TERRE HAUTE —
As far as Riley and Keely Davis are concerned, Cheryl Weatherman was simply their grandmother, and a pretty darn good one at that.
But as Lisa’s two daughters continue on their paths to becoming spunky, hard-nosed (hard-headed?) competitors in several sports — I’ve never been more confident in a prediction — they can thank their grandmother, who died suddenly and tragically last week, for a couple of things: the heredity that put the fires in their bellies, and the battles she fought to make athletic opportunities available for girls everywhere.
Consider this a thank you to Cheryl from all these members of the Amey Teams for girls high school basketball.
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If you hate sequels, you won’t enjoy seeing the captains of the Clutch Team, who happen to be the same trio as a year ago — Chelsea Francis of Turkey Run and Haley Seibert of Terre Haute South, two of the greatest leaders I’ve ever watched, and Carmela Roeschlein of Clay City, the go-to scorer on a sectional championship team.
Their teammates are Nicole Anderson of Terre Haute North; Sara Dickey of Riverton Parke; Kelsey Dirks and Faith Williams of Robinson; Allison Englum of Paris; Mack Evans of Owen Valley; Adrianne Francis of Turkey Run; Jade Gambill of Shakamak; Cheyenne Goodman and Morgan Stanifer of Union; Lindsey Greene and Hillary Woodard of Rockville; Erika Kuhn of Marshall; Savannah Mason of Linton; Mallory Miller and Chelsea Samuels of Greencastle; Kara Repp and Amanda Tiffin of Casey; Taylor Turchi of North Vermillion; and Lauren Webster of Northview.
One of the captains of the Competitors Team is a re-run too, but where else do you put Brooklyn Waters of West Vigo? Changing teams to be her co-captain is Shelby Davies of Turkey Run, who can’t be on the Unsung Team anymore because everyone knows by now she’s the best defender in the state.
Others who got after it this season were Jenny Barnhill and Christina Fox of North; Tasia Brewer, Kaylee Ellis and Kylie Fendrick of South; Sarah Burnham and Paige Yando of Riverton Parke; Cassidy Carlson and Abby VanGilder of West Vigo; Kenzie Cheesewright, Mandy Kelly and Jessie Lubovich of South Vermillion; Callie Dayhuff, Kayleigh Decker and Brielle Drelick of Clay City; Deidra Drake of North Central; Joie Gadberry of Linton; Jaleigh Gilham, Caelan Jones and Rhagen Smith of Sullivan; Ashley Hughes, Leeanna Knight and Cassie Weddle of Northview; Kylee Karr and Darby Martin of North Vermillion; Callie Keys of Paris; Ariana Kuhn and Bailey Lycan of Marshall; Beth Mahurin of Rockville; Michaela Montgomery and Lindsay Nichols of Casey; Shayna Nicol of Union; Megan Phipps of Shakamak; Taylor Pruitt of Greencastle; and Ellen Wilson of Robinson.
Shelby’s absence leaves the captaincy of the Unsung Team to a pair of players appreciated most by their teammates and their relatives, Abby Reed of Clay City and Casey West of North Vermillion.
Others who did more than the stats sheet showed included Bre Alsman and Olivia Robison of Linton; Erynn Beck of Greencastle; Emily Bell, Dallas Butts and Hannah Lee of South; Emily Bishop, Shelby Sandefer and Alexis Thompson of Marshall; Gracie Caddell, Ariel Hester, Chelcee Rehmel and Brandi West of North Central; Taylor Carter and Sierra Girton of Northview; Leslie Cates, Cayla Hoffman and Katie Spesard of Paris; Natalie Donovan and Raeann Sutherlin of Rockville; Sheldan Falls and Makenzie Pollard of Riverton Parke; Olivia Finley, Ashley Schenck, Morgan Seeley and Morgan Stewart of North; Delaney Gadberry and Cobie Harrison of Sullivan; Danielle Gossage and Allie Miller of Clay City; Jordan Hunt of Turkey Run; Jazmine Martin and Savannah Turner of Shakamak; Gretchen Riggen, Morgan Samuelson and Mariah Wright of South Vermillion; Audrey Scott and Stacey Thompson of Casey; and Mikaela Silcock, Allyson Walters and Alicyn Woodward of West Vigo.
I don’t know where Beth Stutler is now, but a few years ago she was the unselfish leader of maybe the very first Amey team. This year’s Unselfish Team captains are also sisters who allowed their siblings to take the limelight yet still made valuable contributions — Elizabeth Dickey of Riverton Parke and Meghan Francis of Turkey Run.
Other selfless players are Claire Bailey of South; Bradlea Beard, Darien Huffman and Abby Wright of Linton; Kelsey Burr of Sullivan; Jerica Carrington and Chelsea Tucker of Rockville; Lacey Gilbert and Elise Miller of Shakamak; Ashley Hall, Alana Scarbrough and Laura Sparks of North Central; Christie Hasbrouck and Jade Rakes of North; Kassy Hemmen of Marshall; Kati Johnson and Jessica Rose of Paris; Conner Kendall of Union; Colby Pomar and Kara Weir of North Vermillion; Dallas Uplinger and Kirsten Weaver of Turkey Run; Leslee Walters of West Vigo; Kayla Watts of Robinson; and Brittani Wright of South Vermillion.
Captain of the Promising Team is one of the first players I saw this season — Adrienne Pritchard of South Vermillion.
Other players with bright futures are Taylen Balding of North Vermillion; Natasha Barrett of Northview; Alex Basil, Jessi Covert, Shelby Earl and Melody White of Greencastle; Jerri Beck of Shakamak; Kelli Buchanan, Labrea Joyner and Abby Shanks of South; Lindsay Clark and Sydney Dickerson of North; Lacey Cox, Rachael Croft, Katie Crumrin and Belle Evans of North Central; Shelby Crum, Kendall Davies, Jordan Goddard and Chelsie Wood of Turkey Run; Brittany Gordon, DonaMarie Kelley and Rachel Overpeck of Rockville; Kaydie Grooms and Breah Keim of Marshall; Cali Hale of Union; McKenzie Little of West Vigo; Bailey Mack of South Vermillion; Frankie Rios of Paris; and Alex Wolfe of Clay City.
Captains of the Most Improved Team might both tell me they didn’t get better, they just got healthy. They would be Chelsea Newnum of Turkey Run and Hannah Randolph of North Central.
Others who got better were Rachel Amis and Alyssa Nichols of Greencastle; Alexis Barnes of Paris; Courtney Barnes and Kelsey Overton of Linton; Erin Barton of West Vigo; Lara Benningfield, Joscelyne Mann and Sierra Walters of Sullivan; Taylor Birchfield of Casey; Hannah Bledsoe and Mary Kate Etling of North; Madison Booe and Michaela Riggs of Clay City; Jalen Brower of South Vermillion; Courtney Callahan of North Central; Hailey Cox of Turkey Run; Kayla Ennen of South; Kelsey Fulford and Kelsey Pilant of Shakamak; Ashlee Horton and Hallie Smith of Union; Mikayla Kinneer of North Vermillion; Jenifer Lee and Shannan Kelley of Rockville; Tehya Pritts of Robinson; Chelsey Sampson of Northview; and Kori Wood of Riverton Parke.
My Left-handed Team is short on numbers, but we’ll play anybody. My captains are Tasia Brewer of South and Morgan Stewart of North to lead Jenny Barnhill and Ashley Schenck, also of North; Caelan Jones of Sullivan; Allie Miller of Clay City; Shayna Nicol of Union; and Abby Shanks of South.
n Connections — You wouldn’t think that Rockville and Triton (which, for all of you who asked where it was and I didn’t know last week, is east of Plymouth on U.S. 30, just a little north of Argos) had a lot in common other than pretty good boys basketball teams who may see each other again sometime — although I think I know someone who could tell me exactly how far apart they are.
But for Saturday’s semistate game at Lafayette, someone found one commonality. Rockville senior Aleni Wicker, who sang the national anthem before the game — and in awe-inspiring fashion, I should add; let’s hope a vocal music class or several is included in her college choice next year — is the daughter of the late Ned Wicker; he was a coach at Triton and then became a teacher, coach and administrator at Rockville.
There’s another connection too, the guy who could tell me about the mileage. Triton’s principal is Michael Chobanov, who formerly had that same job at Riverton Parke and who, according to Rockville coach and principal Dave Mahurin, still owns a house “about a block from our gym.”
n No surprises — Gatorade’s Indiana Players of the Year for basketball are Bria goss of Ben Davis and Cody Zeller of Washington, hardly ground-breaking news.
My Mr. Basketball vote, however, goes to Dee Davis of Bloomington South.
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, 47808; or by fax at (812) 231-4321.
Amey Takes Aim
AMEY TAKES AIM: Family remembers Cheryl Weatherman as caring grandmother
- Amey Takes Aim
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Amey Takes Aim: NHL playoffs to put TVs to good use
If Jenny had known, she probably wouldn’t have bought that TV.
But four or five years ago, my Fathers Day present — for those unfamiliar with Amey family traditions, the Fathers Day one is “let’s get something we all really want and pretend it’s a gift for Dad” — was a 42-inch Vizio. It’s been used even more than the cell phone I never would have bought for myself, or the TomTom that disappeared since Jenny’s smartphone arrived.
And it came with high-def.
I’m not going to insult you by telling you how great high-def is, because to do so would be to imply that you are even farther behind the technological curve than I am. I’m guessing, however, that not all of you have yet discovered what it does for hockey. -
Amey Takes Aim: Can’t bottle the joy of Amey vacations
The first bad sign was the Gatorade bottle.
In the Bataan-Death-March drive to Orlando that got the Amey family spring break vacation off to a bad start, seeing it between lanes of I-24 — as we zipped along at a 100-miles-in-five-hours clip — filled with an ominous yellow liquid was a little bit scary. And although we didn't stop to check for sure, I'm fairly certain I knew about its contents.
And the person stuck in the same traffic jam with us, the one with the existential license plate YMIHR4, couldn’t have asked a more pertinent question.
But, after seeing a lot more of Oak Grove, Ky., than we’d planned, and after enduring more traffic slowdowns in Nashville, we were on our way. Even some rain in the dark in the Smokies didn’t slow us down much, so you would think our first-day troubles were over.
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ANDY AMEY: Farewell to basketball
I believe you’ve heard me say before — just about a year ago, perhaps — that a boys high school basketball season that ends with the Tribune-Star in Bankers Life Fieldhouse can’t be considered a bad one, which is why we have a little celebrating to do thanks to the Linton Miners.
Lover of irony that I am, I’ve also got to point out that this season was another branch sprouting from the Wabash Valley’s most legendary coaching tree, that of Joe Hart.
Joe never got much credit for his work at Dugger, but he took Brody Boyd, Clark Golish and the Bulldogs to a state championship game in 2000, and since then three of his former players — Joe Pigg, Clint Swan and now Joey Hart, his son — also have coached teams in the final game of the season.
Joe probably wishes he could take credit for Doc Nash, another down-home type who gave a banjo lesson earlier Saturday in leading Borden past a bigger, more athletic Triton team (banjo lesson is a Howard Sharpism, for you younger readers), but his lineage is still the best I can think of around here. -
AMEY TAKES AIM: Maroons, Rox final a true Classic
I don’t make predictions nearly as often as I used to, but I had one several months ago that was proven correct last week.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Nitpicking aside, West Vigo Hall of Fame selections spot on
I can’t imagine a better first class of inductees into the West Vigo High School Athletics Hall of Fame than the one that was feted Saturday night in the Jim Mann Green Dome.
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Tough bunch of people
I’m getting my warm clothes ready for a trip to Linton this week, and if a few thrills from the Miners, Casey or North Vermillion happen the next couple of weeks, I hope I get to see them.
But high school football is over in Vigo County for the season — as coach Chris Barrett of Terre Haute North said, prematurely — and I’m sadder to see it go than usual.
Walking the sidelines and doing midweek or postgame interviews enables me to meet quite a few of the guys whose names you are about to read, and haven’t been more impressed than I was this fall. What outstanding groups of young men. What a tough, tough bunch of people.
Many know that one of my favorite athletic adjectives appeared consecutively in the previous sentence. -
AMEY TAKES AIM: A weekend to remember with ISU’s ’72 football team
They’re all still pretty hale and hearty, the boys of the fall of 1972 who returned to campus over the weekend to honor their former football coach.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: ISU reunion raises more questions than answers
One of the wrestlers I used to hang out with occasionally claimed to be a pretty good second-story man — although he may have just been talking, since I never saw any of the goods — and it was with him in mind that I was able to get access to the Indiana State Wrestling Alumni Reunion late Saturday night.
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AMEY TAKES AIM: Deciding not to ‘vacate’ during ‘vacation’ – & other ventures
Flaunting the law, setting a bad example for the kids in other ways, grooming and acquiring dogs … not a typical Amey family vacation, but an appreciated one just the same.
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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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