Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc.

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

MEDIA INFORMATION                                                                      June 7, 2006

Contact: Jason Wille, Sports Information Director                                                                    

E–Mail: jwille@ihsaa.org

 

 

STATE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS WEEKEND

Only one defending state champion is among the three teams making a return trip from 2005 as the 22nd Annual IHSAA Softball State Finals are set for this Friday and Saturday in the Indianapolis area. This year’s field of 16 teams also includes seven first-timers, including two each in Classes 4A, 2A and A.

 

Two semifinal games at four different sites will be played Friday beginning at 6:30 p.m. EDT. The second games will not begin any earlier than 8:30 p.m. The sites of the semifinals are as follows: Carmel (Cherry Tree Elementary) hosting Class 4A, Pike hosting 3A, North Central the site for 2A and Hamilton Southeastern the site for Class A. Saturday’s four state championship games will each be played at the Ben Davis High School Softball Complex in Indianapolis. The Class A championship contest is set to begin at 10:30 a.m. The 2A final is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., 3A at 4:30 p.m. and 4A at 7:30 p.m.

 

4A

Martinsville (24-5) is the lone defending state champion to return to Indianapolis after winning the 4A crown in 2005 and the Artesians enter this weekend as hot as anyone. They lost three straight games to out-of-state teams in mid-April but have not lost since reeling off 17 straight victories including shutting out their last four opponents. They’ve outscored their tournament competition by a 32-2 count and are making their third straight appearance in the state finals. Kokomo will be their opponent in the first semifinal. The Wildkats (21-6) are making their first trip to state after winning the school’s first sectional title in the sport more than a week ago. They survived a pair of one-run games in Saturday’s regional and are directed by first-year coach Mike Sargent. The other game features Center Grove (28-5), which makes its record 10th trip to the state finals and will look to add its record fifth state title. The Trojans will face top-ranked Chesterton (29-1) which hasn’t lost since its season opener back on March 25. These Trojans have shut out their last four tournament opponents including a pair of one-run games at the regional.

 

3A

New Palestine (27-1) and New Prairie (30-3) will face off in the first semifinal game. New Palestine’s only loss of the season came in extra innings to top-ranked Pendleton Heights in April but the Dragons avenged that setback in the sectional semifinals, 11-3. The 2004 3A champs also survived a 16-inning affair with Roncalli last Saturday night to earn its third trip to state in four seasons. New Prairie has won three consecutive one-run games and will make its first appearance at the softball finals following up on its first sectional title in the sport. Boonville (30-2) and Northridge (28-5) make up the other half of the 3A bracket. Boonville has outscored its four tournament opponents by a 20-1 margin and prior to the regional championship game last Saturday the Pioneers had shut out 11 straight foes, 81-0. After six unsuccessful attempts, Boonville will be trying to advance to its first championship game. They’ll have to get by Northridge which will be making its first trip to state in 10 years. The Raiders rolled through a pair of games in the regional and hope to return to Elkhart County with its first softball championship trophy since 1988.

 

2A

Second-ranked Frankton (26-2) survived a 1-0 battle with top-ranked Indianapolis Scecina in the regional semifinal on Saturday and went on to win its second consecutive regional crown later in the day. The Eagles finished as the state runner-up last year and hope to take that final step this weekend and add to their 2000 Class A crown. They’ll meet first-time participant Hammond Bishop Noll (16-15), the first school from that city to ever advance to the state finals. The Warriors won their first sectional crown of the class sports era a few days ago and find themselves in the state finals after finishing the regular season below .500. The second game will match North Posey (26-9) against Cass ((26-2) in a battle of defensive-minded teams. North Posey is another team that earned its first sectional championship this season and the Vikings hope to match their baseball team’s achievement which won the school’s first state title in any sport last year. The softball Vikings enter the game without giving up a single run in its five tournament games to date (23-0), including a 17-inning marathon in the regional final. Something will have to give, however, as Cass also hasn’t given up a single score in tournament play outscoring five teams 20-0. The Kings are back in the finals for the third time in six years but first since 2002.

 

A

Top-ranked Whiting brings in a perfect 31-0 mark and will make its third appearance in four years. The Oilers hope the third time is the charm as both of the previous entries have been ousted in the semis. Coach Paul Laub earned the 400th victory of his 24-year career on May 10 against Washington Township as freshman pitcher Mel Dumezich pitched a perfect game striking out 14 of the 15 batters she faced. Their assignment will be Lafayette Central Catholic (18-9) which also won its first sectional crown under first year coach Ed Mathew. The Knights feature one player from its state champion girls basketball team, Sara Beth Reed, a starting outfielder. The second game features North Central of Farmersburg (21-4) and Lanesville (15-9). North Central won a 4-3 contest from North Daviess, the 2005 state runner-up, in the regional final and will make the school’s first-ever appearance in an IHSAA team sport state finals. Lanesville is the third returning team in this year’s field after winning its third straight sectional this year. The Eagles fell to eventual champion Clinton Prairie in last year’s semis.

 

Rosters, stats and season results for all 16 teams are available in the “Meet the Teams” section below:

 

NOTES

 

Defending State Champions in the Field (1)

4A: Martinsville.

 

Returning to State Finals from 2005 (3)

4A: Martinsville; 3A: None; 2A: Frankton; A: Lanesville.

 

Former State Champions in the Field (5)

4A: Center Grove, Martinsville; 3A: New Palestine, Northridge; 2A: Frankton; A: None.

 

First-Time Participants in the State Finals (7)

4A: Chesterton, Kokomo; 3A: New Prairie; 2A: Hammond Bishop Noll, North Posey; A: Lafayette Central Catholic, North Central (Farmersburg).

 

STATE FINALS

Dates: Friday, June 9 (semifinal games) and Saturday, June 10, 2006 (championship games).

Times: All times are EDT.

Admission: $8.00 per session or $12.00 all sessions.

Home Team: The second-named team in each game is designated as the home team.

 

Semifinal Games

Class 4A

Carmel (Cherry Tree Softball Complex, 13989 Hazel Dell Parkway, Carmel) | Map

Game 1 – Martinsville (24-5) vs. Kokomo (21-6). 6:30 pm

Game 2 – Center Grove (28-5) vs. Chesterton (29-1). 8:30 pm

 

Class 3A

Pike (5401 W. 71st Street, Indianapolis) | Map

Game 1 – New Palestine (27-1) vs. New Prairie (30-3). 6:30 pm

Game 2 – Boonville (30-2) vs. Northridge (28-5). 8:30 pm

 

Class 2A

North Central (1801 E. 86th Street, Indianapolis) | Map

Game 1 – Frankton (26-2) vs. Hammond Bishop Noll (15-15). 6:30 pm

Game 2 – North Posey (26-9) vs. Cass (25-2). 8:30 pm

 

Class A

Hamilton Southeastern (13910 E. 126th Street, Fishers) | Map

Game 1 – Whiting (31-0) vs. Lafayette Central Catholic (18-9). 6:30 pm

Game 2 – North Central (Farmersburg) (21-4) vs. Lanesville (15-9). 8:30 pm

 

Championship Games

Ben Davis, 1200 N. Girls School Road, Indianapolis, IN | Map

Class A

Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 10:30 am

Class 2A

Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 1:30 pm

Class 3A

Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 4:30 pm

Class 4A

Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 7:30 pm

 

 

ICGSA STATE RANKINGS (END OF REGULAR SEASON)

 

CLASS 4A

CLASS 3A

CLASS 2A

CLASS A

1.

Chesterton

1.

Pendleton Heights

1.

Indianapolis Scecina

1.

Whiting

2.

Hamilton Southeastern

2.

New Palestine

2.

Frankton

2.

North Daviess

3.

Penn

3.

Boonville

3.

Eastern (Greentown)

3.

Clinton Prairie

4.

Center Grove

4.

West Lafayette

4.

Cass

4.

South Central (Union Mills)

5.

Avon

5.

Andrean

5.

Eastside

5.

Tecumseh

6T.

Carmel

6.

Culver Academies

6.

Jimtown

6.

Frontier

6T.

Munster

7.

Heritage Hills

7.

Clarksville

7.

Southern Wells

8.

Lowell

8.

Northridge

8.

Churubusco

8.

Hebron

9.

Martinsville

9.

New Prairie

9.

Union County

9.

Indianapolis Lutheran

10.

Huntington North

10.

Evansville Memorial

10.

Woodlan

10.

Lakewood Park Christian

 

 

MEDIA INFORMATION

 

Media Hosts – Sports Information Director Jason Wille, Communications Director Joe Gentry and other members of the IHSAA staff will be at each site to assist in your coverage.

 

Media Credentials: The 2005-06 IHSAA State Finals Media Credential (a white laminated pass) will allow for admission to each site. Those outlets needing credentials should fax a letterhead request immediately to Sports Information Director Jason Wille at 317-575-4244. The application deadline is Thursday at 4 pm EDT 3 pm CDT. Approved requests will be available for pickup at the site requested on Friday or Saturday. Those wishing to broadcast at any site should immediately contact Mark Higdon of Associated Sports Productions at 317-633-1462 to make arrangements.

 

Services – Starting lineups and game programs will be circulated to members of the media in attendance at Friday’s semifinal sites. Computer-generated official box scores will be available only during Saturday’s four state championship games. Line scores for all 12 games will be posted on the IHSAA website. For those individuals wishing to file stories and/or photographs from any site, please see a member of the IHSAA staff or the site’s tournament director for post-game arrangements.

 

STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS (as of Tuesday, June 6, 2006)

The following lists of statistical leaders are compiled from information contained at Stats & Go, the IHSAA’s exclusive athletic statistics reporting and publishing service. The IHSAA encourages each of its member schools to participate by registering for free at www.statsandgo.com and updating team and individual statistics by 4 p.m. each Monday of the season.

 

Batting Average (minimum 48 at-bats and 2.0 AB per game)

 

Name

School (Class)

Grade

G

AB

Hits

Avg.

1.

Alexia Clay

Culver Academies (3A)

12

26

81

48

.593

2.

Jamie Goss

Indianapolis Scecina (2A)

10

26

73

42

.575

3.

Holly Weaver

Lakewood Park Christian (A)

10

24

82

47

.573

4.

Katie Hackney

Huntington North (4A)

10

23

77

44

.571

5.

Sarah Cearing

Frontier (A)

11

22

70

38

.543

6.

Tara Buchanan

LaPorte (4A)

10

28

61

33

.541

7.