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Indianapolis Star
01-06-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
First IHSAA boys finals a showcase: 'The whole state has just blown up in volleyball'
WEST LAFAYETTE – If there was any question if the movie 'Hoosiers' still holds relevance almost 40 years after it premiered — or if the underdog story could translate to another sport — look no further than Mackey Arena on Saturday. Lake Central boys volleyball coach Naveed Nizam, looking for a little inspiration for his longshot team, had players measure the volleyball net at Mackey Arena. The height: Seven feet, 11 ½ inches. 'I think you'll find that's the exact same measurements as our gym back at Lake Central.' OK, Nizam did not say that exactly. But you get the idea. It was a day of new traditions with a nod to the old at Purdue University, where the Indiana High School Athletic Association hosted the first sanctioned boys volleyball state finals. Roncalli (30-3) took home the first state IHSAA championship by defeating Cathedral 25-14, 25-22, 25-23 in a three-set sweep Saturday night. It was Roncalli's fourth consecutive state championship with the previous three coming under the banner of the Indiana Boys Volleyball Coaches Association. 'You look how far we've come in the past couple years and now we're getting these boys who have bought into the program,' Roncalli coach Nick Jennings said. 'We used to get a basketball player, a football player — maybe it was their secondary sport. But now these boys are fully committing to us, and it really elevates the whole gym. The whole state has just blown up in volleyball.' Many of the 133 teams in the inaugural state tournament, like Lake Central, are in the still early growth stages. The Indians advanced to the state finals as a third-year team that started out as an intramural program. Lake Central (30-7) was ranked No. 12 in the state but with all but two of its players graduating, should be on the cusp of some better days ahead. 'Where we've gone this far and what we've accomplished, I think, is a miracle in such a short amount of time,' said Nizam, who had his team stay to watch the championship match after losing 25-11, 25-10, 25-15 to Cathedral in the first semifinal. Where Lake Central hopes to go was represented by the team across the net, Cathedral, and the squads that followed on Saturday in the second semifinal: Roncalli and Fishers. Those teams, ranked No. 1 (Roncalli), No. 2 (Cathedral) and No. 3 (Fishers), put a powerful show in the inaugural event. After Cathedral defeated Lake Central in the first semifinal, Roncalli was pushed to the brink twice, trailing Fishers 14-12 in the fifth and decisive set before rallying for a 22-25, 25-14, 25-21, 17-25, 16-14 victory. The intense back-and-forth showdown, filled with laser-sharp kills, timely blocks and a dramatic finish, could be packaged and sent out by the IHSAA as a showcase video for boys volleyball, which has previously been played as a club sport before it gained emerging status from the IHSAA three years ago. 'It gets the nerves going,' said Roncalli senior setter Matthew Dial. 'I came running over after the game to my family and my hands were shaking because I was so excited. There was so much energy that it can really bring people into the sport when they see this. It's just cool to see.' Though the sport is new to the IHSAA, it is a bit of a misnomer to call programs like Roncalli and Cathedral newcomers. Cathedral has had a boys volleyball program for 32 years and Roncalli has developed into a dynasty in recent seasons. Saturday's championship match was a rematch of Roncalli's five-set state title victory over the Irish at Hinkle Fieldhouse. 'Just knowing it's the first chance for an IHSAA state title was something nice,' Cathedral senior middle hitter Ryan Peterson said. 'We've thought about that along the journey.' Cathedral senior setter Nick Whitley said he started playing volleyball when he was 10 years old and 'kind of fell in love with the sport from there.' Even then, it was more of a side venture for Whitley, who said he fell in love with volleyball the more he played. Peterson, who is 6-8, played basketball until eighth grade. 'I did a lot of sports,' Peterson said. 'Football, baseball, basketball, swimming. But after eighth grade, I realized I loved volleyball a lot more.' Peterson and Whitley said as soon as they walked into Mackey Arena on Saturday, the energy was different. 'We played in Hinkle Fieldhouse last year and it was a massive step up from freshman and sophomore year playing in regular high school gyms (at state),' Whitley said. 'Playing in an arena like this is super awesome and really exciting.' Cathedral coach Tyler McClure, in his fifth year as coach at Cathedral, played for the Irish and was an assistant prior to his role as head coach. He has watched first-hand at Cathedral how the players who once had volleyball as a secondary sport 'now come in ready to play.' 'Kids come in as freshman ready to go,' McClure said. 'You aren't starting from zero. You are starting with a little bit of a base.' Roncalli had to survive thrilling semifinal matchup against Fishers just to make it to the championship game. Fishers (31-5), looking to close out Roncalli for the second time this season in five sets, took control of the fifth set to take a 14-12 lead. But the Royals would not be denied, taking the final four points. 'That game was so fun,' said Roncalli senior outside hitter Eli Berger, who led the Royals with 13 kills in the title match. 'You go out there, work your butt off and it just comes down to who works harder, who is there for the ball and who is ready to win. Last time we played them, we played like we didn't want to win. This time, we came out and threw some punches.' That down-to-the-wire cliffhanger of a semifinal showed where boys volleyball can go. 'It went from 'oh my god, oh my god, oh my god,' to 'yes, yes, yes,'' Roncalli's Jennings said. 'You live and die with every point. I think (the game) will really grow. I think next year, people will hopefully see this and say, 'I want to be a part of that. That was a lot of fun.''
Indianapolis Star
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
IHSAA softball Fab 15: Sectional outlook for Central Indiana's top teams
The IHSAA softball state tournament begins a week from today with the start of sectionals. In anticipation of the year's marquee event, let's take one last look at Central Indiana's top-15 teams and examine their sectional draw and postseason paths. Last week: 1 The Dragons have cooled a bit following a torrid start to the season, but the 10 runs allowed to Fishers were the most they'd allowed all season (previous high was five … in a four-run win) and this weekend's setbacks vs. Munster (5-4) and Crown Point (2-1) were competitive, quality losses. They're still generating hits, the defense is still solid behind Sadey Hughbanks (she's been a marvel this season) — I'm still buying New Palestine and they retain the top spot based on strength of schedule. The draw? Couldn't have gone much better. New Palestine missed the bye, but avoided rival Roncalli and potential party crashers Indian Creek and Shelbyville. Don't write off the Braves or Golden Bears, obviously, but a sectional final rematch with the Royals would be tremendous theater (NP rallied for a 4-3 win to snap a five-game losing streak in the series). LW: 2 Another team that definitively answered the big question surrounding its group, the Trojans have found success rotating through Sarah Riley, Riley Fuhr and Kara Biever in the circle, with each pitcher logging over 30 innings pitched. Riley, a freshman, should be closing in on 60 strikeouts by the start of sectionals; Biever, a sophomore, has an ERA just over 1.00; and Fuhr, a junior, boasts a sub-3.00 ERA and brings postseason experience to the rotation. We'll see how coach Alyssa Coleman handles her pitchers moving forward, but she's got options. The lineup is no joke, either, with Mae Munson batting around .500, Sydney Herrmann and Hayden Baird combining for over 10 home runs and Brynn Meyer and Ana Powell both in double-digits for RBIs. The Trojans drew the bye. Their biggest challenge will likely come in the sectional championship game against either Franklin Central or Mooresville. CG beat the Flashes, 8-3, in early April. LW: t-3 Friday's tilt vs. Zionsville was rained out after a few innings, but the Irish have otherwise maintained their torrid pace through the meat of their schedule, padding the resume with wins over Castle, Noblesville, Roncalli and, most recently, a come-from-behind triumph over East Central. Those go with an early-April win over West Lafayette Harrison that's appreciated in value (four runs on eight hits vs. Bradi Odom), and they'll ramp up for sectional week with games against Yorktown and Shelbyville. It starts with ace Sidney Feczko, who has been phenomenal this season, posting a sub-1.00 ERA and over 140 strikeouts. The defense behind her has been rock solid (fielding percentage around .970) and the lineup is seriously powerful with a glut of veteran talent (Anna Moore, Maddie Liter, Angela Valentine and Amya Gary) and a young up-and-comer in freshman Jordyn Hazewlood, who's batting over .400 and is closing in on 20 steals. (Cathedral loves to run as a team and has swiped over 70 bags this year). Cathedral's already beaten Bishop Chatard and Danville, its two biggest (potential) challengers in the sectional and regional, respectively. Semistate could produce a matchup against New Palestine, Roncalli, Cascade or Shelbyville down in Jasper (#intrigue). LW: t-3 The Eagles did not start ace Leah Helton on Friday at Cathedral, understandably, but their lineup was putting the ball in play against Irish ace Sidney Feczko and Kristin Evers was holding her own through the first three innings, holding the score at 3-1 when play was suspended. Helton has been a workhorse, boasting an ERA around 1.50 and clearing over 120 strikeouts. She's the centerpiece of a similarly potent lineup, that's among the state leaders in home runs (Helton and Sylvia Mudis provide most of the power), and is hitting around .350 as a group (Hannah Bray, Charli Westerfield and Olivia Kohler all have solid averages). Emma Vargo, a key senior, has been sidelined due to Eagles are built for a deep tournament run, but the Sectional 8 bracket is a gauntlet and their schedule is extremely back-loaded. Last week included games against Franklin Central, Cathedral and Danville. The upcoming week features Noblesville, North Central and Cascade ahead of Monday's sectional opener vs. Westfield. Avoiding Noblesville and Hamilton Southeastern in the sectional is a positive, but there are no guarantees in that bracket. LW: 5 Everything goes through pitcher Grace Swedarsky. The Virginia Tech commit is good enough on her own to lead the defending 4A state champions back to Purdue's Bittinger Stadium. The defense's error total is inflated a bit by rough nights against New Palestine (6) and Lapel (5), and the offense is finding hits at a steady rate — it's just a matter of producing runs at a more consistent rate (scratch across a couple and that's enough for Swedarsky most nights). Addison Richmond is at the core of that lineup, with seniors Chloe Smith and Maya Valenta, and freshman Sophia Feher backing her up. Richmond, Valenta, Makena Burlingame, Kenzie Lee and Kaitlyn Burdick lead HSE in RBIs. As noted above, Sectional 8 is brutal and HSE got an especially tough draw with Noblesville followed by Fishers and potentially Zionsville. The winner of S8 will travel to the winner of S7 in regional, that'll probably WL Harrison and the aforementioned Odom, who's been excellent in her first/only season as a Raider. LW: 7 The Quakers' impressive record includes wins over Cascade, Danville, Noblesville and Brownsburg. The lineup is certainly potent. Maci Hanlin and Kylie Fish have combined for over 10 home runs. Hanlin also has double-digit doubles (as does Kami Arnett) and is among the team leaders with 30-plus RBIs. Ayva Mayes also has 30-plus RBIs to go with 30-plus hits. Ava Broyles and Kenzi Arnett (the team leader in steals) have also been putting up big numbers at the plate; Sidney Parks and Kami Arnett anchor a pitching staff that has a combined 1.30 ERA and over 200 Ks. Plainfield's draw is a mixed bag. It got the bye … but will likely have to face Brownsburg and freshman pitcher Etta Schroering, who did not pitch during the regular-season meeting a couple weeks ago. The regional matches them against the winner of the Mooresville sectional (Center Grove and Franklin Central are the favorites there). LW: 6 The Millers, who lost a wild 12-10 game vs. Brownsburg on Thursday, have played one of the state's toughest schedules and have their fair share of signature wins to show for it (WL Harrison, Franklin Central, Western, Lake Central, HSE and Yorktown). They're batting .365 as a team; Delaney Rundle, Haley Schatko, Brookelyn Grayson, Reese Newsom, Izzy Zapp and Nevaeh Nash all have 20-plus hits; Schatko (5), Newsom (5), Addi Emmerson (4) and Maggie Kern (3) lead the team in homers; and they're closing in on 90 steals as a team. The big key to Noblesville's run? Addison Retzinger. The sophomore hurler has 113 strikeouts and a 2.58 ERA in 78.2 innings. She's backed up by Emme Yee, who has an ERA around 4.00 and has fanned 30 hitters. The Millers grinded out a 1-0 win over first-round opponent HSE on May 6, with Retzinger spinning a four-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts. Rundle had two hits off Swedarsky; Schatko drove in the game's lone run. LW: 8 The potential sectional quarterfinal preview vs. Shelbyville was washed out, but we did see Roncalli go toe-to-toe with sectional heavyweight New Palestine, limiting the Dragons to four hits taking a lead into the fifth inning (albeit with Hughbanks being used sporadically). That will be worth keeping in mind ahead of a potential rematch next week at New Pal. Bennie Leffler, the junior, has been red-hot at the plate, providing further depth to a lineup that brings a trio of other power hitters in Addy Poe, Mo Curtis and Natalie Summers, a hits machine in Carly Keller (leads the team in steals) and another dependable bat in Elise Baker. Roncalli — which went 1-2 last week, losing by a run to both Franklin Central and WL Harrison — has generated 10-plus hits in six of its past seven games. The defense has been very good, committing just 13 errors (.977 fielding percentage), and Poe, Kayla Brewer and Baker have handled the pitching duties, racking up nearly 200 strikeouts combined. LW: 9 If the sectional bracket goes chalk, Edgewood would be a fun sectional final opponent for Cascade with Cadets ace Grace Gray going against Ally Bland, who's allowed just 17 earned runs (29 total) through her first 102 innings this season (164 strikeouts). Gray is at the center of a very deep, experienced and talented Cascade roster. Tara Gruca, Lacie Godby, Ava Allen, Macey Pugh and Suzy Moore have all reprised their roles as key contributors from last year's 2A title run, and they've been bolstered by the emergence of sophomore Grace Parks, who has one of the fastest swings on the team according to coach Brett Taber and is batting over .420 with six doubles. The Cadets beefed up their schedule this season with games against Castle, Zionsville (twice), Shelbyville, Sullivan, Center Grove, Hamilton Heights, Franklin Central, Danville and Fishers. That experience should have prepared them for their first foray into the 3A state tourney. They will likely host Cathedral if they advance. LW: 10 When they're on, the Bulldogs are dangerous. They made waves a couple weeks ago, going nine innings with HSE in an eventual 1-0 loss, then highlighted last week with wins at Noblesville and at Franklin Central. Their resume also includes narrow losses to Crown Point and Center Grove, plus a walk-off win over Castle. Schroering will make her postseason debut, while the lineup is led by Ohio State commit Izzy Neal, a track star. She's an on-base machine (and has 35 steals), and there's ample power behind her with Tatum Hunt (eight homers), Ashley Sylvia and Kensly Larkin, plus AG Pogue, Bailey Paddock and Hailey Prather, all of whom have double-digit RBIs. Barring anything unexpected vs. Ben Davis, Plainfield will be the first major hurdle, then the championship game will likely require either dethroning former 3A power Tri-West or avenging a regular-season loss to Avon (Schroering pitched 5.2 innings and allowed one unearned run on eight hits in the 5-3 loss). LW: 11 Whoever wins between Frankton and Lapel probably goes on to win the sectional. The Bulldogs, who finished runner-up in 2A last season, have a pitching staff headlined by a pair of sophomores — ace Ava Zdanowski, who has a sub-2.20 ERA and around 50 Ks, and Addison Bodenhorn, who has a sub-0.50 ERA and around 30 Ks — and a senior, Karlie Jannings. Jannings and Bodenhorn are also part of a lineup that's totaled over 200 hits as a group, and has ample returning experience from last season with Laylah Gore, Paige Stires, Ava Everman and Tatum Harper — all of whom have maintained their successes from last season. Taylor Mroz and Delaney Balser have both cleared 10 RBIs this season. Advance past Frankton and Lapel will have a clear path to regionals, where it will likely host either Madison-Grant or Alexandria-Monroe (both pose a significant challenge). LW: 13 The Tigers scored their best win of the season Wednesday, tagging Hughbanks for 10 runs (eight earned) on 12 hits over six innings en route to a 10-4 victory. Kate Murray set the school's all-time home run record in the win (she drove in a couple runs), Brooke Clayton had two hits and three RBIs, Adrianne Cook and Cate Summerfield both had two hits and an RBI. Kendall Jordan and Hailey Kinder are batting over .500 and .400, respectively, both with 20-plus hits and double-digit RBIs, Anna McGrath is another reliable hitter, as is Azstryd Alexander. Consistency in the field will be critical for the Tigers, who've committed multiple errors in six of their past seven games, including five against McCutcheon and nine against Cascade over the weekend. Fishers' resume also includes wins over Brownsburg and Yorktown. It took a 15-0 loss to Noblesville in mid-April (out-hit 13-2) and dropped a 6-0 decision vs. Hamilton Southeastern. LW: 15 The Saints' record is always misleading as they play an extremely difficult schedule. This year's opponents have included Indian Creek, Cathedral, Mt. Vernon, Triton Central and Frankton. That experience has them battle-tested and poised for another deep tournament run with a pair of dependable arms in senior Brooklyn Barger and junior Gracie Boggs (over 60 and 80 strikeouts, respectively, with only four home runs allowed), and a lineup that's generated over 100 RBIs and 130-plus runs scored. Leyla Miller is batting .492, Avery Langston's scored 25 runs, Shae Olson is batting .397 and has driven in 17 runs and Zoe Sondag accounted for all three of the team's home runs. Lutheran should not encounter much resistance in the sectional or regional. Semistate could match them against any number of heavyweights with ranked West Washington, Tri, Orleans and Clay City among the possible opponents. LW: 14 The Flashes were 4-4 and coming off a 10-0 blowout loss to New Palestine in mid-April. Then they went 2-1 at a weekend event at Lake Central with two notable out-of-state wins and a narrow loss to the host Indians. They've gone 11-5 since, with two of those losses coming last week against Zionsville and Brownsburg. Franklin Central is scrappy, resilient and experienced, with a talented No. 1 pitcher, Kiley Renick, who also powers a lineup that's batting around .390 as a group. Audrina Yorn, Jadyn Tinsley, Adelaide Hubbard, Kaylie Grayson, Alex Ireland and August Coons are all batting above .300 and have at least one homer and double-digit RBIs; Sarah Miller has over 30 hits and is nearing 30 runs scored. Minimizing errors in the field will be critical (team fielding percentage around .920) for the Flashes, who have not played first-round foe Mooresville yet, but did drop an 8-3 decision to Center Grove. FC trailed 4-3 entering the sixth. LW: 12 The Golden Bears, who lost to Westfield and dropped an eight-inning decision at Jennings County last week, have a pair of big bats smack in the middle of their lineup with Marshall commit Addison Stieneker and Anna Shearer. That pair has combined for over 80 hits, nearly 20 dingers and more than 70 RBIs. That's really impressive and there's a collection of capable hitters behind them with Destiney Johnson, Gracie Crafton, Julie Garrison, Kali Laycock and Hailey Maulden. Crafton, a sophomore, has been solid in her first full season as the team's No. 1 starter, going 12-6 with a 4.41 ERA and 129 strikeouts. She went the distance to secure narrow wins over Bloomington North (eight innings), Seymour, Columbus North and Pendleton Heights, and allowed just four runs on five hits over three innings against New Palestine. The sectional draw is tough with Indian Creek in game one, followed by Roncalli (probably) the next night.
Indianapolis Star
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
IHSAA softball Fab 15: New Palestine maintains top spot; Franklin Central re-enters
Parity among Central Indiana's top softball teams continues to reign, but there has been one constant over the past couple weeks, at least, and that's New Palestine. The Dragons added five more wins to their ledger last week, including a come-from-behind triumph over sectional rival Roncalli on Wednesday. With sectionals fast approaching, let's take another look at the area power rankings. Last week: 1 The Dragons continued their impressive run with wins over Franklin, Roncalli, Greenfield-Central, Jennings County and Columbus North. The win over the Royals involved some craftiness from coach Ed Marcum involving his pitching staff (specifically ace Sadey Hughbanks, read more at and the Greenfield-Central game less than 24 hours later felt like a potential trap game — Katie Hirschy, Jersi Gross both collected three hits, Maddie Engle and Cat Trebley added two apiece to ensure there was no drama in a 6-2 win. This weekend will provide a must-see matchup with the Dragons playing Crown Point in Munster. LW: 4 The Trojans' pitching staff was an unknown entering the season. That is no longer the case. They're very good, with coach Alyssa Coleman cycling through Riley Fughr, Sarah Riley and Kara Biever, all of whom have thrown 30-plus innings and boast sub-3.00 ERAs. They have combined for 92 strikeouts as a staff (five pitchers total), and the defense has been rock-solid behind them, boasting a .949 fielding percentage on 430 chances (22 errors). Center Grove allowed just two runs on nine hits against Carmel, Zionsville and Noblesville. Most impressive. LW: 2 The Eagles were held to two hits in a 2-0 loss to Center Grove (both runs were unearned), but bounced back with wins over Western Boone (7-6) and Guerin Catholic (10-0). Leah Helton did not pitch vs. WeBo, but she did hit, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs, two runs scored and the game-winning home run in the bottom of the sixth. Zionsville has an interesting week ahead with Avon, Franklin Central, Cathedral and Danville. It will be interesting to see how they handle their pitching staff with sectionals just a couple weeks away. LW: 3 The undefeated Irish opened the week with another signature win, riding a four-run third inning to a decisive 7-2 triumph over Roncalli. They out-hit the Royals, 9-5, with Sidney Feczko accounting for two hits (a homer and a double) and four RBIs, while also allowing two runs on five hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts. Cathedral rallied for a 9-6 win over Carmel (four hits for freshman Jordyn Hazelwood; six strikeouts in five innings for Shelby Johnson), then breezed through Heritage Christian and Bishop Chatard to capture the City championship. McCutcheon on Wednesday and Zionsville on Friday should provide quality tests this week. LW: 5 The Royals registered four hits but were unable to scratch across any runs in a 2-0 loss to Noblesville. They overcame five fielding errors to rally and beat Lapel, 3-2, then outlasted Brownsburg, 1-0, in a nine-inning marathon. Carly McCall (winning pitcher, four strikeouts in 4.2 innings) and Addy Richmond both had two hits against Lapel; Makena Burlingame hit a game-winning sac fly to beat Brownsburg. Grace Swedarsky pitched a five-hit shutout with 16 strikeouts and only one walk vs. the Dawgs. HSE has a conference clash vs. Westfield before heading north this weekend for games against South Bend St. Joseph and Fort Wayne Carroll. LW: t-6 The Millers' week ended with a thud vs. Center Grove (lost, 10-1), but began with another signature win, a 1-0 triumph over HSE. Delaney Rundle led the offense vs. the Royals with a pair of hits, while Addison Retzinger spun a four-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts and zero walks. Izzy Zapp (2), Haley Schatko, Delaney Rundle and Bella Hughes all logged hits against Center Grove; three of Retzinger's runs allowed were unearned. LW: 8 The Quakers added a bit of shine to their resume, rallying with a three-run seventh to down sectional foe Brownsburg, 4-3. Kenzi and Kami Arnett both had a pair of hits (Kami had a double, an RBI and a run scored), Ayva Mayes drove in two runs and Kate Hilton allowed one unearned run on two hits with a couple strikeouts over seven innings pitched. These teams will likely meet again in the sectional semifinals. Plainfield has a home-and-home against Mooresville this week. LW: t-6 The Royals led New Palestine twice Wednesday night, jumping out to a 2-0 lead after the first half inning and maintaining a 3-2 advantage with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. They out-hit the Dragons, 7-4, with Addy Poe and Eva Hurrle both clocking two hits apiece, and their defense was very good, making plays on a number of well-hit balls in the outfield. A postseason rematch between these two would be fascinating. Roncalli vs. Franklin Central for the Marion County championship on Monday. LW: 9 A couple more solid wins for the Cadets, who shutout Indian Creek, 6-0, then rallied to beat Danvillle, 6-2. Grace Gray totaled 16 strikeouts between the two outings; Grace Parks homered and drove in three runs as part of a two-hit game vs. IC; Tara Gruca (three hits), Macey Pugh (two hits) and Gray (two hits) all had two RBIs vs. Danville. The Cadets have a big weekend doubleheader upcoming with Fishers and McCutcheon on Saturday. LW: 10 The Bulldogs were extremely competitive in their two losses. They surrendered three runs in the top of the seventh in a loss to Plainfield (two hits for Izzy Neal; two RBIs for Tatum Hunt; eight strikeouts for Avery Toole), then maintained a scoreless stalemate with HSE through eight-plus innings (another two-hit game for Neal, plus hits for Kensly Larkin, Zaelyn Miles and Ashley Slyvia). Brownsburg has a trio of notable games this week with Noblesville, West Lafayette Harrison and Franklin Central lined up. LW: 11 Laylah Gore registered a couple RBIs and Addison Bodenhorn pitched a two-hit shutout to lift the Bulldogs to a 2-0 win over Madison Grant. They took an early 2-0 lead over HSE and were tied at two entering the bottom of the seventh (three hits for Paige Stires), then notched a run-rule win over Eastern Hancock. Gore tallied three hits, Stires notched three RBIs and Taylor Mroz and Ella Reed both had two RBIs apiece vs. the EH Royals. LW: 13 The Golden Bears bounced back from a 10-1 loss to Yorktown (the Tigers were responsible for New Pal's lone loss this season) with a 5-3 triumph over Mooresville on Saturday. Addison Stieneker had two hits, an RBI and three runs scored against the Pios, while Kali Laycock tripled and drove in a couple runs. Gracie Crafton allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits with five strikeouts and zero walks. Shelbyville travels to Roncalli on Tuesday. LW: 12 The Tigers' bats fell silent against Avon's Addie Forst, mustering just one run on three hits in an 11-1 loss. Kendall Jordan accounted for two of those hits; Azstryd Alexander notched the other. Fishers was charged with four errors in the field and will look to bounce back this week with games against Carmel, Franklin Central, New Palestine, McCutcheon and Cascade. LW: NR Moving the Flashes in ahead of Monday's Marion County championship game. They have won five straight and eight of their past nine, with the lone loss coming against Cascade, 6-4. That run was preceded by an 8-6 setback vs. Noblesville in late April. Audrina Yorn, Jadyn Tinsley and Sarah Miller all have 30-plus hits; Adelaide Hubbard, Tinsley and Kiley Renick all have 20-plus RBIs; and Renick has 67 strikeouts over 70 innings pitched. This is a big week for the Flashes, whose game against Roncalli will be followed by Fishers, Zionsville, Brownsburg and Hamilton Southeastern. LW: 14 The Saints took an 11-0 loss to Perry Meridian in the Marion County tournament, but that setback was preceded by a win over Southport. Leyla Miller and Avery Langston both have over 20 hits on the season, while freshman Shae Olson and sophomore Lilly Schultz lead the team with 13 and 12 RBIs, apiece. Gracie Boggs and Brooklyn Barger anchor the pitching staff.
Indianapolis Star
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Insider: Sadey Hughbanks 'owns the circle,' New Pal exceeding expectations — even its own
NEW PALESTINE — New Palestine softball wanted to beat rival Roncalli. It wants to win every game, obviously. But with a likely rematch looming in the sectional championship game, the stakes of Wednesday's showdown was watered down. Even so, coach Ed Marcum knew that given his competitive nature, he was going to have a tough time pulling pitcher Sadey Hughbanks if she started and his red-hot, top-ranked Dragons took an early lead. Marcum didn't want the co-No. 1 Royals to see his ace for a full seven innings … but he also wanted to win. So he struck a sort of compromise. New Pal would 'mix-and-match' its pitchers, only using Hughbanks when they 'really needed her.' Ideally, Marcum said, they would have a decent lead entering the latter innings and she could close it out. It was a solid plan and all things considered, executed quite well. 'How am I still alive?' Indiana senior reflects on crash that nearly killed her, recovery Hughbanks pitched the Dragons out of jams with two outs in the third and one out in the fourth, holding the deficit at one until the bottom of the fifth when Saydie Miller roped a two-out double to score Jersi Gross and Maddie Engle. Lead in hand, Hughbanks entered for the final two innings. She pitched a perfect sixth, then worked around a lead-off single in the seventh to close out a 4-3 win over Roncalli and end NP's five-game losing streak in the series ahead of that potential postseason rematch. Hughbanks' final line: 3 innings pitched, one hit, zero runs, zero walks, one strikeout. She also went 1-for-2 at the plate with a walk and a run scored. 'She really stepped up like she has all year,' Marcum said. 'That was a great job by the team,' he later added. 'They stayed with it and did exactly what I asked them to do. They were all ready when it was their turn. I'm just really proud of them.' Wednesday's performance was the latest checkmark amidst a surprise season by the Dragons. Sure, preseason expectations were high for this group. But 15-1 with wins over Plainfield, Hamilton Southeastern, Zionsville, Noblesville, Center Grove, Shelbyville and Roncalli? After graduating a glut of college commits, including their top pitcher, a starting outfielder and two SEC infielders? Come on… "Honestly, yeah," Engle replied when asked if they've been exceeding their own expectations. "Everyone's asked me how we were going to be this year and I was like, 'I have no idea,'" Hughbanks added. No. 17 has been a driving force behind NP's success. The first-year ace — who boasted an ERA around 2.00 through her first two seasons (61 innings pitched) — is 14-1 with a 1.42 ERA and 94 strikeouts through 89 innings. She's allowed just 18 earned runs on 63 hits and issued only 22 walks. Hughbanks has been dynamite, pitching with a particular confidence that's necessary to flourish against such a daunting schedule. She "owns the circle (and) I'm very proud of her for that," Engle said, her teammate blushing as she stood next to her. Thanks, bro, Hughbanks smiled, gently bumping shoulders with the senior infielder. That confidence, Hughbanks said, was gained as colleges began scouting her more heavily during the fall travel season. She knows she can pitch at this level and that belief has been critical. Hughbanks struck out 11 and allowed only two runs on eight hits against Plainfield, allowed a single unearned run on four hits across six innings in a 12-1 win over defending 4A state champion Hamilton Southeastern and allowed just three runs on nine hits to a red-hot Noblesville at the end of April. "I've been pitching well, but my defense has really had my back," Hughbanks said. "So it's not just me doing all the work. They've been fantastic behind me." This group cares deeply about one another and love being together, Marcum added, explaining how the players all refer to each other as "besties." "It's a really neat team to coach," he continued. "And for us to pull out those wins against our gauntlet of a schedule is a testament to how hard they play. … It's fun to watch."
Indianapolis Star
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
IHSAA softball Fab 15: Center Grove, Cathedral move up in top-5; Westfield cracks rankings
Show Caption We're nearing the back-stretch of the Indiana high school softball regular season. Here's how the Indianapolis area's top teams stack up. 1. New Palestine (13-1) Last week: 1 The Dragons continue to look the part of one of the state's best, padding their record with wins over Noblesville (6-3), Center Grove (4-3) and Shelbyville (9-3). They continue firing on all cylinders with timely hitting (seven-plus hits in all three games this week) and really solid pitching (total of eight earned runs allowed this week; home run allowed vs. Shelbyville was first of the season). Now the big test: vs. Roncalli on Wednesday. The Dragons, who will likely encounter the Royals again in the state tournament, have lost five straight in the series. 2. Zionsville (12-2) LW: 2 The Eagles led Fishers, 7-2, entering the bottom of the fourth. Fishers tied the score in the bottom of the seventh. Zionsville answered with 10 runs in the eighth en route to the (probably pretty rare) 17-7 extra-innings win. Hadley Bray, Leah Helton, Sylvia Mudis and Olivia Kohler all had three-plus hits with Bray, Helton and Mudis all homering and driving in three-plus RBIs. Zionsville-Center Grove on Thursday. 3. Cathedral (16-0) LW: 4 The Irish host Roncalli on Monday, another quality test following wins over Lawrence North (9-4), Noblesville (7-5), Avon (15-10) and Cardinal Ritter (17-0) last week. The triumph over the Millers was headlined by Angie Valentine, who homered twice and drove in five RBIs. Ellis Land, the freshman, stole a base and Jordyn Hazelwood, Lola Scarsi, Anna Moore, Ellis Land and Maddie Liter all scored runs. 4. Center Grove (10-3) LW: 5 The Trojans grinded out a 5-4 win over Cascade, then dropped a narrow 4-3 decision vs. New Pal. CG took a 3-2 lead into the sixth, but the Dragons scored twice in the home half to pull out the win. Addison Wolff picked up two hits, Madisyn Tharpe drove in two runs (Brynn Meyer drove in the other) and Riley Fuhr allowed two runs on four hits over four innings in the circle. A trio of CG pitchers scored only one strikeout, but the defense went 26-for-27 behind them. 5. Hamilton Southeastern (11-5) LW: 7 The Royals bounced back from that 4-2 loss to Whiteland with shutouts of Fishers (6-0) and Pendleton Heights (5-0). Grace Swedarsky spun a two-hit shutout with 17 strikeouts against the Tigers, then spun a one-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts against Pendleton Heights. HSE hosts Lapel in between games at Noblesville and Brownsburg this week. t-6. Roncalli (14-2) LW: 6 The Royals went 4-2 on the week, beating Avon, Martinsville, Oak Forest (Ill.) and Benet Academy (Ill.) and falling to Franklin Central and Minooka (Ill.). This is an important stretch of games upcoming for Roncalli with Cathedral, New Palestine and Westfield this week, and Shelbyville and Noblesville lurking next week. t-6. Noblesville (11-5) LW: 3 The Millers' schedule is brutal. They went 2-4 this week, but those losses were against New Palestine (6-3), Westfield (7-6), Cathedral (7-5) and Plainfield (5-0). Each setback was competitive (a noteworthy development considering the level of competition. It's another busy, difficult stretch ahead with four games, highlighted by Hamilton Southeastern and Center Grove. 8. Plainfield (17-1) LW: 8 The Quakers scored a high-quality win Saturday, taking down host Noblesville, 5-0, at the Miller Invite. Kylie Fish and Kenzi Arnett both had multiple hits, while Fish and Maci Hanlin both homered and collected multiple RBIs. Kami Arnett and Sidney Parks combined for a no-hitter with six strikeouts and two walks. 9. Cascade (11-5) LW: 9 The Cadets played Center Grove tough on Monday, then swept the rest of the week, collecting wins over Greenwood, Hamilton Heights, Franklin, Franklin Central and McCutcheon. Grace Parks pitched a scoreless inning and collected three hits (one double) and two RBIs in a 6-4 win over the 4A Flashes. Cascade travels to Indian Creek on Tuesday. 10. Brownsburg (10-6) LW: 10 The Bulldogs rallied from a 4-0 deficit vs. Avon with a three-run fifth, but their rally fell short in a 5-3 loss. Izzy Neal had a couple hits and Ashley Sylvia had a couple RBIs, while freshman Etta Schroering allowed one unearned run on eight hits over 5.2 innings. Brownsburg bounced back with wins over Ben Davis and McCutcheon, and will continue its season with notable games upcoming against Plainfield and HSE. 11. Lapel (14-4) LW: 11 The Bulldogs split a Saturday doubleheader, falling to Triton Central and rolling past Greencastle. They finished the week 3-2 overall with additional wins over Mt. Vernon and New Castle and a 7-1 loss to Hagerstown. Lapel's week is loaded with Madison-Grant, Hamilton Southeastern and Eastern Hancock lined up. 12. Fishers (11-6) LW: 12 Wild week for the Tigers, who bounced back from the loss to HSE with a win over Mt. Vernon and that wild game against Zionsville. Kendall Jordan, Brooke Clayton, Cate Summerfield, Kate Murray, Adrianne Cook and Hailey Kinder all had two hits (12 of the team's 14, for those keeping count at home). Six of the Tigers' seven runs against ace Leah Helton were earned and they generated 10 hits. 13. Shelbyville (12-7) LW: 13 The Golden Bears offset a loss to New Palestine with a 10-run win over Greensburg and a 12-5 triumph over Triton Central. That win over the Tigers saw them jump out to a 10-2 lead after three innings, and featured seven total RBIs from Destiney Johnson (4) and Reagan Dillon (3). Anna Shearer had three hits; Gracie Crafton and Sydney Brown handled pitching duties. 14. Lutheran (10-5) LW: 14 The Saints dropped a 3-0 decision to Triton Central, then rolled to blowout wins over Warren Central and Scecina. They host Southport ahead of the Marion County tournament, which begins against Perry Meridian on Friday. Frankton on May 12 will be an interesting test for Lutheran. 15. Westfield (8-5) LW: NR The Rocks went 2-1, securing wins over Noblesville and Bishop Chatard, and dropping a five-run decision to Yorktown. Ava Kainrath clocked four hits and Sofia Easterhaus added three more against the Millers, while Chloe Tanner drove in three RBIs. Easterhaus, Kainrath and Makayla Watson all stole bases; Tanner allowed two earned runs on seven hits over 4.1 innings. Westfield has a brutal week ahead: Hamilton Heights, Zionsville, Roncalli and Mt. Vernon.
