Post-Tribune

Girls tennis: Valparaiso cruises to 21st sectional title

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:52:00 -0500

PORTAGE — Valparaiso continued its dominance of the 2013 season with a sectional final drubbing of Portage 5-0. The Vikings (17-1) completed the sweep without losing a single set the entire day in winning their 21st sectional title and second straight. The Kennedy twins Caitlin and Kelly won their singles matches 6-2, 6-1 and 6-0, 6-1 respectively. Kelly was in complete control of her tilt with Kaley Liang, beginning with her first serve of the day and taking a 40-love lead in the first set. “They are two strong competitors who play with different styles, so it’s nice to have …

Pope: Here are your NWI high school baseball sectional predictions

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:52:00 -0500

When it came time to predict the winners of the area’s eight baseball sectional tournaments, I looked for two things: Which teams have been consistent throughout the season and which teams have been on a roll. Five area teams — Washington Township, Bishop Noll, Boone Grove, Andrean and Crown Point — are ranked in their respective classes in the May 13 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association poll. Another team, Hanover Central, is receiving votes. And then there are other teams that have been hot down the stretch, like Chesterton and last year’s Class 4A state champ Lake Central. Sectionals …

Boys golf: Bobby Jacobs leads Valparaiso to LC Invitational victory

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:52:00 -0500

ST. JOHN — Bobby Jacobs likes it down the middle and on the green with his second shot — except if it’s a par-3 or a par-5. Then, he’ll take regulation in either one or three. Jacobs, the No. 2 player for Valparaiso High School, was in robotic form Saturday in the Lake Central Invitational at Palmira Golf Course. Fairways and greens. Fairways and greens. Fairways and greens. “It was boring golf,” he said after he walked in with a 1-over-73. It was also very good golf — the kind of steady, reliable, predictable golf that Jacobs plays when he’s …

Baseball: Washington Twp. cruises past Hanover to reach PCC final

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:50:00 -0500

VALPARAISO — From the first batter, Washington Township’s offense was in full swing. The Senators cranked out 18 hits, scoring 14 runs, defeating Hanover Central 14-3 in the second round of the PCC tournament. With the win, Washington Township became the final team to eliminate the GSSC-bound Wildcats from a PCC tournament. “We were on the barrel for the whole day,” said Washington head coach Randy Roberts. “We hit the ball hard against them the first time, but it was right at people. Today we were hitting the ball hard and we found some holes.” The hit parade started in …

Baseball: South Central’s pitching too much for Kouts in PCC semifinals

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:50:00 -0500

VALPARAISO — A crafty pitching performance from southpaw starter Logan Lionberger paired with some stellar defense was the winning combination in South Central’s 4-0 victory over Kouts in the semifinals of the PCC Tournament. “Every team has that lefty,” said South Central head coach Ryan Kruszka. “He can throw three pitches for strikes and be effective. When he throws low strikes and hits his spots—with our defense—he’s a tough pitcher to beat.” Lionberger pitched six innings, yielding just three hits while walking two and registering five strikeouts. He benefitted from consistently getting ahead of Kouts’ batters. “When you can get …

Boys golf: Crown Point improving by playing outside region

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:52:00 -0500

First year golf coach Jonathan Haas has taken the unconventional route toward trying to make his talented Crown Point team tournament tough. Haas has eschewed several of the local tournaments — at least with his varsity players — for some non-traditional tournaments, like the Ulen Invitational, a tournament in Lebanon, and the Lafayette Harrison Invitational, which was the same day as the Rensselaer Invitational. Haas sent a junior varsity team to the Kankakee Valley Invitational on the day of the Ulen. It’s an interesting strategy for the Bulldogs, who like every team in Northwest Indiana, are faced with a new …

Baseball: Northwest Indiana stat leaders

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:50:00 -0500

Batting average (min. 50 AB) Jesse Wilkening, Hanover Central .551 Riley Welch, Hanover Central .500 Ryan Burvan, Lake Central .511 Dan Stum, Hanover Central .494 Chad Schultz, North Newton .468 C.J. Gear, Valparaiso .464 Andrew Ralph, Chesterton .452 Dean Hill, Boone Grove .444 Ethan Lehnen, Valparaiso .444 Drey Devereaux, Hobart .439 Sam Miller, Valparaiso .437 Brenden Seren, Lake Central .434 Stephen Simms, Valparaiso .430 Jake Moore, Kouts .429 Zac Maciejewski, Hanover Central .429 Jake Bekelya, Kouts .422 Brandon Propes, North Newton .418 Alec Olund, Lake Central .416 Chuck Kidd, Boone Grove .408 Wade Schuerich, North Newton .407 Daniel Balich, Hanover Central .402 Runs Ryan Burvan, Lake Central 40 Zac Maciejewski, Hanover Central 40 Chad Schultz, North Newton 39 Jesse Wilkening, Hanover Central 36 Dan Stum, …

Baseball: Timeout extras

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:50:00 -0500

Bulldogs getting impressive pitching Crown Point had 20 victories in its first 24 games. The Bulldogs are raked No. 5 in the state in the May 13 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Poll. And the pitchers have put up impressive numbers. The staff has a 1.85 ERA. Zach Plesac is 4-2 with three saves and a 1.48 ERA. In 281/3 innings, he has surrendered just 14 hits and six earned runs. Plesac has 45 strikeouts. Ronnie Plesac leads the team with 60 strikeouts. He has a 2-0 record with a 2.08 ERA. Plesac has allowed nine earned runs in …

Softball: Rain, Andrean ruin Hebron’s home finale

Sat, 18 May 2013 02:04:01 -0500

HEBRON — Hebron honored its softball players Friday, but Mother Nature and the Andrean 59ers were anything but cooperative. After a 45-minute rain delay, the 59ers exploded for nine runs in the final four innings to win 9-0 in a tuneup game before the sectionals begin next week. Hannah Kulesa was the hitting star for the 59ers, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored. The 59ers had eight hits off Hebron starter Maggie Lindeman, who pitched a no-hitter against Kankakee Valley on Wednesday. “Hannah was seeing the ball very well today,” Andrean coach Brooke Baker-Runyon said. …

Softball: Munster’s Carly Murphy dazzles, blanks Chesterton

Sat, 18 May 2013 02:04:10 -0500

MUNSTER — If her performance in Friday’s game against Chesterton is any indication, Munster pitcher Carly Murphy is ready for the postseason. The senior scattered five singles, fanned five and was in complete control as the Mustangs (21-7) beat the Trojans 3-0 on Friday. “That was the best she’s pitched all year,’’ Munster coach Beth Thornburg said. “Her pitch location was very good today, especially in terms of being ahead in the count. She only got behind two batters the whole day. I’d say today was probably the best control she’s had all year.’’ Considering the lineup Chesterton (22-6) throws …

Boys track: Crown Point tops DAC rival Merrillville for sectional title

Fri, 17 May 2013 02:04:21 -0500

CROWN POINT — Tom Cierniak knew he had the opportunity to boost Crown Point’s shot at a sectional title with a win in the 3,200-meter run. That served as incentive as Cierniak nipped Lowell’s Kyle Eller in the thrilling race. Cierniak finished first with a time of 9 minutes, 32.18 seconds. Eller was second with a time of 9:32.19. “I was just looking to run fast. I know Eller is a great competitor. Knowing that we had a chance to win this as a team was just more motivation to push harder and keep doing our best,” Cierniak said. Cierniak …

Boys track: Valparaiso wins second straight sectional championship

Fri, 17 May 2013 02:04:00 -0500

PORTAGE — It had been a long wait for Portage’s Jeron Blake, as the Indians senior had spent the entire track season battling hamstring issues. Finally, at the Portage Sectional, Blake was cleared for a full workload for the first time this season — and the 2012 state finalist delivered. “It felt like my first time; this is the most nervous I’ve been,” Blake said. “My physical therapist said I should wait until sectionals, so that’s what we planned. And she was right.” Blake took first place in the 100- and 200-meter dash, and was part of a first place …

Boys track: Jonvae Johnson leads West Side to sectional title

Fri, 17 May 2013 02:04:10 -0500

HIGHLAND — West Side rode the legs of Lake Central junior transfer Jonvae Johnson to win the Highland Sectional, beating last year’s champion, Munster. Johnson had four first-place finishes, including state qualifying times in the 100 (10.97) and 200 meter (22.13). Johnson, along with Lonnie Johnson, Darnell Jones and Carlton Sims broke a sectional record in the 4x100 meter relay that was set in 1988 by Bishop Noll; the Cougars’ time of 42.29 broke the previous record of 42.70 and Johnson turned a close race in the 4x400 meter relay into a runaway as he pulled away in the third …

Boys track: KV stays close, falls to Winamac

Fri, 17 May 2013 02:04:31 -0500

RENSSELAER — Kankakee Valley track coach Dan Roberts wasn’t really upset that his Kougars lost a close sectional Thursday to Winamac, 116.5-110. “When you’re that tight, that close, you really can’t be unhappy. “If you do come here and give them your best, that’s all you can expect,” said Roberts, who went into the meet expecting about a 20-point margin. “Everybody on the team stepped it up,” Roberts added. He was especially pleased about senior Mike Smith’s performance. Smith ran on two first-place relay teams, and finished first in the 200. “Mike Smith was huge,” Roberts added, noting that he …

Timeout softball: Statistics

Thu, 16 May 2013 23:12:00 -0500

Average (at least 40 PA) N. Goodwin, LaCrosse .600 M. Martin, Bishop Noll .576 E. Kolb, Kouts .547 M. Starcevich, Boone Grove .532 C. Martinez, Clark .531 H. Hodges, Portage .525 B. Lewin, Hebron .512 E. Hodges, Munster .500 J. Goodwin, LaCrosse .493 S. Cooley, Chesterton .491 A. Hawrot, Boone Grove .489 S. Carter, Chesterton .482 M. Lovasko, Whiting .481 M. Matheny, Chesterton .469 R. Ortiz-Zabloudil, Portage .469 M. Brown, Whiting .462 V. Ruiz, Clark .455 M. McKee, Chesterton .444 K. Doelling, Hebron .440 T. Guse, LaCrosse .436 K. Doud, Portage .435 T. Kotzo, Munster .432 S. Gyure, Crown Point .423 M. Moore, Munster .421 H. Wilson, Hobart .408 Al. Rock, Crown Point .405 J. Alaniz, Portage .404 L. Stokes, Kankakee Valley .402 H. Golwitzer, Boone Grove .400 S. …

Softball: Key win has Dana Claussen, Hobart clicking on all cylinders

Fri, 17 May 2013 02:05:12 -0500

HOBART — Sometimes all it takes is one well-played victory to get a team going, know matter what the sport. In high school softball, that could be a 1-0 win in which pitching, defense and timely hitting all come together in the perfect storm of execution. That’s exactly what happened with Hobart’s softball team on Saturday when the Brickies edged one of the top teams in the region in Crown Point. It was a 1-0 gem pitched by Dana Claussen, and a confidence booster for players who have been hearing how good they are from fifth-year coach Katrina Lucas. “I’ve …