Crown Point senior Griffin Van Tichelt took the opportunity to appreciate the moment.
As official practice around the state began Monday, he soaked in the surroundings.
“It’s kind of crazy,” Van Tichelt said. “It’s our last first day. What else would you be doing right now? Hanging out with your brothers, getting ready to go.”
But there was doubt about whether the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Van Tichelt would return for his third season as a starting safety for the Bulldogs, at least in the minds of others.
Van Tichelt has qualified for the state meet in wrestling in each of his first three years, and in June he announced his commitment to Purdue, where he intends to wrestle and study integrated business and engineering.
“Everyone was wondering if I was going to play football,” he said. “That was a big thing. But I knew. I’ve been here for three years going on my fourth year. Everyone here’s family. Even before high school, we played against each other in middle school or on the same team — even before that, in third or fourth grade.
“We all looked forward to playing on the same team, and that was a big thing to staying. I’d have so many regrets if I didn’t play. It’s such a big puzzle piece of my life.”
Van Tichelt, who also gained starting experience at cornerback as a freshman when an injury opened the door, has been a big piece of the puzzle for the Bulldogs throughout his career. They’ve gone undefeated in three straight regular seasons, winning the Duneland Athletic Conference title each time, and reached the Class 6A state championship game in 2023 before returning to a semistate last year.
Dominic Fantin, a 6-0, 195-pound senior safety, has played alongside Van Tichelt and knows what he means to the team. Fantin is heading into his third season as a starter too.
“There would be a big emptiness if he wasn’t here,” Fantin said. “He missed some practices over the summer because of wrestling, and it was a big difference. He talks a lot. All the coaches were saying you could tell he wasn’t there. He brings a lot of energy.
“Over this whole summer, he would go to Purdue to wrestle in the morning and come back in the middle of the day for our practices. Nobody else is really doing that. It takes a lot of dedication.”
Fantin pointed to one particular example of that dedication in mid-July. Van Tichelt competed at wrestling nationals in Fargo, North Dakota, and returned in time for Crown Point’s scrimmage against Lincoln-Way East.
“He came back that night, didn’t get any sleep, and he showed up for the scrimmage at 9 in the morning,” Fantin said. “If that doesn’t say enough about him, you can’t say anything more. He’s just a leader. It’s nice to have somebody like that who’s going to be there no matter what. Most guys wouldn’t have been there, with no sleep, after a wrestling tournament. It just shows who he is. It makes me want to do better. It helps everybody stay focused and get it done.
“We used to compete a lot when we were younger. When we were in Junior Bulldogs, I used to get annoyed with him. We’d go at it, different teams. Even in middle school — he was at Wheeler, and I was at Taft — it was just good competition between us. But obviously we knew we’d come together in high school. I didn’t know we’d be this close. It’s special.”
More Top Picks Best Amazon Prime Day Tumbler Deals 2026
Indeed, Crown Point coach Craig Buzea described Van Tichelt and Fantin as “one and the same for us.”
“They’re awesome kids,” Buzea said. “They’re great competitors. They’re everything you could want.
“Both of those guys bring a tremendous amount of savvy and experience. You just don’t get that very often in your defensive backfield. They’re almost the exact same guy. We’re blessed to have two returning safeties like that in the back for us. We’re going to ask a lot of both of those guys and really lean on them.”
Van Tichelt has leaned on Fantin too.
“Me and him are like partners in crime,” Van Tichelt said. “I don’t know what I would do without him. He’s like a brother to me.”
Van Tichelt, who had seven tackles and an interception during the 2023 state championship game against Indianapolis Ben Davis, finished with 73 tackles and two interceptions that season. He had 65 tackles last season. He finished second on the team in tackles each year.
“If I wanted both of them to be our tailback, they could be our tailback,” Buzea said. “Griff can return. He can play offense. But he’s so valuable on the defensive side of the ball, it’s hard to move him. We have some plans with him in regards to the defensive side of the ball, moving him as well. We’ll see how it turns out.
“But what you like about Griff is his competitiveness. He’s an all-state wrestler. He’s just a really tough kid, and he’s a guy you want on your team as opposed to going against him.”
Van Tichelt wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
“It’s my last year,” he said. “I’m here, and I just have to relax and take all the training I’ve done the last four years and let it do its thing. Trust the coaches and just believe in us. I really think this is the year.”