I’m not going to get to go, but then again why should I have to? It’s a regular occurrence by now.
Yes, Lowell is in Saturday’s Class 4A high school football championship game — again. It’s the third time in five seasons for the Red Devils, who may have to worry about coach Kirk Kennedy getting hired away by Notre Dame.
Brian Kooistra, another expatriated Red Devil, took time out from building Union Hospital to listen to the internet broadcast on Saturday night and told me the 24-21 semistate win got pretty exciting at the end.
Apparently Lowell kicked the go-ahead field goal against favored Fort Wayne Dwenger, but Dwenger’s Saints were driving as the clock wound down.
The Red Devils started celebrating after a fourth-down stop, only to have Dwenger awarded a first down after a measurement. Then a Lowell player was flagged for pass interference on the last play of the game, giving Dwenger an untimed down near the 20-yard line. The field goal attempt to tie the game was missed, thankfully.
One of Lowell’s assistant coaches is Jim Kiechle, the massive tackle I lined up against at seemingly every practice of my high school career. I’m sure one of his main functions now is keeping the current team grounded, pointing out that success wasn’t always a given for the Red Devils.
You probably remember from last week’s column how Lowell did during my senior year, but their recent success isn’t the only surprise for the people from the Class of 1966.
1. Lowell has a radio station.
2. Lowell has the internet.
• Hard workers — I had this tidbit saved up for last week’s Vigo County awards column, so naturally I forgot it. Terre Haute South quarterback Bryn Schwartz appeared in 40 straight varsity games in his four years for the Braves — not unprecedented, but certainly an accomplishment (especially considering some of the punishment he took running the ball the last couple of years).
Another busy athlete recently was Adrienne Strohm of Marshall, who was on the basketball court most of the time for the Lions in a girls game Friday night, a girls game Saturday morning and a girls game Saturday night.
Between those two Saturday games — on the road — she came back to Marshall to be drum major for the Marching Lions at the Class 2A football playoff game.
• Worthy tribute — I was happy to see last week that the Otter Creek Middle School gymnasium is now named in honor of former athletic director and coach Bill Thornton.
Bill might also have been the best public address announcer I’ve heard for high school sports (with apologies to Mickey Burk), and I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of summer days and nights with him and Liz and their kids as we coached baseball together.
• One of the greats — I was sad to hear about the death of Margaret Gisolo, a truly legendary figure in Vermillion County sports.
She’ll go down in history for her work in dance, which I know nothing about (although I do recognize the name Martha Graham, one of the many people she worked with). The guys in the pressbox at Blanford and I knew her as a shortstop with a good bat who led Blanford to an American Legion state championship 81 years ago.
• Signup for “youngsters” — Chuck Lindner is trying to start an over-40 men’s basketball league that would play Wednesday nights at the West Vigo Community Center starting in January. All interested should contact Chuck or call (812) 533-7145 by Jan. 19.
Andy Amey can be reached after 4 p.m. for comments or news items 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.
High School
Amey Takes Aim: Lowell and behold, guess which school is in 4A’s title game
- High School
-
-
South’s Lough to wrestle for state title
The day didn’t start in a promising fashion for Wabash Valley high school wrestlers at the Evansville Semistate in Ford Center on Saturday — but it got better as it went along.
-
TERRE HAUTE NORTH SECTIONAL: Mooresville tops South for fourth straight title
For Terre Haute South High School girls basketball fans, it might sound good that the Braves did not miss a shot in the first four minutes of their Class 4A Terre Haute North Sectional championship game Saturday.
-
BLOOMFIELD SECTIONAL: Sullivan rebounds from tough start for title
It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.
Sullivan struggled mightily in the first half, eerily reminiscent of its eventual elimination in the final seconds of overtime by Edgewood in last year’s Class 3A girls basketball sectional. -
CLAY CITY SECTIONAL: Eels take third straight sectional crown
Clay City stood up to the pressure and to the Shakamak Lakers on Saturday night to win a third straight Class A sectional championship in the Eel Dome.
-
NORTH VERMILLION SECTIONAL: Twenty years in the waiting
The Super Bowl came to a new city. A presidential election was ongoing. And Riverton Parke won a girls basketball sectional.
-
PREP ROUNDUP: Rox clinch WRC
Class A No. 8-ranked Rockville knocked off Attica 50-35 in boys high school basketball Saturday afternoon, clinching the Wabash River Conference championship in the process.
-
THN SECTIONAL: Braves to play Mooresville for sectional title tonight
Terre Haute South continued to show what’s new and Terre Haute North unfortunately reverted back to what’s old in Class 4A high school girls basketball sectional action Friday night at North.
-
OWEN VALLEY SECTIONAL: Eagles bring Vikes down to earth
Baby steps. A baby takes that first step and grins, then attempts the second step and tumbles. The West Vigo High School girls took their first step with a victory Tuesday night in the Class 3A basketball sectional at Owen Valley.
-
BLOOMFIELD SECTIONAL: Sullivan jumps to early lead in sectional victory
Sullivan jumped out to a 9-0 lead and were never threatened in a dominant 48-25 win over Eastern Greene in a semifinal game of the Class 2A Bloomfield girls basketball sectional inside Glover Gymnasium on Friday.
-
North Vermillion Sectional: Panthers, Falcons to meet for NV title
Outstanding defense and quality passing landed Riverton Parke in the championship game of the Class A North Vermillion Sectional. The Panthers will have to get through the host school tonight in order to secure the program’s first sectional crown since 1992.
-
South swimmers don’t advance at Finals
Terre Haute South’s trip to the IHSAA girls swimming state finals at the Indiana University Natatorium was a short one Friday night.
-
South runs into talented North Central team
Terre Haute South players and coaches knew when they got off the bus Saturday afternoon that they couldn’t run with the Class 4A No. 3-ranked Indianapolis North Central Panthers.
But they tried anyway. -
BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Duncan’s OT free throws help Marshall down H-P
Jacob Duncan hit four free throws in overtime Friday night as visiting Marshall defeated Hutsonville-Palestine 51-49 in Little Illini Conference action.
-
O'Leary pours in career-high 34 for Terre Haute North
Matt O’Leary poured in a career-high 34 points, 17 in each half, to lead Terre Haute North to a dominant 69-46 home victory over Center Grove in Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference boys high school basketball Saturday afternoon.
-
Davis hits layup in double overtime to lift Terre Haute North at Bloomington North
Playing without their two leading scorers against a team that — most of the time — seemed more determined to win than they did, Terre Haute North's Patriots got a driving layup from Steven Davis with 2.8 seconds left in the second overtime to escape Bloomington North with a 54-52 win in high school basketball Thursday night.
-
Sullivan stays on top of WIC for third straight year
Western Indiana Conference boys basketball teams have been trying to storm the Sullivan castle for three years now. The Golden Arrows have endured nearly every kind of strategy in the effort to breech their wall. West Vigo tried a few more on Thursday in a showdown for the WIC championship.
-
South girls looking for solid performances at swimming state finals
One individual and one relay team, which includes that same individual, will represent Terre Haute South in the IHSAA girls swimming state finals today and possibly Saturday at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis.
-
PREP ROUNDUP: Cesinger, Jones each score 24 in Clay City win
Blake Cesinger and Brylan Jones poured in 24 points apiece to lead visiting Clay City over North Central 67-53 in SouthWestern Indiana Athletic Conference boys high school basketball Thursday night.
-
Teutopolis knocks off record-setting Marshall girls in regional championship
Marshall jumped ahead 4-0 only to watch Teutopolis score the next 11 points Thursday in the championship game of the Class 2A Teutopolis Regional.
-
Sullivan wins battle in low post
Sullivan dominated the low block at both ends of the court Wednesday to defeat South Knox 43-30.
-
State wrestling berths won't come easily
If high school wrestlers thought regional competition was tough last weekend, they can expect the competition, as Keegan Michael Key used to say on MADtv, taken to “a whole notha level” on Saturday.
-
South pulls upset
Plainfield’s 16-5 record made the Quakers the team to beat in the Class 4A Terre Haute North Sectional.
-
Vikings break long sectional drought
You’ll have to forgive West Vigo for celebrating just a wee bit prior to the postgame handshake with South Vermillion, but its first victory in a sectional game in 11 years was worthy of celebrating.
-
PREP ROUNDUP: RP rolls past Attica
Riverton Parke jumped to a 20-point halftime lead and easily defeated Attica 59-34 in the Class A North Vermillion girls basketball sectional on Tuesday.
-
They’re the pride of Marshall
With a 24-1 record, coach Kathy Miller’s Marshall team earned the top seed in the Class 2A Teutopolis Regional.
-
Union season more fun with Talpas around
The Union boys basketball team has had its share of fun moments in the past, arguably the most fun being its Class A state runner-up in 2000.
-
Injury bug follows girls into postseason
Who’s healthy is the question at least three of the four teams will be asking tonight when Class 4A girls high school basketball sectional play begins at Terre Haute North.
-
Rockville needs late run to stop West Vigo
It was a game of fits and starts, but host Rockville finally overcame a stiff challenge from visiting West Vigo in a 53-46 victory in boys high basketball action on Saturday.
-
Northview holds off Plainfield
Northview got its sixth victory in boys high school basketball action Saturday night, defeating Plainfield 59-56.
-
PREP ROUNDUP: Cloverdale helps Rady to career win No. 714
Brandon Dorman and Joe Fidler combined for 37 points and six 3-pointers Saturday night as visiting Cloverdale defeated Turkey Run 63-45 in boys high school basketball.
- More High School Headlines
-
South’s Lough to wrestle for state title
Raw Video: Kim Jong Il Statue Unveiled
Authorities: Houston Found Underwater in Tub
Raw Video: Hearse Arrives at N.J. Funeral Home
Arm Wrestler Not Guilty Plea in Wife's Death
Trial Opens for Ala. Man in Bride's Diving Death
Baltimore's 'Crime Stopper' Is a Basketball Star
Raw Video: Houston Body Flown From L.A. to N.J.
First Person: Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
Bacteria Keep Swimmers Off Some Fla. Beaches
Raw Video: Whitney Houston's Last Performance
Obama's New Budget: The Winners and Losers
Police: Houston Found Under Water, Unconscious
Reaction to Houston's Death at Clive Davis Party
Gregoire: Marriage Equality Is Right for Wash.
Raw Video: Israeli Embassy Car Attacked
Israeli Diplomats Targeted in India, Georgia
Coroner: Don't Know Houston's Cause of Death Yet
ShowBiz Minute: Houston, Grammys, BAFTAs
Sandusky Can See Grandkids, Have Local Jury
Attempted Bomb Attack Stopped in Georgia
Kate Upton MLB 2K12 Commercial
Olympic Swimmer Proposes on Podium After Big Win
Scarlett Johansson's Bikini P-D-A
Whitney Houston Funeral Arrangements Set
Man Allegedly Drowns Wife While Scuba Diving
Sports Illustrated Cover Leaked
The 'Celebrity Apprentice' Cast Meets Donald Trump
Wash. becomes 7th state to okay same-sex marriage
Romijn's 60 Pound Weight Loss
Kissing contest heats up
Hugh Hefner's Son Arrested
Jacqueline Kennedy's personal papers released
Did Tyler Perry Have a Secret Wedding?
Iran denies Israeli embassy bombings
'Bachelor' Free Falls into the Ocean
Facebook Parenting: Father Posts Video Responding to Daughter's Post
Bobby Brown on Houston's Death
