LINTON —
Linton did not lose a high school football game in 2011 until Nov. 18 against Indianapolis Scecina in the Class A semistate.
The high-powered Linton offense was shut out despite averaging 55 points a game in the 13 wins before that loss.
With 6-foot-7 quarterback Austin Karaszia, the Miners figure to be a high-powered offense once again.
“For all of us, our sights are always focused on getting to the state playoff games,” Linton coach Steve Weber said. “That’s our main goal.”
Weber is excited about potential improvement by the teams on Linton’s schedule, since playing quality competition can only help the Miners prepare to take that next step and reach the state championship. Linton has made five semistate appearances since 1997.
So stiffer competition within the Southwest Seven Conference? Bring it on.
“I think the conference is improved,” Weber said. “North Central is looking to have a real strong year from what I’m hearing. I’m excited about that. North Knox is making another push. Feel excited about what’s happening down there. North Daviess had a rough year, but they don’t have too many rough years.”
Karaszia will have many of the same weapons to work with on offense.
Senior Cole Bradbury (5-9, 150 pounds) led the team with more than 1,000 receiving yards in 2011, and Weber expects big things from Grant Stamm (5-11, 165), who was a state qualifier in the hurdles last spring.
“Great athlete and has some great hands,” Weber said. “They’re both little quick kids.”
Abe Neff (5-9, 160) and Zane Hayden (6-0, 180) also will be contributors. Dane Rupska (6-0, 200) and Cody Vanwinkle (6-0, 200) provide some beefier receivers out of the tight end spot.
The offensive line is an experienced group. Senior Hayden Flath (5-10, 210) has a “good shot” to start at center. Wyatt Franklin (5-10, 260) and Taylor Kannan (6-2, 245) are likely starters at guard, and Ethan Lannan (6-0, 225) and Jackson Bohnert (6-3, 185) will handle the tackle spots.
Koye Kaiser will see the majority of carries in the backfield as Weber keeps defenses honest with the running game.
“If we can wrap our brains around what we’re supposed to do, I think it’s going to be a pretty tough unit,” Weber said. “We’ll look at ways to improve the running game. We’re definitely throwing the ball if teams want to stack the box.”
The Linton defense includes quite a few two-way players.
Defensive coordinator Mike Hayden leads a flexible 4-2-5 defense that can defend the pass and the run well.
Lannan leads the defensive line out of his end spot.
“We’re expecting some big things out of Lannan, a kid that benches 400 pounds. He’s quick and strong enough to make things happen up front,” coach Hayden said.
He’s joined by Kannan, Franklin and sophomore Jace Brewer (6-0, 300) at defensive tackle and Bohnert at end.
Flath is a returning middle linebacker, and Rupska figures to join him there, while Vanwinkle is fighting for a starting spot.
“All three look very good,” Hayden said.
Stamm and Bradbury provide some experienced cornerbacks, while Kaiser will start at free safety.
Zane Hayden will play a weak safety position.
“He’ll be a pretty special kid for us. He can walk down and play linebacker or drop him at safety. He’s that kind of hybrid player,” Mike Hayden said.
Neff and Austin Hale (5-9, 170) are also in the mix for playing time in the defensive backfield.
“We had a really good defensive season,” Weber said. “It’s not really hard to play defense when your offense is putting up 50 points a game. We’re still happy with what we did. Always looking to improve.”
Sports
2012 high school football preview: High-flying expectations
In Linton, Miners taking aim at a Class A state championship
- Sports
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Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Defense: West Vigo second baseman Lucas Fagg fields a ground ball for an out in the Vikings semi-final sectional baseball game with Edgewood.
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West Vigo advances to sectional championship with walk-off win in ninth
High school baseball sectional games between West Vigo and Edgewood have had a tendency to be unpredictable over the years, but the Vikings and Mustangs outdid themselves in that area Thursday evening — and Thursday night.
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Wichita State shuts out ISU to force elimination-game rematch
Indiana State starting pitcher Greg Kuhlman did his best.
Actually, he did far better than he ever has previously in an ISU uniform, but while Kuhlman’s gutty pitching effort spoke volumes, ISU’s bats remained ominously silent. -
BOYS TRACK REGIONAL: North gets three winners, South two at Evansville
Terre Haute North had three winners, Terre Haute South two, and the Patriots and Braves finished second and third respectively at the Evansville Regional for boys track on Thursday at Evansville Central.
Hurdlers Cam Stewart and Cole Seward and discus thrower Lee Davis were the winners for North, enabling the Patriots to finish with 60 points to 59 for the Braves. -
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Ask any IZOD IndyCar series champion and he’d say he would gladly give up that championship to win one Indianapolis 500.
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South Vermillion pitches team to sectional title, wins for her dad
South Vermillion snapped one streak and extended another Thursday night to win Class 3A Sectional 28 8-5 over Brown County at Edgewood High School.
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RAMBLIN' RECK: Sunday promises to be big day in Indy
Sunday promises to be a super day in Indianapolis.
It’s the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500 followed by Indiana vs. Miami in the third game of the National Basketball Association playoffs. -
Luck having fun with his first OTAs
A year ago, quarterback Andrew Luck was unable to attend the Indianapolis Colts’ organized team activity practices due to school commitments at Stanford.
Luck, though, went on to have a stellar year for the Colts despite the lack of summer work with the team. Still, in a sense, he is a rookie during this year’s OTA workouts.
“These are my first OTAs. I missed these last year, so I think it’s great. It’s great to get on the field with the defense and trouble-shoot some stuff. Obviously, some of us ran some of this stuff [offense] at Stanford [under new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton]. But to get out there with the defense and trouble-shoot some stuff is good,” Luck said Wednesday as the team wrapped up its first week of on-field voluntary practice sessions. -
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
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Indiana State baseball now one win from MVC Championship
Indiana State’s Wednesday morning wish list probably read something like this: a dominant complete game effort from starting pitcher Devin Moore, near-immaculate defense to support him, and a steady diet of clutch situational hitting from lineup spots one to nine.
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West Vigo advances to sectional championship with walk-off win in ninth
- Local Interest
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METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman's Evans honored as Great Lakes' top athlete
Rose-Hulman senior Liz Evans earned her fifth career NCAA Division III Great Lakes Region Field Athlete of the Year honor, according to results released Wednesday by the U.S. Cross Country and Track and Field Coaches Association.
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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. -
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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Indiana State baseball series canceled
Heavy rain from Thursday through Saturday has forced Indiana State and Tennessee Martin to cancel their three-game weekend baseball series in northwest Tennessee.
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METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman baseball to play DePauw on Thursday after Tuesday's rain
The Rose-Hulman baseball team has rescheduled its non-conference game with DePauw to Thursday night.
The start time remains 7 p.m. for the single nine-inning game that was originally scheduled for today. Tuesday’s scheduled Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference game at Anderson was moved to Sunday because of rain.
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METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman's Evans honored as Great Lakes' top athlete
- High School
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West Vigo advances to sectional championship with walk-off win in ninth
High school baseball sectional games between West Vigo and Edgewood have had a tendency to be unpredictable over the years, but the Vikings and Mustangs outdid themselves in that area Thursday evening — and Thursday night.
- BOYS TRACK REGIONAL: North gets three winners, South two at Evansville
- PREP ROUNDUP: Martinsville adavances in Class 4A THS Sectional
- South Vermillion pitches team to sectional title, wins for her dad
- Green's grand slam helps Shakamak to sectional win
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- College
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Wichita State shuts out ISU to force elimination-game rematch
Indiana State starting pitcher Greg Kuhlman did his best.
Actually, he did far better than he ever has previously in an ISU uniform, but while Kuhlman’s gutty pitching effort spoke volumes, ISU’s bats remained ominously silent. -
Indiana State baseball now one win from MVC Championship
Indiana State’s Wednesday morning wish list probably read something like this: a dominant complete game effort from starting pitcher Devin Moore, near-immaculate defense to support him, and a steady diet of clutch situational hitting from lineup spots one to nine.
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Terre Haute's Mascari running 10,000 meters for chance to get to Hayward Field
Indiana State freshman and Terre Haute North graduate John Mascari is among the enormous group of Sycamores competing this weekend at the NCAA East Preliminary. The top 48 NCAA track and field competitors in each event on this half of the United States are narrowed down to 12 who will compete at the NCAA meet at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
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Manaea's shoulder causing him latest pain
Indiana State pitcher Sean Manaea has battled through so many aches and pains during the 2013 season that it can be hard to discern the serious pain from the pain he pitches through.
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ISU's Negele answers call in big way in wake of Manaea injury
When Indiana State starting pitcher Sean Manaea slumped on the mound in obvious pain after he took his warm-up pitches, red flags raised for ISU’s Missouri Valley Conference tournament hopes.
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Wichita State shuts out ISU to force elimination-game rematch
- Sports Columns
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RAMBLIN' RECK: Sunday promises to be big day in Indy
Sunday promises to be a super day in Indianapolis.
It’s the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500 followed by Indiana vs. Miami in the third game of the National Basketball Association playoffs. - TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
- Shooters compete to fight cancer
- TILL IT'S OVER: Terre Haute Triathlon's new race director seeks more events for his hometown
- TODD GOLDEN: Don't give up on ISU baseball just yet
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RAMBLIN' RECK: Sunday promises to be big day in Indy
- Pro Sports
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Luck having fun with his first OTAs
A year ago, quarterback Andrew Luck was unable to attend the Indianapolis Colts’ organized team activity practices due to school commitments at Stanford.
Luck, though, went on to have a stellar year for the Colts despite the lack of summer work with the team. Still, in a sense, he is a rookie during this year’s OTA workouts.
“These are my first OTAs. I missed these last year, so I think it’s great. It’s great to get on the field with the defense and trouble-shoot some stuff. Obviously, some of us ran some of this stuff [offense] at Stanford [under new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton]. But to get out there with the defense and trouble-shoot some stuff is good,” Luck said Wednesday as the team wrapped up its first week of on-field voluntary practice sessions. - Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
- Colts in wait-and-see mode for tonight’s NFL draft
- Colts sign Matt Hasselbeck to back up Luck
- Colts introduce free-agent signees
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Luck having fun with his first OTAs
- Terre Haute Rex
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Consultation: Rex manager Brian Dorsett talks with his pitcher and players during a time-out Sunday, July 15, at Sycamore Field. (Tribune-Star file/Bob Poynter)
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2012 an up, down season for Rex
The Terre Haute Rex went through plenty of trials and tribulations during the summer of 2012.
The team got off to a sluggish start to settle for third place during the first half of the Prospect League race, but manager Brian Dorsett rallied the troops to a second-half title. - Metro Roundup: Dorsett, Rex players honored in Prospect League postseason awards
- Rex out of playoffs
- Rex mix, match their way to win
- Rex turn eye to Prospect playoffs
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2012 an up, down season for Rex
- Colts
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Luck having fun with his first OTAs
A year ago, quarterback Andrew Luck was unable to attend the Indianapolis Colts’ organized team activity practices due to school commitments at Stanford.
Luck, though, went on to have a stellar year for the Colts despite the lack of summer work with the team. Still, in a sense, he is a rookie during this year’s OTA workouts.
“These are my first OTAs. I missed these last year, so I think it’s great. It’s great to get on the field with the defense and trouble-shoot some stuff. Obviously, some of us ran some of this stuff [offense] at Stanford [under new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton]. But to get out there with the defense and trouble-shoot some stuff is good,” Luck said Wednesday as the team wrapped up its first week of on-field voluntary practice sessions. - Colts' coordinators enjoying getting rookies acclimated
- Werner, 36 others open Colts’ mini camp
- Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
- Werner at top of game
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Luck having fun with his first OTAs
- Auto Racing
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Looking for Indy breakthrough, Kanaan enjoying role as team mentor
Ask any IZOD IndyCar series champion and he’d say he would gladly give up that championship to win one Indianapolis 500.
- TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
- Carpenter arrives as Indy 500 threat
- Carpenter wins Indy 500 pole
- TRACKSIDE: Rain still a pain for Wabash Valley racing organizers
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Looking for Indy breakthrough, Kanaan enjoying role as team mentor





