The Press-Dispatch
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The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, June 27, 2018 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 Ed Cahill Press-Dispatch Sports Editor sports@pressdispatch.net Dave Stephens was of- ficially hired as head foot- ball coach at Pike Central High School during a spe- cial-called meeting of the Pike County School Cor- poration's Board of School Trustees on Monday, June 25. Stephens, 40, a native of Greencastle, Ind., served as the Chargers' offensive co- ordinator for the 2015 and 2016 seasons, during which Pike Central went 6 -14 – in- cluding 4-6 in 2016 – follow- ing stints as varsity running back coach and junior var- sity offensive coordinator at Terre Haute North from 2003-2005, as quarterbacks coach at Edgewood High School in 2006, as eighth grade head football coach at Edgewood Junior High School from 2007-2010, and as offensive coordinator at his alma mater, Greencas- tle High School, from 2011- 2013. In 2017, after Dustin Pow- ell resigned as head coach and Erik Mattingly was hired as Powell's successor, Stephens served as head coach for his son's third and fourth grade football team – Valley Black – in the Springs Valley Youth Foot- ball League. "It was his first year play- ing football," Stephens said of his 9 -year-old son, Cole, who attends Springs Val- ley Elementary School. "I'll tell you what – I've coached a lot of varsity football, and coaching third and fourth graders was physically a lot more demanding because you have to do hand-over- hand with them on stuff. They don't know anything. So it was very rewarding and challenging at the same time." However, when Mattingly announced last month that he was resigning to take a teaching position at North Posey High School – where he will also serve as the foot- ball team's co-offensive co- ordinator and as head coach of the boys' track and field team – Stephens did not hesitate to throw his name into the hat. "I didn't realize, after Dustin resigned, how ma- ny people were disappoint- ed that I didn't apply for the job," said Stephens, who lives in French Lick, where his wife, Jill, works as a special needs teacher and serves as head varsity soft- ball coach at Springs Valley High School. "I didn't real- ize there was that strong of a push of people that have come to me personally and say, 'Hey, I really wish you would have applied.'" "It's always nice to be wanted somewhere, too, and I told people, 'The next time it comes open, I will apply and try my best to get the job,'" Stephens add- ed. "That's how it all came about." Stephens, who is em- ployed by the Exceptional Children's Co-op as a behav- ior consultant/diagnostician for Pike Central High-Mid- dle School, said that he was told that Mattingly was re- signing by a member of the football team. "He said, 'Hey, Mattingly just called us together and said that he's not coming back. Are you going to ap- ply? '" Stephens recalled. "I already knew, because I'd had conversations with peo- ple. There were some rum- blings. There were peo- ple who weren't real happy. And I was, like, 'Okay, I'm not going to be critical of the current guy, but if it comes open, I am going to apply.' So it was instantaneous." Stephens, however, knows that he's got his work cut out for him as he takes the reins of a program that has suf- fered 31 consecutive losing seasons. During that span, Pike Central is 41-259. "There's a lot of people who are discouraged about the job here," Stephens said. "But I see opportunity in- stead of just challenges. There are challenges, don't get me wrong. But we have great facilities here. I don't think they've been taken ad- vantage of." Stephens also noted that, despite the program's his- tory, he feels that the com- munity has pride in the school's football team – which showed during the 2016 season, especially af- ter a 50 -49 come-from-be- hind overtime win at North Posey in the regular season finale. "It was a real emotional game – you come back, you fight hard – and, driving through town, people are honking their horns, wav- ing," Stephens said. "The feeling of pride that people had about Pike Central foot- ball – maybe for that week or whatever – I feel like I've got the skills to bring more often here, and I really want- ed to do that." One example of how Ste- phens helped the team de- velop pride in themselves and each other is mak- ing the players learn the school's fight song during his tenure as offensive co- ordinator. "I asked the guys, 'Do any of you guys know the school's fight song? ' Not a single one of them had any clue about how the school song went. And there was almost this feeling – from some of them, not all of them – of embarrassment to represent this school in the game of football. I was, like, 'Guys, everybody's from somewhere. I'm from Greencastle, Ind. Now, I un- derstand, it's not the great- est place in the world, but if you ask me, it's the great- est place there is. It's where I'm from. I'm proud to be from somewhere. We're go- ing to learn the school fight song because we're proud to be where we're from, and you have to have the pride in your school and pride in what you're doing and put it out there.'" Stephens made the team start singing the school's fight song during warm-ups at the start of practice. "They thought it was kind of corny at first," Stephens admitted. "But I told them, 'Guys, we're going to do this every single day, and after every single game. That was one of those things that it's great, after a victory, to go face the community – all the people who support you – and sing that fight song, and be proud of where you're from." "That's what I want to bring back – that feeling of pride that the boys have, about being from here and playing from here," Ste- phens said. "If people give us time, and they support us, I have no doubt in my heart that we'll get to where we need to get to." But the team that Ste- phens will field this fall will be a very different team from the one he helped coach in 2016, as approximately two dozen players have graduat- ed in the interim. "I think the only play- er that actually played for me would be (rising junior) Mario (Fields)," Stephens noted. "I think maybe (ris- ing junior) Connor (O'Ne- al) may have squeaked in a couple of games, but as far as the game plan and try- ing to get the ball in some- body's hands on a Friday night, Mario would be the only kid that we have that is on the roster now that would have been there. So it is dif- ferent." "I've been doing this long enough – turnover's a part of it," Stephens added. "You have good classes. You lose kids. It is what it is." But the numbers are, thus far, encouraging. Stephens reported that a total of 31 players had already been is- sued equipment, with the strong possibility that an- other 10 or 15 might come out as well between now and the start of practices on Monday, July 30. "There's a good possibil- ity that I think we'll dress 40 athletes – 9 through 12 – and I don't know the last time that's happened here," Stephens said. "So I'm super excited about that opportu- nity." Stephens said he and new- ly hired offensive coordina- tor J.J. Howald were also ex- cited about the team's skill players that will see action for the Chargers this sea- son. "We have some talent- ed skill guys that I'm real- ly excited about," Stephens said. "We have to do our job as coaches really developing interior linemen – the offen- sive and defensive line – but, See STEPHENS on 3 Pike Central High School junior Braxton Rice has been named to the Pock- et Athletic Conference's All-Conference Team for baseball. Rice received all-confer- ence honors as a utility play- er after batting .432 with 11 doubles, one triple and one home run while scoring 15 runs and driving in 17. He also stole four bases. Also named to the PAC's All-Conference Team: Catchers: Chase Tay- lor (Southridge) and Nick Smith (Tell City). Pitchers: Shane Harris (North Posey) and Logan Seger (Southridge). Outfielders: Steven Mo- linet (Tecumseh), Tucker Schank (Southridge) and Jarrett Motz (North Posey). Infielders: Trever Zink (Forest Park), Aaron Beard (Tecumseh), Simon Scher- ry (Heritage Hills) and Tra- vis Burchett (Tell City). Utility: Daniel Lusk (For- est Park) and Cale Colbert (Gibson Southern). Receiving honorable mention were: Catcher: Dalton Bartlett (South Spencer) and Dustin Dupont (Tecumseh). Pitchers: Adolfo Mu- noz (Gibson Southern) and Spencer Buse (Tecumseh). Outfielders: Cody Hupp (Gibson Southern) and Gavin Knust (Forest Park). Infielders: Colson Mont- gomery (Southridge), An- drew Smith (Gibson South- ern), Camden Bender (North Posey) and Mitch- Rice named to PAC All-Conference baseball team STEPHENS OFFICIALLY HIRED AS PCHS HEAD FOOTBALL COACH Right: Pike Central High School rising seniors Aus- tin Holder (8) and Hayden Kabrick (11) look on as Vin- cennes Rivet's goalie grabs the ball during the 2nd An- nual Ruxer Ford Wildcat Warm-up on Thursday, June 21, at Jasper High School. The Chargers won the match 1-0 on a goal by rising senior Austin Holder. Ed Cahill photo Below: Pike Central High School rising Jacob Vest (16) pushes the ball toward the goal during the 2nd Annual Ruxer Ford Wildcat Warm- up on Thursday, June 21, at Jasper High School. The Chargers won the match 1- 0 on a goal by rising senior Austin Holder. Ed Cahill photo Pike Central High School junior pitcher Braxton Rice (16) prepares to throw a pitch during varsity baseball action against visiting Shoals on Wednes- day, April 4. Ed Cahill photo Above: Pike Central High School rising senior Austin Dixon (23) tries to outrun a Vincennes Rivet player to the ball during the 2nd Annual Ruxer Ford Wildcat Warm-up on Thursday, June 21, at Jas- per High School. The Chargers won the match 1-0 on a goal by rising senior Austin Holder. Ed Cahill photo Left: Pike Central High School rising junior Ethan Scott (left) closes in on the ball while a Vincennes Rivet play- er attempts a header during the 2nd Annual Ruxer Ford Wildcat Warm-up on Thurs- day, June 21, at Jasper High School. The Chargers won the match 1-0 on a goal by rising senior Austin Holder. Ed Cahill photo Dave Stephens has officially been hired as the head football coach at Pike Central High School. Stephens served as the Chargers' offensive coor- dinator during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Sub- mitted Photo See RICE on pg 2 PCHS BOYS' SOCCER SCRIMMAGE AT VINCENNES RIVET Entries sought for Southern Indiana Wiffleball Classic The Southern Indiana Wiffleball Classic at the Zoar Mosquito Fest will be held Friday, Aug. 3, and Sat- urday, Aug. 4. Divisions are Youth (11 or younger on January 1, 2018), Junior (15 or young- er on January 1, 2018), and Adult. Younger players may play in the older divi- sions, but no older players may play in the younger di- visions. The tournament is double elimination. Games will be- gin on Friday evening and continue on Saturday. The entry fee is $75 per team for each of the divisions. For entry forms or for more information, call Gaage Fetter at 812-639 - 7910 or T.J. Reese at 812- 639 -7957. Entries must be submitted by July 31.