Published: December 28, 2008 12:08 am         

2008 in review: Shakamak leads the pack with state title

TERRE HAUTE — Below are the top 10 Wabash Valley sports stories for 2008 as voted on by nine Tribune-Star sportswriters and correspondents.



1. Shakamak baseball wins Class A state championship; Rockville, Terre Haute South lose at semistate — On June 14, Shakamak High School’s baseball team defeated Cowan 6-2 for the Class A state championship at Indianapolis’ Victory Field.

Sophomore pitcher T.J. Hill struck out 10 batters and allowed only five Cowan hits to earn a complete-game victory.

The Lakers managed only three hits, but they turned six unearned runs in the fifth inning into the school’s first state championship in any sport. Jaret May drove in the final three runs with a double.

This was particularly rewarding, because Shakamak baseball teams were unable to bring home the Class A state title in three previous final-game appearances this decade.

“Finally, I guess,” a happy Shakamak coach Matt Fougerousse said afterward. “We’ve been so close… We didn’t catch a break [in the 2006 championship game against Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian].”

“I’m walking on air,” May said. “It’s the most amazing feeling ever.”

Shakamak finished 26-8 for the season.

Another Class A team with realistic state-finals aspirations, Rockville, lost to Cowan 12-4 in the semistate June 9 at Kokomo.

Rockville, which entered the contest ranked in a tie for fourth in the state among Class A teams, ended up 26-5.

Terre Haute South also reached the semistate in Class 4A, losing 7-5 to eventual state champion Decatur Central.

2. Basketball coaches Jones (North), Lancaster (Northview), Maroska (South), Thornton (West Vigo) step down — For various reasons, plenty of high school basketball coaches were on the move in the Wabash Valley in 2008.

The biggest news was Jim Jones’ retirement announcement, which came during the annual sectional luncheon at the Elks Club on Feb. 21.

“Giving [coaching] up, tough?” he asked. “Not really. I’ve got a lot of fish to catch, a lot of golf to play. My wife [Joyce], my best friend, my golfing buddy … she even became a pretty good assistant coach down through the years.”

Jones went out with a bang, guiding Terre Haute North to a Class 4A Martinsville Sectional championship in what many Wabash Valley fans considered an upset.

When North lost to Evansville Reitz 73-44 in the Seymour Regional on March 10, Jones ended his 45-year coaching career with a record of 680-381. Twenty-three of those seasons were with the Patriots.

In April, the Vigo County School Board approved the recommendation that longtime North assistant coach Todd Woelfle be named Jones’ successor.

Jones is the fourth-winningest boys high school basketball coach in Indiana history.

But that wasn’t the end of the surprise coaching decisions of 2008.

On March 1, the career of one of the Valley’s finest and most competitive boys basketball coaches came to an abrupt end when Mitch Lancaster announced after Northview’s 40-37 sectional championship loss to North that he had coached his last varsity game.

“I’ve had 17 years of wonderful kids [at Rockville and Northview],” Lancaster explained, “but I had my heart attack four years ago and then some more problems [with health] in October [2007] … the stress induced and the highs and lows [of coaching] are not conducive to my health.”

Lancaster ended up 254-133 for his career.

Former Northview standout athlete Ernie Maesch left the head-coaching job at Shakamak to take Lancaster’s place at Northview.

In late July, Alan Maroska informed the Vigo County School Corp. of his intent to resign as Terre Haute South’s girls basketball coach. In 26 seasons, his record included 398 wins, 190 losses and a Class 4A state championship in 2002.

“I have enjoyed the many years of coaching girls basketball at South Vigo High School and am very proud of the great accomplishments of the students over the years,” Maroska said in his letter of resignation.

“He’s had a great career at South,” South principal Chris Mauk reflected. “Obviously, he’s been very successful. He’s made Terre Haute South a well-respected program throughout the state … but I respect his wishes. I wish him the best.”

In late August, former West Vigo football coach Dave Cassell was appointed to take Maroska’s place.

At West Vigo, Tommy Thornton resigned as boys basketball coach for personal reasons in late April. In three seasons, Thornton compiled a 25-43 record.

Another North assistant, Joe Boehler, was hired in mid-July to fill that vacancy. Boehler had applied for the North opening after Jones stepped down but didn’t get it.

3. Colts conduct preseason training camp at Rose-Hulman without hobbled Manning — For the 10th straight year, the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts brought their preseason training camp to Rose-Hulman’s campus in eastern Vigo County.

What made the 2008 camp seem unique compared to previous years was the absence of perennial Pro Bowl quarterback Peyton Manning.

Although details were sketchy most of the summer, the Colts revealed that Manning had undergone surgery to remove an infected bursa sac from his left knee July 14.

Manning was not among those players who reported to camp July 24. And for the duration of camp, which ended Aug. 15, Manning was not a public participant, although reports indicated he was rehabilitating his knee in private.

“It’s slightly disappointing,” admitted Terre Haute resident John Mazeqie, a diehard Colts fan who hoped to see Manning at some point during camp.

Doubt arose about whether Manning would be ready to start the regular-season opener Sept. 7 against the Chicago Bears, but Manning started that and every other game on his way to another Pro Bowl selection.

The Colts enter today’s regular-season finale against the Tennessee Titans with an 11-4 record and the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs already clinched.

4. NCAA cross country championships take place in Terre Haute for sixth year — On Nov. 24, Texas Tech senior Sally Kipyego (women’s individual), Oregon senior Galen Rupp (men’s individual), the Washington women’s team and the Oregon men’s team were winners in the NCAA Division I cross country championships conducted for the sixth time at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course.

Kipyego shrugged off temperatures in the high 30s and 18-mph winds to become the first three-time NCAA champion in women’s cross country ever.

Runner-up Susan Kuijken of Florida State finished 6.8 seconds behind Kipyego, who completed the 6-kilometer course in a women’s meet-record time of 19 minutes, 28.1 seconds.

“This was the hardest of the three [NCAA championships],” Kipyego admitted afterward. “I’m glad I could get through it. I’d like to run with somebody. Today, Susan made me run hard.”

Team-wise, this was Washington’s first NCAA women’s cross country title ever.

In the men’s race, Rupp ran 10 kilometers in 29:03.2, almost five seconds ahead of second-place Samuel Chelanga of Liberty at the finish line.

For Oregon, this was its second straight NCAA men’s team championship.

“Oregon distance running is back,” Oregon coach Vin Lananna declared after the race.

The 2009 NCAA Division I cross country championships also will take place at the LaVern Gibson course.

5. ISU football goes 0-12 under new coach Miles, extends nation’s longest current losing streak to 26 games — Even after the 2008 season ended, Indiana State’s last football victory remains an Oct. 21, 2006, decision over Missouri State.

With new coach Trent Miles at the helm in 2008, the Sycamores went 0-12 overall and 0-8 in the newly named Missouri Valley Football Conference. That extended the nation’s longest current NCAA Division I football losing streak to 26 games.

“It’s just disheartening for my seniors, disheartening for the team, disheartening for anyone associated with us,” Miles said Nov. 22 after ISU lost the season finale to Missouri State 27-24 in overtime at Memorial Stadium. “These kids worked their butts off all year long. They didn’t quit, but sometimes you don’t get what you think you deserve.”

Miles’ squad appeared ready to chalk up that elusive first win in the Missouri State game. Sophomore Darrius Gates rushed 29 times for a whopping 237 yards and two touchdowns to help Indiana State build a 21-14 lead in the fourth quarter.

But the visitors used a 19-yard TD pass from quarterback Cody Kirby to Chris Geisz on the last play of regulation (along with the crucial extra point) to tie the score at 21-21, then countered ISU’s field goal in OT with a 19-yard TD run by Kirby to win the game.

“We just did the best we could,” a disappointed Gates said after undoubtedly the cruelest loss of the entire streak. “It just hurts.”

In 2009, the Sycamores are scheduled to open the season at home against NCAA Division II Quincy.

6. Casey football finishes as state runner-up in Illinois Class 2A; Linton beats Rockville in Indiana Class A regional — On Nov. 28, a wonderful season came to a somewhat disappointing end for the Casey High School football team.

Playing Immaculate Conception for the Illinois Class 2A state championship in Champaign, coach Keith Sinclair’s Warriors got outscored 21-0 in the second quarter and lost 36-17.

Casey, which got rushing touchdowns from Taylor Biggs and Kaleb Brandenberg in the final game, finished with a 13-1 record.

“I am very proud of our seniors and our whole team today,” Sinclair said after the contest. “We played a very good defensive game in the first half and had several opportunities but failed to convert. The second half was a combination of great play on both sides of the football. We were able to move the ball… Our quarterback [Mitch Snyder] and receivers particularly had good games.

“I am very proud of these kids and what they have accomplished. [The seniors] got to the final four three times and broke through this year and had their day and glory. They will become part of our football tradition at Casey and can always hold their heads high for what they have accomplished.”

Sinclair described Immaculate Conception as “a great football team.”

“I think we also showed we were here to play too,” he added.

In Indiana, previously undefeated squads from Linton and Rockville tangled for the Class A regional title Nov. 14 in Rockville. The result was a 28-14 victory for Linton.

The Rox ended up with a 12-1 record.

One week later, Linton lost to Indianapolis Ritter 30-26 in the semistate to finish with a 13-1 mark.

7. Under new leadership, T.H. Action Track rebounds to enjoy respectable season — By the end of 2007, nobody could blame Wabash Valley racing fans for thinking the historic Terre Haute Action Track was dead.

But in February 2008, DHK Promotions LLC — a group originally consisting of former major-league baseball player and Terre Haute car dealership owner Brian Dorsett, longtime racing broadcaster and former WTHI-TV sports director Mike King and Indy Racing League driver Davey Hamilton and later adding Chris Novotney as a fourth member — signed a three-year contract to take over promotional rights at the half-mile clay oval.

DHK Promotions announced a six-race schedule for 2008. Because of a Sept. 12 rainout, that schedule was merged into five dates.

Following the Oct. 4 season-ending card that featured the First Financial Bank Hut Hundred for U.S. Auto Club midget cars, DHK Promotions described its first year as a success, although the partners realized they’ll need to continue adding improvements and satisfy paying customers during gloomy economic times.

“I think in all, it was a very successful year,” Dorsett said in mid-October. “Going forward, the sponsors are key for us. Keeping those sponsors, making it better for them, is very important.”

“I wouldn’t call it spectacular,” King reflected. “We ran six events over five dates. I’d say we got a nice vote of confidence from local race fans… There’s still a lot of room for improvement. All we did was get the track back on its feet.”

Feature winners this year were Robert Ballou (Don Smith Classic on May 4), Levi Jones (Tony Hulman Classic on May 22), Tim Shaffer (Run with the Pack Classic on July 4), Dave Darland (SUMAR Classic on July 23), Brad Barrow (Monster Energy Drink Modified Classic on Oct. 4) and Cole Whitt (Hut Hundred on Oct. 4).

As of Saturday, there was no mention on the track’s Web site, theactiontrack.com, about a 2009 schedule.

8. North’s Smith wins IHSAA state title in boys 100-meter dash in 10.47 seconds — On May 31 at the Robert C. Haugh Complex in Bloomington, Terre Haute North senior Shaun Smith finished first in the boys 100-meter dash in the IHSAA track and field state finals.

His time was 10.47 seconds.

“I’m happy to represent my town,” Smith said afterward. “Little, dinky old Terre Haute hasn’t seen a [track and field state] championship since 1999 — David Lewis at Terre Haute South [in the boys 110-meter hurdles]. Just happy to get out there and show what I can do — for Terre Haute, my family mainly and my coaches.”

Smith’s closest competition was Lawrence North’s Traquincey Wilson, who crossed the finish line in 10.61 seconds.

Smith also placed 10th in the boys 200-meter dash.

In the boys 3,200-meter run, Anthony Witt of Shakamak and Zach Mayhew of North finished third and eighth respectively.

In the girls track and field state finals one day earlier at the same complex, North Central sophomore Shelby Higginbottom placed fifth in the long jump, eighth in the 200 and 16th in the 100.

Also, North senior Amy Hamilton finished sixth in the 3,200.

9. South has two state-ranked Class 4A teams early in ‘08-09 basketball season — Pride is running rampant at Terre Haute South High School this month.

In the latest Associated Press basketball state rankings, the South boys were fourth and the South girls were third in Class 4A.

South’s boys, coached by Mike Saylor, raised their record to 8-0 by defeating West Vigo on Saturday night in the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic in South’s gym. Meanwhile, the Dave Cassell-coached South girls team owns an 11-0 mark.

Also in the Wabash Valley, Rockville’s boys were No. 1 in Class A. The Rox, still undefeated after Friday’s opening round of the Wabash Valley Classic, were slated to face similarly undefeated Marshall, Ill., in the second round of the tournament late Saturday night.

In the same Class A boys poll, Shakamak was eighth and North Central was 10th.

In the Class A girls poll, Turkey Run was ranked No. 8.

10. Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic provides fans with ninth year of boys basketball excitement — By most accounts, first-day crowds for the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic on Friday at Terre Haute South were believed to be the biggest in the boys high school basketball tournament’s history, which began in 2000.

Considering the bottom bracket was loaded with three undefeated teams — South, Rockville and Marshall, Ill. — along with a very good West Vigo squad, it’s no wonder that fans couldn’t get enough Pizza Hut excitement.