N.I.C. - 2024

[ASJCPUMA]

So, the Elkhart Administration let go their football coach after just two seasons.  Guess, the program was not going in the direction they expected.

Also heard the NIC schedule will be begin on Week 3 through week 9

Not confirmed but was told in week three RIley plays Penn and in week 9 Marian,

[BLACKGOLD2007]

I am going to go out on a limb....

Riley, will not be as "good" as they were this year. Based on the post season result for Riley this year, either the NIC as a whole was bad or Riley just did not perform against Wawasee. 

Penn is a one loss team going into the playoffs. (If Penn keeps Carmel and drops Mishawaka).

NP finishes 2nd in the conference. 

Washington becomes the new Clay. 

 

[LPCounty65]

Any NP guys know who they might pick up week 2? Or are they sticking with Goshen?

[npcougar15]

I heard some interesting news last week from a very reliable source. Marian and CMA were both wanting to join the new NSC. The new conference turned them down because they didn't want any private schools. Not necessarily for football reasons but because they would dominate the other sports; tennis, golf, volleyball, soccer, etc. I'm not shocked Marian is looking for their exit strategy but it was interesting that CMA was looking for a conference home. 

 

This new NIC is destined to fail, it's going to be:

Penn: cake walk year in and year out unless another school has a generational type team that will challenge

New Prairie: Going to be near the top but hardly, if ever #1. tough out in 4A

Elkhart: On track to become Elkhart Central

St. Joe & Marian: Switching spots every other year 

Adams: Will get a new coach with new excitement but produce same results every 4 years.

Riley: Will look back with much fondness on their 8-2 2023 season

Washington: Clay 2.0

[Offintheyard]

51 minutes ago, npcougar15 said:

I heard some interesting news last week from a very reliable source. Marian and CMA were both wanting to join the new NSC. The new conference turned them down because they didn't want any private schools. Not necessarily for football reasons but because they would dominate the other sports; tennis, golf, volleyball, soccer, etc. I'm not shocked Marian is looking for their exit strategy but it was interesting that CMA was looking for a conference home. 

 

This new NIC is destined to fail, it's going to be:

Penn: cake walk year in and year out unless another school has a generational type team that will challenge

New Prairie: Going to be near the top but hardly, if ever #1. tough out in 4A

Elkhart: On track to become Elkhart Central

St. Joe & Marian: Switching spots every other year 

Adams: Will get a new coach with new excitement but produce same results every 4 years.

Riley: Will look back with much fondness on their 8-2 2023 season

Washington: Clay 2.0

CMA has been looking for a conference home for quite some time as it would help with scheduling. They would be a great fit in the new NSC but I understand the reasons behind the other school's reluctancy to add them. 

[ASJCPUMA]

If Penn were to opt out of NIC football, Culver as a full member would work.  Plus you can have odd numbers in the other sports.  

Just think a natural thing to do

Plus the way SB is head in 3 years there may be only 2 high schools

[PantherPride]

I could see the other schools okaying Culver just to salvage the conference. Otherwise I’m not sure they will want to make the trek all the way down to SW Marshall county. That’s probably an hour and 15 minutes from Elkhart. 

[npcougar15]

15 hours ago, ASJCPUMA said:

If Penn were to opt out of NIC football, Culver as a full member would work.  Plus you can have odd numbers in the other sports.  

Just think a natural thing to do

Really doesn't seem like a bad idea for Penn to go independent and CMA take their place. Unfortunately I have no idea why the Penn coaching staff is "into" winning the NIC. 9 times out of 10 they should be able to win it just by rolling out of bed. Not much of an accomplishment for the Kingsmen if you ask me. 

A conference of: New Prairie, Marian, St. Joe, CMA, Riley, Adams, Washington, Elkhart. Doesn't get me too excited but it is a hell of a lot better than with the Kingsmen there. And on any given year 3 or 4 teams are going into the season thinking they can win it; which makes it way more exciting. 

[BLACKGOLD2007]

Now to be fair... Penn is not the classic reload team anymore.  Either these past two seasons are the ship correcting course or a hiccup in the downward spiral of the program. 

2023: 10-2

2022: 7-3

2021: 6-6

2020: 5-5 lost in sectionals

2019: 6-5 lost in sectionals 

2018: 8-3 lost in sectionals

2017: 12-2 The last time Penn made state. 

 

If Penn gets back to competing for semi-state every year, then yes it will be cut and paste each year. I agree with @npcougar15 Penn needs to have a big picture conversation, administration, coaches and boosters. Penn should petition the NIC to leave in Football and remain in other sports. If that is not agreed upon, they should look for full membership in the DAC. 

If Penn leaves I would not be surprised if the NLC makes a move for at least Elkhart and potentially NP, Marian and St. Joe.

[npcougar15]

2 hours ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

2023: 10-2

2022: 7-3

2021: 6-6

2020: 5-5 lost in sectionals

2019: 6-5 lost in sectionals 

2018: 8-3 lost in sectionals

2017: 12-2 The last time Penn made state. 

2023: 5-0

2022: 5-0

2021: 4-1

2020: 3-2

2019: 4-1

2018: 4-1

2017: 5-0

 

30-5 during the worst period in program history. 2019-2021 New Prairie picked them off in close games, NP went 11-2 and 11-3 in both those seasons. 2018 was a legendary game vs. Mishawaka where the Cavemen came out on top in OT Cavemen sported a 12-2 record. And in by far you worse season for nearly 4 decades it took a 11-1 Marian team and 9-1 Elkhart squad to eeeek out a 1 and 4 point victories. So in 7 seasons Penn has lost a 5 games by a COMBINED 26 points. Take away the 7 point victory from Mishawaka because it went into OT it drops it down to 19 combined points in 5 losses at the end of the 4th quarter. Keep in mind those teams that beat Penn were a combined 54-9 and ALL were sectional champions with New Prairie (2021), Mishawaka, and Marian all just a couple plays away from playing at Lucas Oil. 

I guess the point I'm trying to make is during a period where Penn has fielded their worse teams it still takes nearly a state-finalist type team to knock off the Kingsmen by a couple points. Long term I have no idea what Penn gets out of being in the NIC. 

[BLACKGOLD2007]

Yes locally it took top tier teams to come out with the win. However, the program as a traditional 6A power has been in a downward trend. Getting throttled by the best teams and then coming home and struggling to beat schools thousands of kids smaller than you, is a very very very bad look. 

I get it took the mentioned schools best teams to beat some of Penn's worst teams. Don't take this wrong, it shouldn't happen. It did and that is what it is, but as a program that is deep with tradition, the fans do not stomach those defeats well. 

[WawaseeFan22]

On 11/16/2023 at 12:14 PM, npcougar15 said:

Really doesn't seem like a bad idea for Penn to go independent and CMA take their place. Unfortunately I have no idea why the Penn coaching staff is "into" winning the NIC. 9 times out of 10 they should be able to win it just by rolling out of bed. Not much of an accomplishment for the Kingsmen if you ask me. 

A conference of: New Prairie, Marian, St. Joe, CMA, Riley, Adams, Washington, Elkhart. Doesn't get me too excited but it is a hell of a lot better than with the Kingsmen there. And on any given year 3 or 4 teams are going into the season thinking they can win it; which makes it way more exciting. 

But you have to look at all the sports as a whole.  If they go independent that puts a huge strain on the Athletic Department for every sport, (not just football) which I am not sure they would do that.  Not saying its not possible (Center Groove) but they have a lot more options being closer to Indy.

[npcougar15]

5 hours ago, WawaseeFan22 said:

But you have to look at all the sports as a whole.  If they go independent that puts a huge strain on the Athletic Department for every sport, (not just football) which I am not sure they would do that.  Not saying its not possible (Center Groove) but they have a lot more options being closer to Indy.

Yeah I wasn't clear, that my fault. I'm advocating for Penn to go independent in football only. Going independent in everything would be too much on the athletic department. 

An independent Penn needs to happen if they want to get back to where they were as a program. Indy and the doughnut counties have leapfrogged them  and aren't looking back. Are there some northern schools Penn could schedule? Absolutely. Mishawaka, Valpo, Crown Point, Merrillville, Elkhart, Snider, Homestead, Carrol, Warsaw. But they need to be getting some Indy schools on that schedule. Cathedral, Center Grove, and Carmel are all independent with schedule flexibility. You have Roncalli & Chatard that play 3 conference games so they have some flexibility. And you have the MIC where each school plays 5 conference games. The schedule is there if they want it. 

 

 

 

[BLACKGOLD2007]

On 11/17/2023 at 7:20 PM, npcougar15 said:

Yeah I wasn't clear, that my fault. I'm advocating for Penn to go independent in football only. Going independent in everything would be too much on the athletic department. 

An independent Penn needs to happen if they want to get back to where they were as a program. Indy and the doughnut counties have leapfrogged them  and aren't looking back. Are there some northern schools Penn could schedule? Absolutely. Mishawaka, Valpo, Crown Point, Merrillville, Elkhart, Snider, Homestead, Carrol, Warsaw. But they need to be getting some Indy schools on that schedule. Cathedral, Center Grove, and Carmel are all independent with schedule flexibility. You have Roncalli & Chatard that play 3 conference games so they have some flexibility. And you have the MIC where each school plays 5 conference games. The schedule is there if they want it. 

 

 

 

Those teams help when it comes to adjusting to speed and physicality. 

I agree 100% with all of this. 

[PDB26]

On 11/22/2023 at 8:18 AM, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

Those teams help when it comes to adjusting to speed and physicality. 

I agree 100% with all of this. 

Looks like the Carmel series has been cancelled. 

https://pennant.phmschools.org/news/nic-changes-impact-penn-sports-schedules/

[BLACKGOLD2007]

42 minutes ago, PDB26 said:

Looks like the Carmel series has been cancelled. 

https://pennant.phmschools.org/news/nic-changes-impact-penn-sports-schedules/

And we will forever be a mediocre program in the eyes of 6A football.

IDC how down Carmel is, they are better measuring stick than Mishawaka. 

 

BOOOOOOOOO the NIC 7 game schedule. 

[waymobe]

FOOTBALL

The Kingsmen go from having five conference games in 2023 to having seven next season in 2024. Penn is dropping Hammond Morton and Cathedral from next year’s schedule, and canceling the Carmel series that was scheduled to start in 2025. Penn will be adding South Bend Riley and South Bend Washington to its schedule next season.

“We’re happy that we’re able to keep our rivalries with Valparaiso and Mishawaka weeks one and two, and we look forward to new challenges in the NIC,” Football Head Coach Cory Yeoman said.

 

This is why they need a whole new mindset in the football program from admin through the coaching staff, if they both agree on this kind of schedule annually. They will play only one 6A school (Elkhart) every year now unless they leave the NIC or drop those traditional rivals of 5A Mishawaka & Valpo, which do nothing to show them the play speed and player strength of the HCC, MIC, Carmel & CG. How sad....."new challenges"

[BLACKGOLD2007]

6 minutes ago, waymobe said:

which do nothing to show them the play speed and player strength of the HCC, MIC, Carmel & CG. How sad....."new challenges"

This is the dang truth. 

We could have kept Carmel and added someone and just sent the JV to play Washington and Riley.  Those schools made it very clear that they don't want to play us at all. Then insult them with not even sending our 1s to beat them. This program will go no where in the 6A tournament as long as this keeps up. Corey is a good man, but I think it is time he hangs it up or sees the truth, we cannot win at this level if we are not pushing ourselves and actually challenging ourselves. 

BARF.

Edited December 8, 2023 by BLACKGOLD2007

[PDB26]

2 hours ago, waymobe said:

This is why they need a whole new mindset in the football program from admin through the coaching staff, if they both agree on this kind of schedule annually. They will play only one 6A school (Elkhart) every year now unless they leave the NIC or drop those traditional rivals of 5A Mishawaka & Valpo, which do nothing to show them the play speed and player strength of the HCC, MIC, Carmel & CG. How sad....."new challenges"

I'm sure everything will be alright at the corner of Jefferson and Bittersweet as long as Dr. Thacker can get into a sectional championship picture every year. I'm probably about as big a homer for Cory as you can be, but, damn, this will be the worst schedule Penn has played in at least 20 years--possibly the worst since 1995.

2 hours ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

This is the dang truth. 

We could have kept Carmel and added someone and just sent the JV to play Washington and Riley.  Those schools made it very clear that they don't want to play us at all. Then insult them with not even sending our 1s to beat them. This program will go no where in the 6A tournament as long as this keeps up. Corey is a good man, but I think it is time he hangs it up or sees the truth, we cannot win at this level if we are not pushing ourselves and actually challenging ourselves. 

BARF.everything will be alright at the corner of Jefferson and Bittersweet.

It's like, sure it's fun to beat on Mishawaka, and I guess it's useful to face their offense with Warsaw, possibly, lurking in the sectional, but what in the hell are we even doing out here? This has to be the worst schedule any 6A team will play this year and moving forward. At least Elkhart has Penn on their schedule.

[BLACKGOLD2007]

14 minutes ago, PDB26 said:

I'm sure everything will be alright at the corner of Jefferson and Bittersweet as long as Dr. Thacker can get into a sectional championship picture every year. I'm probably about as big a homer for Cory as you can be, but, damn, this will be the worst schedule Penn has played in at least 20 years--possibly the worst since 1995.

It's like, sure it's fun to beat on Mishawaka, and I guess it's useful to face their offense with Warsaw, possibly, lurking in the sectional, but what in the hell are we even doing out here? This has to be the worst schedule any 6A team will play this year and moving forward. At least Elkhart has Penn on their schedule.

I mean, at this point why are we even considering playing this schedule. Cory is good man, but he needs to do what is best for his team. Playing Adams, Washington and Riley does 0 for your team. 

But, we would rather win an NIC title and maybe a sectional title....if we can even get through Carroll. Unless we have one of those teams that transcends how bad our schedule is, we wont be seeing Regional or semi-state any time soon. The lack of competition we will be facing with those three teams on the schedule is a joke. 

 

[PDB26]

4 minutes ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

I mean, at this point why are we even considering playing this schedule. Cory is good man, but he needs to do what is best for his team. Playing Adams, Washington and Riley does 0 for your team. 

But, we would rather win an NIC title and maybe a sectional title....if we can even get through Carroll. Unless we have one of those teams that transcends how bad our schedule is, we wont be seeing Regional or semi-state any time soon. The lack of competition we will be facing with those three teams on the schedule is a joke. 

There is no way to make sense of this schedule or rationalize any value in playing it. I've always defended Cory, but this schedule is so bad for the program.

[npcougar15]

What a colossal waste of time, energy, and effort for Penn to play their schedule. Nobody gets anything out of Washington, Riley, Adams, St. Joe, Marian vs. Penn. Nobody. And with NP probably taking a step back this upcoming season, you might be able to add them to list. 

How did Yeoman say this with a straight face?:

“we look forward to new challenges in the NIC,” Football Head Coach Cory Yeoman said.

 

[BLACKGOLD2007]

10 hours ago, npcougar15 said:

What a colossal waste of time, energy, and effort for Penn to play their schedule. Nobody gets anything out of Washington, Riley, Adams, St. Joe, Marian vs. Penn. Nobody. And with NP probably taking a step back this upcoming season, you might be able to add them to list. 

How did Yeoman say this with a straight face?:

“we look forward to new challenges in the NIC,” Football Head Coach Cory Yeoman said.

 

I hear you about all these teams being on the schedule for Penn, But, Penn does need to play teams where they can get backups playing time.  Not saying that is the case with NP, because for the most part Penn has not played NP well over the years. 

I am so furious that the AD went along with this garbage. Penn fans should just not show up to these games, listen on the radio, watch on RRSN, but don't give these schools the gate. If I had a slew of papers I would throw them into the air. 

[PDB26]

4 hours ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

I hear you about all these teams being on the schedule for Penn, But, Penn does need to play teams where they can get backups playing time.  Not saying that is the case with NP, because for the most part Penn has not played NP well over the years.

I'm not sure there's even that much value in more than one "Marian" type of game on the schedule for a 6A team since the implementation of the running clock--unless you challenge yourself to keep it a four score game throughout.

[BLACKGOLD2007]

16 minutes ago, PDB26 said:

I'm not sure there's even that much value in more than one "Marian" type of game on the schedule for a 6A team since the implementation of the running clock--unless you challenge yourself to keep it a four score game throughout.

I understand that having a 3A school that you roll over is not helpful, but play a team like Morton or Portage that is the same thing. Just a bigger classification of school. You need to play games in which your back ups will see playing time against Varsity level players. Also, gives you an opportunity to rest and recover. It cannot be a murderer's row, where your team will be dinged up going into the playoffs.  Keeping a local "rival" on the schedule does more for the community than, an outside pushover. Marian and St. Joe benefit from us coming in to their place. 

But, I admit, I am arguing out both sides of my mouth, complain about the softness of the schedule and then advocate for having softer teams on the schedule to give your team a blow.