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Pete Koulianos and The Highland Trojans.

Highland is the story of two 30 year eras.

The first 30 years of Highland football, under Hall of Famers Zip Sypult and Dave Shelbourne, were highly successful.  Highland posted an overall 30 year mark of 169-133-5, and had several solid seasons hilited by conference titles during this period.  The Trojans went 8-2 in their second year of play in 1958, and had a stellar 9-1 season in 1971, losing only to rival Munster 10-6.  Coach Shelbournes teams won Lake Suburban titles in 78, 82 and 83, and his 1987 team, after starting the season 1-4, made it all the way to the Class 5A State Championship game, losing to Ben Davis 14-7.   

Highland football has been home to 3 Indiana High School Football Hall of Fame Coaches.  Brad Smith ran the program from 1996-2001, and had the highest winning percentage ever of any HHS head coach and captured 3 Lake Athletic Black Division titles during his tenure.

The Trojans have had a rough go of it over the past 30 years, outside of the Smith era.  Highland is 116

---203 over the past 30 seasons, and if you take out Smiths salty 39-26 record, HHS football is a moribund 77-177 over this time period.

What happened?

School enrollment declined from a high of around 2500 in 1980 to a low of 1100 over the past several years.  Griffith grew into a monster and devastated Highland for years.  Munster continued its dominance over the Trojans.  Highland entered into the NCC and is 0-17 lifetime vs Hobart.  

Finally, some light at the end of the tunnel over the past few seasons.

A stunning upset of Andrean a few years ago.  A few wins over a faltering Munster program.  Equilibrium with Kankakee Valley.  

Highland has not yet cleared the Lowell hurdle, which is huge.

Koulianos left a nice position at a growing Hanover Central to run a bigger program at Highland.  Coach K is 8-13 after two seasons.  No signature wins, unless you count two victories over the two worst Munster teams in school history.

The time is now for Highland and Coach K to step up and make a statement.

How about breaking the losing streaks to Lowell and Hobart?

How about another upset of Andrean?

How about we take out KV and Munster and turn those into routine annual victories?

How about a very first NCC Championship and a berth in the sectional title game?

How about it you Highland Trojans?  Its about time.

 

 

 

 

 

Coaches' Records

Coach Record
Kenny Sypult (1958-1975) 85-80-5
Dave Shelborne (1976-1988) 84-53
Rick Flutka (1989-1992) 11-26
Bob Hansen (1993-1995) 5-22
Brad Smith (1996-2001) 39-25
Steve Edwards (2002-2003) 8-12
Eric Miller (2004-2008) 14-40
Ken Bye (2009-2011) 4-26
Trent Grider (2012-2017) 27-39
Pete Koulianos (2018-present) 8-13
OVERALL 285-336-5

 

 

Edited by DT
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1 minute ago, Gipper said:

Should we care?  The way I see it, every school has something to prove, not just ones fallen from glory. 

Maybe you should take some time and author a new thread, something to generate some interesting conversation to liven things up around here.   What ya got?  Cant wait to see it?  Instead of always being a user and a consumer around here, you can for once be a provider.

It will make you feel good inside.

 

 

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8 minutes ago, DT said:

Maybe you should take some time and author a new thread, something to generate some interesting conversation to liven things up around here.   What ya got?  Cant wait to see it?  Instead of always being a user and a consumer around here, you can for once be a provider.

It will make you feel good inside.

 

 

Not that you're worth the reply, but I do that quite frequently, and one of the times I wrote something similar to your "Woe is us" piece of crap, you mocked me for it.

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2 hours ago, DT said:

Pete Koulianos and The Highland Trojans.

Highland is the story of two 30 year eras.

The first 30 years of Highland football, under Hall of Famers Zip Sypult and Dave Shelbourne, were highly successful.  Highland posted an overall 30 year mark of 169-133-5, and had several solid seasons hilited by conference titles during this period.  The Trojans went 8-2 in their second year of play in 1958, and had a stellar 9-1 season in 1971, losing only to rival Munster 10-6.  Coach Shelbournes teams won Lake Suburban titles in 78, 82 and 83, and his 1987 team, after starting the season 1-4, made it all the way to the Class 5A State Championship game, losing to Ben Davis 14-7.   

Highland football has been home to 3 Indiana High School Football Hall of Fame Coaches.  Brad Smith ran the program from 1996-2001, and had the highest winning percentage ever of any HHS head coach and captured 3 Lake Athletic Black Division titles during his tenure.

The Trojans have had a rough go of it over the past 30 years, outside of the Smith era.  Highland is 116

---203 over the past 30 seasons, and if you take out Smiths salty 39-26 record, HHS football is a moribund 77-177 over this time period.

What happened?

School enrollment declined from a high of around 2500 in 1980 to a low of 1100 over the past several years.  Griffith grew into a monster and devastated Highland for years.  Munster continued its dominance over the Trojans.  Highland entered into the NCC and is 0-17 lifetime vs Hobart.  

Finally, some light at the end of the tunnel over the past few seasons.

A stunning upset of Andrean a few years ago.  A few wins over a faltering Munster program.  Equilibrium with Kankakee Valley.  

Highland has not yet cleared the Lowell hurdle, which is huge.

Koulianos left a nice position at a growing Hanover Central to run a bigger program at Highland.  Coach K is 8-13 after two seasons.  No signature wins, unless you count two victories over the two worst Munster teams in school history.

The time is now for Highland and Coach K to step up and make a statement.

How about breaking the losing streaks to Lowell and Hobart?

How about another upset of Andrean?

How about we take out KV and Munster and turn those into routine annual victories?

How about a very first NCC Championship and a berth in the sectional title game?

How about it you Highland Trojans?  Its about time.

 

 

 

 

 

Coaches' Records

Coach Record
Kenny Sypult (1958-1975) 85-80-5
Dave Shelborne (1976-1988) 84-53
Rick Flutka (1989-1992) 11-26
Bob Hansen (1993-1995) 5-22
Brad Smith (1996-2001) 39-25
Steve Edwards (2002-2003) 8-12
Eric Miller (2004-2008) 14-40
Ken Bye (2009-2011) 4-26
Trent Grider (2012-2017) 27-39
Pete Koulianos (2018-present) 8-13
OVERALL 285-336-5

 

 

Didn't they have quite an over reaching school board at one point?

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52 minutes ago, DannEllenwood said:

Didn't they have quite an over reaching school board at one point?

I hear that a lot.  Frankly, its BS and an excuse.  Dave Shelbourne wanted a bigger stage for his uber ego and left for Warren Central after the 1988 season.  He was replaced by long time staffer and Highland graduate Rick Flutka.  Flutka was a complete disaster.  Brad Smith righted the ship in the mid 90s but its been a down hill roller coaster of bad coaches and poor football teams for two decades.  

Everytbody around Highland got bigger and better over the years while Highland shrank.

Yes, there has been a lot of dysfunction on the Highland Board, but all boards go thru that to some degree.  Its a great town with a great school and excellent facilities.  Highland might be the only school in Indiana with "3" Hall of Fame Head Coaches in its history.

The NCC is very tough, buts its where Highland belongs.  They do not belong playing 5A and 6A schools in The DAC, nor do they belong in the GSSC playing 1A and 2A schools.

I would like to see Hammond Central and Hammond Morton, two long time Highland playing partners, join the NCC.  THis would strengthen the conference competitive profile, improve scheduling and build on existing rivalries and partnerships.  

 

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1 hour ago, Gipper said:

Not that you're worth the reply, but I do that quite frequently, and one of the times I wrote something similar to your "Woe is us" piece of crap, you mocked me for it.

You're a numbers guy.  Not a creative bone in your body.  Continue to follow, while I lead the pack.  Its my pleasure.

We need followers in this world to provide ballast and take up space.  

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33 minutes ago, DT said:

Highland might be the only school in Indiana with "3" Hall of Fame Head Coaches in its history.

Merrillville has 4 : Dick Demaree, Ken Haupt, Frank O’Shea and Jeff Yelton

Hammond High 3: Karl Huffine, Bernie Krueger, George Hall

Hobart 3 : Russ Deal, The Don, Charlie Boston

I’m sure there are others.

Also, the Highland board ran off a ton of great admins, coaches and teachers in the early 2000s. Crazy Rick Volbrecht led the way on the board. Not BS. Why do you think Brad Smith left as the AD? Declining enrollment is a large factor, but after the 2003/2004 school board shenanigans, Trojan athletics really hit the dumps and has yet to fully recover.

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48 minutes ago, region said:

Also, the Highland board ran off a ton of great admins, coaches and teachers in the early 2000s. Crazy Rick Volbrecht led the way on the board. Not BS. Why do you think Brad Smith left as the AD? Declining enrollment is a large factor, but after the 2003/2004 school board shenanigans, Trojan athletics really hit the dumps and has yet to fully recover.

Dead on the money.

Also, Munster has 2 Hall of Famers- John Friend and Leroy Marsh - and since there have only been 3 coaches in program history, the Mustangs hold the distinction of having the highest percentage of head coaches in the HOF.

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Rensselaer had 3 HOF coaches on the same staff in the mid to late 1960s.  Bill Siderewicz, Head Coach, Chris Geesman of Penn fame as an assistant and Dale Hummer of Fountain Central and Dekalb fame as an assistant.  Then there was Joe Burvan who is in Wrestling HOF as an assistant and was head coach at one point with an undefeated team at Rensselaer.  That was a staff.

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2 hours ago, region said:

Merrillville has 4 : Dick Demaree, Ken Haupt, Frank O’Shea and Jeff Yelton

Hammond High 3: Karl Huffine, Bernie Krueger, George Hall

Hobart 3 : Russ Deal, The Don, Charlie Boston

I’m sure there are others.

Also, the Highland board ran off a ton of great admins, coaches and teachers in the early 2000s. Crazy Rick Volbrecht led the way on the board. Not BS. Why do you think Brad Smith left as the AD? Declining enrollment is a large factor, but after the 2003/2004 school board shenanigans, Trojan athletics really hit the dumps and has yet to fully recover.

Coach Smith has a history of moving around in his career.  I doubt that he was unable to navigate the Highland athletic waters.  He handled himself just fine at Crown Point.

2 hours ago, Bobref said:

Dead on the money.

Also, Munster has 2 Hall of Famers- John Friend and Leroy Marsh - and since there have only been 3 coaches in program history, the Mustangs hold the distinction of having the highest percentage of head coaches in the HOF.

How are the ex Munster Head Coaches handling their beloved Mustangs precipitous decline into football oblivion?

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5 hours ago, DT said:

I hear that a lot.  Frankly, its BS and an excuse.  Dave Shelbourne wanted a bigger stage for his uber ego and left for Warren Central after the 1988 season.  He was replaced by long time staffer and Highland graduate Rick Flutka.  Flutka was a complete disaster.  Brad Smith righted the ship in the mid 90s but its been a down hill roller coaster of bad coaches and poor football teams for two decades.  

Everytbody around Highland got bigger and better over the years while Highland shrank.

Yes, there has been a lot of dysfunction on the Highland Board, but all boards go thru that to some degree.  Its a great town with a great school and excellent facilities.  Highland might be the only school in Indiana with "3" Hall of Fame Head Coaches in its history.

The NCC is very tough, buts its where Highland belongs.  They do not belong playing 5A and 6A schools in The DAC, nor do they belong in the GSSC playing 1A and 2A schools.

I would like to see Hammond Central and Hammond Morton, two long time Highland playing partners, join the NCC.  THis would strengthen the conference competitive profile, improve scheduling and build on existing rivalries and partnerships.  

 

👍 

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4 hours ago, CoachSnyder said:

Rensselaer had 3 HOF coaches on the same staff in the mid to late 1960s.  Bill Siderewicz, Head Coach, Chris Geesman of Penn fame as an assistant and Dale Hummer of Fountain Central and Dekalb fame as an assistant.  Then there was Joe Burvan who is in Wrestling HOF as an assistant and was head coach at one point with an undefeated team at Rensselaer.  That was a staff.

4th HOF was around late 60's early 70s, Steve Brandenburg, who went into HOF 2 years ago. 

https://www.jconline.com/story/sports/high-school/2018/08/23/rensselaer-hall-fame-coach-honored-halftime/1074237002/

http://www.newsbug.info/rensselaer_republican/sports/brandenburg-overwhelmed-by-hall-of-fame-induction/article_6ac71863-0837-5a41-8658-2870c056489e.html

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West Lafayette has had three HOF coaches... Gordon Straley, Earnie Beck and Lane Custer (alas, while Coach Custer was the HC for a few years, he was just installed into the Track & Field HOF) 😉 

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44 minutes ago, nmsu_aggie said:

West Lafayette has had three HOF coaches... Gordon Straley, Earnie Beck and Lane Custer (alas, while Coach Custer was the HC for a few years, he was just installed into the Track & Field HOF) 😉 

I've always looked up to WLHS and actually went to kindergarten at Cumberland Elementary.  Then, for some inexplicable reason, my parents moved to Kentland.  I actually know why, but if you don't think I think about the "what ifs" you're sorely mistaken.

Edited by Gipper
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16 hours ago, CoachSnyder said:

Rensselaer had 3 HOF coaches on the same staff in the mid to late 1960s.  Bill Siderewicz, Head Coach, Chris Geesman of Penn fame as an assistant and Dale Hummer of Fountain Central and Dekalb fame as an assistant.  Then there was Joe Burvan who is in Wrestling HOF as an assistant and was head coach at one point with an undefeated team at Rensselaer.  That was a staff.

Probably about as good of staff as a program could have

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I'm not sure if anyone from Outside the Huddle ever checks this board out, but I have to say I have been impressed with their work.  The last two years in 4A (Evansville Central - Dwenger and Evansville Memorial - East Noble) I have checked out their site leading up to the state finals. 

They do a great job promoting and reporting NE Indiana football.  Kudos! 

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