The four 1999 state champions return to defend their titles, while five schools are in the field for the first time Saturday (Nov. 3) at the 29^th Annual IHSAA Volleyball State Finals.

Michigan City Marquette (Class A), Muncie Burris (2A), Indianapolis Cathedral (3A) and Muncie Central (4A) are back seeking another title. Muncie Burris and Muncie Central have each won three straight state titles since the multiple-class format was introduced in 1997. Indianapolis Cathedral also was the Class 3A state champion in 1997. Other former state champions in the field are Mishawaka Marian (1973) and Fort Wayne Snider (1987, 1991).

First-time state finalists are Loogootee (Class A), Bremen (2A), Centerville (2A), Mitchell (3A) and Penn (4A). It’s the first IHSAA state finals appearance in any team sport for Centerville. Mitchell is in an IHSAA state finals for the first time since its 1940 boys basketball team was the state runner-up. For Bremen and Loogootee, it’s the first time a girls team has reached the state finals.

For the second year, the semifinals on Saturday morning will be conducted at multiple sites beginning at 9 a.m. All four state championship matches will be played Saturday afternoon and evening at Noblesville High School.

Tickets: $7 session; $10 all sessions. Available at the gate.

Credentials: The 2000-01 IHSAA State Finals Media Pass will be honored.

Bloomfield (25-10) vs. Michigan City Marquette (36-2).

Cowan (26-10) vs. Loogootee (18-11).

Centerville (25-7) vs. Bremen (26-5).

Union County (32-5) vs. Muncie Burris (31-6).

Mishawaka Marian (34-4) vs. Yorktown (34-2).

Mitchell (32-1) vs. Indianapolis Cathedral (35-2).

Penn (36-2) vs. Center Grove (36-2).

Fort Wayne Snider (32-7) vs. Muncie Central (33-5).

Class 2A – 2:30 p.m.

Class 3A – 4 p.m. (Approximate; will not begin before 4 p.m.).

Class 4A – 5:30 p.m. (Approximate; will not begin before 5:30 p.m.).

Class A – 7 p.m. (Approximate; will not begin before 7 p.m.)

At each site, there will be a separate media work area adjacent to the gymnasium with a phone available for media use. IHSAA SID Jim Russell will serve as media host at the Class A semifinals at Westfield and then at Noblesville for the four state championship matches.

A new individual champion is assured in the girls race, while Franklin Central senior Aaron Fisher goes for a three-peat in the boys race Saturday (Nov. 4) at the 2000 IHSAA Cross Country State Finals on the Indiana University Course at Bloomington.

This is the fourth year the state meets have been conducted on the I.U. course, located on the east side of the Bloomington campus near the intersection of state roads 46 and 45.

Fisher won the 1999 boys race in 15:34.08, a margin of six seconds over Michael Taylor of Portage. In 1998, Fisher was clocked in 15:30.5 to win by two seconds over Michael Russell of Martinsville.

Fisher, who won the Franklin Central Semi-State by 12 seconds last week, seeks to become only the second athlete to win three IHSAA cross country state titles. The only runner to do it was John Stayton of Anderson in 1946-47-48. Stayton’s first title came in the inaugural IHSAA state meet when it was run in two sections and a champion declared in each.

Fisher is one of eight runners from last year’s top 15 finishers who have qualified for the state meet contested over a 5,000-meter course. That list includes Taylor, who won the New Prairie Semi-State title last week in 15:40. The other semi-state winners were seniors David Welch (15:55.73) of Bloomington North at Terre Haute and Ryan Johnson (15:13) of DeKalb at Manchester. Johnson was sixth in the 1999 state finals and Welch was 21^st.

The other returning top 15 finishers from 1999 are junior Michael Haschel (fifth) of Winamac, senior Joe Hinson (eighth) of Carmel, senior Chase Christy (ninth) of Zionsville, senior Joe Dillabaugh (11^th) of Valparaiso and senior Bret Grover (14^th) of Bluffton.

Taylor won the 800 meters at the 2000 IHSAA Track and Field State Finals, while Fisher captured the 1600 meters and Charlie Koeppen of Carmel was the winner at 3200 meters. Koeppen ran third last week at the Franklin Central Semi-State.

Team semi-state champions were top-ranked Valparaiso at New Prairie, No. 2-ranked Carmel at Franklin Central, No. 7-ranked DeKalb at Manchester, and No. 6-ranked Brown County at Terre Haute.

In the girls competition across 4,000 meters, Michelle Dela Vina of Wheeler did not compete this season after taking third place in 1998 and then winning the IHSAA title as a junior in 1999. The field of athletes vying to succeed her includes eight runners who finished in the top 15 at the 1999 state meet. That group includes 1999 runner-up Robyn Detty of Lawrence North and fourth-place finisher Winter Holman of Brownstown Central. Holman also is the reigning IHSAA Track and Field state champion at 1,600 meters.

The other returning top 15 finishers from 1999 are sophomore Tiffany Redlarczyk (sixth in 1999) of Lake Central, senior Jill Scully (seventh) of Valparaiso, junior Lindsay Hattendorf (eighth) of Chesterton, junior Jessica Gall (ninth) of West Lafayette), junior Megan Rainville (10^th) of Floyd Central, and junior Natalie Karas (12^th) of Valparaiso.

In last week’s semi-state competition, Holman (14:31.22) was the winner at Terre Haute and Gall (14:19) took top honors at New Prairie. The other semi-state champions were senior Natalie Ewing (14:09) of Northridge at Manchester and Sarah Huddleston (14:04.30) of Carmel at Franklin Central.

Team semi-state champions were top-ranked Carmel at Franklin Central, No. 3-ranked Valparaiso at New Prairie, No. 4-ranked Fort Wayne Northrop at Manchester, and No. 8-ranked Bloomington South at Terre Haute.

Located in the University Gym (at the former University High School now known as the Stone Belt Center) at the intersection of Ind. 46/45 and East 10^th Street on the eastside of the I.U. campus. This is the same facility used the past three years. State finals programs can be obtained in a classroom that will serve as the media work area. Enter through the red, double doors on the southeast side of the building and follow the signs to the work area. This area will have a phone for filing purposes. Jason Wille, coordinator of IHSAA publications, will serve as the media host.

Access to the parking lot at the Stone Belt Center can be gained by displaying the 2000-01 IHSAA Media Pass to the parking attendants.

Avon, Bellmont, Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Carmel, Chesterton, Columbus North, DeKalb, Floyd Central, Fort Wayne Northrop, Franklin Central, Homestead, Lawrence North, Martinsville, Michigan City, New Albany, New Prairie, Northridge, South Bend St. Joseph’s, Valparaiso.

Lauren Bader, Mount Vernon.

Christan Bahler, Western.

Caitlin Baird, Yorktown.

Leslie Carden, Cass.

Brooke Carr, Madison.

Winter Holman, Brownstown Central.

Kathleen Doehla, Fort Wayne Concordia.

Stephanie Eilar, Richmond.

Jennifer Finch, Warsaw.

Jennifer Furge, Angola.

Jessica Gall, West Lafayette.

Megan Hardenbrook, Garrett.

Hilary Ignatoski, Vincennes Lincoln.

Sarah Jarvis, North Central (Indianapolis).

Nikki Jasperson, Fort Wayne Luers.

Nicole Jones, Bedford North Lawrence.

Laura Lash, Tippecanoe Valley.

Rose Lehe, Tri-County.

Katy Pryor, New Castle.

Katy Quirk, Evansville Memorial.

Kristina Ramos, Frankfort.

Amy Rodeghero, Richmond.

Tiffany Redlarczyk, Lake Central.

Gina Sitzman, Tell City.

Lauren Snell, Hamilton Southeastern.

Heather Stembridge, Evansville Central.

Natalie Shaffer, New Castle.

Casey Schneider, North Harrison.

Bedford North Lawrence, Bloomington North, Brown County, Carmel, Castle, Chesterton, DeKalb, Fort Wayne Northrop, Franklin Community, Lake Central, Lawrence North, North Central (Indianapolis), Northridge, Northview, Norwell, Penn, Portage, Valparaiso, Warren Central, Wawasee.

Marcus Aguilar, Martinsville.

Benjamin Allen, South Bend Riley.

Seth Aydt, Gibson Southern.

Matthew Barker, Evansville Harrison.

Doug Blackburn, Evansville North.

Scott Borchelt, Fort Wayne Concordia.

Chris Brown, Bluffton.

Cody Brown, Central Noble.

Chase Christy, Zionsville.

Stephen Cohen, North Newton.

Matthew Cummins, Elkhart Memorial

Jesse Davis, Bloomington South.

Craig Dismore, Columbus North.

Robert Duncan, Jennings County.

Jeff Faulk, Monrovia.

Jordan Fife, Seymour.

Aaron Fisher, Franklin Central.

Nathan Gephart Triton.

Bret Grover, Bluffton.

Michael Haschel, Winamac.

Daniel Houchens, Zionsville.

Michial Jacob, North Central (Farmersburg).

David Martin, Evansville Reitz.

Travis Moyer, Mishawaka Marian.

Andy Parmerlee, Martinsville.

Josh Quintana, Bellmont.

Wesley Seacat, New Albany.

Matthew Schenk, Rensselaer Central.

Robert Smitson, Brebeuf.

Dennis Tankersley, Eastern (Pekin).

Travis Watson, Mishawaka.

Ian Wilson, Homestead.

Thomas Wolfe, Fairfield.

Sean Threewits, Union City.

The field that began with 309 teams just two weeks ago has been reduced to 80 as play in the 28^th Annual IHSAA Football Tournament reaches the sectional championship round. Forty sectional championship games will be contested Friday (Nov. 3) night across the state, with the winners advancing to regional play on Nov. 10 or 11.

The field includes 13 unbeaten teams, 15 teams that are 10-1, and 24 of the 40 sectional champions from 1999. By class the defending state champions seeking to repeat are:

Eleven schools are seeking their first football sectional title. Those schools are: Decatur Central in Class 5A; Jay County, Jennings County and Plainfield in Class 4A; Beech Grove, Benton Central, Culver Military and Lakeland in Class 3A; Central Noble in Class 2A; Attica and Southern Wells in Class A.

The 2000 sectional championship schedule includes 13 matchups that are rematches of games played during the 2000 regular season and eight rematches from the 1999 sectional championship games.

19 -- Hobart.

16 -- Carmel.

14 -- Lawrenceburg.

13 -- Fort Wayne Dwenger, Jimtown.

12 -- Fort Wayne Luers, Sheridan.

11 -- Adams Central, Ben Davis, Indianapolis Chatard, Roncalli.

10 -- Evansville Mater Dei, Indianapolis Cathedral, NorthWood, Penn.

5 -- Ben Davis, Jimtown, Penn.

3 -- Adams Central, Bloomington South, Evansville Mater Dei, NorthWood, Western Boone.

19 -- Hobart (1979-97).

7 -- Fort Wayne Dwenger (1987-93).

5 -- Ben Davis (1995-99), Fort Wayne Luers (1983-87; 1989-93), Franklin Central (1986-90), Indianapolis Chatard (1982-86), Jimtown (1995-99), Penn (1995-99), South Putnam (1985-89).