MADISON COUNTY — The 2019 year in sports is nearly complete. Here’s a look back at some of the most memorable moments with championships, milestones and more.
Pendleton’s Brown competes at state PENDLETON — Pendleton Heights sophomore Jared Brown didn’t make it to the second day of the IHSAA wrestling state finals Feb. 15, but he did earn valuable experience for his next run at a state title.
Brown, at 126 pounds, lost in the first round of competition to eventual state runner-up Raymond Rioux of Avon.
“We thought he’d have a chance, but then we realized that kid was really talented,” coach Dave Cloud said. “He was a beast.”
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Brown lost the match by a first-period fall.
Brown said his first trip to the state finals was exciting.
“I do feel good about my accomplishment, but I was super nervous,” he said.
Cloud said the 126 weight class was one of the most loaded in the field, with several wrestlers being repeat state finals competitors.
Arabian cheerleaders second at nationals
PENDLETON — For the past 10 years, Pendleton Heights varsity cheerleaders have traveled to Orlando to compete in the Universal Cheer Association National High School Cheerleading Championships, but this year proved to be the best.
The Arabians placed second in the nation in Medium Varsity Division I on Feb. 10.
Prior to this year, the Arabians’ best finish was third.
“It’s a huge win,” coach Brenda Jamerson said. “We didn’t take it as a loss.”
UCA Nationals is considered the most prestigious and difficult competition in the nation.
Cloud inducted into Hall of Fame
CARMEL — Pendleton Heights veteran wrestling coach David Cloud joined an elite group Sunday, Feb. 17.
Capping the end to the season of competition, Cloud, the Arabians’ coach for 32 seasons, was inducted into the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame at 502 East Event Centre in Carmel.
“It’s a very humbling experience to be there with your peers and to see what these guys have done,” Cloud said. “It’s everything I’d thought it would be.”
Cloud was inducted with coaches, wrestlers and other contributors at the ceremony.
Former Arabians wrestler and 1992 state runner-up Ryan Edmundson came from New York to attend the ceremony honoring Cloud.
Edmundson, along with Katie Kriebel and the late Eric Kriebel, are also Arabians with a place in the Hall who were coached by Cloud.
Lapel’s Fields remembered
LAPEL — Just before the tip-off of the Lapel-Beech Grove boys basketball game Feb. 19, fans, players and coaches stood for a moment of silence to honor one of their own.
Former coach Woody Fields, 71, had passed away, and the Bulldog gym went silent in remembrance of a man who was an educator, coach and mentor to many who passed through Lapel.
Fields taught sixth grade and coached many sports, but he is credited with being instrumental in the founding of the Lapel football and wrestling teams.
As a 1966 graduate of Lapel High School, he went on to Ball State University and returned to the Frankton-Lapel Community school system, where he spent 43 years until his retirement in 2013. Fields coached through the tough times, when football had but 30 players out for the team and had to wear the same uniforms for years because the budgets were not there. But he also coached Lapel to its first football sectional championship in 1995.
Zehr finishes in state’s Top 20
NOBLESVILLE — Pendleton Heights senior gymnast Cassie Zehr placed in the top 20 in the all-around in state competition March 9 at Noblesville High School.
With 35.775 in the all-around, Zehr finished 18th. In individual events, Zehr was 11th on floor exercise (9.450), 13th on balance beam (9.075), 23rd on vault (9.325) and 39th on uneven bars (7.725).
Longtime teacher, coach passes away
PENDLETON — Just a few weeks after Lapel mourned the loss of a former coach and teacher, Woody Fields, Pendleton Heights lost one of its own in John Rhoades, 77, who taught and coached at Pendleton Heights for 30 years.
Rhoades passed away March 17 and is remembered as a man who loved those he worked with.
He taught at Pendleton Heights from 1974 to 2004 but never truly left the school, as he was a constant at athletic events.
“He was a fan of all our athletes,” Pendleton Heights Athletic Director Chad Smith said. “He cared deeply about the kids and was ready to offer advice.”
His coaching ran the gamut from boys and girls basketball, both JV and middle school, to high school track.
Rhoades is credited with saving the high school girls track program from being canceled in 1976. After the first season, Rhoades’ teams went on to win 160 straight dual meets through a period of 15 years.
Rhoades also is responsible for starting the girls cross country team, and he led the team to state final competition twice during his 25-year tenure as coach.
Even after retirement, Rhoades continued to be part of Arabians athletics, doing anything from driving the bus to events, to working track and cross country meets, to helping in the press box during football games.
The school named the cross country course in his honor prior to the 2019 season.
PH wins county softball crown
ANDERSON — Pendleton Heights softball had carried a deadly combination of heavy bats and spot-on pitching throughout the Madison County Tournament, and the final proved to be no different.
The Arabians knocked off the undefeated Anderson Indians 9-1 for their third consecutive Madison County title in April.
They got to the final game by defeating Alexandria-Monroe 11-1 in Round 1 and Elwood 10-0 in Round 2.
Arabian Jordan Benefiel was a few innings away from a perfect game when Anderson’s Lyric Edwards belted a solo home run over the left center field fence.
Benefiel went the distance, allowing just the one hit with 11 strikeouts and no bases on balls.
“The work ethic she has the entire year is what makes her,” coach Rob Davis said. “She’s a great example of somebody that works hard (and) what results you’ll get.”
“I felt great,” Benefiel said. “Starting off, we were kind of down, but we picked up the energy, and that definitely helped.”
Arabians win county baseball title
ANDERSON — Pendleton Heights senior Walker Stull had one of his best career games on the mound as the Pendleton Heights Arabians finished Madison County championship week with a decisive win against Lapel in the Nick Muller Tournament in April.
At Memorial Field in Anderson, the Arabians defeated the Bulldogs 9-0 on eight hits and no errors paired with Stull’s one-hitter that included 17 strikeouts and two walks.
“We were throwing fastballs a lot this week, but our idea was to get it in play, and it worked out,” Stull said. “I thought I was throwing the ball really well today. I felt pretty good today.”
Pendleton Heights got to the championship game by defeating Alexandria-Monroe 5-1 in Round 1 and Elwood 20-3 in Round 2. Lapel defeated Liberty Christian 13-0 in Round 1 and Anderson 11-0 in Round 2.
Stull’s strikeout total was just one short of tying the county championship record of 18.
“He was pitching today, and I mean that in terms of not just throwing,” Arabians coach Travis Keesling said. “He was hitting spots and for the most part working ahead in counts. He was lights-out.”
Arabians repeat as county track champs
FAIRMOUNT — Pendleton Heights girls track and field team continued its domination, and the boys team added a repeat title, during the Madison County Track and Field Championships at Madison-Grant High School in April.
The girls won the county championship for the 12th straight time. The boys won the county title, too, making it a clean sweep for Pendleton Heights.
The girls won with 145 points, finishing ahead of second-place Anderson with 112. Lapel tied for seventh with 40 points.
In boys competition, Pendleton Heights was in complete control, scoring 167.5 points. The closest competitors were Alexandria with 93 and Anderson with 92.5. Lapel’s boys finished seventh with 32 points.
For the girls, Pendleton Heights’ Patience Sakeuh won three events. She swept hurdles by winning the 100- (16.18) and 300-meter (46.51) races. She was also the winner in the long jump (15-11.5).
For the boys, Milan Jones set a meet record in winning the 800 (1:56.00). He beat the old record set in 2018 by Anderson Prep’s Michael Taylor (1:58.80). Jones also won the 1,600 (4:29.45).
Lapel boys win county golf title
MARION — Lapel knocked off favored Pendleton Heights to claim the Madison County golf tournament May 4 at Club Run Golf Course outside Marion.
The Bulldogs scored 318 to Pendleton Heights’ 346 on a rainy day.
But the real drama came after the Bulldogs had claimed the title.
Last year’s medalist, Pendleton Heights’ Austin Davis, and Lapel’s Corbyn Carroll finished the round with 77s and tied for medalist honors. Pendleton Heights coach Scott Davis and Lapel coach Dylan Crosley agreed to a sudden-death playoff.
Both golfers parred the first hole and went one-over on the second playoff hole. Carroll won on the third playoff hole.
Lapel softball wins sectional title
FRANKTON — Lapel softball coach Scott Rich stood on the diamond overlooking the revelry of his team, fans and family members minutes after the Bulldogs had defeated Alexandria-Monroe 3-2 for the sectional title in May.
The emotion of the moment was clearly visible on his face. “It’s been a long time coming,” Rich said.
The Bulldogs hadn’t won a sectional since 2009.
Despite being overcome with tears from their triumph, senior Kylie Rich knew the process had just begun.
“I’m thinking about regionals. I’m thinking about the next game. I’m thinking about this win, but I’m also thinking about what we can keep doing,” Kylie Rich said.
The Bulldogs’ historic season ended with a loss to Tipton at the regional.
Pendleton rugby team wins state
PENDLETON — For the second time in three years, Pendleton Rugby Club has produced a state champion.
Made up primarily of players who won the 2017 Indiana Youth Rugby Foundation title for the fifth- and sixth-grade level, Pendleton Rugby won the middle school (seventh and eighth grades) crown in Elkhart on May 30.
The team won going away with three convincing wins, outscoring opponents by a combined 159-0. Pendleton Rugby defeated Carmel 78-0 in the quarterfinal, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger 38-0 in the semifinal and Westfield 43-0 in the state championship match.
“It was pretty cool,” said Nick Trout, son of coach Curt Trout and tournament MVP. “It was fun to be a part of that team. We’ve been together for a while, and we know each other well.”
Lapel’s Combs places third at state
BLOOMINGTON — Lapel junior Luke Combs took four seconds off his seed time and finished third in the state on May 31 in the 1,600-meter run at the Indiana High School Athletic Association Boys State Track and Field Meet at Indiana University’s Robert C. Haugh Track & Field Complex.
The third-place finish is the best by a Lapel runner in school history.
“It means a lot,” Combs said. “A lot of great athletes have gone through the hallways here at Lapel. To say that’s the highest finish Lapel has ever had shows what a great job the coaches have done and that the program is going in the right direction.”
Combs, who had the seventh-best seed time at 4:17.85, ran a 4:13.70, finishing just .14 behind runner-up John Gillard, also a junior, of Bloomington South.
“I’m happy with third,” Combs added. “I knew going into the race there were six or seven guys seeded around 4:17.”
Sakeuh competes in events at state finals
BLOOMINGTON — It was a busy day for Pendleton Heights junior Patience Sakeuh at the Indiana High School Athletic Association Girls State Track and Field Meet, which took place at Indiana University’s Robert C. Haugh Track & Field Complex on June 1.
Though she had battled some injuries this season, Sakeuh qualified and competed in three events, highlighted by a fourth-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles.
Sakeuh finished the race in 14.62 seconds, not too far behind state champion Chanler Robinson of Indianapolis North Central, who won with a time of 14.25 seconds.
The Arabians hurdler/jumper finished 15th in the 300 hurdles with a time of 46.32 seconds. Zionsville’s Ella Robinson won in 42.05 seconds.
In the long jump, Sakeuh placed 22nd with a distance of 16’ 7¼”. Warren Central’s Prommyse Hoosier won the event with a leap of 19’ 9¾”.
Bulldogs, Arabians 1-2 in county golf
LAPEL — The Lapel girls golf team brought home its third-straight Madison County golf championship after finishing the Elwood Golf Links course with a 356 on Saturday, Aug. 24.
“The girls were so excited when we learned that we were the Madison County champs,” Bulldog coach Dylan Crosley said. “We didn’t play our best but battled through the toughness off the back nine.”
Pendleton Heights finished second with a 380, followed by Madison-Grant (420), Alexandria (421) and Frankton (422).
Bulldogs freshman Macy Beeson earned medalist honors with 78, seven strokes ahead of senior Danielle Tinsley of Pendleton Heights, who shot an 85 and joined Beeson on the All-County Team.
Lapel tennis wins another county crown
LAPEL — The Lapel Bulldogs boys tennis team had won five-straight Madison County titles. On Aug. 30, No. 6 was on the line with the score at 2-2 when the deciding match against Madison-Grant fell into the hands of two Bulldogs with only a few varsity matches of experience under their belts.
After nearly three hours on the Bulldog courts, the Lapel streak remained intact thanks to the No. 2 doubles team of Cam Gooding and Colin Vipperman. They pulled out a victory after losing their first set 7-5 and facing elimination in the second.
Gooding and Vipperman were down in the second set 5-2 but rallied and rattled their opponents. They took the set and went on to command the third and deciding set with a 6-1 win.
Coach Justin Coomer was elated with the heart-stopping win.
“We’ve won five in a row. I thought that was it. They could have thrown in the towel, but to come through is unbelievable,” Coomer said. “I’m so proud of our guys.”
Longtime Arabians coach enters hall
PENDLETON — Former long-time Pendleton Heights football coach John Broughton was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame.
The Hall voted in September to induct the former Arabians coach, who spent 42 years, including 40 as head coach, at Pendleton Heights. He coached high school football for 44 years, including one season at Bloomington South — where he was part of the staff of the 1972 state championship team. He also coached one season in Kentucky.
“I was just surprised and shocked and humbled,” Broughton, who retired in 2015, said of learning about the honor.
Broughton played high school football for Hall of Famer Pat O’Neill in Lawrenceburg. O’Neill was inducted in the inaugural year of the Hall, 1973.
“They put nine coaches in the first year, and he was one of them,” Broughton recalled. “I knew about the Hall of Fame, but I never dreamed to be at that level. (Coach O’Neill) was a great influence on me as a coach and as a person.”
As the Arabians’ head coach, Broughton won 226 games, placing him 37th all-time on the Indiana high school football win list. His teams won 10 conference titles and two sectionals (2010, 2011). He led the Arabians to undefeated regular seasons in 1989 and 1998 and was honored as an Indiana Football All-Star head coach in 1990.
Arabians win county volleyball title
For the second-straight year, the Pendleton Heights High School volleyball team won the Madison County Tournament. The Arabians beat Alexandria 2-0 in the Saturday, Sept. 14, final match.
Pendleton Heights won the finale, 25-12, 25-13.
Avery Ross had 11 kills and three service aces in the championship match. Averi Lanman had two blocks.
Setter Aubree Dwiggins had 16 assists, and Ally Hall had a team-best eight digs.
PH tops at county cross country meet
PENDLETON — Pendleton Heights cross country teams dominated the Madison County Championships, winning both the girls and boys events at Pendleton Heights on Sept. 24.
The Arabians girls team earned a perfect score of 15, taking the top five spots.
Sophomore Laney Ricker repeated her winning county performance, finishing the race in 20:43.
“We didn’t talk about a perfect score,” coach Melissa Hagerman said. “We talked about getting as many in the top 15. The perfect score was nice. They were thinking about it, though.”
Sophomore Katie Jones was second, followed by sophomore Catherine Dudley in third, freshman Gloria Richardson in fourth and sophomore Hailee Brunnemer in fifth.
“I went into it knowing it would be a good race with my team,” Ricker said. “Once we got to a certain point, I was like, ‘I got to do this.’”
The win was the 12th-straight for the girls.
“It starts to make me more nervous every year,” Hagerman said. “I don’t take it for granted, that’s for sure. I feel the pressure.”
In the boys races, Lapel’s Luke Combs repeated his championship run with a 16:34. Combs finished almost 30 seconds ahead of second-place runner Sean Roan, a Pendleton Heights junior who ran a 17:05.
The team win was seven in a row for the Arabians and 17 overall for coach Alan Holden.
Lapel golf makes history, goes to state
ANDERSON — Lapel’s girls golf team has done some good things throughout the season on its home course at Edgewood Golf Club in Anderson.
On Saturday, Sept. 28, it made history there.
Lapel finished in third place — the final team qualifying spot — at the Lapel Girls Golf Regional and advanced to the state tournament for the first time in school history.
The Bulldogs shot a school-record team score of 325, one shot lower than Heritage Christian, to grab third place. Columbus North won for the second-straight year, and third time in the last four, with a score of 313. Noblesville shot 324.
The top three teams and top five individuals not on one of the advancing teams qualifed for the IHSAA State Final at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel.
“They knew coming in they had a lot of pressure on them because everyone is saying, this is our home course, but golf is a weird sport,” Lapel coach Dylan Crosley said. “You can’t practice that pressure.
“It’s an amazing feeling. They grinded it out, and they showed their toughness coming into the (final) nine (holes).”
The Bulldogs opened on the back nine at the course and had a team round of 156, another school record. As Crosley said, the last part of the day was tougher, and his girls did what they had to do to earn that final spot.
Freshman Macy Beeson led the way with a two-over-par 73. She tied for fourth overall. Three other players had career low scores. Lone senior Lauren Lutz finished with an all-time best 81. No. 3 player Chloe Renihan shot a career-best 80. Fifth player Grace Martin had a 96, her best score. The final scoring round came from Kerith Renihan with a 91.
The team finished 13th in the two-day event at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel, the following weekend, and Beeson finished 13th overall and was named to the All-State squad.
Bulldogs win seventh sectional title in a row
LAPEL — Until seven years ago, the Lapel tennis team had never won a sectional. A 4-1 win against Anderson, on Oct. 4, marked the seventh sectional title in a row for the Bulldogs.
Since capturing the Madison County championship, the Bulldogs went through lineup changes because of an injury and the loss of another player.
Coach Justin Coomer was unsure how the sectional would pan out for the team.
“I was a little worried there might be a letdown physically and mentally. Last night was a long night,” Coomer said.
McCurdy reaches state, 100 wins
CARMEL — Lapel High School senior Jesse McCurdy won his 100th career match in the quarterfinals of the state individual tennis tournament Oct. 25 but fell to the eventual state champion the next day in the semifinals.
McCurdy lost 6-0, 6-1 to Presley Thieneman of Carmel, who went on to win the title against Perry Meridian’s Sajin Smith. Thieneman was also the 2018 state champion.
Scores of people from Lapel came out to support McCurdy in his state quest, and that meant a lot to him, he said.
“My mom and I were talking about the amazing support from Lapel’s community, family and friends, and the word that keeps coming to mind is ‘overwhelming,’” McCurdy said after the quarterfinal match at Park Tudor in Indianapolis. “I am truly overwhelmed, humbled and grateful.”
Combs third at state again, this time in XC
TERRE HAUTE — Lapel senior Luke Combs finished his final high school cross country race not exactly where he wanted to be, but still happy at the end of the run in the Indiana High School Athletic Association’s state final race Nov. 2 in Terre Haute.
Combs led at various points during the race in the tightly packed group and finished third, behind winner Gabriel Sanchez, a Lowell senior, and second-place finisher Lucas Guerra, a Highland junior.
It wasn’t until after the 3K mark the top three moved away from the pack. Combs took the lead with less than 600 meters remaining, but Sanchez’s and Guerra’s final pushes were enough to pass Combs in the end.
Combs’ time for the race was 15:38.4.
“Going into the race, I wanted to go for the win,” Combs said. “Afterward, I was thinking it wasn’t my worst day, but it wasn’t my best either.”
Arabians’ Ross sets rebound record
ANDERSON — A slow start ended in a record-setting night.
After trailing by five points at the end of the first quarter, Pendleton Heights outscored Anderson in each of the next three periods to defeat the Indians 66-59 in the season-opener for both teams Tuesday, Nov. 26, at Anderson.
Pendleton Heights senior Tristan Ross grabbed a school-record 27 rebounds and was the game-high scorer with 18 points. Ross had 11 offensive rebounds.
Lapel hits basketball milestones
LAPEL — A couple of big milestones took place in late December 2018 for Lapel boys basketball that didn’t make our year in review last year.
Before the Dec. 28 tipoff against Sheridan, Lapel basketball coach Jimmie Howell was honored for his 600th win as a coach (Dec. 22, 2018, against Daleville) and presented a special game ball.
After the Sheridan game, the Bulldogs celebrated not only an 86-50 win against the visiting Blackhawks but also another milestone: Senior Luke Richardson joined the 1,000-point club.