News

The Portage Indians won their first state championship in 13 years after defeating Franklin Central 2-0 in the Class 4A Softball State Championship at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis. The Indians secured the victory on its only hit of the game.

With no score in the fourth inning, senior Lauren Murray doubled to left field, scoring both Krystle Allison and Abby Alexander. Alexander was a pinch runner for Haley Hodges who had been hit by a pitch and Allison pinch ran for Kiley Jones who had walked.

The Flashes managed to get a runner to second base in both the fifth and seventh innings but couldn't get the big hit to score either time. Tori Luster and Delaney Thompson each finished with one hit each for Franklin Central.

Sophomore ace Kiley Jones (16-4) of Portage picked up the win while Franklin Central's Gabby Snyder (13-4) whiffed 10 Portage batters but took the loss.

Portage defeated three top 10 teams during this year’s tournament run and finished 25-6 under coach Lisa Hayes. The school's other championship season came in 3A, then the largest enrollment class, in 2000.

Franklin Central head coach Kathy Stricker and her squad ended 21-6 and runner-up for the second time (2008).

Haley Hodges of Portage Wins Mental Attitude Award
Members of the IHSAA Executive Committee announced Haley Hodges of Portage High School as the winner of this year’s Mental Attitude Award in Class 4A Softball.

Hodges is a member of the Portage High School Captains Council, Foreign Language Honor Society, Student Council, and Advanced Orchestra.

This year, Haley was a Miss Softball Candidate, Academic All-State, Duneland Conference MVP, and All-Duneland Conference Co-MVP. She also shines outside of the classroom in charity work with the Salvation Army.

The four-year varsity starting catcher also earned Academic All-State honors in Golf and played on the volleyball team for the duration of her four years at Portage.

Haley will continue her softball career at the University of Southern Indiana while majoring in Biology (pre-medicine). She is the daughter of Jay and Lynda Hodges of Portage.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the proud corporate partner of all IHSAA tournaments, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Portage High School in the name of Haley Hodges.