TERRE HAUTE —
Near the end of the 2012 high school softball season, three Wabash Valley Class 4A teams thought they had a realistic chance of going deep in the state tournament.
But Terre Haute North got knocked off by Northview 5-4 May 21 in the Northview Sectional. The Patriots finished with a 21-8 mark.
Northview went on to lose to Terre Haute South 5-1 May 22. The Knights ended up
23-7.
With that victory for the Braves, they earned the right to face Plainfield for the sectional championship May 23. But they lost 1-0, concluding their season at 24-8.
So the combined record for South, North and Northview was an impressive 68-23, yet there was no sectional title for any of them.
And what eventually happened to Plainfield last season? Well, some of you might remember the Quakers captured the Class 4A state championship.
“Our sectional is always tough,” Northview coach Bethany Jones pointed out. “You never know what’s going to happen. I think last year was a perfect example of that.”
“The records are great, but we have to win that sectional,” veteran North coach Jack Kirchner emphasized.
Now it’s almost time for a new season to begin and all three of these Valley schools — plus Class 3A West Vigo — are hoping for a deeper tournament run.
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Below is a look at how these four squads appear to stack up in 2013:
• Northview — Beginning her ninth season in charge, Jones will rely heavily on senior standout Taylor Carter, who will take her talents to East Tennessee State in the fall, to provide pitching and offense in the spring.
Last season, the pitcher/first baseman smashed nine home runs and 12 doubles with 42 runs batted in and 29 runs scored while posting a .490 batting average and a .900 slugging percentage. On the mound, the right-handed Carter went 16-6 with four shutouts, a 1.59 earned-run average and 166 strikeouts in 141 innings.
“I just had a talk with Taylor,” Jones told the Tribune-Star on Friday. “Now that she’s signed [with East Tennessee State], she should just relax and try to have fun out there.
“She’s improved from last year even and I feel like she’s really going to step in and be a team leader for us this year. She can be a little quiet at times, but she’s starting to come out of her shell.”
Among the Knights’ other key returnees are senior catcher Ashley Hughes (.333, 35 runs); sophomore shortstop/pitcher Whitney Halfhill (.319, 33 runs, eight doubles, four steals, played a lot of first base in 2012); senior center fielder Hope Torbert (.259, two homers, 17 walks); senior left fielder Kindra Cox; and sophomore third baseman/right fielder Madison Nevins (.323).
Jones said righties Halfhill (6-1, 3.33 ERA) and Jensen Swaim, a junior, will see time at pitcher when Carter plays elsewhere or rests.
“We do have several players back, although we’ve got some key positions that we’ve got to fill too,” Jones assessed. “Overall, I have very high expectations for this team. They get along great. There’s a lot of good team chemistry. Probably our big thing this year is that opponents will respect Taylor Carter so much that they’ll walk her a lot and our other hitters will have to step up and make the other teams pay.”
The Knights’ coach mentioned that juniors Lindsey Potter (right field or third base) and Shelby Dupin (maybe second base) and sophomore Tori Tilley (first or second base) are possibilities to step in and fill the roles of players who graduated after last season.
“We don’t have a lot of depth,” Jones admitted. “We are lower in numbers than in past years. So we can’t afford any injuries to key players.”
She predicts Edgewood will be the team to beat in the Western Indiana Conference. “They’ve won our conference the last several years.”
• Terre Haute North — Kirchner is ready to kick off his 13th season as the Patriots’ head coach and 18th season on their staff.
In other words, he’s got enough experience to know more than a little about the sport of softball. So when he says one of his players is likely to become a significant NCAA Division I talent someday, folks should listen.
That player would be junior Jazmine Allen, who is switching from center field to shortstop this season.
In 2012, Allen hit .567 with six homers, 12 doubles, 17 stolen bases and a .944 slugging percentage. She also scored 34 runs and knocked in 25.
“She’s very athletic,” Kirchner explained. “I don’t think it’ll be much for her to change positions, although she likes center field better. But she’ll do whatever it takes. She’s worked hard all winter. She doesn’t miss any of our open gyms. She’s really been working on her hitting and she’s starting to be a leader.”
He also praised the maturity that Allen has demonstrated this year.
“She understands that she’s not going to get a hit every time up,” Kirchner noted. “She’s leading by example.”
Other returning starters or frequent contributors are junior right fielder/first baseman Adrienne Pritchard (.417, two homers and nine RBIs in only 12 games), junior third baseman Katie Herrick. junior left fielder Lorrie LaTourette (.304), senior catcher/outfielder Allie McKinney (.345), senior catcher Kaci McBride (.318, two homers) and senior pitcher/right fielder Alisha Ludwig.
Pritchard tore an anterior cruciate ligament while swinging a bat last season, so Kirchner figures North fans have not seen the true talent of the 6-foot-2 Pritchard yet.
“She’s got a cannon for an arm and the girl can flat-out hit it,” he mentioned.
Kirchner likes the potential of this group, although previous starter Paige Collins — who would have been a senior — moved to Ohio with her family between seasons.
“We’re learning the game better,” he said. “The kids are starting to know how to not just play the game, but think the game. … It’s all going to be about how we hit. I think our pitching is going to be OK. We’ve just got to be able to make contact.”
Besides Ludwig (7-3, 3.45 ERA), other pitchers expecting to see action are junior Morgan Young (6-1, 2.48) and sophomores Allison Crick and Conner Nelson.
Looking at the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference, Kirchner sees Center Grove as the favorite to finish first.
“They’ve got just about everybody back,” he said. “Carmel lost a lot of people, including their pitcher and a couple of really good hitters.”
Kirchner thinks Carmel, North and South should contend for the MIC title as well.
• Terre Haute South — The Braves have a first-year head coach in 46-year-old Dwayne Stout, who had been a South assistant for the previous four seasons.
A former Chesterton High School baseball player and a graduate of Purdue University, Stout was hired in early 2013 to replace Steve Woerner, who had stepped down last summer.
“I love the game,” Stout said, explaining why he wanted the job. “I love coaching it and I love seeing the girls give everything they’ve got. I love the excitement.”
Stout acknowledged that he saw some potential in this South group of 26 players. Sixteen are underclassmen and 10 are sophomores.
“Our offense will be our biggest asset,” he stressed. “Our hitting, our speed on the bases, we’re going to use that to put pressure on the opposition. Right now, I’ve got six returning starters and I’ve got stiff competition going on for the remaining three positions.”
Some of the Braves’ top returnees are Ball State-bound senior Shelbie Scamihorn, a catcher who drove in 22 runs last season; junior Mackenzie McGregor, a first baseman who smacked four homers; senior Cheyenne Reinig, a second baseman/pitcher who also hit four homers; junior Lexi Higgins, a center fielder who scored 32 runs; junior Kelsey Marlow, who scored 28 runs; and sophomore Hollie Jones, a third baseman.
“This team is going to be strong up the middle defensively,” Stout pointed out. “That’s going to be our strong suit.”
South’s new man in charge anticipates Reinig, sophomore Hanna Gossman and Jackie Swain — all right-handers — to handle the pitching duties.
“I think we’re young, but very capable,” Stout said of his staff. “We took some great strides last year. These girls worked hard all winter.”
Assessing the MIC, Stout agreed with Kirchner that Center Grove might have an edge to win the crown, with Carmel probably next in line.
• West Vigo — Fifth-year coach Cherish Easton said her squad, which finished 10-16 in 2012, is already battling injuries and its first game of 2013 is scheduled for Tuesday at Marshall, Ill.
But she still thinks she has a reasonably strong nucleus.
Returnees include junior outfielder Kenzie Little (.380, 14 RBIs, 16 runs), senior second baseman Ciara McClain, senior third baseman Jacy McClain (Ciara’s cousin who was hitting .417 before suffering a head injury last season), junior right-handed pitcher Hannah Harden (who missed a big portion of last season with injuries to both of her knees), junior catcher/outfielder Brittany Voils, sophomore center fielder Baylee Waters, sophomore catcher/utility specialist Charity Lane, junior outfielder Kortney Brown, junior Kenzie Roth, senior right-handed pitcher Kayla Akers (who may miss the early part of this season with an injury) and sophomore Miranda Mann (who may only bat early in the season because of a dislocated shoulder).
Easton said a few freshmen will be thrown into the max immediately — primarily new starting shortstop Shelby Edington, who may bat cleanup.
“She’s tough, she’s smart and she’s got a good stick,” the Vikings’ coach said.
Another freshman expected to contribute is right-handed pitcher Leah Morrison, who may see action at first base when Harden is pitching.
“She’s quicker than what we had last year,” Easton indicated. “And she’s got a good stick.”
Freshman Mary Curley could see action in the outfield, the West Vigo coach added.
Easton named Northview and Edgewood as “always the favorites [to win] in the WIC.”
Vigo County, Northview softball 2013 schedules
Northview Knights
April 2 — at Martinsville, 5:30 p.m.
April 4 — Linton, 5 p.m.
April 5-6 — Lady Braves Bash at Miss Softball America complex, TBA
April 8 — Bloomington South, 6 p.m.
April 9 — Clay City, 5 p.m.
April 11 — at Shakamak, 5 p.m.
April 12-13 — at Jasper Invitational, TBA
April 15 — Plainfield, 5:30 p.m.
April 16 — at Sullivan*, 5 p.m.
April 23 — Brown County*, 6 p.m.
April 24 — Turkey Run, 5 p.m.
April 25 — at Mooresville, 5 p.m.
April 30 — at West Vigo*, 5 p.m.
May 2 — at Bloomington North, 5 p.m.
May 3 — Edgewood*, 5 p.m.
May 4 — Big Four Classic at Terre Haute North, TBA
May 6 — at Riverton Parke, 5 p.m.
May 7 — South Vermillion*, 5 p.m.
May 8 — North Central, 5 p.m.
May 10 — at Owen Valley*, 5 p.m.
May 14 — at Terre Haute North, 5 p.m.
May 16 — at Rockville, 5 p.m.
May 20-24 — Class 4A sectional at Martinsville, TBA
* — denotes Western Indiana Conference game
Terre Haute North Patriots
April 4 — at Sullivan, 5 p.m.
April 5-6 — Lady Braves Bash at Miss Softball America complex, TBA
April 10 — Turkey Run, 5 p.m.
April 13 — Bloomington North, 11 a.m.
April 16 — at Casey, Ill. (2), 4:30 p.m.
April 18 — at Clay City, 6:30 p.m.
April 19 — at Mooresville, 5:30 p.m.
April 20 — Lawrence North*, 10 a.m., and Warren Central*, noon
April 22 — at Rockville, 5 p.m.
April 25 — at Union, 5:30 p.m.
April 27 — at Ben Davis*, 10 a.m., and at Indianapolis North Central*, 1 p.m.
April 29 — at Riverton Parke, 5 p.m.
April 30 — Terre Haute South*, 5 p.m.
May 3 — vs. Carmel* at Cherry Tree complex, 6 p.m.
May 4 — Big Four Classic at North, TBA
May 8 — Bloomington South, 6:30 p.m.
May 10 — at Mattoon, Ill., 4:30 p.m.
May 13 — Shakamak, 5 p.m.
May 14 — Northview, 5 p.m.
May 16 — at South Putnam, 5 p.m.
May 17 — at Center Grove*, 6 p.m.
May 18 — at South Vermillion, 10 a.m.
May 20-24 — Class 4A sectional at Martinsville, TBA
* — denotes Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference game
Terre Haute South Braves
March 23 — Southmont, noon
March 25 — Casey, Ill., 5:30 p.m.
March 27 — at Brebeuf, 6 p.m.
April 5-6 — Lady Braves Bash at Miss Softball America complex, TBA
April 8 — at Greencastle, 5 p.m.
April 10 — at Bloomington North, 5 p.m.
April 11 — South Vermillion, 5 p.m.
April 12 — Sullivan, 5 p.m.
April 13 — at Henderson, Ky., noon
April 20 — vs. Warren Central* at Terre Haute North, 10 a.m., and vs. Lawrence North* at Terre Haute North, noon
April 25 — at North Central, 5 p.m.
April 27 — vs. Indianapolis North Central* at Ben Davis, 10 a.m., and at Ben Davis*, noon
April 30 — at Terre Haute North*, 5 p.m.
May 3 — at Center Grove*, 6 p.m.
May 4 — Big Four Classic at Terre Haute North, TBA
May 6 — Clay City, 5 p.m.
May 9 — at Linton, 5 p.m.
May 10 — at Shakamak, 5 p.m.
May 11 — Carmel*, 10 a.m.
May 16 — Bloomington South, 6 p.m.
May 18 — at Riverton Parke Invitational, TBA
May 20-24 — Class 4A sectional at Martinsville, TBA
* — denotes Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference game
West Vigo Vikings
March 19 — at Marshall, Ill., 5 p.m.
March 20 — at Turkey Run, 5 p.m.
March 28 — at Greencastle, 5 p.m.
April 8 — at Paris, Ill., 5:30 p.m.
April 9 — Owen Valley*, 5 p.m.
April 12 — Riverton Parke, 4:45 p.m.
April 15 — at Shakamak, 5 p.m.
April 16 — South Vermillion*, 5 p.m.
April 19 — at Union, 5 p.m.
April 20 — South Knox Tournament, TBA
April 23 — Sullivan*, 5 p.m.
April 24 — Rockville, 5 p.m.
April 26 — at North Vermillion, 5 p.m.
April 27 — at Brown County* (2), 11 a.m.
April 29 — North Central, 5 p.m.
April 30 — Northview*, 5 p.m.
May 2 — at South Putnam, 5 p.m.
May 3 — at Owen Valley, 5 p.m.
May 4 — Big Four Classic at Terre Haute North, TBA
May 6 — at Covington, 5 p.m.
May 9 — at Edgewood*, 5 p.m.
May 10 — Linton, 5 p.m.
May 16 — Cloverdale, 5 p.m.
May 17 — Clay City, 5 p.m.
May 20-24 — Class 3A sectional, TBA
* — denotes Western Indiana Conference game
High School
Trio seek playoff wins this time
Softball teams came up short after strong regular
- High School
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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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