We said, "Hello." We said, "Goodbye." And in between we often said, "Wow!" It was an Olympic year, a prolific year and an epic year.
We saw local boys become men -- one on the track on the world stage, another on the mound in the nation's pastime and several on the basketball floor in the NCAA's postseason.
We saw the area bid adieu to a swamp-turned-shrine filled with floodwater, filled with fans and filled with memories.
And we saw a swimmer become an international icon.
The Region had an NCAA wrestling champ for the first time since 1939, an Olympic gold medalist for the first time since 1987 and an IHSAA boys swimming team champion for the first time since 1987.
The nation saw an amazing Super Bowl upset, an incredible U.S. Open in golf and Chicago move closer to becoming the host country for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
There were tumultuous sagas -- Indiana University's basketball program, Brett Favre's retirement and reinstatement, and O.J. Simpson's trial and sentencing.
There were feel-good stories -- Ball State's football program, the Boston Celtics, and Derrick Rose's against-all-odds return to play basketball in his hometown.
And there were letdowns -- the Cubs and White Sox, all major Indiana football programs not named Ball State, and the Bulls.
Nonetheless, 2008 was a dazzling 12 months. Champions emerged, winners walked away from it all, and some captivating stories left an indelible impression on every sports fan.
Hello and goodbye, 2008. Wow.
1. Merrillville grad David Neville III wins a gold and bronze medal at Olympics
It took a preacher's humble son to raise a mighty alleluia from the Olympic fans in Northwest Indiana.
Merrillville grad David Neville III, combining a deep-rooted faith with talent, won a bronze medal in the 400-meter dash (44.80 seconds) at the Beijing Games and later teamed with LaShawn Merritt, Angelo Taylor and Jeremy Wariner in the 1,600 relay for an Olympic-record 2:55.39.
Neville became the first Northwest Indiana athlete to win an Olympic medal since Gary Roosevelt grad Lee Calhoun won the gold medal in the 110-meter hurdles at the 1960 Rome Olympics.
"Preparing for these Games has been a very long process of many years," Neville said. "It started way back in high school when I really knew I wanted to be an Olympian. Years of practice and dedication helped me get to this point. My wife Arial and I moving to California was a sacrifice, leaving behind decent house prices and family. We made changes in my diet -- no red meat, or my favorite, macaroni and cheese -- but Arial has kept me very honest.
"I can do it all when I sacrifice it all for God the way Jesus sacrificed his life for me."
-- Al Hamnik
2. Jeff Samardzija is called up by the Cubs and pitches in the playoffs
He started the season pitching for Double-A Tennessee. He finished it pitching for the National League Central Division champion Chicago Cubs.
It was a whirlwind spring and summer for Jeff Samardzija, but that's nothing new for the Valparaiso High School graduate. Having played both football and baseball at Notre Dame, he's used to being on the move.
Despite modest numbers (3-5, 4.86 earned run average) at Tennessee, Samardzija was promoted to Triple-A Iowa on June 22. He was there barely a month when he got the call from the parent club, who threw Samardzija into the fire of a pennant race.
"I don't usually let things set in too quick," Samardzija said at the time of his call-up. "I usually put up a pretty good shield and just kind of concentrate on what I need to work on. Going through two spring trainings with most of these guys, it makes the transition a little bit easier."
The hard-throwing 6-foot-5 right-hander went 1-0 with a save in 27 2/3 innings, posting an earned run average of 2.28. He also pitched against the Dodgers in the NLDS. He struck out 25 and walked 15, earning his first win Aug. 27 against the Phillies.
"Obviously, it's a pretty cool thing to do that," Samardzija said that day. "I'll remember it for a long time, but that's after when I'm done playing."
-- Jim Peters
3. Hobart's Brickie Bowl retires
For 69 years Hobart's Brickie Bowl was a landmark for the folks from the town, but the myth and legend extended throughout the Calumet Region.
The last official game at Don Howell Field at Brickie Bowl was played on Oct. 24 -- a 59-12 Brickies win over West Side in the Class 4A Sectional 9 opener. A loss at Griffith the next week ended the Brickie Bowl's history.
But she didn't dance into scrapbooks without a proper party. On Oct. 17 against Highland, six decades of former Brickies came out to cry, cheer and remember. A fireworks show ended the night, after Indiana Hall of Famer Tom Kerr gave a rousing final speech. The Brickies will play at their new field at Hobart's new high school next year. And keeping tradition alive, Hobart went 5-0 in the final season.
-- Steve Hanlon
4. Region dominates the boys swimming state finals
Kyle Whitaker and the rest of the Region put their stamp on the IHSAA boys swimming state finals with an impressive showing. Whitaker helped Chesterton win its first state crown with two individual victories and he swam a leg on the record-setting 200 medley relay team (1:32.05). Whitaker repeated in the 200 IM and 100 fly, winning the IM in a state-record 1:46.75.
Teammate Bill Bass won the 500 free and swam a leg on the victorious 200 free relay. Chesterton defeated Hamilton Southeastern 271-266 for the area's first state crown since Lake Central's boys title in 1987.
"I can't wait to watch the DVD of the meet, because I really didn't get a chance to really watch it," Chesterton coach Kevin Kinel said minutes after he won his first state crown. "I was always thinking 20 steps ahead, and this will be enjoyable. ... These kids were unbelievable."
But that wasn't it for the area's domination. Wheeler's Vic Sikorski gave the school its first state title with a win in the 50 free. Crown Point's Jimmy Page won the diving crown, while L.C.'s Chris Johnson won the 100 breast title.
-- Jim Hunsley
5. Region players boost NCAA hoops programs
While Andrean grad Luke Harangody was earning Big East Player of the Year honors at Notre Dame, Robbie Hummel (Valparaiso), E'Twaun Moore (E.C. Central) and Scott Martin (Valparaiso) were part of a freshman class that helped turn Purdue into Big Ten contenders, and Wheeler grad Becca Bruszewski made the women's tournament with Notre Dame.
"Coming from where I'm from, from where I was, just to be here right now is a great honor," Harangody said after winning his conference player of the year honor.
Hummel was the first Boilermaker freshman in history to be named First Team All-Big Ten by both the media and the coaches while Moore picked up second-team honors. Martin then transferred to Notre Dame at the end of the season and is sitting this year out.
The Big Ten picked up another top freshman to start the 2008-09 season as Chesterton's Zack Novak has already started to give Michigan a boost. His 3-point shot has helped Michigan earn its No. 24 ranking by the Associated Press, the first time in two years that the Wolverines have been ranked.
-- Hillary Smith
6. Griffith grad Angel Escobedo wins NCAA wrestling title
For the first time in almost 70 years, a Northwest Indiana wrestler had his hand raised above all the rest at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.
Griffith graduate Angel Escobedo, whose surname is synonymous with Region wrestling royalty, was king for a day on March 22 in St. Louis. Wrestling at 125 pounds for Indiana University, Escobedo wore a harness on his left shoulder to pad the injured joint and still defeated top-ranked Minnesota freshman Jayson Ness 10-3 in the national championship of their weight class.
He was the first NCAA wrestling champion from the Region since Chris Traicoff, a Calumet grad, won in 1939 for IU.
The redshirt sophomore, who went 223-1 and won four state titles at Griffith, finished the season 34-1 for the Hoosiers. But he wasn't done.
Later in the year, after resting the shoulder, Escobedo won the Northern Plains Trials at 121 pounds in Waterloo, Iowa, to earn a shot at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Las Vegas. However, he went 1-2 in Vegas, getting pinned in the fourth round to become eliminated, and did not make the team.
-- Paul Trembacki
7. Dumezich leads Whiting to softball title, selects Texas A&M
Whiting junior softball pitcher Mel Dumezich shocked the state of Indiana -- and many from the large schools and dominant programs -- when she verbally committed to Texas A&M last winter. The joy ride continued when the Aggies finished second at the NCAA national tournament. Not to be outdone, Dumezich led her Oilers to their second Class A state championship in three years. But this one was more difficult than in her freshman season. The state finals lasted five days due to rain, and Dumezich struck out 33 in wins over Frontier and Tecumseh.
Dumezich dedicated the state championship to Whiting principal Dirk Flick, who passed away the week before the state finals. Dumezich earned her second Times Player of the Year award and her first Times Female Athlete of the Year award.
8. Andrean grad Dan Dakich named interim coach at IU
What a roller coaster ride it was this year for former Indiana standout Dan Dakich.
The Andrean grad played and coached at IU under Bob Knight, then spent 10 years at Bowling Green before returning to Bloomington last year and eventually taking over when Kelvin Sampson was run out of town, his pockets stuffed with NCAA violations. Tom Crean was hired away from Marquette, assembled a new staff and Dakich accepted a $185,000 buyout.
He has since landed a three-hour morning radio gig on an ESPN affiliate in Indianapolis, with no sport off limits for discussion.
"As a coach, you have postgame radio shows, a Monday night call-in deal, or a TV show. But now, it's me -- for three hours. I don't have a co-host," said Dakich, who still lives in Bloomington. "There's a lot of preparation and pressure which, as a college coach or player, you're used to."
-- Al Hamnik
9. Howe heads list of four state champion Region wrestlers
There have been some epic showings by Northwest Indiana at the IHSAA wrestling individual state championships, and 2008 ranked right there with them.
Hanover Central senior and Wisconsin recruit Andrew Howe dominated the event and defeated Michael Duckworth of Union County 22-9 in the 160-pound championship to cap a 46-0 season and stellar 192-1 career. His only loss in four years was to three-time state champ Reece Humphrey of Lawrence North in the state title match his freshman season.
Later in the year at the ASICS/Vaughan Junior Freestyle Nationals in Fargo, N.D., Howe won the freestyle Junior National championship at 160.
Purdue recruit Brennan Cosgrove of Hobart came into the state finals as a two-time runner-up but left with his first championship, posting a 13-5 win at 145 to punctuate a 43-0 senior campaign.
Earlier Portage junior Sean McMurray scored late to defeat Hobart's Eric Galka, a two-time state champ, 4-3 in the title match at 135. It was the second of two all-Region finals as Valparaiso senior Tom Churchard edged Crown Point freshman Eric Roach 9-8 at 130.
Northwest Indiana had 28 state qualifiers and 19 state placers, including three fourth-place finishers and two runners-up -- Hobart sophomore Frankie Porras (125) and Crown Point junior Marcus Shrewsbury (189).
-- Paul Trembacki
10. Lew Wallace's Gardner wins twice at boys track state finals
Most prep athletes can only dream about ending their high school careers the way Lew Wallace 2008 grad Robert Gardner did in the spring.
Gardner's two-year reign of dominance ended with a legendary performance at the 105th annual IHSAA Boys Track and Field State Finals at Indiana University's Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex in Bloomington.
He captured his second consecutive state championship in the 400-meter dash, but was unhappy with his winning time of 47.72 seconds. Gardner was aiming to break the state record of 46.99 seconds in the 400 set by David Neville III in 2002, but he fell short.
"The win will be great in the long run, and I am grateful for it, but I'm just frustrated with my time," Gardner said following the race.
Fueled by his disappointment, Gardner ran a 46.38-second split in the final leg of the 1,600-meter relay, helping the Hornets win the championship in that event in 3:16.37 and finish fifth in the team standings with 27 points. Of Lew Wallace's 27 points, 20 came from races involving Gardner.
-- Nate Ulrich
