Published: November 10, 2009 11:21 pm         

Valley prep athletes pick colleges

South baseball’s Hayes, West Vigo’s Wampler and North Central’s Higginbottom will compete at next level

Two Vigo County baseball players will sign national letters-of-intent this week to play at the Division I level, and one Wabash Valley track standout has committed to run for Indiana State.

Jacob Hayes of Terre Haute South will sign today to play for defending regular-season Big Ten champion Ohio State, and Tyler Wampler of West Vigo will ink with Indiana State during the early signing period that begins today and ends Nov. 18.

All-state sprinter Shelby Higginbottom of North Central will run for the Sycamores and women’s coach John Gartland. She cannot sign a LOI until on or after Feb. 3.

For Hayes, playing for Ohio State has been his dream ever since his cousin Mike Hayes pitched for the Buckeyes.

While Hayes said he also had interest from Indiana University, it didn’t take him long to make a decision.

“When [Ohio State] said they’d offer me a scholarship, it was a weird feeling, it really was a dream come true,” Hayes said. “I kind of knew when Ohio State offered, I knew deep down that’s where I would end up. Ohio State has made it seem like I’ll have a chance to play right away.”

Hayes, who credits his father and South coach Kyle Kraemer for his development as a player, helped the Braves win back-to-back sectional titles and a regional title in 2008. The leadoff batter had four home runs in 2009 and had a strong summer for Wayne Newton Post 346. Playing for his uncle, manager John Hayes, Jacob hit .427 and struck out just 10 times in close to 150 at-bats.

Wampler made a verbal commitment to the Sycamores earlier this fall, and the 6-foot two-sport standout at West Vigo will join two former Vikings at ISU. Second baseman Jordan Pearson and catcher Jeremy Lucas are freshmen at ISU. Those three players were key in helping West Vigo finish as runner-up in Class 3A in 2009.

“I’ll get to play with Jeremy and Jordan again and Bryan Chestnut,” Wampler said. “The progam’s really turning around. I just like what direction

they’re heading.”

Wampler expects his game to continue to improve.

“I’m a strong defender,” Wampler said. “I think the next level, they’ll get me hitting a lot better. I’ll be working with Casey DeGroote. I think they’ll raise my level of play so I can get to the next level after that.”

West Vigo coach Steve DeGroote said Wampler is a natural leader.

“There’s just certain people that have a certain characteristic that leads people in the direction that gets things started,” Steve DeGroote said.

Wampler, also a pitcher for the Vikings, finished his junior year with a .412 average. DeGroote expects an even better season in 2010.

“I really think when it’s all said and done, he will be as good as any shortstop in the state of Indiana,” DeGroote said.

“Even as good as he is, he is so willing to listen to a coach on instructions of his play. That’s where so many ballplayers are lost, they quit listening. He’s never quit listening to instructions to get better.”

Higginbottom is joining the ranks of several Sullivan County track and field athletes who have went on to great success at ISU. From North Central, Higginbottom’s coach Jessica (Crowder) Wayton was a NCAA All-American and a Missouri Valley Conference champion in cross country, and Rick Sluder held the men’s 5,000-meter track record for ISU for many years.

Higginbottom, like former Sullivan standout and ISU senior Erica Moore, excels in the shorter distances.

Higginbottom has North Central’s school records in the 100-meter dash, the 200, 400, 800 and long jump. She also has the school’s cross country record for a 5K — girls ran just 4K during Crowder’s career in the late 1990s.

Higginbottom qualified for the state finals as a freshman in the 100, 200 and long jump. As a sophomore, she earned All-State honors in two events. She was fifth place with a leap of 17-feet, 8 inches in the long jump and eighth place in the 200 with a time of 25.85.

“They might try to build her up in the jumps,” Wayton said. “I’m sure they’ll try in a few different things. I think she could do whatever she sets her mind to.”

Robinson, Ill., will have two athletes signing Thursday. Meyers Leonard, a 6-11 center on the basketball floor, will sign to play for the University of Illinois. Derek Hannahs, son of former Indiana State baseball standout Mitch Hannahs, will sign to play baseball for Ball State.