Millers take on HCC Rival Zionsville

ZIONSVILLE – The Lady Millers traveled to Zionsville on Friday night to take on Hoosier Crossroads Conference rival Zionsville as the two teams looked to build momentum heading into the final stretch of their seasons.  

The third quarter proved to be the deciding factor as the Millers used a 14-5 quarter to help them pick up a 58-48 win. Both teams were dead even at 24-24 heading into halftime. That third quarter allowed the Millers to take control of the game and they didn’t let up in the fourth as they added in 20 more points and didn’t allow the Lady Eagles to comeback. 

The Millers ended with three players in double figure scoring as Freshman Ashlynn Shade led the way with 20 points to go along with seven rebounds. Shade almost secured a double-double as she once again showed her excellent defensive skills by recording nine steals in the win. Mallory Miller added in 17 points and Abby Haley scored 14 in the win. 

Freshman Laila Hull ended with 19 points to lead the Eagles in the loss. Katey Richason chipped in 11 points. 

The win for the Lady Millers improves their record to 8-12 (1-5 HCC) on the season. The team will now have the week off before traveling to Franklin Central next Saturday as they wrap up conference play against the 12-7 Lady Flashes. 

Rocks and Royals Clash in HCC Matchup

WESTFIELD – The Hamilton Southeastern Royals traveled to Westfield on Friday night for a matchup with Hoosier Crossroads Conference opponent Westfield. The fourth quarter saw both offenses explode as the teams combined for 51 total points in the final quarter. In the end the Royals were the ones to come out on top by final score of 65-47. 

30 of the 51 points scored in the final quarter were courtesy of the Royals who had slowly built up a nine point lead as both teams got ready for the final quarter of play. Westfield up until the final quarter, where they scored 21 points, were held to quarters of six, nine, and 11 as they Royals defense stifled the Rocks for most of the night.

The Royals offense much like the Rocks really didn’t get clicking until the fourth. Fortunately for the Royals their offense through the first three quarters scored 11, ten, and 14 points respectively as they slowly were able to build a nine point advantage heading into what was the wild fourth quarter. 

Nic Despaquale led the Rocks in scoring with 13 points. Benji Welch added in nine. The loss for the Rocks was their first HCC loss of the season as their overall record now stands at 8-2 (2-1 HCC). The team will now look to rebound tomorrow night as they travel to take on Lafayette Jeff (14-1). 

The Royals were led in scoring by DeAndre Rhodes who finished with 13 points. Mabor Majak added in 11 in the win for the Royals. With the win the Royals see their record improve to 6-5 on the season (1-2 HCC). The team will be back in action tonight as they host Anderson (1-12). 

The Guerin Catholic wrestling team hosted Purdue Polytechnic on Thursday night as they celebrated senior night. 

The Golden Eagle seniors can say their last home meet was a victory as they defeated Purdue Polytechnc 38-27. 

Royals sweep North Central

INDIANAPOLIS – The Hamilton Southeastern Swim and Dive traveled to North Central on Thursday night. On the night the both Royals teams came out with victories as the boys brought home a 134-51 win, while the girls were victorious 111-75.

Next up on the docket for the Royals will be senior night next Thursday as they will host HCC opponent Zionsville.

Week-10 Provides Many Qualified Candidates for IBCA/Subway Player of the Week Honors

With school back in session, and several county tournaments taking place, there were many opportunities for players from all over the state to stand out. Week-10 provided as many quality performances as any week so far this season, and 2020 seems to have gotten off to a great start.
Westview Senior Charlie Yoder, Hamilton Heights Junior Gus Etchison, Winchester Junior Payton Sparks, Linton-Stockton Junior Lincoln Hale, Angola Junior Hanna Knoll, Danville Senior Ella Collier, and Tecumseh Sophomore Kaybree Oxley were selected as recipients for the week of Jan. 6-Jan. 11 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.

Yoder is the boys’ winner in District-1, while Knoll is the girls’ winner in District-1. Etchison and Sparks share District-2 honors for the boys, while Collier is the District-2 girls’ representative. Hale is the boys’ recipient in District-3, while Oxley is the girls’ recipient in District-3.

Huskies Swim and Dive team traveled to take on Western Tuesday night. The Lady Huskies ended with a tie against the Panthers as both teams scored a 93 at the meet. The boy’s team was defeated 125-52.

There were several Highlights to last night’s girls meet against Western according to Head Coach Sue Beale: 

FISHERS – The Fishers Tigers continued their four game home stand on Tuesday night as they hosted Indianapolis Arsenal Tech. After suffering back-to-back losses after starting the season 12-0, the Tigers were looking to get back into the win column.

That’s exactly what the Tigers were able to do as they handled Arsenal Tech in route to a 63-48 win. The Tigers took control early on in the first quarter and ended up with an 18-4 lead after the opening period.

 Lady Rocks dominate Greenwood

WESTFIELD – The Lady Rocks hosted Greenwood on Tuesday night and came away with a dominating 54-23 win. The most points the Lady Rocks surrendered in a quarter was eight in the second.

Westfield came out of the gate and took control of the game from the opening tip. They managed to hold a 15-4 lead after the first quarter and at halftime continued to lead by double-digits by a score of 22-12.

The second half was more of the same story for the Lady Rocks as they continued to dominate the game. A 19-7 third quarter followed by a 13-4 fourth allowed the Rocks to be able to cruise to another win.

Ava Henson ended the game as the leading scorer for the Rocks, finishing with 17 points and six rebounds. Alyssa Crockett recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds in the win.

Brooklyn Stubblefield ended with ten points to lead Greenwood.

The win for the Lady Rocks improves their record to 13-7 on the season (3-2 HCC). They will return to the court on Friday night as they host No. 5 Hamilton Southeastern (16-2).

The Noblesville Lady Millers hosted the No. 9 Mt. Vernon Marauders on Tuesday night. Coming with a record of 16-1 on the season the Millers knew they had a very tall task ahead of them. However the team came ready for the challenge and didn’t back down from the Marauders. 

The Millers looked poised for an upset bid over the No. 9 ranked team as a third quarter where the Millers out-scored the Marauders 17-4, tied up the game heading into the final quarter of play. Both teams battled back and forth but no team gained an edge as the Miller fans were treated to overtime between the two teams. 

In overtime the Marauders were able to squeak by, out-scoring the Millers 8-5 in the overtime period to come away with a nail-biting 51-48 win. 

On Saturday the Hamilton Southeastern hosted the Hoosier Crossroads Conference Swimming and Diving Championships.

On the girls side it was the Lady Tigers of Fishers who came away with the HCC title with a score of 508.5.

The boys title was captured the host school Hamilton Southeastern as the Royals narrowly edged out second-place Zionsville for the conference crown.

Girls Team Results are as follows:

1st - Fishers    508.5

2nd - HSE      421.0

3rd - Brownsburg     315.5

4th - Zionsville     243.0

5th - Noblesville     208.0

6th - Westfield     166.0

7th - Franklin Central     141.0

8th - Avon     1118.0

Boys Team Results are as follows:

1st - HSE   430.0

2nd - Zionsville 425.5

3rd - Fishers     384.5

4th - Brownsburg   274.0

5th - Westfield    194.0

6th - Avon     162.0

7th - Franklin Central     141.0

8th - Noblesville     89.0

Miller’s strong 2nd half leads to win over Bearcats

MUNCIE – The Noblesville Miller boys’ basketball team traveled to Muncie on Saturday to take on the Muncie Central Bearcats. After playing a close first half, the Millers strung an excellent second half together to defeat the Bearcats 55-43. 

The first half saw both teams battle back and forth for the lead. After the first quarter, the Millers held a 12-11 advantage, but the Bearcats responded in the second, outscoring the Millers 14-11 to take a 25-23 lead into halftime. 

To begin the second half the Millers came out of the locker room scoring at will and playing great defense as they used an 18-6 quarter to take a 41-31 lead into the final quarter of play. The Millers were able to add two more points to their lead as the Bearcats weren’t able to make a run late. 

Seniors Jordan Gadis and Trenton Reed lead the way for the Millers in the game as the senior duo each scored 13 points in the win. Alex Hunt also scored in double figures for the Millers as he ended the game with 12 points. 

The win for the Millers improves their record to 6-7 on the season (0-2 HCC). The team will be back in action on Friday night as they travel to take on HCC opponent Zionsville (8-5)

While holiday tournaments and single-day showcases wrapped up last week around the state, our Week-9 IBCA/Subway Player of the Week winners posted double-doubles, triple-doubles, and two ladies even surpassed the 20-rebound plateau in their games.

Gary 21st Century Senior Johnell Davis, McCutcheon Freshman Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn, Greensburg Senior Andrew Welage, LaPorte Senior Nyla Asad, Indiana School for the Deaf Senior Anya Pothorski, Noblesville Freshman Ashlynn Shade, and Greenwood Christian Junior Isabella Reed were selected as recipients for the week of Dec. 30-Jan. 4 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.

Davis is the boys’ recipient in District-1, while Asad is the girls’ recipient in District-1. Gibbs-Lawhorn is the boys’ winner in District-2, while Pothorski and Shade are girls’ co-winners in District-2. Welage is the boys’ honoree in District-3, while Reed is the girls’ honoree in District-3.

As we head into a new New Year, I wish we could go back when people looked forward to reading newspapers.

Millennials don’t read newspapers. Plain and simple. They are either hanging out in front of laptops or tablets or clicking on their IPhone, and likely using all of those devices.

Most readership, especially in a small community, comes from our older folks who basically grew up with newsprint. And you can still get daily news in such communities, like you do in Hamilton County. Still, online publications are beginning to take over.

I’ve been reading newspapers, especially the sports page, since junior high school. I used to deliver The Sunday Indianapolis Star. We always had The Kokomo Tribune in the Morrow home.

In fact, if the morning Indy Star wasn’t in our driveway by 6 a.m., my dad turned into an Archie Bunker, and started muttering things young kids shouldn’t have to hear.

And, too, I cannot remember a time I have not walked out to get my daily morning or evening paper.

It’s a part of my life, a very big part of my life. I started writing sports for The Tribune the summer before my junior year at KHS.

I have newspapers in my blood. Always have, always will.

The Record Watch is building a full head of steam in Hamilton County girls high school basketball this season.

The county’s scoring title, set by Courtney Cox (Cole), is not only in danger of being eclipsed, it could and most likely will happen relatively soon.
The late Noblesville High School student-athlete graduated with 1,869 points.

That was 31 years ago.Think about that. A pretty monumental feat indeed!

Hamilton Southeastern’s Sydney Parrish and University’s Lindsey Syrek are in hot pursuit of both surpassing such a milestone.

If they’re not aware of it, the seniors should be by now.

Going into games this weekend, Parrish has scored 1,786 points; Syrek has tallied 1,730 points for her career.

Talk about close!

Sports Talk With Mark Morrow

Since I started covering Hamilton County sports when I created the Hamilton County Sports Daily website in 2010, and then moved on to write for the

Noblesville Daily Times a few years later, I would like to think I was pretty familiar with our boys basketball talent.

So I thought it would be only fitting to put together an All-Decade team.

Here’s my 25-player All-Decade high school boys basketball team:

The honor team is led by Hamilton Southeastern’s 2012 Mr. Basketball Gary Harris.

You might say they are playing their song, a winning song as Indiana High School boys and girls basketball moves into 2020 in a big way.

Just ask the Fishers girls and boys. Just ask the Westfield boys. Just ask the University girls.

Yep, all are still unbeaten . . .  and hoping to continue their impressive runs in the New Year.

Hey, pretty sweet music to their fans, for sure!

Coach Justin Blanding’s University High School girls own the most wins in Hamilton County with their 16-0 record.

Coach Lauren Votaw’s Fishers girls are 14-0.

Coach Matt Moore’s 4A Fishers boys are 11-0.

Coach Shane Sumpter’s 4A Westfield boys follow at 6-0.

Yep, times are good!

Sports Talk with Mark Morrow

John Peckinpaugh likes the direction his Noblesville Millers are going.

“It’s taken time, but we’re getting there,’’ said the first-year Millers boys varsity basketball coach.

Peckinpaugh was greeted by only four players with varsity experience, and there wasn’t much in terms of scoring.  

And at times the inexperience of this group still shows, but Peckinpaugh is happy with the progress.

Though the Millers didn’t win the Noblesville Holiday Tournament last weekend at The Mill, they finished 2-1 and placed third in a strong eight-team field, led by eventual champion Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian.

Noblesville had wins over Crown Point (48-43) and Northridge (67-59) and lost to Columbus North (51-42) in the semifinals round. 

As we head into 2020, here are some facts, hopes, possibilities and thoughts, as well as a Happy New Year to those of you who follow us in the Noblesville Daily Times:

I’m entering my 56th year in the sports writing business. I’ve pretty much been there and done it all; seen so much, marveled over many exciting finishes in high school and college sports; and I’ve been blessed to meet many great athletes and coaches and to be able to write about them and their teams.

I grew up in the business under a veteran and gifted sports editor at The Kokomo Tribune. He used to take pride saying he loved his profession, that he was blessed to be working in his favorite vineyard.

Likewise . . .from 1963 as a sophomore at Kokomo High School to now as I prepare to enter yet another decade, I cannot imagine doing anything else. I’m also doing what I love in my favorite vineyard!

Hopefully good health and an ability to continue coming up with things to write about, including reminiscing, will remain a dependable sidekick.
I’ve always been amazed with the ability of athletes who can deliver such great scoring feats in basketball.

I got thinking about some of top individual records I’ve either seen or heard about.

Christmas, Christmas . . . What a great time of year!

Snow flakes falling is our hope for a white Christmas as the big day approaches.

Can’t you hear the sleigh bells jingling . . . and carolers singing, in many cases from neighbors going door-to-door in their local neighborhoods.

I can’t wait to see the luminaries displayed around the outside of our church on Christmas Eve. And then to be able to light our individual candles, and stand and sing Silent Night after the Sanctuary lights have been turned off. I mean what a special, wonderful, emotional feeling.

I used to work for a sports editor several years ago who sorta looked like he’d be a good candidate to play Santa Claus and hand out goodies at a local mall.

All he was missing was a white beard, a constant friendly smile, and a hearty “Ho, Ho, Ho.’’

Turns out he was more of a Bah humbug type. 

When it came to basketball, boys specifically, he believed that Indiana high school basketball never really started to peak until January.

His rationale was that the interest really wasn’t there during the first couple months of the season and that, quite frankly, “There wasn’t much to get excited about,’’ he told me.

Well, I don’t know about you but I certainly don’t go along with such thinking.

Not by a long shot!

Nothing unites a community like high school sports does. Always has, hopefully always will!

I mean, sports and academics go hand-in-hand. Right? Yes, it should.

And it starts in the fall when students return to school from their summer recess.

Some folks will tell you that high school sports is FOOTBALL.

Good argument. Some others might say it’s BASKETBALL. 

Records were made to be broken — and another just happened over the weekend.

Take a bow Sydney Parrish!

I remember when Zach Gunn broke the Hamilton Southeastern boys career career scoring record, set by  2012 Indiana Mr. Basketball Gary Harris. Gunn surpassed the current NBA star’s all-time scoring record in 2017. Gunn 1,660 points . . . Harris 1,552 points.

That was big. 

So is Parrish’s accomplishment, adding a page in the school’s girls record book.

The Oregon-bound Hamilton SE senior has totaled 1,404 points so far for her career. That broke the school mark last weekend for HSE girls basketball, held by 2013 graduate and Indiana All-Star and Naismith Award winner Taya Reimer, who had 1,374 points.

Former Guerin Catholic boys basketball coach Pete Smith, who retired from teaching, and then left coaching two years ago to work full time on his business career, likes to reminisce.

The two-time Golden Eagles Class 3A state-championship coach (2012 & 2015) says he does miss this time of year when the balls are bouncing in the gymnasiums and basketball is about ready to start.

“I do get a little sad this time of the year,’’ he said while taking time to talk basketball the other day . . . “When so many of my old coaching buddies are starting up their season and are so excited.

“I loved that rush.’’

Time for some notes along the football trail:

And then there were two!

Already on the sidelines and probably already thinking about 2020 are Hamilton County schools Fishers (7-3), Guerin Catholic (6-5), Hamilton Heights (2-8), Hamilton Southeastern (5-5), Noblesville (1-9) and Sheridan (6-4).

Westfield visits Carmel this evening to determine the Class 6A Sectional 4 championship.

Notes on the high school basketball trail:

Can you hear those bouncing balls around Hamilton County gymnasiums?

The girls teams began official practices earlier this week.

The boys begin practices on Nov. 11, with first contests set for Nov. 25.

The girls can tip it off for real beginning on Nov. 4. Not too far away, you know.

Can you feel it in the air? 

You can almost taste it. No, it’s not pumpkin spice, everything nice . . .  it’s tournament football!

The IHSAA playoffs get under way at several sites with sectionals on Friday night.

So are you ready for high school football when it really counts?

The one-and-done format will be a heart-breaker for many schools. But it is what it is: Lose and you can start thinking about 2020; win and those advancing still have another shot at a title.