TERRE HAUTE —
Last Friday, the Indianapolis Star reported that the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference — home of Terre Haute North and Terre Haute South — is exploring expansion. The league could grow to as many as 16 schools.
MIC expansion could — emphasize … could — signal the end of the line for North and South, members of the MIC since 1998. The article by Kyle Neddenriep said that the MIC has only invited schools “in the Indianapolis donut.”
The article openly speculated about North and South’s future in the league and one would-be expansion candidate — Indianapolis Pike — expressed interest in the MIC, but admitted its interest would cool off if it had to travel to Terre Haute.
The story jives with rumors from multiple sources several of us at the Tribune-Star had heard prior to the article being published. Sports reporter Andy Amey has been working on a story of his own on the topic.
At this point, it must be stressed that anything regarding the MIC is speculative, but it also must be noted that the handwriting on the wall is ominous.
Noting that the North and South MIC purge could be very real, I expressed multiple reservations about it on Twitter last Friday. What I got in response from some — not all — folks was joy.
The reaction ranged from good riddance to let’s use this opportunity to join up with the Bloomington/Evansville/west-side Indy schools.
If only it were that simple.
The comments pre-suppose two things: 1. That there’s a perfect-fit conference out there the Terre Haute schools can just slide into to replace the MIC. 2. That Bloomington/Evansville/westside Indy schools want to pair up with North and South in the first place.
Independence isn’t an option. There are only 26 independent schools in Indiana. Travel would be an unmitigated nightmare for North and South if that’s the route they elected to take.
Unfortunately, geography is an enemy Terre Haute can’t conquer. There isn’t another 5A/4A school within 50 miles of Terre Haute.
Yes, the schools in Bloomington (also vulnerable if Conference Indiana is picked over) and Lafayette (definitely vulnerable if the Hoosier Crossroads Conference is decimated as is likely if the MIC expands), or Evansville might make some semblance of sense to hook up with on paper.
But in reality, those schools and their conferences have concerns and parameters of their own that aren’t just going to be shoved aside for North and South’s benefit.
My biggest concern, however, is for North and South’s student-athletes.
Though the MIC losses have piled up for North and South in some sports, so have opportunities that might not have been there if not for the MIC. Opportunities that would be harder to come by if the Patriots and Braves beat up on smaller schools for the sake of better W-L records, which is what some fans want.
Right now, Terre Haute’s athletes and teams get to be tested against the best of the best. There’s a lot to be said for that, even if on a year-to-year basis it can be frustrating to absorb defeats given the depth of talent in the larger schools in the MIC.
On my Indiana State beat, I look at a player like Jake Odum, who was initially ignored as a potential recruit at South.
One selling point Odum had was that he proved he could perform in the MIC. It led directly to scholarship rather than a walk-on offer from ISU. Three years later, not only has Odum had a successful Sycamore career, but he’s considered one of the best point guards in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Does any of that happen if Odum hadn’t played in the MIC? Perhaps … perhaps not.
Though North and South’s teams are often on the short end in the MIC, not all have been. Does Terre Haute South’s girls basketball team win its state title in 2002 if it hadn’t been tested in the MIC? One of South’s two losses in 2002 was to Lawrence North and it beat Ben Davis in a tense semistate game.
Terre Haute North and South’s tennis, golf, volleyball, baseball and softball teams have been pushed to some high peaks, partly because of participation in the MIC. Even football, the sport where North and South are at the biggest disadvantage against the cream of the MIC crop, there have been beneficiaries.
In my time, at ISU alone, athletes like Jamie Petrowski, Daniel Millington, Brock Lough, Michael Mardis and several others have proved they could thrive at the Division I level. Take away the MIC and are those players as ready to perform at that level as they would’ve been otherwise? Perhaps … perhaps not.
Current football athletes like North’s Calvin Blank (Ball State) and Austin Lewis (Western Michigan) as well as South’s Danny Etling (Purdue) are FBS-bound. Without the MIC, does that happen?
I hope the MIC speculation is just that and both North and South stay. Perhaps a bigger MIC can be a more fair MIC. If the MIC goes to 16 schools, perhaps it can have large and small-school divisions — or more accurately — gargantuan and mega divisions.
North and South might not have the depth of talent that a 3,000-enrollment school has, but it gets proven time and again that there is talent here. The MIC gives Terre Haute’s athletes a chance to show it.
But if North and South are compelled to leave the MIC, a choice that admittedly might not ultimately be theirs, just be careful what you wish for. Departure from the MIC might improve W-L records, but it could also come at the expense of opportunities for Terre Haute athletes.
Todd Golden is sports editor of the Tribune-Star. He can be reached at (812) 231-4272 or todd.golden@tribstar.com. Follow Golden on Twitter @TribStarTodd.
High School
TODD GOLDEN: MIC detractors: Be careful what you wish for
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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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