The Press-Dispatch
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The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, June 26, 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 Dennis Marshall Press-Dispatch Sports Editor sports@pressdispatch.net Pike Central's Noah Onyett will be stay- ing close to home to continue his golf career. Onyett signed a scholarship with Oak- land City University on Monday, June 24 at Prides Creek Golf Course. "They have a good campus and I liked ev- erything I saw there," he said. "I know ev- erybody who has ever went there has come out successful. So, hopefully that continues for me." Vincennes University also showed inter- ested in the self-described "homebody," but he ultimately selected OCU because of the school's proximity and being able to com- mute from his home in Winslow. Onyett was in seventh grade when he first started playing golf with his older cousin. "He was on [Pike Central's] golf team and I hated riding the bus home after school," he said. "I would just ride with him to golf practice, and I would just pick up a putter and play around." It wasn't long before Pike Central golf coach Jarrod Gideon took notice of the youngster, who was attending practice ev- ery day. "[Gideon] kind of just took me under his wing and we just escalated from there and got better each day," Onyett said. He continued to develop his game, and by the time he was a sophomore, he had al- ready started to gain the attention of some college coaches. "That's when Gideon told me I should probably give some thought to playing in college," he said. Onyett plans to major in sports manage- ment and hopes to be an athletic director or a clubhouse manager someday. He said the most valuable lesson he's learned from golf is to be respectful. "I can talk to some of the older fellows I meet out there at the golf course for hours upon hours," Onyett said. "It's incredible the things you can learn from some of those people just by spending a little time with them." Onyett etched his name in the Chargers' record book earlier this season when he set the school's 18 -hole record during the Vin- cennes Invite at the Country Club of Old Vincennes on April 6. "It was just the greatest round of my life," Onyett said. "I was just hitting the ball ex- actly how I wanted to. It just made me feel good making [coach Gideon] so proud." Gideon has coached golf at Pike Central for the past 15 years, and said that Onyett is definitely one of the top players in his ten- ure. "He is the type of kid that all coaches hope they have," Gideon said. "He is a real- ly good leader for the younger guys. He is a good golfer, but that's because he has put so much time into his game." Onyett served as the Chargers' manager for two years when he was in middle school and he also works at Prides Creek. "He would be out here when practice started and he'd still be here when prac- tice was over; chipping and putting, and just working on the little things to get bet- ter," Gideon said. "If anyone wonders why he has been so good and had so much suc- cess, it's pretty easy to see. He led by exam- ple. He put time in when others didn't and he was out here when he could have been doing other things. "He is kind of like everyone's kid out here," Gideon continued. "He mowed the course. We are all really proud of him and he has a real special opportunity. Not many kids get to play a sport in college, and get school paid for. With his work ethic, I know he will be fine." Trio of Chargers earn All-Conference honors NOAH ONYETT SIGNS WITH OCU Noah Onyett signs a letter of intent with Oakland City University to play golf. Onyett was a standout for Pike Central the last two years. Above are Pike Central athletic director Dustin Powell, Onyett, his grandmother, Peggy Hinkle, and Charger golf coach Jarrod Gideon. Coaches, volunteers and camp goers stand for a photo after Pike Central's recent youth basketball camp that ran from May 28 though May 31. Right: Kindergarten through fourth-grade winners Gage Meadors, Eli Keeker, Daxyn Yon and Rylan Prevo stand for a photo at the Pike Central youth basketball camp that ran May 28 through 31. Below: Fifth-grade through eighth-grade winners Eli Arnold, No- ah Meece, Eli Scott and Quade Morton stand for a photo at the Pike Cen- tral youth basketball camp that ran May 28 through 31. Braxton Rice Brennon Benton Joey Church By Dennis Marshall Press-Dispatch Sports Editor sports@pressdispatch.net Pike Central baseball won 11 games this past season and the program took a big step forward after winning just one game in 2018. The Chargers' Brennon Benton, Joey Church and Braxton Rice were recently recognized for outstanding seasons when they were named All-PAC honorable men- tion. "All three of them are quite talented and I am cer- tainly going to miss just being around them," former Pike Central base- ball coach Joe Cummings said. "All three were also real- ly good lead- ers. We went from one to 11 wins with basi- cally the same team. They could have won quite a bit more than that, but they had to start believing in themselves." Benton was selected as a catcher af- ter he led the Chargers with a .387 bat- ting average and five home runs. He also had 22 RBIs and scored 17 runs. "The team kind of went as [Benton] went," Cummings said. "He is just very good behind the plate. We would have liked to have rested him more back there, but he can knock down the ball and keep it in front of him. There wasn't too many Call us at 812-354-8500 or email sports@ pressdispatch.net GOT SPORTS NEWS? See BROWN on 2 CHARGER BOYS' BASKETBALL CAMP See HONORS on 2 Former USI catcher gets promotion within Atlanta Braves organization By Dennis Marshall Press-Dispatch Sports Editor sports@pressdispatch.net The past month has been a whirlwind of excitement for Logan Brown. Brown attended the University of Southern Indiana and Mount Vernon High School before he was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 35th round of the 2018 MLB Draft. Brown is the eighth USI player to be drafted, joining with his father, Kevin, who was drafted in the second round of the 1994 MLB Draft by the Texas Rang- ers. Kevin Brown attended Pike Central High School before playing college base- ball at USI.