Based on this week’s Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association softball rankings, it would appear that Hauser has a much tougher road to the state finals than it did a year ago, when it captured the Class A state title.
Nine of the top 10 teams in the poll are in the southern semistate. That includes the top six — North Central (Farmersburg), Hauser, Borden, Rising Sun, Tecumseh and Clay City.
North Central is the defending Class 2A state champion. The Thunderbirds moved to No. 1 in the rankings this week, with the Jets falling to No. 2, after the two teams were tied atop last week’s poll.
Instead of hosting a sectional this season, the Jets were placed in the Rising Sun Sectional. If Hauser gets through that, it would play on the road in the regional, likely against Edinburgh.
Then, the semistate at North Daviess could feature four of the state’s top five teams in Class A.
“If it’s us and North Central and Borden and Tecumseh, that could be the best semistate, regardless of class,” Hauser coach Craig Sims said.
Of course, the Jets can only worry about themselves, and so far, they’ve been dominant. They were 8-0 going into Wednesday’s game against 4A power Jennings County.
Hauser will get another tough test Friday when it travels to Rising Sun.
East, North to meet
The Columbus East and Columbus North boys and girls track teams will compete against each other for the first time this season today at East.
The Olympians and Bull Dogs were scheduled to meet April 9 in the North Invitational, but that meet was canceled because of cold weather. The teams also will see each other May 17 in the Franklin girls sectional and May 19 in the Columbus North boys sectional.
Eagles set school records
Brown County girls track athletes set school records in two events Monday during a home loss to Bloomington South.
Junior Elly Wertz broke her own school record in the long jump with a second-place finish at 16 feet, 10 inches. Wertz had broken the record in Saturday’s Terre Haute North Patriot Challenge.
Also Monday, freshman Shaelyn Biddle and sophomores Vivien Crimmins and McCann teamed with Wertz to run a school-record 50.51 seconds in the 4×100 relay.
Locals selected All-HHC
Columbus East seniors Parker Chitty and Audrey Wetzel have been named to the All-Hoosier Hills Conference boys and girls basketball teams.
Jennings County’s Tyler Vogel also made the boys first team. East’s Kevin Williams and Zach Sanders are honorable mention selections.
Jennings County’s Sidney Gerkin and Shelbi Wright joined Wetzel on the girls first team. East’s Addy Galarno and Britney Ballard and Jennings’ Brooklyn Gaines made honorable mention.
Senior to host 3-on-3 event
Columbus Christian senior Payton Ingram will host “Hoops for Haiti,” a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Foundation For Youth for his senior project.
Cost is $10 per player, but players must register as a team. Proceeds will benefit the malnutrition program at the Bethesda Medical Clinic in Haiti.
East to conduct callout meeting
The Columbus East boys and girls soccer programs will have a callout meeting for current eighth- through 11th-graders who are interested in playing soccer for the Olympians in the fall at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the school’s cafeteria.
The coaching staffs will discuss the programs and provide information about the summer schedule. For more information, contact boys coach Brad Barber at [email protected] or girls coach Ilya Schwartzman at [email protected].
