Burris graduate Courtney Harnish has gone from freshman walk-on to a senior captain for the Indiana University volleyball team.

How does someone go from being a walk-on as a freshman to a team captain as a senior?

Courtney Harnish is excited to share that, plus much more when the Burris graduate and Indiana University volleyball player is the featured speaker at Friday night’s state volleyball banquet at the Horizon Convention Center.

Before Saturday’s four state volleyball championship matches at Ball State’s Worthen Arena, which features Wapahani and Yorktown vying for titles in Class 2A and Class 3A, some of the top players in the state will listen to a player who has discovered the boundless opportunities away from the volleyball court. A two-time state champion at Burris has learned there’s more to life than volleyball.

“I was always kind of embarrassed that I was just a walk-on, like you know that feeling you get as a freshman,” Harnish said in a phone interview Thursday. “But I’ve really just kind of embraced it. Every opportunity I’ve been given, I’ve ran with.”

That includes spending three weeks in Vietnam, where she taught middle-school aged kids math and volleyball. The trip was appealing not only because her mother Thanh’s family is from there, but it gave her the chance to “go over and see a different world.”

As Harnish detailed in a story with Indiana University athletics, the trip came at a time when she felt burnt out from volleyball and needed to refocus.

“To visit a third-world country was definitely a culture shock, but I learned about giving back,” Harnish said. “It gave me a whole new meaning to life than what I was living before.”

Burris graduate Courtney Harnish has gone from freshman walk-on to a senior captain for the Indiana University volleyball team.

A rejuvenated Harnish leads the Hoosiers (13-12, 3-10 Big Ten) in digs with 310 digs, recently becoming the 12th player in school history to reach 1,000 career digs. Harnish currently ranks ninth in program history for career digs with 1,028.

Harnish was also named CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team on Thursday after twice being honored as a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and also receiving the Indiana Scholastic Achievement Award last year. A Human development and family studies major, Harnish has a 3.9 GPA after finishing high school with a 4.0.

“Finding a purpose other than volleyball because I know a lot of the girls I’ll be talking in front of probably won’t play in college. A few of them will, and I’m excited for them. But really I don’t want to make it seem like playing in college is the end-all, be-all because there are great opportunities to make a difference other than being a student-athlete. I really want to make it less about being a college athlete and breaking records, but for inspiration to do other things in life.”

Contact sports features writer Ryan O’Gara at (765) 213-5829. Follow him on Twitter @RyanOGaraTSP.

Jayla Scaife

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Jayla Scaife poured in a game-high 23 points and added 16 rebounds and five blocks as Central opened its season with a 56-25 victory at Delta. Ke’Chell Tate scored 12 points to help the Bearcats turn a 27-14 halftime lead to a 22-point advantage after three quarters. Kortney Helm and Micaya Richardson led the Eagles with seven points apiece.

Yorktown’s Jade York passes against Blackford during their sectional game at Delta High School Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015.

YORKTOWN — It didn’t take long for Stephanie Bloom to realize that her libero, Jade York, is a perfectionist. The Yorktown coach had York in honors geometry class three years ago.

As top-ranked Yorktown (38-1) prepares to battle No. 2 Providence (36-3) in the Class 3A state championship Saturday afternoon at Ball State’s Worthen Arena, the senior that Bloom calls “a fighter” who leads one of the state’s top defenses.

York has tallied a team-high 555 digs for a team which prides itself on its ball control – a necessity with no player taller than 5-foot-8. And it’s actually those defensive practices which give York the most trouble.

Last season, she developed a slipped disk in her back and was diagnosed with scoliosis, which is a lateral curvature of the spine. She missed the first few weeks of last season, and she still battles soreness today. The high-intensity matches — she cited the five-set thriller over Delta in the sectional semifinals — are particularly tough.

“It’s just something I had to go through,” York said, “but it made me stronger.”

But it’s the type of toughness Yorktown has come to expect from its defensive stalwart, who is one of three players to play in all 110 sets this season. She’s also become known for expecting the best out of herself — and her teammates.

“She’s not afraid of stepping on toes when she needs to. I think sometimes in girls’ sports, that can be an issue,” Bloom said. “It’s not about friendship on the court, it’s about being a teammate. The value of a teammate is sometimes they need to light a fire, and she’s willing to do that. That leadership is crucial for us.”

Yorktown defeated Delta at Delta High School Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015.

With a 3.87 GPA, York has placed a high priority on academics. From an early age, she said she’s learned to take responsibility for her actions.

“I’ve never had to have my mom tell me to do my homework, that’s just something I’ve brought on myself, to get good grades,” said York, who is still considering playing in college — likely at Kent State, Ohio or George Mason. “My parents have never checked my grades once, I don’t think. For myself, I just keep up with everything.”

Honing in and focusing has never been her problem. The issue that sometimes comes up, Bloom said, is she tries to be too perfect. It’s an inner conflict that can help or hurt York.

“I think a little bit of both,” York said. “When I’m trying to perfect a pass or something, something will happen and it’s not perfect, but it’s still up, I’ll clap my hands real loud. Like Jade, it’s OK, it’s still in play. But I feel like when I hold myself to high standards, I feel like it elevates my play. I’d rather expect more out of myself than less.”

But ultimately, it’s served her — and the Tigers — well.

“To me,” Bloom said, “I think (being a perfectionist) and her competitiveness, you put those two things together and you have a winner.”

Contact sports features writer Ryan O’Gara at (765) 213-5829. Follow him on Twitter @RyanOGaraTSP.

Preseason prognosis: Wapahani, Yorktown
Yorktown’s Arrington took the hard way

Monroe Central’s Jansen Blevins rushed for 53 yards in a 28-12 loss to Adams Central.

MONROE, Ind. — At times, Class 1A No. 12 Monroe Central moved the ball downfield against No. 8 Adams Central seemingly at ease.

But when the Golden Bears entered the Jets’ 10-yard line, it was as if a brick wall went up.

Monroe Central’s season came to an end Friday in a 28-12 loss to Adams Central in the sectional championship.

“Getting into the end zone was not easy to come by, nothing was easy to come by,” Monroe Central coach John Hochstetler said. “First downs weren’t easy, early we had a shot and turned it over and you can’t do that.”

Facing a second and goal on the opening drive, Monroe Central quarterback Wyatt Snyder faked a handoff and bootlegged left, instantly seeing a defender in his face, and threw a pass right to an Adams Central defensive back, intercepted, ending the threat.

That’s red zone mistake No. 1.

After Adam Central’s Hunter Bates and Andrew Hammond pounded in a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter, Monroe Central worked its way downfield again, this time lining up on the 10-yard line before a holding penalty and sack ended the drive: another missed opportunity.

Make that red zone mistake No. 2.

Not scoring after working the ball downfield was spirit-killing for the Golden Bears, as their offensive line struggled to open holes against a superior Adams Central defensive line. Hochstetler noted that the big plays his offense was accustomed to having didn’t occur.

Jansen Blevins finished with 15 carries on the day, more than double what Tyler Writtenhouse had (7). Hochstetler said he wanted to use Writtenhouse more, but the speedy back needs the edge to be set and it wasn’t happening against the Jets line. Blevins had a team-high 53 yards rushing.

The Golden Bears moved inside the red zone for a third time, but again failed to score.

“Adams Central’s line was excellent,” Blevins said. “They were big, they were tough, they got off the ball fast and pushed, did a good job of clogging up the holes.”

Late in the third quarter, Snyder scored on a 10-yard touchdown run to cut the score to 14-6, but Adams Central quickly added two touchdowns to extend its lead. Snyder found Logan Conklin for a 35-yard touchdown on the game’s final play.

“We never had an explosive play, and momentum never swung for us,” Hochstetler said.

Contact prep sports reporter David Polaski at dpolaski@muncie.gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidPolaskiTSP.

Winchester’s Austin Lawrence runs the ball against Eastbrook during sectional football Friday, Nov. 6, 2015, in Winchester.

Winchester’s Elijah Chalfant runs the ball after intercepting a pass from Eastbrook during sectional football Friday, Nov. 6, 2015, in Winchester.

Winchester’s Elijah Chalfant runs the ball after intercepting a pass from Eastbrook during sectional football Friday, Nov. 6, 2015, in Winchester.

Winchester’s Kiante Enis fumbles the ball against Eastbrook during sectional football Friday, Nov. 6, 2015, in Winchester.

Winchester’s Kiante Enis tries to move the ball against Eastbrook’s Andrew Barajas, left, and John Regan during sectional football Friday, Nov. 6, 2015, in Winchester.

Winchester’s Austin Lawrence recovers a fumble against Eastbrook during sectional football Friday, Nov. 6, 2015, in Winchester.

Winchester’s Kiante Enis catches a pass against Eastbrook’s Andrew Barajas during sectional football Friday, Nov. 6, 2015, in Winchester.

Winchester’s Kiante Enis drags Eastbrook into the endzone for a touchdown during sectional football Friday, Nov. 6, 2015, in Winchester.

WINCHESTER — Boo Enis finally did it.

He outperformed his older brother Kiante Enis, senior Winchester running back and Michigan commit, in Friday’s 44-28 win over Eastbrook. Boo is a sophomore wide receiver, and he came up big in the come-from-behind victory with two touchdowns.

The win gave Winchester its first sectional championship in school history, and the Enis brothers were a big part of it.

“I see my brother out here getting touchdowns all the time,” Boo said. “I’m glad I finally got mine. We’ve been waiting for this for a long time. We’ve been jacked all week for this. It’s big.”

Eastbrook jumped out to an early lead, and a slew of mistakes by Winchester looked like it might push the game out of reach early on. Kiante dropped a pair of passes that could have gone to convert first downs and keep drives alive, but even the team’s leader was off.

Ball game. Winchester wins over Eastbrook, 44-28. https://t.co/qCcmwsymwE

—
Dakota Crawford TSP (@DakotaCrawford_) November 07, 2015

Then some momentum started to shift. Boo’s first touchdown helped move Winchester to within 9 points, then Kiante scored the go-ahead touchdown that put his team up 30-28 with just over nine minutes to play in the fourth quarter.

Boo, after a moment of recollection, said he had five catches on the season coming into Friday’s game. As one of his two game-shifting touchdowns flew his way, he could only think one thing: “Just catch the ball.”

And he did. Boo caught two touchdowns, one that went 60 yards, and another that went 29 yards. It’s something his older brother, who holds basically every Winchester rushing record, had to respect.

Though Kiante had a sub-par night by his own standards, the brothers were able to carry their team to a historic sectional victory. Winchester is just the third team from the Tri-Eastern Conference to win a football sectional: Tri has 3, Hagerstown has 10.

“It was big, because he’s been so quiet all season,” Kiante said. “It’s amazing in his first year playing football as a sophomore. To come out and play like that, it’s great.”

Kiante holds school records for rushing yards in a single game, in a season and in a career at Winchester. But Friday, he left the spotlight to his brother.

“It makes me feel humble,” Kiante said. “It’s an Enis tradition, it seems like, to get the ball.”

Contact Ball State sports reporter Dakota Crawford at dmcrawford@muncie.gannett.com and follow @DakotaCrawford_. 

Wapahani defeated Speedway in their Class 2A State Championship game at Worthen Arena Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015.

MUNCIE — Before Skyler Van Note and her Wapahani teammates could take the court Saturday, there was one thing they had to wait on.

The finish of the Class A match between Lafayette Central Catholic and Christian Academy of Indiana.

The first match of the day went a full five sets, meaning the Raiders could do nothing but sit in their locker room and wait, letting nerves build before their biggest match of the season.

“We all wanted to be out there and start playing as soon as possible, so the wait felt really long,” Van Note said. “But we were ready to go as soon as we came out. I would have been ready to play at 8 p.m. if I had to.”

The wait didn’t have a negative impact on Wapahani, coming out and taking the first set 25-17 before winning the match against Speedway in four sets.

“We just listened to our pregame songs and made sure we stayed loose and focused,” Van Note said.

Providence dads have wacky getup

Although the crowd was full of colorful characters throughout all four matches, some of the most noticeable outfits belonged to a group known as the Providence dads, who sat in the first row behind the scorers table.

About a dozen men dressed in full boxer outfits, complete with bright robes, boxing gloves and headbands. The group looked more like they were ready to step into the ring for 10 rounds against Muhammad Ali than cheering at a volleyball match.

They started dressing up for their daughters’ volleyball matches four years ago. This year’s theme was Rocky, while previous themes have been Blues Brothers and Duck Dynasty.

Providence brought a large contingent of fans, but they were some of the most audible and animated supporters during the match.

“We get the kids on board, we have a lot of fun with it,” Providence dad Mike Libs said. “We’re going to cheer our hearts out.”

Shondell loves his volleyball

About an hour before Wapahani’s match against Speedway, Don Shondell was escorted to his seat, where he’d watch the Wapahani and Yorktown matches.

Shondell helped bring about Munciana Volleyball, founded and coached the Ball State men’s volleyball team and was instrumental in bringing men’s volleyball to the Midwest.

He currently coaches Burris middle school volleyball and is still active with the Munciana community.

Contact prep sports reporter David Polaski at dpolaski@muncie.gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidPolaskiTSP.

Wapahani’s celebrates a State Championship win against Speedway at Worthen Arena Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015.

MUNCIE —  For a second straight season, a Delaware County volleyball team was crowned state champion. Wapahani roared to the Class 2A state championship Saturday afternoon at Ball State’s Worthen Arena.

There have only been six seasons since 1984 in which a school in Delaware County has not won a title, and only one season since the state went to the class system for the 1996-97 season.

“It’s a culture, and that’s the biggest thing,” Wapahani coach Jared Richardson said shortly after the Raiders topped Speedway in four sets.

Richardson pointed to stacking the schedule with local opponents as a reason for the Raiders (27-11) winning their third state championship in five seasons. They played Yorktown (38-2) twice, Central (30-5) twice, Wes-Del (24-8) twice and Delta (24-11) once, a slew of opponents most Class 2A schools only dream of playing. According to IndianaPrepVolleyball.com, Wapahani played the sixth-toughest schedule in the state regardless of class, and by far the most challenging in 2A (Burris played the second-toughest slate in 2A, which was 54th overall).

As a result, Wapahani became the fourth state volleyball champion with double-digit losses.

“It just goes to the competition we’ve played,” Richardson said. “We’ve had experience playing behind in games, and they prepared us for it. We’re used to getting beat, and we’re used to losing points. I told them, we’re going to make mistakes and lose points today, but we’re going to get bigger runs and make less mistakes than Speedway. It all came together.”

The day could’ve been even bigger as Yorktown was uncharacteristically a step too slow in a three-set loss to Providence in the Class 3A state championship.

And who knows? If Virginia Wilhoite  hadn’t torn her ACL, Central might have been squaring off with Indianapolis Cathedral in the Class 4A title match. If Wes-Del hadn’t bumped up to 2A this season, it had the talent to repeat as state champions in Class A.

But in the end, Wapahani was the only Delaware County squad left standing – with an assist to the rest of the area teams for preparing it.

“I told those girls in the locker room,” Richardson said, “it’s Speedway’s first time here. They don’t have older sisters who have played in this. They haven’t been in the stands during a state final. They have no idea what it feels like. We’ve got the culture, we’ve got the legacy, we’ve got the heritage. They knew that, and I think it helped push them over because we’re in these big situations all the time, and it’s always about them and the focus. So I think it was just another game today.”

Contact sports features writer Ryan O’Gara at (765) 213-5829. Follow him on Twitter @RyanOGaraTSP.

Hannah Smith

VOLLEYBALL

The Mid-Eastern Conference named its All-MEC team on Tuesday. Wapahani’s Estella Davis, Lexi Spence, Hannah Smith and Skyler Van Note made the list, as did Wes-Del’s Alysa Sutton, Haylie Spencer and Emily Hale, Daleville’s Lindsay Ingenito and Hannah Weber, Monroe Central’s Katarina DiBiasio and Zoee Kear and Cowan’s Diana Campbell.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Delta defeated Alexandria 64-43. Haille Workman led the Eagles in points with 26 and rebounds with 11, while Kortney Helm added 11 points.

Burris defeated Anderson Prep 60-21 in the Owls first game of the season. Sarah Breeden had a team-high 14 points in the win.

Yorktown fell to Frankton 73-59. Jenna Irelan led the Tigers’ offense with 21 points. Madeline Aul scored two 3-pointers.

Mimi Arrington

VOLLEYBALL

The Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association released its All-State volleyball teams Monday. Yorktown’s MiMi Arrington, Jade York and Kenzie Knuckles, along with Delta’s Audrey Woodin, Chloe Stitt and Gabby Zgunda were named first team All-State in 3A, while Yorktown’s Kate Avila was named second team. Wapahani’s Skyler Van Note and Hannah Smith, along with Monroe Central’s Katarina DiBiasio and Wes-Del’s Alysa Sutton were named first team All-State for 2A. Wapahani’s Lexi Spence and Wes-Del’s Emily Hale and Morgan Prather were named to second team. Central’s Virginia Wilhoite was named second team in 4A.

The Hoosier Heritage Conference announced its All-Conference teams Monday. Arrington, Avila, Knuckles and York were named All-HHC, while Kendall Murr and Olivia Reed were Honorable Mention. Stitt, Woodin and Zgunda were All-HHC, while Eagles teammates Kaylee Nichols and Camryn Campbell were Honorable Mention.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Central’s Jayla Scaife was chosen as one of three winners of the IBCA/Subway Player of the Week. Scaife averaged 26.5 points and 18.5 rebounds in two wins last week.

Delta defeated Pendleton Heights at Delta High School Friday, Nov. 6, 2015.

MUNCIE — After Mitchell Hahn reached the end zone, he saw his fallen teammate on the turf. Ryley Pease, Delta’s senior quarterback, was the lead blocker for Hahn on this 2-point conversion Oct. 16 against New Palestine, and he lay in agony after injuring his ankle.

The Eagles offense circled Pease, anxious to make sure their 6-foot-4 signal caller was OK. They slowly dispersed a few seconds later, until it was just Hahn huddled over Pease. The senior wide receiver lingered until Delta coach Grant Zgunda and a trainer reached them on the far side of the field.

“That’s my quarterback, I had to make sure he was all right,” Hahn explained.

Pease limped off, unable to finish the game. He was limited the following week in Delta’s postseason opener against Greenfield-Central but returned close to full strength in the second round against New Castle. In the Eagles’ 46-32 win over Pendleton Heights last Friday for their first sectional title since 2009, Pease threw four touchdowns – including three to his 6-foot-6 running mate, the last of which was the game-winner with less than three minutes left.

In an offense mostly dedicated to feeding the state’s leading rusher, Zach Mills, Pease and Hahn have made the most of their opportunities. Pease is in his first season starting at quarterback and though he has yet to complete 10 passes in any game this season, he has thrown for 1,449 yards and 16 touchdowns against four interceptions. Hahn has racked up 51 catches for 1,227 yards and 122 touchdowns, using a combination of posts, deep-out routes and corner routes that aren’t common at the high school level.

“It’s not easy to do what they’ve done,” Delta coach Grant Zgunda said.

Especially considering neither played much at all on offense last year. Pease played safety, where he also still plays now, but he was the backup to Cade Jones, throwing only one pass. Hahn had seven catches for 145 yards. So just how do they continue to light up opposing defenses week after week?

Delta won against New Castle Friday night with a final score of 49-7.

The genesis of their relationship was when the two teamed up while at Delta Middle School. Pease grew up on the south side of Muncie, going to Southside games with his dad until he moved into Delta’s district. Once there he met Hahn, already around 6 feet tall.

“We became friends after I started throwing touchdowns to him,” Pease said.

The southpaw Pease played quarterback as a freshman before primarily playing defense. Zgunda lauded the way Pease jumped right into offseason workouts once his basketball season ended last year, eager to finally get his chance under center.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a guy work as hard as him,” said Zgunda, who started at Delta in 1998.

Hahn came on strong at the end of last season after rotating in the slot, but opportunities weren’t always there with record-setting back Joe Spegal the focal point on offense.

“Mitch has worked extremely hard at the finer points of running routes and listening to every detail about how you beat certain coverages,” Zgunda said. “The talent has always been there, but he’s really honed in on all the finer things this year which has made him go over the top.”

With Hahn also spending time with his travel baseball team in the summer, the two had limited time to rebuild the chemistry they once had. But they clicked at a team camp at DePauw University and then carried that momentum into the season. Now Hahn is fourth in the state in receiving yards, 134 behind Lafayette Jefferson’s Daniel Ricksy.

All of that culminated in last Friday’s 23-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-21 in a tie game that allowed Delta (9-3) to continue its season Friday at No. 10 Roncalli (8-4) in hopes of its first regional win since 2001. Seated across from Pease and Hahn after a practice earlier this week, Zgunda broke down the play.

“You can throw a jump ball or a Hail Mary, or you can do what these guys did,” he said. “We have a 1-on-1 matchup, Ryley throws it on a line to not let the safety make a play.

“That was a beautiful play. It wasn’t luck, it was absolutely executed the way it should be.”

A season full of long touchdown passes from Pease to Hahn extended by possibly the most incredible yet.

“I haven’t seen (a replay) yet,” Hahn said. “I’m focusing on the next game, I’m not looking back.”

Zgunda nodded his head approvingly.

Pease smiled. “I’ll be honest, I watched it.”

Contact sports features writer Ryan O’Gara at (765) 213-5829. Follow him on Twitter @RyanOGaraTSP.

Friday’s ECI Football Regionals

Class 2A: Winchester (10-2) at No. 4 Woodlan (12-0), 7 p.m.

Class 4A: Delta (9-3) at No. 10 Roncalli, 7:30 p.m.

Audrey Woodin

VOLLEYBALL

Ten local players from Delta, Yorktown, Wes-Del, Wapahani and Daleville made the All-Delaware County roster: Audrey Woodin (Delta), Mimi Arrington (Yorktown), Jade York (Yorktown), Alysa Sutton (Wes-Del), Skyler Van Note (Wapahani), Kenzie Knuckles (Yorktown), Hannah Smith (Wapahani), Gabby Zgunda (Delta), Lindsay Ingenito (Daleville), Emily Hale (Wes-Del), Chloe Stitt (Delta) and Kate Avila (Yorktown). Yorktown head coach Stephanie Bloom was named the Delaware County Coach of the Year.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

New Castle’s Laura Thomas signed her letter of intent to play at Northern Kentucky on Wednesday.

New Castle led Heritage Christian by seven after three quarters but it was unable to hold on in a 46-42 loss. Laura Thomas had 15 points, while Samantha Underwood sank three 3-pointers on her way to 11 points.

Yorktown defeated Burris 54-35. Alexa Stine led the Owls’ offense, sinking two 3-pointers and putting up 14 points on the scoreboard. Jenna Irelan recorded 13 rebounds for the Tigers, and led the team in points with 22.

Jay County defeated Monroe Central 49-42. Abby Wendel scored 21 points in the Patriots’ victory, shooting 8 of 9 from the foul line. Mikaela McGrath put up 15 points for the Golden Bears.

Wapahani defeated Winchester 61-53. The Raiders’ Haley Strombeck led the team in scoring with 20 points. Mariah Roberts topped the Golden Falcons’ offense with 31 points.

Kaylee Nichols

VOLLEYBALL

Delaware County volleyball players Kaylee Nichols of Delta and Kate Avila of Yorktown were named Indiana First Team Academic All-State selections. Kaylee Allen of Daleville was named Honorable Mention Academic All-State. Academic All-State teams are selected by the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Blackford fell to Bluffton 52-40 at home. Rachel Thomas led the Bruins with 14 points, followed by Faith Morris with 13. Morris earned the most rebounds for the Bruins with seven.

Daleville lost in its season opener to South Adams 38-18. Kristen Zimmers led the way for the Broncos with eight points and 11 rebounds.

Central lost to Marion 63-50. No stats were available.

Wes-Del fell to Randolph Southern 56-11. No stats were available.

Central’s Keegan Bronnenberg follows through on a shot at the Central Golf Regional at The Players Club last season.

Central won’t be the last stop for Keegan Bronnenberg’s golf career.

The senior Bearcat signed a letter of intent Thursday to play for IPFW after he graduates from Central in the spring.

“The opportunity of having all the great golf courses in Fort Wayne, they’re beautiful, I couldn’t pass that up,” Bronnenberg said.

He returns to Central for one more season after barely falling short of taking the top spot in the IHSAA state championship last spring.

He shot par over the two-day event (144) at Prairie View Golf Course in Carmel to finished tied for third place with five other golfers. Just two golfers finished ahead of him, both shooting 1-under. It was a significant improvement over his sophomore season when he still made the trip to state but finished 13-over par.

Finishing so close to the top spot as a junior has motivated Bronnenberg all offseason, who wants nothing more than to win it all before making the trip up I-69 for college.

“I thought it was the best decision for me,” Bronnenberg said.

IPFW’s men’s golf team struggled last season and could use Bronnenberg’s swing. The Mastodons finished in last place out of nine teams in the Summit League Championships in May.

He’s spent most of the offseason practicing and training at MD’s Golf Academy and will continue training there throughout the winter and spring. He said he’s most proud of his driving and ability to put the ball on the green, and has been working on his putting and short game.

“Knowing that all summer, I competed with the same guys that beat me at state, and knowing I can beat them on any given day, it’s plenty of motivation,” Bronnenberg said.

He’ll have a few more months to sharpen his game before he attacks his final season in a Central uniform. The IHSAA doesn’t allow the first contest for boys golf in the spring until March 28.

Basketball

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Wapahani defeated Alexandria 60-35. Annie Schuck led the Raiders with 18 points, Kambrey Jolley was second with nine.

Burris fell to Tri 59-27. Sarah Breeden knocked down five shots and scored a team-high 11 points for the Owls. Emma Meier had the lone Burris 3-pointer.

Kortney Helm scored 12 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as Delta improved to 2-2 with a 59-42 victory at Elwood. Micaya Richardson and Avery Lewman each added 15 points for the Eagles.

Blackford fell to South Adams 69-55. Faith Morris poured in a team-high 22 points for Blackford while Rachel Thomas nailed four 3-pointers.

Monroe Central defeated Union 50-39. The Golden Bears used a 21-11 fourth quarter to seal the win.

Winchester won at Shenandoah 53-42 as Lizz Pegg scored 19 points and reeled in 12 rebounds. Mariah Roberts added 18 points while Rebecca Neville had seven points and 16 rebounds.

Muncie Central seniors Jayla Scaife, Ke’Chell Tate, Jaylen Montgomery and Fa’Tara Davis have left a lasting impression.

Muncie Central seniors Jayla Scaife, Ke’Chell Tate, Jaylen Montgomery and Fa’Tara Davis have left a lasting impression.

Muncie Central seniors Ke’Chell Tate, Jayla Scaife, Jaylen Montgomery and Fa’Tara Davis have left a lasting impression.

MUNCIE — As the Central Bearcats struggled to a 2-19 season in 2011-12, first-year coach Lisa Blalock heard the chatter. Not that her job was in jeopardy, but that a turnaround might be right around the corner – literally.

Everyone told her, “Hey, there are some really good eighth graders.” She knew of Jayla Scaife because of her older brother, former Ball State basketball player Jauwan Scaife. But she wasn’t familiar with Fa’Tara Davis, Jaylen Montgomery and Ke’Chell Tate, part of a crew that only lost one game as teammates in middle school (it was to New Castle in the final game of eighth grade).

So in the midst of that challenging first season, Blalock ventured out to Northside one night to catch a glimpse of the future.

“I can still see it,” she said at a practice earlier this month. “They were precious, just adorable. … I remember the four of them out on the court. I remember Jaylen shooting, Ke’Chell driving, Jayla just being Jayla inside and Fa’Tara running the floor.”

ECI girls basketball: 5 to watch

Fast forward three seasons and 48 wins, and not much has changed – the four seniors are just bigger and stronger. Scaife, a Dayton signee, is coming off a season in which she averaged 21.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 2.5 blocks. Tate, the point guard, averaged nearly nine points and three assists while Davis contributed just shy of seven points and six rebounds.

By now, each is comfortable with the other’s style of play because they’ve been playing with and against one another for so long. Tate and Davis went to Longfellow Elementary, Scaife went to Storer Elementary and Montgomery went to Garfield Elementary.

Storer beat Longfellow in fifth grade, but Scaife’s squad lost to Tate and Davis in fourth grade.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Scaife says, laughing.

Then they went unbeaten in middle school, until that last game. Scaife, Tate and Davis helped the Bearcats regroup as freshmen, going 11-10 (Montgomery then went to Southside as a freshman before coming over to Central). Then came an 18-6 season as sophomores which ended with the team’s first sectional title since 1997. Last year brought another sectional championship as Central went 19-6.

The four have come a long way together.

“We’re trying to take this team as far as it can go,” Tate says. “Leave a mark before we leave so we can come back and look at something. We’re trying to hang another banner up.”

Central’s Fa’Tara Davis and Jayla Scaife react to a teammate taking a foul during their game against Delta at Blackford High School Tuesday.

They’re also aiming for more than just victories, striving for the sort of thing that won’t show up in the record books, but will be felt for years to come.

They’re trying to be mentors, the same way that the graduated Savannah Jackson, Jessica Rowe, Madelyn Beaver and many others were to them. And that’s not always easy.

“When you have so many young players,” Davis says, “and they have to take what they do in practice and transfer it to a game, it’s hard. Sometimes they overthink.”

Of the 11 players listed on the roster, four are sophomores and two are freshmen. The word Scaife kept using at a recent practice was “encourage.”

“Coach will always pull us the four of us to the side,” Montgomery says, “and tell us, ‘We’re going to do this drill and everybody looks up to y’all, so if y’all lack, they’re going to lack.’ It’s every day.”

The Bearcats, already off to a 2-1 start this season, moved up to Class 4A this year after three years in Class 3A. Tate says she doesn’t want to think about this being the group’s last year together, she just wants to have fun.

So does their coach, the one who realized the possibilities four years ago.

“It’s been such a joy to coach them and be part of their journey as they’ve grown,” Blalock says. “They’ve taken this program to a whole new level and to heights of success that are just awesome. They are definitely leaving a legacy. And with who they are as people, as individuals.

“I want to enjoy this journey with them.”

Contact sports features writer Ryan O’Gara at (765) 213-5829. Follow him on Twitter @RyanOGaraTSP.

Muncie Central seniors Jayla Scaife, Ke’Chell Tate, Jaylen Montgomery and Fa’Tara Davis have left a lasting impression.

As Dayton signee Jayla Scaife and the Central Bearcats aim for the same success in Class 4A, here are five other East Central Indiana girls basketball players to watch.

DeAnn Kauffman

DeAnn Kauffman, Union

Kauffman already surpassed 1,000 career points as a junior, a year in which the 5-foot-10 point guard averaged 18.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4 assists and 3.3 steals per game. With fellow senior Rylee Davis also back, the Rockets are shooting higher than their 22-4 mark last season, which included a Class 1A sectional title. A standout on the volleyball court too, Kauffmann plans to play both sports at Indiana Tech. “Everything you need, this girl can do,” says Union coach Andrew Moore. “She sets up her teammates and just has a knack for the game. She sees the floor extremely well. At the high school level, not many kids can do what she does.”

Kambrey Jolley

Kambrey Jolley, Wapahani

If there’s one player making the transition for first-year Wapahani coach Brad Cutter easier, it’s the 5-11 Jolley. “She gives you everything you want from a senior, that’s for sure,” Cutter says. “She can handle the ball, post up or shoot from the outside. She’s an all-around player.” Jolley has spent time on the varsity since she was a freshman and is coming off a junior campaign in which she averaged 13.5 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.8 steals. A core that includes juniors Payten Lee, Haley Strombeck and Kaci Mangus will try to improve upon a 14-8 season.

Faith Morris, Blackford

Faith Morris

A solid sophomore season has sparked Division I interest for the 6-3 junior center, and that’s not all that’s changed. Without Lauren Godfrey (14.1 ppg), Maggie Weeks-Foy (10.5 ppg) and four other seniors, Morris is expected to significantly increase her 12.6 points, 9 rebounds and 2.7 blocks she averaged last season. “She looked up to them, followed their lead. She was a major part of that,” coach Jack Norton says. “She found her groove in the summer and fall and is learning how to be that dominant player she can be.” Norton says Morris reminds him of former NBA player Manute Bol with her long arms and ability to not only block a shot but retrieve the loose ball, too.

Micaya Richardson

Micaya Richardson, Delta

Everything Delta does revolves around the 5-6 Richardson, who is coming off a sophomore season during which she put up 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.6 steals per game. Her numbers were actually a little down from her freshman campaign when she averaged 13.6 points. A lot of that had to do with an ankle injury which caused her to miss eight games. But numbers are secondary when quantifying Richarson’s impact, as everything revolves around her. Delta coach Bruce Ruble called her one of the best girls basketball players he’s coached. “She’s not a 20-point scorer yet,” Ruble says, “but it’s all the other things she does, like getting steals and guarding the other team’s best player.The kids look up to her, and we go as she goes.”

Laura Thomas

Laura Thomas, New Castle

A leader in every sense of the word, the hard-nosed, hard-driving guard has started since she was a freshman. After averaging 15.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2 steals per game and leading New Castle to a 16-6 record as a junior, Thomas signed with Northern Kentucky. “Her basketball IQ is out of the roof. She sees the floor really well,” coach Corie West says. “She makes everything happen for us offensively. She’s very good at getting in the lane and getting the ball where it needs to be. A great kid, the hardest-working I’ve ever coached.”

Four Central seniors aim for big finish

Contact sports features writer Ryan O’Gara at (765) 213-5829. Follow him on Twitter @RyanOGaraTSP.

Delta’s Boys Basketball Team practices in the side gym of Delta High School Monday afternoon.

Delta’s Boys Basketball Team practices in the side gym of Delta High School Monday afternoon.

Delta’s Boys Basketball Team practices in the side gym of Delta High School Monday afternoon.

Delta’s Boys Basketball Team practices in the side gym of Delta High School Monday afternoon.

Delta’s Boys Basketball Team practices in the side gym of Delta High School Monday afternoon.

Delta’s Boys Basketball Team practices in the side gym of Delta High School Monday afternoon.

Delta’s Boys Basketball Team practices in the side gym of Delta High School Monday afternoon.

MUNCIE — Delta basketball big man Matt Norris opened the second day of practice last week posting up, backing down an invisible defender before tossing a bank shot off the glass and into the net.

Once, twice, three times in a row, like clockwork. Take the ball, post up, back the invisible defender down, bank in the shot.

He called it one of the strongest aspects of his game, one that he hopes guides Delta to victory over the course of the 2015-16 season.

The 6-foot-8 senior lives close to the basket and isn’t afraid to let anyone know.

“I like to call it ‘my paint,'” Norris said. “I don’t like anybody scoring in my paint. No buckets inside 10 feet, it won’t happen.”

Second-year Eagles coach Ryan VanSkyock echoed that sentiment, saying that his team will be coached with a defense-first mentality. He’s looking to build off a tough first season in which Delta went 8-16 and had a first-round postseason exit at Central’s hands. He said due to schedule alterations, his team will open its season at Cowan on Dec. 4.

At least now he has his full team on hand. Throughout the first week of practice, he was missing Kaleb Slaven, Ryley Pease, Tanner Lambert, Rylan Sullivan and Logan Clawson — the first four of which are starters. They play football and because Delta went to the regional, VanSkyock had to wait for their arrival.

His plan is to play a slow, grinding style and use his team’s size in the paint to shut down driving lanes on defense and work the ball inside on offense.

Delta’s Boys Basketball Team practices in the side gym of Delta High School Monday afternoon.

If any team has the size to do it, it’s the Eagles. Along with Norris, Slaven has a 6-foot-5, 270-pound frame. The big, very big pair plan to pack the paint and give opponents headaches.

“If we’re playing a Central or Mt. Vernon, who have a lot of athleticism, we want to slow down the pace and play our style,” VanSkyock said. “If we’re playing a team we think we’re better than, we’ll speed it up.”

It’s the second year playing VanSkyock’s system for most of the players, an advantage opposed to last season when they had just two weeks to learn before playing Pendleton Heights. He noted that Delta lost seven games last year by eight points or less and believes some of that is due to a lack of experience and the overall youth of the team.

But with a year under their belts, he’s confident Slaven and Norris can lead by anchoring the defense.

“We want Kaleb and Matt around the rim as much as possible,” VanSkyock said. “There aren’t many teams that have that much size…we want to make teams take outside contested shots on the perimeter.”

The post moves Norris worked on all offseason and during practice aren’t the only changes in his game fans will see, but he isn’t letting those secrets out.

“You’ll see them during the season,” Norris said.

Contact prep sports reporter David Polaski at (765) 213-2848. Follow him on Twitter @DavidPolaskiTSP.

Brady Harris

COWAN — Lee Ingles gave his Cowan Blackhawks a choice for Wednesday’s practice – either after school like most teams or before school at 6 a.m.

The Blackhawks are eager to build on a vastly-improved 2014-15 campaign, thus the early-morning wake-up call. They practice before school two or three times per week during the preseason, Ingles will bring the players doughnuts to snack on as they head off to class and the Blackhawks begin their day intent on taking the next step as a program.

Cowan went 1-19 in 2013-14 before improving to 9-13 last season – Ingles’ first after moving from Michigan with his son, junior point guard Shea Ingles. Going from one win to nine isn’t nearly as difficult as going from nine to 13 or 14 wins, which is Cowan’s goal.

“You got to nine and that’s a great accomplishment, as we took really good strides,” Lee Ingles said. “But you have to work so much harder to get from nine to where you want to go than when you went to nine. You can’t make little mistakes and beat those teams. We’re really pushing them that way.

“That’s a good question. Where do we go? Because it’s not easy.”

The foundation is there with senior guards Clayton Klipinger (13.2 points per game) and Brady Harris (10.2 ppg), the latter coming off a season in which he set a single-season record for 3-pointers with 50. Breydn Weston is an undersized center at 6-foot-1 but plays physical.

Shea Ingles

That gives Shea Ingles, who averaged six assists last season, plenty of options.

“We have a lot of weapons,” Shea Ingles said, “a lot of different people that can do different things.”

The Blackhawks started 1-8 last season, and the biggest issue was that they rushed shots and sometimes didn’t know which shots to take. But there were also a lot of improvements, like cutting their turnovers per game from 29 in 2013-14 to just 11 last season.

As a result, Cowan went through a stretch in which it went 8-3.

“We had a lot of games last year that we couldn’t seem to close out,” Harris said. “But we kept working and working, and towards the end of the year, we learned how to close them out. Those close games, we got them this time. Honestly, I think we got nervous.”

Lee Ingles said it was just a matter of getting over the hump last season. And there’s another hump the Blackhawks must get over this season, and it’s even more of a challenge.

“Good things are coming, but they don’t come without hard work,” Lee Ingles said. “Now people know that you can play, so things are going to change a little bit. We’ve raised the bar a little bit, which is good. We want those expectations, and we’ll do our best to go meet them.”

Contact sports features writer Ryan O’Gara at (765) 213-5829. Follow him on Twitter @RyanOGaraTSP.

Basketball

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Jay County took down Union City 61-34. The Patriots were led by Shelby Caldwell with 20 points and eight rebounds, followed by Abby Wendel with 17 points.

Monroe Central defeated Wes-Del 63-30. Mikaela McGrath put up 24 points for the Golden Bears, while Abbie Rooker led the Warriors in scoring with 11.

Daleville fell to the Indiana School for the Deaf 43-35. Kristen Zimmers led the Broncos with 14 points followed by Kaylee Allen with 11.

Sam Smoot

GASTON — Every summer, Wes-Del boys basketball coach John McGlothin takes his team down to St. Louis for a tournament. The team spends three or four days there, just being guys — a team-bonding trip. It allows McGlothin, a veteran coach in his third season with the Warriors, to see the players in a different light, and vice versa. They play several games per day at Greenville College, which is just east of the Missouri-Illinois border, and then head down to St. Louis at night to see The Arch or a Cardinals game.

These are usually the last games of the summer, a final reward for several months of hard work. But this past summer, the Warriors didn’t want to be done. So they kept playing.

“This group loves playing, they show up to everything,” McGlothin said. “Whenever we have the gym open, they’re here. It was one of those things where we’re like, ‘Hey do you guys want to go play again this weekend?’ ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’”

The other benefit was that it afforded McGlothin and his staff even more time to see a team which has 14 players vying for playing time – unusual depth for a Class 1A school.

“We have a bunch of people fighting for spots, so we’ve really been able to find out strengths and weaknesses,” junior Sutter Foster said. “It’s been more fun bringing all these people up and seeing how hard they’ll work to get a spot.”

Sutter Foster

McGlothin envisions a lot being done by committee, like when one guy gets it going, keep feeding him the ball. And he said it may be a season when he doesn’t stick with the same starting lineup every game. But at least initially, the Warriors – who went 8-14 last season – have a solid core in place with Foster (7.9 points per game last season), senior Sam Smoot (7.3 ppg) and senior Adam Routh (6.3 ppg).

Peyton Waters is back to run the point for a second straight season and McGlothin hopes junior Tevin Richards makes a leap in his game this season after playing in all 22 contests last season. Junior Jacob Newsome will be counted on inside, and sophomore Gavin Bullock will be in the mix at guard, as well.

Offseason track workouts have paid off, too.

“We’ve conditioned a lot more than we have in the past, and it’s shown in the gym already,” said Routh, who ran for 13 touchdowns on the gridiron in the fall. “We can make it through the whole practice without dying.”

Adam Routh

The unique part about this group, McGlothin said, is that it just seems to mesh. He can take them on as many overnight trips as he wants, but unless the seniors buy in and embrace being leaders, it doesn’t mean much.

“In drills it’s fighting to the end,” Smoot said. “And sometimes we’ll get in scuffles or whatever, but then it’s over and we’re friends again. Every day is a battle and we’re looking forward to starting the season off.”

Contact sports features writer Ryan O’Gara at (765) 213-5829. Follow him on Twitter @RyanOGaraTSP.