The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/60656
D-4 Wednesday, March 28, 2012 The Press-Dispatch to open their season at home on Wednesday, April 4, with the Shoals Jug Rox coming to PCHS for a 5 p.m. game. The Chargers host the Wood Memorial Trojans on April 5 at 5:30 p.m. The Chargers have a new coaching staff this spring with Wes Fink as the head coach and the assistants are Shaun Larsen and Brad Ridao. The 2012 Chargers baseball team, front from left, includes: The Pike Central Chargers baseball team is in the midst of getting ready Seniors Trevor Church and Brandon Bohnert. Second row: Clint Craig, Bailey White, Richard McDowell and Josiah Hobson. Third row: Trevor Claridge, Jacob Western, Garrett Wojtowicz, Jeffrey Estey, Brady Like, Brady Knight, Jesse Freeland and Maverick Henson. In back: Assistant Coach Shaun Lars- en, Head Coach Wes Fink and Assistant Coach Brad Ridao. Not pictured: Dillon Robling. New coaching staff directing the team Pike Central Chargers Baseball hopes to lead the Pike Cen- tral Chargers baseball team to an improved season un- der new Head Coach Wes Finks. A fresh start this spring By Mike Johansen sity of Southern Indiana player, takes over the reigns from interim Head Coach Brent Beck. He is being as- sisted by Shaun Larsen and Brad Ridao. Pike Central High School Finks, a former Univer- Athletic Director Roger Stuckey started the search last fall for the new coach to replace Steve Barrett, who resigned last year. The ap- pointment of Wesley Fink was approved by the school board last December. Fink has extensive expe- rience in baseball as a player and an assistant coach. This will be his first assignment as a head coach. It is still early in the practice season and most of the positions are open for anyone to fill. Only seniors Trevor Church and Brandon Bohnert have nailed down spots on the roster. Bohnert will be back as him. He also can hit the ball and get on base. He is able to hit with power. "He has worked hard and improved his catching. He has also worked hard on his hitting. He is one of our leaders on this team," said Coach Fink. Senior Trevor Church the catcher for the Char- gers. In the Sectional game against Washington last sea- son he threw to second base- man Jacob Western to catch a runner trying to steal for the third out, showing his good throwing arm and ability to send the baseball around the infield if needed to try to stop steals. He also has good flexibility behind the plate for the Chargers and let very little get past ular pitching staff are back, but Coach Fink and his staff are looking for more pitch- ers to develop depth on the team. Two members of the reg- will likely be at first base again this season. He has a good glove and is a solid de- fensive player. He also can hit the ball and had one hit in the Sectional along with usually getting a hit in most of the games he played last season. He has the ability to hit the long ball. "Trevor has been do- ing a great job in our early practices and plays well at first base. He is a good team leader," said the coach. and Bailey White pitched in the rain delayed Sectional game against Washington last year. After PC lost to them 15-0 in the opening game of the year, it was only 7-2 in the Sectional and the game was closer than the fi- nal score. "We will have Claridge Both Trevor Claridge and White anchor our pitch- ing staff, but who else will join them is open right now. The coaching staff is evalu- ating everyone and there really are no set positions except for the two seniors," said Coach Fink. "The rest of the positions are open and right now we do not know who will be where, we are evaluating every- one. We have worked hard so far and have weeded out anyone who is not serious about winning. We have 15 players and they will all have to work very hard to earn a position on the starting roster. All of the players are working hard to earn their positions. They have high energy and working hard to get better every day." Every position is open have a lot of work to do to get ready." Among the returning players are Jacob Western, who saw action in the infield last season. Bohnert is the catcher and Claridge was a pitcher and infielder as well. Claridge also can hit the ball well and had a couple of home runs last season. Bailey White is a pitcher as well as playing infield and outfield. Dillon Robling plays the and each of the players will have to earn their spot on the field," said the coach. "My assistants Shaun Lars- en and Brad Ridao are a great help and do a great job on the field. We are looking forward to the season, but infield and outfield, but is still recovering from an ill- ness that kept him out at the end of the basketball season. Brady Like is back as an infielder or outfielder. He is a power hitter and can hit the long ball. Continued on Page D7 season next Monday on the road meeting the Tecumseh Braves. The team, under Head Coach Cassi Craig will be at South Knox High School on April 5 for a meet with the Lady Spartans and Sullivan. The first home meet is scheduled for Monday, April 9, with North Posey and Evansville Mater Dei coming to the PCHS track with the meet starting at 6:30 p.m. The members of the Lady Chargers team, front from left, includes: Morgan Henson, Bre- The Pike Central Lady Chargers girls track and field team begins the anna Young, Dana Fuhrman (all seniors), Olivia Leighty, Taylor Bise, Jennifer Aberle and Ashtan Clark. Second row: Cheyenne Brewster, Janessa Foster, Kalee Hadley, Loren Betz, Lauryn Davis and Amanda Cook. Third row: Head Coach Cassi Craig, Allison Sheffler, Haley Wilson, Desiree McCraney, Assis- tant Coach Bonnie Stone, Assistant Coach Mindy Hill-Keeker and Assistant Coach Eric Knight. Not pictured: Lacy Brewster, Taylor Hinton, Shelby Mese- berg and Selena Guzman. Pike Central Lady Chargers Track and Field Experience will help the team improve faces on the track for the Pike Central Lady Chargers this season, but they also have some key returning runners and throwers that will anchor the 2012 team. For the first time this There will be a lot of new By Mike Johansen spring the Lady Chargers will have pole vaulters as the event is back as part of the Pocket Athletic Conference Meet, which will be Tues- day, May 8, at Tell City. The Lady Chargers will a couple of relays qualify for Regional, but no one ad- vanced to state. Helping Coach Craig are be missing some key per- formers from last season, a couple that did not come out and graduation claimed Kelsey Reising. The Pike Central girls had six wins and 10 losses last year. They finished ninth in the Pocket Athletic Conference Meet. They came back in mid May to finish third in the Princeton Sectional behind Princeton who edged Gib- son Southern for the title. They had four athletes and former PCHS great Bonnie Stone. She was a hurdler and sprinter plus did well in the high jump advancing to state. She also advanced to state in both hurdle events and participated in the re- lays. The other main assis- tants are Mindy Hill-Keeker, who also has coached at another school in track; and Eric Knight, who will be coaching the pole vaulters. The pole vault is back in track in the PAC after be- ing out for several years be- cause of liability and equip- ment concerns. They now have that all covered and Pike Central will have pole vaulters participating again in both boys and girls track. Knight will coach the pole vault for both teams. Senior Morgan Henson and juniors Olivia Leighty and Senior Breanna Young along with Freshman Haley Wilson and junior Taylor Bise are work- ing in the event. Coach Craig is in her second year as head coach after being assistant for a few years. She took over for Steve Carter last season. However, with the loss of Kelsey Reising in the dis- tance events and relays will force Coach Cassi Craig to find some new girls to fill in. Reising ran the distance re- lays plus the 3,200 and 1,600 distance races. The Lady Chargers will the 300 meter hurdles and long jump. In the hurdles she had a time of just over 55 seconds as her best last season and Coach Craig hopes to have her times down quite a bit this season. Fuhrman is out for the first time in a couple of years and will likely work in at several events. She could slip, into a spot in the relays, maybe some middle distance work and the sprint events. Morgan Henson played rely on three seniors for leadership this spring in Dana Fuhrman, Breanna Young and Morgan Henson. Also returning are juniors Olivia Leighty, Janessa Fos- ter, Cheyenne Brewster, and Ashtan Clark, and sopho- mores Kaylee Hadley, Sele- na Guzman, and Lacy Brew- ster. All had key roles on last year's team. Senior Breanna Young was on several relays, did disc out over 100 feet. Coach Craig expects her to excel in those two events this season and make a shot at Region- als in both events. Junior Olivia Leighty will the team leaders in both hurdle events again this sea- son. a key role on the team last season running the 100 and 300 meter hurdle events plus the long jump. She had jumps well over 13 feet. She also ran the sprints and re- lays. She is trying the pole vault as well this year. Junior Janessa Foster will be back at the discus and shot put. She qualified for the Regional in the shot and had a best toss of about 33-3. She missed qualifying in the discus, but can get the be a key figure in several events. She is trying the pole vault, but also will figure in several running events. The was on all three relay teams (400, 1,600 and 3,200) plus jumped over 13 feet in the long jump. She also runs the middle distance events. Junior Ashtan Clark will be back helping the Lady Chargers in both the dis- cus and shot put. She was among the top five throwers last season. Junior Cheyenne Brew- ster is back in the discus, shot put and the hurdle events. She is also among the top three in the discus and shot. She had a time of just under 20 seconds in the 100 hurdles and a best of around 1:02 in the 300 hur- dles. She could be among Guzman will be back in the 1,600 and 3,200 individual events and relays. She had a time of 3:03 in the 1,600 and 6:35 in the 3,200. She also runs the 800 and could run the 400 this season. Lacy Brewster, a sopho- more, is back in the throw- ing events and could figure in some running events this season. Junior Taylor Bise is in Continued on Page D7 ley is the leading returning sprinter. She just missed the Regionals in the 100 and 200 meter dashes. She had a time of 13.2 in the 100 and about 28.50 in the 200 meter dash. She was in the 400 relay team that qualified for Regional plus she throws the shot put. She had a best of over 28 feet and should be improved this season. Distance runner Selena Sophomore Kalee Had-