Wabash Valley —
Three teams with 20-plus victories will attempt to claim the Class 4A Northview Sectional crown for high school softball this week, and most of the other Wabash Valley sectional fields also appear to be wide open.
Class 4A Northview Sectional
Terre Haute South (20-8), Terre Haute North (21-7) and Northview (22-6) have proven capable of beating one another in multiple matchups during the regular season.
Northview and Terre Haute North square off to get things started, with the Patriots owning two victories against the Knights. The most recent one, however, lacked junior Taylor Carter in the pitching circle for Northview.
Obviously, the hard-throwing right-hander will be there tonight, and she’ll be facing a tough Terre Haute North lineup led by sophomore Jazmine Allen, a .588 hitter with six home runs.
“They’ve got some pretty good players on that team, really good hitters,” Northview coach Bethany Jones said. “I don’t know if they’ll throw [Alisha] Ludwig or [Hillary] Rittenberg, but they’ve had some consistent pitching. They’re playing well, and they’re hitting the ball. If Taylor stays consistent and hits her spots, I think we’ll be able to hit the ball and make it a game.”
The Patriots have been playing well against quality competition of late. They took a 2-0 lead last week on a South Putnam squad that’s the favorite to win the Class 2A state title behind ace pitcher Brooke Boetjer. The Patriots ultimately lost that game 5-2 and lost again to Center Grove on Friday night.
“We faced two pretty good pitchers from Center Grove and South Putnam the last two nights,” coach Jack Kirchner said. “It was a really good ball game against South Putnam, and other than first inning, another good ball game against Center Grove. I feel like right now, we can play with anybody.”
The Braves will play Martinsville (12-12) in tonight’s final first-round contest. South coach Steve Woerner will send senior Marissa Stout to the pitching circle. Stout has had an outstanding season with the bat, but her absence due to a shoulder injury has hurt the Braves, Woerner said.
“She’s still hurting, she’s just not hurting as bad,” Woerner said.
South’s offense can carry them on many days, though, and Woerner expects everyone to be on top of their games.
“It’s going to be some pretty good ball being played next week,” Woerner said.
“The sectional’s one of the toughest ones in the state. Whoever walks away and plays the best will have a sectional championship,” Jones added.
Class 3A Edgewood Sectional
West Vigo has had to battle adversity throughout the season, whether it’s been injuries or other factors.
The Vikings carry a 10-15 record into the postseason, and coach Cherish Easton is confident her team is capable of putting a couple wins together.
The Vikings will have to avenge a 7-1 loss to the host team on Tuesday in order to do so.
“We were not very disciplined at the plate and looking forward to getting a chance to play them again. We’ll hope to have a good defense and an offense that produces,” Easton said.
The adversity that the team has went through — injuries to pitcher Hannah Harden and Jacy McClain — has toughened her team, Easton said.
“Unforseen circumstances this year. Many games when we’ve had to move girls to a different position. The girls have learned to step up and get the job done,” Easton said.
Leslee Walters has been steady with the bat, and Kenzie Little has stepped into the leadoff role and thrived.
Class 2A Sullivan Sectional
Sullivan has a 15-9 record including a victory over Terre Haute South, but the Golden Arrows have fought inconsistency all season long, coach Sue Pitts said.
The Golden Arrows have moved down from 3A this season, and the Arrows have gone 0-3 against teams in the sectional field, falling to Bloomfield, North Central and Linton.
The Arrows, led by senior pitcher Rachel Whitlock, open against Eastern Greene.
“It’s kind of been up and down. For the most part, our pitching has been there, and our bats will let us down. Or there might be times we get some runs scored, but the defense lets the pitching down and that’s just enough to beat us,” Pitts explained.
South Knox is the defending sectional champion.
Class 2A Cascade Sectional
South Putnam is the heavy favorite to repeat as Class 2A state champions behind Indiana University-bound pitcher Brooke Boetjer. The Eagles are riding a 50-game winning streak going into the postseason.
Class A Riverton Parke Sectional
Riverton Parke, ranked No. 6 in the state, has a target on its back in this sectional, but it’s something his girls have grown accustomed to, coach Joe Cox said.
The Panthers (18-7) open play against rival Rockville, the defending sectional champion.
“I don’t overlook anybody,” said Cox, whose team lost to 4A teams McCutcheon and Terre Haute South on Saturday.
Prior to those losses, Cox thought his team had some momentum near the end of the season.
“Here lately, the girls have stepped up their game a lot better, cut down on some mistakes. Hitting the ball fairly well overall,” Cox said.
With standout Sarah Burnham in the circle, the Panthers could make a postseason run. Burnham and E.B. Dickey, however, are the only two seniors on the team.
“We’re young, very young this year, we start four freshmen and a couple sophomores,” Cox said.
Burnham has been dominant.
“She’s had a real good season. With her on the mound, we’ve been able to play with every team that we’ve been against so far. Northview and us had a great game. They beat us 2-1 in last inning,” Cox said.
The Panthers swept two-game series against North Vermillion, Rockville, Turkey Run and Attica.
Class A Clay City Sectional
Clay City takes a 10-12 record into the postseason, but Shakamak (14-12) has the talent to make the opening game very interesting.
Mikayla Crane set the school record with her 13th double of the season to go with her four home runs.
Freshman pitcher Kelsey Samm also has four home runs.
Clay City counters with pitcher Whitney Jeffers, who led the Eels to a 7-1 victory in the team’s regular-season meeting.
“Their pitching, the Jefffers girl does a nice job keeping hitters off-balance. To beat them, we’ll have to go up there aggressive and hit the softball,” said Shakamak coach B.A. Shipman. “She had a nice game against us. The key for us is defensively, limit our errors and being able to get ahead in the count and let our pitchers work a little bit.”
• Robinson moving on – In Illinois, the Robinson Maroons will play Thursday against Greenville in the Vandalia Sectional.
With a victory Thursday, the Maroons would play Saturday for the sectional crown.
High School
Northview sectional groups 3 20-win teams
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North baseball pulls away from South in sectional opener
In high school baseball little things mean a lot, and the crack in the door doesn’t have to be open very wide.
Terre Haute North burst through that crack in the bottom of the second inning Wednesday evening at Terre Haute South, scoring seven two-out runs and going on to a surprisingly easy 12-2 victory over the host Braves. -
Blank, Mundy named McMillan Award winners
Posing side-by-side for photos following Terre Haute North High School’s Senior Awards ceremony, seniors Calvin Blank and Chanli Mundy couldn’t look more different.
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West Vigo baseball advances with 10-0 win behind Stewart's two-hitter
West Vigo got off to a good start in Class 3A high school sectional baseball action Wednesday evening at Dick Ballinger Field.
The Vikings scored four runs in the first inning of the first sectional game and went on to defeat Brown County 10-0 in five innings with Kevin Stewart hurling a two-hitter. -
Terre Haute South tennis claims regional crown
It was a lot tougher than some thought it would be, but the Terre Haute South girls tennis team won the Greencastle regional for the second year in a row Wednesday evening at DePauw University Tennis and Track Center.
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Big group of Wabash Valley boys head to Evansville looking for state berths
The top four finishers in each event from last week’s Terre Haute North, Evansville Central, Jasper and Princeton boys high school track and field sectionals will converge on Evansville Central today for regional competition.
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West Vigo comes up short against 19-9 Brown County softball
West Vigo got off to a good start but Brown County finished better in Class 3A high school softball sectional semifinal action Tuesday night at Edgewood.
The Eagles bested the Vikings 7-5 and will meet South Vermillion, a 12-7 winner over Owen Valley, for the sectional championship on Thursday starting at 6 p.m.
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Valley baseball teams have been keeping busy heading into sectionals
When high school baseball sectionals begin around the Wabash Valley today, one complaint that’s not expected to be heard from any coach is that his team has had too much time off.
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Northview powers way past Terre Haute South in sectional semifinal
Northview unleashed power rarely seen in high school girls softball Tuesday night to eliminate Terre Haute South 8-1 in the Class 4A Sectional at Martinsville High School.
The Knights hit three home runs in an eight-run third inning to reach the championship game. -
Terre Haute North dominates field at regional
Keirra Porter took first place in two individual events and helped Terre Haute North win one of its relays as the Patriots captured the Evansville Central Regional team championship in girls high school track and field Tuesday night.
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PREP ROUNDUP: South tennis cruises into regional final
Terre Haute South didn’t lose a game en route to blanking Seeger 5-0 in girls high school tennis Tuesday to advance to today’s championship match against Crawfordsville in the Greencastle Regional.
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Terry enjoys strong year with Wildcats, and still enjoying suiting up to play
South Vermillion’s Tim Terry is the longest tenured coach in Wabash Valley high school baseball as his Wildcats are set to begin sectional play Thursday against Owen Valley.
But on the Yankees, a 35-and-over team in the Terre Haute Men’s Senior Baseball League, Terry is “just a youngster” if you ask Larry Roesch, his 68-year-old teammate on the Volkers Group Yankees. -
West Vigo softball holds off nemesis Edgewood in softball sectional
Ice cream was enough of a reward Monday night after the West Vigo Vikings beat eight-time defending champion Edgewood 6-2 in extra innings in the opening game of the Class 3A softball sectional at Edgewood High School. But that’s not what Vikings want.
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PREP ROUNDUP: Shakamak's Green hits two homers in win over West Vigo
Shakamak improved to 22-3 on the season behind a complete-game effort from Brett Yeryar, and Patrick Green hit two solo home runs in a high school baseball game Monday.
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Terre Haute North offense unable to get going in loss to Mooresville
Jack Kirchner chose to give credit Monday night to Mooresville pitcher Taylor Chitwood, not to the Greg Maddux-size strike zone she seemed to enjoy.
But if there were no excuses forthcoming from Kirchner and his Terre Haute North High School softball team, it wouldn’t have been hard to find a spectator or two to come up with extenuating circumstances about the Patriots’ 4-1 loss at the Class 4A Martinsville Sectional. -
Terre Haute North looking strong going into girls track regional
Terre Haute North might need an off night for anyone to catch them in the girls track regional at Evansville Central.
The Patriots are as well-rounded as they’ve ever been, and two relay teams are state contenders with times ranking No. 2 in Indiana among times recorded all spring.
Terre Haute South, Northview and Sullivan have athletes among the contenders in multiple events as well. -
South tennis ready for potential challenge in regional
Terre Haute South and Northview take respective records of 10-5 and 11-5 into the Greencastle Regional today.
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Softball sectionals up for grabs
All three Vigo County high schools and Northview appear to have a realistic chance of winning sectional championships in softball this week.
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Terre Haute South, Northview vie for tennis regional title
Terre Haute South and Northview take respective records of 10-5 and 11-5 into the Greencastle Regional today.
Coach Bill Blankenbaker’s Braves will play Seeger at 4:30 p.m., while coach Emily Goff’s Knights will take on Crawfordsville about 6 p.m. -
Vikings win in extra innings at Rockville
West Vigo scored six runs in its first two innings Saturday, then needed a ninth-inning single by Lucas Fagg to escape with a 7-6 extra-inning win in nonconference high school baseball at Rockville.
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TH South beats Northview in Big Four makeup baseball game
Terre Haute South wrapped up a share of the MIC baseball title and finished up the Big Four Classic with an 8-1 victory over Northview in less than 24 hours on Saturday morning.
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Olds pitches South to share of MIC baseball title
Friday night, winning the second game 5-0 and earning a share of the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference high school baseball title.
Damon Olds was dominant on the mound for the Braves, striking out 14 and walking just one while pitching a three-hit shutout. -
South wins first half of doubleheader against Lawrence North
Host Terre Haute South kept its Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference high school baseball title hopes alive — and clinched no worse than second place in the process — by downing Lawrence North 4-1 in the first game of a doubleheader Friday night.
The second game, which started after Senior Night festivities between games, ended past the Tribune-Star deadline. -
PREP ROUNDUP: Calleja pitches West Vigo past South Vermillion
Brandon Calleja had 13 strikeouts to lead West Vigo to a 5-1 victory against South Vermillion in high school baseball Friday.
Brandon Behringer went 2 for 4 with two RBI for the Vikings, who secured second place in the Western Indiana Conference.
Kaden Lawson had double for South Vermillion (15-7), which finished 4-2 in the WIC. -
Seibert returns from injury to win three events as Braves win sectional crown
His baseball equivalent might be Rick Sutcliffe of the 1984 Chicago Cubs.
When Tyler Seibert returned to the Terre Haute South track and field lineup Thursday for sectional action at Terre Haute North, it was like the midseason trade the Cubs made for Sutcliffe that earned them a playoff spot. -
South switches up lineup to defeat North in tennis sectional
Terre Haute South coach Bill Blankenbaker said two weeks ago that he would change the Braves’ lineup after the 3-2 dual-meet loss to Terre Haute North.
The Patriots knew it was coming, but they couldn’t do anything to stop it. -
PREP ROUNDUP: North slips past Northview in eight-inning baseball game
Colton Pittman drew a bases-loaded walk to score Zach Milam with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning as host Terre Haute North edged Northview 8-7 in high school baseball Thursday at Jennings Field.
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PREP ROUNDUP: North and South to face off for tennis sectional title
The winner of the Terre Haute sectional for girls high school tennis will come down to Terre Haute North and Terre Haute South.
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Terre Haute North gets 10 event victories to claim 12th straight sectional crown
Terre Haute North won 10 events Tuesday night while winning the Indiana High School Athletic Association girls track and field section at South Putnam High School for the 12th straight year.
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North, South to meet in first round of baseball sectional
The Indiana High School Athletic Association announced pairings for the baseball state tournament Tuesday and the draw offered up a Vigo County battle in the opening game.
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PREP ROUNDUP: West Vigo softball clinches share of WIC title
West Vigo clinched at least a share of the Western Indiana Conference softball title with a 6-4 victory over Edgewood on Tuesday.
Jacy McClain and Bailee Waters had RBI singles in the fourth inning to break the game open for the Vikings. - More High School Headlines
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