Michael Wellman has wanted to win sectional title ‘ever since I could really remember.' But he's not done yet.
Family legacy and civic pride have fueled his pursuit of postseason glory.
'Ever since I could really remember, since I was just this tall,' he said, with his hand extended about waist high. 'It's all I could think of — winning a sectional title for this city.'
Reaching that goal has motivated Michael Wellman day in and day out.
'Every time I'd get in the gym, it was on my mind,' he said. 'It pushed me every single time I was in the gym, thinking about winning that trophy and getting up on that ladder and cutting down that net.'
Michael Wellman and his teammates finally experienced that thrill over the weekend. The 6-foot-5 guard/forward scored 17 points, exceeding his team-leading 14.5 average, as Portage beat Merrillville 83-62 in the Class 4A Valparaiso Sectional championship game on March 8.
The Indians (20-5), who won their first sectional title since 2001, will play Crown Point (21-2) in the Michigan City Regional on Saturday. The two teams shared the Duneland Athletic Conference title after Portage beat Crown Point 64-40 on Feb. 6.
'Our goal every year has been to cut down some nets, and our goal is not just one net,' Michael Wellman said. 'It's multiple nets, and that continues to be our goal.'
Portage coach Bryon Clouse said the adversity the team's senior quartet have experienced, including a loss to Chesterton in a sectional opener last year, enabled their success this time around. Senior guard Garrett Clark scored a team-high 19 points, senior guard O'Mari Evans had 17 points and Michael Wellman's twin brother Sam, a senior guard, added 15 points.
'Another year of maturity, another year in the weight room and another year working on their skills and talent,' Clouse said. 'They're good, man.'
Michael Wellman, a Grace commit, said he wanted to make sure the early postseason exit last year didn't define this group.
'It was the way people talked about us, about how we were a letdown last year for not winning a sectional,' he said. 'It's been on our minds to prove people wrong and to not underestimate Portage.'
Sam Wellman, a Bethel commit, noted the longtime connection they have to the program.
'This has always been a goal,' he said. 'For Michael and Garrett and me, we were all ball boys for the high school team when we were little kids. Growing up, we always wanted to be out on that floor and eventually win something.'
Sam Wellman said their father Nick added some friendly banter to the mix over the years. Nick Wellman, an assistant for Portage this season, was the quarterback for the 1994 Class 5A state runner-up in football.
'He always told us that he never lost on a Friday night,' Sam Wellman said with a laugh.
But there was no joking from Nick Wellman after the sectional championship game. He had to pause a few times as he talked about his sons.
'I'm super proud,' Nick Wellman said. 'They worked their tails off, but they're not the only ones. I'm just so happy for them, that they get to experience something like this. They'll remember it forever.'
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Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Chicago Tribune
Michael Osipoff's top 10 boys soccer teams and 25 players to watch in Northwest Indiana for the 2025 season
Featuring Cal Stuckert, Chesterton may be the team to beat in the Duneland Athletic Conference again. 1. Chesterton (11-4-2): The Trojans, who have won at least a share of the Duneland Athletic Conference title for seven straight years, open this season atop a crowded field. Senior forward Cal Stuckert (23 goals, 3 assists) stars. Senior forward Zarek Sierazy (10 goals, 10 assists) is another productive player. Senior goalkeeper Elliott McEvoy and senior defender Nate Kitchel also return, and the Trojans add senior Danny Lule, a transfer from Portage, among their newcomers. 2. Crown Point (13-4-2): Senior midfielder Nate Townsend and junior Oliver Brewer, perhaps the area's top goalkeeper, headline the Bulldogs. Sophomore defender/midfielder Kane Estrada joins the team after transferring from Portage. Sophomore Maksim Tasevski could help offensively after switching to forward from defense during club season. The Bulldogs lost their top three scorers, including star midfielder Brayden Kurtz and forward Landyn Hoyhtya to academy teams. 3. Lake Central (7-6-3): The Indians are in the mix among the elite every season. They should have a formidable midfield with seniors George Karabatsos (12 goals, 5 assists) and David Dorneanu, and Ethan Tarry also made a significant impact as a freshman. 4. Valparaiso (11-10): The Vikings look to continue their momentum after winning their first sectional title since 2012. Senior defender/midfielder Jack Luth (8 goals, 12 assists) leads the way. Junior midfielder Noah Barnett (2 goals, 11 assists) also is back. Senior goalkeeper Zach Bayer, sophomore forward Patrick Klimek and junior midfielder Nasser Ali also are among their returnees. They lost standout forward Will Donley (23 goals, 9 assists) to academy ball. 5. Munster (14-4-1): The Mustangs, perennial Northwest Crossroads Conference champions, won a sectional title last year for the first time since 2021. They graduated a large and talented senior class, including midfielder Nikola Dimitrijevic (24 goals, 6 assists), but typically reload. Senior midfielder/forward Lucas Ferguson is among the returnees. 6. Bishop Noll (12-5-1): There's an unmistakable buzz surrounding the Warriors, who shared the Greater South Shore Conference title last season. Junior forward/midfielder Joaquin Rosas (18 goals) broke out, and senior forward Alfonso Leon (22 goals in 2023) returns after missing last season following a sophomore season in which he led the team in scoring. Sophomore midfielders Lino Melero and Kevin Bogarin also are among their returnees, as is senior defender Adrian Luna. 7. Illiana Christian (14-3-2): Expectations are high once again for the Vikings, who have won back-to-back sectional titles and shared the GSSC title for their fourth straight. Senior midfielder Josh Carter (8 goals, 12 assists) should be their key player again. Senior defender Noah Davids (7 goals, 2 assists) also returns, as do senior forward Grant Terpstra (9 goals, 5 assists), senior midfielder Lucas Terpstra and junior goalkeeper Aidan Drost, part of an experienced group that includes 10 seniors. 8. Hanover Central (12-4-1): The Wildcats are another team with high expectations. Among 10 returning starters are eight seniors. The dynamic duo of senior midfielder Logan Zilz (3 goals, 10 assists) and senior forward Kyle Otworowski (21 goals, 9 assists) lead the list; Otworowski is out with a knee injury, but there's hope he can come back by the end of the season. Also among their returnees are senior midfielder Owen Furman, senior defender Evan Brooks, senior goalkeeper Tyler Burroughs and junior midfielder Aldo Desiderio (9 goals, 3 assists). 9. Wheeler (11-6-2): Senior midfielder Harper Schaberg (9 goals, 7 assists) should be the focal point for the Bearcats, who have won three straight sectional titles. Junior defender Leo Vega and senior forward/midfielder Tyne Vettickal (7 goals) also return. 10. Hobart (6-7-2): The Brickies suffered several significant injuries last season, forcing younger players into action. Now they're an experienced team with 18 seniors and juniors among their 19 players. Senior midfielder Gabriel Rodriguez highlights the group. Junior midfielder/forward Cameron Guess and senior midfielder Cooper Evans also are among their returnees. Keith Luttell, their third coach in as many seasons, said 'my intent is to be here long term and develop a winning program.'
Indianapolis Star
08-08-2025
- Indianapolis Star
IHSAA volleyball 2025 season is nearly here. Our Insider ranks Indiana's top teams in each class
The 2025 high school volleyball season is nearly upon us! Our Insider Brian Haenchen will be getting you prepared for the upcoming campaign with a week's worth of content, all leading up to the unveiling of our preseason Super Team on Aug. 11 and Central Indiana preseason Fab 15 on Aug. 13. Be sure to subscribe to IndyStar and follow Brian on Twitter for Indiana high school volleyball updates and coverage throughout the season. We've highlighted the state's top players at each position, but which teams are built to contend for state championships in their respective classes? Below you'll find our first attempt at answering that question with our statewide preseason rankings. (There will be more in-depth analysis of the Central Indiana teams next week.) We'll be revisiting and re-ranking teams as the season progresses. The Chargers graduated just one player from last year's squad, which successfully navigated Homestead, Crown Point, Hamilton Southeastern and Yorktown en route to its first state championship in program history. Sophia Gisslen (Quinnipiac commit) cleared 1,100 assists at the helm of an offense that averaged 12.9 kills per set and hit .275 as a team. The team's top attacker, senior Bailey Sinish (IU Indy), accounted for 494 kills on .351 hitting and set a program record with her 28 kills vs. Homestead in regional. Sophomore Katelyn Peters provided quality depth at attacker, while 6-0 Lola Sasse (Rollins) and 5-11 Addi Shippy anchored the block, combining for 183 total blocks. The defense is in great hands with sophomore Cala Haffner, who was named to Team USA's U19 roster for the Pan American Cup over the summer … as a 15-year old. Look for juniors Elli Oskey (Loyola Chicago), a setter and right-side hitter, and Sarah Stegall (Notre Dame), an outside hitter who was limited to nine sets last season, to step into larger roles this season. The Royals might pose the most formidable threat to the Chargers' title defense. … If they can escape Sectional 8. The sophomore-driven Rocks built a 2024 résumé highlighted by wins over Crown Point, Zionsville, Noblesville (3), FW Carroll and Plainfield. The 4A newcomers put together a darn fine run in their debut campaign, building their 24-8 record against a stacked schedule (Yorktown, HSE, Crown Point, Zionsville, Westfield, Homestead, Carroll, Angola, etc.). They have an efficient attack led by two prolific (and efficient) seniors: MaryKate Scheumann (Purdue), who cleared 500 kills on .355 hitting last season, and Alyssa Gumbel (Purdue Fort Wayne), who totaled nearly 300 kills on .330 hitting. Liz Bobay is projected as the starting setter with Lilly Selking and Gracie Riggs both providing dependable depth behind her. Replacing Katie Mills at libero and Kamryn Jarvis at middle hitter are the two biggest vacancies for the Braves to address. Establishing depth beyond Elle Schara (Purdue) on the attack and junior Ivy Henderson on the block look to be the top priorities for the Bulldogs, who have returning depth and experience at the other positions. Junior setter Cailin Duncan was brilliant alongside 2025 grad Bri Dejesus, while Bella Del Real reprises her role as libero. Keep an eye on sophomore defensive specialist Hayden Klimowicz, who notched 277 digs and 56 aces in her first varsity campaign. The Eagles will be replacing their libero and setter (among others), but have plenty of talent returning as they look to build upon a roller-coaster 2024 campaign. A healthy Reese Resmer (Kansas State) in the middle will boost the Millers, who remain on an upward trend. I've learned (and been reminded by a few coaches) to never doubt coach Stephanie Bloom. Sixteen consecutive seasons with at least 25 wins, with 30-plus wins and a state runner-up finish in two of the past three. That level of sustained success is remarkable and speaks to both the youth pipeline Bloom's built and her ability to maximize the talent on her roster. There are a lot of gaps to fill entering this season. The attack graduated its four leading hitters — headlined by Miss Volleyball Charlotte Vinson and Shanese Williams — while the defense graduated its captain, libero Addi Applegate. But there are returners who should help ease those transitions. The new offensive battery figures to be junior setter Hannah Clark (801 assists) and sophomore Chloe Ritchie (185 kills in 115 sets; she stepped right in at the beginning of the season as Vinson recovered), while senior defensive specialist Riley Carpenter logged 256 digs and 155 receptions in 106 sets. The Trojans added former Munster attacker Gracyn Gilliard to an already experienced (and quite talented) lineup. The Bulldogs graduated their top attacker, setter and primary block, but have a solid nucleus of returners. Watch list: Castle (31-4, regional champions), Chesterton (25-10, sectional champions), Floyd Central (30-6 regional champions), Franklin (27-4, sectional champions), Homestead (27-8), Penn (25-6, regional champions), Plainfield (12-21), Warsaw (28-7, sectional champions) No team is ever the same from year-to-year, but Roncalli returns a lot from last year's state championship team. Injuries hampered the Irish last season, but when healthy, they have the pieces to challenge Roncalli for 3A supremacy. The Knights graduated a lot of talent, but have established players ready to step in. Karsyn Buck provides versatility as an opposite side hitter and setter — she is the team's leading returner in both kills (208) and assists (391) — while senior defensive specialist Brinley Deakins figures to replace Bradee McDonald at libero. Senior outside hitter Alexis Strahla will be key to the attack. Three-sport sophomore Kaylee Krause totaled 55 blocks (23 solo) and 61 kills in her debut season. The Hornets have one of the state's top talents in senior Illinois commit Maya Harris. The 6-0 outside hitter racked up 676 kills (.373 hit%), 127 aces, 53 blocks, 265 digs and 18 assists last season. She enters her senior season with 1,164 career kills and will reprise her role as the centerpiece as Angola looks to run it back to state. But there are pieces to replace at setter, libero, middle blocker and behind Harris on the attack. A name to know: Kendall Holman. The 6-1 sophomore opposite and middle hitter was excellent in her debut campaign. The Huskies were stunned by New Castle in last year's sectional. How will they respond this fall? Same as a lot of other teams in 3A, the Dragons graduated their leaders in kills (middle hitter Addison Makun), digs (libero Ava Kopf) and assists (setter Shelbi Oxley), but have returners ready to help fill those gaps. The 6-3 Brooklynn Renn is an intimidating presence on the outside, where she totaled 263 kills on .280 hitting plus 57 total blocks (46 solo); Savannah Hooe plays both outside hitter and setter, where she registered 329 assists; and defensive specialist Dannah Kerberg logged 241 digs and 60 aces over 97 sets. The Dragons have been steadily building over the past couple seasons. It's unfortunate they share a sectional with Roncalli, but they're a talented, experienced outfit. The Red Devils cleared 20 wins for a sixth consecutive season last fall and went five sets with eventual state runner-up Angola in the regional. They're built to improve upon that success with hitters Audrey Alexander (309 kills, .311 hit%, 30 blocks), Sophie Andrew (170 kills, .257 hit%) and Addie Grove (111 kills, .276 hit%) returning on the attack, setters Addie Gehres and Emma Garringer both coming back and sophomore Caroline Alexander at middle blocker. West Lafayette will be replacing libero Courtney Gretencord and hitter Taylor Woods, who ranked second on the team in kills. The Panthers graduated their top three attackers. But junior Ella Branham and senior Eden Wiggins were both key contributors and will have another season with setter Emily Uhlmann, who cleared 1,100 assists with just 39 errors. NorthWood, which went five sets vs. Angola at semistate, is also replacing libero Anna Roeder. Keep an eye on the Warriors. They've got a lot coming back from a group that's won at least 20 matches in back-to-back seasons. Watch list: Jennings County (26-9); Tri-West (33-4, semistate runner-up) The Bison graduated one of their two setters and a blocker. They return virtually everyone else, led by Western Kentucky commit Cali Foster, who put down 343 kills and hit .370 last season. She's expected to have the same supporting cast on the attack (McKenna Yadon, Rhyan Deno, Ava Holder and Ella Miller), and returning setter Izzy Adams logged 428 assists over 87 sets. There's also experience defensively with libero Isabella Widmer entering her third season at the position. In terms of scheduling, Benton Central's 2025 slate already includes an Aug. 23 trip to Hamilton Southeastern. The Vikings are currently slated to open the season with matches against 4A regional champions Center Grove and Castle; they end it with matches against Tecumseh and Cathedral. That's the foundation of a schedule that should have this group ready for a deep tournament run. And they have the talent to match. The attack returns its three leading hitters with Lanie Graber, Addison Jones and Mariana Van Der Aa, who combined for over 800 kills, with Jones racking up 122 blocks (second-most on the team) and Wirtz adding 79. Setters Hallie Knepp and Josie Knepp have another season running the offense together. Replacing libero Kennedy Huff will be the biggest task facing Barr-Reeve. These top four spots are basically interchangeable. Southwood's lone loss came to eventual state champion Western Boone in the semistate semifinals, and its wins included Class A champion Trinity Lutheran, Muncie Burris, Lafayette Central Catholic, Greenfield-Central, Homestead, Noblesville and Lapel. 2025 setter Grace Drake leaves a statistical void in kills, blocks, digs and, of course, assists — but the Knights have depth in each of those categories. Juniors Shania Rhamy (340 kills) and Hali Pershing (219 kills) both swung over .320, as did senior Mylah Dillon, a 5-10 middle who accumulated 118 kills. Another senior, Elxis Lopez, totaled a team-leading 59 blocks, while Adi Deaton clocked 469 assists over 88 sets. The Braves are replacing some key pieces from their core, specifically libero Jaydynn Yeadon and middle Kinzee Dean. But they're bringing back outside hitter Sophie Wischmeier, who led the team with 407 kills; 6-1 junior Claire Brock, who totaled 56 blocks as a middle; and Finley Wheeler, who cleared 1,000 assists in her third varsity season. Junior defensive specialist Alex Davidson played 103 sets last season, accumulating 217 digs and a team-high 54 aces. The championship window remains open for this very experienced group. The 5-spot is interchangeable, but we'll give the nod to the Braves, who replace one Marx (Katelyn) with another Marx (Kelsey). The 5-11 sophomore setter/outside hitter recorded 519 assists, 222 kills (.243 hit%), 35 aces and 278 digs. There are other holes to plug in the lineup due to graduation, but there's quality experience returning with senior middle Bianca Lochmueller, outside Shae Bailey and libero Lydia Wilson. Next five: Wapahani (28-5); Muncie Burris (25-8, sectional champions); Woodlan (23-10, semistate runner-up); South Adams (27-6); Scecina (27-8, regional champions) The graduations of Taylor Cripe and Madison Bohlinger certainly leave significant gaps for the Rebels to fill. But 5-9 outside Jada Cripe hit .310 with 370 kills (plus 130 aces, 14 blocks and 256 digs) in her debut season, and senior teammate Avalin Bohlinger added 104 kills, 44 aces, 36 blocks and 136 digs. Setter Lindsay Lowe is looking to build off a very strong sophomore campaign (845 assists), and libero Briley Iseminger brings two years of varsity experience (366 digs last season). Fun with numbers: South Newton hit .319 and averaged 11.9 kills per set as a team last season. The Eagles are coming off their first state championship appearance in program history and while they'll be retooling their attack following the graduation of Molly Miller and Anna Riley, there's talent and experience in the pipeline. Brooklyn Perry, a 5-10 middle/outside, is the team's leading returner in kills (151) and blocks (61), and will once again team up with fellow attacker Jordan Roseberry (82 kills, 32 blocks) and setter/right side Olivia Barber, who notched 790 assists, 66 kills, a team-leading 93 aces and 36 blocks. Libero Caya Stillings is in her third varsity season. The Blackhawks are expected to return all their major contributors from last year's semistate qualifier, including senior middle Kinsey Saliba, who notched a team-high 379 kills on .275 hitting, 51 blocks (33 solo) and 159 digs. Maddie Carnes is listed at both setter (669 assists) and outside hitter (221 kills, .405 hit%) and libero Maci Eckerty is entering her third varsity season after totaling 390 digs and averaging 4.6 receptions per set as a junior. Sophomore Emmy Saliba recorded 149 kills, 34 blocks and 220 digs last fall. GCA has a quality senior core returning with setter Aiva Kresge, hitter/DS Izzy Snell and opposite-side hitter Addie Smith. Junior DS Kate Reed will lead the defense. The Cougars went five sets with eventual semistate runner-up Lutheran in the sectional final. Junior setters Shaefer Scearce and Reagan Crabtree will be quarterbacking an offense with plenty of new faces, but their experience and the return of senior Delaney Pass and sophomore Lillian Pass should help ease the transition. Libero Cathryn Erwin leaves another significant vacancy to fill. More to watch: Covington (22-10), Daleville (25-6, sectional champions), Kouts (21-9), Lafayette Central Catholic (19-11), Tri-County (30-2)
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Yahoo
Purdue commit Sam Carraher embraces attention with Charlie Woods, son of Tiger Woods
WEST LAFAYETTE - Purdue commit Sam Carraher, a senior from Crown Point, found comfort and excitement in the large crowd that surrounded him while being paired with Charlie Woods. Not only did they watch Woods play high-level golf, but they also got to see Carraher as well. And with those eyes watching, Carraher delivered on the big stage. Carraher sat in seventh place after finishing -10 and shot 69 in the third round, entering the final round of the Junior PGA Championship. More: Charlie Woods remains in title contention after Round 3 at Junior PGA Championship "My game feels really good," Carraher said. "I felt like I played really good yesterday. Today, just keep the momentum going, hit some really good shots. I battled through some adversity, but hopefully I can make some really nice putts." Laughter shared by Carraher and Woods was a gentle reminder in one of the most prestigious amateur golf tournaments in the world that both boys, living in different parts of the country, are still regular teenagers. "(Charlie Woods) is an awesome player and he's an awesome kid," Carraher said. "He's won a few tournaments, and he played awesome (Thursday), and he's a kid just like u,s grinding out here. He's really cool, he's funny, and it was fun getting to know him." Several shots have caught the attention of fans, including his near eagle on the fourth hole on Thursday. His father, Ron, was heard in the background trying his best to contain the excitement as oooohs and ahhhs from the crowd delighted in the 5-foot-9 senior from "The Region". "I couldn't see the pin too well, and I thought I heard some claps," Carraher said. "I just try to stay really level-headed," Carraher said. "I try not to stay too high on the highs or low on the lows. I just go out there and have fun." More: 'Putter finally woke up.' Charlie Woods gets hot in Round 2 of Junior PGA Championships Carraher will attempt to capture the Junior PGA Championship trophy and will be joined by Ronin Banerjee of Irvine, CA, with whom he was paired on Thursday, and Luke Balaskiewicz of Jacksonville, Florida. The winner and runner-up of the Junior PGA Championship will receive an automatic invite to join the US Junior Ryder Cup team if the winners are in the high school class of 2026 or younger. "My swing feels really good, my putting feels really good," Carraher said. "I just want to keep these feelings going, just stay focused and go out there and prove it to myself." Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@ on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue commit Sam Carraher playing Junior PGA Championship with Charlie Woods
