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

_____________________________________________________________________________

MEDIA INFORMATION                                                                      October 25, 2005

Contact: Jason Wille, Sports Information Director                                                                    

E-Mail: jwille@ihsaa.org

 

 

CROSS COUNTRY STATE FINALS IN TERRE HAUTE SATURDAY

One of the most colorful spectacles in all of high school athletics takes place this Saturday as the 60th Annual Boys and 25th Annual Girls Cross Country State Finals are staged in Terre Haute.

 

For the second year, the event will be run on the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course as 168 girls (20 teams of seven plus 28 individuals) and 176 boys (20 teams of seven plus 36 individuals) will compete for state championship honors in team and individual categories. The 4,000 meter girls race begins at 1 p.m. with the 5,000 meter boys race to follow at 1:45 p.m.

 

In the girls race, seven of last year’s top 10 overall individuals return to this year’s event while three-time defending state champion Valparaiso hopes to become the first team to win four consecutive years since Floyd Central (1989-92).

 

Sophomore Alexandra Banfich of Culver Academies, who finished third a year ago, is the top returnee. She finished first at the New Prairie Semi-State last Saturday in a time of 14:28.8. Finishing second and third, respectively, behind Banfich on Saturday were Valparaiso junior Lauren Hardesty (14:38.5) and Chesterton senior Sarah Kehe (14:43.2) who also finished in the top five at last year’s state meet.

 

Besides Hardesty, Valparaiso returns four of its five scoring runners from last year’s title team including twin sister Amanda Hardesty, senior Andrea Kent and junior Ashlee Karp. Amanda placed fourth overall at the semi-state (1:43.4) while Kent was 13th (15:20.0).

 

Half of the boys top 10 overall finishers from last year are back led by defending champion Justin Roeder of Hamilton Southeastern. The senior finished seventh in 15:42 at last week’s semi-state conducted at the Central State Hospital Course in Indianapolis. Also in this weekend’s field are Warren Central junior De’Sean Turner (3rd overall in 2004), who finished second at the same semi-state in 15:07 and Fort Wayne Northrop junior Robert Moldovan (5th overall), the winner of the New Haven Semi-State in 15:48.1. Southport teammates Michael Disher, a junior, and Michael Pabody, a senior, rounded out last year’s top 10. Pabody finished 10th on Saturday in 15:47, while Disher was 15th in 15:54.

 

Defending champion Northridge, which won its first cross country title in school history last season, will attempt to repeat. The Raiders return five of the seven runners used in last year’s state meet, three of which scored and they also captured the New Haven Semi-State championship for the third time in five years over the weekend. Scoring runners from last year’s team include junior Loren Spirito, the eighth place finisher last Saturday (16:11.2), sophomore Ladd Mercer and senior Andy Williams.

 

Terre Haute North High School will serve as the host school this weekend. The course also will be used for the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Championships on November 21 and hosted by Indiana State University.

 

Boys State Finals Lane Assignments | Girls State Finals Lane Assignments

 

Boys and Girls Semi-State Results

 

2004 State Finals Results: Boys | Girls

 

60th Annual Boys and 25th Annual Girls IHSAA Cross Country State Finals

Date: Saturday, October 29.

Time: 1 p.m. Girls (4,000 meters); 1:45 p.m. Boys (5,000 meters).

Admission: $5.00 per person.

LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course, Wabash Valley Sports Center, 599 S. Tabortown Road, Terre Haute. Course Layouts and Driving Directions

 

State Finals Media Credentials – The 2005-06 IHSAA State Finals Media Credential issued previously for the girls golf and boys tennis state finals is good for admission. For those outlets without credentials and planning to cover the cross country state meet, please fax a request on company letterhead containing names of the working individuals to Sports Information Director Jason Wille at 317-575-4244 as soon as possible. Approved requests will be available for pickup at the Wabash Valley Sports Center adjacent to the course beginning at 11 a.m. Please have media identification available and enter the grounds using the east gate nearest the Sports Center.

 

Media Services – IHSAA Sports Information Director Jason Wille will be on site to assist in your coverage of this year’s state finals. Official programs and computer-generated results will be available following both races. Electrical power and phone lines will be available in the Wabash Valley Sports Center adjacent to the course for filing stories and photographs. The building will close promptly at 8 p.m.

 

 

AVILLA RESIDENT CARTER LOHR TO BE HONORED WITH OFFICIATING AWARD

In an annual presentation during Saturday’s state finals, Carter Lohr will be honored as the 2005 recipient of the Interscholastic Officials Association Award in Cross Country.

 

An Avilla resident, Lohr has been an IHSAA official in cross country and track and field for 29 years. He has earned 10 assignments to work the state track and field finals, including the past five state championships.

 

Each year, the Indiana High School Athletic Association, recognizes and honors an outstanding official in each of 11 sports during the school year.

 

Lohr was nominated for this award by the Northeastern Officials Association (NEIAOA), one of 26 associations located throughout the state. This honor comes as a result of his selection by a committee of representatives from those associations. Statewide, there are more than 8,000 licensed IHSAA officials in 11 sports.

 

He served the Northeastern association as the football sport chairperson from 1974-78, working the 1978 IHSAA finals.

Lohr has been associated with track and field since competing in high school.  He served as a high school coach for 15 years, prior to being a licensed official for the past 26 years. He has officiated at the collegiate level for 20 years.

 

A licensed football official for almost 30 years, Lohr has officiated NCAA Division I football in the Big East and the MAC.

Professionally, Lohr served for 40 years as a teacher, coach, and principal. He is a graduate of A.J. Kent High School (Kentland, Ind.), earning a bachelor’s degree from Indiana State and a master’s degree from Indiana University.

He is married (Kathy), and he has two daughters, Kathi and Kari.

 

 

BOYS & GIRLS SOCCER

 

SOCCER’S FINAL FOURSOMES HEAD TO STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS SATURDAY

The school with the most boys soccer state championships, one returnee from last year’s girls tournament and another that placed both boys and girls teams in the field will take part in the 12th Annual IHSAA Soccer State Finals on Saturday, Oct. 29 at Kuntz Stadium in Indianapolis.

 

The boys semifinals will be played first this year on adjacent fields beginning at 10 a.m. and be followed by the girls semifinals at 12 p.m. The winning boys teams will return to play for the state championship at 6 p.m. with the girls title match scheduled for 8 p.m.

 

Four-time state champion North Central (16-3-4) headlines the boys finals. The Panthers return for the fourth time in six years and hope to add another trophy to go along with those won in 1994, 1995, 1996 and 2002. North Central, which scored the only goal it would need in the first two minutes of its 1-0 semi-state title win over Avon, has never failed to advance to the championship match in its six visits to this level of the tournament. North Central finished as the state runner-up in 2003, its last appearance.

 

Their opponent will be Lake Central (19-2-1) which finally broke through the semi-state wall after seven tries over the years. The Indians, who join the school’s girls team at state and have won 10 straight matches, survived a pair of overtime battles in the Valparaiso Semi-State on Saturday, including knocking off the defending state champion hosts, 3-2, for the title.

 

The other semifinal match pits Evansville Memorial (21-3) against Carmel (17-3-2). After blitzing its two semi-state opponents last Saturday by a 9-0 count, Memorial makes its third trip to the state finals riding its own 10 match win streak. Previously, Memorial appeared in 1994, the first year of the IHSAA state tournament, and 2002 and were eliminated in the semifinals both times. Carmel, meanwhile, is in the finals for the second time having finished as the state runner-up in 1997. The Greyhounds beat North Central at home, 1-0, on Sept. 14 and claimed a 2-0 decision from Memorial in Evansville on Sept. 24.

 

A first-time champion is assured in the girls tournament as Evansville Central, Lake Central and Zionsville have each earned this trip once before but have not advanced past the semifinal round. The fourth participant, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (19-3-1) is in the state finals for the first time.

 

Evansville Central (20-3) is the lone returnee from last year’s championships as the Bears fell to eventual state champion Carmel, 4-0, in the semis. Carmel won’t stand in their way this time, but Central, winners of 14 straight, will have to face Bishop Dwenger, a 4-0 winner over Harrison of West Lafayette for the semi-state crown last Saturday. The Saints appear to be a young team with eight freshmen or sophomores among their top 12 players.

 

Lake Central (15-5-2) will meet Zionsville (16-3-2) in the other semifinal. Lake Central converted its only shot on goal in the semi-state championship match to edge Penn, 1-0, while Zionsville’s Anna Dykema scored the winning goal with 6:39 remaining to help the Eagles hold off Avon, 3-2 in their semi-state final match. Both teams have faced Bishop Dwenger during the regular season with the Eagles taking a 2-0 victory on Sept. 3, while the Indians fell 2-0 on a neutral field on Aug. 20.

 

Team rosters, statistics and results are available in the following PDF files: Meet the Boys Teams | Meet the Girls Teams

 

12th Annual IHSAA Boys & Girls Soccer State Finals

 

Boys State Finals

Date: Saturday, October 29.

Kuntz Memorial Stadium, 1502 West 16th St., lndianapolis | Stadium website | Map.

Admission: $8.00 per session; $12.00 both sessions.

Home team: Second-named team in each pairing will be the designated home team.

 

Match 1 (10 a.m.) – Lake Central (19-2-1) vs. North Central (Indianapolis) (16-3-4).

Match 2 (10 a.m.) – Evansville Memorial (21-3) vs. Carmel (17-3-2).

Championship (6 p.m.) – Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2.

 

 

Girls State Finals

Date: Saturday, October 29.

Kuntz Memorial Stadium, 1502 West 16th St., lndianapolis | Stadium website | Map.

Admission: $8.00 per session; $12.00 both sessions.

Home team: Second-named team in each pairing will be the designated home team.

 

Match 1 (12 p.m.) – Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (19-3-1) vs. Evansville Central (20-3).

Match 2 (12 p.m.) – Lake Central (15-5-2) vs. Zionsville (16-3-2).

Championship (8 p.m.) – Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2.

 

State Finals Media Credentials – The 2005-06 IHSAA State Finals Media Credential issued by request is good for admission. For those outlets without credentials and planning to cover the soccer state finals on Saturday, Oct. 29, please fax a request on company letterhead containing names of the working individuals to Sports Information Director Jason Wille at 317-575-4244 as soon as possible. Approved requests will available for pickup at the ticket building near the entrance to the stadium. For those wishing to originate a broadcast, please contact Mark Higdon of Associated Sports Productions at 317-633-1462 as soon as possible to make arrangements.

 

Media Services – IHSAA Communications Director Joe Gentry will be on site at Kuntz Stadium to assist in your coverage of this year’s state finals. Official programs and computer box scores will be available following all six contests during the day. Interviews may be conducted with players and coaches on the sidelines following the semifinals and after the award ceremonies in the evening. Electrical power and phone lines will be available in the press box for filing stories and photographs.

 

CARMEL SOCCER OFFICIAL KEN MATHER WILL BE HONORED THIS WEEKEND

In an annual presentation during the state finals on Saturday, Ken Mather will be honored for his officiating work as the 2005 recipient of the Interscholastic Officials Association Award in soccer.

 

A Carmel resident, Mather has been a licensed official for 22 years. He has earned assignments in eight sectionals, eight regionals, eight semi-states and six state championship tournaments.

 

Mather has served as the chairperson of the Indiana Officials Association and he has been a rules interpreter and clinician for four years.

 

The Indiana High School Athletic Association, in cooperation with the National Federation of Interscholastic Officials Association, annually recognizes and honors an outstanding official in each of 11 sports during the academic year.

 

Mather was nominated by his peers from the Indiana Officials Association (IOA), one of 26 associations located throughout the state, and selected by a committee of representatives from those associations. Statewide, the IHSAA licenses more than 8,000 officials in 11 sports.

 

Mather was inducted into the Indiana Soccer Hall of Fame in 2002. He currently officiates NCAA soccer in the Big Ten, Big East, and Conference USA.  He officiated a four-overtime semifinal match at the 1999 NCAA College Cup, becoming the only Indiana official to work that event.

 

An England native, Mather and his wife of 32 years, Christine, have two children, Hayley and Lee.

 

 

Boys State Finals History

 

Carmel (1-1)

1997 semis, def. Valparaiso, 1-0.

1997 championship, lost to Fort Wayne Canterbury, 2-1.

 

Evansville Memorial (0-2)

1994 semis, lost to North Central (indpls.), 2-0.

2002 semis, lost to Fort Wayne Canterbury, 3-0.

 

Lake Central (0-0)

First appearance.

 

North Central (10-2)

1994 semis, def. Evansville Memorial, 2-0.

1994 championship, def. South Bend Adams, 3-0.

1995 semis, def. Washington, 3-0.

1995 championship, def. Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, 2-0.

1996 semis, def. South Bend St. Joseph’s, 3-0.

1996 championship, def. Fort Wayne Canterbury, 6-1.

2000 semis, def. Fort Wayne Canterbury, 2-1.

2000 championship, lost to Castle, 1-0 (PK).

2002 semis, def. Merrillville, 2-0.

2002 championship, def. Fort Wayne Canterbury, 2-1 (PK).

2003 semis, def. Carroll (Fort Wayne), 4-0.

2003 championship, lost to South Bend St. Joseph’s, 2-1.

 

Girls State Finals History

 

Evansville Central (0-1)

2004 semis, lost to Carmel, 4-0.

 

Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (0-0)

First Appearance.

 

Lake Central (0-1)

1997 semis, lost to Center Grove, 2-0.

 

Zionsville (0-1)

1995 semis, lost to Evansville Memorial, 2-1.

 

 

BOYS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS (as of Tuesday, October 25, 2005)

The following lists of statistical leaders are compiled weekly 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.

 

 

Name

School

Grade

Games

Goals

High

1.

Tito Fernandez

Hammond Morton

12

17

41

7

2.

Logan Eberly

Evansville Day

12

17

35

5

T3.

Aaron Beck

Eastern (Greentown)

12

15

33

5

T3.

Adam Cranfill

Waldron

12

19

33

4

T3.

Tim Freeman

Waldron

11

18

33

4

T3.

Mike Luttrull

Avon

11

24

33

5

T7.

Zach Sipes

Waldron

12

17

32

4

T7.

Jon Hendricks

Northwestern

11

19

32

4

9.

Leo Garcia

Lakeland

12

20

31

4

T10.

Kiel Hauser

Greenwood

12

14

30

8

T10.

Josh Singer

Marion Lakeview Christian

12

19

30

4

 

Assists

 

Name

School

Grade

Games

Assists

High

1.

Jake Cifuentes

Eastern (Greentown)

11

15

31

4

2.

Mitch Mansfield

Evansville Day

11

18

27

4

T3.

Jeff Alter

Marion Lakeview Christian

12

19

21

3

T3.

Kiel Hauser

Greenwood

12

14

21

4

T3.

Drew Williams

Northwestern

10

17

21

3

6.

Adam Cranfill

Waldron

12

19

20

4

7.

Derek Manuel

Greenwood