Joe Atria started coaching football at Merrillville in 1981. He always wore shorts to practice in that decade and no one took notice when the playoffs kicked off.
That decade, the Pirates won one sectional -- in 1985.
But in November of 1992, Merrillville's football program made it to the semistate. On a frozen afternoon, Atria put on long pants along with a parka, mittens and anything else that would keep him warm. A couple nights later, Fort Wayne Snider and superstar Rod Woodson beat the Pirates 14-7.
Snider won the Class 5A state title the next week. Atria has worn shorts to every practice since.
"You just don't want to tempt the fates," Atria said.
This weekend, for the second time in Region history, three area teams will be playing in semistate games, just one win away from a date at Lucas Oil Stadium. Merrillville hosts Carmel tonight in 5A, while Rensselaer travels to Fort Wayne Luers in the 2A northern semistate.
Lowell's 4A battle against Fort Wayne Dwenger will be played on Saturday night at The Inferno.
"This month is 'No-shave November," Lowell senior defensive end Nathan Cleveland said. "No one on our team has shaved this month. Playoff beards, we've got 'em. We didn't do this last year and look what happened. We did it in 2007 and we got to the Dome."
Superstitions follow success
The only other time three Region teams made it to the semistate round was in 2005, when Griffith (3A), Lowell (4A) and Merrillville (5A) advanced that far. But only the Red Devils were able to reach state.
As a trip to Indianapolis gets closer, entire communities begin getting superstitious. No one wants to do anything to jinx the ride.
Merrillville trainers Alexis Connelly, Hannah Webster, Xochitl Logan and Mariah Portis get on the bench behind the Pirate players when kicker Mike Enghofer kicks off. The girls link arms and do a "Rockette kick" just as Enghofer's foot touches the ball.
Connelly also said she has to wear her Notre Dame gloves. And Portis has two lucky pennies that she makes kiss each other before the game starts.
"We can't let the guys down," Connelly said. "These things help us win. We know they do."
Every Friday night during the football season, Merrillville assistant coaches Mark Schellinger and Zach Sliwa have the same routine. They shine their coaching shoes. They shower. They shave. In that order. Period.
Schellinger wears the same pair of socks every Friday, while Sliwa wears the same pair of briefs.
"Hey, if it isn't broke, you don't need to fix it," Sliwa said.
The superstitions even stretch to the field as Merrillville quarterback Zach Raspopovich wears a T-shirt underneath his uniform that was worn by a member of the 1976 Pirates state championship team.
"It's been handed down," Raspopovich said. "I like wearing it a lot."
Music and lyrics key
Lowell coach Kirk Kennedy always has worn shorts on Friday nights. Lately, seeing his legs in late November has become commonplace. When the Devils last year lost 38-22 at Fort Wayne Dwenger with temperatures in the low 20s, Kennedy was in shorts.
And not one Lowell player walked near the sideline heaters that were available.
This year the Devils have been listening to Shania Twain's "Looks like we made it" while getting dressed before playoff games. A few miles north Merrillville's entire coaching staff listens to Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds" on Friday night after the coaches' pregame meeting. The lyrics note how important it is to have good mojo on your side.
"Don't worry about a thing. 'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."
Rensselaer coach Chris Meeks said he worries about his team being ready to play more than superstitions. Still, no matter how cold it is tonight in Fort Wayne, every Bombers coach will be in shorts.
Plus, the Jasper County community is having extreme fun in their first semistate game ever.
"It's crazy," Meeks said. "If anyone has a superstition, I'm sure they've kept it going this week."
Like Bomber mom Michelle Oliver, who spent much of last week painting signs all over Rensselaer. She hung a lucky sign in the locker room before the regional that said, "Pain is temporary, but victory is forever." Her son, Justin Bohannon, had 150 yards and two touchdowns in last week's regional win.
The Bomber moms also hosted a Thanksgiving feast this week.
"Everything was traditional except for the centerpieces," Oliver said. "The pumpkins are red and black. We did it the Bomber way."
PREP FOOTBALL
More inside, online
See the Times' sports staff semistate predictions. PAGE B5
Read complete scouting reports on this weekend's local semistates. PAGE B5
Check out this week's edition of "Friday Night Insight" at nwi.com.
If Merrillville played Lowell, who would win? Vote at nwi.com/sports.
