Andrean’s Klaich is a Name Folks Will Remember

MERRILLVILLE -- Punters are a lot like sportswriters.
No one knows their names unless a ball slips off the side of a football and gets shanked six yards down the field. Or a fact in a story is reported incorrectly.
That’s when all hell breaks loose.
That’s when the nameless get pushed loudly into the spotlight.
Last Friday night, Michael Klaich’s name was shouted from the sidelines and stands during his Andrean football team’s massive Northwest Crossroads Conference game at rival Hobart.
And every time the 6-foot, 170-pound junior ran off the field, he was mobbed by his teammates.
The 59ers’ punter had four punts in the game. In Andrean’s dominating 28-10 victory, all four landed inside the 15-yard line, repeatedly trapping the Brickies’ offense deep in their own territory.
One punt was downed at the 3-yard line. Two more landed softly inside the 1.
Such a night is why punters get recognized.
“I think I’d only had one punt in my career inside the one,” Klaich said Monday afternoon.
As a sophomore at Hobart High School, Klaich was the goalkeeper for the Brickies’ soccer team, his primary sport. A Hobart football coach noticed how strong his drop kick was on the pitch and asked him to try out for the football team.
It went quite well.
Klaich became Hobart’s punter last season.
Then his family made the decision to transfer to Andrean, 5959 Broadway, and things appear to be going even better.
Andrean’s soccer team is 11-1, and Klaich is averaging a strong 1.3 goals per game. The 3.9 GPA honors student understands the soccer math looks much better than his football numbers.
He has punted 15 times through five football games heading into Friday’s home game against Highland, averaging 30.3 yards per kick. But Andrean coach Chris Skinner said game situations have played a major role in the distance of Klaich’s punts.
Klaich said he has punted balls 60 yards in the air during practice.
“We always knew his capability,” Skinner said. “He’s a very good athlete who works very hard. He’s only with us a couple days a week because soccer is his main sport. But he’s doing a great job helping our team out.”
Dominating Hobart wasn’t something Andrean was focused on.
Skinner said that in his 11 years as head coach, several years as an assistant and his time as a player for the 59ers, Andrean football has always been a week-to-week proposition.
You focus on the next opponent.
But that didn’t mean Skinner wasn’t overtaken a bit by the crowd and excitement last Friday night.
“They honored coach (Tom) Kerr and the place was packed,” Skinner recalled. “It was a fun game to be a part of, two great programs competing at the highest level. It brought out everything that high school football is all about.”
Skinner said his defensive front was stellar against the Brickies’ offense, stuffing them on first downs and forcing long plays on second and third downs.
Then they brought out a “no-name” punter to do his thing.
“I’ve been around football a long time,” Skinner said. “But I’ve never seen a punter put three punts inside the 3-yard line. Never.”
Klaich is also a good baseball player, hoping to help Dave Pishkur’s state runner-up team this spring. The pitcher and middle infielder credits his parents, Mike and Samantha, for getting him involved in sports throughout his youth.
Mike played baseball and some football and was also a goalkeeper.
Samantha competed in track and softball.
“They always made sure I was doing something as a kid,” Klaich said with a smile.
With the excellence of 59ers sports comes added pressure, especially when stepping onto a new stage.
Klaich doesn’t seem bothered by it.
“There is some pressure, but I don’t feel a lot of it,” he said. “I believe in my teammates and they believe in me.”
That was evident last Friday night.
As Klaich walked off the field after another perfectly placed punt, Andrean defensive players shouted, “Atta babe! Great punt!”
There were high-fives all around.
For once, the punter wasn’t the nameless guy on the sideline.
He was one of the reasons the 59ers walked away with a victory.

By Steve Hanlon
Heartland Sports Network