Third time’s the alarm: Rescheduling, again, IHSA bass-fishing finals

SHARE Third time’s the alarm: Rescheduling, again, IHSA bass-fishing finals
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Eight of the nine years Carlyle Lake has hosted the state finals for bass fishing for the IHSA, weather such as this impending storm in 2011, have delayed, postponed or shortened the event.
Credit: Dale Bowman

Scrambled.

That describes the Illinois High School Association’s re-rescheduling of the state championship for bass fishing on Carlyle Lake.

The finals originally were set for May 12-13, but high water forced them to be postponed to June 23-24. Then Monday, the IHSA announced a fast re-rescheduling to June 14-15 because of ‘‘concerns by the Army Corps of Engineers.’’

Streamwood coach Marty Baker emailed the sentiments of many Monday: ‘‘We have lodging reserved. We have rental vehicles reserved. It all has to be changed for a second time. It’s all messed up. Our coaches, kids and parents had taken time off. This is too short notice. We have only two days to say if we are going or not. Ridiculous!’’

Teams have until Thursday to decide about attending.

Marist coach Jim O’Neil, who made state as a high schooler, messaged Monday: ‘‘I will not be able to make it. Assistant coaches will likely help out instead. Not sure on the anglers yet.’’

Niles West coach Bill Pistorius, who advanced both boats to state, emailed Tuesday: ‘‘NO! I just finished a Google chat with Kurt Gibson of the IHSA. Niles West will not be able to make those new dates.’’

Grant coach David Blanke emailed Monday: ‘‘I didn’t see the email from the IHSA until 9 this evening, so I’ve been frantically trying to make arrangements. I’m not sure if our captain can get off work. I wish we would have known this date two weeks ago.”

In IHSA bass-fishing events, an adult captain — usually a relative, coach or club fisherman — must run the boat.

Nick Langton, who helped found Glenbard North’s fishing team when he was a student and now helps coach it, messagedMonday: ‘‘My anglers will be able to, not me or [coach] Eric [Stark]. My work schedule is just too much right now, and Eric is running fishing camp.”

The Panthers will have a boat captained by a parent.

On the other hand, the date switch takes away some conflicts. The High School National Championship was set for June 20-24 on Kentucky Lake in Tennessee. Illinois’ only All-American, Buffalo Grove’s Tyler Lubbat, thought he would be forced to miss state.

When he heard about the IHSA’s date change, he messaged Monday, ‘‘Yes, it is awesome!’’

Plainfield South also was going to lose two top anglers and a coach to the national championship. Now, they should be available for state.

Naperville North coach Humberto Gonzalez found some joy in the switch. Ty Konrad, an underclassman, was going to miss state because of a conflict with national soccer. Instead, he will be able to fish with his upperclassman brother, Mitch.

‘‘We are very fortunate that our bass team raised enough money to purchase our own team boat this year, so there is no scheduling problems with a boat,’’ Gonzalez emailedMonday.

But most attitudes are closer to what Vernon Hills coach Doug Dusthimer emailed Monday: ‘‘I just sent out the new info to the kids, the assistant coach, the athletic director and his administrative assistant who manages the paperwork for the mileage and hotel accommodations. I just got everything set today, and now those plans have been blown up.”

At some point, the IHSA owes anglers, coaches and families a venue change. This is the eighth time in nine years the state finals have been postponed, delayed or shortened at Carlyle.

Stray cast

The late Jimmy Piersall was most like a gar: memorable mouth, edges, prehistoric and precisely made to be him.

Follow me on Twitter @BowmanOutside. 

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