Indiana High School Athletic Association

9150 North Meridian Street, Box 40650, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240-0650

Phone: 317-846-6601    Fax: 317-575-4244    Website: www.ihsaa.org

Blake Ress, Commissioner

 

 

LAWRENCE NORTH DOMINATES CLASS 4A CHAMPIONSHIP

The second meeting of the season between Lawrence North and Columbia City wasn’t nearly as close as the first encounter though the outcome remained the same.

 

Top-ranked Lawrence North (29-2) raced to a 19-2 lead after one quarter and were never threatened in a 50-29 victory over sixth-ranked Columbia City in the Class 4A state championship game at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

 

Lawrence North also won the December 27 contest in the Hall of Fame Classic championship game, a 56-55 double overtime decision.

 

It was the second state championship for the Indianapolis school and its first since 1989. Jack Keefer, the Wildcats’ 28th year coach, is the only coach the school has ever known.

 

The Wildcats owned a decided height advantage and had an intimidating presence with 7-0 sophomore center Greg Oden roaming the paint. Oden scored 13 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in the game to lead Lawrence North. Anthony Sargent added 11 points for the victors. For the game, LN converted nearly 56 percent of the time from the field, while Columbia City struggled at 28 percent.

 

Columbia City went on a 7-0 run at the end of the second quarter to pull to 27-14 at the half. Lawrence North, however, outscored the Eagles, 15-4, in the third quarter and the closest Columbia City got was the 21 point deficit at the final horn.

 

The Eagles (25-4) were making their third appearance in the state finals and the first since 1932 under 8th year coach Chris Benedict.

 

Stefan Routt Named Winner of the Arthur L. Trester Award For Mental Attitude

Stefan Routt of Lawrence North High School was named winner of the 2004 Arthur L. Trester Award for Mental Attitude in Class 4A Boys Basketball.  From 1917 to 1943, this award was known as The Gimbel Medal for Mental Attitude, in honor of Jake Gimbel of Vincennes.  In 1944, it was known as the IHSAA Medal for Mental Attitude.  In 1945, the IHSAA Board officially named the award for Arthur L. Trester, who served as the first commissioner of the IHSAA from 1929 to 1944.  Recipients were given a medal each year from 1945 through 1964, hence the Arthur L. Trester Medal for Mental Attitude.  Since 1965, the award has been made in the form of a plaque and named the Arthur L. Trester Award for Mental Attitude.

 

Members of the IHSAA Executive Committee present the award to the outstanding senior participant in each classification of the boys basketball state finals.  The recipients of this award, who were nominated by their principals and coaches, must excel in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability in basketball.

 

Academically, Stefan ranks 25th in his Senior class of 485 and is a member of the National Honor Society.  His collegiate plans are uncertain, but he plans to major in BioChemistry.  He is a Hall of Fame and Kiwanis Scholarship winner, as well as Lawrence Township Character Award winner and has captured honors as an Academic Top Thirty Student.  He has been on the High Honor Roll for seven semesters and the Distinguished Honor Roll for four semesters.

 

He is editor of the school yearbook and active as a member of the Spell Bowl Team.  His volunteer work includes being a Breast Cancer Walk Volunteer, Adopt-A-Family for Christmas, Children’s Breakfast with Santa at RCI and the March of Dimes.

 

Stefan is the son of Deborah and Terry Routt of Indianapolis.

 

Farm Bureau Insurance, IHSAA corporate partner, presented a scholarship check for $1,000.00 to Lawrence North High School in the name of Stefan Routt.

 

New IHSAA Book, Play On, Recaps 100 Years Of High School Sports in Indiana

The exciting new book, Play On, celebrating 100 years of high school sports in Indiana, is perfect for that sports fan or the history buff you know. Filled with 150 pages of engaging photographs, captivating stories and a walk down memory lane, it’s now on sale through the Indiana High School Athletic Association. It’s not available in book stores, so contact the IHSAA at 317-846-6601 (Mon.-Fri., 8-4 EST) or click on the link above to learn more about this special tribute to 100 years of Indiana high school athletics.

 

Team Posters And Individual Action Photographs Available

Visit 20-20 Photographic, the IHSAA’s photographer and the Midwest’s Leader in Sports Action Photography, for images captured during Saturday’s state championship games! Action photos and team photos as well as 20-20’s Ultimate Sports Poster will be available for purchase later in the week following the state finals.

 

Own This Game On VHS Or DVD

If you’d like a copy of this state championship game, the IHSAA will have it as well as each of the other three contests (one game per video) available in VHS or DVD formats as part of the IHSAA Video Library collection. Phone in your order beginning Monday, March 29 to 317-846-6601 (M-F, 8-4 EST) and pay by credit card (Visa or MasterCard accepted). VHS copies are $35 each by mail, while DVD copies are $55 each by mail. Please allow up to four weeks delivery.

 

IHSAA State Championship Merchandise

For t-shirts and other merchandise commemorating this year’s state finals tournament or for any of our events, visit our friends at Morris, Inc.

 

State Finals Programs Available

Couldn’t be there for the state finals? You can still purchase a copy of the official program while supplies last! Programs are $3.00 if you purchase in person at the IHSAA Office (9150 N. Meridian Street in Indianapolis) or $5.00 by mail (postage included). To order, call 317-846-6601 (M-F, 8-4 EST) to pay by credit card (Visa or MasterCard accepted) or send a check for $5.00 made payable to the IHSAA, a note including your return address and brief description of your request and mail to: IHSAA Programs, PO Box 40650, Indianapolis, IN 46240-0650.

 

Class 4A Championship Game Quotes

 

Lawrence North Coach Jack Keefer

“Our kids have been so sharp all week.  We got the video out when we played before and we are just so much better than we were at Christmas…I’m so tickled…and it showed on the floor.  We found Greg (Oden) so much easier and were so unselfish with the basketball.  The last time we played, they shot and held and did what they wanted to with the ball.  Tonight, our defense dictated the game.”

 

“Coming into the game I was scared of them (Columbia City).  They shoot 46% from three and (Doug) Sheckler is one good basketball player.  They have a good inside-outside game.  Our defense just pushed them so far out they were not able to shoot the three liked they wanted to.”

 

“You just can’t believe how mentally tough these guys are.  I thought (Mike) Conley and (Brandon) McPherson played very well tonight.  I like to do certain things at the beginning of the year and change it once we get into tourney mode.”

 

“The team chemistry we have is special.  Very unselfish.  When you have a big man who passes the ball like Greg (Oden), that’s so special.”

 

Lawrence North guard Anthony Sargent

“We knew they would play hard.  After having played them before in overtime, we wanted to run more this time and that is what we came out and did.”

 

Columbia City Coach Chris Benedict

“They (Lawrence North) are obviously a very good basketball team. Lawrence North played to their strengths early. They got us out of our game early in the game and we had to play catch-up the rest of the night. They are too talented a team to come back from behind on.”

 

“Defensively, they were very aggressive and took our passing lanes away from us. We turned it over too much and then they finished on the other end.”

 

“We have a great group of kids that had an outstanding season. But Lawrence North was the better team tonight – no question about it. We finished 25-4 and had a tremendous season. We’ve battled all year. Nobody ever gave us a shot to get here. We were kind of a Cinderella story.”