One last look at the Shelby County girls basketball season finalizes the statistical leaderboard for the 2022-2023 school year.

Shelbyville senior Kylee Edwards (photo, left, with Shelbyville head coach Becca Hoefler) not only set several program records, she also led all scorers at the five Shelby County high schools by averaging 19.5 points per game.

Edwards’ teammate, junior Ava Wilson, was second at 18 ppg. Wilson was followed by Morristown senior Raegan Kleine (12.8 ppg), Triton Central senior Lizzie Graham (12.8 ppg), and Triton Central freshman Maryrose Felling (12.7 ppg) and Morristown sophomore Danika Rutledge (12.7 ppg).

Edwards, standing five feet, seven inches tall, also was Shelby County’s top rebounder at 8.1 rpg. Also in the top five were Triton Central junior Brooklyn Bailey (7.9 rpg), Rutledge (7.2 rpg), Southwestern senior McKinley Correll (6.6 rpg), Waldron senior Josee Larrison (6.6 rpg) and Southwestern sophomore Tanna Tatlock (6.6 rpg).

Triton Central senior Hallie Schweitzer (photo) dished out 110 assists this past season to top that category at 5 apg. Correll was second at 2.9 apg followed by Kleine (2.8 apg), Larrison (2.6 apg) and Felling (2.2 apg).

Kleine finished with more thefts than anyone in the county. The senior averaged 3.7 steals per game. Wilson (3.4 spg) and Edwards (3.3 spg) were close behind with Waldron junior Alyssa Benson (3 spg) and Correll (2.9 spg) completing the top five.

With 25 blocks this season, Correll (photo) topped the blocks category at 1.1 bpg. Edwards (1 bpg) and Waldron sophomore Alivia Fischer (1 bpg) were the only other players to average at least one block per game.

Bailey finished with the top shooting percentage at 55.6%. Completing the top five were Schweitzer (50.3%), Rutledge (50%), Graham (42.7%) and Waldron freshman Emerson Lindsey (40.3%).

Graham sank 54 three-pointers, tops in Shelby County, and had the top percentage at 42.2%. Also shooting well from the arc this past season were Waldron senior Cendall Sheaffer (36.8%), Schweitzer (32.3%), Benson (29.5%) and Edwards (28.8%).

Graham also had the top free-throw shooting percentage at 85.4%. She was followed in the top five by Triton Central junior Hailey Harris (77.8%), Rutledge (74.2%), Bailey (71.1%) and Felling (70.8%).

Triton Central finished with the most wins at 18-5. Head coach Bryan Graham is now 299-65 in 15 seasons in Fairland. He will be an assistant coach for the Indiana All-Stars when they face the Kentucky All-Stars in June.

Shelbyville opened the season 7-0 and finished 15-9, the program’s first winning season since 2016. Head coach Becca Hoefler is 38-56 in four seasons with the Golden Bears.

Morristown finished 13-11 – the program’s third straight season above .500 – for head coach Rachel Kleine, who is 78-56 in six seasons with the Yellow Jackets.

Southwestern started the season with 10 consecutive losses but rebounded to a 6-17 record. West is 18-28 in his two seasons at Southwestern and 40-99 after six seasons as a head coach which included a four-year run at Shelbyville.

Waldron went 5-18 in head coach Ilea Shipp’s first season.

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Hannah File delivered a three-run home run Friday for Louisville in a 9-6 loss at No. 15 Duke.

File, a Shelbyville graduate, had hits in all three games of the ACC series at Duke.

She went 1-for-3 Saturday in game one of a doubleheader that Duke won, 5-3.

She had two hits, was hit by a pitch, scored three runs and drove in a run in game two – a Louisville 13-9 win, its third win over a top-25 ranked program this season.

Louisville closed out its North Carolina road trip Tuesday with a 10-2 loss at Charlotte to drop to 15-9 this season.

Here is a look at other Shelby County graduates competing at the collegiate level.

Layton Stieneker

The Shelbyville graduate teamed with Dustin Garrison to win a No. 1 doubles match for Franklin College Sunday at Manchester. Stieneker and Garrison defeated Austin Arnold and Reece Romer, 8-3.

Stieneker topped Manchester’s Brennan Beachy, 6-4, 6-1, at No. 3 singles which helped Franklin secure an 8-1 victory.

On Saturday, Hanover defeated Franklin College, 8-1.

Stieneker was defeated at No. 3 singles, 6-0, 6-2 by Nicolas Coronado and lost 8-7 (4-0) at No. 1 doubles with Garrison to Coronado and Jedrek Brodzki.

TeAnn Bringle

The Shelbyville graduate went 1-for-2 at the plate with a double, a run scored and a run batted in Sunday for Indiana State in a 3-0- win over Pittsburgh in the University of Memphis Tournament.

The Sycamores (8-11) finished 1-4 in Memphis.

Pittsburgh defeated ISU, 2-1, Friday. The Sycamores followed that with a 10-9 loss to Memphis. Bringle had a walk and a run-scoring sacrifice fly in that loss.

Bringle had a double in three plate appearances Saturday in Indiana State’s 6-1 loss to North Alabama, who also defeated the Sycamores Sunday, 3-0.

Katie Mathies

The Shelbyville graduate went 1-for-4 Saturday with a RBI for DePauw in a 13-6 loss at Washington University in St. Louis.

The Tigers lost to Wartburg Sunday, 11-6, then defeated Washington, 5-2, to set their record at 4-6 this season.

Cory Taylor

The Shelbyville graduate had two home runs for Eastern Michigan in a three-game series at Akron.

Eastern Michigan won the series opener Friday, 8-7. Taylor went 1-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored.

On Saturday, Taylor homered again and had three RBIs in an 8-3 victory.

Akron prevailed Sunday, 6-5. Taylor had two hits including a double and a walk.

Eastern Michigan is 8-5 this season.

Damon Lux

The Shelbyville graduate finished 2-for-5 with a double, a run scored and two RBIs Friday for Duke in an 8-6 loss to No. 5 Wake Forest.

The two teams split a doubleheader Saturday with Duke winning game one, 8-1, and the Demon Deacons rebounding for a 5-3 win in game two.

Duke is 10-6 (1-2 ACC).

Karissa Hamilton

The Shelbyville graduate had a pinch-hit single Sunday for Kentucky in a 5-0 victory at Missouri. The Wildcats swept the weekend series to improve to 16-5-1 this season.

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The 2023 Indiana All-Stars squad has been announced one day after Zionsville’s Laila Hull was named Indiana Miss Basketball.

Penn’s Kristi Ulrich was previously named head coach of the 2023 All-Stars with Triton Central’s Bryan Graham and Garrett’s Bob Lapadot to serve as assistant coaches.

Hull was chosen Miss Basketball after averaging 22 points and eight rebounds at Zionsville her senior season. She is the girls basketball program’s career rebounding leader and will play college basketball at the University of North Carolina.

Also named Indiana All-Stars were:

• Pioneer’s Ashlynn Brooke – the Ball State commit averaged 24 points, six assists and five steals this season. She holds Pioneer’s career records for assists and steals and is No. 2 in career points.
• Hamilton Southeastern’s Olivia Brown – The Akron-bound point guard averaged 6.9 points and 7.5 assists her senior year. She leaves HSE as the program’s career leader in assists and steals.
• Ben Davis’ Cristen Carter – The six-foot, three-inch Miami of Ohio commit set a school record with 355 rebounds this season. She also averaged 18.6 ppg.
• Hobart’s Asia Donald – The Indiana State commit averaged a double-double this past season at 26.7 ppg and 10.9 rpg.
• Cathedral’s Layla Gold – The Valparaiso commit averaged 22 points and nine rebounds her senior season.
• South Bend Washington’s Rashunda Jones – Committed to Purdue, Jones averaged 19.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists for a team that was ranked No. 1 all season.
• Northwestern’s McKenna Layden – Also committed to Purdue, Layden averaged 21.6 ppg and topped 1,600 career points at Northwestern.
• Hamilton Southeastern’s Riley Makalusky – The Butler commit finished her career as HSE’s sixth-leading scorer after averaging 20 ppg in her final season.
• Bedford North Lawrence’s Karsyn Norman – The Butler commit led the Stars to the Class 4A state championship while averaging 15 ppg.
• South Bend Washington’s Amiyah Reynolds – The Maryland commit suffered an injury late in the regular season that will not allow her to play in this year’s all-star series. She averaged 15.2 points and 8.1 rebounds before the injury.
• Columbus East’s Saige Stahl – The Indiana State commit averaged career bests in points (26 ppg) and rebounds (9.9 rpg) this season.
• Forest Park’s Amber Tretter – The Miami of Ohio commit led the Rangers to their second straight Class 2A state championship this season. She averaged 15.8 points and nine rebounds per game.

The Indiana All-Stars will play a girls-boys doubleheader against the Kentucky All-Stars in Owensboro, Ky., on June 9 followed by a doubleheader on June 10 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

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If 112 years of state high school basketball tournaments have proven anything, it’s that unbelievable moments and legacies can’t possibly be in short supply.

This being Indiana, they aren’t.

Now, thanks to Hoosier Historia, residents can vote for the top moments, players and deafening postseason environments that through the generations have gradually constructed our collective passion for high school hoops that is recognized globally.

Hoosier Historia is one of the many elements associated with Indianapolis hosting the 2024 NBA All-Star game next February.

Votes can be cast on pacers.com/HoosierHistoria.

The website offers a total of 50 selections; the final 24 will be made into the type of eye-catching artwork to be on display once the All-Star game gets closer. This is being done through a partnership with the Indy Arts Council and the Capital Improvement Board.

“Fans are going to pick out what 24 stories turn to art. It’s significant because these are things that are going to be on display All-Star weekend,” said Danny Lopez, Vice President of External Affairs and Corporate Communications at Pacers Sports & Entertainment. “After All-Star Weekend, they’ll live in the convention center, or some of them will go back to their own hometowns.

“This is something that in a state like ours, it seemed like a logical way to get people excited about what’s to come, and what that weekend will look like visually.”

The 50 options were selected by the 15-person Hoosier Historia Subcommittee comprised of former coaches, referees, players and longtime journalists, the latter having spent decades covering the boys and girls tournaments.

The final 24 selections will be announced on March 24, prior to the IHSAA Boys Basketball State Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

At that point, the Indy Arts Council will solicit concepts from artists across Indiana who will paint their interpretations of these players, places and moments on six-foot tall basketball sculptures to be displayed in downtown Indianapolis.

Maybe it’s the Milan Miracle that gets your vote, or the legendary game that wouldn’t end (Swayzee’s nine-overtime victory over Liberty Center). Then again, the filming of “Hoosiers” or the Damon-led Bedford North Lawrence Stars winning state in front of 41,046 spectators inside the now-extinct Hoosier Dome are more your preference.

The state’s legendary high school gymnasiums are also included, deservedly so. Also among the options is the state’s controversial transition from a one-class system to four classes, a process that, in many ways, divided supporters of the sport in the middle- and late 1990s.

Add it all together, and it’s uniquely Indiana.

“I thought it was great that the (Indiana) Pacers started this,” said Matt Martin, Executive Director of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. “I thought it was real neat to focus on high school basketball. It’s what makes Indiana … Indiana. Nobody has the basketball we do, and it starts at the high school level.

“And the stories seem to continue. They live on because that connection is always there.”

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With his college commitment now complete, Grant Kessler can focus on creating a memorable senior baseball season at Morristown.

“I’m feeling pretty good about it,” said Kessler. “Baseball season is coming up.”

On Friday at Morristown, Kessler signed his letter of intent to play baseball at Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio. Before that happens, he has some specific goals in mind for his final season as a Yellow Jacket.

“It would be nice to bring home a county championship and get a sectional championship this year,” said Kessler. “I think we have a pretty good chance to win the sectional this year.”

Morristown last captured a sectional championship in 2008.

In 2022, the Yellow Jackets finished 12-12 with just one senior on the roster. Kessler went 2-1 with a 1.67 earned run average. In 46 innings, he allowed 25 hits and struck out 102 of 185 batters he faced. His biggest performance came early in the season when he struck out 20 North Decatur hitters in one game.

“I am really excited for the baseball season,” said Kessler. “I want to have more strikeouts this year. I would like to throw a no-hitter. That would be pretty cool. And get 21 strikeouts in a game.”

Kessler, a left-handed starting pitcher, took serious looks at the baseball programs at DePauw University and Manchester University but settled on Mount St. Joseph for several reasons.

“The school has a good 4-and-1 program in Business where my fifth year I can get my master’s degree in Business,” he said. “The school is really cool. The classes and dorms are all connected in a square so you don’t have to walk outside. And the weight room has the same machines that I use at the YMCA in Shelbyville.”

There also is the Centennial Fieldhouse and Austin E. Knowlton Fitness Center that opened on campus on Feb. 1, 2021. The state-of-the-art facility provides indoor practice space for many MSJ athletic teams, is the site of the baseball program’s lockerroom, and the fitness center is available for the entire student body.

For more on Kessler's 2022 success, https://shelbycountypost.com/sports/629836

The change of scenery will prove challenging admits Kessler but there will be familiar faces in the baseball program, including a travel baseball teammate that is committed to the Lions.

“I will have people I know and it’s not that far away,” he said.

While baseball is his top priority for the near future, eventually he will have to decide what career track he wants to take with his degrees.

“I don’t have much of a plan right now but I want to stay in the sports world,” he said. “ I really like basketball and football too.”

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The final road to Gainbridge Fieldhouse is now set as the 32 remaining teams in the IHSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament learned their opponents and the location of their semistate games Sunday afternoon.

For the first time in the boys tournament history, the Indiana High School Athletic Association drew the semistate pairings live mid-tournament in a special show streamed on IHSAAtv.org.

Semistate games are scheduled for Saturday at eight different sites with two semifinal games during the day and the championship game in the evening. The winners will advance to their respective state championship games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis on March 25.

The North host sites are Michigan City, Elkhart, Logansport and Lafayette Jefferson. The South host sites are New Castle, Seymour, Southport and Washington.

In Class 4A at the Wolves Den in Michigan City, Fort Wayne Wayne (21-4) opens against No. 5 Kokomo (22-4). The second semifinal pits No. 2 Penn (27-1) against No. 3 Hammond Central (26-1).

In the South semistate at New Castle, No. 8 Brownsburg (21-4) drew No. 9 Jennings County (24-2) while No. 1 Ben Davis (30-0) follows against Bloomington North (19-5).

At Elkhart in the 3A semistate, Delta (18-9) takes on Glenn (17-10) in the first game with No. 1 NorthWood (25-2) following against Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (13-13).

At Lloyd Scott Gymnasium in Seymour, No. 11 Scottsburg (21-5) begins the 3A semistate against No. 6 North Daviess (24-5), the reigning Class 2A state champion. In the second semifinal, No. 12 Guerin Catholic (18-8) faces No. 14 Beech Grove (17-6), the defending 3A state champ.

At the Berry Bowl in Logansport, the 2A semistate begins with No. 7 Gary 21^st Century (21-5) against No. 3 Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian (24-3). The second semifinal pits No. 2 Wapahani (25-1) against Lewis Cass (19-7).

At Southport, No. 5 Brownstown Central (23-4) opens against Indianapolis Scecina (18-6). The second 2A semifinal features Parke Heritage (19-9) and No. 1 Linton-Stockton (27-1).

The Marion Crawley Center at Lafayette Jefferson is the host site for a Class A semistate. The opener has Southwood (13-12) against No. 2 Fountain Central (23-4) while No. 10 Marquette Catholic (20-7) follows against Kouts (17-9).

And in the Class A semistate at the Hatchet House in Washington, No. 8 Indianapolis Lutheran (17-7) battles No. 4 Loogootee (20-7) in the first semifinal. Jac-Cen-Del (18-9) follows against Rock Creek (11-14).

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Charlie Rife collected his first collegiate home run Tuesday in Bellarmine’s 18-8 loss at Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Kentucky.

The Shelbyville graduate was the starting catcher Tuesday for Bellarmine and went 2-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored and a run batted in.

The loss dropped Bellarmine to 5-7 this season.

The Knights start a 4-game series Thursday at Indiana University.

Here is a look at other Shelby County graduates competing at the collegiate level.

Karissa Hamilton

The Shelbyville graduate had two hits, both triples, for the University of Kentucky at the Oklahoma Tournament in Norman, Oklahoma.

The Wildcats (12-5-1) lost twice to No. 1 ranked Oklahoma but secured 7-1 and 11-0 wins over the University of Illinois Chicago.

Damon Lux

The Shelbyville graduate had a double, a walk and was hit by a pitch Tuesday in Duke’s 5-0 win over Appalachian State in Durham, North Carolina.

Duke lost a 3-game series opener Friday to Princeton, 7-3. Lux went 1-for-3 with a RBI.

On Saturday, the Blue Devils bounced back for a 21-2 victory then closed out the series with a 12-5 win Sunday. Lux had two walks and scored a run in the series finale.

The Blue Devils are 9-3 and host Northeastern today.

Cory Taylor

The Shelbyville graduate finished 2-for-3 with two walks, a stolen base, three runs scored and a RBI Sunday in Eastern Michigan’s 11-6 win over Towson in 11 innings.

Eastern Michigan swept the 4-game series played at Schuerholz Park in Towson, Maryland. Taylor had seven hits and four RBIs to get the Eagles back above .500 at 6-4.

Katie Mathies

The Shelbyville graduate went 1-for-3 with a double Saturday in DePauw’s 3-2 loss to Randolph-Macon College to close out the Grand Slam Triangle Classic in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Mathies had two hits and two RBIs Friday in DePauw’s 8-5 win over Susquehanna University. She followed that with two more hits in an 8-5 loss to No. 25 Piedmont University.

DePauw opened play Saturday with a 6-5 loss to Birmingham-Southern College.

The Tigers are 3-4 this season.

Morgan Stieneker

The Shelbyville graduate went 2-for-4 with a double, a stolen base and two runs scored for IUPUC in a 4-3 win Sunday at Viterbo.

Stieneker had a 4-hit performance Monday with three RBIs in a 5-1 win at Brescia that improved IUPUC to 3-8 in its inaugural season.

Oakland City swept a doubleheader Tuesday against IUPUC, 3-0 and 6-2, to drop the Crimson Pride to 3-10. Stieneker had a hit and a walk in the twinbill.

Hannah File

The Shelbyville graduate had a pair of walks Sunday for Louisville in a 2-0 win over Northern Kentucky.

The Cardinals are 14-6 this season.

Michael Fox

The Shelbyville graduate finished 14^th in the 1-mile run for Manchester University in the Polar Bear Final Qualifier in Ada, Ohio. Fox crossed the finish line in 4:59.60.

Layton Stieneker

The Shelbyville graduate won a No. 3 singles match and a No. 1 doubles match for Franklin College Saturday in a 9-0 win over Kaskaskia College in Centralia, Illinois.

Stieneker defeated Brendan Phillips, 6-3, 7-5, then teamed with Dustin Garrison to top Tejas Zala and Pierce Farmer, 8-5.

Franklin returned to the tennis courts Saturday and lost 9-0 to Greenville University. Stieneker was defeated at No. 4 singles, 6-0, 6-2, and, with Garrison, was swept at No. 1 doubles, 8-0.

Riley Stephens

The Triton Central graduate had one rebound for Samford Thursday in a 63-47 loss to East Tennessee State University in the Southern Conference Tournament in Asheville, North Carolina.

Samford finished the season 13-17.

Hayden Langkabel

The Morristown graduate closed out his Marian University career with three points, one rebound and one assist Tuesday in a 79-75 loss to the University of Rio Grande (Ohio) in the NAIA Tournament First Round in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Marian finished the season 21-10.

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Shelbyville senior Ollie Sandman was one of 12 boys basketball players to earn an All-Conference designation from the Hoosier Heritage Conference.

Sandman, who became the 10^th Golden Bear to join the 1,000 career points club this season, averaged 16.9 ppg and 3.6 rpg for a Shelbyville squad that finished 10-14.

The DePauw University commit finished his Shelbyville career with 1,036 points – the eighth best total in boys basketball program history. He also finished with 199 career three-pointers made – a program record.

Also named All-HHC were Delta juniors Jackson Wors (14.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and D’Amare Hood (13.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg), Greenfield-Central senior Dylan Moles (20.4 ppg, 5.1 apg) and sophomore Braylon Mullins (16.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg), Mount Vernon freshmen Luke Ertel (12.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 4.4 apg) and Julien Smith (13.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg), New Castle senior Gavin Welch (15.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg), New Palestine seniors Ian Stephens (15.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg) and Blaine Nunnally (17.5 ppg, 5.2 apg), Pendleton Heights junior Josiah Gustin (13.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg), and Yorktown senior A.J. Dunn (18.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg).

New Palestine’s Trent Whitaker and Greenfield-Central’s Luke Meredith were selected HHC Co-Coaches of the Year.

Whitaker led New Palestine (23-2) to the HHC championship with a 7-0 record.

Meredith and Greenfield-Central (21-2) finished runner-up at 6-1.

Mount Vernon (16-9, 5-2 HHC) was third ahead of Yorktown (14-9, 4-3), Delta (17-9, 3-4), New Castle (14-12, 2-5), Shelbyville (10-14, 1-6) and Pendleton Heights (8-17, 0-7).

New Palestine and Delta captured sectional championships Saturday and will compete in regional championship games later this week.

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Shelbyville senior Kylee Edwards and junior Ava Wilson were recently selected All-Conference by the Hoosier Heritage Conference.

Edwards (main photo), Shelbyville’s career-scoring leader, averaged 19.5 points and 8.1 rebounds for the Golden Bears in her final season. She will graduate with the most career points (1,563), rebounds (573) and blocked shots (67) in program history and is third all-time in assists (196) and second in steals (275). She also has the program record for points in a game (45).

Wilson averaged 18 ppg and 5.4 rpg to help Shelbyville to a 15-9 season. After three seasons with the Golden Bears, she has 742 career points, putting her on track to become the seventh 1,000-point career scorer during her senior year.

Edwards and Wilson (photo above) were two of 12 girls named All-HHC.

Also honored were Greenfield-Central sophomore Chaney Brown (14.3 ppg, 6 rpg) and senior Aryana Hibbard (9.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg), Mount Vernon senior Khloe Patterson (7.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 3.8 apg) and juniors Ellery Minch (16.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Easton Wampler (6.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg), New Castle junior Emma Hart (17.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg), New Palestine senior Isabella Gizzi (23.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg), Pendleton Heights senior Whitney Warfel (14.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and sophomore Kaycie Warfel (20.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg), and Yorktown senior Amari Wright (15 ppg, 4.7 rpg).

Mount Vernon head coach Julie Shelton was named HHC Coach of the Year after leading the Marauders (19-7) to the conference championship with a 7-0 mark.

Pendleton Heights was HHC runner-up at 15-10 (6-1 HHC), finishing ahead of Greenfield-Central (14-10, 5-2), Yorktown (11-12, 4-3), New Palestine (13-12, 3-4), Shelbyville (15-9, 2-5), Delta (6-16, 1-6) and New Castle (0-23, 0-7).

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The Indiana Crossroads Conference (ICC) has announced the addition of Covenant Christian High School beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.

The Warriors addition will follow the departure of Cascade High School for the Western Indiana Conference after the 2023-2024 school year.

“The ICC is pleased to welcome Covenant Christian as a new member, feeling confident they will accept the task of meeting the goals of the conference,” according to a media release from the ICC. “The ICC strives for excellence in well-rounded academic and athletic programs. Its membership promotes a friendly understanding in all interschool relations while affirming the belief in growth through academic and athletic challenges. The ICC looks forward to continuing to be focused on making decisions that ensure its members an education-based, student-focused and competitive environment.”

The ICC currently consists of Beech Grove, Cascade, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter, Indianapolis Lutheran, Monrovia, Indianapolis Scecina, Speedway and Triton Central.

Covenant Christian finished 8-4 after the 2022 football season. The Warriors, competing in Class A, lost to eventual state champion Lutheran, 56-0, in the sectional championship game.

Covenant Christian’s girls basketball team went 7-16 this season. The Warriors’ last sectional championship came in 2020.

The boys basketball program finished 14-10 and lost to Park Tudor in its sectional opener. The Warriors’ last sectional title came in 2021.

Covenant Christian has athletic teams competing in cross country, football, tennis, soccer, volleyball, golf, swimming, baseball, softball, and track and field.

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CHARLOTTESVILLE – Indianapolis Scecina used a 22-point second quarter to build a double-digit lead on Triton Central that proved to be enough to secure the Class 2A, Sectional 42 championship Saturday night at Eastern Hancock High School, 57-45.

Triton Central controlled the first quarter and built a 16-12 lead but David Mendez, Keaton Thibo and Mason Beriault connected on four consecutive three-pointers in the second quarter to give the Crusaders a 34-23 lead at halftime.

The Tigers bounced back with a strong third quarter that cut the deficit down to two points but never regained the lead. TC went 0-for-11 from the 3-point line in the fourth quarter and Scecina got inspired play from reserves Seth Trimble-Sunderland and Madden Beriault, who combined for 13 points over the final eight minutes that sealed the victory.

“We lost a couple of guys in transition which is something we don’t normally do,” said Triton Central head coach Kyle Ballard, now 48-46 in four seasons in Fairland, of Scecina’s two 10-0 runs in the second quarter. “We were still getting good looks and we had a couple of turnovers back-to-back.”

Scecina (17-6) will face Park Tudor (16-8), a 40-37 winner over 2A No. 5 University Saturday night, in the regional championship game at 1 p.m. Saturday at Greenfield-Central High School.

Thibo and Mendez each scored 13 points to lead Scecina, who captured its first sectional championship since 2018. Madden Beriault finished with 10 points – all in the fourth quarter.

Silas Blair topped Triton Central (17-7) with 20 points and seven rebounds. No other Tiger scored in double figures on a night when the team shot just 35% from the field (17 of 48) and 21% from the arc (6 of 29).

“We are really excited about where his game has come and where it can go in the next couple of years,” said Ballard of the sophomore.

Isaac Morgan finished with nine points and four assists in his final game at Triton Central. Fellow seniors Luke Faust and Cooper Baugh each scored two points.

Indianapolis Scecina 57, Triton Central 45

SC – Thibo 4-11 2-2 13, Porter 2-4 0-0 4, Mendez 5-9 1-3 13, Mas. Beriault 2-4 0-0 5, Milan 1-4 3-5 5, Trimble-Sunderland 2-5 1-2 5, Mad. Beriault 2-2 6-9 10, Florence 0-0 0-0 0, Young 0-0 0-0 0, Brown 0-0 0-0 0, Lowery 0-0 2-2 2. Totals: 18-39 15-23 57.

TC – Faust 1-9 0-0 2, Sego 2-3 0-0 5, Stuckey 2-5 2-2 7, Morgan 4-12 1-3 9, Blair 7-16 2-2 20, Crouse 0-2 0-0 0, Baugh 1-1 0-0 2, Kemper 0-0 0-0 0, Goul 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 17-48 5-7 45.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

SC (17-6)  12  22    5  18  --  57

TC (17-7)  16    7  12  10  --  45

Three-point field goals: SC 6-14 (Thibo 3-5, Mendez 2-6, Mas. Beriault 1-3), TC 6-29 (Faust 0-7, Sego 1-1, Stuckey 1-4, Morgan 0-5, Blair 4-10, Crouse 0-2). Rebounds: SC 23 (Thibo 2, Porter 4, Mendez 4, Mas. Beriault 4, Milan 4, Trimble-Sunderland 2, Mad. Beriault 3), TC 21 (Faust 4, Sego 4, Stuckey 3, Morgan 3, Blair 7). Assists: SC 8 (Thibo 2, Porter 2, Mendez 1, Mas. Beriault 1, Milan 2), TC 8 (Faust 1, Sego 1, Stuckey 2, Morgan 4). Steals: SC 1 (Mendez 1), TC 2 (Sego 1, Morgan 1). Blocks: TC 1 (Blair 1). Total fouls: SC 12, TC 18. Fouled out: Blair (TC). Turnovers: SC 8, TC 6.

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COLUMBUS – Scoring lulls hindered Shelbyville all season.

Being shutout for nearly five minutes to start the third quarter Friday once again put the Golden Bears in chase mode. And time ran out on their season.

Whiteland built a double-digit lead at the pivotal moment of the third quarter then hit just enough free throws in the game’s final minute to secure a 47-45 victory over Shelbyville in a Class 4A, Sectional 14 semifinal game at Columbus North High School.

“Our boys fought all the way to the end,” said Shelbyville head coach John Hartnett Jr. “We got down by 10 points and eventually fought all the way back and had a chance to shoot the last shot and go up by one if we hit the big 3.”

Ollie Sandman’s sixth three-pointer of his record-setting career got Shelbyville within 45-44 with 53 seconds left.

Austin Willoughby hit one of two free throws to give the Warriors a 46-44 lead but put the ball back in Sandman’s hands. The senior searched and searched for an open look before Hartnett called timeout with 18.7 seconds to go.

Caden Claxton got an open look at a 3-pointer but the ball caromed high off the rim and over the backboard.

Shelbyville (10-14) immediately fouled Gavin Stubbe, who hit one of two free throws for a 3-point lead and 4.5 seconds on the clock.

Whiteland quickly fouled Sandman (main photo) before he could get momentum up court. Sandman made the first free throw then launched the ball at the front of the rim on his second attempt for a potential rebound and score as time expired. Instead, the ball ricocheted past him and Whiteland’s Wyatt McLaughlin gathered it in and ran out the clock.

Sandman finished with a game-high 22 points that pushed him past Brian Asher (1,024 points) and Tony Martin (1,028) for eighth all-time in Golden Bear history at 1,036 points.

Sandman also holds the program record for career made 3s at 199.

McLaughlin, who had 29 points in Whiteland’s Dec. 10 victory at Garrett Gymnasium in Shelbyville, was ineffective Friday after suffering an ankle injury earlier in the week.

Willoughby carried the Warriors (10-14) early, scoring 10 first-half points that helped Whiteland take a 22-19 lead into halftime.

A 7-0 run sparked by Jazz Banwait’s 3 extended the Warriors’ lead to 29-19.

“It’s always usually a quarter that beats us and that’s what it has been the past four to five games,” said Hartnett. “We have a bad stretch or a bad third quarter coming out and then we always have to play catch up or fight back in it. We made a couple of bonehead defensive mistakes and then we had some turnovers that hurt us. It’s all those little things that add up at the end.”

A Sandman 3 and scores by Damon Badgley and Jackson Parker pulled Shelbyville within 32-26 after three quarters.

D.J. Helm hit a 3 to open the fourth-quarter scoring and Whiteland kept hitting tough shots to keep the Golden Bears at bay.

Banwait scored four straight points and Whiteland led 43-36 with 2:13 left in the quarter.

The Warriors squandered several victories throughout the season with sub 60% shooting from the free-throw line. But Ethan Edwards calmly sank a pair of free throws with 1:22 left for a 45-39 lead.

Luke Brinkman sank a pair of free throws for Shelbyville ahead of Sandman’s final 3 that cut the lead to 45-44.

Willoughby led Whiteland with 14 points. Banwait had 10 points and three assists. Brayden Roy grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds.

No other Golden Bear scored in double digits Friday. Badgley finished with nine points.

“Losing some of these guys, Jackson Parker, Ollie Sandman, Aidan Asher, Riley Fortune, they mean so much to our program,” said Hartnett. “They have gone through our program all the way from the ground up and left a mark on this program. They have it steered in the right direction. I am very proud of them. I am proud of all the young guys that stepped up this year. This is something Shelbyville should be proud of.”

Whiteland returns to Columbus North tonight to face the host Bull Dogs (16-8), a 60-54 overtime winner over Columbus East (2-20) in Friday’s second semifinal game.

Steve Bush photos

Whiteland 47, Shelbyville 45

WH – Helm 1-2 0-0 3, Banwait 3-9 2-3 10, McLaughlin 0-2 0-0 0, Roy 3-8 0-1 6, Willoughby 6-8 2-8 14, Edwards 1-3 2-2 5, Stubbe 2-6 2-4 6, Perkins 1-2 0-0 3, Gillespie 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 17-40 8-18 47.

SH – Sandman 7-17 2-5 22, Brinkman 0-2 4-5 4, Parker 2-4 0-0 4, Claxton 0-8 2-2 2, Lambert 1-3 0-0 2, Badgley 4-8 0-0 9, Asher 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 15-44 8-11 45.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

WH (10-14)  6  16  10  15  --  47

SH (10-14)    4  15    7  19  --  45

Three-point field goals: WH 5-15 (Helm 1-1, Banwait 2-6, McLaughlin 0-1, Willoughby 0-1, Edwards 1-3, Stubbe 0-2, Perkins 1-1), SH 7-20 (Sandman 6-11, Brinkman 0-1, Claxton 0-4, Badgley 1-4). Rebounds: WH 32 (Helm 2, Banwait 1, McLaughlin 2, Roy 14, Willoughby 3, Edwards 4, Stubbe 4, Perkins 2), SH 19 (Sandman 3, Brinkman 5, Parker 3, Claxton 2, Lambert 3, Badgley 1, Asher 2). Assists: WH 11 (Helm 1, Banwait 3, Roy 2, Willoughby 1, Edwards 1, Stubbe 2, Perkins 1), SH 7 (Brinkman 3, Parker 1, Asher 3). Steals: WH 4 (Helm 1, Roy 1, Willoughby 2), SH 4 (Sandman 2, Brinkman 2). Blocks: WH 3 (Helm 2, Willoughby 1), SH 2 (Parker 2). Total fouls: WH 16, SH 16. Turnovers: WH 13, SH 9.

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Triton Central built a 48-26 halftime lead and cruised by Indianapolis Riverside, 78-45, Friday in a Class 2A, Sectional 42 semifinal game win at Eastern Hancock High School.

Isaac Morgan scored a game-high 22 points and Luke Faust had 20 to improve the Tigers to 17-6. Eli Sego finished with 13 points and Max Crouse had 11.

Major Davis led the Argonauts (9-11) with 12 points. Gerald Pope had 11.

In the second semifinal game Friday, Indianapolis Scecina defeated 2A No. 13 Eastern Hancock (55-40).

Triton Central will face Scecina (16-6) in the championship game tonight at 7 p.m. at Eastern Hancock. The Crusaders defeated the Tigers, 50-42, on Jan. 27 in an Indiana Crossroads Conference contest.

In other prep events Friday:

Boys Basketball

Jac-Cen-Del 44, Waldron 42

Jac-Cen-Del hit a pair of free throws with 6.3 seconds left to seal the Class A, Sectional 60 semifinal win over Waldron.

A steal and score, with an added free throw, by Lucas Shaw put the Mohawks up 41-40. The Eagles scored at the other end to take a one-point lead inside the final minute.

Max Jones was fouled and hit one of two free throws for Waldron to tie the game at 42-all and set up the final sequence that resulted in a pair of game-winning free throws.

Shaw, Lucas Mitchell and Bryce Yarling each had 10 points for Waldron (12-12).

Yarling, a senior, will graduate as Waldron’s second all-time leading scorer with 1,258 points. Mitchell, also a senior, closed out his career with 1,064 points.

With the win, Jac-Cen-Del (16-9) returns to Edinburgh High School tonight to face Oldenburg Academy (7-15) in the sectional championship game. The Twisters defeated South Decatur, 52-51, in the first semifinal game Friday.

Gymnastics

Franklin Central Regional

Morristown senior Oakleigh Goedde’s career came to an end.

Goedde placed 11^th in the vault, 14^th on the balance beam, 24^th on floor exercise and 27^th on the uneven bars. Her all-around score of 32.125 left her 16^th overall.

The top six finishers in each event qualified for the state championship meet at Ball State University on March 11.

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EDINBURGH – In its first meeting with Morristown this season, Waldron built a 12-point halftime lead but struggled to finish only to survive at the final buzzer and escape with the Mid-Hoosier Conference win.

On Wednesday in the second quarterfinal game of the Class A, Sectional 60 tournament at Edinburgh High School, Waldron again gained a double-digit lead by halftime on the pesky Yellow Jackets. This time, the Mohawks better handled a third-quarter charge and shut down any thoughts of a come-from-behind victory.

Lucas Shaw and Max Jones combined for 31 points to get Waldron a 58-39 win and a spot in Friday’s semifinals where it will face Jac-Cen-Del (15-9).

 “We may have gotten a little too comfortable there,” said Waldron head coach Beau Scott of the Morristown rally. “I thought we did a good job of not really losing control of the pace and scoring a couple of timely buckets to keep them at bay.”

A Max Jones score in the lane opened the second-half scoring and upped Waldron’s lead to 26-5. The Yellow Jackets responded with a 10-4 run to cut the lead to 30-15.

“I am incredibly proud of the fight our guys had in the second half,” said Morristown head coach Cory Kreiger. “We scored 15 points in the third quarter and 19 in the fourth quarter. It’s just unfortunate we couldn’t get it going a little bit earlier and rise to the occasion.”

Jones had nine of his 15 points in the quarter and immediately halted Morristown’s momentum with a made free throw and another score in the lane. The Yellow Jackets never got closer than 17 points the rest of the way.

“I think our best games of the year are when we are balanced and when the ball is moving,” said Scott. “I thought Max played awesome. He was flying around and getting offensive rebounds. His energy was great.”

Jameson Palmer led Morristown (1-22) with 17 points. Cade Mahin finished with 13 points – all in the second half. Colin Kieninger had four points and a game-high nine rebounds.

Palmer, Chase Theobald and Kamdyn Gaines proved to be strong leaders within the program for a first-year coach.

“We are going to miss Jameson, Chase and Kam, our three seniors. They have done a great job this year and done everything I could have asked of them as far as a leadership stand point and showing up to work every day despite not having the year we all anticipated,” said Kreiger.”

Lucas Mitchell, Waldron’s leading scorer at 20.5 ppg, stayed within the framework of the Mohawks’ game plan and finished with 10 points, six rebounds, four steals and five blocks.

Waldron (12-11) shot 47% from the field (23 of 49) and hit 9 of 12 free throws.

Morristown was 14 of 35 (40%) from the field but struggled at the free-throw line, hitting just 7 of 18 (39%).

The first semifinal game Friday at Edinburgh features South Decatur (13-11) and Oldenburg Academy (6-15).

Waldron 58, Morristown 39

MT – Palmer 5-10 3-6 17, Rinzel 1-1 3-4 5, Theobald 0-3 0-0 0, Hawk 0-4 0-0 0, Kieninger 2-6 0-2 4, Mahin 6-9 1-4 13, Gaines 0-1 0-2 0, McMichael 0-0 0-0 0, Merritt 0-0 0-0 0, Snyder 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 14-35 7-18 39.

WA – Mitchell 4-8 1-1 10, Yarling 2-10 1-2 5, Shaw 7-11 2-3 16, M. Jones 5-7 5-6 15, Settles 2-7 0-0 5, Miller 1-1 0-0 2, Bennett 1-4 0-0 2, Lindsay 0-1 0-0 0, S. Jones 0-0 0-0 0, Larrison 0-0 0-0 0, Douglas 1-1 0-0 3, Adkins 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-49 9-12 58.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

MT (1-22)       5    0   15  19  --  39

WA (12-11)  12  12  18  16  --  58

Three-point field goals: MT 4-11 (Palmer 4-6, Hawk 0-4, Snyder 0-1), WA 3-11 (Mitchell 1-2, Yarling 0-3, Shaw 0-1, M. Jones 0-1, Settles 1-2, Bennett 0-1, Douglas 1-1). Rebounds: MT 21 (Palmer 4, Rinzel 1, Hawk 1, Kieninger 9, Mahin 4, Gaines 2), WA 23 (Mitchell 6, Yarling 1, Shaw 2, M. Jones 5, Settles 4, Bennett 2, Lindsay 2, Douglas 1). Assists: MT 6 (Rinzel 3, Theobald 1, Hawk 1, Kieninger 1), WA 12 (Mitchell 1, Yarling 5, Shaw 3, M. Jones 1, Miller 1, Lindsay 1). Steals: MT 4 (Palmer 1, Theobald 1, Hawk 1, Mahin 1), WA 9 (Mitchell 4, Yarling 4, Shaw 1). Blocks: MT 3 (Kieninger 2, Mahin 1), WA 5 (Mitchell 5). Total fouls: MT 18, WA 11. Turnovers: MT 11, WA 16.

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EDINBURGH – For Southwestern to upset Jac-Cen-Del in the Class A, Sectional 60 quarterfinal round Wednesday at Edinburgh, its offense had to be madly efficient. What the Spartans found was the maddening length of the Eagles defense.

Jac-Cen-Del forced Southwestern into 26 turnovers that led to 20 more shot attempts and many more scoring opportunities in a 66-40 victory.

The Eagles (15-9) will face Waldron (12-11) Friday in the second semifinal game at the Edinburgh Sectional.

Matt Dickman led Jac-Cen-Del with 21 points, seven rebounds, two steals and three blocked shots. Devin Grieshop was equally disruptive, scoring 17 points, grabbing seven rebounds, getting six assists and four steals.

“Their length and athleticism is off the charts,” said Southwestern head coach Chris Ingels. “We don’t see that often enough.”

While 10 different Jac-Cen-Del players scored, all 40 of Southwestern’s points came from its starting five. Ben Kahler finished with 12 points and five rebounds. Conner Jewell had nine points and eight rebounds. Carter Snepp had seven and Matthew Clements and Jonah DeArmitt each had six.

Clements, Jewell and DeArmitt played their final game in a Southwestern jersey. The Spartans ended their first season under Ingels’ direction at 4-19.

“Our guys battled and competed all night long,” said Ingels. “That is a testament to our seniors who led us throughout the year. They never wanted to give up and kept fighting.”

The Spartans needed a strong start Wednesday but did not get it. Five turnovers and just seven shot attempts left Southwestern trailing 16-4 at the end of the first quarter.

“A lot of it was our offense. We didn’t give our defense time to set up because we were turning it over or missing a quick shot which led to some transition for them,” said Ingels. “We also wanted to get into a zone following makes and man after misses, and offensively we let ourselves down and dug a hole.”

For a team only averaging 42 ppg, being down double digits to a 14-win team was not ideal.

Four different Spartans scored in the second quarter which kept them within reach at halftime, trailing 31-15.

Dickman, a rangy six-foot, five-inch wing, scored 10 of his game-high 21 points in the third quarter while the Spartans committed 10 turnovers.

Southwestern shot 46% from the field and outrebounded the Eagles, 30-24, but did not have a free-throw attempt in the game.

“I enjoy our kids. I like our attitudes and personalities. We are going to get better and there are better days ahead,” said Ingels.

Jac-Cen-Del 66, Southwestern 40

SW – Kahler 6-9 0-0 12, Ma. Clements 3-9 0-0 6, Snepp 3-5 0-0 7, Jewell 3-9 0-0 9, DeArmitt 3-5 0-0 6, Stone 0-0 0-0 0, Mi. Clements 0-1 0-0 0, Cooley 0-1 0-0 0, Barlow 0-1 0-0 0, Oliver 0-0 0-0 0, Dennison 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-39 0-0 40.

JCD – Kohlman 1-4 0-0 2, Grieshop 6-12 4-6 17, Drockelman 0-7 0-0 0, Dickman 7-12 3-4 21, Dwenger 2-4 1-3 6, Newhart 3-5 0-0 6, Groth 1-9 0-0 2, Comer 2-3 0-0 6, Co. White 1-1 0-0 2, Ca. White 0-0 0-0 0, Borgman 0-1 2-2 2, Brook 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 24-59 13-18 66.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

SW (4-19)    4  11  14  11  --  40

JCD (15-9)  16  15  20  15  --  66

Three-point field goals: SW 4-11 (Snepp 1-2, Jewell 3-7, Mi. Clements 0-1, Barlow 0-1), JCD 5-28 (Kohlman 0-2, Grieshop 1-4, Drockelman 0-6, Dickman 1-5, Dwenger 1-1, Newhart 0-1, Groth 0-5, Comer 2-3, Borgman 0-1). Rebounds: SW 30 (Kahler 5, Ma. Clements 6, Snepp 3, Jewell 8, DeArmitt 5, Stone 1, Cooley 1, Oliver 1), JCD 24 (Kohlman 3, Grieshop 7, Dickman 7, Dwenger 2, Newhart 1, Groth 1, Comer 1, Co. White 1, Ca. White 1). Assists: SW 7 (Kahler 1, Ma. Clements 1, Snepp 1, Jewell 1, DeArmitt 2, Stone 1), JCD 12 (Grieshop 6, Drockelman 1, Dickman 1, Dwenger 1, Newhart 1, Comer 1, Borgman 1). Steals: SW 2 (Ma. Clements 1, DeArmitt 1), JCD 10 (Grieshop 4, Dickman 2, Groth 2, Ca. White 1, Borgman 1). Blocks: SW 3 (Ma. Clements 1, Snepp 2), JCD 4 (Drockelman 1, Dickman 3). Total fouls: SW 12, JCD 10. Turnovers: SW 26, JCD 4.

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Shelbyville graduate Morgan Stieneker collected the first hit in softball program history for Indiana University Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) on Feb. 19. Five days later, she helped the Crimson Pride notch the program’s first victory.

Stieneker went 1-for-2 at the plate with two walks, a run scored and a run batted in for IUPUC in an 8-6 win over Calumet on Feb. 24.

On Feb. 19 at Kentucky Christian, Stieneker produced a single in her first career at bat for IUPUC, a first-year program, in a 5-3 loss.

Stieneker, who played two seasons at Olney Central College before arriving in Columbus, has five hits this season for IUPUC (1-6).

Here is a look at other Shelby County graduates competing at the collegiate level.

Charlie Rife

The Shelbyville graduate made his collegiate debut Sunday going 1-for-2 with a walk, hit by pitch and run scored for Bellarmine in an 18-5 loss at the University of Southern Indiana.

The Knights are 5-2 this season.

Kina Schultz

The Shelbyville graduate placed 12^th in the 200 meters (27.88 seconds), eighth in the 55-meter hurdles (9.07) and eighth in the 800 relay for Muskingum Friday and Saturday in the Ohio Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship in Berea, Ohio.

Karissa Hamilton

The Shelbyville graduate had two hits, including a double, with a run scored and a run batted in Saturday for Kentucky in a 3-0 win over University of California Riverside at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, Calif.

Earlier Saturday, Hamilton had a hit and a run scored in Kentucky’s 9-3 loss to Northwestern.

Kentucky (10-3-1) travels to Norman, Oklahoma for Friday and Saturday games against No. 1 Oklahoma and University of Illinois Chicago.

Damon Lux

The Shelbyville graduate went 6-for-12 with six runs scored and 12 RBIs in Duke baseball’s weekend sweep of Baylor at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, North Carolina.

Lux had two hits, two RBIs, a walk and three runs scored Friday in a 20-1 victory.

On Saturday, Lux drove in six runs, stole two bases and had a walk and hit by pitch in the Blue Devils’ 22-3 win.

Duke completed the sweep Sunday, 10-3. Lux was again hit by a pitch and had a hit and a stolen base.

Duke defeated No. 9 East Carolina, 9-0, Tuesday to improve to 6-2 this season. Lux had two walks and a run scored.

Cory Taylor

The Shelbyville graduate went 1-for-3 with his first home run of the season for Eastern Michigan in a 5-3 loss Sunday at the University of Evansville.

Taylor went 2-for-3 Saturday with a walk, a stolen base and two runs scored in Eastern Michigan’s 9-7 loss to Evansville.

Eastern Michigan won the series opener Friday, 5-2. Taylor had a single and a stolen base.

Katie Mathies

The Shelbyville graduate had a RBI-double Saturday for DePauw softball in its season-opening win over Hope College, 10-9 in eight innings at the Fontbonne Tournament in Edwardsville, Illinois.

The Tigers defeated Central College, 5-4 in eight innings Saturday and lost to Franklin College Sunday, 4-2.

TeAnn Bringle

The Shelbyville graduate had two doubles, three hits total and four RBIs Saturday in Indiana State’s 10-1 win over Kennesaw State at the Easton Bama Bash in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The Sycamores (5-5) finished 2-3 at Rhoads Stadium in Alabama.

Indiana State split two games Friday, losing to Southeastern Louisiana 1-0 before defeating Kennesaw State 1-0 in 10 innings.

The Sycamores first faced Alabama Saturday and were defeated 14-4. Bringle went 0-for-3.

Indiana State closed out the invitational Sunday with a 6-2 loss to Southeastern Louisiana.

Hannah File

The Shelbyville graduate finished with nine hits in five games for Louisville at the Knights Classic in Orlando, Florida.

Louisville opened Friday with a 4-3 loss to the University of Central Florida (UCF). File had two hits and a run scored.

On Saturday, the Cardinals defeated Columbia, 8-2, and Bradley, 8-0. File had two hits and a run scored against Columbia and one hit against Bradley.

File smashed a game-winning solo home run in the sixth inning Sunday to get Louisville a 4-3 win over Purdue.

File helped Louisville defeat UCF 15-5 Sunday. She had three hits, including a double, and two runs scored.

Louisville improved to 11-4 this season.

Elizabeth Kemper

The Triton Central graduate finished 19^th overall for Taylor University’s women’s golf program at the Showdown at Legends in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Kemper shot rounds of 87, 79 and 86 over the two-day event Monday and Tuesday at the Legends Resort-Parkland golf course.

Taylor, ranked No. 12, finished third in the team standings behind top-20 ranked teams from the University of Northwestern Ohio and the University of the Cumberlands.

Chandler Martin

The Shelbyville graduate finished sixth in the high jump for the University of Indianapolis at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Indoor Championships, hosted by UIndy.

Martin cleared six feet, 1.25 inches.

Austin Perry

The Shelbyville graduate lost a No. 6 singles match to Bethel’s Wes Troyer Monday, 6-0, 6-1.

Bethel defeated Perry and Rose-Hulman, 7-0, in a match played in Orlando, Florida.

Brooke Lipperd

The Shelbyville graduate made her collegiate debut Saturday for Franklin College softball. She was inserted as a pinch runner in the seventh inning and scored in Franklin’s 6-5 win over the University of the Ozarks.

Lipperd went 0-for-1 in Franklin’s 9-1 win over Monmouth College.

Franklin added wins Sunday over Carroll University (2-1) and DePauw (4-2) to start the season 4-0.

Taylor Heath

The Triton Central graduate scored a career-high 30 points Friday in Hanover’s Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Tournament semifinal win over Mount St. Joseph, 72-52. Heath also had two rebounds and four assists.

No. 2 Transylvania defeated Hanover Saturday in the HCAC Tournament championship game, 85-58. Heath had 11 points, four rebounds and four assists.

Heath was named to the All-Tournament Team.

Kyle Crim

The Morristown graduate had three points, one rebound and four assists Friday for Hanover in a 72-63 loss at Anderson in the HCAC Tournament.

Hanover finished the season 17-10.

Hayden Langkabel

The Morristown graduate finished with five points, three rebounds, four steals and two assists Saturday in Marian’s 96-90 overtime loss at Grace in the Crossroads League Tournament semifinals.

Marian is 21-9 this season.

Rylie Stephens

The Triton Central graduate had three points and three rebounds Saturday in Samford’s 62-45 loss at Furman.

The Bulldogs finished the regular season at 13-16.

Maya Chandler

The Triton Central graduate had 18 points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal Wednesday afternoon in Loyola’s 58-57 loss to Duquesne in the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship tournament in Wilmington, Delaware.

The Ramblers’ season ended with a 6-24 record.

Tenleigh Phelps

The Triton Central graduate had three points and two assists Saturday for Youngstown State in a 65-51 win at Robert Morris.

The Penguins are 19-10 heading into the postseason tournament.

HCAC Indoor Track and Field Championships

Hosted by Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio, several Shelby County graduates competed in various events.

Zaleeya Martin

The Shelbyville graduate set a new 60 meters event record at 7.73 seconds while winning the race for Hanover College. The former record was 7.87 set in 2014.

Martin also placed fourth in the 200 meters (27.27), fifth in the long jump (16 feet, three inches) and was part of two Hanover relay teams that finished third.

Jill Anspaugh

The Shelbyville graduate was part of Franklin College’s winning distance medley relay team. The quartet of Anspaugh, Angelina Gregory, Lex Desenberg and Mallory Watson crossed the finish in 13:42.6.

Anspaugh also placed seventh in the one-mile run (6:00.45) and fourth in the 3,000 meters (11:46.34).

Madalyn Hudnall

The Waldron graduate set a new Mount St. Joseph indoor record in the shot put. Hudnall’s best throw of 37-5 put her in fifth place overall.

Hudnall also finished fourth in the high jump with a new personal best of 4-9.75 and 15^th in the weight throw (36-10.5).

Alison Muck

The Southwestern graduate finished second in the 60-meter hurdles (9.50), fifth in the high jump (4-9.75) and 10^th in the 200 (28.58) for Franklin College.

Muck also was part of Franklin’s sixth-place finishing relay team in the 800 relay.

Taylor Tatlock

The Southwestern graduate placed seventh in the weight throw (43-6) for Franklin College.

Michael Fox

The Shelbyville graduate finished 15^th in the 5,000 (16:49.49) for Manchester University.

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Triton Central senior Lizzie Graham has been selected as one of Hoosier Basketball Magazine’s Top 60 senior girls basketball players for the 2022-2023 season.

More than 1,400 seniors statewide were considered based on statistical evaluation, game observation and statewide research during the season and throughout the state tournament to determine Hoosier Basketball Magazine’s Top 60.

With the selection, Graham will participate in the 42^nd Annual Top 60 Senior Workout Sunday at Beech Grove High School. Half of the top 60 girls, primarily from northern and southern Indiana, will participate in the first workout session from 1 to 3 p.m. The remaining players, primarily from central Indiana, will compete during the second session from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Graham averaged a team-high 12.8 points per game for Triton Central, who finished 18-5. She also averaged 3.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. Graham is committed to play basketball at Indiana University South Bend.

The Top 60 Senior Workout includes the state’s top three scorers – Hobart’s Asia Donald (26.7 ppg), Columbus East’s Saige Stahl (26 ppg) and Greencastle’s Gloria Brewer (25.5 ppg).

There are seven players that participated in the 2023 IHSAA State Finals, including four state champions – Bedford North Lawrence’s Karsyn Norman, Fairfield’s Brea Garber, Forest Park’s Amber Tretter and Lanesville’s Linzie Wernert.

Former state champion coach DeeAnn Ramey (North Central-Marion) will direct both sessions. Other coaches working the sessions will be Pioneer’s Jeff Brooke, Tri’s Ethan Cook, Northwestern’s Kathie Layden, Warren Central’s Stacy Mitchell and Beech Grove’s Amy Selk.

Other notable player selections were Blue River Valley’s Maci Chamberlin, New Palestine’s Isabella Gizzi, Roncalli’s Sydney Horton, Franklin’s Kyndell Jochim, Tri’s Bailey Parham, Cascade’s Abby Parsons and Eastern Hancock’s Grace Stapleton.

Both workout sessions are open to the public. Admission is $8 per adult and $5 for students.

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Shelby Lasure lost her passion for volleyball but an invitation to return to club volleyball offered the sport a second chance.

“I got talked into going back to club volleyball and I fell back in love with (the sport),” said Lasure. “Ever since then, I’ve really wanted to go play in college.”

Lasure made that dream a reality Friday in the Golden Bear Room at Shelbyville High School. The senior made her commitment official to play volleyball at Anderson University.

“It’s a great place. I love the environment. I love the people there,” she said. “They were very welcoming and the campus is beautiful.”

Lasure seriously considered four other schools but all were out of state. Knowing her family would be close by played a big part in the decision. She will major in Biology with graduate school in her future to become a genetic counselor.

“I fell in love with (genetics) in middle school when I was introduced to it in Biology class,” she said. “My sister has a genetic heart condition. That happened and I got to experience what these genetic counselors do in their everyday job. That’s what I want to do. I have that personal connection now.”

Lasure led Shelbyville in kills (237) her senior year and was second in service aces (31) and third in digs (195). A solid, steady presence for Shelbyville, she hopes to continue that role at Anderson.

“They particularly picked me as an outside hitter but I have been working on my defensive specialist (skills) and back row work to be an all-around player,” said Lasure.

With her club team, Team Indiana, Lasure plays all-around as an outside hitter and middle back.

On Friday, Lasure had a large group of friends and family present for her signing ceremony.

“It’s liberating. It’s a great feeling,” she said after it was over. “I’m set and I know what I’m doing. Now, I just have to wait for the day when it all comes true.”

Lasure is looking forward to playing with dedicated volleyball athletes at the next level.

“5-26 wasn’t exactly the senior season I was expecting,” said Lasure of Shelbyville’s 2022 season. “Getting to go forward and experience (the game) with a new team, they all want to be on the court and it’s not just for the fun of it. I think that will be different in terms of the anatomy of the team because some people here (at Shelbyville) just play volleyball for fun and that’s a good reason to play.

“But if you are going to college it’s because you want to be there. You want to be on the court.”

Two years ago, Lasure had no idea what her future looked like in terms of athletics or academics. Now, she has a plan in place that starts with being a freshman at Anderson.

“No. Not really but it’s a new challenge,” said Lasure when asked if she was ready to be a freshman. “It’s a new way to see life, to see it in a different way than I’ve been able to experience it before.”

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COLUMBUS – Too many wins have slipped away from Shelbyville playing the way it was playing Tuesday in its Class 4A, Sectional 14 opener against East Central.

The Golden Bears could get an open 3-point shot on nearly every possession. By the end of three quarters Tuesday, Shelbyville was shooting 28% (7 of 25) from the arc. And the team had not attempted a free throw.

The result was a 31-27 deficit going into the fourth quarter against a team it defeated earlier in the season. Something had to change or the season was about to be over.

The Golden Bears scored 14 points in the fourth quarter with none coming from behind the 3-point line. That was good enough to get them into overtime where they made 10-of-12 free-throw attempts to seal a 54-47 victory.

“I thought early we tried to shoot too many 3s and our guys have to realize we are a 3-point shooting team but if we’re not hitting them and giving up things on defense, we have to find other ways to score. We have to find other ways to attack,” said Shelbyville head coach John Hartnett Jr. “We have to get to the basket and get to the free-throw line. We have good free throw shooters and we need to realize that and get in the paint a little bit more.”

Jackson Parker (photo) slashed to the rim twice with success to open the fourth quarter. Caden Claxton followed with strong drives to the rim that resulted in three free throws. And a Damon Badgley foray into the lane resulted in one of two made free throws that tied the game at 35-all.

Shelbyville got the lead on a baseline drive and reverse layin from Luke Brinkman. Ollie Sandman followed with a baseline jumper to make it 39-36 but East Central was not done.

Dylan Maxwell hit a 3 from the wing to tie the game and Carson Pieczonka scored on an alley-oop to give the Trojans a 41-39 lead with 1:33 left.

Sandman quickly hit another baseline jumper to tie the game at 41-41 and the Golden Bears had a chance to win at the end of regulation but Claxton left a contested shot short at the buzzer.

Ethan Lambert hit a pair of free throws to open the overtime scoring. East Central’s Cole Wheat matched that effort at the other end.

Badgley followed with Shelbyville’s only made 3 in the fourth quarter and overtime and jumpstarted a 10-0 run that sealed the win.

“With these guys, it’s all about confidence … being confident in yourself and being confident in your teammates,” said Hartnett. “Everybody here feels very confident in every single one of their teammates.

“Ethan Lambert stepping up to the (free throw) line, and he’s been struggling, and knocks down two big ones. Luke Brinkman hit some big 3s tonight and hits that reverse layup. And Jackson Parker playing his butt off defensively and using his athleticism … then making some athletic moves to the basket. The guys did what they had to do tonight to win the game. They found a way to win.”

Brinkman hit 5 of 6 free throws inside the final two minutes and finished with 13 points.

Claxton added a pair of free throws in the run and had a team-high 14 points.

Badgley (photo) finished with nine points, five rebounds and four blocked shots.

Sandman and Parker each had eight points. Sandman pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.

Maxwell led East Central (7-16) with 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Rhys Hofer had 11 points and Wheat finished with 10.

With the win, Shelbyville advanced to face Whiteland (9-14) Friday in the first semifinal game at Columbus North. The Warriors defeated the Golden Bears 72-65 on Dec. 10 at Garrett Gymnasium. The 65 points was Shelbyville’s highest offensive output of the season.

“We are excited for this matchup,” said Hartnett (photo). “We know we can hang around. We know we can defeat them. We will come out and play as hard as we can and survive and advance.”

Columbus North (15-8) defeated Franklin (10-14), 40-38, in the second quarterfinal game Tuesday and will take on Columbus East (2-19) in the second game Friday.

Notes: The sectional game win was the 250^th postseason victory for the program. … With eight points, Sandman pushed her career total to 1,014 points. The senior is 10 points from tying Brian Asher for ninth on the Shelbyville career scoring list. … With the win, Shelbyville secured its first double-digit wins season since 2018-2019 (14-11). … The sectional game victory was the first for Hartnett in his fourth season with the Golden Bears.

Steve Bush photos

Shelbyville 54, East Central 47, OT

SH – Sandman 3-10 1-2 8, Brinkman 3-9 5-6 13, Parker 4-5 0-1 8, Claxton 3-10 5-6 14, Asher 0-2 0-0 0, Badgley 3-13 1-2 9, Lambert 0-2 2-2 2. Totals: 16-51 14-19 54.

EC – Pieczonka 2-14 2-4 7, Maxwell 5-8 4-6 16, R. Hofer 3-9 2-4 11, Wheat 3-6 3-4 10, Kuhn 0-5 0-1 0, Richter 1-1 0-0 3, P. Hofer 0-0 0-0 0, Sehlhorst 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 14-43 11-19 47.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

SH (10-13)  11    8    8  14  13  --  54

EC (7-16)       7  13  11  10    6  --  47

Three-point field goals: SH 8-31 (Sandman 1-8, Brinkman 2-7, Claxton 3-6, Asher 0-2, Badgley 2-8), EC 8-21 (Pieczonka 1-5, Maxwell 2-3, R. Hofer 3-7, Wheat 1-1, Kuhn 0-4, Richter 1-1). Rebounds: SH 27 (Sandman 7, Brinkman 4, Parker 2, Claxton 3, Asher 1, Badgley 5, Lambert 5), EC 29 (Pieczonka 4, Maxwell 8, R. Hofer 3, Wheat 6, Kuhn 5, Richter 3). Assists: SH 5 (Brinkman 1, Parker 1, Claxton 2, Badgley 1), EC 12 (Pieczonka 2, Maxwell 6, R. Hofer 3, Kuhn 1). Steals: SH 4 (Sandman 2, Brinkman 1, Asher 1). Blocks: SH 6 (Sandman 1, Asher 1, Badgley 4), EC 2 (Wheat 2). Total fouls: SH 14, EC 20. Fouled out: Parker (SH), Pieczonka, Wheat (EC). Turnovers: SH 5, EC 10.

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Two of Waldron’s all-time leading scorers were named All-Conference by the Mid-Hoosier Conference.

Waldron’s Bryce Yarling (photo, right) and Lucas Mitchell (photo, left), No. 2 and No. 5 respectively in Waldron history, top the 12-player All-MHC team.

Mitchell, averaging 20.4 points and 7.4 rpg, just recently surpassed 1,000 career points. Yarling (11.2 ppg, 2.9 apg) reached the 1,000-point milestone in Waldron’s season opener in November.

Morristown’s Jameson Palmer (14 ppg, 4.3 rpg) also was named All-MHC.

Also earning the All-Conference designation were Edinburgh’s Caleb Dewey (19.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and Jarrett Turner (12 ppg, 3.8 rpg), South Decatur’s Dorian Hacker (12.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg) and Jacob Scruggs (18.7 ppg, 3.1 apg), Hauser’s Ledger Gelfius and Taeshaun Tungate, and North Decatur’s Kaden Muckerheide, Lance Nobbe and Blake Spears.

North Decatur head coach P.J. Metz, who led the Chargers (19-5, 6-0 MHC) to the conference title, was named Coach of the Year.

Following North Decatur in the MHC standings were South Decatur (12-11, 4-2 MHC), Waldron (11-11, 4-2), Edinburgh (13-9, 3-3), Hauser (11-12, 3-3), Morristown (1-21, 1-5) and Southwestern (4-18, 0-6).

Three more athletes were named Honorable Mention for their performances – Southwestern’s Ben Kahler, South Decatur’s Dale Peters and Edinburgh’s Connor Ramey.

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Morristown’s Raegan Kleine and Danika Rutledge were joined on the All-Mid-Hoosier Conference Girls Basketball Team by Southwestern’s McKinley Correll and Waldron’s Josie Larrison.

The 12-member team was recently announced at a postseason banquet.

Kleine (12.8 points, 5.5 rebounds) and Rutledge (12.7 ppg, 9.3 rpg) led Morristown (13-11, 4-2 MHC) to a runner-up finish in the conference standings.

North Decatur (17-6) finished 6-0 against conference opponents to claim the championship. Three Chargers – Madi Allen (13.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg), Madelyn Bohman (8.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg) and Ella Kunz (11.9 ppg, 7.9 rpg) – were honored as All-MHC for their performances this season.

Larrison averaged 7.5 ppg and 6.6 rpg for Waldron (5-18, 2-4 MHC).

Correll’s All-MHC honor was based on her averaging 10 ppg and 6.6 rpg for the Spartans (6-17, 1-5 MHC).

Also named All-MHC were South Decatur’s Kiley Best (12.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg) and Makayla Somers (10 ppg, 9.3 rpg), Edinburgh’s Gracie Crawhorn (11.6 ppg, 7.5 rpg), and Hauser’s Kyliegh Parrott (9.5 ppg, 3.5 apg) and Madelyn Poe (15.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg).

North Decatur head coach Doug Laker was named MHC Coach of the Year.

Seven more athletes were named Honorable Mention -- Waldron’s Alyssa Benson and Alivia Fischer, Hauser’s Kenze Bostic and Adrianna Musillami, South Decatur’s Molly Eden and North Decatur’s Kelsey Haley and Clare Kinker.

Hauser (10-12, 4-2 MHC) and South Decatur (9-15, 4-2 MHC) finished in a three-way tie with Morristown. Edinburgh finished 6-18 (0-6 MHC).

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FAIRLAND – Triton Central’s record-breaking receiver is ready for the jump to the next level.

Brad Schultz made his commitment to the University of Indianapolis’ football program official Thursday in a signing ceremony at the school.

Triton Central’s new record holder for single game yards (238), single season receptions (79) and receiving yards (1,492), and career receptions (125) and receiving yards (2,229) always favored UIndy but an administrative change within the football program stalled his recruitment.

“My recruiting coordinator quit at UIndy so that’s what kind of jumbled everything up,” said Schultz, the son of Brad and Leslie Schultz. “Up until the end, it was either UIndy or Olivet (Nazarene). I loved Olivet but I liked UIndy even more. They are in my backyard, just 15 minutes from here. And I think their training program will develop me.”

After a tough junior season with the Tigers due to a frustrating ankle injury, Schultz was still not convinced he could play college football – despite the strong desire to do just that.

“I never really thought I could until probably going into my senior year,” he said. “I was playing 7-on-7 and I was doing really, really well playing against ranked kids. My coaches over there told me to push for it.”

And with the help of a junior quarterback drawing Division I interest, Schultz stepped up and dominated most Friday nights. He had nine catches for 149 yards and three touchdowns in a season-opening win over Cascade, 42-14. Two weeks later against the eventual Class A state champions from Indianapolis Lutheran, Schultz produced eight catches for 188 yards.

As the season rolled on, the TC records of former Manchester All-American Dakota Nelson and receiver-turned-quarterback Aaron Steele started to fall.

Schultz also was a defensive presence for Triton Central as both a linebacker and defensive back depending on the opponent.

“It was definitely a fun season,” he said. “It was rough getting moved around all year and playing different positions but I think it worked out.”

Schultz already has a weight training regimen from UIndy and he expects the playbook to arrive soon.

“I think the biggest adjustment is going from playing kids my age to I’m moving in and will be the youngest kid there,” said Schultz. “Playing against guys totally bigger than me and more mature physically, I think that will be the biggest stepping stone.”

Schultz is ready for the more competitive environment that comes with joining a top 20 Division II program.

“I think the biggest part of football is winning,” he said. “I don’t want to play for a school that is OK with being average. I want to play in a program that is going to push me. I think that has been my biggest goal.”

While he knows he is starting over as a freshman, Schultz relishes the challenge of proving himself once again, just as he did at Triton Central when he moved in as a freshman.

“I can’t wait,” he said. “For me, high school football was fun but college football, almost everyone on the team is being paid to be there. They will want it more. High school football, you are out there to have fun with your friends. At college, it will be more competitive and fun.”

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Morristown senior gymnast Oakleigh Goedde scored a pair of top-six event finishes and placed third in the all-around competition to advance out of the Connersville Sectional.

The top six finishers in each event and the all-around qualified for the Franklin Central Regional Friday. Also, the top three teams advanced to the regional round.

On Saturday at Connersville High School, Goedde (photo, fourth from left) placed fourth in the vault with an 8.775 and fourth on the balance beam at 8.45 to earn a spot in the regional. However with scores of 7.075 on uneven bars and 8.2 on floor exercise, Goedde finished third in the all-around competition (32.5) behind New Palestine’s Lynzie Stiller (34.3) and Rushville’s Isabell Westphal (34.15).

New Palestine captured the sectional title with a team score of 103.425. Also advancing to regional are New Castle (99.25) and Rushville (95.525).

Morristown finished fifth (88.425) and Shelbyville was sixth (74.00).

New Castle’s Hailey Helsley won the vault with a score of 9.0. Shelbyville’s Renee Aldridge finished eighth (8.55).

New Palestine’s Jillianne Fee took first place on the balance beam with a 9.525. Morristown’s Remi Spicklemire’s score of 8.30 left her .025 away from the regional cut in a seventh-place finish.

New Palestine’s Addyson Kendall won the uneven bars event with an 8.3.

Fee also was the top scorer in the floor exercise at 9.525.

The Franklin Central Regional will feature the top six finishers from the Connersville and Franklin Central sectionals.

At the regional, the top six in each event and all-around as well as the top three teams advance to the State Finals on March 11 at Worthen Arena on the campus of Ball State University in Muncie.

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SPEEDWAY – To win a third-straight sectional title, Triton Central cannot afford extended lapses in focus to get through the Eastern Hancock Sectional.

The Tigers had one of those lapses Friday in the second half of the second quarter at Speedway when a 30-22 lead disappeared in less than a three-minute stretch.

Triton Central recovered to take a 35-31 lead into halftime then scored 44 second-half points to put away the Sparkplugs, 79-67, and finish fifth in the Indiana Crossroads Conference standings.

Isaac Morgan scored a game-high 23 points and three more Tigers scored in double figures to close out the regular season with a 16-6 record (3-4 ICC).

Morgan aggressively attacked the rim in the opening quarter and scored seven points as the Tigers built an 18-15 lead.

Luke Faust took over in the second quarter and tallied 10 of his 18 points to get TC a 35-31 lead despite Speedway’s 10-2 run that netted a 31-30 advantage. Triton Central had a stretch where it turned the ball over four straight possessions.

“We were disappointed in the volume of the way we turned the ball over,” said Triton Central head coach Kyle Ballard. “Especially the way it happened. A lot of it was just not catching the ball, we had some travels and some silly passes. It’s all stuff we can control and they took advantage of that.”

Nate Matelic (19 ppg) scored 10 of his team-high 17 points in the first half for Speedway but did not have a second-half field goal until late in the fourth quarter.

Silas Blair and Eli Sego combined for 12 points in the third quarter as the Tigers extended the lead to 57-45.

Morgan made his final six shots and the Tigers shot 67% from the field over the final eight minutes and made 6 of 8 free throws to seal the win.

Faust had a game-high eight rebounds. Sego, a freshman, finished with 19 points and seven rebounds. Blair, a sophomore, had 14 points and five rebounds.

“(Blair) has really gotten a lot more comfortable within himself, playing to his strengths and picking his spots,” said Ballard. “As a young player, sometimes that is the hardest leap to make, to understand when to go and when not to go. We really like where he is at when he plays within himself.”

Kody Fenters scored 16 points for Speedway (3-18, 2-5 ICC).

The Sparkplugs won the junior varsity game 45-38. Damola Ajani led Speedway with 15 points. Camden Bennett had 13.

Garrett McElfresh topped Triton Central with 16 points. Sam Collier finished with 12.

Triton Central faces Indianapolis Riverside (9-10) in the first semifinal game Friday at Eastern Hancock.

Class 2A, No. 11 Eastern Hancock (18-6) opens the sectional tournament Tuesday against Irvington Prep (4-19). The winner advances to take on Indianapolis Scecina (15-6) in the second semifinal game Friday.

“This is the first time in the tournament for a bunch of these guys but we really like where our young guys have come from the beginning of the year to now. They have really matured quite a bit, physically and mentally,” said Ballard. “We are excited about the opportunity next weekend.”

Triton Central 79, Speedway 67

TC – Faust 6-13 4-4 18, Sego 6-12 7-7 19, Stuckey 0-0 0-0 0, Morgan 10-14 2-3 23, Blair 6-12 2-3 14, Crouse 2-8 0-0 5, Baugh 0-2 0-0 0, Kemper 0-0 0-0 0, Goul 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 30-61 15-17 79.

SP – N. Matelic 4-15 8-11 17, Short 2-4 4-6 8, Cal. Bennett 2-2 0-0 4, D. Matelic 4-9 0-0 9, Cr. Bennett 1-3 0-0 2, Fenters 6-14 2-2 16, Bambo 2-2 0-1 4, Robinson 3-6 1-4 7, Cam. Bennett 0-0 0-0 0, Cork 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 24-56 15-24 67.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

TC (16-6)  18  17  22  22  --  79

SP (3-18)   15  16  14  22  --  67

Three-point field goals: TC 4-20 (Faust 2-7, Sego 0-5, Morgan 1-1, Blair 0-3, Crouse 1-3, Baugh 0-1), SP 4-13 (N. Matelic 1-4, D. Matelic 1-2, Fenters 2-6, Robinson 0-1). Rebounds: TC 36 (Faust 8, Sego 7, Stuckey 6, Morgan 2, Blair 6, Crouse 2, Baugh 1, Kemper 4), SP 24 (N. Matelic 5, Short 5, D. Matelic 1, Cr. Bennett 4, Fenters 2, Bambo 1, Robinson 6). Assists: TC 7 (Sego 1, Morgan 2, Blair 2, Crouse 2), SP 9 (N. Matelic 2, Short 1, D. Matelic 2, Cr. Bennett 1, Fenters 1, Bambo 1, Robinson 1). Steals: TC 4 (Faust 1, Sego 1, Stuckey 1, Crouse 1), SP 2 (N. Matelic 1, Bambo 1). Blocks: TC 2 (Faust 1, Blair 1), SP 5 (N. Matelic 2, Short 1, Fenters 2). Total fouls: TC 24, SP 17. Fouled out: Baugh (TC). Turnovers: TC 15, SP 13.

JV

Speedway 45, Triton Central 38

TC – McElfresh 16, Collier 12, Morgan 6, Canter 2, McClure 2.

SP – Ajani 15, Cam. Bennett 13, Kiser 5, Cork 4, Lund 3, Coleman 3, Craig 2.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

TC    7    7  11  13  --  38

SP  14    5  11  15  --  45

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BATESVILLE – Shelbyville senior Ollie Sandman reached a milestone and broke a basketball program record Thursday in a 55-49 loss at Batesville.

Sandman (main photo) scored a team-high 16 points and made four three-pointers to surpass Zach Kuhn’s program record for career made 3s. And Sandman needed just 10 points to become the 10^th Golden Bear to score 1,000 career points.

“Ollie has made tremendous growth. He is a great kid and you can’t take anything away from him,” said Shelbyville head coach John Hartnett Jr. “He has worked his butt off to get to this point. Becoming the tenth Golden Bear to get to 1,000 points and breaking Zach Kuhn’s 190 made 3-point record is a big accomplishment. He has worked for it. He has spent a countless amount of hours and he has put up so many shots in the summer, in the fall and in the spring to make this happen in the wintertime when its basketball season.”

Sandman can extend the 3s record and attempt to climb the career scoring leaderboard at Shelbyville Tuesday when the Golden Bears open the postseason against East Central at the Columbus North Sectional.

Shelbyville put together a strong first-half performance Thursday sparked by the return of freshman point guard Caden Claxton (photo above), who missed three games with a hand injury. Claxton wasted little time splashing a 3 midway through the first quarter that jumpstarted the Golden Bears, who were trailing 9-2.

Sandman followed with his first 3 and a 7-0 run gave the Golden Bears the lead, 12-11. The DePauw commit’s second 3 came at the 5:22 mark of the second quarter and tied Kuhn’s record. He added the record-breaking 3 with 1:53 left in the half which helped Shelbyville secure a 25-22 lead at the break.

Batesville (16-6) outscored the Golden Bears 14-5 in the third quarter and Shelbyville never recovered.

“We came out flat and they came out and scored right away,” said Hartnett. “We can’t have spurts where we have the lead and then come out in the third quarter and give up easy buckets or give up a big bucket. Every bucket they scored in the third was huge. And then they shot a bunch of free throws in the fourth quarter.

“We have to find guys that are wanting to get stops when it is time to get stops. It seems like when we take the lead we find ways to give it back to teams and we have to stop doing that.”

Sandman’s 1,000^th-career point came with 7:03 left in the fourth quarter on a free throw that cut the Bulldogs’ lead to 38-31.

Sandman added a traditional 3-point play and Claxton hit one of his five made 3s that cut the deficit to 40-37.

Shelbyville would get no closer than that the rest of the contest.

Cade Kaiser sank 7 of 8 free-throw attempts inside the final two minutes to salt away the victory.

Jack Grunkemeyer led Batesville with 16 points. Kaiser and Sam Johnson each had 11 while Cole Pride finished with 10.

The Bulldogs shot 51% from the field to push its win streak to seven going into the postseason.

Claxton finished with 15 points and Aidan Asher had 11 points and five rebounds.

Shelbyville’s junior varsity finished 13-9 with a 57-39 victory at Batesville. Cole Schene led the Golden Bears with 13 points. Gavin Reed finished with 11 and Kohen Myers and Brody Runnebohm each had nine.

Notes: Sandman is 10^th in career scoring (1,006 points) at Shelbyville trailing Kuhn (1,887), Harry Larrabee (1,370), Tim Ash (1,246), Wes Miller (1,244), Gary Elkins (1,149), Mark Drake (1,143), Rick Moorhead (1,038), Tony Martin (1,028) and Brian Asher (1,024) … Class 4A, Sectional 14 at Columbus North begins Tuesday with Shelbyville (9-13) and East Central (7-15) followed by the host Bull Dogs (14-8) and Franklin (10-13). Whiteland (9-14) awaits the winner of Shelbyville’s quarterfinal contest and Columbus East (2-19) will get the winner of the CN/FR game.

Steve Bush photos

Batesville 55, Shelbyville 49

SH – Sandman 5-11 4-9 16, Badgley 1-3 0-0 3, Brinkman 0-2 0-0 0, Parker 1-5 0-0 2, Lambert 1-2 0-0 2, Claxton 5-10 0-0 15, Asher 4-6 2-2 11. Totals: 17-40 4-6 49.

BV – Prickel 1-3 2-2 5, Kaiser 1-2 9-10 11, Pride 4-10 1-1 10, Johnson 4-7 1-2 11, Grunkemeyer 7-9 2-7 16, Laker 1-3 0-2 2, Drake 0-0 0-0 0, Maple 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 18-35 15-24 55.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

SH (9-13)  14  11    5  19  -- 49

BV (16-6)  14    8  14  19  --  55

Three-point field goals: SH 11-28 (Sandman 4-9, Badgley 1-3, Brinkman 0-2, Parker 0-2, Claxton 5-10, Asher 1-2), BV 4-11 (Prickel 1-2, Pride 1-4, Johnson 2-3, Laker 0-1, Maple 0-1). Rebounds: SH 21 (Sandman 4, Badgley 1, Brinkman 3, Parker 1, Lambert 3, Claxton 4, Asher 5), BV 16 (Kaiser 7, Pride 2, Johnson 2, Grunkemeyer 4, Laker 1). Assists: SH 10 (Sandman 1, Badgley 3, Brinkman 1, Parker 1, Claxton 4), BV 9 (Prickel 2, Kaiser 1, Pride 2, Johnson 1, Grunkemeyer 1, Laker 2). Steals: BV 3 (Prickel 1, Johnson 1, Laker 1). Blocks: BV 1 (Pride 1). Total fouls: SH 20, BV 12. Fouled out: Asher (SH). Turnovers: SH 16, BV 6.

JV

Shelbyville 57, Batesville 39

SH – Schene 13, Reed 11, Myers 9, Runnebohm 9, Reinhart 6, Owens 5, West 4.

BV – Luers 8, Kuria 6, Laker 5, Drake 5, Maple 4, Lewis 3, Raver 3, Heiser 2.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

SH  15  18  11  13  --  57

BV    7   14  10    8  -- 39

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