Whiting decides to reinstate football
The Oilers plan to play first game Oct. 9, but opponent hasn’t been determined.
Whiting coach Brett Jennings had packed away all the football equipment.
The helmets, the pads, the balls — anything football-related — was put in storage for the 2021 season.
Early last week, however, the landscape for schools that had canceled football for the season or suspended it indefinitely changed when Calumet announced it was returning. Then Hammond made an announcement.
The Oilers waited until just before what would’ve been game time Friday night to announce they are resuming football and other fall sports too.
The schools had stopped playing because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, Lowell, whose game against Hobart on Friday was canceled after a player tested positive for COVID-19, plans to play at home against Kankakee Valley on Friday, according to Lowell athletic director Patti McCormack.
The Whiting development came during a board meeting that started at 5 p.m. Friday. Jennings said it was a tense few minutes when the vote came up because one of the five board members had voted against returning and another one abstained. The last vote was in favor of returning.
It was the first bit of good news for the Oilers since the summer.
“We’re just relieved,” Jennings said. Whiting quarterback Tony Madrueno, who attended the meeting, is happy to get back on the field.
“I’m very excited,” he said. “It’s been rough watching everyone else play, hoping we can get out there.”
Jennings said he thought when Hammond and Calumet returned, it was possible Whiting would too.
The board meeting was called to implement a hybrid learning plan for the school system, which is holding classes remotely. Jennings said the item about reinstating fall sports wasn’t on the initial agenda.
“I thought we had a shot after Hammond and Calumet returned,” he said.
Jennings said the Oilers will play two regular-season games, on Oct. 9 and Oct. 16. Indiana High School Athletic Association rules stipulate teams need 10 practices before they can play a game.
The Oilers still are in the process of figuring out which teams to play.
It won’t be easy to get a team in game shape in two weeks, but it’s better than the alternative. Jennings said he’ll have to move forward carefully.
“We are going to have to take it slow,” he said. “Some of the kids have stayed in shape, but others haven’t put in as much time. We just have to be careful.”