Edmonds-coached Burris Owls focused on fun, fundamentals

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Burris Laboratory School in Muncie, Ind., is constructing a baseball foundation.

“We’re building something,” says Fredrick Edmonds, a former assistant and first-year Owls head coach in 2024. “It’s going to be a fun year. Last year we had 14 or 15 kids max. We’ll probably have between 25 and 30 this year. For the first time in awhile we’ll have a (junior varsity) team with a nine-game schedule (the 2023 varsity team played 18 games). We’re excited about that.

“Baseball is fun. That’s the thing I preach. The way to make baseball fun is learning the fundamentals of the game. I am an X’s and O’s guys. I believe in it. I believe in making it a team effort. We are only as good as our player that needs the most work.

“We want them respect the history of the game and know why things are done the way they are done.”

Edmonds, a businessman and cattle farmer in Randolph County, is a 1997 graduate of Downers Grove (Ill.) North High School. He played baseball for Westmont (Ill.) American Legion Post 338 for Coach Jerry Baker.

“I was a catcher,” says Edmonds. “We had some real good seasons.

“A lot of what I do is from my old Legion background. It worked in the past; it works now.”

Edmonds went on to study at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Ill., and Indiana University East in Richmond, Ind.

Burris has won seven varsity baseball games in the last three years, but the Owls are not dwelling on that but looking forward.

The focus is on things like building pitching rotations, bullpen scenarios, warm-ups, cool-downs and more.

“It’s a lot of learning,” says Edmonds. “I meet with each individual every few weeks on what they want to do. I see this as an opportunity to help the player. 

“But this isn’t about me. It’s not my team, it’s the players’ team.”

Players — about two-thirds of them new to the program in 2024 — are asked to choose three positions that they want to learn. Two of them are core and one optional.

“The new and returning players have been working really hard to prepare for this season — all working together to train, learn and grow as baseball players,” says Edmonds. “They are creating a great baseball atmosphere!

“I’ve definitely seen improvements.”

Edmonds is assisted by a large coaching staff featuring qualified businessmen and volunteers includes Drew Hankins, Garrett York, Jason Haney, Jeremy Smith, Chanse Milhollin, Nathan Edmonds and Nathan Bailey.

Junior varsity head coach/varsity assistant Hankins was a catcher at Burris and a current Ball State student. 

York, Fredrick Edmonds’ second cousin, played at New Castle Chrysler (Ind.) High School, Earlham College and independent baseball. 

Jason Haney, father of Drew Haney (Class of 2024), is a Wapahani High School graduate.

Smith played baseball at Delta High School.

Milhollin went to Monroe Central High School.

Nathan Edmonds is Fredrick Edmonds’ father. He went to the former Williamsburg High School in Wayne County.

Bailey is middle school coach and assistant high school coach. He played at Monroe Central and Anderson (Ind.) University.

Players are drawn from both Burris Lab and The Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities, which draws students from all over the state and houses them on the Ball State University campus.

Fundraising for jerseys is now underway as well as the crafting of a booklet to let players know what they will be doing.

These are the kinds of students that expect directions.

“We have to be flexible with kids’ schedules,” says Edmonds. “Education is No. 1 and then sports, especially at a school where academics comes first.

“The good part is that Burris (administration) is on-board.”

There are many multi-sport athletes at the school. The idea is to grow the popularity of Burris baseball.

“To do that you’ve got to get more people involved,” says Edmonds. “We’ve already accomplished some of that.”

Burris (enrollment around 430) is a member of the Pioneer Academic Athletic Conference (with Anderson Preparatory Academy, Bethesda Christian, Central Christian Academy, Greenwood Christian Academy, Indianapolis Shortridge, International, Liberty Christian, Park Tudor, Seton Catholic and University).

All but Park Tudor are on the 2024 Burris schedule.

Non-conference opponents include Blue River Valley, Cowan, Daleville, Eastern Hancock, Fort Wayne Canterbury, Herron, Indianapolis Washington, Knightstown, Marion, Muncie Central, Northeastern, Pike, Providence Cristo Rey, Purdue Polytechnic-Broad Ripple, Randolph Southern, Southern Wells, Union (Modoc), Wes-Del and Winchester Community.

The Owls are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2024 with Frankton, Lapel, Monroe Central, Wapahani and Winchester Community. Burris has won one sectional  title — 1982.

Burris plays on the turf of Francis Lafferty Field at McCulloch Park in Muncie and also have five home games schedule at Ball State. The first home game is March 28 against Knightstown at McCulloch Park. The Owls also practice at Thomas Park. 

Fredrick and Julia Edmonds have been married almost 23 years. They have two children — both on the Burris baseball team — Sarah (17) and Beau (15). Indiana Academy student Sarah Edmonds (Class of 2024) is an Indiana Academy student who is bound for Murray (Ky.) State University to play soccer. Beau Edmonds is in the Class of 2027.

The Edmonds family: Father Fredrick, daughter Sarah, son Beau and mother Julia. 

Francis Lafferty Field at McCulloch Park in Muncie, Ind.

New head coach Taylor wants Union County to meet standard of success

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Baseball is a big deal at a small place and Daniel Taylor wants to do his best to see that continues in his new role as head coach at Union County High School in Liberty, Ind.

A veteran of six years in the Patriots program, including the past two as varsity assistant to Jordan Ashbrook, Social Studies teacher Taylor became head coach in October.

Union County (enrollment around 400) is a member of the Tri-Eastern Conference (with Cambridge City Lincoln, Centerville, Hagerstown, Knightstown, Northeastern, Tri, Union City and Winchester).

“Our conference and sectional is loaded with baseball,” says Taylor. “It’s really fun conference to play in.”

The Patriots are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2024 with Eastern Hancock, Hagerstown, Knightstown, Northeastern and Shenandoah. Union County has won eight sectional titles — the last in 2018.

While the last couple of seasons have been below the standard, UC has produced 13 seasons of 15 or more victories since 2008.

Taylor led minimal activity at the end of the fall IHSAA Limited Contact Period and the winter has had participants lifting weights and also spending in the gym two days a week hitting and loosening up their arms.

“We’re taking it slow,” says Taylor. “(In-season athletes) will start throwing programs on their own just to get the arms in decent shape before the season.”

With the pitch count rule (1 to 35 pitches requires 0 days rest; 36 to 60 requires 1 day; 61 to 80 requires 2 days; 81 to 100 requires 3 days; and 101 to 120 requires 4 days) and a season that sometimes features six games in a week, Taylor knows you can never have too many players who can take the mound.

“At a small school, especially early in the season, your depth is really tested,” says Taylor.

Recent Union County graduates to move on to college baseball include Class of 2019’s Nate Webb (catcher at Ohio Northern University) and Denton “Mook” Shepler (University of Indianapolis corner infielder).

Taylor says he hopes there will be a few more college players in the current crop.

One of the things that struck Taylor when he came to Union County and coached under Jeff Mathews besides the trees in left and center field and the breeze that often made the baseball fly were the names of all the all-state players on the Bill Webb Field fence.

“(Mathews) expected success,” says Taylor. “It was a culture that was built. That was special. You don’t find that everywhere — especially at smaller schools.”

The varsity field is situated next to Union County Youth League (a combination of Liberty and College Corner) and UCHS softball diamonds.

“That place is bustling with baseball and softball come May,” says Taylor. “I love it.”

During the interview process, Taylor emphasized the importance of the feeder program. That includes middle school baseball, which was started two years ago as a club sport and has 20 to 25 players taking part in the spring before rolling into summer league.

To increase exposure with youth league players, Ashbrook began recognizing youth players on the field between games of a high school doubleheader and Taylor plans do the same kinds of things. There is a desire to host a summer youth clinic and another one during the preseason in 2025.

“I want kids to see the program and I want them to see the high school players,” says Taylor. “I remember when I was young I saw the high school players as big brothers and you wanted to grow up and be like them one day.

“The more you are exposed to baseball at a younger age the more it leads to the goal of what the program should be.”

Taylor notes that players in the Class of 2018 and 2019 came up together beginning at the youth league level.

Winning is also a tradition with Union County softball. That program produced its ninth sectional title in 2023 and earned its third regional crown in 2021.

Taylor is a 2012 graduate of Preble Shawnee Junior/Senior High School in Camden, Ohio, where he played baseball for Arrows head coach Michael O’Diam.

“He’s the reason education or coaching ever became a thing I was interested in,” says Taylor of O’Diam. “He was a great guy. He wasn’t going to lie to you. He was going to you. He would tell you straight how he felt, but he wasn’t demeaning. He built you up.

“He’s the reason I am where I am today in large part.”

Preble Shawnee is about is about 20 miles east of Union County High and it’s where all three of Taylor’s 2024 staff — varsity assistant J.J. Hatmaker and junior varsity coaches Caleb Barrett and Dylan Hatmaker — graduated. Taylor coached Barrett and the Hatmaker brothers at Preble Shawnee during his last two years of college.

“I think they will be a huge asset for our kids,” says Taylor. “They will be good examples for them to be around. They’re going to bring a high Baseball I.Q. level to the program.”

After high school, Taylor went to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and was a double major in History/American Politics and Sports Journalism. He was a sports director for student radio and was an intern with the Cincinnati Reds for one season.

Along the way, he changed his path and went into the teaching graduate program at Indiana University East in Richmond. He is currently instructing in Government and Economics while working toward masters degree in Education Administration from American College of Education (all courses are online). 

In his sixth year of teaching, Taylor started at Union County Middle School then moved to Union County High two years ago.

On social media, there’s a Union County Patriots Baseball Facebook page. The Twitter/X handle is @UCPats_Baseball.

Daniel and wife Schyler have two children — son Karson (4) and daughter Gracelyn (2). Schyler Taylor is a nurse manager in Richmond.

Daniel Taylor. (Union County High School)

Union County High School.

New Richmond head coach Brankle combining Old School, New School

By STEVE KRAH
http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Matt Brankle is a familiar face in a different place on the Wayne County, Ind., baseball scene.
Brankle pitched at Earlham College and for the Richmond RiverRats and was head coach for the Richmond Jazz and Cambridge City Lincoln Middle/High School.
In July, the 28-year-old became head coach at Richmond High School.
With the Red Devils, Brankle is establishing a culture where Old School meets New School.
“I’m going to use a lot of the Old School strategies, but try to do it with a modern approach,” says Brankle. “That’s what our players have grown up with.
“We’re going to be disciplined in how we handle every moment of our day. I’m high on grades. We expect to miss zero assignments and have zero F’s. We’ll be 10 minutes early everywhere we go, including school. We’ll be dressed properly with shirts tucked in and hats forward.
“I know there’s a lot more to this life than baseball I’m going to try to teach them skills in baseball that will help them in those situations.”
Brankle has learned coaches he played for and applied it to his coaching style.
“I’ve taken the best of all of those and found a middle ground,” says Swinson.
Steve Swinson was his coach with the Kokomo (Ind.) Longhorns travel ball team.
“He never yelled,” says Brankle of Swinson. “He built a relationship with you that you respected.
“My high school coaches were more demanding, but also understood the New School mentality.”
Brankle played three years for Jeremy Luna and Brent Owens as a senior at Taylor High School in Kokomo.
(Luna) was hard-nosed — kind of a football style — and was upbeat all the time,” says Brankle, who played shortstop and third base when he was not pitching for the Titans. “(Owens) was even-keeled most of the time.”
At Earlham, Brankle’s head coach was Steve Sakosits.
“Coach was full of energy all the time — most of the time it was positive,” says Brankle of Sakosits. “He has one heckuva of a drive in him and it definitely leaks out to his players.”
Old School in his approach, Coach Sak’s Quakers were expected to be clean-shaven with short hair cuts.
At EC, Brankle was named Newcomer of the Year (2012), Pitcher of the Year (2013) and earned the All-Heartland Collegiate Conference Sportsmanship Award (2013), Captains Award (2015) and George Van Dyke Outstanding Athlete Award (2015). At the time of graduation, he was No. 1 in all-time strikeouts, No. 2 in career saves and innings and No. 3 in career mound appearances.
Brankle played for the RiverRats in the summers of 2013 and 2014. After graduating in 2015 with a Fine Arts degree, he played independent professional baseball with the Lake Erie Crushers.
He was the head coach for the Jazz in the summer of 2016 and assisted Patrick Flanagan at Eaton (Ohio) High School in the springs of 2016 and 2017.
Brankle was head coach at Cambridge City 2018-21. He taught at Richmond Community School’s Test Intermediate School for 2 1/2 years before Cambridge City and is now a Special Education teacher at Richmond’s Dennis Middle School.
In May 2021, Brankle completed a Masters in Education from Indiana University East and is now working on a Masters in Educational Leadership from American College of Education.
Richmond (enrollment around 1,375) is a member of the North Central Conference (with Anderson, Arsenal Tech, Harrison of West Lafayette, Kokomo, Lafayette Jeff, Logansport, Marion, McCutcheon and Muncie Central).
The NCC is split into two divisions with Richmond in the East.
In 2021, the Red Devils were part of an IHSAA Class 4A sectional grouping with Anderson, Greenfield-Central, Mt. Vernon (Fortville), Muncie Central and Pendleton Heights (2021 host). Richmond has won 29 sectional titles — the last in 2011.
Richmond plays home games on John Cate Field at Don McBride Stadium.
“The history is the best part,” says Brankle of a park built in the 1930s that has seen Bob Feller, Satchel Paige and many more diamond legends play there. “We don’t talk about it enough.
“Some of the kids don’t understand the significance.”

Matt and wife of seven years, Kelsey Brankle, have three children — daughters Amillia (5) and Abigail (3) and son Broden (1 1/2).

Matt Brankle (Richmond High School Photo)

The Brankle family (from left): Amillia, Abigail, Broden, Kelsey and Matt.

The Brankle family (from left): First row — Amillia and Abigail; Back row — Broden, Matt and Kelsey.

Crull sees maturity, speed as assets for Centerville Bulldogs

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

A number of factors have combined to get Centerville (Ind.) Senior High School baseball off to a strong start in 2021.

One of them is time.

“I think it’s maturity,” says Bulldogs head coach Tracey Crull as his team took 13-2 mark into its May 4 home game against Union City. “We started five freshmen and a sophomore two years ago and we took our lumps.

“Then we took a year off for COVID, but the boys kept playing travel ball.”

Centerville players also added muscle and athleticism.

“We’ve got amazing weight training program led by our football coach Kyle Padgett,” says Crull. “These boys have bought into it and become bigger and stronger.

“Our overall team speed is a strength.”

With that asset, the Class 2A No. 5-ranked Bulldogs often turn singles and walks into doubles and doubles become triples.

“We put pressure on other teams,” says Crull. “These kids hit the ball really well and we have some really good arms. We’ve got six kids who throw 82 (mph) plus. That’s a luxury at the high school level.”

Centerville owns a team batting average around .380 with a combined earned run average near 2.00.

“Those two combinations are pretty lethal,” says Crull, who has been the Bulldogs head coach since 2013 after 12 seasons as an assistant to Mike Baumer. “Coach B was very even-keeled. He never got bent out of shape. 

“We kept everybody calm in difficult situations.”

Senior Cameron Newman has committed to continue his academic and baseball careers at NCAA Division III Elmhurst (Ill.) University.

A 1988 Centerville graduate, Crull played left field for Bill Richardson.

“He was absolutely no-nonsense,” says Crull. “He would say, ‘play the game’ (the way it’s supposed to be played).

“I say that to the boys a lot — just play the game.”

Assisting Tracey Crull this spring are brother Scott Crull plus Jason Searcy, Blake Babcock, Jeremy Blake, Steve Frye, Logan Moistner, Jason Martintoni.

Scott Crull played for Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Lloyd Michael at Hagerstown, where he graduated in 1995 and Tracey watched the Tigers play.

Searcy, Babcock, Blake and Moistner are all former Centerville players — the first three for Richardson and the last for Crull. Frye is a 1979 graduate of Frankfort High School in West Virginia. Martintoni played for a University of Indianapolis team that placed third at the NCAA Division II national tournament.

Born in Richmond, Ind., Tracey Crull grew up in Centerville, attended Indiana University-Bloomington and Indiana University East (Richmond) and earned a masters degree at Ball State University. He began teaching at Centerville 20 years ago. He is a business educator for the junior high and high school.

Located in Wayne County, Centerville (enrollment around 520) is a member of the Tri-Eastern Conference (with Cambridge City Lincoln, Hagerstown, Knightstown, Northeastern, Tri, Union City, Union County and Winchester Community). Each team plays each other one time.

The Bulldogs are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping with Hagerstown, Northeastern, Shenandoah and Union County. Centerville is a 2021 sectional host. The Bulldogs have won seven sectional titles— the last in 2011.

In 2021, there are 25 players for varsity and junior varsity games.

Centerville plays on a lighted on-campus diamond that received a brick and betting backstop and a 10-inning LED scoreboard a few years back.

Pre-COVID, the Bulldogs had a team in the East Central Indiana Junior High Baseball League ran by Wapahani’s Brian and Jason Dudley.

Also feeding the CSHS program are the Centerville Youth League (T-ball through seventh grade). All current varsity players are involved with travel ball.

Centerville (Ind.) Senior High School head baseball coach Tracey Crull. (DAJO Photo)

Cancer, other health issues can’t keep NorthWood’s Dillion Weldy from serving others

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Dillion Weldy has faced physical challenges throughout his young life.

At two weeks old, he went to Riley Hospital of Children in Indianapolis to repair a heart defect (coarctation of the aorta).

He also has a heart murmur and an abnormally-shaped bicuspid aortic valve.

These conditions restricted his activity, but he was able to play some T-ball and coach pitch baseball in Wakarusa, Ind.

At 7, second grader Dillion found out he had cancer in his lower back.

He collapsed in the hallway at school with back pain in the fall of 2008. That was two days after mother Cindy married Tom Lamb. It took two months to figure out Dillion’s issue. At first it was believed the boy had a kidney stone so he went to see a urologist.

Then came total body bone scans, X-rays and CAT scans. He was scheduled for an MRI when a doctor who had been reviewing his tests called and advised the family to take Dillion to Riley immediately. He was airlifted from Plymouth to Indianapolis.

That was Oct. 1, 2008. Three days later, he was diagnosed and received his first treatment for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

A golf ball-sized tumor was found on Dillion’s spine. It was around his spinal cord, spine and nerve endings. One vertebrae was fractured and another one was removed.

All of the tumor was successfully removed with surgery. After two years of treatment, he was declared to be in remission in October 2010.

Because of his condition, he was not allowed him to engage in strenuous activities which limited what he could do around the farm and kept him out of sports for fear of causing more damage.

“Once cancer hit, doctors told me I couldn’t play any more,” says Dillion. “Throughout elementary and middle school, I didn’t do any sports.

“My freshman year, my mom told me, ‘you need to get more involved in activities.’ At first, I said, ‘I might not like this.’ It turns out, I really did.”

What Dillion did was become a boys basketball manager at NorthWood High School in Nappanee.

“When basketball season was all over, it was ‘what am I going to do next?,’” says Dillion. “Let’s do baseball because I’m pretty familiar with baseball.”

Former Panthers head baseball coach Jay Sheets was very welcoming to his new manager.

“He treated me like I was part of the team, which I really loved,” says Dillion.

Weldy did his part for a basketball program led by Aaron Wolfe.

A.J. Risedorph, a basketball assistant, took over NorthWood baseball for 2018-19 and Dillion continued to be a key part of the squad.

“He’s bought into our motto of being relentless and the next pitch mentality,” says Risedorph. “He shows up everyday and puts his work in.

“He’s a constant reminder of how precious life is considering his background.”

Dillion will represent NorthWood one more time as a manager at the 2019 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series June 21-23 in Madison.

Risedorph reached out to district representative Ryan Wolfe (Plymouth) who pitched the idea of Weldy managing the all-stars to executive director Brian Abbott and the IHSBCA leadership.

“I wanted to give Dillion that opportunity for everything he’s done for us,” says Risedorph. “It’s a selfless job and you don’t get many thank you’s.”

Matt Dutkowski, who will represent NorthWood and the North as an all-star first baseman and also played basketball at NWHS, noticed Dillion’s contribution to both sports.

“Anything you need him to to do, he’s going to do it,” says Dutkowski. “For eight seasons, he was was always the first one out to practice with the bases or basketballs. He was always putting something away or getting something if it was needed during practice.”

Dillion monitored the clock at basketball workouts and got to know the plan as well — if not better — than Coach Wolfe. He kept the scorebook during baseball games.

“He was always ready,” says Dutkowski, who is headed to Taylor University to study and play baseball.

Weldy is appreciative of being included at the all-star series.

“I applaud (the IHSBCA) for letting me do it,” says Dillion. “I’m super-excited to find out what I’m going to be doing.”

His managing days will not be over after Madison. Offered a role by multiple schools, Dillion will attend Indiana University East in Richmond and be a men’s basketball manager. Family friend Tyler Rigby is an assistant coach for the Red Wolves. Weldy will receive a partial scholarship and plans to major in Marketing with minor in Sports Management.

He says can see himself becoming an athletic director like NorthWood’s Norm Sellers, who until the family moved recently to a Weldy farm north of Wakarusa and Nappanee lived across the street.

“You can go the education route or the business route,” says Dillion. “(Norm) told me it takes a lot of dedication. I can always talk to him and he can be a mentor.”

Chad Sellers, one of Norm’s sons, took time off from DePauw University when his mother and Norm’s wife (Kim) was diagnosed with cancer and helped coach boys basketball at NorthWood.

Chad, who is three years older than Dillion, used to stand at the bus stop together. Sellers played basketball and baseball as a senior on teams managed by Weldy. He drove him to and from practice and made sure he was included in team dinners.

“We wanted to make him feel like he’s important and a part of the team. He’s not just there for the dirty work.

“He’s a great kid and means a lot to us,” says Sellers. “He always has a big grin and says, “Hi neighbor, how are you?. He never calls me or my dad by our name.”

Chad Sellers notes that when NorthWood was going to play Fairfield in the first round of the 2019 Class 3A Wawasee Sectional basketball tournament, it fell on the same day as Dillion’s annual check-up at Riley.

Knowing he might miss the game, Weldy stayed late the day before and got everything ready to go. Sellers says that shows his courage and character.

Dillion led the team onto the floor on basketball senior night and threw out a first pitch on baseball senior night.

“Coach Rise said it was an ‘all-day strike’,” says Dillion. “To me, it looked more like a ball.

“I think of (Risedorph) as a father figure. He’s really inspiring to me.”

Weldy was also recognized during the second Strike Out Cancer Game. NorthWood baseball has teamed with the Jason Motte Foundation the past two years to raise money and awareness to fight the disease.

“We had multiple moms dealing with cancer,” says Risedorph, noting that they had their names along with others connected to NorthWood and Bremen players signed on a banner.

With a heart for service and dedication to the job, Weldy served both basketball and baseball teams for four years and graduated from NorthWood on June 7.

On June 13, Dillion completed another graduation. He went to Camp Watcha-Wanna-Do (a free program for children with cancer and their family and friends at YMCA Camp Potawotami in LaGrange County) as a camper. He plans to return as a counselor.

Dillion, 18, has been released from the neurosurgeon, endocrinologist and oncologist and now follows up with his primary care physician. In February, he saw an adult cardiologist at Riley that said he can do pretty much anything that he wants short of powerlifting.

He was able to be more active during the baseball season, taking throws and feeding the ball to coaches during infield/outfield practice and playing catch.

Dillion was a 10-year 4-H member. His twin brother, Garrett Weldy, was the NorthWood student advisor for Future Farmers of America this past year and was the District 2 sentinel. He is now running for statewide FFA office and plans to attend Purdue University to study Agriculture/Animal Science. Younger sister Kaitlin Lamb just finished the fifth grade.

NorthWood High School varsity baseball award winners (from left): Matt Dutkowski (MVP), Trey Allman (Most Improved), Dillion Weldy (Roberto Clemente Service), Jaden Miller (Rickey Henderson Baserunning), Alec Holcomb (Cy Young Pitching), Jack Wysong (Hank Aaron Batting), Nate Newcoerm (Gold Glove Defensive), Kyler Germann (Mental Attitude), Cooper Davis (Mariano Rivera Reliever).

Great grandchildren surround Anna Belle and the late Dale Weldy. In the front (from left): Nathan Rush, Tanner Rush and Kaitlin Lamb. In the back, Garrett Weldy, Dillion Weldy and Wesley Rush.

Don Weldy (second from left) enjoys time with grandchildren (from left): Dillion Weldy, Kaitlin Lamb and Garrett Weldy.

NorthWood High School baseball manager Dillion Weldy (left) shares a moment with Brant Mast.

Chad Sellers (left) and Dillion Weldy have formed a strong friendship. They used to be neighbors and Sellers was on NorthWood basketball and baseball teams that were managed by Weldy. Sellers later coached basketball at NWHS with Weldy managing.

Dillion Weldy (left) and mother Cindy Lamb are recognized at baseball senior night at NorthWood High School in Nappanee, Ind.

A banner was signed by high school baseball players from NorthWood and Bremen at the 2019 Strike Out Cancer Game for the Jason Motte Foundation.

Aaron Wolfe (left) is the head boys basketball coach at NorthWood High School. For the past four years, Dillion Weldy (right) has been a student manager.

Student manager Dillion Weldy got to help cut down the nets when NorthWood High School won a boys basketball sectional title his freshmen year.

Boys basketball assistant and head baseball coach A.J. Risedorph (left) points to a valuable member of both NorthWood High School programs the past four years in manager Dillion Weldy. The 2019 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series in Madison will have Weldy as a manager.

 

New Martinsville Artesians coach Honaker stressing quality at-bats

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Jeremy Honaker is selling an offensive philosophy and the new Martinsville (Ind.) High School head baseball coach expects a buy-in from his Artesians during the 2019 season.

Honaker, a varsity assistant and hitting coach the past seven seasons at Zionsville (Ind.) High School, is confident that Martinsville hitters can increase their production by following his keys.

“We want to focus on quality at-bats, put pressure on the defense and compete every pitch,” says Honker, who helped Zionsville win more than 130 games the past five seasons while competing in the strong Hoosier Crossroads Conference with 2018 IHSAA Class 4A state champion Fishers plus Avon, Brownsburg, Hamilton Southeastern, Noblesville and Westfield. “strikeouts don’t pressure the defense. I want line drives to all parts of the field.

“I’ll never talk about launch angle or exit velocity. I’ll talk about having great at-bats and approach.”

Honaker, who was hired in September, wants his hitters to concentrate on hitting the ball back up the middle or to the opposite field and values doubles.

Some call 0-2 a pitcher’s count.

Honaker has a different label.

“I call it a team count,” says Honker. “What are you going to do to help your team when you get two strikes?.”

From 2014-18 — with Jered Moore as Zionsville head coach and Honaker leading the hitters — the Eagles earned a Class 4A state runner-up finish (2016), three sectional crowns (2016, 2017 and 2018), two regional titles (2017 and 2018) and one semistate championship (2016).

Honaker notes that the Artesians (15-14) played a number of one- and two-run games in 2018. He says if the team sprinkled in some more quality at-bats, it might have won the Mid-State Conference (Whiteland finished atop the MSC which also features Decatur Central, Franklin Community, Greenwood, Mooresville and Plainfield).

“Martinsville needs some offensive improvement — big time,” says Honaker. “We’ve got to score more runs.”

The Artesians are in a 4A sectional grouping with Center Grove, Franklin Central, Greenwood and Whiteland. Martinsville last won a sectional title in 2017.

Honaker expects have 40 to 45 players for varsity, junior and freshmen teams in the spring.

So far, his coaching staff includes Jerry Koller and Jarrett Johnson at the varsity level with Reid Fawcett leading the JV and Kenny Geiresbach heading up the freshmen.

Koller is a former Martinsville assistant and will serve as pitching coach. Johnson comes from the Zionsville staff.

Fawcett, a Huntington North High School graduate, returns and is expected to have an assistant as will Geiresbach.

Honaker was born and raised in Connersville, Ind. He played football, basketball and baseball at Connersville High School, graduating in 1996.

Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Tom Gable mentored Honker the Spartans on the diamond.

“He was — hands down — my favorite coach,” says Honaker. “I didn’t realize at the time, but he taught me how to communicate with kids and how a proper organized practice should go.

“But the biggest thing he taught is that you have to build and earn respect if you want the kids to play for you.

“You must have an open line of communication if you kids to give it their all. They will trust you when they know you have their back. You need to show them you care about them.”

Honaker’s high school summers were spent with the Connersville American Legion Post 1 baseball team.

After one season at the University of Southern Indiana, the third baseman and corner outfielder transferred to Indiana University East in Richmond, where he did not play baseball. He also spent a season as a volunteer assistant to Gable.

Honaker was an assistant to John Zangrilli (now assistant at Carmel High School) for two seasons at Zionsville before Moore took over as head coach.

For the past seven summers, Honaker has coached with the Indiana Bulls travel organization, mostly with the 15U Black squad.

He is also providing hitting and infield instruction for Pro X Athlete in Westfield, Ind.

The Honakers — Jeremy and Misha — live in Noblesville. When Misha’s job took her to the East Coast, Jeremy played for the Philadelphia Comets and was team MVP and Greater Philadelphia Men’s Adult Baseball League batting champion in 2008.

Jeremy’s parents are Ted Kalkhoff Sr. and Cindy Williams (married to Butch). He is the second-oldest of four brothers — behind Danny Honaker and before Ted Kalkhoff Jr. and Tim Kalkhoff.

Jeremy Honaker is the new head baseball coach at Martinsville (Ind.) High School. He was an assistant at Zionsville (Ind.) High School the past seven seasons.