In 1983 LCC had 290 students at the school. In 1982 LCC was the 9th smallest football-playing high school in Indiana. They were using the Cluster System in 1983. LCC was in Cluster 56 with Attica, Clinton Prairie and Seeger. In 1983 LCC went 0-10

The South Bend Snow Debacle of 1962! The 1962 Football Season was going great for LCC, they were 7-1, their only loss 6-0 to Lebanon. On Thursday October 25 LCC went up to South Bend to play SB St. Joseph. SB St. Joe was ranked number 3 in the state in some polls. The game was played on a muddy field. They had cleared 4 inches of snow from the field. Most of the game was played in a light snowstorm driven before a strong wind. LCC had 7 turnovers in the game. The LCC QB threw 5 interceptions. LCC only had 31 yards rushing and 18 yards passing in the game. SB St. Joe had 233 yards rushing and 233 yards passing. SB St. Joe won the game 45-0. It must have been a long trip back to Lafayette. LCC 0-0-0-0 St. Joe 12-20-0-13

This is one of Muda's favorite LCC football games. LCC played Klondike on October 11, 1960. LCC won the game 71-0 at West Lafayette's Leslie field. LCC 19-21-13-18 Klon 0-0-0-0 Klondike was playing its first full season of 11 man football.

No, Lafayette never did, but I think Bloomington had something like that. Lafayette Jeff played Bloomington University in the 1960's.

The big WL/LCC fight of 1960! On October 21, 1960, Gordon Straley's WL team played Paul LaRocca's LCC's team. LCC was 6-2 before the WL game. LCC led 14-6 at the half. Early in the 4th, WL's Hadley missed a 30 yard FG, but the ref said LCC was offsides on the play. Hadley got a 2nd chance and made the 25 yard FG. WL was up 16-14 at that point, and went on to win the game 23-21. LCC 7-7-0-7 WL 6-0-7-10 The game, 2nd in history between the schools, ended on a sour note with rival players trading punches at the finish.

Central Catholic's 2nd game in school history didn't go very well. LCC played the Klondike Nuggets on Tuesday September 23, 1958 at Lafayette Jeff field. LCC was butcher-ed by the power running of Klondike's Gordon Butcher and beat LCC 30-0. LCC 0-0-0-0 Klon 6-6-12-6 This was Klondike's 2nd 11 man football game of the season. Klondike had also won two 6 man football games to make them 4-0. A school consolidation project merged Klondike, Battle Ground, and East Tipp High schools to establish Harrison (WL) High school in 1970.

I didn't say there was no youth program before 85. Foxbat said the development of the youth program started after 1983.

Lafayette Central Catholic started playing football in 1958. Their first game in school history was Monday September 15, 1958. They were playing the Indy Scecina B team at Scecina. John Jardine was the coach at LCC. Offensive starters for LCC were Paul Sanders, Walt Anthrop, Reno Rizzo, Ed Hickner, Joe Metzinger, Ron Edmundson, Dave Klinker, Jack Hubertz, Jim Lamb, Tom Moser, and Dick Isbell. Danny Metzinger, Danny McGuire, Ken Ross and Jim Courter were starters on defense. LCC won the game 12-11. LCC 6-0-6-0 Scecina 0-2-7-2 Nobody should be surprised that an Anthrop scored the first td for LCC. Tom Moser threw a long pass to Walt Anthrop for the very first td in school history.

Thank You!

Complete 1961 LCC Football Roster Jim Lamb Norm Sanders Henry Ebershoff Ken Morrison Mike Croussore Mike Rausch Dick Edmundson Mike Fleming Bernie Conrad Mike Henning Ken McDowell Dominic Oliverio Lou Hatke Jim Metzinger Pete Halsmer Pat Finley Bernie Hickner Tim Statton Dave Manley Jim Halsema Jerry Rund Jim Croussore Mike Hansberger Tom Scanlon Tom Peters Steve Harris Tom Thomes Bob Castor Dave Cain Phil Rothrock Jim Rothrock Ed Enochs Pat Noonan All 33 of them were under 200 pounds. The tallest player was 6 foot 1

Seniors on the 1959 LCC Football team! Jack Morrison Paul Sanders Dan McGuire Ron Edmundson Don Rowland Jack Hubertz There was a Moser, Anthrop, Metzinger, Schrader, Mugg, and Conrad on that 1959 team. There was an Anthrop and a Schrader on many LCC football teams.

Some people on here won't be happy until all the P/P's do go 0-10. Do you think Hammond Noll should be moved up?

Move them all up a class? Should Hammond Noll be moved up? If the P/P's all went 0-10 every year in football, I'm sure you would think the system was just fine.