Linton "with" North Vermillion, again
When it was announced this past spring Linton-Stockton and North Vermillion would meet of the field again - this time at Lucas Oil Stadium - Jim Gordillo of the Bloomington Herald-Times tweeted, "This is turning into quite the little rivalry, isn't it?"
But it's not your typical rivalry.
It isn't a bitter rivalry where there's no love lost between the two schools.
These programs have the utmost respect for each other, on and off the gridiron.
"This is not a backyard brawl like it is with Linton and Sullivan. It's not like that at all," Linton-Stockton Athletic Director Charlie Karazsia said.
"But it's two programs that are top 10 ranked teams in the state. It's programs that - you want to beat them - but once it's over it's like the best team won.
"And that's what you want. You want competition."
Miners coach Brian Oliver added, ""It's not one of those big rivalries like a Linton-Sullivan game. But we know the game's always going to be a really good battle. Both of us have really good players and coaching staffs. So we always know we've got to bring our "A" game when we play them."
The on-field rivalry seemingly began when these two perennial contenders met in the 2014 regional at North Vermillion.
The Falcons won that game of course, 31-8 and went on to win the Class A State Championship.
But its roots go much deeper.
Oliver and North Vermillion field boss Brian Crabtree have a relationship dating to their high school playing days some 20 years ago.
Oliver quarterbacked the Miners and Crabtree played for the North Daviess Cougars.
"I've always respected Coach Crabtree from back in the days when I always played against him when he played for North Daviess," the Miner coach said.
"He's a really good guy. He's got a great staff. I've been around all of those guys."
And the mutual respect between these two football teams and their respective coaches grew in the aftermath of that 2014 regional.
Oliver brought his Linton-Stockton team to Braeden Hollowell's memorial service several weeks later in the North Vermillion gym despite the two-hour drive in a snowstorm.
Hollowell of course is the young man who tragically lost his life January 2, 2015 in a truck accident involving his teammate and friend Ethan Lee and their girlfriends, sisters from Cowan, near Muncie.
"First class," North Vermillion athletic director Marty Brown (Braeden's stepfather) said of the gesture by coach Oliver and the Miner players.
The accident had an effect on the Linton-Stockton team so last September some of the players came up with the idea to sell T-shirts to support the Braeden Hollowell Scholarship fund.
The T-shirts read "Linton With North Vermillion" with Hollowell's number 47 on the front.
"You look back then and whenever a team like that beats us and then goes on to win state they obviously earned our respect," Oliver explained.
"Just being able to go up there and show our respect and support - that was huge.
"And I think right then and there our programs developed a lot of respect for each other."
Karazsia has witnessed the mutual respect firsthand.
"Brian Crabtree and Brian Oliver are very very good friends," the Linton AD said.
"And I saw that this summer at the Wabash Valley Football Coaches Association All-Star Game."
Oliver was head coach for the Gold All-Star squad and Crabtree was offensive coordinator.
"I saw how well they worked together and how much they respect each other."
And the All-Star experience spawned another lasting Linton-North Vermillion connection.
Miner All-State lineman Dylan Morris and Falcon stalwart running back Jacob Earl first became acquainted at the WVFCA All-Star Classic. And both were selected to play for the South All-Stars three weeks later in the annual North-South All-Star Game at Indianapolis North Central.
"I first really got to talk to Jacob at the Wabash Valley All-Star Game," Morris recalled.
"And our friendship just became closer when we had to spend a whole week with each other at the North-South All-Star Game."
Morris plans to stay in contact with Earl and follow his former rival's continuing football career.
"I would really like to keep in touch with him and see how his career goes," the former Miner standout said. "I know he's going to be one of the best running backs St. Francis (Fort Wayne) has ever seen.
He is an awesome kid coming from an amazing program.
"As far as North Vermillion is concerned they are all awesome guys with great coaches. So it wasn't hard to become friends with Jacob."
And it will be Linton "with" North Vermillion again Saturday - this time on the field turf at Lucas Oil Stadium.
"It's a little different aspect when we play them," Oliver said. "And I don't see it being any different when we play them at Lucas Oil Stadium.
"We're on a bigger stage. But when it comes down to it there's a lot of respect between the two programs."
- -- Posted by marshmallow on Fri, Nov 4, 2016, at 12:07 PM
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