By STEVE KRAH
http://www.IndianaRBI.com
Half the field in the 2023 Indiana High School Athletic Association State Finals for baseball was also at Victory Field in downtown Indianapolis in 2022 and all four — Penn (3-0 against Indianapolis Cathedral in 4A), Andrean (5-1 against Brebeuf Jesuit in 3A), Illiana Christian (10-1 against Centerville in 2A) and Lafayette Central Catholic (4-1 against Tecumseh in 1A) — came away with the championship in their respective classes.
On Friday, June 16, No. 10 Illiana Christian and unranked Covenant Christian meet in 2A followed by No. 2 Andrean and No. 6 Silver Creek in 3A.
On Saturday, June 17, it’s No. 3 Lafayette Central Catholic vs. No. 1 Barr-Reeve in 1A and unranked Penn against No. 1 Center Grove in 4A.
A few words from the head coaches …
Jeff VanderWoude (4th Year; Illiana Christian Vikings): “We lost a couple from last year but we brought a lot back (including probable Friday starting pitcher Kevin Corcoran Jr. plus Cody DeJong, Aaron Gouwens, Gavin Meyer, Isaac VanderWoude and Joe Vis). The kids we’ve brought up from JV have stepped up and done a great job. We’ve got a couple of freshmen that have done really well … We have the same set-up as last year (playing the first game on Friday). I didn’t have to change the itinerary … I like this team a lot. It competes really well … We’re starting to see the process of a program. You leave a legacy and something that is hopefully carried on generation to generation. That was our vision when we took over this program. It’s good to see it starting to work.”
Chris Stevenson (3rd Year; Covenant Christian Warriors): “We play an extremely tough schedule (No. 2 in 2A strength by MaxPreps). That schedule (which includes tough Circle City and city tournament opponents) really prepares these guys well … We thought last year we had the talent to make a run to state … Even when we were 7-14 we thought we had a team (led by probable Friday starting pitcher Ethan Kimmerle plus Brad Nardi and Nolan Jones) good enough to make a run to State … At the end of the season, we figured some things out. Our hard work is paying off.”
Dave Pishkur (43rd Year; Andrean 59ers): “We do everything OK. There’s nothing we do poorly and there’s nothing we do great. Sometimes we hit. Sometimes we play really good defense. Sometimes we pitch really well. It’s a team that can do a little bit of everything pretty good. There’s no really week parts to our game … The only full-time returning starter (from the 2022 championship game) is Mason (Barth since Noah Chase only played on defense and Moises Vazquez was brought up during the postseason) … (Probable Friday starting pitcher Garrett Benko) throws strikes. He’s probably had two questionable outings. Everything else has been pretty good. He’s a three-pitch pitcher — fastball, slider, change-up … We don’t have that overpowering guy. If we get seven strikeouts that’s only 14 we have to get with our defense.”
Joe Decker (21st Year; Silver Creek Dragons): “It’s a good mix of young guys and old guys coming together at the right time. We lost four really good seniors and we thought it might take awhile for this team (featuring Dane DeWees, Spencer Durham and Jace Burton at the top of the lineup and probably Friday starting pitcher Preston Burton) to figure out its identity … The biggest thing is (the players on this team) are very competitive … This will be my last game. Before the season I told (the team) I’m hanging it up after this year. My daughter (Reese) is going to be a senior next year. She plays softball and I’ve never really got to watch her play. My son (Dominic) is playing softball and I want to be able to go and watch him. A lot of factors added up. It’s worked out really well that we’ve gone as far as we have. I’ve been lucky to enjoy the ride on my last go-round.”
Tim Bordenet (26th Year; Lafayette Central Catholic Knights): “We have a lot of experience. That’s been a big plus for us. We have eight guys who started last year in the state championship game (Owen Munn, Evan Dinehart, Ryan Schummer, Ben Mazur, Kayden Minnich, T.J. Bell, Tyler Fox and Brinn Robbins). We have six seniors and a lot of them have started now for three years. We have senior Ben Mazur on the mound who pitched last year (in the State Finals). He’s had another outstanding year and been lights-out in the postseason … We’re happy for the opportunity to go down there and hopefully defend our title.”
Trevor McConnell (4th Year; Barr-Reeve Vikings): “We talk to our kids all the time about respecting the opponent and preparing for the opponent but not being scared or fearful. We respect (Lafayette Central Catholic). They’re going to be a tough challenge. We also believe in ourselves. I told the kids they won 28 games in a row (led by probable starting pitcher Seth Wagler plus Levi Lester, Ethan Graber, Braydon Knepp, Colton Stoll and Jacob Pauw). It that’s not proof enough you’re a good baseball team and you can go up there and compete, I don’t whatever will be.” Source: WHIT-TV.
Greg Dikos (36th Year; Penn Kingsmen): “We’re constantly trying to put pressure (on the opponent) … Center Grove has been No. 1 throughout the season for a reason. They’ve got some boys … I’m sure (Center Grove) preaches state championships like we preach state championships … We play a very tough non-conference schedule. We take our lumps. It costs us in the rankings, but who cares? … We try to put the best team out there — the best hitting team and the best defensive team (which includes six starters from the 2022 state championship game in probable Saturday starting pitcher Adam Lehmann plus Cooper Hums, Cam Dombrowski, Evan Tuesley, Zach Pelletier and Colton Hudnall; Dawson French earned a save and a win at semistate). Through trial and error we think we’ve got it down now.”
Keith Hatfield (10th Year; Center Grove Trojans): “It’s been a lot of fun. This group has been is going to be sorely missed when this is all over. We have 13 seniors (including probable starters Drew Culbertson, Garrison Barile, Evan Zapp, Grant Sawa, Bradley Gilliam and probable Saturday starting pitcher Jacob Murphy). We have a lot of pitcher-onlys (in the Class of 2023) … It’s something different everyday. Our pitching has been better than I thought it would be. We didn’t have a whole lot of innings coming back (outside of Ben Murphy, Caden Cornett and Jacob Murphy). There are other days are defense is unbelievable. There are other days when we put 14 runs on the board.”
Cost is $15 per day.
All four state championship games will air on Bally Sports Indiana and be streamed on IHSAAtv.org via pay-per-view for $15 per game or $20 for all four games.
IHSAA STATE FINALS
Friday, June 16
Class 2A
Illiana Christian (24-9) vs. Covenant Christian (16-15), 5:30 p.m. ET (4:30 CT)
Class 3A
Andrean (28-6-1) vs. Silver Creek (25-7), 8 p.m. ET (7 CT)
Saturday, June 17
Class 1A
Lafayette Central Catholic (24-11) vs. Barr-Reeve (29-3), 4:30 p.m. ET (3:30 CT)
Class 4A
Penn (26-8) vs. Center Grove (29-3), 8 p.m. ET (7 CT)
Tournament Trail
Illiana Christian: Whiting Sectional — North Newton 16-0, Whiting 14-0, Hammond Bishop Noll 11-1; Griffith Regional — Hebron 18-0; Kokomo Semistate — Westview 9-2, Delphi 12-1.
Covenant Christian: Cascade Sectional — University 2-0, Cascade 5-1; Loogootee Regional — Cloverdale 13-1; Mooresville Semistate — Brownstown Central 12-8, Heritage Christian 10-6.
Andrean: Griffith Sectional — Rensselaer Central 12-2, Hanover Central 7-5, Boone Grove 9-3; Plymouth Regional — New Prairie 9-4; Oak Hill Semistate — Norwell 8-3, Heritage 8-2.
Silver Creek: Madison Sectional — Charlestown 3-0, Scottsburg 9-5; Floyd Central Regional — Connersville 1-0; Southridge Semistate — Evansville Memorial 7-2, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard 8-1.
Lafayette Central Catholic: Lafayette Central Catholic Sectional — Attica 13-0, Covington 7-2, Fountain Central 13-0; Lafayette Central Catholic Regional — Rossville 9-0; Lafayette Jeff Semistate — Wes-Del 6-2, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian 6-4.
Barr-Reeve: North Daviess Sectional — North Daviess 9-0, Loogootee 7-1; Castle Regional — Evansville 10-0; Jasper Semistate — Greenwood Christian Academy 3-1, Shakamak 4-2.
Penn: Northridge Sectional — Concord 11-0, Northridge 1-0, Goshen 10-0; LaPorte Regional — LaPorte 6-2; LaPorte Semistate — Lake Central 7-6, Hamilton Southeastern 1-0.
Center Grove: Mooresville Sectional — Bloomington South 4-1, Greenwood Community 16-0; Jasper Regional — Columbus North 4-2; Plainfield Semistate — Brownsburg 6-0, Castle 5-2.
All-Time Titles
Sectional
Illiana Christian (2)
Covenant Christian (5)
Andrean (31)
Silver Creek (12)
Lafayette Central Catholic (19)
Barr-Reeve (14)
Penn (24)
Center Grove (21)
Regional
Illiana Christian (2)
Covenant Christian (1)
Andrean (16)
Silver Creek (4)
Lafayette Central Catholic (16)
Barr-Reeve (13)
Penn (12)
Center Grove (7)
Semistate
Illiana Christian (2)
Covenant Christian (1)
Andrean (10)
Silver Creek (2)
Lafayette Central Catholic (11)
Barr-Reeve (2)
Penn (6)
Center Grove (2)
State Championships
Illiana Christian (1 — 2022; 2A)
Covenant Christian (0)
Andrean (8 — 2005, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2022; all in 3A).
Silver Creek (0)
Lafayette Central Catholic (8 — 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2022; all in 1A).
Barr-Reeve (0)
Penn (5 — 1994, 1998, 2011, 2015, 2022; last four in 4A).
Center Grove (0)
State Runner-Up Finishes
Illiana Christian (0)
Covenant Christian (0)
Andrean (1 — 2003; 3A)
Silver Creek (1 — 2018; 3A)
Lafayette Central Catholic (2 — 2015, 2016; both 2A)
Barr-Reeve (1 — 1998, 1A)
Penn (1 — 2017; 4A)
Center Grove (0)
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