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Deep Down, We Knew ... And It Still Vacuums*

I had a feeling, and made a point not to say so in this space a week or so ago, that the spring sports season wasn’t going to happen.

Thursday, in a statement far more brief than its impact, the IHSAA did what had to be done; cancelling the spring sports season.

And it truly sucks. (* – I wasn’t sure the boss would like the word “sucks” in a headline, but this whole thing with the coronavirus does.)
IHSAA Cancels Spring Sports Season

After Gov. Eric Holcomb’s order Thursday afternoon for all school building in Indiana remain closed for the remander of the academic year, the IHSAA followed by cancelling the spring sports season for 2020.
Ritchie Hired To Lead LCA?Boys Hoops
When Things Get Real

For me, there are times when items in the news become a little more real or personal. I find it fairly easy to compartmentalize things until those news items include people I know.

It doesn’t have to be a close, personal friend. Over the course of a lifetime I’ve met hundreds, if not thousands of people, and I hope most of them, when my name is mentioned, smile. (No one bats 1.000 in that category, and I am by no means an exception to that rule.)
Classic Games Give Us New Perspective

Sports has completely ground to a halt.

There is nothing happening.
Grace Men’s Soccer Teams Up For COVID-19 Relief

The Grace College men’s soccer team is planning a run to fight COVID-19. A very long run.

The Lancers are organizing a 48-hour run this week in an effort to raise funds for pandemic relief.
Our Finest Hour, If We So Choose

I’ve been asked “how are you enjoying the break from sports?”

Frankly, I hate it.

Before I go too deep with this, I understand that sports are not essential to life itself. I know no one who has experienced a global pandemic before, but we do have a history of moving heaven and earth to save lives.
Which Tiger Team Is The Best Ever?

In these days of darkened sports arenas and gyms and empty diamonds and tracks complexes, sports people are scrambling for sports to talk about.

I feel like I have plenty of subjects for columns, but this one was suggested to me and so I thought I would tackle it.

Its intent is to answer the age-old question “which team is the greatest team in Warsaw Tiger history?”
Spartan Teams Join Forces To Aid Cancer Patient, Family

Athletics brings people together – teams often join forces to fight for something bigger than the self. As a faculty mentor for the women’s basketball and softball teams, Manchester University faculty member Dr. Heather Schilling, director of teacher education, knew the Spartans were on her team, but she never imaged how they would team up to fight for her.

In early December, Schilling received devastating news. Elizabeth, her 27-year-old daughter who was scheduled to have surgery to remove a brain tumor, was sent home. The tumor had turned into stage four brain cancer, and instead of surgery, Elizabeth was ordered to start chemotherapy and radiation immediately.
An Open Letter To Lancer Supporters From The Athletic Director

Dear Lancer Nation,

We began this journey two weeks ago, battling the COVID-19 outbreak through uncharted territory. You have faithfully responded with resiliency and tremendous character in the midst of these extreme changes, which is to be applauded.
IBCA Names Several All-Star Teams

Fifteen seniors and 15 underclass boys basketball players have earned IBCA/Subway "Supreme 15" All-State honors for 2019-2020, it was announced Thursday.

The IBCA also named Large School All-State teams (15 seniors, 15 underclass) and Small School All-State players (15 seniors, 15 underclass).

The "Supreme 15" is the top honor awarded, and players were voted to that group without regard to school size. The Large School and Small School all-state teams are secondary accolades -- the Large School group including players from Class 3A and Class 4A schools and the Small School group including players from Class A and Class 2A schools. Players who make the Supreme 15 are not considered for Large School or Small School honors.

In addition, 89 more seniors and 93 more underclass players were selected honorable mention all-state. The honorable mention laurels are awarded without regard to school size.
Area Golf Courses Busy After New Restrictions Put In Place

Thanks to an eleventh-our discussion between the top brass at the Indiana Golf Association and state health officials, area golf courses are going to be permitted to open, with a set of new restrictions in place designed to allow people to get some exercise and fresh air and still help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Remembering My Dad’s Birthday

Today would have been my dad’s birthday.

He would have been 89 years old.

While I wish he was still around, I know where he is and I have a pretty good idea of what he’s doing, and I could never wish him back from there.

He never got to see me as a dad. He died of a series of strokes related to colon cancer in 2005, a few months before we started the process of being approved by China to adopt for the first time.
Six Boys Hoops Coaches Honored By IBCA

Six Indiana high school boys basketball coaches have been chosen as 2020 Bob King Coaches of the Year by their peers in the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, it was announced Tuesday.

Marc Davidson of Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian, Marc Urban of Chesterton, Al Gooden of Lawrence Central, David McCollough of Shenandoah, Nate Hawkins of Heritage Hills and Kendall Wildey of South Decatur have been selected as honorees for the 2019-2020 season through voting that occurred from late January through early March, IBCA executive director Steve Witty said.
19 Spartans Named To HCAC Academic Team

The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference announced the Tom Bohlsen Winter Academic All-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Team Tuesday.
Clinging To The Hope For Spring Sports

Howe In The World
Six Girls Coaches Honored By IBCA For 2019-20 Season

Six Indiana high school girls basketball coaches have been chosen as 2020 Bob King Coaches of the Year by their peers in the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, it was announced Monday.
IHSAA To Present 13 Cato Memorial Scholarships

The Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. announced this year’s group of 13 senior student-athletes who will be honored with the 2020 C. Eugene Cato Memorial Scholarships.

Each individual will receive a $2,500 scholarship for their prep accomplishments and be recognized at this year’s Thomas A. Brady Sports Achievement Awards Dinner established by Methodist Sports Medicine. The upcoming dinner was recently postponed due to current events and will be rescheduled for a later date to be announced.
NLC Develops Plan For Revised Spring Sports Schedules

The Northern Lakes Conference announced Friday different scheduling and seeding formats for what would be an abbreviated spring sports season.
Neidig Chosen New IHSAA Commish

JINDIANAPOLIS – John “Paul” Neidig, who has enjoyed a 34-year career in secondary education and athletic administration, has been named by the Executive Committee as the next commissioner of the Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc.

Neidig (pronounced Ny-dig), has been an IHSAA assistant commissioner since 2017 and will officially assume the position Aug. 1, succeeding Bobby Cox. Cox announced his intention to retire this summer on Jan. 16.

The Poseyville native will become the ninth individual to serve as IHSAA commissioner. He follows Cox (2011-20), Blake Ress (2000-2011), Bob Gardner (1995-2000), C. Eugene Cato (1983-1995), Ward E. Brown (1976-1983), Phil N. Eskew (1962-1976), L.V. Phillips (1945-1962) and Arthur L. Trester (1929-1945).

Neidig, 56, joined the IHSAA staff July 1, 2017 as an assistant commissioner and has administered the sports of boys and girls cross country, boys basketball, boys and girls track and field, and unified track and field.

“On behalf of the IHSAA Executive Committee, we are excited to confirm Paul Neidig as the next commissioner of the Indiana High School Athletic Association,” said Matt Martin, chairman of the IHSAA executive committee and director of athletics at Knightstown High School. “Paul has some great thoughts and ideas about how to continue leading the Association and its member schools. We feel the organization is in great hands and we look forward to working with him.”

Neidig said, “I’m very humbled to be chosen to become the next commissioner of the IHSAA. I’m proud to be a part of this organization and lead it into the future. Our primary focus will continue to be promoting and supporting education-based athletics in our state.”

“Also, I ask everyone to please be safe during these unprecedented times. Listen to our state’s health experts and take care of yourselves and your family and we will get through these difficult times.”

Prior to joining the Association office, Neidig spent 31 years with the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation, most recently as chief of staff and director of athletics. He also served as its chief administrative officer from 2012 to 2015, deputy chief of staff from 2009 to 2012 and director of athletics at Evansville Central from 2001 to 2010.

Before that, Neidig had worked at Evansville Central as a teacher, department chair, head coach and assistant coach for boys basketball, assistant athletic director and technology director between 1985 and 2001.

He was a continuous member of the IHSAA board of directors from 2004 to 2017 and served as chairman of the executive committee three times in 2006-07, 2009-10 and 2015-16.

Neidig has held membership with the Indiana Association of School Principals, Indiana Association of School Business Officials, Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.

He has been honored with numerous awards including a NIAAA State Award of Merit in 2006, IIAAA Athletic Director of the Year in 2007, Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Administrator of the Year in 2012, IIAAA Distinguished Service Award in 2013, and most recently with a citation from the National Federation of State High School Associations in 2015.

Neidig earned a B.S. degree in technology education in 1985 from Eastern Illinois University, where he played basketball for four years. He later earned an M.A. in education from the University of Southern Indiana in 1994. He is a 1981 graduate of North Posey High School and played basketball all four years for the Vikings.

Neidig and his wife, Jean, are the parents of three adult children, Ashley (Charlie Grimes), Chris, and Kyle (Erin Neidig) and three grandchildren.
Grace Men’s Hoops Pair Honored As All-Americans

wo members of the Grace College men’s basketball team were lauded as All-Americans to end the 2019-20 season.

Haden Deaton picked up two All-American nods, including NCCAA First Team All-American and honorable mention for NAIA All-American.
Mangas Is Named NAIA Player Of The Year

Indiana Wesleyan junior and Warsaw community High School graduate Kyle Mangas made IWU history Thursday, being named the 2020 NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball Player of the Year.
Strange Times Leave Spring Sports Student-Athletes, Coaches Doing What They Can To Prepare

Monday was supposed to be the first official day of IHSAA baseball practice.

Instead, high schools were closed and practices postponed for weeks because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

On local college diamonds, NAIA member Grace College had its season canceled and NCAA Division III Manchester University because of COVID-19 concerns is awaiting its next move.
Crossroads League Has 9 Men, 8 Women NAIA All-Americans

The Crossroads League had nine men and eight women named to their respective NAIA basketball All-American teams Thursday, as announced by the NAIA office.

Indiana Wesleyan’s Kyle Mangas, a Warsaw Comm-unity High School alum, headlined that group, being named the NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball Player of the Year, as well as a First-Team All-American selection.

Spring Arbor’s Paul Marandet, another former Warsaw Tiger, joined Mangas in receiving NAIA First-Team All-American recognition.
Lady Lancers Stull, Drake Dubbed NCCAA All-Americans

Kyannah Stull and Vironnica Drake capped off the 2019-20 season as All-Americans.

Drake, the all-time scoring leader for Grace’s women’s basketball team, was named NCCAA First Team All-American and honorable mention for NAIA All-American. Stull was named NCCAA Third Team All-American.
IHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament Cancelled

IHSAA Hopes To Have Abbreviated Spring Seasons
Cavemen Will Add A New Hue, New Rivalries To NLC

Mishawaka High School will bring a new hue — literally, it’ll be maroon; figuratively, it’ll be much more — when it joins the tradition-rich tapestry that is Northern Lakes Conference sports.

There will be iconic old venues the Cavemen can share and intriguing new rivalries to explore. There will be a dash more travel, too, but that seems a minor drawback.
March Was Maddening Last Week In High School Sports

March Madness took on another meaning for everyone in the sports world last week – a week like none other in the history of organized sports with the acceleration of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States.

The madness was not the bouncing of basketballs in arenas around the country. Instead it was organization after organization trying to determine the viability of continuing to operate – particularly after the suspension of the NBA season and the cancellation of the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships.
The Sound Of Silence Takes Over The Sporting World

I was sitting in my favorite chair Saturday afternoon, considering the real possibility that I had broadcast not only my last sporting event of the winter but my last of the entire school year.

I was thinking that, under normal circumstances, the high school boys regional semifinals would be just finishing up. The college basketball conference tournaments would be winding to a close.
Locals Earn IBCA Academic Honorable Mention

Tiger DB, Coach Selected for IFCA?All-Star Game
Grace’s Drake Nabs Fourth NCCAA Player Of The Week

Crossroads League Announces Athletes of the Week; NAIA Cancels All Spring Seasons
Indiana Wesleyan’s Mangas Named to Francis Final 25 List

Small College Basketball has updated the Bevo Francis Top 50 Watch List list, narrowing the squad to just 25 of the best small college players. Junior Kyle Mangas, a Warsaw Community High School alumni, made the cut for the second straight year, becoming the first Wildcat to dawn his name on the list twice.
2 Tigers And A Warrior Tabbed All-NLC

Trojans Land 2 On All-HNAC Squad
After Schools Close, IHSAA Opts To Postpone Boys Hoops Regionals

After many school corporations in Indiana, including most in the Times-Union coverage area, the IHSAA and its commissioner, Bobby Cox, announced the boys basketball regionals scheduled for today have been postponed.
Grace’s Basketball Seasons Cut Short

Grace College’s men’s and women’s basketball teams had a heartbreaking end to the 2019-20 season.

Both teams were on the verge of playing in national tournaments before the seasons were prematurely ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Triton’s Oviedo Repeats As T-U Athlete Of The Week

Triton sophomore guard Ashton Oviedo was the Times-Union Athlete of the Week during the final week of boys basketball season. After leading his team in scoring in three sectional games, Oviedo repeats as the winner, this time for the week ending March 7.
Spartans Arney, Phillips Named NWCA Scholar All-Americans

The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NCWA) announced the full slate of 2019-2020 Scholar All-American Team and Individual honorees for NCAA Division III with awards going to 260 individuals representing 75 institutions.
NCCAA Tourney At Grace College Cancelled

Among Kosciusko County’s larger-scale athletic events, the National Christian College Athletic Association men’s and women’s Division I basketball tournaments, was cancelled due to concerns regarding the spread of the coronavirus. Grace College’s athletic department, the tournament host, made the announcement in a press release Thursday afternoon.
Grace Women’s Golf Rises In NAIA Poll

Grace College’s women’s golf team is climbing in the polls as they prepare to get the spring season underway.

The Lady Lancers rose one spot, landing at No. 22 in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll.
IBCA Announces Award Winners For Boys Sectional Week

Last week, the IHSAA boys’ basketball state tournament got underway, as more than 400 teams were whittled down to just 64 entering the regional rounds Saturday. As with any state tournament, passion, emotion, and effort rise to the surface, helping underdogs overcome adversity and post upsets, while several of the top teams use the experience they gained from the regular season to capture victory.
Local Middle School Sports
Explorer Vans Send Lancers To Tourney In Style

Grace’s men’s basketball team departed for Sioux Falls, S.D., this week for the 2020 NAIA Championships in vehicles provided by Explorer Vans of Warsaw to give the Lancers comfortable transportation for the trip.
Grace Adds Bowling And Selects New Coach

Beatty recognized as NCCAA National Athlete of Week
Mangas Wins CL Player Of The Week Again

The Crossroads League Athletes of the Week were announced Monday, recognizing the top athletes from March 2-8. Sports information directors from the league nominate student-athletes for the award and vote on each week’s winners.
Warsaw Falls To Northridge In Title Game

Warsaw’s Class 4A Sectional 4 final at North Side Gym started out as a tightly matched defensive battle. Wyatt Amiss capped off an 11-3 Tiger run when he nailed a 3 to put the squad ahead of Northridge 12-11 with 6:31 left in the first half.

The 2019 defending sectional champs matched that burst with an 11-3 streak of their own, holding the lead for good thereafter, and clinching their second straight sectional title with a 60-38 win over the Tigers.
Argos Outlasts Trojans With Buzzer-Beater

In a night consisting of resolute team defense, Argos boys basketball scraped by Triton 28-26 after a buzzer-beater from Michael Richard stole the show on in the IHSAA Class 1A Sectional 50 championship game Saturday night at The Trojan Trench.

With the game winding down and deadlocked at 26, Caleb Ellis passed to Richard in the corner. He drove to the hoop and released the last shot of the game as time expired.
The End Of The Road For Warsaw’s Doug Ogle

Warsaw boys basketball coach Doug Ogle sent me a text message a week ago today.

This is nothing new. He sends me messages all of the time.

But this one came before 8 a.m., asking me to meet with him later that afternoon.

It seemed odd, but I met with him.
Local Sports Recaps for March 6

NorthWood Pulls Away Late To Dash Wawasee’s Title Hopes; Knights Overwhelm LCA; High school track and NELMSC girls basketball results.
Depauw Baseball Sweeps Four-Game Set From Spartans

Franklin Tennis Tops Spartans In HCAC Play
Lancers Earn Two More All-Americans At NAIA

Grace Softball?Upsets Webber