Terre Haute North got the good news Sunday night — or did it?
Coach Mike Allen’s Patriots drew still-winless Northview in the first round of Class 4A Sectional 12, which will be played a little over a week from now on North’s court.
Terre Haute South got sectional favorite — if records mean anything — Plainfield in the other first-round game there a week from Tuesday, while defending champion Mooresville and Martinsville got byes into the Feb. 10 semifinal games.
Plainfield has the only really good record in the field — 15-5 so far — and Northview the only bad one, with the other four teams all grouped within two games of .500 for the season.
In other draws by the Indiana High School Athletic Association on Sunday, both West Vigo and South Vermillion avoided the favorites in the first round of Class 3A Sectional 28 by drawing each other (favored Edgewood and darkhorse Brown County both got byes) and nothing in the Class 2A or Class A pairings looks ominous.
Which is ominous itself, something I’ll explain in a couple of paragraphs.
At Bloomfield, Sullivan’s first venture in a 2A tournament begins with the ninth-ranked Arrows having to go through a number of teams with reasonably similar records. The rematch of Linton and North Central that some of us predicted (the Miners and Thunderbirds play tonight, each seeking a first win of the season) can’t occur until the championship game.
At North Vermillion, things appear to be set up for favorites Riverton Parke and North Vermillion — who have played one overtime game already this season — to meet in the final game, although the Panthers’ first-round opponent, Attica, is one of the most improved teams in the state.
And at Clay City, where the Eels are two-time defending champions with a senior-laden lineup, a hot Shakamak team would seem to be the biggest challenge, something that again could not occur until the last night of the tournament.
But this is the sectional, remember, and things are not always as they seem. There are some nerves involved, particularly in a team’s first game (which is why the recently adopted format of the bye teams each playing a previous winner is one of the good things the IHSAA has done, wiping out some of the advantage to playing one fewer game).
If I knew where he was — or if he’s still alive — I would introduce Randy Harkabus to Mike Allen.
Randy was the big star at Lowell a year or two before I even got to high school, known throughout The Region for his scoring and rebounding and also throughout Lowell for a feat of expectoration that I’d probably better explain to you in person.
Lowell was no longer in a state-record basketball losing streak at that time, but at least was trending toward mediocrity. The Red Devils had to play in the East Chicago Sectional, however, which was usually an immediate kiss of death.
Imagine the thrills that went through Lowell when the draw came out and the Red Devils were paired with Crown Point — not only our bitterest rival, but our bitterest rival having the worst season in its history.
Imagine the depression when the 0-20 Bulldogs picked up their first win in that first-round sectional game.
Play the games and don’t look ahead, girls. I’ll get to as many as I can.
• Honored — Among the highlights of the West Vigo homecoming game Saturday was a ceremony for athletic director Mike Miller, who was recognized — quite reluctantly, I’m told — for his 13 years of service (not 14, he corrected later) and got a standing ovation as well as some memorabilia celebrating both his administrative career and his playing career (he still has the school record of 29 rebounds in a game, which not even daughter Bridget could break).
It was a busy night for Kathy Miller too. She was out there with her husband, children and grandchildren, but also got flowers prior to the varsity game from the Vikes and Tykes, who sang the National Anthem.
• Haven’t heard enough about this — Her fellow Seymour alum, Clint Davis, sent along the complete list of the Silver Anniversary girls basketball team released earlier this month by the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame that includes Indiana State women’s coach Teri Moren.
I wasn’t fortunate enough to see the 1987 Indiana All-Stars that featured Teri as well as Miss Basketball Lori Meinerding (now Morris-DeVries) of Fort Wayne Northrop and Indiana; Nikki Anderson (Cerbone) of Center Grove and Butler; Shannon Hardesty (Cantu) of Crawfordsville and Indiana; Krissi Davis of Noblesville and Notre Dame; Michelle Baker (Davis) of Franklin and Ball State; Vicki Lander of Evansville Bosse and UNLV; Kelly Powell (Richter) of Silver Creek and Eastern Illinois; Jane Calhoun (Scott) of Tipton and Purdue; Sara White of Clarksville and Wake Forest; Dana Wilkerson of Anderson and UNLV; and Ann Zellers (Williams) of Western Boone and IUPUI. Teri, of course, also starred at Purdue.
Other members of the Silver Anniversary team, which will be honored in April, are Janice Holliday (Burrus) of Elkhart Memorial and UNLV; Alicia Dobbels (Clevenger) of Seeger and St. Joseph’s; Shari Clark (Doud) of Mt. Vernon and Drake; Sharon Geary (Franks) of Lake Central and Ohio State; Robin Scott of Madison-Grant and IPFW; and Kristie Talley (Wright) of North Posey and Southern Indiana.
• Confirmation — Heard from Gary Fears this week that Bloomfield has officially withdrawn from the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic (meaning somebody else will have to play at 10 a.m. on the first day now) and will be replaced by Robinson.
PHWVC fans are going to like Aaron Siler of the Maroons, I predict.
• Not surprised — Futsum Zeinasellassie of Indianapolis North Central was Gatorade’s Runner of the Year for boys cross country.
• Reflecting — I can’t blame anyone for getting a little choked up about all the recent oratory surrounding the death of Joe Paterno.
I might also suggest, however, that those people read the recent piece in OnionSports, the one purportedly written by Jerry Sandusky. If you were one of my 99 followers at the time, you already have the link.
Andy Amey can be reached after 4 p.m. at (812) 231-4277 or at 1-800-783-8742; by e-mail at andy.amey@tribstar.com; by mail at P.O. Box 149, Terre Haute, IN; or by fax at (812) 231-4321. Follow @TribStarAndy on Twitter.
Amey Takes Aim
Related Photos
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Anyone's possession: South's Dallas Butts falls to the floor as North's Sierra Sykes (in white) and South's Kylie Fendrick scramble for a loose ball Friday night at Hulman Center. (Tribune-Star/Bob Poynter)
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Rebound: South's Kaylee Compton knocks the ball away from a North opponent Friday night at Hulman Center.
Discussion
AMEY TAKES AIM: Getting ready for the dance
- Amey Takes Aim
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Huntsville’s Stars, Havoc take back seat to GGS
The second-best thing about the Amey family’s spring-break trip to Huntsville, Ala., is that we left a lot of things on the table to do the next time we’re down there.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Rox well represented on Amey teams
If having the state finals in town makes it a successful girls high school basketball season, then certainly having a team to follow at the state finals makes it a very successful boys high school basketball season . . .
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AMEY TAKES AIM: A feeling of pride, not disappointment, comes from watching Rox play
It’s not going to come as a startling admission that I — once the rest of the local opposition has been eliminated from consideration — am an unabashed fan of whatever team the Wabash Valley sends onward in postseason high school sports competition.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: This private school plays basketball the right way
Any girls high school basketball season that ends with state championship games in Hulman Center is a pretty good one — even though I wished I’d seen Riverton Parke and Seeger knock off a couple of private schools the week before to even the public school-private school battle a little bit.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Even 2 of state’s best once had doubts
Look at them now.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Getting ready for the dance
Terre Haute North got the good news Sunday night — or did it?
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Harrowing path for state hopefuls
The bad news is that the winner of Class 4A Sectional 13 in boys basketball heads northeast instead of southeast for regional play in March — to Hinkle Fieldhouse instead of Seymour as a result of Indiana High School Athletic Association’s changes.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: A superior all-star arrangement
I don’t work on Wednesdays, so I wasn’t able to attend the first Wabash Valley Football Coaches Association draft last week to set up the annual all-star game that will be June 23 this year.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: The biggest & baddest of a holiday classic
There are more things to love about the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic than could fit in this newspaper, but one of this year’s best things was that for an hour or so on Wednesday, it was Justin Paddock’s world and we were just living in it.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Taking note of ISU’s latest football win
The biggest difference I’ve noticed, as I transition from the high school football beat to quasi-official status as the Indiana State football beat writer for a few weeks, is the length of the games.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: IHSAA playoff draw not as bad as it could have been
First reaction to the Indiana sectional football pairings drawn late Sunday by the Indiana High School Athletic Association? It could have been a lot worse.
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ANDY AMEY: Between the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & a hard place
Just in case any of you noticed — with some anticipation — the recent lack of my bylines, I can tell you that your wish (and mine) did come true. It was vacation week for the Amey family.
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Amey Takes Aim: UFC fighter’s bloodines traced back to ISU brothers
As a mild-mannered reporter from a great metropolitan newspaper — or thereabouts — I admit I haven’t paid much attention to the burgeoning mixed martial arts scene.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Predators’ win is music to new fan’s ears
For many, many years, the number of live games televised on WGN has been cited as perhaps the main reason for the popularity of the Chicago Cubs (it’s got to be something besides masochism, right?).
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AMEY TAKES AIM: You’ll be having a good ol’ time on vacation with the Ameys
When one of the first people you meet is Tammy Wynette’s stepdaughter, when you’ve stepped on the feet of people you haven’t met while trying to navigate Ernest Tubbs’ old Silver Eagle tour bus, and when the activities director of your resort is, well, Elvis, you might be vacationing in Nashville.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: The Annual All-Amey basketball teams close out the prep season
The most encouraging boys high school basketball event I’ve attended so far in 2011 has been the Lafayette Semistate a couple of weeks ago.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Family remembers Cheryl Weatherman as caring grandmother
As far as Riley and Keely Davis are concerned, Cheryl Weatherman was simply their grandmother, and a pretty darn good one at that.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Honor to see Turkey Run girls close out memorable career
I don’t know if anyone in this part of the state could actually say they enjoy going to Fort Wayne and back, but I was glad to see the Turkey Run Warriors play one last time during the girls basketball state finals Saturday.
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So many matches, so many favorites
Go ahead, ask me anything about the 224 wrestlers who competed last week at the Indiana state finals — or at least about the 112 wrestlers who survived Saturday’s first round.
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ANDY TAKES AIM: A sportwriters’s lament: Oh, the games we missed
I was already tired of winter by the time that first bitterly cold snap passed through in mid-December, so it’s safe to say the season hasn’t grown on me.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Time of the season for teams to tough it out
In the last month or so I figure I’ve seen at least four boys high school basketball teams with legitimate state-championship dreams as the season heads into its dog days.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: It's the fall 2010 Amey Awards
I won’t get to know the kids from Casey and North Putnam until they come to Terre Haute in droves next June for the Wabash Valley Football Coaches Association All-Star game, so I guess it’s not too early for the high school football awards from this space.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: An early look at Indiana prep football playoffs
I wasn’t at all surprised to watch Linton pick up a 20-point win over previously unbeaten North Knox in high school football last Friday, one week after the Miners had lost by 40 to North Daviess.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Baseball season rounding third for an exciting ending
Major League baseball is coming down to an interesting week for the National League, then a couple of interesting weeks for the American League.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Look for me in the yellow shirt
I won’t be wearing pink or blue tonight for the Terre Haute South-Terre Haute North volleyball match at North, but I’m anticipating that plenty of you will be.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Little QB had big moments in ISU blue
You won’t find his name easily in the Indiana State record book, but for my money the best quarterback the Sycamores have ever had was Verbie Walder.
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Amey Takes Aim: Biggest baseball pet peeve … Nibbling
Having seen some outstanding baseball — and some not-so-outstanding baseball — at literally every level of play this spring and summer, I have identified what without a doubt is my main pet peeve with the sport. Nibbling. I’m not referring to popcorn or pretzels or nachos or cheese sticks or corn dogs or snow cones or candy or ice cream. Those can also be a serious problem — particularly if the kids are with me — but one that can be solved by simply running out of money.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Head to the high seas: Ameys’ vacation cruise
It’s good to be king. Abdication? Not so good.
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World Cup replaces void opened when Stanley Cup ended
It’s niche sports day here at the Tribune-Star, so we’ll start with a test of how much you learned while watching the recent National Hockey League season.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Win or lose, a softball season to remember
Well, this is awkward. I’m writing this late Monday night, with my Tuesday and Wednesday days off in the future, not knowing entirely how happy I am with state-finals softball.
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