CENTRAL FORCE
Veteran presence Begley says it’s ‘like I’m Obi-Wan’ toward young Crown Point defense
Senior inside linebacker Liam Begley drew from “Star Wars” to describe his relationship with some of his younger teammates on Crown Point’s defense.
“I feel like I’m Obi-Wan Kenobi teaching Anakin,” he said. “I was in the other position before, and it’s fun when you’re the one who knows a lot more and can share your knowledge.”
Crown Point’s starting offense already consisted of underclassmen
except for two seniors. The Bulldogs have embarked on a similar “youth movement” on defense, according to coach Craig Buzea.
Three sophomores each earned his first start against LaPorte last week, increasing Crown Point’s total to five in that class on the defense’s first unit. The Bulldogs responded by posting their first shutout of the season, winning 40-0.
The 6-foot, 220-pound Begley remains a central figure.
“He’s one of the few seniors we have that are still on the defense,”
Buzea said. “We had a senior-laden group to start the year, and we took a deep look at it. He’s looked up to a little bit more by some of these guys, being the leader and setting the example of how it’s done.
“That’s not to say the other seniors aren’t getting some time. But they certainly have to compete with the young guys. It’s made us better as a defense. We can win now, and it looks positive down the road. The offense is starting to come around, and we need that defense to jell and do some good things. Last week was a good step, and hopefully they can continue to play well this week.”
Crown Point (4-3, 3-2) has progressed under Buzea, a veteran coach in his first season with the team. The Bulldogs will be seeking a breakthrough win against an upper-tier Duneland Athletic Conference team when they play Friday night at Chesterton (6-1, 4-1), which is ranked No. 8 in the Class 6A state coaches poll and No. 10 in the poll by Associated Press.
“There’s always room for
improvement,” Begley said. “We’re not where we need to be yet. We need to get there. We will.”
Begley, in his second season as a starter, has a team-high 30.5 tackles this season. He’s faster and stronger than he was before, and he has sharpened his study skills.
“I watch a lot of film,” Begley said. “That’s why I have the ability to play how I play — play hard, play physical. It’s not a secret — a lot of film watching.”
Begley said he respects the new coaching staff but has taken the same approach regardless of who’s in charge.
“It hasn’t changed me,” he said. “I still play hard. I still play physical. I still do what I can do to win. That’s about it.”
Begley also throws the shot put for Crown Point’s track and field team. The football coaches have encouraged him to wrestle again, which he hasn’t done since middle school.
“They inspired me,” Begley said. “They told me to play as much sports as you can.”
Begley hopes to continue playing football in college, where he plans to study marketing.
“He’s one of the few guys we had coming back from last year who had substantial playing time,” Buzea said. “He’s a very, very solid player. He doesn’t make mistakes.
“I wish he was a little more vocal, but it’s not his style. But he just leads by example. He’s one of those guys you try to build your program on because he’s just a solid kid in all aspects of life — in the classroom, off the field, on the field.”