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THREE TOP-RANKED TEAMS IN SATURDAY’S SOFTBALL FINALS
Three teams ranked No. 1 in their respective class have a state championship within their reach as the 26th Annual IHSAA Softball State Finals are played this Saturday at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis.

The Class A championship is set to begin at 10:30 am ET, the 2A final is scheduled for 1:30 pm, 3A at 4:30 pm and 4A at 7:30 pm. The Friday evening semifinals, used in previous years, have been eliminated.

The first two state championship games of the day pit the top two ranked teams according to the state coaches poll.

In Class A, No. 1 Indianapolis Lutheran (31-1), last year’s runner-up and state champion in 2004 and 2007, meets No. 2 Riverton Parke (30-2). Lutheran eliminated Tecumseh, the team that beat them for last year’s state title, in last weekend’s semi-state. This will be the sixth trip to the state finals and first since 2003 for Riverton Parke and also its second final game appearance. The Panthers beat three top 10 teams along its tournament trail – No. 10 North Vermillion, No. 8 Clinton Prairie and No. 7 Lakewood Park Christian.

The 2A final calls for undefeated No. 1 Linton-Stockton (26-0), another runner-up from 2009, matching up with No. 2 Wheeler (30-2). Both teams were first time participants in last year’s state finals with Linton-Stockton losing by a single run in the state title game while Wheeler fell during the 2009 state semifinal round.

Boonville (34-1), the top-ranked 3A squad, will play in its ninth state finals and will look to add its second state championship when it plays No. 8 Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (26-2). The Pioneers topped No. 3 Gibson Southern in extra innings in the sectional opener and then bested two-time defending state champ and No. 2 New Palestine in last Saturday’s semi-state final. Bishop Dwenger routed No. 5 South Bend St. Joseph’s last Saturday night to earn its first appearance to state.

The Class 4A finale features No. 9 Hamilton Southeastern (26-4) facing unranked Terre Haute North (27-8). Royals pitcher Taylor Rager and rightfielder Jenna Abraham have the opportunity to win the second state title of their high school careers as they were both freshmen on HSE’s undefeated state champs (31-0) in 2007. Terre Haute North battled its way through the tournament to reach the state finals for the first time since 1988 when eight teams advanced in the old single class format. The Patriots have shut out four of their six tournament foes including a 1-0 win over No. 10 East Central in the regional and a 2-0 decision over No. 2 Jennings County for the semi-state championship.

The only meeting between state finalists this season occurred May 3 when Terre Haute North claimed a 7-5 home win over Riverton Parke.

Check www.ihsaa.org throughout Saturday for scoreboard updates, final box scores and recaps of each game.

Meet the Teams
For roster, stats and season results on all eight teams in this year’s state finals, click here.

State Finals
Ben Davis High School, 1200 N. Girls School Road, Indianapolis | Website
Dates: Saturday, June 12, 2010.
Admission: $9.
Home Team: The winner of the southern semi-state is the designated home team in each game.
Live Webcast: IHSAASports.org, begins at 10:30 am ET / 9:30 am CT.

Brackets: 4A | 3A | 2A | A

Class A | Riverton Parke (30-2) vs. Indianapolis Lutheran (31-1) | 10:30 am ET.
Class 2A | Wheeler (30-2) vs. Linton-Stockton (26-0) | 1:30 pm ET.
Class 3A | Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (26-2) vs. Boonville (34-1) | 4:30 pm ET.
Class 4A | Hamilton Southeastern (26-4) vs. Terre Haute North (27-8) | 7:30 pm ET.

Media Information

Media Hosts – Sports Information Director Jason Wille, Communications Director Chris Kaufman and assistant Toni Polizzi will be on site to assist in your coverage.

Media Credentials: The 2009-10 IHSAA State Finals Media Credential issued previously this year will allow for admission. To apply, please e-mail your request (with name of individual) as soon as possible to IHSAA Sports Information Director Jason Wille at jwille@ihsaa.org. E-mail requests MUST originate from a recognized business account; e-mails from personal accounts (ie: yahoo.com, aol.com, etc.) will not be accepted. The application deadline is Thursday, June 10, at 4 pm ET / 3 pm CT. Approved requests will be available for pickup at the main gate nearest the right field corner on Saturday.

Services – Starting lineups and game programs will be circulated to members of the media in attendance on Saturday. Computer-generated official box scores will be available following each state championship game. Line scores for all games will be posted on the IHSAA website. Complimentary wireless access also will be available in the press box for filing purposes.

Notables

Defending State Champions in the Field
None.

Finished as Runner-Up in 2009
2A: Linton-Stockton.
A: Indianapolis Lutheran.

Returning State Finalists from 2009
2A: Linton-Stockton, Wheeler.
A: Indianapolis Lutheran.

Former State Champions in the Field
4A: Hamilton Southeastern, 2007.
3A: Boonville, 2006.
2A: None.
A: Indianapolis Lutheran 2004, 2007.

First-Time Participants in the State Finals
3A: Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger.

 

WARSAW’S LANCE GRUBBS TO BE HONORED AS TOP SOFTBALL OFFICIAL
Lance Grubbs of Warsaw is the recipient of the 2010 Interscholastic Athletic Official Association Award for excellence in the sport of softball.  Grubbs will be honored in a special ceremony during Saturday’s state finals. 

Each year, the Indiana High School Athletic Association, in cooperation with the National Federation of Interscholastic Officials Association, recognizes and honors an outstanding official in each of 11 sports during the school year.

Grubbs has been a softball official for 21 years.  During his career, he has worked every level of the state tournament, including 19 sectionals, 13 regionals and four state finals.

Grubbs was selected for this honor by a committee representing the officials associations.  In Indiana there are 26 associations made up of men and women who give up much of their personal time to assist in providing wholesome, worthwhile, and healthy activities for the student-athletes in our state.  Statewide, there are more than 8,000 officials licensed by the IHSAA in 11 sports. 

A 20-year of member of the Northern Indiana Officials Association, Grubbs has served for 12 years as local association clinician and chairperson and officer for four years.

Grubbs is a 1973 graduate of Warsaw High School and later attended Grace College.  He has retired from the Warsaw Police Department and is currently a law enforcement liaison for the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.  He and his wife Michele have been married for 30 years and have two children, Brandon and Haley.

 

SINGLES, DOUBLES CROWNS UP FOR GRABS IN GIRLS TENNIS
Eight singles players and 10 doubles teams will converge on North Central High School in Indianapolis this weekend to determine the individual state champions in girls tennis.

Two doubles matches will be played Friday at 10 am ET with all players in both singles and doubles beginning play in the quarterfinals at 2 pm. Semifinal round matches are scheduled for Saturday at 10 am with consolation and state championship matches to follow at 2 pm.

Two singles players and a doubles team have prior experience in the tournament.

Elle Harding and Bridget Veldman of South Bend St. Joseph’s, fresh off last Saturday’s team championship, were third place finishers in 2009. They’ve earned a bye into Friday’s quarterfinals, thanks to their advancement in the team tournament, and they will face the team from Brownsburg or Princeton. Brownsburg’s Katie Bullock and Hannah Kenninger (29-0) are one of two doubles teams that remain undefeated on the year. Carmel’s Susie Chen and Sarah Rodefeld (26-0) is the other tandem.

Mishawaka Marian sophomore Caroline Eberhart (24-1) finished fourth a year ago and will take on Highland freshman Vanessa Madrigal (23-2). Lebanon sophomore Bethany Moore (25-1) was also a state finalist last season and will take on Homestead sophomore Macy Johnson (20-2).

Results will be available at www.ihsaa.org following each session.

State Finals
Dates: June 11-12, 2010.
Site: North Central High School, 1801 E. 86th Street, Indianapolis.

(Regular season record followed by post-season record are listed)

Singles

Quarterfinals | Friday, 2 pm ET/1 pm CT
Match 1: Vanessa Madrigal (9) Highland (17-2, 6-0) vs. Caroline Eberhart (10) Mishawaka Marian (19-1, 5-0).
Match 2: Y-Lan Khuong (12) Bloomington South (17-2, 6-0) vs. Macie Elliott (9) Evansville Memorial (18-1, 5-0).
Match 3: Macy Johnson (10) Homestead (15-2, 5-0) vs. Bethany Moore (10) Lebanon (18-1, 7-0).
Match 4: Daniela Debnarova (12) Eastern Hancock (17-1, 6-0) vs. Kati Vasalakis (10) Yorktown (13-1, 5-0).

Semifinals | Saturday, 10 am ET/9 am CT
Match 3: Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2.
Match 4: Winner of Match 3 vs. Winner of Match 4.

Consolation | Saturday, 2 pm ET/1 pm CT
Match 5: Loser of Match 3 vs. Loser of Match 4.

Championship | Saturday, 2 pm ET/1 pm CT
Match 6: Winner of Match 3 vs. Winner of Match 4.

Doubles

First Round | Friday, 10 am ET/9 am CT
Match 1: Katie Bullock (10) | Hannah Kenninger (12) Brownsburg (22-0, 7-0) vs. Ali Kermode (12) | Ashley Shoultz (12) Princeton (16-1, 4-0).
Match 2: Kristina Kovacich (12) | Vanessa Sepiol (12) Munster (10-3, 7-0) vs. Danielle Maxson (11) | Elizabeth Maxson (9) Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (19-1, 4-0).

Quarterfinals | Friday, 2 pm ET/1 pm CT
Match 3: Elle Harding (11) | Bridget Veldman (11) South Bend St. Joseph’s (15-3, 8-0) vs. Winner of Match 1.
Match 4: Whitney Batliner (9) | Chelsey Shackelford (10) Floyd Central (18-2, 5-0) vs. Nithia Chowattukunnell (9) | Alex Davis (12) Marion (18-2, 5-0).
Match 5: Susie Chen (12) | Sarah Rodefeld (12) Carmel (19-0, 7-0) vs. Brooke Boyts (11) | Kaija Wimmer (12) Fairfield (18-1, 5-0).
Match 6: Emma Bilyeu (12) | Mallory Metheny (12) Terre Haute South (16-1, 7-0) vs. Winner of Match 2.

Semifinals | Saturday, 10 am ET/9 am CT
Match 7: Winner of Match 3 vs. Winner of Match 4.
Match 8: Winner of Match 5 vs. Winner of Match 6.

Consolation | Saturday, 2 pm ET/1 pm CT
Match 9: Loser of Match 7 vs. Loser of Match 8.

Championship | Saturday, 2 pm ET/1 pm CT
Match 10: Winner of Match 7 vs. Winner of Match 8.

 

BASEBALL SEMI-STATES THIS SATURDAY
The 44th baseball tournament moves to the semi-state round with double-headers being played at four different sites this Saturday. The winner of each game earns a spot in its respective state championship game at Victory Field in Indianapolis the following weekend.

Semi-States
Date: Saturday, June 12, 2010.
Times: 1 pm with second game to follow.
Admission: $6.
Home Team: The winner of the even-numbered regional in each pairing is the designated home team (Second team listed below).
Note: Teams will be assigned to semi-state sites on Sunday, June 6, following the regional tournaments.

Brackets: 4A | 3A | 2A | A

North
1. Kokomo
1A | Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian (10-13) vs. Lafayette Central Catholic (25-7). 1 pm ET.
2A | Fairfield (24-3) vs. Delphi (25-7) | To follow.

2. South Bend Clay (Coveleski Stadium)
3A | Andrean (27-6) vs. Fort Wayne Elmhurst-New Haven winner | 1 pm ET.
4A | Munster (23-8) vs. Carroll (Fort Wayne) (24-6) | To follow.

South
3. Avon
2A | Heritage Christian (25-10) vs. Providence (20-10) | 1 pm ET.
4A | Indianapolis Cathedral (30-1) vs. Bloomington South (26-4) | To follow.

4. Southridge
1A | North Central (Farmersburg) (15-11) vs. Tecumseh (21-10) | 1 pm ET.
3A | New Palestine (29-2) vs. Jasper (29-5) | To follow

 

State Finals
Victory Field, 501 W. Maryland Street, Indianapolis.
Victory Field | Seating Chart | Driving Directions & Map | Parking
Dates: Friday, June 18 and Saturday, June 19, 2010.
Times: Friday, 7:30 pm ET; Saturday, 1 pm ET, 4 pm ET, 8 pm ET.
Admission: $9 each day.
Home Team: The winner of the south semi-state is the designated home team in each game.

Notables

Looking for First Semi-State Title (8 of 16)
4A: Munster.
3A: Fort Wayne Elmhurst*, New Haven*.
2A: Delphi, Fairfield, Providence.
A: North Central (Farmersburg), Tecumseh.

Most Consecutive Semi-State Championships
4 by Jasper, 1995-98.

Top 10 All-Time Semi-State Championships
11: LaPorte
10: Evansville Memorial, Jasper.
7: Logansport.
5: Hammond Bishop Noll.
4: Jeffersonville, Lafayette Jefferson, Marion, Richmond, Shakamak.

2009 State Finalists Still Alive
4A: None.
3A: Andrean (state champion).
2A: Heritage Christian (state champion).
A: Lafayette Central Catholic (state champion).

 

BOYS GOLF REGIONALS THURSDAY, FRIDAY
This week, boys golf regional competitors will be playing for spots in the 74th Annual IHSAA Boys Golf State Finals at seven courses around the state. The top three teams and top three low individuals not including those that advance with their team, will earn a tee time in the state finals at The Legends of Indiana in Franklin beginning on Tuesday, June 15.

Results from each host site will be added at www.ihsaa.org as they are received with the intention of posting the state finals pairings and tee times on Saturday afternoon as long as all regional tournaments are completed Thursday and Friday.

Regionals
Dates: Thursday, June 10; Friday, June 11, 2010.
Admission: Free.
Advancement from Regionals to State Finals: Top 3 teams plus; Top 3 low individuals, including all ties for 3rd, excluding those individuals who advance with a team.

1. Center Grove (4) | Hickory Stick | Thurs, 8 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: Greenfield-Central, Lawrence Central, Martinsville, Southport.
2. Homestead (4) | Orchard Ridge | Thurs, 8 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: East Noble, Fairfield, Fort Wayne South Side, Warsaw.
3. Lafayette Jefferson (4) | Battle Ground | Fri, 8 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: Crawfordsville, Lafayette Jefferson, Logansport, Peru.
4. LaPorte (4) | Beechwood | Fri, 9 am CT
Feeder Sectionals: Boone Grove, Lake Central, South Bend Riley, Valparaiso.
5. Muncie Central (4) | Player's Club | Fri, 8 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: Huntington North, Monroe Central, Noblesville, Richmond.
6. Providence (4) | Champions Pointe | Thurs, 8 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: Bedford North Lawrence, Greensburg, Madison, Providence.
7. Washington (4) | Country Oaks | Thurs, 8:30 am ET
Feeder Sectionals: Evansville Mater Dei, Jasper, Owen Valley, Vincennes Lincoln.

State Finals
The Legends of Indiana Golf Course, 2555 N. Hurricane Road, Franklin, IN, 46131.
About The Course | Driving Directions | Course Statistics | Course Photographs
Dates: Tuesday, June 15 (Round One); Wednesday, June 16 (Round Two).
Time: 8 am ET / 7 am CT both days.
Admission: $8.00 per session; $12.00 both sessions.

Advancement from Round One to Round Two: Top nine teams; Any team within 12 strokes of the lead after Round One; Top nine individuals, excluding those individuals who advance with a team plus; Any individual within four strokes of the lead after Round One; Teams tied for ninth place and medalists tied for ninth.

Notables

Active Regional Championship Streaks (Two or more years)
None.

Defending Regional Champions Alive (6 of 7)
Bedford North Lawrence, Carmel, Chesterton, Evansville North, Homestead, Twin Lakes.

Most Consecutive Regional Championships
3 by LaPorte (1967-69), South Bend Adams (1972-74), Fort Wayne Northrop (1990-92), Mishawaka Marian (2000-02), Zionsville (2000-02).

Top 10 All-Time Regional Championships
11: Carmel.
8: Bedford North Lawrence, Lafayette Jefferson.
7: LaPorte, Richmond.
6: Anderson, Bloomington South, Columbus North, Mishawaka Marian, Terre Haute North.

NEWS & NOTES FROM AROUND THE STATE

Have an interesting note? A conference or school record, coaching milestone or something else of interest? Please e-mail IHSAA Sports Information Director Jason Wille at jwille@ihsaa.org for consideration.

DaMarcus Beasley, a Fort Wayne native and Fort Wayne South Side graduate, will represent the United States in his third FIFA World Cup which runs this month in South Africa. The American team begins Group C play against England on Saturday at 2:30 pm ET.

Chad Niccum, sports public address announcer at New Castle Chrysler High School, has been named the 2009-2010 High School P.A. Announcer of the Year by the National Association of Sports Public Address Announcers (NASPAA). Niccum has announced for the school as well as state championship events in volleyball, boys basketball, wrestling and football.  During his 26-year announcing career, he also has announced the Indiana Cheer Association State Championships for six years and has announced the Babe Ruth Baseball World Series.