The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/109082
B-1 Wednesday, February 13, 2013 E-Mail Sports Items to: sports@pressdispatch.net Sports Tidbits From the Mini Mac By Mike Johansen H ere is a story I have used before, but it is very appropriate. I am not sure the source, I found it on the Internet. It���s called������The Room��� by Joshua Harris. In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall covered with small index-card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endlessly in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read ���Girls I Have Liked.��� I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn���t match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching. A file named ���Friends��� was next to one marked ���Friends I Have Betrayed.��� The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. ���Books I Have Read,��� ���Lies I Have Told,��� ���Comfort I Have Given,��� ���Jokes I Have Laughed At.��� Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: ���Things I���ve Yelled at My Brothers.��� Others I couldn���t laugh at: ���Things I Have Done in My Anger,��� ���Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents.��� I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my 20 years to write each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature. When I pulled out the file marked ���Songs I Have Listened To,��� I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn���t found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of music, but more by the vast amount of time I knew that file represented. When I came to a file marked ���Lustful Thoughts,��� I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: ���No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!��� In an insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn���t matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it. Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its Continued on page 4 Lady Chargers give it their all Final quarter is difference in loss to Mitchell crew By Mike Johansen For three quarters, the Pike Central Lady Chargers played even with the Mitchell Lady Bluejackets, but a seven point run to start the final period ended up with the Lady Chargers falling out of the Sectional 31 Girls Basketball Tournament by a 53-44 final score. The game between the 5-16 Lady Chargers and 14-5 Lady Bluejackets was close all the way and the final score was not an indication of how hard-fought a battle this game was. It was that early seven point run by Mitchell that gave them the edge needed to stave off the Lady Chargers in the final frame. Pike Central gave it a valiant effort, but when they got down seven, they could not climb all the way back. ���We are very proud of our players. The girls played a hard-fought game which came down to Mitchell just making a couple more plays than us,��� said Pike Central Head Coach Randy Graham. ���They made 16 free throws in the fourth quarter which was hard to overcome. We will miss our seniors (Olivia Leighty, Jordan Like, Michal Ashby and manager Janessa Foster) and wish them the best of luck. We hope that our younger players are motivated to really work hard this off season.��� In the first games on Feb. 5, Mitchell beat Heritage Hills 44-41 and Jasper downed Washington 47-46. The Lady Chargers had a great student section at the game dressed up in burgundy and gold and standing the entire game, cheering the Lady Chargers on. The game began with the first two baskets by the Lady Bluejackets. Jordan Like got the Lady Chargers going as she was fouled going to the basket and made both free throws. The Lady Bluejackets added a free throw, but a basket by Michal Ashby kept them from pulling away. A three by Emily Howes with 2:52 left in the first period tied the game at 7-7. The Lady Bluejackets went on another short run to gain a 12-7 lead. Two free throws by Lindsey Catt followed by two free throws by Olivia Leighty had the Lady Chargers within a point with 47 seconds left in the opening period. The Lady Bluejackets got the last basket in the quarter to lead 14-11 at the end of the opening period. Pike Central missed on a one and one attempt to start By Mike Johansen A fourth period escape was the difference between Pike Central heavyweight Dalton Miller advancing or falling out of the Evansville Semistate and it did not go his way. Miller took on Pocket Athletic Conference second place finisher Ethan Schwoeppe of Southridge, who was 43-4 going into the match. He had beaten Miller 5-1 in the PAC semifinals and placed second to Austin Little of North Posey. He came in from placing third in the Bloomington South Regional, only losing a semifinal match. The two battled even in the first period with neither wrestler getting the takedown. Schwaoeppe took the top position in the sec- ond period and was able to handle each move by Miller as Miller tried to reverse him and to escape from him but could not get that all important point in the second period. In the third period, Miller started on top and rode Schwoeppe for most of the first 30 seconds. Schwoeppe was able to get loose and stood up, escaping on a quick turn around move with 1:36 remaining. Miller tried a couple of takedown moves, but Schwoeppe came up with a counter to stop the try and Miller was unable to get that needed move to get the takedown and lost by a 1-0 decision. Schwoeppe moved into the second round to meet Gavin Jolly-Little (45-4) of Jeffersonville in the second Jordan Like moves to the basket and gets by the Mitchell defense for two points in the Sectional game last Thursday. Michal Ashby and Olivia Leighty are ready to help. the second quarter. Catt did make one free throw 1:16 into the second stanza to cut the gape to two. A basket by Michael Ashby tied the game at 14-14. Mitchell came back for a field goal and one of two free throw tries for a three point edge. A lay-up by Like and a long three by Howes off a pass from Like gave the Lady Chargers their first lead of the game 19-17. A free throw by Like had the score up to 20-17. After a Mitchell basket, Like hit a short jumper off a pass from Samantha Halbrader for a 2219 lead. Mitchell had the next three points to tie the game with 1:19 to play in the first half. The Lady Char- gers came down, missed a shot with Like rebounding and putting the ball back in. Mitchell missed a chance for two, Pike Central got the ball down the court quickly and Leighty was fouled, but missed the free throws. The half ended with another missed PC shot and a miss by Mitchell that left the Lady Chargers in front 24-22 at the break. Both teams were shooting just 33 percent from the field in the first half and both were having a little trouble making free throws. PC was 8 of 13 and Mitchell 6 of 10. PC had 10 turnovers and Mitchell 6. The Lady Chargers had very few turnovers in the third period, but so did Mitchell. PC missed two free throws to start the quarter and Mitchell came back for two baskets to take the lead 26-24. Pike Central tied the game at 26 with a field goal and two free throws by Howes tied the game at 28 all. Mitchell again took the lead 30-28. A free throw by Like with 4:23 to play had the difference down to one. Another free throw by Like tied the game at 30-30 with 1:06 to play. Two free throws by Ashby gave PC the lead 32-30 with 24 seconds to play. The Lady Bluejackets were fouled with seven seconds remaining and made both free throws to tie the Continued on page 4 Miller one point shy at Semistate round and lost. He also lost a consolation match trying for fifth place and fell from contention. Miller finished his junior season at 34-7, two matches shy of his goal of making the state tournament. ���Dalton wrestled a tough match against a tough opponent. Dalton has wrestled the Southridge heavyweight at least 20 times between middle school and high school and any time there is that much familiarity it is hard to wrestle because they already know what is coming,��� said Pike Central Head Coach Billy Hewig. ���The heavyweight class at our semi-state was by far the best one I have seen in 5 years and just to make the cut to be there was an accomplishment for Dalton. Dalton had another stellar year this season and has the potential to really step up and have a wonderful season next year because of how much talent is leaving the heavyweight class. He also has to remember that there are some talented young heavyweights around the corner and he will have to push himself hard to reach his goals that he has set.��� Norman Oglesby of Ben Davis (38-4) won the championship over Austin little of North Posey (39-3). Third place went to Drew Ponder of Center Grove (32-6) with Jolly-Little of Jeffersonville (46-6) placing fourth. Fifth went to Nathan Wright of Evansville Mater Dei (264), now the first alternate for state, with Rob McKee of Columbus East (36-10) sixth. Experience Experience SALFORD SALFORD RTS SERIES RTS SERIES RTS SERIES RTS SERIES ��� Unmatchedobstacleprotection ��� Compactionshatteringvibration Unmatchedobstacleprotection ��� Compactionshatteringvibration ��� ��� Warmseedbedsandreleaseexcessmoistureforearlier ��� plantingdates Warmseedbedsandreleaseexcessmoistureforearlier plantingdates Call Blesch Bros. Equipment Co., or visit Call Blesch Bros. 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