Sports Journal

Volume 5, Number 51 ● “One Sports Nation Under God” ● December 15, 2015
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2 | SPORTS JOURNAL OF CENTRAL INDIANA | December 15, 2015
ISSUE NUMBER 266
The Sports Journal salutes our brave
soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and
civilians who defend our freedoms
every day. THANK YOU!
AND DON’T MISS
3
7
8
12
Comets at Kats in wrestling photos
14
Kokomo swims to victory over Marion
16
Wildkats top Hot Dogs in boys hoops
19
IU Kokomo basketball clinic information
KAT TO COUGAR
20
Rounding Third
Kokomo senior Sam Seagrave
signs to golf at IU Kokomo
23
The Dean’s List with Dean Hockney
RIO BOUND
Kokomo graduate Lexi Laird
earns a spot in the Olympics
COUGARS FALL
18
AVIATORS SOAR
Lafayette chooses Aviators as
Prospect League team name
IU Kokomo men’s hoops losses
to a pair of ranked teams
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Dean W. Hockney
William Gibson
Douglas Hockney
Publisher
Photo Editor
Art Director
(765) 271-0787 | editor@indianasportsjournal.com
Lexi Laird, a 2011
Kokomo High School
graduate, will swim
in the 2016 Summer
Olympics for the Republic of Seychelles.
(Photo by JOE LAURENCE,
Seychelles News Agency)
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member:
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SPORTS JOURNAL OF CENTRAL INDIANA
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December 15, 2015
JOE LAURENCE, Seychelles News Agency
3
SJ Photo:
Lexi Laird in a pool in
the Republic of the
Seychelles.
Former Wildkat swimmer Lexi Laird
to swim in 2016 Summer Olympics
T
BY DEAN HOCKNEY
he City of Firsts is known for many
things, but the Olympics is not one of
them – until now. Lexi Laird, a 2011 Kokomo High School graduate and former
record-breaking swimmer at IUPUI, announced
she will be headed to Rio de Janeiro to take part
in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Brazil.
And in a slight twist – she will not be representing the United States of America.
“I will be attending the 2016 Olympic Games in
Rio representing the Seychelles,” said Laird. “I
am honored to represent the Seychelles and
thankful for the opportunity they have given me
to further my swimming career. This is just the
beginning.”
Laird, 22, is able to swim for the Seychelles National Team because of her family ancestry. Her
mother, Angela Beier, was born and lived in the
Seychelles for most of her life. After her mother
moved to Germany and married a U.S. Air Force
airman, Angela passed away when Lexi was 4
years-old, but that tie and her dual-citizenry allows her to swim for the island nation. With a
population of 90,024, the Republic of Seychelles
is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean and consists of 115 islands approximately 932 miles
east of mainland East Africa.
The 2015 IUPUI graduate participated in the Indian Ocean Island Games in August, held on
Reunion Island, and swam away with a trio of
gold medals. The former Wildkat took home top
honors in the 50-meter, 100-meter and 200-
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December 15, 2015
meter backstroke events. Her
50 time of :29.48 was a new Indian Ocean Island Games and
Seychelles national record. She
also grabbed a silver medal in
the 50 free and a pair of bronze
medals in the 100 and 200 free
relays.
At the 2015 African Games in
the Republic of the Congo last
September, she took a bronze
medal in the 50 back.
In early December, at the USA
Swimming
Winter
National
Championships at Federal Way,
Washington, she reset her Seychelles national
record with a time of 1:02.33 in the 100-yard
backstroke.
Earlier this year, Laird also competed in the
FINA World Swimming Championship in Doha,
Qatar. Swimming with some of the world’s best
swimmers, she placed in the top 40 in the 200meter backstroke while setting Seychelles national records in four events and three relays.
“I have big dreams out of the pool as well. I put
my heart into my Kelley studies and look forward
to sitting for the CPA exam,” Laird told the Kelley
Biz Blog
After being named a 2014 IUPUI Top 100 Outstanding Student, Laird is swimming for the
prestigious Carmel Swim Club as she studies to
take her Certified Public Accountant exam.
“I am so glad to have Carmel behind me and be a part of an
amazing group of people,” said
Laird. “I owe it to my teammates
and the great coaches at Carmel
pushing me daily.”
In the IUPUI pool, she was a multiple All-Summit League performer and holds three Jaguars individual records and four relay records: 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard
backstroke, 200-yard backstroke,
200-yard medley relay, 400-yard
medley relay, 200-yard freestyle
relay, 400-yard freestyle relay.
She is also second in the 100yard freestyle. Laird was also the first IUPUI
swimmer to earn a B-cut to qualify for an NCAA
championship event.
Now graduated, she is preparing not only for her
professional work career as a CPA, but also her
opportunity to shine on the international swim
stage.
“Thank you to my friends and family; you are all
so supportive through this unique journey of
mine,” said Laird, a 2015 CSCAA Scholar AllAmerican honorable mention. “Like I said,
though, this is just the beginning.”
While the Seychelles may be the smallest populated nation of any independent African state, it
has a swimmer with high expectations. When
August 2016 arrives, Kokomo eyes will be
watching for Lexi Laird, one of its own participating in the Summer Olympics.
SPORTS JOURNAL OF CENTRAL INDIANA
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December 15, 2015
PATRICK JOUBERT, Seychelles News Agency
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SJ Photo:
5
Former Kokomo Wildkat swimmer Lexi Laird shows off a gold medal
from the Indian Ocean Island Games. The backstroke specialist will
swim in the 2016 Summer Olympics for the Republic of Seychelles.
Dec. 18
Kokomo at Marion GBB
6:00
Kokomo at Marion BBB
Dec. 18
Maconaquah at Northwestern 7:15
Dec. 19
Frankfort at Western
7:15
Dec. 19
Kokomo vs Huntington North
7:15
Jan. 8
Maconaquah at Eastern
7:15
Dec. 29
Kokomo at Zionsville
7:15
Jan. 9
Logansport at Western
7:15
Jan. 2
Kokomo vs Peru
7:15
Jan. 15
Taylor at Eastern
7:15
Jan. 5
Kokomo vs Northfield
7:15
Jan. 16
Eastern at Northwestern
4:15
Jan. 8
Kokomo vs Logansport GBB
5:45
Jan. 22
Peru at Taylor
7:15
Jan. 23
Frankton at Eastern
7:15
Kokomo vs Logansport BBB
Jan. 12
Kokomo vs Western
7:15
Jan. 29
Twin Lakes at Northwestern
7:15
Jan. 15
Kokomo at Harrison
7:15
Jan. 30
Twin Lakes at Western
7:15
Times listed are radio pre-game show start times
And every Saturday morning, Sports Director Chris
Lowry hosts the Howard/Tipton County Basketball
Coaches Breakfast Show at 8 a.m., broadcast live
from Kokomo’s Windmill Grill on WIOU.
@ChrisLowry_WIOU
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SJ Photo:
DEAN HOCKNEY
Sam Seagrave is surrounded by his parents,
Gina and Jeff, as well as
Kokomo coach Jay Davis and IUK coach David
Hancock.
Sam Seagrave signs to play golf at
Indiana University Kokomo
BY DEAN HOCKNEY
T
he Indiana University Kokomo men’s golf team
grew by one after the Cougars signed a local prospect. Kokomo High School senior Sam Seagrave
signed on the dotted line to stay in the City of
Firsts while he fulfills a dream of playing collegiate golf. Unlike a lot of golfers who continue to the next level, Seagrave
is relatively new to competitive golf – the national pastime
was his first love
“I started out playing baseball at Kokomo; I played on the
freshman team,” said Seagrave. “But I decided I wanted to
play golf, and I worked hard at that and had a good tryout
as a sophomore and ended up making the team, playing at
number five.”
The move to golf should not come as a surprise considering
his dad, Jeff, was the golf pro at Walnut Creek Golf Course
for several years; the Wildkat senior had golf in the blood,
so to speak. In his first varsity outing as a sophomore, he
fired a sub-40 round for nine holds.
“I was really excited about that and that made me want to
continue to work hard,” said Seagrave. “With dad being a
golf professional, golf was always around but I really never
played seriously. I would hit with him once or twice a year,
but nothing serious.”
During his two-year career with Kokomo – he still has his
senior season to play next spring – Seagrave has been
named the Wildkats team captain, has twice been a regional qualifier and helped lead the squad to a 2014 North Central Conference title.
“My sophomore year, making it to regional as a team and
winning the conference was awesome,” said Seagrave,
who said keeping the ball in play is his strong point. “From
where we were previously, I think we blew people’s expectations.”
“Sam has probably shown more improvement in two years
on the golf team than any other player I have had on my
team during my time as coach,” said Wildkat head coach
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December 15, 2015
Jay Davis. “Sam should have a legitimate chance to be
medalist in any dual match or tournament we will play this
spring.”
IU Kokomo head coach Dr. David Hancock is excited to ink
the first recruit of the new year.
“Sam is a great young golfer who I expect will make a real
contribution to our team all four of his years at IU Kokomo,”
said Hancock. “He comes from a strong golfing family, and
being from Kokomo, I think he'll represent our community
well. I look forward to having him join us next fall.”
Seagrave said when compared to the team sport of baseball, he enjoys golf because it is considered a mental game.
“It is an individual sport,” said Seagrave, who noted his best
round is a 72. “I know if I don’t play a good round, it is my
fault. I like that about golf; knowing I can’t put a loss on anyone else but me. I love the pressure of the game.”
When it comes to his selection of IU Kokomo over other
schools, he said he wants to be part of the historical beginnings – the Cougars just completed its first season of competition. Being close to home was also important.
“IU Kokomo is a new program and I am excited and it is
going to be a fun group to grow with,” said the future business major. “It is close to home and I can advance my
game there. I will also have the ability to travel and play
teams from out of state. It will be exciting to set the tone for
the future.”
Hancock said he is excited about recruiting Seagrave’s because he appears to be a natural on the links.
“He has a good family background and has a lot of potential. He has only played basically for three years and can
shoot mid-70s on a regular basis; that is a good start,” said
Hancock. “With his academic knowledge, this is exactly
who we are looking for. I think he will have a huge impact
his freshman year.”
Hancock also said the Kat golfer fits into the model he is
trying to build within the Cougars men’s and women’s golf
program.
“We are trying to set a certain culture and we need people
who buy into that culture,” said Hancock. “At IU Kokomo,
academics come first and we play golf afterward. I also
want players to commit to off-season workout and good
nutrition. Once we get players to commit to that culture, and
we maintain it for a few years, we can tell recruits this is
what we do and who we are.”
Outside of golf, Seagrave is a member of the Kokomo High
School Student Athletic Leadership Team and Student
Council. He also lists a love for Hoosier Hysteria – he was a
member of the Carver Community Center Holiday Basketball Tournament championship team.
I
n the span of three days, the Indiana University
Kokomo men’s basketball team played two of the
best NAIA Division II teams in the nation. On Dec.
11, the Cougars traveled to Marion and fell to No. 1ranked Indiana Wesleyan University 103-60.
“Wesleyan is a tough team,” said IUK coach Jace
Thompson. “We took on a team that plays well, but
we’ll get better because of it. We’ll have a good opportunity at home on Sunday.”
David Kelly led IU Kokomo with 17 points and five
rebounds. Trent Elliot scored 13 point, Christian
Smith had seven and Micah Pier and Bryan Powell
each had six points.
IU Kokomo had 19 turnovers; IWU outscored IUK 260 in points off turnovers. Jonny Marlin finished with
game-highs of 20 points and seven assists for the
Wildcats. Bob Peters added 19 points, Jacob Johnson had 16 and Grant Evans scored 10 points off the
bench.
“It was a complete team effort,” said Wildcat head
coach Greg Tonagel. “It was a really well-rounded
game on both ends. I thought on offense we were
very efficient and defensively I thought we were solid. We put together some runs of stops playing man
and zone. It was good to be able to experiment with
some different lineups and different defensive
schemes.”
Two days later, No. 4 Marian University (12-0) from
Indianapolis traveled to the Cougar Gym and handed
the Cougars a 78-54 defeat.
“It was a tough game,” said Thompson. “I give Marian credit because they played tougher than us in the
first half. We had a better second half and saw some
good things though. Stephen Calhoun and Devon
Burton played really well off the bench for us.”
Elliot led the Cougars with 24 points, six of which
were 3-point baskets. Kelly and Christian Smith both
scored 10 points for IU Kokomo. Kelly also grabbed
eight rebounds and Burton had four assists.
The IU Kokomo men’s basketball team returns to the
Cougar Gym on Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. against Goshen
College.
Courtesy of IU Kokomo and Indiana Wesleyan University athletics
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December 15, 2015
SJ Photo:
SLATER YOUNG
Indiana University Kokomo sophomore Stephen Calhoun drops in a
bucket for the Cougars during a 78-54 loss to
NAIA Division II No. 4-ranked Marian University.
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December 15, 2015
IU Kokomo sophomore Devon Burton runs an
offensive play against Marian University.
Cougar senior Jerome Campbell sets up the
next play.
SJ Photos:
SLATER YOUNG
Trent Elliot makes a nice move on the baseline
for IU Kokomo.
Jordan Matthews hauls in a pass from Kyle
Wade; they connected for two touchdowns.
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December 15, 2015
2015-2016 IUK WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
2015-2016 IUK MEN’S BASKETBALL
RECORD: Win 4 - Loss 6 ..... KIAC Win 0 - Loss 1
RECORD: Win 3 - Loss 7 ..... KIAC Win 0 - Loss 1
Oct. 28 at Calumet College of St. Joseph
W 64-49
Nov. 3
at Judson College
L 94-96
Nov. 7 at (RV) Indiana University Northwest
L 45-63
Nov. 7
at Indiana University Northwest
L 62-84
Nov. 13 vs Culver-Stockton College ^
L 64-67
Nov. 11 at Calumet College of St. Joseph
Nov. 14 at (5) Indiana Wesleyan University ^
L 31-82
Nov. 18 at Valparaiso University (NCAA D1) ^
40-78
Nov. 21 at Andrews University
W 60-22
Nov. 25 at Ball State University (NCAA D1) ^
54-90
Nov. 24 Davis & Elkins College (NCAA D2)
L 60-83
Nov. 28 Calumet College of St. Joseph
W 63-62
Nov. 28 Calumet College of St. Joseph
W 71-35
Dec. 1
Andrews University
W 64-63
Dec. 1
Andrews University
W 67-38
Dec. 3
at (24) Rochester College
L 53-70
Dec. 3
at Rochester College
L 52-66
Dec. 6
Brescia University *
Dec. 6
Brescia University *
L 57-64
Dec. 8
at Boyce College
W 83-65
L 75-102
OT L 77-80
Dec. 16 at No. Kentucky University (NCAA D1)
7:00
Dec. 11
at (1) Indiana Wesleyan University
L 60-103
Dec. 19 Indiana University Northwest
1:00
Dec. 13
(4) Marian University
L 78-54
Dec. 21 at Valparaiso University (NCAA D1)
8:00
Dec. 17
(RV) Goshen College
7:00
Dec. 27 Miami University Middletown
4:00
Dec. 19
Indiana University Northwest
3:00
Jan. 2
Cincinnati Christian University *
1:00
Dec. 21
at University of Michigan-Dearborn
7:30
Jan. 5
at University of Rio Grande *
2:00
Dec. 23
at No. Kentucky University (NCAA D1)
7:00
Jan. 9
at Alice Lloyd College *
1:00
Dec. 27
Miami University Middletown
6:00
Jan. 12 at Midway College *
6:00
Jan. 2
Cincinnati Christian University *
3:00
Jan. 14 at Indiana University Southeast *
6:00
Jan. 5
at University of Rio Grande *
4:00
Jan. 16 at Asbury University *
2:00
Jan. 9
at Alice Lloyd College *
TBD
Jan. 19 at Brescia University *
6:00
Jan. 14
at Indiana University Southeast *
8:00
Jan. 23 at Ohio Christian University *
1:00
Jan. 16
at Asbury University *
4:00
Jan. 28 at Cincinnati Christian University *
5:30
Jan. 19
at Brescia University *
8:00
Jan. 30 Midway College *
1:00
Jan. 23
at Ohio Christian University *
3:00
Jan. 31 Alice Lloyd College *
1:00
Jan. 28
at Cincinnati Christian University *
7:30
Feb. 2
Indiana University Southeast *
5:00
Jan. 31
Alice Lloyd College *
3:00
Feb. 6
Asbury University *
1:00
Feb. 2
Indiana University Southeast *
7:00
Feb. 11 Indiana University East *
5:00
Feb. 6
Asbury University *
3:00
Feb. 13 Carlow University *
1:00
Feb. 11
Indiana University East *
7:00
Feb. 16 at West Virginia Institute of Technology * 6:00
Feb. 13
Carlow University *
3:00
Feb. 20 Point Park University *
Feb. 16
at West Virginia Institute of Technology * 8:00
Feb. 20
Point Park University *
12:00
2:00
^ at Leah Whittaker Memorial Classic in Marion, Ind.
* Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game
^ Exhibition game
* Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game
@IUKWBB
@IUKMBB
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December 15, 2015
SJ Photo:
SLATER YOUNG
In a Dec. 2 match, the Eastern Comets defeated the Kokomo
Wildkats 44-35 in varsity wrestling. In this picture, Eastern’s Austin
Duchateau lifts Seth Johnson for a takedown.
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December 15, 2015
Aion Jones of Kokomo fights to get out of the
hold of Jake Smithson.
Eastern’s Evan Ellis goes for the pin against
Nick Fox.
SJ Photos:
SLATER YOUNG
Trevon White gets the upper-hand on an unidentified Eastern wrester.
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December 15, 2015
SJ Photo:
SLATER YOUNG
The Kokomo girls swim team defeated Marion 120-54. In this picture,
Abby Hammel shows good form in the backstroke.
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December 15, 2015
Drew Davis swims the breaststroke for Kokomo; the boys defeated Marion 131-48.
Briana Ebenhart makes a turn for the Lady
Wildkats.
SJ Photos:
SLATER YOUNG
Robert Martin takes a breath in a freestyle
event.
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December 15, 2015
SJ Photo:
SLATER YOUNG
Jeron Gray drives to the Memorial Gymnasium basket in Kokomo’s
67-49 win over the Frankfort Hot Dogs. The Kats season was delayed
due to its football success.
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December 15, 2015
Kyle Wade gets inside for two points for the
Wildkats against Frankfort.
Marcelle Kenner was too much for the Hot
Dogs to handle in the paint.
SJ Photos:
SLATER YOUNG
Kokomo’s Brevin Beard splits the Hot Dog defenders for two points.
Jordan Matthews hauls in a pass from Kyle
Wade; they connected for two touchdowns.
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December 15, 2015
L
AFAYETTE - The fans of
the new Lafayette Prospect League baseball
team now have a name to cheer
for next summer. The name the
fans will be cheering for and the
name on the front of the jerseys
will read - Aviators. The Aviators
moniker was chose after a
lengthy and thorough vetting process which included over 650
suggestions from local fans and
a vote from the Mayor’s Youth
Council.
“After naming the five finalists
last month, a special emphasis
was put on making sure the
name represented the community in its best light and tied into
the things that make Lafayette
special,” said Mike Zimmerman,
CEO and owner of the Lafayette
Aviators. Zimmerman is also the
owner of MKE Sports and Entertainment, , the operating entity of
the Aviators, which also owns
the Kokomo Jackrabbits. “That,
combined with the colors and actual branding,
make the Aviators a perfect fit for the Lafayette
Prospect League franchise.”
Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski is happy with
the new moniker.
“Having the community, along with the Mayor's
Youth Council, participate in the naming of our
new Prospect League baseball team has made
the announcement even more special,” he said.
“We are so happy with the name that was chosen. ‘Aviators’ is the perfect brand to represent
Lafayette's past, present and future. From the
historic reference to Purdue grad Amelia Earhart,
to the existing Purdue flight school and ALCOA
airplane parts manufacturing, along with the ex-
citing addition of the GE Aviation
Facility to the Greater Lafayette
landscape, Aviators is a unique,
meaningful name we can all rally
around and identify with.”
The Lafayette Aviators will debut
on June 1, 2016, when the team
makes its home debut at Loeb
Stadium. The name adds to the
great tradition of eclectic names
already found throughout the Prospect League including the
Jackrabbits, Terre Haute Rex,
Danville Dans, Hannibal Cavemen, Chillicothe Paints and
Springfield Sliders.
The Aviators will now be turning
over the team’s logo choice to the
fans. Over the following days, the
fans will be allowed to influence
the logo choice over social media. Fans should stay tuned to the
Aviators social media channels
on Facebook and Twitter to comment on their favorite logo choices and aspects of each design.
The final logo will be announced prior to Christmas and the name the team contest winner will
be announced and awarded his or her prizes in
conjunction with the final logo unveiling.
The Aviators also named Brent McNeil as its first
field manager. McNeil is a 2007 graduate of Lafayette Jefferson High School and served as the
pitching coach for the Danville Dans in 2014. He
is currently the director of baseball operations for
Indiana State University.
It was previously announced that the Jackrabbits
and Aviators will compete for the Battle of 26 trophy when the two teams battle next summer.
Courtesy MKE Sports and Entertainment
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December 15, 2015
Rounding Third
Highlights of last week’s sporting events
Send your news, notes and accomplishments to
editor@indianasportsjournal.com.
WILDKATS NAMED FOOTBALL ALL-STATE
After having five players named to the Indiana
Football Coaches Association Class 5A All-State
squad, two Kokomo Wildkats earned the same
honors from the Associated Press. Running back
Jeron Gray and defensive back Jordan Matthews
were named to the 24-man squad. Wide receiver
Daniel Ricksy of Lafayette Jefferson and defensive
lineman Colin Zeh of Harrison joined the Kats from
the North Central Conference on the first team.
Kokomo running back Marcelle Kenner, offensive
lineman Quamielle Belt, defensive lineman Cameron Fitts and defensive back Keenen Wheeler were
named to the honorable mention squad.
No. 4-ranked Kokomo finished the season 12-1
and were the North Central Conference, sectional
and regional champions. They fell to eventual
Class 5A state champ Fort Wayne Snider in the
North Final Four game.
NAIA SCHOLAR-ATHLETES
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
announced the student-athletes who have been
named 2015 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athletes and
two IU Kokomo student-athletes earned this distinction: cross country runner Breanne Robertson
and volleyball libero Kaleigh Ensley. Both Robertson and Ensley are IU Kokomo nursing students.
“I’m honored to receive this award,” said Robertson. “I’m happy to share this experience with Ka-
leigh. There have been many late night study sessions to get where we are now.”
“I am extremely honored to receive this award,”
said Ensley. “Bre and I have been by each other’s
side since the beginning, and I am very proud of
her too. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to
be a student-athlete, but having awesome people
to support me and Bre through the process has
been the most crucial part.”
Robertson and Ensley also spoke of their gratitude
to the various people who helped them earn this
accolade.
“Being an athlete and a nursing student has definitely been a huge challenge, but the nursing faculty and my coach have been a huge help in making
sure that I am able to do both and I couldn’t be
more grateful for that, said Robertson. “A huge
thanks to all that helped me make this possible.”
“My coach, teammates, the athletic director, and
the nursing program faculty have been more than
willing to work with me in order to help me excel in
both academics and athletics,” added Ensley.
“Special thanks to all of them.”
In order to receive this title, student-athletes must
be nominated by their institution’s athletic administration, maintain a minimum grade point average
of a 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, and have achieved a junior
academic status.
MORE HONORS FOR COUGAR VOLLEYBALL
The American Volleyball Coaches Association released the NAIA Regional Awards and three Indiana University Kokomo volleyball players received
honors. Cortney Hanson, Lindi Thomas, and Nicole
Sandmann were all named to the AVCA Midcentral
All-Region Team. Additionally, Nicole Sandmann
was named Freshman of the Year for the Midcentral region. Sandmann is the first Cougar to garner
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SPORTS JOURNAL OF CENTRAL INDIANA
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December 15, 2015
this award.
As a setter, Hanson played a pivotal role in the
Cougar offense. She averaged 5.7 assists per set
and had 733 assists in total for the season. Hanson averaged 0.4 aces per game and had 49 overall this fall.
Outside hitter Thomas was an instrumental asset in
IU Kokomo’s offense. Thomas averaged 2.7 kills a
set and had 355 kills during the 2015 season. She
averaged 0.38 aces per game and had 49 aces total.
As a middle hitter, Sandmann led the Cougars in
blocks. She averaged 1.0 blocks per set and had
114 blocks throughout the season. Sandmann was
42nd in the NAIA in the “blocks per game” category.
“It is exciting to see our players and team recognized on the national scale,” said IUK head coach
Heather Hayes. “The success of the program certainly helped these young ladies get individual
recognition that I believe they certainly deserved. I
am very proud of them for their efforts as well as
our team's effort. It is a nice honor for these young
ladies and our program.”
all-around; Anna Pinto (11) sixth on bars; Jessica
Devine (12) sixth in all-around; Jolie Good (13) first
on vault, fourth in all-around; Katelyn Devine (14)
second on bars, third on beam, first on floor, third in
all-around.
Level 4: Tia Williams (8) fifth on vault, eighth on
bars, fifth on beam, second on floor, third in allaround; Shelby Conaway (10) eighth on vault,
eighth on bars, fourth on beam, fourth in all-around;
Nevaeh Andrews (10) sixth on vault, seventh on
beam, third on floor, fifth in all-around; Dani
Dalpoas (10) fourth on vault, seventh on beam,
ninth in all-around; Berkeley Woolley (10) fifth on
bars, sixth on floor; Ashlin Collins (11) fifth on vault,
fifth on beam, sixth in all-around; Katie Barlow (12)
fifth on vault, first on bars, first on floor, second in
all-around; Corrine Stone (12) seventh on vault, fifth
on floor, 10th in all-around; Arianna Sweares (13)
first on vault, sixth on beam, fourth in all-around.
Level 5: Jillian Creager (8) sixth on vault.
Level 8: Catie Smith (13) second on vault, second on bars, seventh on beam, fourth on floor, second in all-around; Ashtyn Gross (13) tenth in allaround 32.5, tenth
JEFF FOOTBALL COACH FINDS JOB
GYMNASTICS RESULTS
The Kokomotion Gymnastics program recently participated in the It’s All Groovy Meet in Lafayette.
The Level 4 team finished in third place with a
score of 106.525. The following is results from local
gymnasts:
Level 2 (age division): Emily Scott (7) first on
vault, second on bars, fifth on beam, first on floor,
first in all-around; Callie Summerton (8) ninth on
vault; Kaitlyn Maruszewski (9) third on vault, fifth on
floor, eighth in all-around; Lily Clark (9) ninth on
vault, sixth on bars, 10th in all-around; Lili Hawkins
(10) sixth on bars, sixth on floor, sixth in all-around;
Ava Townsend (10) fifth on vault, fifth on floor,
eighth in all-around; Madison Mansfield (10) second on bars, eighth on floor; Kami Heath (11)
eighth on vault, fourth on bars, sixth on beam, seventh on floor, fifth in all-around; Makalee Vawter
(11) eighth on bars; Emma Hawkins (13) seventh
on vault, ninth in all-around
Level 3: Miley Scott (7) fourth on floor, fifth in
Days after announcing he was departing, former
Lafayette Jefferson football coach Brian Moore accepted the position of athletic director at Fountain
Central High School – the same position he held
prior to his one season as the Bronchos head
coach. In his one season, he coached Jeff to an 8-3
record – the first winning season for the Bronchos
since 2008.
MARION TAPS CHAMBERS
Marion High School named Craig Chambers as the
new football coach of the North Central Conference
program. Chambers leaves Indianapolis Howe,
where he led the Hornets to a record of 23-13 in
three seasons, including a berth in the Class 2A
Final Four last month. Prior to Chambers arrival,
Howe had never won an IHSAA tournament football
game – he was 6-3 after reaching the sectional finals in 2014. He previously was an assistant coach
at NCC member school Indianapolis Arsenal Technical High School.
22
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SPORTS JOURNAL OF CENTRAL INDIANA
|
December 15, 2015
The Giants are 2-29 in the last three seasons and
were 0-10 this year.
YMCA YOUTH REGISTRATIONS
The Kokomo Family YMCA is accepting registrations for its youth indoor soccer, Indoor Centipede
Soccer and Little Dribblers leagues.
Little Dribblers is a popular basketball program for
3-6 year-olds and runs from Jan. 16 to Feb. 13.
2016. Basics of team basketball are taught in a fun
atmosphere. Program runs on Saturday mornings
at the YMCA.
Tweets and Re-Tweets that you
may have missed from the
Sports Journal last week.
RT @ADTigers: Shout out to 2015 graduate
& NHS Tiger Diver Rachel Johns for qualifying today for Nationals at IUPUI.
Indoor soccer is played at Memorial Gymnasium on
Sundays beginning on Feb. 7. Indoor soccer is for
ages 6-11 and begins at 2 p.m.
RT @ADTigers: Shout out to the Northwestern Pep Band and Director Jeremy Snyder
for their outstanding support of the basketball teams this weekend.
Indoor Centipede Soccer is played at Memorial
Gymnasium on Sundays beginning on Feb. 7.
Centipede Soccer is for ages 3-5 and starts at 1
p.m.
RT @JustTMill: An upset! Zionsville 80,
Class 3A No. 3 Marion 70. Z-ville closes on 12
-4 run. #ihsaa @indyhsscores
For more information, contact Mark Sutton at (765)
457-4447.
Final BBB: Kokomo 67, Frankfort 49. Kats
improve to 2-2, Hot Dog fall to 1-3.
@indsportstalk @JohnRHarrell
@WeAreTheNCC
YMCA ADULT REGISTRATIONS
The Kokomo Family YMCA is accepting registrations for its adult indoor soccer and pickleball.
The adult indoor soccer league begins on Feb. 7
and players may register as an individual or a
team. Games are played at Memorial Gymnasium
on Sunday evenings.
New to the YMCA is pickleball, an introductory program that begins on Jan. 14. Games will be played
at the YMCA on Thursday mornings.
For more information, contact Mark Sutton at (765)
457-4447.
UPCOMING RUNNING EVENTS
Dec. 31: The Club Kokomo Roadrunners will
host its annual New Year's Eve 5K Run & 5K Walk
in Kokomo’s Highland Park. Registration will take
place from noon to 1:30 p.m. with the event starting
at 2 p.m.
Kokomo: Jordan Matthews 14, Marcelle
Kenner 12, Ty Sparling 9, Kyle Wade 8,
Brevin Beard 8, Jeron Gray 7, O'Bannon 5,
Wheeler 4.
Kokomo is coming off a 75-41 loss last night
at McCutcheon - its worse loss since a 80-43
loss to Carmel in January 2007.
RT @WeAreTheNCC: if the rest of the NCC
season plays out like tonight's games @ Anderson, Harrison, & Muncie, we're in for one
heck of a ride. #BuckleUp
RT @GregGoodnight: Happy Birthday Indiana! I was joined by some stellar citizens for
Kokomo's "Official Kickoff of the Bicentennial."
@Sports_Journal
23
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SPORTS JOURNAL OF CENTRAL INDIANA
|
December 15, 2015
Youth baseball lost two good ones
Y
outh baseball has been an integral part of the
Howard County sports scene for decades. From
the first city champion in 1957 (Steelers of
Northside) to the 59th last summer (Lions Club of Russiaville), thousands of youth have played on diamonds
throughout the area. And for many of those years, two
men were a common sight – Frank Rocchio and Steve
Stewart. Unfortunately, within the span of 10 days last
month, we lost both icons of the fields.
Stewart unexpectedly passed away on Nov. 16 at the
age of 74. For three decades, he was the jovial man who
walked onto the field after the final out was made in the
David A. Kasey Youth Baseball Tournament (formerly
called Kokomo City Tournament) carrying a large trophy.
In 1985, Stewart created the Ralph I. Stewart Insurance
Traveling Trophy and presented it to the winning manager. While many of the players may not have known who
Stewart was, they knew the trophy when it came onto the
field, and that large trophy meant a lot to local team
sponsors. After Kings Heating and Plumbing won in
2013, Jerry King commented on where he would display
it: “This trophy will be proudly displayed in our showroom.”
Stewart, whose grandfather was once the Howard County Sheriff, is survived by his wife, Tanya, whom he married in 1961. With Tanya’s photography business, the
duo took untold number of youth sports team photographs through the years – including mine. He also spent
time as president of Southside Little League and
coached football in the Police Athletic League.
As his obituary stated, “Steve never met a stranger and
was always willing to give of his time to others.” His smile
will be missed next summer when the Ralph Stewart Insurance Trophy is delivered for the 31st time.
Rocchio passed away on Nov. 26 at the age of 71. He
will forever be known as Mr. Baseball at Southside Little
League, now known as Southside Cal Ripken League.
For 25 years, he served as president of the facility in
Highland Park. Few nights went by where he wasn’t
roaming around the Southside diamonds – most would
say he was a fixture. His love of youth baseball didn’t end
at Southside as he also volunteered as the Howard
County commissioner and state commissioner of Cal
Ripken Baseball.
Even when he was away from Southside he had sports
on the mind. From 1973 to 1998, Frank and his family
owned Rocchio’s World of Sports. During the days before
the internet and big box stores, kids would buy their
Dean’s List
By Dean W. Hockney
Sports Journal Publisher
Steve stewart
Frank rocchio
baseballs, bats and gloves at a local sporting goods
store like Rocchio’s and Sanburn’s in the City of Firsts.
The Rocchio family also owned Arnold Palmer Dry
Cleaners, The Golden Tee Restaurant and Golf World
through the years. And if that was not enough, he found
time to serve as the president of the Howard County Golf
Association.
One line in his obituary may have summed up his life:
“Frank’s true passion was volunteering his time and talents to youth baseball and his fellow veterans.”
Both Steve and Frank were Kokomoans through-andthrough – Steve graduated from Kokomo High School in
1959 and Frank graduated three years later. And they
both served their country – Steve in the Army Reserves
and Frank in the Navy – before returning to the city they
loved.
Like many people in Kokomo, I knew them both. They
were unique characters who gave to youth sports more
than they took. And like most, I probably never got
around to thanking them for their efforts – so here is a
big thank you to Steve and Frank, you will be missed.
Until next time, remember to keep the man and ship in
sports – and I’ll see you at the game.
Dean Hockney is the publisher of the Sports Journal of
Central Indiana, sports editor of the Kokomo Herald and
the public address announcer of IU Kokomo athletics and
the Kokomo Jackrabbits. You can follow him on Twitter
(@Sports_Journal) for the latest in local sports news and
game reports.