Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
I’m launching this weekend’s thoughts on the Ohio State Buckeyes popping up in the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday evening. Four of the first eleven draft picks were Buckeyes. Transfers-in among those notwithstanding, the program will reload again in 2026.
A weak field goal kicker and their on-again/off-again offense kept an otherwise top 3 team, talentwise, out of the title game.
“Wait ‘til next year” is not an ironic mindset for Buckeye fans as opposed to Cleveland Browns and Chicago Cubs fans, even if Ohio State has one of the best college football teams money can buy.
Addie Baxter, Columbia City’s all-state 2025 graduate who played her freshman season at Butler following four seasons of frustrating area high school girls’ basketball opponents while impressing fans from both sides, will be a Miami (Ohio) RedHawk.
While Butler, on the other hand, loses Baxter, who started 6 regular season games and had near-matching road and game home stats, she will team up with Warsaw Lady Tiger sharpshooter Brooke Zartman in Miami.
Oxford is a pretty cool town, and Miami’s campus makes for a great walk. Perhaps seeing two area stars is worth the trip to Southwestern Ohio.
Spring has sprung… a huge leak, actually. The season’s schedules, wisely etched in pencil, have been either moved to drier venues, postponed, or even cancelled among area teams whose priorities are to get the conference slate played primarily.
Please extend a huge thank you to spring sports event workers, and scholastic athletic department staff members at your high school and middle school.
I am unable to put my finger on the last time the Warsaw girls’ track and field team lost a Northern Lakes Conference dual meet, but it happened recently. Without the facts in front of me, I’d guess one might have to go back as far as 2011 for a Lady Tiger NLC dual meet loss.
The most accessible information reported the Lady Tigers at a streak of 39 NLC dual meet wins in May 2016.
The team is understandably stunned, but the accomplishment of approximately 95 consecutive victories and nearly a score of conference championships is inimitable in our region.
While track and field season is in my brain Wawasee alum Lorene Teel, Warsaw Community High School’s retired Phys ed teacher who also still holds some track and field records in the area and conference is looking for Wawasee Lady Warriors who were part of the 1976 IHSAA state team champion.
Lorene is taking the lead in reuniting teammates from that historic season. If the Times Union could be nearby when you all meet it would make for a great stroll down memory lane.
I love it when high school athletes interview well, and my most recent notable impression of such individuals was at Thursday’s Warsaw men’s volleyball match when seniors Levi Brath, Logan Carl, and Nolan Haussman packed in a lot of good material for my game/feature article in yesterday’s Sports section.
Nice work, Gentlemen. Put your names on the list of coaches and athletes who were great to meet and interview among the years I’ve prepared long-form features for this newspaper.
I’m announcing Unified Track & Field meets Monday April 27 and Thursday May 14, the latter Warsaw’s annual invitational at the Tiger Athletic Complex. I enjoy calling unified sports because everyone in attendance is roosting for… everyone.
I like to tell coaches and athletes who are Warsaw’s guest (for unified football and track & field), “Welcome to Warsaw. This is a home meet for everyone in uniform.”
I’ve been told by other schools’ fans and coaches – not for bragging’s sake but pleased someone appreciates the intended spirit of unified sports – “You folks at Warsaw GET IT!”
Warsaw Tiger football fans will be excited about three consecutive August Friday Night Lights events (one scrimmage and two non-conference battles), but bear in mind, conversely in 2027, we’ll be itching for that first home game until it comes Friday September 3, 2027.
Instead of leaning on one topic this morning it was fun just reeling off opinions with a sprinkle of facts (loose and solid).
Enjoy the weekend and remember in Northern Indiana, April showers bring… May showers.
