The high school football season has ended for all but one team in the Valley.
The Marshall Lions are still playing and will go for a spot in the Illinois Class 2A championship game Saturday afternoon against Maroa-Forsyth. It’s the first time the Lions have been in the Final Four since 1979.
Marshall earned its spot in the semifinals with a dramatic 14-13 overtime victory over Casey, avenging its only defeat of the season with its 11th straight victory.
Taylor Duncan scored both of the touchdowns while Dalton Sanders was a leading tackler and blocked Casey’s try for the extra point in overtime that sent Marshall players and fans home happy.
The Marshall fire truck led the Marshall team bus into town, where lots of fans lined the streets and awaited the players at the school.
Maroa-Forysyth is 10-2 and defeated Central A&M; for the second time Saturday, beating the Raiders 21-6 for its spot in the semifinals after losing to Casey in the quarterfinals a year ago.
The Trojans won a 2A championship in 2006, beating Casey in the semifinals and Westville in the final game in their only appearance in the finals.
The Lions will do their best to keep them from making another trip to Champaign.
The 2A championship game will be played Nov. 27. Marshall hopes to be the team from the upper bracket in the 1 p.m. contest.
In Indiana, Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference teams make up three-fourths of the Class 5A field.
Carmel (12-1) faces Merrillville (11-1) and Center Grove (10-3) takes on Warren Central (11-2) in semistate games.
• College clips — Most men’s college basketball teams got the season started last week including Northwestern.
The Big Ten team already has lost two players, at least one for the season.
Backup guard Jeff Ryan incurred a season-ending knee injury in the season opener against Northern Illinois. Kevin Coble led the Wildcats in scoring and rebounding last year and injured his left foot in practice. He may have season-ending surgery or be out more than a month.
Transfer Bryan Bouchie came off the bench to score 17 points for Evansville in its 92-66 victory over Oakland City.
Indiana figured to go to 2-0 with little problems Monday but will face tougher teams in a tournament in Puerto Rico this week. The Hoosiers face Mississippi in their first game.
University of Indianapolis football coach Joe Polizzi has resigned. He compiled an 84-89-1 record in 10 seasons.
Wayne Angel unexpectedly resigned as men’s track coach at Illinois last week. The U of I grad says he will be spending more time with his family. Mike Turk has been named interim coach.
Purdue and Indiana football teams will meet for the Old Oaken Bucket on Saturday in the season finale at IU. Game time is 3:30 p.m. and the game will be on the Big Ten Network.
Joe McConnell will call his final game on the Purdue Radio Network. He worked at WTHI for a time and has done pro sports.
Southern Illinois established a Missouri Valley (Gateway) record in football by beating Missouri State. The Salukis have won 14 straight conference games.
• Tom-Cattin’ It — Sports talk comments Monday largely centered on the decision by New England coach Bill Belichick to go for it on fourth down at the Patriots’ 28-yard line in the waning minutes of their game and his team leading by six points against Indianapolis.
The gamble failed and the Colts rallied to remain unbeaten. Belichick thought the Patriots would make the first down and run out the clock but it didn’t go that way.
• NCAA Division III football playoffs begin Saturday.
DePauw is at Thomas More, Mount St. Joseph is at Wittenberg and Wabash is at Illinois Wesleyan in the first round. Wabash beat DePauw in the Monon Bell game 32-19.
Jacksonville handed Butler its first defeat of the season. The Bulldogs will close the season against Drake.
• Terre Haute South is ranked 16th in the preseason boys swim poll.
• Three Indianapolis schools will drop football due to finances and dwindling participation. They are Washington, Manual and Marshall.
Tom Reck may be contacted by telephone at (812) 232-3231, by email at tm_reck@yahoo.com or by mail at 4284 South 5th Street, Apt. 3, Terre Haute, IN 47802.
Ramblin' Reck
Ramblin' Reck: Marshall football ready for its first Final Four since ’79
- Ramblin' Reck
-
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Castroneves a safe bet at Indy 500
The field is full for the Indianapolis 500 and the race should be another good one.
-
RAMBLIN’ RECK: A good week to be a Sycamore
This week is a big one for sports fans and is off to a good start, particularly for Indiana State fans.
-
RAMBLIN’ RECK: Clauson, 22, to make rare jump from USAC to Indy 500
Bryan Clauson will be a busy young man this month.
-
RAMBLIN’ RECK: May means it’s time for some thoroughbred horse racing
It’s May, it’s May, the wonderful month of May as the words sort of go in a famous musical.
-
RAMBLIN’ RECK: Following the changing Illinois coaching scene
Catching up on some coaching changes and some other business:
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Golf battle at Rea Park
The high school sports schedules are busy again this week, with local boys golf teams playing two matches at Rea Park.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Here’s to hoping for more Hoosier magic
Another NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship is history and fans already are talking about next season.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Retiring Casey football coaches Sinclair, Vidoni will be missed
An era ended in Casey last week when Keith Sinclair and Gene Vidoni announced they are retiring as football coaches at Casey-Westfield High School.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: NCAA Final Four down to UK & everyone else
The Kentucky Invitational, officially known as the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, is down to The Final Four.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: One man’s vote for public schools in the IHSAA tournament
The basketball season has ended for most high school and college teams, but fans in the Wabash Valley still have teams to root for this weekend.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Terre Haute great to be inducted into college Hall of Fame
One of Terre Haute’s all-time greats will be honored again later in the year when Clyde Lovellette will be inducted into the National College Basketball Hall of Fame in Kansas City.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Big Ten tourney wide open
Selection Sunday is coming and action in some of the conference basketball tournaments could play big roles in determining the field for the NCAA’s Big Dance.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Big week for preps, ISU, Rose-Hulman
Monday began one of the biggest weeks ever in basketball in the Wabash Valley or at least one of the biggest.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: No guaranteed wins in difficult Class 2A Casey regional
Let’s talk high school basketball.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Assessing the NCAA tournament jumble
The college men’s basketball schedule is in its final month with Selection Sunday less than four weeks away.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: And now, on to the next beloved winter sport
The final football game finally has been played, meaning folks in the Valley can concentrate on basketball this week.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Indianapolis is looking mighty good this week
It’s Super Bowl XLVI week … in Indiana for the first time.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Fox gives TH punter kudos
The stage is set. It’ll be the New York Giants against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl that will be played for the first time in Indianapolis.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Big Ten shaken up last week
It was a very interesting week in men’s college basketball, especially in the Big Ten.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: A fresh round of predictions as the NFL dwindles to 8
More National Foootball League playoff games are slated this weekend, with the number of postseason teams down to eight following an interesting weekend of wild-card action.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Hile inducted into Hall
Indiana State grad Amy Lynn Hile will take her place in another Hall of Fame this year.
Inducted into the ISU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005, the former Sycamore standout has been named as one of the 2011 inductees into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: It’s time now for some intraleague hoops rivalries
It’s the final week of 2011 but it is the first week of conference basketball games for most colleges, particularly those in Indiana and Illinois.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: A long distance relationship
Indiana State’s trip out West to play basketball at Boise State brought back memories of one of the trips I made to that city.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Indiana Mr. Football still has big decision to make
Some awards in high school and college football were announced last week.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: No dearth of good basketball
Based on early games, the college basketball season is going to be very interesting for coaches, players and fans, particularly in the Big Ten and Missouri Valley.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Big Ten-ACC challenge gets under way tonight
Conference championship football games and challenge action in basketball will make for a busy week for college teams.
Wisconsin and Michigan State will meet in the very first Big Ten football championship Saturday at Indianapolis. Kickoff is 8 p.m. and the action will be carried by Fox.
Michigan State nipped the Badgers in the regular-season contest at East Lansing. We like Wisconsin to win and earn a trip to the Rose Bowl.
Other games and picks:
SEC — LSU over Georgia on Saturday
Mid-American — Northern Illinois over Ohio U. on Friday
Pac-12 — Oregon over UCLA on Friday
ACC — Virginia Tech over Clemson on Saturday
Conference USA — Houston over Southern Mississippi on Saturday
Western Kentucky will not play for a championship but the Hilltoppers won seven of their last eight games to finish with a winning mark. That’s the same team that lost to Indiana State, you will recall.
Meanwhile, the hiring and firing already has begun with Urban Meyer coming out of retirement to accept the job at Ohio State. That was a no-brainer.
Illinois is bowl-eligible but Ron Zook is out. Ditto for Turner Gill at Kansas and apparently Dennis Erickson at Arizona State.
In basketball, the first games in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge will be played tonight. The biggie tonight is Duke at Ohio State. Miami of Florida is at Purdue and Illinois plays at Maryland.
On Wednesday, Indiana is at North Carolina State, Wisconsin is at North Carolina and Michigan State goes to Florida State.
Indiana State is at Boise State on Saturday for a Missouri Valley-Mountain West Challenge game,
It was fun and gratifying to be able to watch the Sycamores on national television as they took third in the Old Spice Classic. The team got tons of favorable publicity and comments from the three games.
And what a game for Jake Odum and his triple-double. Wow.
I I I
n White honored — Taylor White of Casey has earned academic all-state honors in Illlinois football.
White was one of the top players at linebacker and fullback and was one of the captains on the team but did not play as the Warriors lost to Morrison in the Class 2A title tilt.
He was sidelined by injury in the game against Marshall and underwent surgery.
The Warriors gave Morrison all it wanted in the final game, concluding another banner season for coach Keith Sinclair and the team.
Nice work, Warriors.
I I I
n Tom-Cattin’ It — Carmel was the only public school to win a prep football championship in Indiana and was impressive in its 54-0 victory over Penn in the 5A finale.
Other winners — all private schools — were Lafayette Central Catholic in A, Fort Wayne Luers in 2A, Indianapolis Chatard in 3A, and Indianapolis Cathedral in 4A.
n Sullivan puts its undefeated girls basketball record on the line tonight at West Vigo. Its victory over Terre Haute South last week was its first over the Braves since 1992.
n Terre Haute North grad Steve Weatherford, now punting for the New York Giants, was featured in a nice story in The New York Times on Monday.
He was singled out for his conditioning program and called the strongest player pound for pound — at 210 pounds — on the team that met the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football.
n Jim Rathman died last week at 83.
He won the Indianapolis 500 in 1960, edging Rodger Ward in a race in which there were a record 29 lead changes.
Rathman also was runner-up in the race in 1952, 1957 and 1959.
n Flora has been tabbed by one newspaper as the preseason pick to win the Little Illini Conference boys basketball championship and to make it to the Final Four.
The Wolves play Marshall, off to a 3-1 start, next week.
Tom Reck may be contacted by telephone at (812) 232-3231, by email at tm_reck@yahoo.com or by mail at 4284 South 5th Street, Apt. 3, Terre Haute, IN 47802. -
RAMBLIN' RECK: Sinclair: ‘Never underestimate the heart of a Warrior’
Casey’s high school football team will have one more week of practice, including a workout early Thanksgiving Day, but the players don’t mind it.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: MVC’s quick start brings hope
Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball teams and others are off to a good start.
Valley teams were 9-2 in games played through Sunday. Two teams picked up some very nice victories.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: ISU’s ranking solid heading into basketball season
The college football season still has a few weeks to run for most teams, but the basketball season starts for real for a lot of teams this week; a few still have some exhibition contests left on the schedule.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Terre Haute native had memorable career at Red Hill
When Red Hill played its final football game of the season last month in Illinois, it marked the end of an era for a friend of mine and for the high school.
- More Ramblin' Reck Headlines
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Castroneves a safe bet at Indy 500
Man Falls Off Crane, Dies After Police Standoff
Witness Describes Fla. Face-chewing Attack
Unexpected Smog in Pristine National Parks
Raw Video: Cop Shoots Man Eating Another's Face
Obama Honors Fallen Troops at Arlington Cemetery
Man in Crane at Texas College Says He's Armed
Dairy Farm Uses Chiropractor to Help Cows
Raw Video: Deadly Explosion at Minn. Paper Mill
Russia Condemns Ally Syria Over Massacre of 108
Romney Promises World's Strongest Military
Air Canada Plane Makes Emergency Landing
Romney Campaigns Ahead of Claiming Nomination
Diplomatic Expulsions Follow Fresh Syria Report
Raw Video: Earthquake Shakes Evacuees in Italy
15 Dead in Northern Italy's 5.8-magnitude Quake
Obama Pays Tribute to Vietnam Veterans
Panetta: Asia the 'Project' for New Navy Grads
Beryl Knocks Out Power in Florida
Raw Video: Memorial Day Aboard Intrepid
New Ticks Spread Across Southeast, Diseases Rise
Los Angeles Bar Bans Bachelorettes
Hamster Plays Dead
Beyonce Shows Off 60 Pound Weight Loss at Concert
Drunk Women Breaking Into Houses: A New Trend?
LeAnn Rimes Rocks Short Shorts
Gordon Ramsay Carried Off Field
Man Dies Getting Lap Dance
Kim Kardashian Claims Items Stolen from Her Luggage
Bear cools off in Calif. family's pool
Ep. 3: Chopped Desserts
Air Force dad surprises family at baseball game
Justin Bieber Wanted for Questioning for L.A. Scuffle
J.Lo and Marc's Friendly Reunion
Jet makes emergency landing after debris falls off
Cynthia Nixon Ties the Knot
Woman, 80, Falls Out of Skydive Harness Mid-Jump
Keira Reveals Engagement Ring
