The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/131836
B-1 Wednesday, May 22, 2013 E-Mail Sports Items to: sports@pressdispatch.net Sports Tidbits From the Mini Mac By Mike Johansen T he school year is about at an end and graduation is Friday. That also means the sports seasons are close to an end and summer is here. For many that means practices and camps and some relaxation time. I know I enjoy the summer to gear up for the fall. Come the second week of August, we will take fall sports photos and prepare for soccer, volleyball, cross country, tennis and football, with some returning and some new players. I hope everyone participates in a sport next fall and takes a little time for relaxation and for preparing for fall sports this summer. I have to take time out to give my praise to one person—Roger Stuckey. He has been athletic director and we have worked together as he gets us schedules, sets up photo days and does many other things that have helped me and the work as sports editor. But that is only a little bit of the job he has been doing. Being an athletic director is time consuming and goes from tedious and having to take care of details, to the bigger things. His duties even include cooking hotdogs, hamburgers and chicken, anything sold in the concession stands. He coordinated who worked concessions, gates, clock and scoreboards and all the other little details that needed to be done. He arranges for all the officials and even has contracts set for the coming year. Plus he has schedules taken care of for the most part for next year already and a myriad of other things. He also does many things I may not even realize he has done (or maybe don't want to know about). Unfortunately, because a past superintendent squandered funds on programs he maybe should not have, the position is no longer being funded and has been cut. The duties are parceled out to others, but there will not be an athletic director at Pike Central. That will not help me, but we will make do as will the people at Pike Central. I will miss the outstanding job Roger has done as athletic director. He got me schedule changes, along with schedules, scheduled photo days and did a lot more and I want him to know I appreciate all he has done. Roger is a very good man and put his heart and soul into the position and wanted to continue in that spot. He will land on his feet and do a great job at whatever he will do in the future. I just wanted Roger to know that I thought he served the coaches, kids and me well and I hope you give him a pat on the back for what he has done for our athletic program at Pike Central. The updates on Facebook this year have been outstanding and very helpful not only to me but all Charger fans. He deserves a lot of credit and praise for all he has done. I want to say that Rich Padgett, Kyle Runyan and Roger Stuckey have been three of the best ADs I have ever worked with in my 39 years in the newspaper business. I wanted Roger to know I appreciate all he has done since becoming AD and I will miss his help and all the work he has done. Each of the three PCHS ADs did a lot to make my job easier and I want to let them know they are appreciated by me and I hope many others. Give Roger a pat on the back and shake his hand to thank him for all he has done as AD!!!! ******* Here is a good lesson to remember as anyone moves forward. The man whispered, "God, speak to me" and a meadowlark sang. But, the man did not hear. So the man yelled, "God, speak to me" and the thunder rolled across the sky. But, the man did not listen. The man looked around and said, "God let me see you." And a star shined brightly. But the man did not see. And, the man shouted, "God show me a miracle." And, a life was born. But, the man did not notice. So, the man cried out in despair, "Touch me God, and let me know you are here." Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man. But, the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on. The man cried, "God, I need your help!" And an e-mail arrived reaching out with good news and encouragement. But, the man deleted it and continued crying. Don't ignore God when he touches you. Chargers second at Sectional Push Titans to the final two field events By Mike Johansen The results in the discus, shot put and 1,600 meter relay left the Pike Central Chargers just short of taking the top spot in the Princeton Sectional in boys track last Thursday. The Gibson Southern Titans used 24 points in the discus and shot put and a first place finish in the 1,600 meter relay to out distance the Chargers in the point standing 124-108. The Chargers had a 104-100 advantage with the two field events yet to be reported and it was a 24-4 edge in those two events, the discus and shot put, that provided the final margin of victory. The Titans started the comeback with a first in the 1,600 meter relay with the Chargers taking third. That was a four point edge. Then the two field event results came in and the Chargers did not have enough to hold off the Titans in the team standings. It was one of the highest finishes for Pike Central ever in the Sectional in school history, tying last year's finish, but beating the point total. The Chargers qualified for Regionals at Evansville Central High School on Thursday in 11 events and finished first in three of the events. They were second in the 400 meter relay and set a new school record in the event. The top four in each event move on to the Regional that begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Kegan Aldridge came up with one individual first in the long jump having a career best leap of 21 feet and four inches to win the title over Torry Brown of Wood Memorial at 20-7.5. Morgan Petty finished fifth at 18-9, just five inches short of qualifying. The other two first place finishes came from senior Cain Parker. He first won the 600 meter run with a time of 4:31.92 with second going to Jant Perkins of BarrReeve at 4:33.65. Tanner Mason missed a place in the top eight by only a little bit. Parker came back to win the 800 meter run in 1:59.38 with Hayden Baehl of Gibson Southern second at 2:00.46. Jacob Capozella finished out of the top eight in 2:42.42. Parker finished seventh in the 3,200 run in 11:10.59 as he slowed down at the end. Mason ran just over 11:32 and did not place. Both Morgan Petty and Josh Stieneker qualified for Regionals in the 200 meter dash. They had qualified for the finals by having the fastest two times in the prelims. Petty was at 23.92 and Stieneker at 23.96. They ended up second and third in the finals. Jayson Jamerson of Princeton was NETedition Exclusive video Cain Parker works to get into good position for the 800 meter run. He won this event and the 1,600 to advance to the Regional. first at 23.11, Adam Heath of Gibson Southern was second at 23.73; Petty third at 24.01 and Stieneker fourth at 24.35, just ahead of Jake Brashear of Washington at 24.39. Petty finished fifth in the 100 meter dash in 11.60 and Stieneker as eighth at 12.64. Paul Heldring picked up fourth place in the 400 dash to qualify for the Regional with a time of 53.38, just under his previous best time. Mercer-szady of Vincennes Lincoln was first at 51.07. Dexter Waltz missed a place with a time of 59.16. Kire Woolery had tough luck in the 110 meter high hurdles hitting an early hurdle and finishing eighth. J.D. Montgomery had a time of 19.51 and did not qualify for the finals. Woolery had a 18.81 in the prelims and 30.22 in the finals. Aldridge finished second in the 300 intermediate hurdles with a time of 42.41 and teammate Montgomery was third in 42.63, both moving on to the Regional. First was Cody Clymer of North Knox at 40.95. The Chargers 400 relay team of Aldridge, Petty, Montgomery and Stieneker finished second in a school record time of 44.93 seconds. Washington was first at 44.46. The Chargers 1,600 meter relay team also qualified for the Regional finishing third at 3:34.54, their best time of the season. Running were Austin Bolin, Paul Heldring, J.D. Montgomery and Dexter Waltz. Gibson Southern was first at 3:30.76. Continued on Page B2 Kegan Aldridge stretches out in the long jump for his first jump over 231 feet. He placed first in the Sectional at 21-4. Lady Chargers tough at Sectional Qualify for the Regional in seven events By Mike Johansen The Pike Central Lady Chargers qualified two relay teams and in four individual events for the Evansville Regional and finished sixth in the Princeton Sectional last Tuesday, May 14. The qualifiers include freshman Nicah McFarland in the 300 hurdles; Michal Ashby in the 400 meter dash; Olivia Leighty in the pole vault and Janessa Foster in the shot put and discus along with the 400 meter relay team including McFarland, Ashby, Leighty and Kalee Hadley; and the 1,600 relay team including Ashby, McFarland, Leighty and Jessica McQueen. One of the big stories of the meet for the Lady Chargers was freshman Nicah McFarland. She qualified with the second fastest time in the very first event at 18.35 seconds. However, when the gun went off to start the finals, McFarland apparently jumped and was disqualified. For many freshmen this could have been a devastating Olivia Leighty clears 8-3 in the pole vault to take second in the event and advance to the Regional. psychological blow. But for McFarland, it was motivation to not let it happen again and to make the Regionals. She came back in the 300 meter hurdles to place third with her fastest time of her career by several seconds. She also joined the 400 meter and 1,600 meter relays to run a leg and qualify for Regionals in both events. I really enjoyed seeing Nicah after she false started in the 100 hurdles. She came back in less than four minutes and ran the first leg of our 400 team (out of the blocks) which advanced to Regional finishing third. Then she beat her best time of the year by five seconds in the 300 hurdles (coming out of the blocks) to finish third and move on to Regional. She was seeded 8th in the 300 hurdles. I was extremely proud of her," said Coach Chris Hadley. "All together, we had girls advance in seven of 16 events. Olivia Leighty finished second in pole vault. Michal Ashby finished fourth in the 400. Janessa Foster finished fourth in the shot put and discus. Nicah finished third in the 300 hurdles. Our 400 relay (Nicah McFarland, Michal Ashby, Olivia Leighty, Kaylee Hadley) finished third and our 1,600 (Olivia Leighty, Nicah McFarland, Jessica McQueen, Michal Ashby) finished fourth. Nicah, Olivia, and Michal advanced in three events and Janessa advanced in 2 events. Overall, we finished sixth out of 12 teams in the team results. Our girls ran very hard and I am extremely proud of their accomplishments." The Regionals were in Evansville on Tuesday. McFarland had a time of 51.89 in the 300 hurdles for the third place Continued on Page B2