The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1147567
The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, July 24, 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 Softball teams from around Southern In- diana journeyed to the Winslow Community Ballpark on Friday and Saturday to compete in the inaugural Heart for Harbin Charity Softball Tournament, an event that raised more than $13,000. All of the proceeds from the event will be used to support River Harbin and provide River Harbin Prayer Warriors with care packages for other inpatient children wait- ing on a transplant. "We had a great turnout for the event at both locations, Lugnutz and the softball tourney right down the road," said Jamie Blake, event organizer. "Despite the brutal heat, people still came out to play and sup- port River Harbin." Blake said Harbin's parents have been completely overwhelmed by the love and support everyone has shown their family. "And now they are able to pay it forward to a lot of other families," she said. "Brit- tany [Harbin] says it's incredible and they already have two inpatients to help. They are trying to get all the information to put Prayer Packages together." The games started at 6 p.m. Friday eve- ning, resumed at 8 a.m. Saturday morning and the tournament wasn't completed until 1:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. "Needless to say, everyone was complete- ly exhausted," Blake said. "I think it ran very smoothly. A big thanks to Bo Daves, Desiree and Bobby Perry for getting out there early and getting everything ready. It was a lot of work and wouldn't have been possible without the hard work they put in- to it." Countless hours of work went on behind- the-scenes for several months leading up to the tournament. "I believe we learned a few things at this year's tournament of what we can do differ- ently next year, but all in all, it went very smooth," Blake said. "We only had a few minor hiccups, but nothing that we couldn't handle and keep the tournament going." The tournament featured 15 area teams, and it wasn't just Pike County residents who played in the tournament. Individuals or teams from Gibson, Dubois, Warrick, Knox and Daviess counties also participated. Chargers soccer stays sharp with summer scrimmages HEART FOR HARBIN CHARITY SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT RAISES MORE THAN $13,000 Bo Daves smashes a pitch during the Heart for Harbin Charity Softball Tournament at the Winslow Community Ball- fields on Saturday. Desiree Perry catches a game-win- ning pop fly during the Heart for Harbin Charity Softball Tournament at the Winslow Community Ball- fields on Saturday. Ethan Nelson practices Seahawks tackling during the Pike Central Youth Football Camp on Wednesday, July 17 at PCHS. By Dennis Marshall Press-Dispatch Sports Editor sports@pressdispatch.net In early July, the soccer fields in Indi- ana start to fill up as high school teams around the state prepare for the upcom- ing fall season. The Pike Central boys' team has stayed busy the past couple of weeks, starting with a camp at Indiana Wes- leyan University. The camp offered op- portunities for players and coaches to learn, and grow technically and tacti- cally over three days from July 11 to 13. The Chargers went through train- ing sessions with the Wildcats' coach- ing staff and played two scrimmages against fellow Class 2A schools. Senior Ethan Scott scored a nice 25 -yard free kick against Marion. Scott earned All-PAC honors in 2018 after leading Pike Central with 17 goals and 12 assists. The Indians eventually defeated the Chargers 4-1, although the teams played pretty evenly in the second half. "Marion was really talented and had a lot of speed on the wings that we strug- gled with," Pike Central head coach Ja- cob Western said. Pike Central tied Norwell, 2-2, to wrap up the camp. "We gave up both of our goals trying to pass out from the back and it's some- thing we need to work on and be more comfortable with," Western said. "We controlled the ball for most of the game, which is something we have been work- ing on." Junior Connor Young and senior Jer- sey Mills scored goals for the Chargers against the Knights. Pike Central also defeated Vincennes Rivet 5 -2 on Thursday, July 18 in anoth- er scrimmage. Scott scored three goals versus the Patriots, while senior Gabe Caldwell and Young added a goal each. "We passed the ball extremely well and probably should have scored a few more goals with the chances we creat- ed," Western said. "We have seen a lot of good things and a few things we re- ally need to improve on. Overall, it has been a good month of July." The Chargers also return senior No- ah Whann, who was an All-PAC honor- able mention selection, off a team that finished third in the PAC in 2018 with a 5 -2 conference mark. Pike Central went 12-5 overall and lost to Gibson South- ern 1-0 in the semifinals of the section- al tournament. The team will still scrimmage Princ- eton and Washington this summer be- fore its first official practice on Aug. 5. See CAMP on 2 Pike Central youth football camp builds lasting relationships By Dennis Marshall Press-Dispatch Sports Editor sports@pressdispatch.net When Dave Stephens took over at the Pike Central football pro- gram late in the summer of 2018, he didn't have much time to do anything other than get the Char- gers ready to take on their week one opponent. This summer, with a year of head coaching experience under his belt, the team's former offen- sive coordinator is attempting to lay a foundation for the future that started with the inaugural Pike Central Youth Football Camp on Wednesday, July 17 at PCHS. "Success at the youth level and doing things the right way at a grassroots level is paramount for our program's long-term success," Stephens said. "The way that we are going to get to where we want to be as a high school program is from a ground up approach. It starts with making sure these youngsters have a positive view of the game, that they have fun when they are out there and that they are learning how to play foot- ball the correct way." The one-day event was broken down into an offensive and defen- sive session, and concluded with a punt, pass and kick competition. About 35 children in grades third through sixth attended the camp that taught fundamentals, tech- nique and the rules of the game. "We wanted to go down to most foundational level of football," Stephens said. "On the offensive side, we worked on stances, how to make a block, how to receive a hand-off, and how to throw and catch a football. Defensively, we worked on pursuit and making sure we can tackle in open space." Coaches and varsity players taught camp-goers the proper way to make a sound, safe tackle using Seahawks tackling. The rugby-in- spired method emphasizes shoul- der-leverage tackling. "We are doing that to take the head out of the tackle," Stephens said. "They will put their near shoulder on [the runners'] near hip and then they will gator roll off of it. It makes it safer and that's the way that we teach our tackling throughout the program. We want to make sure we vertically articu- late the way we block, tackle and all those other things are being taught." Stephens said it's a positive ex- perience anytime he can be on the field having fun while playing the game of football. "I am really excited for the en- ergy around our program," he said. "I see a lot of kids high-fiv- ing, having fun and getting after it. They were making a lot of noise and hooting and hollering for each other." Another reason Stephens want- ed to have the youth camp was to provide an opportunity for fellow- ship between the high school play- See CHARITY on 2