The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1079256
The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, Februar y 6, 2019 B-1 SPORTS Submit sports items: Call: 812-354-8500 Email: sports@pressdispatch.net or bring in a hard copy: 820 E. Poplar Street, Petersburg By Ed Cahill Press-Dispatch Sports Editor sports@pressdispatch.net A short jumper by senior Chris- tian Benson with 1.8 seconds re- maining lifted the Pike Central High School boys' basketball team to a 51-49 victory over visiting North Posey on Thursday, Jan. 31. A fter Vikings junior Josiah Ricketts hit two free throws – his 30th and 31st points of the game – to tie the score at 49 -49 with 44.2 seconds left, Pike Central called a timeout after the ball was knocked out of bounds with eight seconds remaining to set up Ben- son's game-winning shot. "We had to set a couple of screens and I was going to pop out and get it," said Benson, who scored a team-high 17 points. "(El- liott) said, 'Just make a play.'" "We wanted to get the ball in Christian's hands," said Chargers head coach Hunter Elliott, whose team improved to 3-12 overall and 1-3 in the Pocket Athletic Confer- ence. "We just drew up a play ... and he kind of did the rest for us." The win gave the Pike Central its first victory on its home court of the season, in the Chargers' first home game since a 56 -38 loss to Vincennes Lincoln on Dec. 21. "It's much needed, us get- ting back here and playing on our court," Elliott said. "We've not been here in over a month. It seems like it's been forever since we've played here. So, having a lit- tle bit more of a comfortable envi- ronment is definitely good for us." In the first quarter, Josiah Rick- Greer places 4th in regional wrestling meet to advance to semi-state By Ed Cahill Press-Dispatch Sports Editor sports@pressdispatch.net Pike Central High School sophomore wres- tler Isaiah Greer is advanc- ing to the semi-state tour- nament – which will be held on Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Ford Center in Evans- ville – after placing fourth in the 113-pound weight class during the regional tournament held at Bloom- ington South on Saturday, Feb. 2. Greer, the No. 3 seed, won his first-round bout by a 5 -2 decision against West Vigo junior Annalyse Dool- ey, the No. 6 seed, before losing by pin to Blooming- ton South freshman Nico- las Castallucio, the No. 2 seed, in 0 :54, during the semifinals. In the third-place bout, Greer dropped a 9 -7 sud- den victory loss to Terre Haute North Vigo senior Liam Fox. In the championship bout for the 113-pound weight class, Castallucio lost by a 9 -5 decision to the No. 1 seed, Floyd Central sophomore Gavinn Abbott, who – on Saturday, Jan. 26 – won by pin over Greer in 5:04 to win the Southridge Sectional. "Isaiah was able to win his first match," Chargers head coach Ryan McCain By Ed Cahill Press-Dispatch Sports Editor sports@pressdispatch.net The 2018 -19 Pike Cen- tral High School girls' bas- ketball team saw its sea- son come to a disappoint- ing end with a 47-30 loss to Southridge in the first round of the Vincennes Lin- coln Sectional on Tuesday, Jan. 29. The Lady Raiders rolled off the game's first 10 points – eight by senior Mady Neukam and two by sophomore Kennedy Nal- ley – before Pike Central sophomore Mallory Hickey hit the second of two free throw attempts with 3:23 remaining in the opening By Ed Cahill Press-Dispatch Sports Editor sports@pressdispatch.net Pike Central High School se- nior Natalie Bohnert will return to the state swim meet for the fourth straight year after finishing first in the 200 -yard individual medley and the 100 -yard backstroke during the sectional finals at Jasper on Satur- day, Feb. 2. Having finished first in the 200 -yard individual medley with a time of 2:13.91 during preliminar- ies on Thursday, Jan. 31, Natalie Bohnert placed first in the event – for the third straight year – with a school-record time of 2:10.66, breaking her own school record time of 2:12.35, which she had post- ed during the Pocket Athletic Con- ference Championship finals two weeks earlier. Bedford North Lawrence senior Sidney Carlile, who finished sec- ond during preliminaries with a time of 2:16.39, placed a close sec- ond during the sectional finals with a time of 2:11.53. "I was very nervous," said Natalie Bohnert, the Lady Chargers' lone senior. "I knew that (Carlile) is a really good swimmer because I've swam with her for quite a while. I just knew that I needed to go out fast at the beginning." "Dad (Pike Central head coach Mike Bohnert) told me that I need- ed to go out on the butterfly and then the backstroke and swim re- ally fast, and that would be where I could, hopefully, get her to fall be- hind at. But she wasn't going any- where, so I just kept telling myself I needed to swim faster." "It's not her strongest (event)," Mike Bohnert said. "I mean, her backstroke's so strong – that's the one she really knows she's ready to go at. In the IM, she's cut two sec- onds every year, but it's just been a slow build. She just keeps getting better and better at it. And she still is. She's still getting stronger." Then, after finishing first in the 100 -yard backstroke with a time of 59.29 seconds during preliminar- ies, Natalie Bohnert placed first in the event – for the fourth straight year – with a time of 57.95 sec- onds during the sectional finals, just 13/100th of a second off the school-record time of 57.82 which she had also posted during the Pocket Athletic Conference Cham- pionship finals two weeks earlier. Southridge freshman Adi Luker, who finished third during prelimi- naries with a time of 1:06.61, placed second during the sectional finals with a time of 1:04.29. "I was not near as nervous," said Natalie Bohnert, who has signed a national letter of intent to swim and play golf at Southwest Minne- sota State University. "I still had a few nerves but I think I had tak- en everything out on that IM, and the backstroke was just whatever I had left." Mike Bohnert agreed. "I think that IM really wore her down, for the rest of the meet," he said. "She was pretty tired." As a freshman, Natalie Bohnert became the first Lady Charger ever to compete in the state meet in an individual swimming event, placing 30th out of 32 competitors during preliminaries in the 100 -yard back- stroke with a time of 1:01.29 after placing first in the sectional finals with a time of 1:00.82. During her sophomore year, Na- talie Bohnert placed 27th out of 32 competitors during preliminaries in the 100 -yard backstroke with a time of 59.74 seconds after placing first in the sectional finals with a time of 59.04 seconds, and 30th out of 32 competitors during prelimi- naries in the 200 -yard individual medley with a time of 2:14.80 after placing first in the sectional finals with a time of 2:14.39. Last year, Natalie Bohnert placed BOHNERT ADVANCES TO STATE SWIM MEET FOR 4TH STRAIGHT YEAR Pike Central High School senior Natalie Bohnert competes in the 100-yard backstroke during the high school girls' swim- ming and diving sectional finals at Jasper on Saturday, Feb. 2. Bohnert placed first in the event for the fourth straight year with a time of 57.95 seconds. Ed Cahill photo Left: Pike Central High School senior Christian Benson (12) puts up a shot as North Posey junior Josiah Ricketts (left) and freshman Jonathan Ricketts (31) defend during varsity boys' basketball action on Thursday, Jan. 31. Ben- son, who made the game-winning shot with 1.8 seconds left in a 51-49 victory over the visiting Vikings, scored a team- high 17 points. Ed Cahill photo Pike Central High School sophomore Mallory Hickey (31) prepares to shoot a free throw during the opening round of the high school girls' bas- ketball sectional tour- nament against South- ridge at Vincennes Lin- coln on Tuesday, Jan. 29. Hickey scored sev- en points in a 47-30 loss to the Lady Raid- ers. Ed Cahill photo PATOKA VALLEY OUTDOORS By Sam Whiteleather Winter Hiking See BOHNERT on 4 See BENSON on 3 See CHARGERS on 2 See ADVANCE on 4 WE ARE PROFFESIONAL GRADE uebelhorgm.com 1-800-937-8721 Jasper, IN "That wind is coming on strong now," I say to Rena. She stands on the sand bar looking out over the river, her blue eyes just visible over the top of her scarf. The river runs past us, winding through snow-cov- ered banks dotted by big ma- ple trees. A wind gust sweeps across the bar, kicking up small wisps of snow that swirl over frozen rock and sand. All along the bar, small drifts of snow collect in the odd places around pieces of drift wood. Some of the snow is rippled in small ridges, like wind-blown water frozen in place. This "snow art" is del- icate and pure ... nature's perfect masterpieces. And it doesn't take long for the kids to find them. "There's a drift over there," one of them shouts. We watch as they launch themselves into drift after drift, their small snow boots leaving a trail of destruction behind them. "This should wear them out," Rena says. "Yeah, and to think of all the complaining they did when we told them we were going for a walk," I reply. "Now look at them, I bet they'll be mad when we tell them it's time to head back." Going out for a walk on a cold winter day can seem like a tall order. But if one prepares and puts forth the effort, the experience is re- warding in a variety of ways. The key to having a success- ful winter outing is dressing right. Insulated boots are a must. To keep your core warm, try an insulated vest worn un- der a wind-breaking jack- et. This will keep your core warm without hindering your movements. For lower body warmth, long underwear worn under a thick pair of pants will work. But probably the best option for lower body warmth is insulated bibs. In- sulated bibs are available at department stores or farm stores at reasonable prices. Perhaps the most import- ant part of your winter ap- parel is what goes around your neck. The heat that your body generates rises and can escape from the top of your jacket. To keep this from happening and to keep a cold wind from accelerating heat loss, a scarf or a fleece neck guard should be worn. A winter hike benefits both the body and mind. Just be- ing out in natural light away from man-made distractions helps clear the mind, and a brisk walk helps get the heart pumping. And that warm fire you've been sitting next to all morning will seem all the warmer when you get back home. "Come on you guys, let's head back," I call to the kids. They utter a couple of moans of protest before slowly plod- ding towards Rena and I. "Look at that," I say to Rena, pointing to a group of ducks. The ducks bob and weave in a tight group, their black bod- ies silhouetted against the gray clouds of the winter sky. The setting sun pokes through just enough to color some of the clouds orange. The ducks fly over the green waters of the river before dis- appearing beyond the hori- zon. The wind picks up and I smile at Rena, glad to be with her and the kids out enjoying His Creation. Lady Chargers end season with 47-30 sectional loss to Southridge Benson's basket with 1.8 seconds left lifts Chargers to 51-49 win over North Posey