In an anticipated breakout season for Lake Central’s Miller Knestrict, the junior midfielder has an extra set of eyes watching.
Special ones, at that.
Ron Knestrict — his grandfather and a respected coach who was Griffith’s first and led the Panthers to a Class 2A sectional title last season — has joined Lake Central as an assistant.
“I like him being on the sidelines,” Miller Knestrict said. “He obviously knows how I play, and he’s always giving me pointers. He knows the game well. He helps out my game and our team.”
Ron Knestrict has relished being part of the staff under Jereme Rainwater, who has returned as Lake Central’s coach.
“Jereme asked me if I’d be willing to help out, and I said, ‘Yes, for a couple of years,'” Ron Knestrict said. “That was because Miller was part of the group, and I enjoy what I do. Miller was a plus. It’s been good.”
Miller Knestrict has started for Lake Central since his freshman season, when he had six goals and two assists. He had nine goals and four assists last season.
A tri-captain along with classmates Michael Miljevic and Charlie Newton, Miller Knestrict opened this season in style. He scored four goals, recording a hat trick in the first half, in Lake Central’s 9-1 win against Merrillville on Wednesday.
“Obviously Miller comes into this season as a guy who a lot of people look to and a lot of people talk about, and he did not underperform,” Rainwater said. “You take away the goals and don’t even talk about the goals, you just talk about a player whose work ethic is provided on both sides of the ball.
“He’s the first guy to close down as soon as we lose the ball. He’s the first guy to support another player defensively. He wins the ball back up in areas, even sometimes in his own third of the field. And he’s still able to provide goals. That’s pretty significant.”
Miller Knestrict has gotten bigger, stronger and faster since last season. He estimated he grew 2 inches and gained 20 pounds.
“It just feels better being one of the older guys this year,” he said. “I’ve matured a lot. Hopefully I can lead the team with some of the other guys who are my age too.”
Miller Knestrict certainly has the background. Ron Knestrict founded Griffith’s program in 1985, before the Indiana High School Athletic Association sanctioned the sport and when games were played in the spring. He coached Miller’s father, Ronnie, who was an all-state player for the Panthers in 1989.
“Miller has history,” Ron Knestrict said.
Ron Knestrict coached Griffith through the 2015 season before Castulo Perez took over the program. He remained as an assistant for four seasons.
When Perez left in 2020 for a teaching position at Lake Central and to become Rainwater’s assistant at Indiana Northwest, Ron Knestrict took the helm of the Panthers once again.
Ron Knestrict was the Greater South Shore Conference coach of the year in his first season back in charge. He led Griffith to a sectional title last season, his first since 2008, the fourth of his tenure and the program’s fifth overall.
He intended to return to the Panthers this season, but the situation changed.
“They wanted a teacher,” he said. “I would’ve stayed there. They said if a teacher didn’t apply, I would stay. But I told them, ‘If you want a teacher, then I probably shouldn’t apply.’
“It was a little hurtful. But if I was there, I wouldn’t be here. So God was looking out for me. You can’t be in two places at one time. There were a lot of games last year that I missed because I was at our game. Now I won’t miss any.”
Rainwater didn’t hesitate to reach out to Ron Knestrict.
“Last year, I saw him in the stands a couple of times, and he had a Lake Central shirt on,” Rainwater said. “I said, ‘Coach, that’s a good look for you.’
“When I heard he wasn’t going back to Griffith, that was my first phone call. I was like, ‘Hey, we have a spot on the staff, if you want to come over.’ He just brings a wealth of knowledge. I’ve been around 25 years, he’s been around 40, and he just does so many good things, and he just has a lot of information that he gives us.”
Rainwater departed as Lake Central’s coach after the 2019 season to take the job at IUN. He spent one season with the RedHawks before returning to the Indians as an assistant last season. Perez then was promoted from assistant to head coach for IUN. But after Perez resigned, he became an assistant for Rainwater at Lake Central this season.
“I couldn’t be happier,” Rainwater said. “They say you don’t know what you have until it’s gone, and my purpose on this earth probably lies at 8400 Wicker Avenue.”
Miller Knestrict has liked the chemistry among the players and coaches.
“We’re really close, like a family this year, and we all work really well together,” he said. “We have a lot of potential.”
