PENDLETON – It is a big thing to make the final four of a state tournament in any sport. In Indiana, it is a huge thing to make the final four of the basketball tournament.
If you happen to live in Madison County, it is the fulfillment of a dream that is hammered into every youth from infancy.
That is exactly the position the Pendleton Heights Arabians will find themselves in this Saturday. Pendleton Heights is traveling to Plymouth Feb. 28 to meet mighty South Bend Washington in the northern Class 4A semistate.
Hoosier Authority sat down with Pendleton Heights seniors Lacey Martin and Amanda Gaskin (below), and with coach Shari Doud, after practice on Thursday and discussed what it means to be this far down the tourney trail. Enjoy!
The Pendleton Heights boys basketball team got a big road win on Tuesday night over rival and sectional foe, New Castle.
The Arabians (9-8) never trailed, but things got very interesting down the stretch. New Castle scored only 18 points in the first three quarters, but senior Corey Clemens led them on a fourth quarter run in which the Trojans outscored PH 23-15.
Clemens, who scored a game-high 22 points on 7-of-21 shooting, had his team within two points in the final minute of the game before freshman Kendall Waters and sophomore Ryan Albers iced the win with four free throws.
Waters scored 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting and he was flawless from the field in the second half. Nathan Hendershot added 11 points and three rebounds for the Arabians and Michael Maxwell hit two 3-pointers for six points.
The win was significant for a young team that has struggled to win on the road this season. PH, which won only two of its first seven contests away from home, will be back at the New Castle Fieldhouse next week when it plays Anderson in the sectional.
When the Lapel Bulldogs came to the Pendleton Heights High School gym last Friday night, the Arabians were expected to be in for the battle of their lives.
Freshman forward Nick Swartz (6-foot-3) was missing his second consecutive game with a partially torn meniscus in his right knee, meaning PH was left with only six players to rotate and zero big bodies to throw at Lapel’s Logan Ingle (6-foot-5) and Jeremy Reed (6-foot-4).
But for a team that was celebrating the career of its lone senior, Michael Maxwell, the 71-52 win was a great reward for a kid that had worked so hard.
Lapel’s big dogs were kept in check by Ryan Albers and Patrick Obras as they combined to score only 18 points, six of which came in the first two minutes.
On the offensive end, Obras scored a season-high 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting, Nathan Hendershot lit up the Bulldogs for 18 second half points (22 in all), and Maxwell knocked down four 3’s in his last home game.
Hahn couldn’t have been happier.
“It was a great night, a great senior night,” he said. “We had a little talk at halftime because I didn’t feel we were playing with the effort due to our senior. They came out in the second half and played the way they should have.”
The boys travel to Frankton for a rematch from the Madison County Tournament on Tuesday night and then to Connersville to close the regular season on Wednesday.
Matt Todd put together one of the best IHSAA Wrestling Championship performances in the history of Arabian Wrestling this past Friday and Saturday. His quest for an undefeated championship season fell just short in a loss by decision in the championship match of the 160 lb. weight class.
In the Friday night’s opening round Matt pinned Bellmont’s Trent Busse in 3:20. The win sent set up Saturday morning’s quarter-final match-up with Kurt Monix of Lowell. Monix sported a record of 33 -3, with all three defeats at the hands of undefeated Merrilville Semi-State champion Mark Meyers of Crown Point. Todd opened the match aggressively but was taken down on a counter by Monix. Matt responded with a quick escape and then hit his signature throw, a Russian two-on-one, and made several quick adjustments to gain a fall in 54 seconds over the stunned Monix. The pin was the second fastest in the 160 lb. weight class in IHSAA state finals history.
In the semi-finals Todd faced undefeated Northridge senior Ross Powell. Matt scored a first period takedown for a 2-0 lead. He steadily built his margin throughout the match, earning a near-fall, an escape and another takedown. The final score of 8-3 meant that he had falls or near-falls over all three opponents.
In the championship finals Todd squared off against unbeaten senior Briar Runyan of Martinsville. The West Point recruit scored the first takedown and a near-fall to sprint to a 5-0 lead. Matt escaped but was unable to decrease the margin any further against the three-time place winner. The final score of 8-3 represented the first loss for Matt since last year’s state finals. While the final result was disappointing, the big picture of an outstanding season and a stellar career is something at which to marvel.
Matt Todd finished his season with a 46-1 record, the most wins ever by an Arabian. He also owns the career record for wins with 125 and falls with 89. The undefeated stretch of 46 wins on his run to the title match is the longest winning streak in Arabian Wrestling history. The two-time team MVP is also three time Madison County champion, Connersville Invitational champion, Hoosier Heritage Conference champion, two-time Sectional Champion, two-time Regional champion and 2009 Semi-State Champion. He was also named Outstanding Wrestler at the Madison County championships and Tipton Invitational championships.
Mason Todd became the first Pendleton Heights freshman to appear in the state wrestling finals Friday night. He lost his first round match to finish his rookie season with a 40-4 record. The future looks bright for Arabian wrestling as 11 starters and 14 lettermen return for next season to defend Madison County and Tipton Invitational team titles and attempt to win the IHSAA Sectional title that narrowly eluded PH this year.
Matt Todd of
Pendleton Heights led the way for Hoosier Heritage Conference wrestlers at the
State Finals on Saturday. Todd finished in the runner-up spot at 160lbs. He was
the only one of nine HHC grapplers who competed to reach the championship
match.
Todd started
the tournament by defeating by pinning Trent Busse of Bellmont at 3:20. He then
pinned Kurt Monix of Lowell in just 54 seconds. In the semi-finals, Todd
decisioned Ross Powell of Northridge. That set up a final showdown with Briar
Runyan of Martinsville who decisioned Todd 8-3 for the title.
The other
Todd boy, freshman Mason was a first round casualty. He was decisioned by Brian
Kuhn of Evansville Reitz 14-2. The younger Todd was among three HHC wrestlers
who fell in the first round. Steven Gonzales of Delta fell at 112lbs. to Josh
Julian of Lebanon. In the heavyweight division, Ross Janney of Yorktown fell to
James Travis of Merrillville.
Four other
Yorktown grapplers had larger degrees of success.Kyle Mosier advanced to the semi-finals at
152lbs. before falling to eventual state champion Sean MacMurray of Portage
7-6. The Tigers’ Derek Bevans (119), Andrew Hiestand (126), and Jordan Dulaney
(145) all fell in quarterfinal action.
Antonio
Halbert of New Palestine also fell victim in the quarterfinals. Halbert fell to
eventual champion Billy Baker of Bellmont 15-5.
The Todd boys are at it again. Both of the Arabians qualified for the State Finals at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis next weekend. Matt won the 160 lb. championship at the New Castle Semi-State. Mitch claimed third at 103 lbs. The two Pendleton Heights wrestlers were among ten Hoosier Heritage wrestlers to advance to next week. Here is a look at the complete list.
Steve Gonzales – Delta – Champion – 112 lbs. – Woodland Semi-State Devon Jackson – Yorktown – 3rd – 112 lbs. – Woodland Derek Bevans—Yorktown – 2nd – 119 lbs. – Woodland Jordan Dulaney – Yorktown – Champion – 145 lbs. – Woodland Kyle Mosler – Yorktown – Champion – 152 lbs. – Woodland Ross Janney – Yorktown – 2nd – Heavyweight – Woodland Mitch Todd – Pendleton Heights – 3rd – 103 lbs. – New Castle Semi-State Keith Duncan – Rushville – 4th – 140 lbs. – New Castle Matt Todd – Pendleton Heights – Champion – 160 lbs. – New Castle Antonio Halbert – New Palestine – 2nd – 215 lbs. – New Castle
It is time
to take a look at the pairings for sectionals which start this week, and the
prospects for Hoosier Heritage Conference teams. Two of the league’s clubs,
Pendleton Heights and Greenfield-Central, compete in 4A. The remaining six
teams will tangle in 3A competition.
Both the
Arabians and Cougars have to be happy with their draws in the Connersville
sectional. Pendleton Heights will get things started Tuesday evening against
New Castle. The Arabians easily handled the Trojans in the season opener,
52-41. Greenfield-Central will open Wednesday night versus a Richmond team that
has won only three games all season. Pendleton Heights would likely see host
Connersville in the semi-finals and that could be a challenge. Greenfield would
face the winner of Anderson and Muncie Central. Look for this to be an all HHC
final with Pendleton Heights being the clear favorite.
Four HHC
teams are in the 3A New Palestine Sectional. Three of those squads are very
happy. That is because the two titans in the field, Rushville and Hamilton heights,
drew each other in opening round action on Tuesday night. That means the rest of
the field will only have to beat one of them along the trail. The real winner
in the draw was New Palestine. The Dragons drew a struggling Shelbyville squad
in the short half of the bracket. Mount Vermin faces whoever wins the big
battle on Tuesday. The bottom line is this. No matter how the draw breaks out,
Rushville is absolutely the team to beat in this field.
Yorktown and
Delta will be in action at the Mississinewa Sectional. It is a wide open
affair. Yorktown has the best record in the field, but the Tigers open against
the host Indians and that is never easy. Delta is in the bye bracket and will
face the winner of that game. 13-6 Blackford got the best of it in the draw.
The Bruins face a subpar Muncie South squad and then have Eastbrook in the semi-finals.
Look for this to be a Yorktown-Blackford title contest. I will call for the
Tigers to emerge as champion.
1. The Lady Arabians finished in 3rd place in the 11-team Hamilton Southeastern sectional matching their best finish in the last 17 seasons.
2. Autumn Brown finished in a tie for second place in the 50 freestyle. She qualified for the state championships and is tied for 14th in the state. Autumn also finished in fifth place in the 100 free where she also qualified for state. She is ranked 31st in the state in the 100 free.
3. Nikki Weston placed fourth in the 100 breaststroke and 7th in the 200 I.M.
4. Amberleigh Clauson finished in 9th place in the 200 free and 11th in the 100 free.
5. Lacey Jackson finished in 12th place in the 200 free and 9th place in the 500 free.
6. Marta Kedziora finished in 8th place in the 100 backstroke.
7. Jillyan Jackson finished in 9th place in the 200 I.M. and 8th place in the 500 free.
8. Laura Davisson finished in 11th place in the 500 free.
9. Marta Kedziora, Alexis Niccum, Caitlin Evans, and Hyder Merryman finished in fifth place in the Medley Relay.
10. Nikki Weston, Amberleigh Clauson, Jillyan Jackson, and Autumn Brown finished in third place in the 200 Free Relay.
11. Nikki Weston, Amberleigh Clauson, Lacey Jackson, and Autumn Brown also finished in third place in the 400 Free Relay.
12. Diving Regionals: Tuesday at Fishersat 6:00 PM
13. State Swimming Prelims: Friday at IUPUIat 6:00 PM
The boys have the their final dual meet Monday night at 6:00 PM at home.
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