The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/122355
B-1 Wednesday, April 17, 2013 E-Mail Sports Items to: sports@pressdispatch.net Sports Tidbits From the Mini Mac By Mike Johansen Since I have reached that magic age number for men that denotes you have really moved on to senior citizenship, although I have not retired as of yet, it has drawn my attention. Some days aches and pains hit in some mysterious places and ways, other days I am as chipper as a 50 year-old. I try to keep my attitude as young as possible and to keep going, because it is what I love to do. The following item was found on the Internet and brought to my attention. It is the feelings of a man older than I am and gave me a reminder of what I should think about. I hope you enjoy this and it makes you think about those folks who are much older than I am that are in your lives . . . and mine. When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy to Melbourne. The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appeared in mags for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem. And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this "anonymous" poem winging across the Internet (and into my column). Cranky Old Man What do you see nurses? What do you see? What are you thinking when you're looking at me? A cranky old man, not very wise, uncertain of habit, with faraway eyes? Who dribbles his food and makes no reply. When you say in a loud voice "I do wish you'd try!" Who seems not to notice the things that you do. And forever is losing a sock or shoe? Who, resisting or not lets you do as you will, with bathing and feeding the long day to fill? Is that what you're thinking? Is that what you see? Then open your eyes, nurse, you're not looking at me. I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still, as I do at your bidding as I eat at your will. I'm a small child of ten with a father and mother, brothers and sisters who love one another. A young boy of sixteen with wings on his feet, dreaming that soon now a lover he'll meet. A groom soon at twenty my heart gives a leap. Remembering, the vows . that I promised to keep. At twenty-five, now I have young of my own. Who need me to guide and a secure happy home. A man of Thirty my young now growing fast, bound to each other with ties that should last. At Forty, my young sons have grown and are gone, but my woman is beside me to see I don't mourn. At Fifty, once more, babies play 'round my knee, again, we know children my loved one and me. Dark days are upon me my wife is now dead. I look at the future I shudder with dread. For my young are all rearing young of their own. And I think of the years and the love that I've known. I'm now an old man and nature is cruel. It's jest to make old age look like a fool. Continued on Page B3 Lady Chargers win at home By Mike Johansen The week was one of a perfect finish for one match and a close call in a second match for the Pike Central Lady Chargers girls' tennis team. They opened the week of play beating the North Daviess Lady Cougars 5-0 in the varsity matches. In singles, Emily Howes started the day beating Taylor Jeffers at No. 1, by the scores of 6-2 and 6-0. In the No. 2 singles match, Hope Waltz stopped Cari Jo Wilson 6-0, 6-3. In the No. 3 singles match, Aspen Childress toppled Brytni Bray 6-1, 6-7 (3-7), 10-2. In the No. 1 doubles match, Kenna Longabaugh and Kerrsten Miller toppled Madison Reed and Nicole Woodruff 6-3, 6-1. In the No. 2 doubles match, Chloe Keepes and Cayla Mahoney downed Anna Mayfield and Michaela Sprinkle 6-1, 6-1. The Lady Chargers won both JV matches. Jacey Fears beat Brooke Bays 8-3 and Kendra Manning clipped Demi Archer 8-1. The Lady Chargers came close in the Pocket Athletic Conference match at North Posey, but came up shy, losing 2-3. This was the Fight Against Cancer Match for the two teams. In the No. 1 singles position, Howes lost a close three set match to Shelby Ackerman 6-4, 4-6, 4-6. Waltz came through at No. 2 singles, with a three set win over Carol Santos 5-7, 6-4, 7-5. In the No. 3 singles match, Childress lost to Brianna Brown 1-6, 0-6. In the doubles competition, Longabaugh and Miller also had a tough match loosing 1-6, 4-6. At No. 2 doubles, Keepes and Mahoney downed Lizzie Watzavilic and Brianna Perry 4-6, 5-0. The match ended early because of an injury to a North Posey girl. North Posey also won the JV portion of the match 5-2. In singles, Fears lost to Maddie Koester 0-6; Fears lost to Kaylen Johman 0-6; Bailey Davis and Brandi Ru- ble lost to Madison Werry and Jordan Werry 2-6; Fredricka McCammon and Kendra Manning lost to Brooke Bender and Sydney Wilderman; Paulina Cazares and Jayde Martin lost to Abbi Vogel and Morgan Alvey 2-6; Haven Lashbrook and Maddie Atkins beat Lindsay Calvert and Vanessa Krohn 6-0; Kylee Graves and Amber Ruble beat Abby Knight and Cheyenne Angermeier 6-1. The Lady Chargers host Southridge on Wednesday. PCMS girls begin with Southridge By Mike Johansen The Pike Central Middle School Lady Chargers tennis team picked up two wins in their opening match with Southridge on the Pike Central courts on April 8. Southridge won the meet 5-1 for the varsity. The only varsity win came at No. 1 doubles as Madi Dorsey and Kallie Davis defeated Louisa Nino and Kenzie Lubberhusen 8-6. Jessica Morton and Annie Sheridan lost to Hannah Skaggs and Olivia Mundy 5-8. In singles, Nicole Griffith lost to Leah Diekhoff 0-8 in the No. 1 match. At No. 2 singles, Marissa Harrison lost to Emily Eckert 0-8 and at No. 3 singles, Maddie Kroeger lost to Hailey Michel 6-8. Pike Central won one of nine JV matches. The win came from Faryn Hensler and Aver Halter by a 6-3 score. Micah Hopf and Morgan Whann lost 5-6; Lily Willis and Kara Indorf lost 1-6; Sydney Nolan and Jadyn Ashby lost 0-6; Grace Smith and Kirsten Jansen lost 2-6; Cass Conder and Gretchen McCrary lost 3-6; Alayna Miskell and Meredith Benson lost 1-6; Mackenzie Nolan and Grace Nelson lost 0-6; and Maggie McDonald and Angel Ahlefield lost 0-6. NETedition Exclusive video Junior Emily Howes concentrates on making a good backhand shot as she plays the No. 1 singles position for the Lady Chargers during a home match. Chargers grab fourth win over Cougars By Mike Johansen For the Pike Central Chargers 2013 baseball team, the theme is never give up, no matter what. They proved that was the way to think, with a come from behind 13-7 win over the North Daviess Cougars last Tuesday. Rain wiped out the rest of the schedule for the week. Coach Wes Fink said his team keeps plugging away and trying, no matter what the circumstances. Sometimes things work out and other times they do not. Pike Central's baseball team came away with a wild 13-7 win over North Daviess on Tuesday, April 9. After falling behind 7-1, the Chargers pushed across nine runs in the third inning to take a 10-7 lead, a lead they wouldn't give up. Clint Craig started the game, but Jacob Western went to the mound in the top of the third and picked up the win in relief, while getting two hits himself. North Daviess collected two runs in the first inning and added three more runs in the second. They collected two runs in the top of the third to lead 7-0 going into the bottom of the third frame. Western scored a run in the bottom of the first, as he walked and scored on a Claridge single. The biggest part of the comeback started with Garrett Wojtowicz leading off the bottom of the third being hit by a pitch. Western NETedition Exclusive video Brady Like snags an outside pitch in an early season game for the Chargers at catcher. He is a senior. doubled, Like walked, and the Chargers went on to score nine runs. Wojtowicz scored twice, Western twice, and one run each for Brady Like, Trevor Claridge, Maverick Henson, Clint Craig and Nick Kluemper. Henson scored again in the fourth inning as he singled, and scored on a Wojtowicz single. Claridge and Henson scored in the sixth inning on singles by Craig and Freeland. Trevor Claridge had three hits, including a home run. PC is now 4-3 for the year. Wojtowicz had one hit and two runs; Western two hits and three runs; Like a hit, one walk and hit by a pitch; Henson two hits and three runs; Craig two hits and a run; Freeland two hits and a run; and Kluemper a walk and a run. Pike Central lost its first Pocket Athletic Conference game to Forest Park 13-1 on Monday. PC had one run in the fifth. They gave up four runs in the third, two in the fourth and seven in the seventh inning of the home game April 8. Jessie Freeland, Wojtowicz and Bailey White shared the pitching duties.