The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/89560
Wednesday, October 24, 2012 B-1 E-Mail Sports Items to: sports@pressdispatch.net Sports Tidbits From the Mini Mac By Mike Johansen only got to see part of their show because they were rained out on the last home game and did not get to perform before a Pike Cen- tral home crowd. I guarantee you, just like the cheerleaders, they did not want to be out in the rain when Southridge was here. That is the Pike Central Char- ger Brigade. These young men and women work just as hard, maybe harder than some, at what they do. They just do not go out on the parking lot or football field and march, they have to practice their music and they have to get in shape. I do not know if many of you realize this, but those band members don't just sit around and march around. Director John Miller has them out running and getting in shape to handle the fall marching schedule. T here is at least one "fall sport" that I have not written much about, and day. He finished 28th in 16:27.5, his best finish in his third straight Semistate appearance. He missed a spot at state by 25 seconds and 13 places. He is the first Charger since Andrew Dixon in 2006 to compete at Semistate. (Photo by Mitch Parker) This past summer and each summer, they not only attend a week of intensive band camp, but they also practice all sum- mer long, usually in the evenings when it can be a little cooler. The only thing that chases them inside is rain. Pike Central runner Cain Parker runs with the lead pack during the Semistate run at Brown County High School on Satur- Parker finishes 28th in finale Misses the top I think Director Miller along with Chris Ashworth and all those who help the Charger Brigade get ready to perform, are deserving of a lot of credit along with the Charger Brigade deserving a lot of credit. There are sure a lot of bands that do not advance to Re- gional and there are a lot of bands that do not earn Gold at regional. The next step they hope to take is to advance to Semistate. Hopefully next year is their year to do that, and maybe advance on to state. While I did not see the full show, what I saw was wonderful. I also admire the directors and students for all the work they put in. First, they have to learn to play the instrument they choose and in the case of several, that term is instruments. Then they learn the music for the show, then the marching moves, then the extras, and then they also have to be in shape to go through all that is asked of them. Next thing you know, the direc- tors will have them doing builds like the cheerleaders and having to play good music at the same time. entry in the IHSAA Semistate at Brown County High School last Saturday, missed his goal of be- ing in the top 15 and advancing to state, but still had a significant improvement in place and time in his final high school run as a cross country runner. The PCHS senior finished the 15, but has his best time, place Cain Parker, Pike Central's By Mike Johansen 5K race with a time of 16 minutes 27.5 seconds to place 28th individ- ually in the meet. "We wanted to see Cain get out of Semistate. He gave it his best shot. On any given day, we feel he could have gotten out. It just wasn't entirely his day Saturday," said PCHS Head Coach Randy Graham. "Like last year, he had some cold congestion and I'm sure that played into it some. It is just an extremely difficult race to ad- vance from and everything has to line up just right. We are proud of Cain. He has had a great career – three-time all-conference runner, three-time semistate qualifier, and he holds the overall Prides Creek course record for a PC boy and holds both the junior and senior records. We wish him the best of luck down the road." The meet was a combination of the top five teams and top 15 runners from Regionals at Pike Central, Bedford North Law- rence, Brown County and Craw- ford County. There were 20 teams and 158 individuals in the event. The top six teams and the top 15 runners advance to this Satur- day's state meet in Terre Haute. It is something Parker wanted to achieve, but the odds were long with the best runners from throughout southern Indiana at the meet. The top six teams and top 15 individuals join the same numbers from three other Semi- states in the state meet on Satur- day at the Indiana State University cross country course. It was the third straight year that Parker had qualified for the Semistate as an individual. An- drew Dixon was the only other individual to attend Semistate in the past few years and he finished 19th in 2006, the best finish by any Pike Central runner. The highest semistate finish prior to Dixon had been 21st by Beau Barnett in 1996, giving Parker the third-best finish in Charger history and the best in time. Dixon ran at the In- diana University course in Bloom- ington for his Semistate. He had a time of 16:58.3. Dixon went on to a great career in cross country at the University of Southern Indiana and finished 44th in the Division II National Championships. Dixon was seventh in the Re- gional at Pike Central and seventh among runners from that Region- al. Conner Sorrells of Barr-Reeve was the individual champion, win- ning in 15:17.3, and Alex Sievern of Evansville Memorial was fifth in 15:40.2; Damon Pruett of Barr- Reeve was sixth in 15:42.1; Mitch- ell Harris of Evansville Central was 13th in 16:01.4. Those four quali- fied for state as individuals. Also ahead of Parker were Jesse Stan- ley of Boonville in 23rd at 16:18.6 and Andrew Staggs of South Knox in 24th at 16:19.1, the same six who were ahead of Parker in the Regional. Parker set a senior and course record for a Pike Central runner in the Regional with a time of 16:22.0. The top six teams advancing to state from the Pike Central re- gional included only Evansville North. First went to Columbus North with 62 points, Terre Haute South 78, Bloomington South 129, Bedford-North Lawrence 175, Evansville North 191 and Bloom- ington North 213. Perry Central was seventh, South Knox eighth, Forest Park 11th, Barr-Reeve 17th, Evansville Memorial 18th and Evansville Reitz 20th. Lady Chargers bow out in semis I just wanted you all to know that your hard work and dedica- tion does not go unnoticed and is very much appreciated. You have brought honor and a great reputa- tion to Pike Central High School and deserve a BIG THANKS for all the work and dedication to the "sport" you love to do. I think you are great! That also brings up the cheer- leaders and all the work they put in as well. Learning builds, cheers and doing the things that we love to see when you get out and perform and lead the school and fans in building spirit. You also have to look at what good shape these young ladies have to be in to accomplish what they do. They also suffer through injuries and hurts and still do whatever they can to make the PC Cheerleaders the great success that they are. Sometimes that even involves driving to an away game when a bus doesn't show. I am just glad I was not in the way when you all roared into the Washington park- ing lot just a few minutes before game time in your cars. There were a couple of people walking that had to dive for cover as they zoomed into the parking lot (just kidding of course, they are good drivers and showed their dedica- tion by driving to that away game when the bus did not show up!) I just wanted both the cheer- leaders and band to know their efforts are greatly appreciated by many! ******* For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. ******* I praise you because I am fear- fully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Master Mitchell, fall to Jasper in Sectional 31 short of where the Pike Central Lady Chargers wanted to be, but it wasn't because they didn't give their best effort in the IHSAA Jas- per Sectional 31 Volleyball Tourna- ment last week. The Lady Chargers dispatched Mitchell in round one of the tour- nament in four games and then met a buzz saw in the senior-laden Jasper Lady Wildcats, losing in three straight. "The win over Mitchell was an exciting match for the girls. I was so proud of all the girls. This win let us advance to the Jasper game," The season ended a little bit By Mike Johansen said Coach Marla Stemle. "Jasper was a tough team. My girls worked hard, but we couldn't finish today. I want to wish all four seniors, Mi- chal Ashby, Olivia Leighty, Lexie Shoultz and Haylea Harden, the best of luck in the future. You have all been great to work with and all of you have improved and should be proud of your high school vol- leyball careers. For the rest of the team, I'm looking forward to next year." The Lady Chargers had just one off game, but bounced back to dominate Mitchell 25-15, 18-25, 25- 12 and 25-18 in round one Thurs- day. Jasper defeated Vincennes Lincoln 25-10, 25-10, 25-12. In the first game, Michal Ashby got the Lady Chargers started with several good serves for six points with one scored on an error by Mitchell. Cayla Mahoney had two kill spikes and another point on a block, Olivia Leighty had a stuff VIDEO NETedition Exclusive block and Emily Howes had a kill. The first Mitchell serve ended with a tip by Leighty for a point. Haylea Harden served in three aces for a 10-1 lead. Leighty had the serve next and scored a point on an ace and the serve ended on a tip by Mitchell. After they served in two points to close the score to 12-6, the next serve was out-of- bounds. Mitchell cut the margin by another point in an ace serve for a 13-8 score. Lauren Morton came to serve with an error by Mitchell, a spike for a kill by Ashby on a set by Morton, an ace and another spike by Ashby for a point pushed the lead to 18-8. After two service ex- changes, Ashby served for a point, scored on a Mahoney spike. Mor- ton had a tip for a point to cause a side-out and Harden served in a point scored on a Leighty spike. Mahoney ended another service by Mitchell with a spike. A service Chargers got down early. Two ser- vice points by Morton on an ace and an Ashby tip and two service points by Howes on a mistake and an ace had the game tied at 11-11. From that point on PC made the mistakes and Mitchell capitalized to lead 18-12 and 23-16 before win- ning 25-19 to tie the match at 1-1. The third game started much exchange later, Mahoney nailed another spike for the deciding point and a 25-15 PC win in game one. In the second game the Lady better for the Lady Chargers with Ashby serving in four points, Leighty having two kills and a stuff block. Another Leighty kill gave Harden a service point. Af- ter the Mitchell crew closed the score to 6-5, a Mahoney kill got the serve back and Leighty served in a point. Mitchell again was within a point on a block, but had a mis- Continued on Page B4 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."—Psalm 139:13-16. Dear Lord, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully Continued on Page 2 Olivia Leighty leaps at the net to spike the ball back at Jasper during the Sectional semifinals. Ready for a return are Cayla Mahoney, 8, Michal Ashby, Olivia Whann and Lauren Morton.