Russellville awards water project bid to Spear Corp.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
RUSSELLVILLE -- The Russellville Town Council accepted a bid for the town water filtration project on Monday, several months removed from the first attempt at a bidding process. Spear Corp., Roachdale, was awarded the project with a bid of $106,680.
The project is being paid for with a loan from Tri-County Bank, which council president Don Reddish said was borrowed on an extremely low interest rate. Reddish said the filtration project has become of increased importance recently with the current system "completely gave out."
Spear Corp. general manager Bob Davis represented the company at the meeting and said Spear intends to begin the project as soon as possible, likely in the next two weeks.
"We have to keep that old plant going, because that's our only water source," Reddish said. "The quicker we can get this done, the quicker we can divert that water tower."
The town recently discussed a bid to paint the inside of the water tower. In conjunction with the ongoing water main and metering project, the town will soon have an entirely new or refurbished water infrastructure.
Although the Spear bid was accepted because it was the lowest available bid, Russellville water superintendent Mike Varvel said he has experience working with the company and he is very comfortable Spear will be able to perform to expectations. Materials will be purchased from Puritan Water Conditioning Inc. Crawfordsville.
"We'll have local people (working)," Russellville clerk-treasurer DeVon Davis said. "The money stays right here. If we have any issues, they're right here."
The project will rebuild the town filter and building, which is located near the north well. After the bid acceptance, the council, Bob Davis and engineer Robert Curry held an impromptu construction meeting.
"Ninety-nine percent of the problems in the world are communication problems," Curry said. "What I've determined in the construction world is, if there's a problem and we can talk about it, we can solve it."
With the difficulties it took to get the filtration project under way, the town will surely appreciate avoiding any problems during construction.
Red Ramblers trample Clovers in sectional semi
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Cloverdale senior quarterback Justin Wilson (18) tries to pull free from the grasp of a Attica defender during Friday's sectional contest.
CLOVERDALE -- There will be no miracle run. No team of destiny. The Clovers lost to Attica on Friday, 54-0, in what will likely be the final football game for team's nine seniors.
Cloverdale (1-10) hung around for the first quarter, trailing 12-0 after one, but injuries and mental errors continued to pile up until the dejected team went to halftime trailing 48-0.
"We just sputtered offensively and defensively," Cloverdale head coach John Butler said. "Once (Attica) started piling on, the mental side of things kind of took over and the speed went away."
CHS opened the game aggressively. Lining up for the opening kickoff, they boldly called for an onside attempt, trying to seize early momentum. Kicker Cody Stout squared up and delivered perfect contact. The third hop sent the ball high over the Red Ramblers line and it was grabbed by Cloverdale junior running back Andrew Howard.
"We practiced that all week," Butler said. He added that, after a fundamental adjustment and making sure to kick the ball just off center, Stout was hitting perfectly more than 70 percent of the time in practice.
Cloverdale stayed aggressive offensively, going for it on fourth-and-four from the Attica 33.
Howard came around the left edge, dragging defenders with him, but he could only muster two yards on the play. He was also knocked out of the game with an apparent concussion.
It was the furthest Cloverdale would be able to advance the ball all game.
Senior quarterback Justin Wilson completed just 4-of-19 pass attempts, including an interception that was returned for a touchdown in the second quarter.
Junior fullback Taylor Mescall led the charge on the ground for Cloverdale, gaining 21 yards on 10 attempts.
With an offensive missing it's most consistent player and failing to gain any ground, the defense was forced to step up.
Adjustments in alignment and strategy to prepare for Attica's outside running game proved ineffective.
"The philosophy we had was different than we've had all year," Butler said. "(The defensive ends) cut them off, but we weren't getting pursuit. And without pursuit, the plays still work for (Attica)."
Carson Davis led the way for the Red Ramblers, gaining 162 yards on only nine carries, including three touchdowns.
Lance Whorrall, Brian Day, Brady Sheridan and Jeremiah Dunwell also scored for Attica. As it became clear that CHS would be unable to come back, Butler spent the rest of the game giving his seniors all the work they could handle, including playing Wilson on defense for the first time this year.
"When it becomes apparent that it isn't going to happen, you get your seniors in there and let them play," Butler said. "We've got some seniors that didn't get to play a whole lot on one side of the ball or the other and we let them get out there and do the best they can and get what reps they have have left."
Jourdan Smith, Andy Lane, Glenn Sanders, Dustin Cummings, Larry Freund, Michael Woolvin, Jacob Williams, Heath Bennett and Wilson will graduate next spring.
"For them to commit to something like this in their senior year just shows great character on their part," Butler said. "To want to come out here and give this a shot, and then to stick to it; they could have quit a long time ago and they didn't. They chose to stay. I thanked them for that."
Butler said after that despite the disappointing season and week 11 result, he is proud of his team and his seniors.
"To go out there with the kids we had and win a week 10 game in the fashion we did (44-22 against Riverton Parke) and to have a chance to perhaps play for a sectional title game, it's just a special thing for them. Hopefully they'll never forget it," Butler said. "When you look at our season as a whole, to be able to play a week 11 game is something special.
"Considering all of the adversity we had to face as a football team, especially the kids, with all the injuries and being depleted and all that stuff. From that standpoint alone, it's very special to see them get another game."
Butler said winning a sectional game, as they did last week, not only helps the players' moral, but also gives them an extra week of practice and experience.
"The culture has changed," he said. "When I came here, priority No. 1 was to change the culture and the way kids work. And they've done it. It's just a matter of in-school recruiting and getting those new kids that play to buy in to the work ethic that the rest of the kids show for them.
"When we do that, then we'll continue to grow."
At Cloverdale
Attica 12 36 6 0 -- 54
Cloverdale 0 0 0 0 -- 0
Scoring summary
First quarter
A -- 8:28 55-yard run by Whorrall (2-pt fail), 6-0
A -- 3:37 10-yard run by Davis (2-pt fail), 12-0
Second quarter
A -- 10:39 1-yard run by Sheridan (2-pt good, Day), 20-0
A -- 8:32 80-yard run by Davis (2-pt good, Day), 28-0
A -- 5:13 12-yard run by Dunwell (2-pt good, Jordan), 36-0
A -- 4:13 12-yard run by Davis (2-pt fail), 42-0
A -- 3:04 20-yard interception return by Whorall (Wilson interception, 2-pt fail), 48-0
Third quarter
A -- 6:46 1-yard run by Day (2-pt fail, Sheridan pass), 54-0
Individual statistics
Rushing
Attica -- Davis 9 carries, 162 yards, 3 touchdown, 0 fumble; Day 7, 81, 1, 0; Whorrall 4, 70, 1, 0; Sheridan 4, 31, 1, 0; Jordan 3, 11, 0, 1; Dunwell 1, 12, 1, 0; Campbell 2, 0, 0, 2.
Cloverdale -- Mescall 10, 21; Warren 3, 12; Jon. Smith 1, 5; Howard 2, 3; McCullough 2, -2; Wilson 11, -16, 0, 2.
Receiving
A -- Day 1 reception, 17 yards; Dunwell 1, 17.
C -- Mescall 1, 37; Warren 1, 5; Stout 1, 3; Jon. Smith 1, 3; Wilson 1, 2.
Passing
A -- Sheridan 2/7, 34, 0, 0
C -- Wilson 4/19, 11, 0, 1; Stout 1/1, 2, 0, 0
Clovers bring renewed goals in preparation for Attica
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Cloverdale rusher Andrew Howard powers his way through a Greencastle defender during their Week 7 contest. [Order this photo]
CLOVERDALE -- When the Clovers completed an 0-9 regular season, it seemed extremely unlikely, if not impossible, that they would be in position to make a sectional final. They scored only 41 point combined during the regular season; gained under 500 yards on offense in nine games.
But the team also lost 17 starters to season- or career-ending injuries, while playing a challenging conference schedule. Cloverdale head coach John Butler said going through the injuries helped prepare his team to win in the playoffs.
"They had to learn on the fly, and they had to learn on the fly against a competition level that is, frankly, much higher than the class of football that we play in," Butler said Wednesday. "I believe, right now, with the kids that we have, we are a good 1A football team, and the regular season doesn't depict that."
The Clovers played just like that last week, winning their opening-round sectional game against Riverton Parke 44-22 in a contest that could have been even more lopsided. The Panthers returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, and scored again on a 98-yard fumble return.
Despite the errors, the Clovers scored more points, and gained more yards, in one game than they had in the other nine combined. They'll have a much tougher time overcoming mistakes this week against Attica. To get a win, they'll have to play nearly perfect.
"It's just got to carry over from last week," Butler said. "The kids are fired up. They're playing their best football, mentally and physically right now, which is all you can ask for."
It's hard to measure one week of success against nine weeks of failures, but when Cloverdale entered the postseason, they became a brand new team.
"I really think this is the first time in my career where we, as a football team, my staff and my kids, have literally moved on from the first nine weeks of the season," Butler said. "Week 10 was the best week that we had and we're building on top of that. It's really that situation that most coaches hope for."
Attica (7-3) will present an entirely different challenge than Riverton Parke. The Panthers finished the year 0-10, including a 66-0 season-opening loss to Attica.
"(Attica is) a very good 1A football team. But they're not Greencastle. They're not Monrovia," Butler said. "Watching Attica on film, and they're well-coached and have a lot of athletic kids, that's a very good football team for 1A. They're just good. But we can compete against them."
The Cloverdale defense, under the direction of coordinator David Petty, is gearing up to stop the Red Ramblers double-wing running game, a formation they are in 76 percent of the game.
"We've adjusted defensively to take their run away," Butler said. "If we can take 75 percent of their offense away, if they can beat us throwing the ball, then they're better than we are. That's how we look at it."
Attica plays the same defensive scheme, a 4-4 front, as Riverton Parke. The Red Ramblers are more talented, but Cloverdale will attack it the same way.
"We've had very minimal offensive changes, it's just getting better at what we do," Butler said. You want to find that balance of doing something new, but not too crazy that your kids can't comprehend, can't execute.
"We've got a few things that they're not going to see on film."
Cloverdale running backs Andrew Howard and Taylor Mescall will split the load on the ground, lining up behind senior quarterback Justin Wilson. The Clovers looked lost at times during the year, on both sides of the ball, but things began to change on the field and in the locker room after the Greencastle game in week 6.
Despite the 48-0 loss, Butler saw signs of growth; hopes for the season and the postseason.
"Looking at our personnel (before the season), our goal at the time was to win sectional," Butler said. "After injuries, (I thought) winning a sectional might be unattainable. But, from week to week, especially that Greencastle game, when the scoreboard said that we got hammered, and we did, pointwise -- they're bigger, stronger, faster than we are -- but, we had success against a very good 3A football program.
"We were inconsistent, but there were those moments that we had offensive production and had some defensive plays. From that moment, it started to change a little bit."
Despite the injuries and the winless regular season, the preseason goal of winning the section remains.
"Once we won week 10 the way we did, the goal pretty much felt the same to me," Butler said. "And I've echoed it to the kids and to the staff. 'It hasn't changed. You're in a position where, if you win this week, if we can beat Attica, you're going to play a sectional championship right here on your field.'
"And that's the goal. Play for a title. Play for a trophy. The goal is still there.
"We're keeping our eyes on that sectional 38 prize, and the kids feel like they can do it."
Cloverdale will host Attica Friday at 7 p.m.
Fever take WNBA title with 87-78 win over Lynx
Monday, October 22, 2012
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Fever took claim of its first WNBA championship on Sunday, defeating the defending champion Minnesota Lynx, a team that as much talent as any in league history.
Forward Tamika Catchings, a 12-year veteran searching for her first championship, was named finals MVP.
"When you come into this league, your goal and your dream is to win a WNBA championship." Catchings said. "12 years later from when the dream first started, here we are, and it's been a journey, but it's so sweet right now."
Catchings played like the star she was to rally the team from a 56-56 tie late in the third quarter. Content to lay low for the first half, Catchings, with a game-high 25 points, took from that point on.
She attacked smaller defenders and passed to open shooters when the Lynx double-teamed her. Catchings said after she had confidence that her teammates would step up when it came time.
"I just felt like toward the end, from my mindset, knowing that players had an opportunity to step up toward the end of the regular season, they were ready for the playoffs," Catchings said. "When their number got called, they were ready, and you could tell."
Veteran guard Erin Phillips played a key role for the Fever, making big shots on offense and guarding Lynx star Lindsay Whalen on defense. Phillips finished with 18 points, including 3-of-6 threes.
"Everyone just stepped up," Phillips said. "We gave it everything. They made some huge runs at us and they gave it everything at us, and I'm just relieved more than anything because we deserve this."
Indiana suffered a number of injuries throughout the season, missing various starters for extended periods of time, but the team rallied around the adversity and stepped up in the playoffs.
"A lot of emotional things came into play here that somehow overcame the talent," Fever coach Lin Dunn said. "I thought the people we played were so focused in on winning a championship, not only for themselves, but for Catchings, for (guard Katie) Douglas, for (center Tammy) Sutton-Brown."
The Fever controlled the action throughout, taking the lead 6-4 and never trailed again. They held off every rush from the Lynx, largely because of half-court defense.
Fever guard Briann January marked Seimone Augustus, the 2011 MVP and an Olympic champion, holding her to only 3-of-21 shooting. With Augustus effectively eliminated, the Lynx could only score when they pushed it to the fast break.
Indiana adjusted and halted the strategy.
With minutes remaining, the only thing standing between the Fever and victory were free throws. The champs were 11-for-11 in the fourth quarter.
"This season has ended on such a surreal note," Catchings said. "(The sellout crowd) just fueled us up even more, so everybody was ... just giving everything they had."
The Fever reached the WNBA Finals in 2009, and took a 2-1 lead into game 4 at home, but lost to the eventual champion Phoenix Mercury. Memory of the loss fueled Catchings and the Fever, giving them motivation the defending champs failed to muster.
"Once you have something, it's human nature to not be as hungry as someone else who doesn't have it," Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. "They had players that made just a few more plays than our group did."
No team has repeated as WNBA champion since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001-02. The Fever will enter 2013 as defending champion. For now, the players will revel in Sunday's victory.
"It was just such an amazing game, such an amazing season," Catchings said. "I couldn't ask for more."
North Putnam gets low school grades
Monday, October 22, 2012
BAINBRIDGE -- Although the letter grades were not released at the time, North Putnam superintendent Dan Noel alluded to improvements that needed to be made at the September school board meeting.
On Thursday the grades came out. North Putnam High School was given an A, but the other schools are not doing as well.
Roachdale Elementary (C), North Putnam Middle School (D) and Bainbridge Elementary (D) have significant room to improve.
"We've got work to do, and I think we know it," Noel said. "It's not happening the way it needs to."
Because of the low grades, North Putnam will be assigned a consultant from the state, Sarah Shaffer, who will arrive on Nov. 27.
"We're not going to try to teach to the test, but we are going to find out what we're not good at," Noel said. "We're going to get to where we need to be."
The elementary schools have struggled in standardized testing at the fourth-grade level, partially because of a change in testing format for that grade. The school is also expected to make financial adjustments going forward.
With a drop in 74 students from last year, state funding will go down and there will be an adjustment from the 2013 budget that was passed on Thursday. Noel said he would look at a variety of ways to make cuts, including possibly dropping a bus route or two.
"It's going to be a very tight year," he said. "I'm not trying to upset bus drivers, but I have to look at it."
Fewer students could potentially make it possible to remove a bus, but that would also mean cutting a bus driver.
The board did expend some funds. It agreed to purchase three new school buses, two this year, one in 2013. Board members also began the process of replacing the Bainbridge Elementary roof. The high school and Roachdale Elementary have gotten new roofs in recent years.
In other business:
-- The school purchased the old Bainbridge police car for $1. Noel said the school has been paying too much for transportation and the car will allow it to control expenses.
-- The school continues to investigate improving the audio systems at the high school gymnasium and football field.
-- Stacey Bean will become a full-time assistant treasurer at the main office. She had previously split duties between there and the high school.
-- A number of staffing additions were made: Judy Humbles was hired as a substitute bus driver; Bob Bowman will become a paid assistant boys' basketball coach; Kyle Adams and James Hendrick will be volunteer assistants; Bryce Bow will serve as a personal trainer for the team on Oct. 25 and Nov. 11. Ashley Schopp will be the eighth-grade girls' coach and varsity assistant; Don Simpson will be the seventh-grade boys' coach; Lonnie Lawhorn and John Allen will be a volunteer assistants for boys' middle school; Kelly Colvin and Jenny Hays will be FFA livestock judging coaches; Heather Poynter and Kristy Straziscar will assist them; Tammy Watson (cafeteria aide) and Andre Williams (winter guard director) resigned; Rachel Pierce has been hired as an assistant band director.
Russellville awards water project bid to Spear Corp.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
RUSSELLVILLE -- The Russellville Town Council accepted a bid for the town water filtration project on Monday, several months removed from the first attempt at a bidding process. Spear Corp., Roachdale, was awarded the project with a bid of $106,680.
The project is being paid for with a loan from Tri-County Bank, which council president Don Reddish said was borrowed on an extremely low interest rate. Reddish said the filtration project has become of increased importance recently with the current system "completely gave out."
Spear Corp. general manager Bob Davis represented the company at the meeting and said Spear intends to begin the project as soon as possible, likely in the next two weeks.
"We have to keep that old plant going, because that's our only water source," Reddish said. "The quicker we can get this done, the quicker we can divert that water tower."
The town recently discussed a bid to paint the inside of the water tower. In conjunction with the ongoing water main and metering project, the town will soon have an entirely new or refurbished water infrastructure.
Although the Spear bid was accepted because it was the lowest available bid, Russellville water superintendent Mike Varvel said he has experience working with the company and he is very comfortable Spear will be able to perform to expectations. Materials will be purchased from Puritan Water Conditioning Inc. Crawfordsville.
"We'll have local people (working)," Russellville clerk-treasurer DeVon Davis said. "The money stays right here. If we have any issues, they're right here."
The project will rebuild the town filter and building, which is located near the north well. After the bid acceptance, the council, Bob Davis and engineer Robert Curry held an impromptu construction meeting.
"Ninety-nine percent of the problems in the world are communication problems," Curry said. "What I've determined in the construction world is, if there's a problem and we can talk about it, we can solve it."
With the difficulties it took to get the filtration project under way, the town will surely appreciate avoiding any problems during construction.
Red Ramblers trample Clovers in sectional semi
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Cloverdale senior quarterback Justin Wilson (18) tries to pull free from the grasp of a Attica defender during Friday's sectional contest.
CLOVERDALE -- There will be no miracle run. No team of destiny. The Clovers lost to Attica on Friday, 54-0, in what will likely be the final football game for team's nine seniors.
Cloverdale (1-10) hung around for the first quarter, trailing 12-0 after one, but injuries and mental errors continued to pile up until the dejected team went to halftime trailing 48-0.
"We just sputtered offensively and defensively," Cloverdale head coach John Butler said. "Once (Attica) started piling on, the mental side of things kind of took over and the speed went away."
CHS opened the game aggressively. Lining up for the opening kickoff, they boldly called for an onside attempt, trying to seize early momentum. Kicker Cody Stout squared up and delivered perfect contact. The third hop sent the ball high over the Red Ramblers line and it was grabbed by Cloverdale junior running back Andrew Howard.
"We practiced that all week," Butler said. He added that, after a fundamental adjustment and making sure to kick the ball just off center, Stout was hitting perfectly more than 70 percent of the time in practice.
Cloverdale stayed aggressive offensively, going for it on fourth-and-four from the Attica 33.
Howard came around the left edge, dragging defenders with him, but he could only muster two yards on the play. He was also knocked out of the game with an apparent concussion.
It was the furthest Cloverdale would be able to advance the ball all game.
Senior quarterback Justin Wilson completed just 4-of-19 pass attempts, including an interception that was returned for a touchdown in the second quarter.
Junior fullback Taylor Mescall led the charge on the ground for Cloverdale, gaining 21 yards on 10 attempts.
With an offensive missing it's most consistent player and failing to gain any ground, the defense was forced to step up.
Adjustments in alignment and strategy to prepare for Attica's outside running game proved ineffective.
"The philosophy we had was different than we've had all year," Butler said. "(The defensive ends) cut them off, but we weren't getting pursuit. And without pursuit, the plays still work for (Attica)."
Carson Davis led the way for the Red Ramblers, gaining 162 yards on only nine carries, including three touchdowns.
Lance Whorrall, Brian Day, Brady Sheridan and Jeremiah Dunwell also scored for Attica. As it became clear that CHS would be unable to come back, Butler spent the rest of the game giving his seniors all the work they could handle, including playing Wilson on defense for the first time this year.
"When it becomes apparent that it isn't going to happen, you get your seniors in there and let them play," Butler said. "We've got some seniors that didn't get to play a whole lot on one side of the ball or the other and we let them get out there and do the best they can and get what reps they have have left."
Jourdan Smith, Andy Lane, Glenn Sanders, Dustin Cummings, Larry Freund, Michael Woolvin, Jacob Williams, Heath Bennett and Wilson will graduate next spring.
"For them to commit to something like this in their senior year just shows great character on their part," Butler said. "To want to come out here and give this a shot, and then to stick to it; they could have quit a long time ago and they didn't. They chose to stay. I thanked them for that."
Butler said after that despite the disappointing season and week 11 result, he is proud of his team and his seniors.
"To go out there with the kids we had and win a week 10 game in the fashion we did (44-22 against Riverton Parke) and to have a chance to perhaps play for a sectional title game, it's just a special thing for them. Hopefully they'll never forget it," Butler said. "When you look at our season as a whole, to be able to play a week 11 game is something special.
"Considering all of the adversity we had to face as a football team, especially the kids, with all the injuries and being depleted and all that stuff. From that standpoint alone, it's very special to see them get another game."
Butler said winning a sectional game, as they did last week, not only helps the players' moral, but also gives them an extra week of practice and experience.
"The culture has changed," he said. "When I came here, priority No. 1 was to change the culture and the way kids work. And they've done it. It's just a matter of in-school recruiting and getting those new kids that play to buy in to the work ethic that the rest of the kids show for them.
"When we do that, then we'll continue to grow."
At Cloverdale
Attica 12 36 6 0 -- 54
Cloverdale 0 0 0 0 -- 0
Scoring summary
First quarter
A -- 8:28 55-yard run by Whorrall (2-pt fail), 6-0
A -- 3:37 10-yard run by Davis (2-pt fail), 12-0
Second quarter
A -- 10:39 1-yard run by Sheridan (2-pt good, Day), 20-0
A -- 8:32 80-yard run by Davis (2-pt good, Day), 28-0
A -- 5:13 12-yard run by Dunwell (2-pt good, Jordan), 36-0
A -- 4:13 12-yard run by Davis (2-pt fail), 42-0
A -- 3:04 20-yard interception return by Whorall (Wilson interception, 2-pt fail), 48-0
Third quarter
A -- 6:46 1-yard run by Day (2-pt fail, Sheridan pass), 54-0
Individual statistics
Rushing
Attica -- Davis 9 carries, 162 yards, 3 touchdown, 0 fumble; Day 7, 81, 1, 0; Whorrall 4, 70, 1, 0; Sheridan 4, 31, 1, 0; Jordan 3, 11, 0, 1; Dunwell 1, 12, 1, 0; Campbell 2, 0, 0, 2.
Cloverdale -- Mescall 10, 21; Warren 3, 12; Jon. Smith 1, 5; Howard 2, 3; McCullough 2, -2; Wilson 11, -16, 0, 2.
Receiving
A -- Day 1 reception, 17 yards; Dunwell 1, 17.
C -- Mescall 1, 37; Warren 1, 5; Stout 1, 3; Jon. Smith 1, 3; Wilson 1, 2.
Passing
A -- Sheridan 2/7, 34, 0, 0
C -- Wilson 4/19, 11, 0, 1; Stout 1/1, 2, 0, 0
Clovers bring renewed goals in preparation for Attica
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Cloverdale rusher Andrew Howard powers his way through a Greencastle defender during their Week 7 contest. [Order this photo]
CLOVERDALE -- When the Clovers completed an 0-9 regular season, it seemed extremely unlikely, if not impossible, that they would be in position to make a sectional final. They scored only 41 point combined during the regular season; gained under 500 yards on offense in nine games.
But the team also lost 17 starters to season- or career-ending injuries, while playing a challenging conference schedule. Cloverdale head coach John Butler said going through the injuries helped prepare his team to win in the playoffs.
"They had to learn on the fly, and they had to learn on the fly against a competition level that is, frankly, much higher than the class of football that we play in," Butler said Wednesday. "I believe, right now, with the kids that we have, we are a good 1A football team, and the regular season doesn't depict that."
The Clovers played just like that last week, winning their opening-round sectional game against Riverton Parke 44-22 in a contest that could have been even more lopsided. The Panthers returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, and scored again on a 98-yard fumble return.
Despite the errors, the Clovers scored more points, and gained more yards, in one game than they had in the other nine combined. They'll have a much tougher time overcoming mistakes this week against Attica. To get a win, they'll have to play nearly perfect.
"It's just got to carry over from last week," Butler said. "The kids are fired up. They're playing their best football, mentally and physically right now, which is all you can ask for."
It's hard to measure one week of success against nine weeks of failures, but when Cloverdale entered the postseason, they became a brand new team.
"I really think this is the first time in my career where we, as a football team, my staff and my kids, have literally moved on from the first nine weeks of the season," Butler said. "Week 10 was the best week that we had and we're building on top of that. It's really that situation that most coaches hope for."
Attica (7-3) will present an entirely different challenge than Riverton Parke. The Panthers finished the year 0-10, including a 66-0 season-opening loss to Attica.
"(Attica is) a very good 1A football team. But they're not Greencastle. They're not Monrovia," Butler said. "Watching Attica on film, and they're well-coached and have a lot of athletic kids, that's a very good football team for 1A. They're just good. But we can compete against them."
The Cloverdale defense, under the direction of coordinator David Petty, is gearing up to stop the Red Ramblers double-wing running game, a formation they are in 76 percent of the game.
"We've adjusted defensively to take their run away," Butler said. "If we can take 75 percent of their offense away, if they can beat us throwing the ball, then they're better than we are. That's how we look at it."
Attica plays the same defensive scheme, a 4-4 front, as Riverton Parke. The Red Ramblers are more talented, but Cloverdale will attack it the same way.
"We've had very minimal offensive changes, it's just getting better at what we do," Butler said. You want to find that balance of doing something new, but not too crazy that your kids can't comprehend, can't execute.
"We've got a few things that they're not going to see on film."
Cloverdale running backs Andrew Howard and Taylor Mescall will split the load on the ground, lining up behind senior quarterback Justin Wilson. The Clovers looked lost at times during the year, on both sides of the ball, but things began to change on the field and in the locker room after the Greencastle game in week 6.
Despite the 48-0 loss, Butler saw signs of growth; hopes for the season and the postseason.
"Looking at our personnel (before the season), our goal at the time was to win sectional," Butler said. "After injuries, (I thought) winning a sectional might be unattainable. But, from week to week, especially that Greencastle game, when the scoreboard said that we got hammered, and we did, pointwise -- they're bigger, stronger, faster than we are -- but, we had success against a very good 3A football program.
"We were inconsistent, but there were those moments that we had offensive production and had some defensive plays. From that moment, it started to change a little bit."
Despite the injuries and the winless regular season, the preseason goal of winning the section remains.
"Once we won week 10 the way we did, the goal pretty much felt the same to me," Butler said. "And I've echoed it to the kids and to the staff. 'It hasn't changed. You're in a position where, if you win this week, if we can beat Attica, you're going to play a sectional championship right here on your field.'
"And that's the goal. Play for a title. Play for a trophy. The goal is still there.
"We're keeping our eyes on that sectional 38 prize, and the kids feel like they can do it."
Cloverdale will host Attica Friday at 7 p.m.
Fever take WNBA title with 87-78 win over Lynx
Monday, October 22, 2012
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Fever took claim of its first WNBA championship on Sunday, defeating the defending champion Minnesota Lynx, a team that as much talent as any in league history.
Forward Tamika Catchings, a 12-year veteran searching for her first championship, was named finals MVP.
"When you come into this league, your goal and your dream is to win a WNBA championship." Catchings said. "12 years later from when the dream first started, here we are, and it's been a journey, but it's so sweet right now."
Catchings played like the star she was to rally the team from a 56-56 tie late in the third quarter. Content to lay low for the first half, Catchings, with a game-high 25 points, took from that point on.
She attacked smaller defenders and passed to open shooters when the Lynx double-teamed her. Catchings said after she had confidence that her teammates would step up when it came time.
"I just felt like toward the end, from my mindset, knowing that players had an opportunity to step up toward the end of the regular season, they were ready for the playoffs," Catchings said. "When their number got called, they were ready, and you could tell."
Veteran guard Erin Phillips played a key role for the Fever, making big shots on offense and guarding Lynx star Lindsay Whalen on defense. Phillips finished with 18 points, including 3-of-6 threes.
"Everyone just stepped up," Phillips said. "We gave it everything. They made some huge runs at us and they gave it everything at us, and I'm just relieved more than anything because we deserve this."
Indiana suffered a number of injuries throughout the season, missing various starters for extended periods of time, but the team rallied around the adversity and stepped up in the playoffs.
"A lot of emotional things came into play here that somehow overcame the talent," Fever coach Lin Dunn said. "I thought the people we played were so focused in on winning a championship, not only for themselves, but for Catchings, for (guard Katie) Douglas, for (center Tammy) Sutton-Brown."
The Fever controlled the action throughout, taking the lead 6-4 and never trailed again. They held off every rush from the Lynx, largely because of half-court defense.
Fever guard Briann January marked Seimone Augustus, the 2011 MVP and an Olympic champion, holding her to only 3-of-21 shooting. With Augustus effectively eliminated, the Lynx could only score when they pushed it to the fast break.
Indiana adjusted and halted the strategy.
With minutes remaining, the only thing standing between the Fever and victory were free throws. The champs were 11-for-11 in the fourth quarter.
"This season has ended on such a surreal note," Catchings said. "(The sellout crowd) just fueled us up even more, so everybody was ... just giving everything they had."
The Fever reached the WNBA Finals in 2009, and took a 2-1 lead into game 4 at home, but lost to the eventual champion Phoenix Mercury. Memory of the loss fueled Catchings and the Fever, giving them motivation the defending champs failed to muster.
"Once you have something, it's human nature to not be as hungry as someone else who doesn't have it," Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. "They had players that made just a few more plays than our group did."
No team has repeated as WNBA champion since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001-02. The Fever will enter 2013 as defending champion. For now, the players will revel in Sunday's victory.
"It was just such an amazing game, such an amazing season," Catchings said. "I couldn't ask for more."
Russellville awards water project bid to Spear Corp.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
RUSSELLVILLE -- The Russellville Town Council accepted a bid for the town water filtration project on Monday, several months removed from the first attempt at a bidding process. Spear Corp., Roachdale, was awarded the project with a bid of $106,680.
The project is being paid for with a loan from Tri-County Bank, which council president Don Reddish said was borrowed on an extremely low interest rate. Reddish said the filtration project has become of increased importance recently with the current system "completely gave out."
Spear Corp. general manager Bob Davis represented the company at the meeting and said Spear intends to begin the project as soon as possible, likely in the next two weeks.
"We have to keep that old plant going, because that's our only water source," Reddish said. "The quicker we can get this done, the quicker we can divert that water tower."
The town recently discussed a bid to paint the inside of the water tower. In conjunction with the ongoing water main and metering project, the town will soon have an entirely new or refurbished water infrastructure.
Although the Spear bid was accepted because it was the lowest available bid, Russellville water superintendent Mike Varvel said he has experience working with the company and he is very comfortable Spear will be able to perform to expectations. Materials will be purchased from Puritan Water Conditioning Inc. Crawfordsville.
"We'll have local people (working)," Russellville clerk-treasurer DeVon Davis said. "The money stays right here. If we have any issues, they're right here."
The project will rebuild the town filter and building, which is located near the north well. After the bid acceptance, the council, Bob Davis and engineer Robert Curry held an impromptu construction meeting.
"Ninety-nine percent of the problems in the world are communication problems," Curry said. "What I've determined in the construction world is, if there's a problem and we can talk about it, we can solve it."
With the difficulties it took to get the filtration project under way, the town will surely appreciate avoiding any problems during construction.
Red Ramblers trample Clovers in sectional semi
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Cloverdale senior quarterback Justin Wilson (18) tries to pull free from the grasp of a Attica defender during Friday's sectional contest.
CLOVERDALE -- There will be no miracle run. No team of destiny. The Clovers lost to Attica on Friday, 54-0, in what will likely be the final football game for team's nine seniors.
Cloverdale (1-10) hung around for the first quarter, trailing 12-0 after one, but injuries and mental errors continued to pile up until the dejected team went to halftime trailing 48-0.
"We just sputtered offensively and defensively," Cloverdale head coach John Butler said. "Once (Attica) started piling on, the mental side of things kind of took over and the speed went away."
CHS opened the game aggressively. Lining up for the opening kickoff, they boldly called for an onside attempt, trying to seize early momentum. Kicker Cody Stout squared up and delivered perfect contact. The third hop sent the ball high over the Red Ramblers line and it was grabbed by Cloverdale junior running back Andrew Howard.
"We practiced that all week," Butler said. He added that, after a fundamental adjustment and making sure to kick the ball just off center, Stout was hitting perfectly more than 70 percent of the time in practice.
Cloverdale stayed aggressive offensively, going for it on fourth-and-four from the Attica 33.
Howard came around the left edge, dragging defenders with him, but he could only muster two yards on the play. He was also knocked out of the game with an apparent concussion.
It was the furthest Cloverdale would be able to advance the ball all game.
Senior quarterback Justin Wilson completed just 4-of-19 pass attempts, including an interception that was returned for a touchdown in the second quarter.
Junior fullback Taylor Mescall led the charge on the ground for Cloverdale, gaining 21 yards on 10 attempts.
With an offensive missing it's most consistent player and failing to gain any ground, the defense was forced to step up.
Adjustments in alignment and strategy to prepare for Attica's outside running game proved ineffective.
"The philosophy we had was different than we've had all year," Butler said. "(The defensive ends) cut them off, but we weren't getting pursuit. And without pursuit, the plays still work for (Attica)."
Carson Davis led the way for the Red Ramblers, gaining 162 yards on only nine carries, including three touchdowns.
Lance Whorrall, Brian Day, Brady Sheridan and Jeremiah Dunwell also scored for Attica. As it became clear that CHS would be unable to come back, Butler spent the rest of the game giving his seniors all the work they could handle, including playing Wilson on defense for the first time this year.
"When it becomes apparent that it isn't going to happen, you get your seniors in there and let them play," Butler said. "We've got some seniors that didn't get to play a whole lot on one side of the ball or the other and we let them get out there and do the best they can and get what reps they have have left."
Jourdan Smith, Andy Lane, Glenn Sanders, Dustin Cummings, Larry Freund, Michael Woolvin, Jacob Williams, Heath Bennett and Wilson will graduate next spring.
"For them to commit to something like this in their senior year just shows great character on their part," Butler said. "To want to come out here and give this a shot, and then to stick to it; they could have quit a long time ago and they didn't. They chose to stay. I thanked them for that."
Butler said after that despite the disappointing season and week 11 result, he is proud of his team and his seniors.
"To go out there with the kids we had and win a week 10 game in the fashion we did (44-22 against Riverton Parke) and to have a chance to perhaps play for a sectional title game, it's just a special thing for them. Hopefully they'll never forget it," Butler said. "When you look at our season as a whole, to be able to play a week 11 game is something special.
"Considering all of the adversity we had to face as a football team, especially the kids, with all the injuries and being depleted and all that stuff. From that standpoint alone, it's very special to see them get another game."
Butler said winning a sectional game, as they did last week, not only helps the players' moral, but also gives them an extra week of practice and experience.
"The culture has changed," he said. "When I came here, priority No. 1 was to change the culture and the way kids work. And they've done it. It's just a matter of in-school recruiting and getting those new kids that play to buy in to the work ethic that the rest of the kids show for them.
"When we do that, then we'll continue to grow."
At Cloverdale
Attica 12 36 6 0 -- 54
Cloverdale 0 0 0 0 -- 0
Scoring summary
First quarter
A -- 8:28 55-yard run by Whorrall (2-pt fail), 6-0
A -- 3:37 10-yard run by Davis (2-pt fail), 12-0
Second quarter
A -- 10:39 1-yard run by Sheridan (2-pt good, Day), 20-0
A -- 8:32 80-yard run by Davis (2-pt good, Day), 28-0
A -- 5:13 12-yard run by Dunwell (2-pt good, Jordan), 36-0
A -- 4:13 12-yard run by Davis (2-pt fail), 42-0
A -- 3:04 20-yard interception return by Whorall (Wilson interception, 2-pt fail), 48-0
Third quarter
A -- 6:46 1-yard run by Day (2-pt fail, Sheridan pass), 54-0
Individual statistics
Rushing
Attica -- Davis 9 carries, 162 yards, 3 touchdown, 0 fumble; Day 7, 81, 1, 0; Whorrall 4, 70, 1, 0; Sheridan 4, 31, 1, 0; Jordan 3, 11, 0, 1; Dunwell 1, 12, 1, 0; Campbell 2, 0, 0, 2.
Cloverdale -- Mescall 10, 21; Warren 3, 12; Jon. Smith 1, 5; Howard 2, 3; McCullough 2, -2; Wilson 11, -16, 0, 2.
Receiving
A -- Day 1 reception, 17 yards; Dunwell 1, 17.
C -- Mescall 1, 37; Warren 1, 5; Stout 1, 3; Jon. Smith 1, 3; Wilson 1, 2.
Passing
A -- Sheridan 2/7, 34, 0, 0
C -- Wilson 4/19, 11, 0, 1; Stout 1/1, 2, 0, 0
Russellville awards water project bid to Spear Corp.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
RUSSELLVILLE -- The Russellville Town Council accepted a bid for the town water filtration project on Monday, several months removed from the first attempt at a bidding process. Spear Corp., Roachdale, was awarded the project with a bid of $106,680.
The project is being paid for with a loan from Tri-County Bank, which council president Don Reddish said was borrowed on an extremely low interest rate. Reddish said the filtration project has become of increased importance recently with the current system "completely gave out."
Spear Corp. general manager Bob Davis represented the company at the meeting and said Spear intends to begin the project as soon as possible, likely in the next two weeks.
"We have to keep that old plant going, because that's our only water source," Reddish said. "The quicker we can get this done, the quicker we can divert that water tower."
The town recently discussed a bid to paint the inside of the water tower. In conjunction with the ongoing water main and metering project, the town will soon have an entirely new or refurbished water infrastructure.
Although the Spear bid was accepted because it was the lowest available bid, Russellville water superintendent Mike Varvel said he has experience working with the company and he is very comfortable Spear will be able to perform to expectations. Materials will be purchased from Puritan Water Conditioning Inc. Crawfordsville.
"We'll have local people (working)," Russellville clerk-treasurer DeVon Davis said. "The money stays right here. If we have any issues, they're right here."
The project will rebuild the town filter and building, which is located near the north well. After the bid acceptance, the council, Bob Davis and engineer Robert Curry held an impromptu construction meeting.
"Ninety-nine percent of the problems in the world are communication problems," Curry said. "What I've determined in the construction world is, if there's a problem and we can talk about it, we can solve it."
With the difficulties it took to get the filtration project under way, the town will surely appreciate avoiding any problems during construction.
Russellville awards water project bid to Spear Corp.
The project is being paid for with a loan from Tri-County Bank, which council president Don Reddish said was borrowed on an extremely low interest rate. Reddish said the filtration project has become of increased importance recently with the current system "completely gave out."
Spear Corp. general manager Bob Davis represented the company at the meeting and said Spear intends to begin the project as soon as possible, likely in the next two weeks.
"We have to keep that old plant going, because that's our only water source," Reddish said. "The quicker we can get this done, the quicker we can divert that water tower."
The town recently discussed a bid to paint the inside of the water tower. In conjunction with the ongoing water main and metering project, the town will soon have an entirely new or refurbished water infrastructure.
Although the Spear bid was accepted because it was the lowest available bid, Russellville water superintendent Mike Varvel said he has experience working with the company and he is very comfortable Spear will be able to perform to expectations. Materials will be purchased from Puritan Water Conditioning Inc. Crawfordsville.
"We'll have local people (working)," Russellville clerk-treasurer DeVon Davis said. "The money stays right here. If we have any issues, they're right here."
The project will rebuild the town filter and building, which is located near the north well. After the bid acceptance, the council, Bob Davis and engineer Robert Curry held an impromptu construction meeting.
"Ninety-nine percent of the problems in the world are communication problems," Curry said. "What I've determined in the construction world is, if there's a problem and we can talk about it, we can solve it."
With the difficulties it took to get the filtration project under way, the town will surely appreciate avoiding any problems during construction.
Red Ramblers trample Clovers in sectional semi
Cloverdale senior quarterback Justin Wilson (18) tries to pull free from the grasp of a Attica defender during Friday's sectional contest.
Cloverdale (1-10) hung around for the first quarter, trailing 12-0 after one, but injuries and mental errors continued to pile up until the dejected team went to halftime trailing 48-0.
"We just sputtered offensively and defensively," Cloverdale head coach John Butler said. "Once (Attica) started piling on, the mental side of things kind of took over and the speed went away."
CHS opened the game aggressively. Lining up for the opening kickoff, they boldly called for an onside attempt, trying to seize early momentum. Kicker Cody Stout squared up and delivered perfect contact. The third hop sent the ball high over the Red Ramblers line and it was grabbed by Cloverdale junior running back Andrew Howard.
"We practiced that all week," Butler said. He added that, after a fundamental adjustment and making sure to kick the ball just off center, Stout was hitting perfectly more than 70 percent of the time in practice.
Cloverdale stayed aggressive offensively, going for it on fourth-and-four from the Attica 33.
Howard came around the left edge, dragging defenders with him, but he could only muster two yards on the play. He was also knocked out of the game with an apparent concussion.
It was the furthest Cloverdale would be able to advance the ball all game.
Senior quarterback Justin Wilson completed just 4-of-19 pass attempts, including an interception that was returned for a touchdown in the second quarter.
Junior fullback Taylor Mescall led the charge on the ground for Cloverdale, gaining 21 yards on 10 attempts.
With an offensive missing it's most consistent player and failing to gain any ground, the defense was forced to step up.
Adjustments in alignment and strategy to prepare for Attica's outside running game proved ineffective.
"The philosophy we had was different than we've had all year," Butler said. "(The defensive ends) cut them off, but we weren't getting pursuit. And without pursuit, the plays still work for (Attica)."
Carson Davis led the way for the Red Ramblers, gaining 162 yards on only nine carries, including three touchdowns.
Lance Whorrall, Brian Day, Brady Sheridan and Jeremiah Dunwell also scored for Attica. As it became clear that CHS would be unable to come back, Butler spent the rest of the game giving his seniors all the work they could handle, including playing Wilson on defense for the first time this year.
"When it becomes apparent that it isn't going to happen, you get your seniors in there and let them play," Butler said. "We've got some seniors that didn't get to play a whole lot on one side of the ball or the other and we let them get out there and do the best they can and get what reps they have have left."
Jourdan Smith, Andy Lane, Glenn Sanders, Dustin Cummings, Larry Freund, Michael Woolvin, Jacob Williams, Heath Bennett and Wilson will graduate next spring.
"For them to commit to something like this in their senior year just shows great character on their part," Butler said. "To want to come out here and give this a shot, and then to stick to it; they could have quit a long time ago and they didn't. They chose to stay. I thanked them for that."
Butler said after that despite the disappointing season and week 11 result, he is proud of his team and his seniors.
"To go out there with the kids we had and win a week 10 game in the fashion we did (44-22 against Riverton Parke) and to have a chance to perhaps play for a sectional title game, it's just a special thing for them. Hopefully they'll never forget it," Butler said. "When you look at our season as a whole, to be able to play a week 11 game is something special.
"Considering all of the adversity we had to face as a football team, especially the kids, with all the injuries and being depleted and all that stuff. From that standpoint alone, it's very special to see them get another game."
Butler said winning a sectional game, as they did last week, not only helps the players' moral, but also gives them an extra week of practice and experience.
"The culture has changed," he said. "When I came here, priority No. 1 was to change the culture and the way kids work. And they've done it. It's just a matter of in-school recruiting and getting those new kids that play to buy in to the work ethic that the rest of the kids show for them.
"When we do that, then we'll continue to grow."
At Cloverdale
Attica 12 36 6 0 -- 54
Cloverdale 0 0 0 0 -- 0
Scoring summary
First quarter
A -- 8:28 55-yard run by Whorrall (2-pt fail), 6-0
A -- 3:37 10-yard run by Davis (2-pt fail), 12-0
Second quarter
A -- 10:39 1-yard run by Sheridan (2-pt good, Day), 20-0
A -- 8:32 80-yard run by Davis (2-pt good, Day), 28-0
A -- 5:13 12-yard run by Dunwell (2-pt good, Jordan), 36-0
A -- 4:13 12-yard run by Davis (2-pt fail), 42-0
A -- 3:04 20-yard interception return by Whorall (Wilson interception, 2-pt fail), 48-0
Third quarter
A -- 6:46 1-yard run by Day (2-pt fail, Sheridan pass), 54-0
Individual statistics
Rushing
Attica -- Davis 9 carries, 162 yards, 3 touchdown, 0 fumble; Day 7, 81, 1, 0; Whorrall 4, 70, 1, 0; Sheridan 4, 31, 1, 0; Jordan 3, 11, 0, 1; Dunwell 1, 12, 1, 0; Campbell 2, 0, 0, 2.
Cloverdale -- Mescall 10, 21; Warren 3, 12; Jon. Smith 1, 5; Howard 2, 3; McCullough 2, -2; Wilson 11, -16, 0, 2.
Receiving
A -- Day 1 reception, 17 yards; Dunwell 1, 17.
C -- Mescall 1, 37; Warren 1, 5; Stout 1, 3; Jon. Smith 1, 3; Wilson 1, 2.
Passing
A -- Sheridan 2/7, 34, 0, 0
C -- Wilson 4/19, 11, 0, 1; Stout 1/1, 2, 0, 0
Clovers bring renewed goals in preparation for Attica
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Cloverdale rusher Andrew Howard powers his way through a Greencastle defender during their Week 7 contest. [Order this photo]
CLOVERDALE -- When the Clovers completed an 0-9 regular season, it seemed extremely unlikely, if not impossible, that they would be in position to make a sectional final. They scored only 41 point combined during the regular season; gained under 500 yards on offense in nine games.
But the team also lost 17 starters to season- or career-ending injuries, while playing a challenging conference schedule. Cloverdale head coach John Butler said going through the injuries helped prepare his team to win in the playoffs.
"They had to learn on the fly, and they had to learn on the fly against a competition level that is, frankly, much higher than the class of football that we play in," Butler said Wednesday. "I believe, right now, with the kids that we have, we are a good 1A football team, and the regular season doesn't depict that."
The Clovers played just like that last week, winning their opening-round sectional game against Riverton Parke 44-22 in a contest that could have been even more lopsided. The Panthers returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, and scored again on a 98-yard fumble return.
Despite the errors, the Clovers scored more points, and gained more yards, in one game than they had in the other nine combined. They'll have a much tougher time overcoming mistakes this week against Attica. To get a win, they'll have to play nearly perfect.
"It's just got to carry over from last week," Butler said. "The kids are fired up. They're playing their best football, mentally and physically right now, which is all you can ask for."
It's hard to measure one week of success against nine weeks of failures, but when Cloverdale entered the postseason, they became a brand new team.
"I really think this is the first time in my career where we, as a football team, my staff and my kids, have literally moved on from the first nine weeks of the season," Butler said. "Week 10 was the best week that we had and we're building on top of that. It's really that situation that most coaches hope for."
Attica (7-3) will present an entirely different challenge than Riverton Parke. The Panthers finished the year 0-10, including a 66-0 season-opening loss to Attica.
"(Attica is) a very good 1A football team. But they're not Greencastle. They're not Monrovia," Butler said. "Watching Attica on film, and they're well-coached and have a lot of athletic kids, that's a very good football team for 1A. They're just good. But we can compete against them."
The Cloverdale defense, under the direction of coordinator David Petty, is gearing up to stop the Red Ramblers double-wing running game, a formation they are in 76 percent of the game.
"We've adjusted defensively to take their run away," Butler said. "If we can take 75 percent of their offense away, if they can beat us throwing the ball, then they're better than we are. That's how we look at it."
Attica plays the same defensive scheme, a 4-4 front, as Riverton Parke. The Red Ramblers are more talented, but Cloverdale will attack it the same way.
"We've had very minimal offensive changes, it's just getting better at what we do," Butler said. You want to find that balance of doing something new, but not too crazy that your kids can't comprehend, can't execute.
"We've got a few things that they're not going to see on film."
Cloverdale running backs Andrew Howard and Taylor Mescall will split the load on the ground, lining up behind senior quarterback Justin Wilson. The Clovers looked lost at times during the year, on both sides of the ball, but things began to change on the field and in the locker room after the Greencastle game in week 6.
Despite the 48-0 loss, Butler saw signs of growth; hopes for the season and the postseason.
"Looking at our personnel (before the season), our goal at the time was to win sectional," Butler said. "After injuries, (I thought) winning a sectional might be unattainable. But, from week to week, especially that Greencastle game, when the scoreboard said that we got hammered, and we did, pointwise -- they're bigger, stronger, faster than we are -- but, we had success against a very good 3A football program.
"We were inconsistent, but there were those moments that we had offensive production and had some defensive plays. From that moment, it started to change a little bit."
Despite the injuries and the winless regular season, the preseason goal of winning the section remains.
"Once we won week 10 the way we did, the goal pretty much felt the same to me," Butler said. "And I've echoed it to the kids and to the staff. 'It hasn't changed. You're in a position where, if you win this week, if we can beat Attica, you're going to play a sectional championship right here on your field.'
"And that's the goal. Play for a title. Play for a trophy. The goal is still there.
"We're keeping our eyes on that sectional 38 prize, and the kids feel like they can do it."
Cloverdale will host Attica Friday at 7 p.m.
Clovers bring renewed goals in preparation for Attica
Cloverdale rusher Andrew Howard powers his way through a Greencastle defender during their Week 7 contest. [Order this photo]
But the team also lost 17 starters to season- or career-ending injuries, while playing a challenging conference schedule. Cloverdale head coach John Butler said going through the injuries helped prepare his team to win in the playoffs.
"They had to learn on the fly, and they had to learn on the fly against a competition level that is, frankly, much higher than the class of football that we play in," Butler said Wednesday. "I believe, right now, with the kids that we have, we are a good 1A football team, and the regular season doesn't depict that."
The Clovers played just like that last week, winning their opening-round sectional game against Riverton Parke 44-22 in a contest that could have been even more lopsided. The Panthers returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, and scored again on a 98-yard fumble return.
Despite the errors, the Clovers scored more points, and gained more yards, in one game than they had in the other nine combined. They'll have a much tougher time overcoming mistakes this week against Attica. To get a win, they'll have to play nearly perfect.
"It's just got to carry over from last week," Butler said. "The kids are fired up. They're playing their best football, mentally and physically right now, which is all you can ask for."
It's hard to measure one week of success against nine weeks of failures, but when Cloverdale entered the postseason, they became a brand new team.
"I really think this is the first time in my career where we, as a football team, my staff and my kids, have literally moved on from the first nine weeks of the season," Butler said. "Week 10 was the best week that we had and we're building on top of that. It's really that situation that most coaches hope for."
Attica (7-3) will present an entirely different challenge than Riverton Parke. The Panthers finished the year 0-10, including a 66-0 season-opening loss to Attica.
"(Attica is) a very good 1A football team. But they're not Greencastle. They're not Monrovia," Butler said. "Watching Attica on film, and they're well-coached and have a lot of athletic kids, that's a very good football team for 1A. They're just good. But we can compete against them."
The Cloverdale defense, under the direction of coordinator David Petty, is gearing up to stop the Red Ramblers double-wing running game, a formation they are in 76 percent of the game.
"We've adjusted defensively to take their run away," Butler said. "If we can take 75 percent of their offense away, if they can beat us throwing the ball, then they're better than we are. That's how we look at it."
Attica plays the same defensive scheme, a 4-4 front, as Riverton Parke. The Red Ramblers are more talented, but Cloverdale will attack it the same way.
"We've had very minimal offensive changes, it's just getting better at what we do," Butler said. You want to find that balance of doing something new, but not too crazy that your kids can't comprehend, can't execute.
"We've got a few things that they're not going to see on film."
Cloverdale running backs Andrew Howard and Taylor Mescall will split the load on the ground, lining up behind senior quarterback Justin Wilson. The Clovers looked lost at times during the year, on both sides of the ball, but things began to change on the field and in the locker room after the Greencastle game in week 6.
Despite the 48-0 loss, Butler saw signs of growth; hopes for the season and the postseason.
"Looking at our personnel (before the season), our goal at the time was to win sectional," Butler said. "After injuries, (I thought) winning a sectional might be unattainable. But, from week to week, especially that Greencastle game, when the scoreboard said that we got hammered, and we did, pointwise -- they're bigger, stronger, faster than we are -- but, we had success against a very good 3A football program.
"We were inconsistent, but there were those moments that we had offensive production and had some defensive plays. From that moment, it started to change a little bit."
Despite the injuries and the winless regular season, the preseason goal of winning the section remains.
"Once we won week 10 the way we did, the goal pretty much felt the same to me," Butler said. "And I've echoed it to the kids and to the staff. 'It hasn't changed. You're in a position where, if you win this week, if we can beat Attica, you're going to play a sectional championship right here on your field.'
"And that's the goal. Play for a title. Play for a trophy. The goal is still there.
"We're keeping our eyes on that sectional 38 prize, and the kids feel like they can do it."
Cloverdale will host Attica Friday at 7 p.m.
Fever take WNBA title with 87-78 win over Lynx
Forward Tamika Catchings, a 12-year veteran searching for her first championship, was named finals MVP.
"When you come into this league, your goal and your dream is to win a WNBA championship." Catchings said. "12 years later from when the dream first started, here we are, and it's been a journey, but it's so sweet right now."
Catchings played like the star she was to rally the team from a 56-56 tie late in the third quarter. Content to lay low for the first half, Catchings, with a game-high 25 points, took from that point on.
She attacked smaller defenders and passed to open shooters when the Lynx double-teamed her. Catchings said after she had confidence that her teammates would step up when it came time.
"I just felt like toward the end, from my mindset, knowing that players had an opportunity to step up toward the end of the regular season, they were ready for the playoffs," Catchings said. "When their number got called, they were ready, and you could tell."
Veteran guard Erin Phillips played a key role for the Fever, making big shots on offense and guarding Lynx star Lindsay Whalen on defense. Phillips finished with 18 points, including 3-of-6 threes.
"Everyone just stepped up," Phillips said. "We gave it everything. They made some huge runs at us and they gave it everything at us, and I'm just relieved more than anything because we deserve this."
Indiana suffered a number of injuries throughout the season, missing various starters for extended periods of time, but the team rallied around the adversity and stepped up in the playoffs.
"A lot of emotional things came into play here that somehow overcame the talent," Fever coach Lin Dunn said. "I thought the people we played were so focused in on winning a championship, not only for themselves, but for Catchings, for (guard Katie) Douglas, for (center Tammy) Sutton-Brown."
The Fever controlled the action throughout, taking the lead 6-4 and never trailed again. They held off every rush from the Lynx, largely because of half-court defense.
Fever guard Briann January marked Seimone Augustus, the 2011 MVP and an Olympic champion, holding her to only 3-of-21 shooting. With Augustus effectively eliminated, the Lynx could only score when they pushed it to the fast break.
Indiana adjusted and halted the strategy.
With minutes remaining, the only thing standing between the Fever and victory were free throws. The champs were 11-for-11 in the fourth quarter.
"This season has ended on such a surreal note," Catchings said. "(The sellout crowd) just fueled us up even more, so everybody was ... just giving everything they had."
The Fever reached the WNBA Finals in 2009, and took a 2-1 lead into game 4 at home, but lost to the eventual champion Phoenix Mercury. Memory of the loss fueled Catchings and the Fever, giving them motivation the defending champs failed to muster.
"Once you have something, it's human nature to not be as hungry as someone else who doesn't have it," Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. "They had players that made just a few more plays than our group did."
No team has repeated as WNBA champion since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001-02. The Fever will enter 2013 as defending champion. For now, the players will revel in Sunday's victory.
"It was just such an amazing game, such an amazing season," Catchings said. "I couldn't ask for more."
North Putnam gets low school grades
On Thursday the grades came out. North Putnam High School was given an A, but the other schools are not doing as well.
Roachdale Elementary (C), North Putnam Middle School (D) and Bainbridge Elementary (D) have significant room to improve.
"We've got work to do, and I think we know it," Noel said. "It's not happening the way it needs to."
Because of the low grades, North Putnam will be assigned a consultant from the state, Sarah Shaffer, who will arrive on Nov. 27.
"We're not going to try to teach to the test, but we are going to find out what we're not good at," Noel said. "We're going to get to where we need to be."
The elementary schools have struggled in standardized testing at the fourth-grade level, partially because of a change in testing format for that grade. The school is also expected to make financial adjustments going forward.
With a drop in 74 students from last year, state funding will go down and there will be an adjustment from the 2013 budget that was passed on Thursday. Noel said he would look at a variety of ways to make cuts, including possibly dropping a bus route or two.
"It's going to be a very tight year," he said. "I'm not trying to upset bus drivers, but I have to look at it."
Fewer students could potentially make it possible to remove a bus, but that would also mean cutting a bus driver.
The board did expend some funds. It agreed to purchase three new school buses, two this year, one in 2013. Board members also began the process of replacing the Bainbridge Elementary roof. The high school and Roachdale Elementary have gotten new roofs in recent years.
In other business:
-- The school purchased the old Bainbridge police car for $1. Noel said the school has been paying too much for transportation and the car will allow it to control expenses.
-- The school continues to investigate improving the audio systems at the high school gymnasium and football field.
-- Stacey Bean will become a full-time assistant treasurer at the main office. She had previously split duties between there and the high school.
-- A number of staffing additions were made: Judy Humbles was hired as a substitute bus driver; Bob Bowman will become a paid assistant boys' basketball coach; Kyle Adams and James Hendrick will be volunteer assistants; Bryce Bow will serve as a personal trainer for the team on Oct. 25 and Nov. 11. Ashley Schopp will be the eighth-grade girls' coach and varsity assistant; Don Simpson will be the seventh-grade boys' coach; Lonnie Lawhorn and John Allen will be a volunteer assistants for boys' middle school; Kelly Colvin and Jenny Hays will be FFA livestock judging coaches; Heather Poynter and Kristy Straziscar will assist them; Tammy Watson (cafeteria aide) and Andre Williams (winter guard director) resigned; Rachel Pierce has been hired as an assistant band director.
DePauw duo sets completion record in loss to Kenyon
DePauw senior Cody Crook makes a key catch to set up a touchdown in first quarter of Saturday's 21-19 loss to Kenyon College.
(Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN) [Order this photo]
(Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN) [Order this photo]
DePauw University (1-6, 0-4) started freshman Justin Murray at quarterback and the pair combined to complete a school-record 45 passes for 366 yards.
"They (the Lords) were giving us so many throws that we're trying to take advantage of that," DPU head coach Scott Srnka said. "For us, that's almost like the run game. That's what we saw and that's what we could take, and we knew we could take."
The Tigers spent the day playing catch-up after Kenyon (4-3, 3-1) senior receiver Carlo Gagliardo returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. Murray, making his fourth straight start, was replaced after two ineffective drives.
When Seaman entered the game, DPU immediately began moving the ball, flowing with a hurry-up, no-huddle offense. Seaman was 8-for-8 on the 11-play, 73-yard drive, ending in a 1-yard touchdown run by freshman back Amen Galley.
The extra point was sent wide by junior Eric Malm, leaving the Tigers behind 7-6 with 2:53 left in the first quarter. Kenyon answered back quickly when senior Dan Shannon lobbed a beautiful 53-yard pass over the shoulder of Gagliardo.
The DePauw defense stepped up after the deep pass, holding Kenyon without another score until midway through the fourth quarter.
"Special teams wins and loses ball games and the last two weeks it's been a different phase of the game every week," Srnka said. "We mixed up the coverages on them. In the end, we just didn't tackle."
Like much of the year, DePauw failed to establish a running game, instead relying on short passes from Seaman to advance the ball.
"The offense felt really smooth and it was finally clicking," Seaman said. "Honestly I can say I don't think it was (the plan). It's just kind of the way it worked out. The linebackers kept getting depth and we just kept throwing the under stuff and moving the offense down the field."
The teams matched defensive stops for most of the second and third quarters. DePauw alternated quarterbacks in the second quarter, with neither achieving much success.
When Murray was in the game, the Lords attacked, forcing the freshman into quick decisions.
Seaman failed to achieve the same momentum he gained on his first drive, largely because of a number of untimely drops by the DePauw receiving corps. Srnka said the quarterback decision in the future will likely depend on the match-up and game plan.
"Both of them have their talents and we're gonna plug them in as we see fit for the defenses that we see coming up," Srnka said. "I really don't know (about next week)."
Seaman said no matter what the plan, he would come prepared.
"My goal was just to go out there and make the most of the time I got," he said. "That's the coaches' decision. Whatever they decide is right and that's what we'll go with."
In the fourth quarter, DePauw used the short passing game to set up runs. Although they weren't particularly flashy, Armani Cato (11 for 34, two touchdowns) and Galley (7 for 17, one touchdown) helped keep the defense honest, which gave the DePauw quarterbacks time to find receivers.
Murray opened at quarterback in the second half, but was replaced after two drives by Seaman.
The sophomore, making his first appearance since a week 3 concussion, finished 39-for-54 for 322 yards.
"I just kind of kept going in with the way the game was going. We fell a couple plays short here and there," Seaman said. "If we tighten those little things up, we win the game."
Cato punched in a touchdown run with 3:04 left in the fourth quarter to draw the Tigers within two, but the defense failed to make a final stop, allowing third down conversions twice on the last drive.
DePauw will face Wooster College next week.
At DePauw
Kenyon 14 0 0 7 -- 21
DePauw 6 0 0 13 -- 19
Scoring summary
First Quarter
K -- 14:44 Carlo Gagliardo 90-yd kickoff return (Sam Howard Kick) 7-0
D -- 2:53 Amen Galley 2-yd run (Eric Malm kick failed) 7-6
K -- 0:20 Gagliardo 53-yd pass from Dan Shannon (Howard kick) 14-6
Fourth Quarter
D -- 10:18 Armani Cato 2-yd run (2 pt failed, Seaman pass) 14-12
K -- 5:54 Brett Williams 7-yd run (Howard kick) 21-12
D -- 3:04 Cato 1-yd run (Malm kick) 21-19
Individual Statistics
Rushing
Kenyon -- Williams 29 carries, 127 yards, 1 TD; January 12, 37, 0; Shannon 3, 9, 0; Beaudouin 3, -4, 0
DePauw -- Cato 11, 30, 2; Galley 7, 15, 1; Ude 2, 9, 0; Cusumano 2, 5, 0; Freund 1, 2, 0; Murray 2, -8, 0
Passing
Kenyon -- Shannon 11/21, 151 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions
DePauw -- Seaman 39/54, 322, 0, 0; Murray 6/13, 0, 0; Schuler 0/1, 0, 1
Receiving
Kenyon -- Gasbarro 4 receptions, 37 yards, 0 touchdowns; Williams 3, 27, 0; Gagliardo 2, 73, 1; January 1, 7, 0; Beaudouin 1, 7, 0
DePauw -- Ude 9, 79; Coburn 7, 47; Sansone 6, 40; Kirtley 5, 35; Jeffers 4, 36; Galley 3, 24; McClamroch 3, 23; Wagner 3, 10; Cato 2, 37; Crook 2, 25; Alleman 1, 10
Cloverdale picks up first win in sectional opener
Saturday, October 20, 2012
MONTEZUMA -- There are two ways to respond to an 0-9 regular season. Many teams in the Clover's situation would pack it in, allow the disappointing year to doom them and get down on themselves.
Cloverdale took the opposite route on Friday, working harder, running faster and playing stronger than it has all year. The result paid off, in the form of a 44-22 sectional victory against Riverton Parke.
Cloverdale (1-9) controlled the game throughout, playing suffocating, swarming defense and bruising, ball-control offense that the Panthers (0-10) had no answer for.
"The 30-defensive front is predicated on dominant nose play and swarming the football," CHS head coach John Butler said, " And we did both. Coupled with our ball control offense, it was just a matter of time until we beat them down."
For the first time all season, Cloverdale was found a game plan and stuck with it. At various times throughout the season, the Clovers have experimented with a spread passing attack, an option running game, a hurry-up offense and a modified West Coast passing game.
On Friday, the Clovers needed only to hand the ball off to running backs Taylor Mescall (20, 121, TD) and Andrew Howard (25, 188, 2 TD) and let them carry defenders on their backs as they marched down the field.
"This was the gameplan," Butler said. "This was the first week that we didn't have to go to plan B.
"All we ran was ... one personnel group, hammering it down their throat."
A constant rain in the first half led to sloppy play and at times, confusion. Butler responded by simply yelling out the play calls for everyone to hear.
"We tell our kids, especially our linemen all the time, 'Hey, tell them the play. Tell them what we're running. They have to defend it,'" Butler said. "Tonight, they just handled it. I'm proud of them."
Butler was proud of the line, and proud of his running backs.
"They haven't ran like that all year, with that kind of intensity and ferocity and making people take them to the ground," he said. "Watching film tomorrow is going to be a magnificent thing. The reinforcement, so I can say, 'That is how you run the football every single time.'"
Cloverdale dominated even more with its defense than its offense.
"(Defensive coordinator) Coach Petty does a fantastic job of game-planning," Butler said. "That's as fast as we've played on defense all year."
In the first half they held Riverton Parke to only 15 offensive plays. They got positive yardage on only five, totaled negative three yards, and failed to get a first down. But they scored 14 points.
Riverton Parke receiver Johnny Myers returned the opening kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown, and later added a 98-yard fumble return by Dale Laznik.
With the way the season has gone for the Clovers, the return could have been back-breaking, but they refused to bend. On its first offensive drive, Cloverdale faced fourth-and-two from its own 32. Mescall ran up the middle for 10 yards.
"When they returned that thing for a touchdown, I was more concerned with our kids' reaction than anything else, because I didn't want them to get into the, 'Here we go again,'" Butler said. "Instead of trying to correct the whatever didn't happen, it was more, 'OK, calm down, let's go out, get the kickoff, get the football, go down and see what happens."
The next play, Wade Warren broke outside for a 58-yard touchdown run. A two-point conversion by Howard gave the Clovers their first lead of the season at 9:29 in the first quarter. The Panthers lone offensive touchdown was a 20-yard pass from senior quarterback Kalib McBride to Laznik with 9:41 left in the game.
They finished with 16 yards of offense. Cloverdale didn't have a turnover in the game, but made several untimely penalties that advanced the ball for its opponent. With the domination the Clovers demonstrated during play, penalties didn't seem to matter.
Cloverdale will face Attica next week in the sectional 138 semifinal.
"They have two very good, very big, very strong running backs. They run the ball between the tackles," Butler said. "It's going to be a matter of doing like we did tonight with No. 81 (Laznik). You shut their key components down offensively and you've got a chance.
"They're a big, strong and experienced football team, Attica is. And if we play like we did tonight, we've got a chance."
For the first time all season, Butler's optimism paid off with a win. The Clovers hope to keep it going next week.
"I think the light bulb has gone on," Butler said. "And week 10, the first week of sectionals, is the perfect time for the light bulb to go on."
At Riverton Parke
Cloverdale 14 8 8 14
Riverton Parke 14 0 0 8
First Quarter
R -- 11:45 85-yard kick return by Laznik (Ackerman kick good) 0-7
C -- 9:29 58-yard run by Warren (two-point try good, Howard) 8-7
C -- 3:15 4-yard run by Mescall (two-point no) 14-7
R -- 1:02 98-yard fumble return by Blacketer (Ackerman good) 14-14
Second Quarter
C -- 0:19 11-yard pass from Wilson to Stout (two-point good, Wilson), 22-14
Third Quarter
C -- 0:31 33-yard pass from Wilson to Warren (two-point good, Howard), 30-14
Fourth Quarter
R -- 9:41 20-yard pass from McBride to Laznik (two-point good, McBride), 30-22
C -- 5:02 2-yard run by Howard (two-point no good), 36-22
C -- 3:35 8-yard run by Howard (two-point good, Howard), 44-22
Individual Statistics
Rushing
Cloverdale -- Howard 25, 188, 2 TD; Mescall 20, 121, 1; Warren 8, 56, TD; Wilson 7, 13; Manion 1, 8; Buskirk 1, 7; Smith 1, 2.
Riverton Parke -- Hutsell 5, 18; Poppell 1, 2; Myers 2, -1; Laznik 2, -3; McBride 8, -30.
Receiving
C -- Warren 2, 47, 1; Howard 5, 34; Stout 2, 25, 1.
R -- Laznik 4, 25, 1; Myers 2, 3
Passing
C -- Wilson 9/15, 106, 2 TD
R -- McBride 6/18, 28, TD
Cloverdale picks up first win in sectional opener
Cloverdale took the opposite route on Friday, working harder, running faster and playing stronger than it has all year. The result paid off, in the form of a 44-22 sectional victory against Riverton Parke.
Cloverdale (1-9) controlled the game throughout, playing suffocating, swarming defense and bruising, ball-control offense that the Panthers (0-10) had no answer for.
"The 30-defensive front is predicated on dominant nose play and swarming the football," CHS head coach John Butler said, " And we did both. Coupled with our ball control offense, it was just a matter of time until we beat them down."
For the first time all season, Cloverdale was found a game plan and stuck with it. At various times throughout the season, the Clovers have experimented with a spread passing attack, an option running game, a hurry-up offense and a modified West Coast passing game.
On Friday, the Clovers needed only to hand the ball off to running backs Taylor Mescall (20, 121, TD) and Andrew Howard (25, 188, 2 TD) and let them carry defenders on their backs as they marched down the field.
"This was the gameplan," Butler said. "This was the first week that we didn't have to go to plan B.
"All we ran was ... one personnel group, hammering it down their throat."
A constant rain in the first half led to sloppy play and at times, confusion. Butler responded by simply yelling out the play calls for everyone to hear.
"We tell our kids, especially our linemen all the time, 'Hey, tell them the play. Tell them what we're running. They have to defend it,'" Butler said. "Tonight, they just handled it. I'm proud of them."
Butler was proud of the line, and proud of his running backs.
"They haven't ran like that all year, with that kind of intensity and ferocity and making people take them to the ground," he said. "Watching film tomorrow is going to be a magnificent thing. The reinforcement, so I can say, 'That is how you run the football every single time.'"
Cloverdale dominated even more with its defense than its offense.
"(Defensive coordinator) Coach Petty does a fantastic job of game-planning," Butler said. "That's as fast as we've played on defense all year."
In the first half they held Riverton Parke to only 15 offensive plays. They got positive yardage on only five, totaled negative three yards, and failed to get a first down. But they scored 14 points.
Riverton Parke receiver Johnny Myers returned the opening kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown, and later added a 98-yard fumble return by Dale Laznik.
With the way the season has gone for the Clovers, the return could have been back-breaking, but they refused to bend. On its first offensive drive, Cloverdale faced fourth-and-two from its own 32. Mescall ran up the middle for 10 yards.
"When they returned that thing for a touchdown, I was more concerned with our kids' reaction than anything else, because I didn't want them to get into the, 'Here we go again,'" Butler said. "Instead of trying to correct the whatever didn't happen, it was more, 'OK, calm down, let's go out, get the kickoff, get the football, go down and see what happens."
The next play, Wade Warren broke outside for a 58-yard touchdown run. A two-point conversion by Howard gave the Clovers their first lead of the season at 9:29 in the first quarter. The Panthers lone offensive touchdown was a 20-yard pass from senior quarterback Kalib McBride to Laznik with 9:41 left in the game.
They finished with 16 yards of offense. Cloverdale didn't have a turnover in the game, but made several untimely penalties that advanced the ball for its opponent. With the domination the Clovers demonstrated during play, penalties didn't seem to matter.
Cloverdale will face Attica next week in the sectional 138 semifinal.
"They have two very good, very big, very strong running backs. They run the ball between the tackles," Butler said. "It's going to be a matter of doing like we did tonight with No. 81 (Laznik). You shut their key components down offensively and you've got a chance.
"They're a big, strong and experienced football team, Attica is. And if we play like we did tonight, we've got a chance."
For the first time all season, Butler's optimism paid off with a win. The Clovers hope to keep it going next week.
"I think the light bulb has gone on," Butler said. "And week 10, the first week of sectionals, is the perfect time for the light bulb to go on."
At Riverton Parke
Cloverdale 14 8 8 14
Riverton Parke 14 0 0 8
First Quarter
R -- 11:45 85-yard kick return by Laznik (Ackerman kick good) 0-7
C -- 9:29 58-yard run by Warren (two-point try good, Howard) 8-7
C -- 3:15 4-yard run by Mescall (two-point no) 14-7
R -- 1:02 98-yard fumble return by Blacketer (Ackerman good) 14-14
Second Quarter
C -- 0:19 11-yard pass from Wilson to Stout (two-point good, Wilson), 22-14
Third Quarter
C -- 0:31 33-yard pass from Wilson to Warren (two-point good, Howard), 30-14
Fourth Quarter
R -- 9:41 20-yard pass from McBride to Laznik (two-point good, McBride), 30-22
C -- 5:02 2-yard run by Howard (two-point no good), 36-22
C -- 3:35 8-yard run by Howard (two-point good, Howard), 44-22
Individual Statistics
Rushing
Cloverdale -- Howard 25, 188, 2 TD; Mescall 20, 121, 1; Warren 8, 56, TD; Wilson 7, 13; Manion 1, 8; Buskirk 1, 7; Smith 1, 2.
Riverton Parke -- Hutsell 5, 18; Poppell 1, 2; Myers 2, -1; Laznik 2, -3; McBride 8, -30.
Receiving
C -- Warren 2, 47, 1; Howard 5, 34; Stout 2, 25, 1.
R -- Laznik 4, 25, 1; Myers 2, 3
Passing
C -- Wilson 9/15, 106, 2 TD
R -- McBride 6/18, 28, TD
Redistricting lawsuit sent to insurance company
BAINBRIDGE -- A week after being sued, the representatives from North Putnam are no closer to rectifying the issue, or determining a new course of action.
The North Putnam School Board was sued last Thursday for failing to redistrict in an effort to balance the population of the voter districts in the corporation. This is a violation of state law, and the American Civil Liberties Union, on behalf of Brooke Cox, a resident in Floyd Township, filed suit.
On Thursday North Putnam attorney Gene Hostetter said he has examined the lawsuit and it has been turned over to the school's insurance provider to see if it is going to contest it. North Putnam has 21 days from the date it received the suit to respond, which will expire on Nov. 2. They are also allowed to request an additional 30 days.
"All of us are rereading and trying to formulate what our response should be," North Putnam superintendent Dan Noel said. "We will be meeting with the insurance company next week."
North Putnam has also contacted the Indiana School Board Association, Noel said.
The ISBA contacted North Putnam last year, warning that it must redistrict or change the election process prior to this year's election on Nov. 6. As the candidates are already finalized, the deadline this year is out.
ACLU Indiana legal director Ken Falk said, to his knowledge, this is the only redistricting case currently pending in the state. DePauw professor Kelsey Kauffman helped Cox get wind of the redistricting issue and connected her with the ACLU.
"At some point when government officials are ignoring the law you need to move from informing them that they are doing so to compelling them to stop," Kauffman said via email. "My students and I worked very hard for 18 months to get local governments throughout Indiana to follow through with their legal obligations to redistrict."
Kauffman said her students have testified multiple times before state legislative panels about the issue, in addition to writing letters to a number of state boards, commissions and school boards, including North Putnam.
She was in contact with the previous North Putnam superintendent in 2011, and school board members this year prior to the deadline and the board decision to not act.
"For local governments that have refused to redistrict despite our efforts to inform and persuade them, the time has finally come to enforce the law," Kauffman said. "The issue is not who wins a particular school board seat, but rather who are the people -- and how many of them -- are represented by that person."
Falk said this is not a damages case; there is no possibility of a settlement, monetary or otherwise, that doesn't involve the school board adjusting the way it becomes elected. The North Putnam board is currently composed of one member from each of the corporation's six townships and one at-large member.
Only residents of a given township are eligible to vote for a candidate to represent that township.
North Putnam is the only local board that elects its members this way. The board could quickly modify this to residential districts, which would open up each seat to voters from the entire corporation. There would still be a member from each township, but they would be voted on everywhere.
Were North Putnam to attempt to maintain its current plan, electoral districts, the board would have to balance each district to equalize population.
As board member Charlie Boller said at a special meeting May, "There is one (option) that fixes it forever and there is one that has to be done every 10 years."
The board has taken no public action to address redistricting since June, and Noel said he does not believe they have discussed anything privately.
Their attorney, Hostetter, was asked to investigate the populations in June and it was determined that the process would take too long to complete prior to this election.
Hostetter, asked what he has done to address redistricting, said, "all I can say is, I've done what the board has asked me to do."
Since June, at least publicly, the board has not asked him to do anything about the issue.
The North Putnam School Board was sued last Thursday for failing to redistrict in an effort to balance the population of the voter districts in the corporation. This is a violation of state law, and the American Civil Liberties Union, on behalf of Brooke Cox, a resident in Floyd Township, filed suit.
On Thursday North Putnam attorney Gene Hostetter said he has examined the lawsuit and it has been turned over to the school's insurance provider to see if it is going to contest it. North Putnam has 21 days from the date it received the suit to respond, which will expire on Nov. 2. They are also allowed to request an additional 30 days.
"All of us are rereading and trying to formulate what our response should be," North Putnam superintendent Dan Noel said. "We will be meeting with the insurance company next week."
North Putnam has also contacted the Indiana School Board Association, Noel said.
The ISBA contacted North Putnam last year, warning that it must redistrict or change the election process prior to this year's election on Nov. 6. As the candidates are already finalized, the deadline this year is out.
ACLU Indiana legal director Ken Falk said, to his knowledge, this is the only redistricting case currently pending in the state. DePauw professor Kelsey Kauffman helped Cox get wind of the redistricting issue and connected her with the ACLU.
"At some point when government officials are ignoring the law you need to move from informing them that they are doing so to compelling them to stop," Kauffman said via email. "My students and I worked very hard for 18 months to get local governments throughout Indiana to follow through with their legal obligations to redistrict."
Kauffman said her students have testified multiple times before state legislative panels about the issue, in addition to writing letters to a number of state boards, commissions and school boards, including North Putnam.
She was in contact with the previous North Putnam superintendent in 2011, and school board members this year prior to the deadline and the board decision to not act.
"For local governments that have refused to redistrict despite our efforts to inform and persuade them, the time has finally come to enforce the law," Kauffman said. "The issue is not who wins a particular school board seat, but rather who are the people -- and how many of them -- are represented by that person."
Falk said this is not a damages case; there is no possibility of a settlement, monetary or otherwise, that doesn't involve the school board adjusting the way it becomes elected. The North Putnam board is currently composed of one member from each of the corporation's six townships and one at-large member.
Only residents of a given township are eligible to vote for a candidate to represent that township.
North Putnam is the only local board that elects its members this way. The board could quickly modify this to residential districts, which would open up each seat to voters from the entire corporation. There would still be a member from each township, but they would be voted on everywhere.
Were North Putnam to attempt to maintain its current plan, electoral districts, the board would have to balance each district to equalize population.
As board member Charlie Boller said at a special meeting May, "There is one (option) that fixes it forever and there is one that has to be done every 10 years."
The board has taken no public action to address redistricting since June, and Noel said he does not believe they have discussed anything privately.
Their attorney, Hostetter, was asked to investigate the populations in June and it was determined that the process would take too long to complete prior to this election.
Hostetter, asked what he has done to address redistricting, said, "all I can say is, I've done what the board has asked me to do."
Since June, at least publicly, the board has not asked him to do anything about the issue.
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