Osgood Journal Sports
June 26, 2007

South Ripley Raider
baseball player awards program held

Gary Franklin - Sports Editor
South Ripley Varsity Baseball Coach Scott Holdsworth opened the awards program with a welcome along with thanks to his team, team managers, their parents, grandparents and others who had followed the team this season, before turning the program over to Assistant Coach Thom Conover.
Coach Conover spoke of the progress of the Raider C and Reserve Teams and the work they had put into improving their game. Conover stated that the team had gone 4-0 against conference teams in their games and that they were on the right track to developing into better players.
Team members included Kile Huss, Justin Clements, Chase Grider, Andy Miller, Kevin Gullion and Seth Leonard.
The Mental Attitude Award was earned by Seth Leonard. Leonard had shown ability, determination and the drive to continueally try to improve his own game as well as lift the other members of his team.
Conover turned the program back over to Coach Holdsworth who spoke of his varsity team and their accomplishments. Their season ended at 23-6 overall and established a new school season win/loss record which included an 11-1 ORVC conference championship. The Raiders were perfect in ORVC play in '06 at 12-0 and were on track for a copycat run before dropping a game to Switzerland County late in the season.
Holdsworth stated, "The players as individuals and the team as a whole had to continue to set goals and objectives and put them to practice in all aspects of life."
The Providence loss in the regional was a disappointment for the team, but the team had once again shown that they were fully qualified to be a contender at that level of play.
An introduction of each of the varsity players and team managers and a few words about each were given by the coach, beginning with senior managers.
Coach spoke of his gratitude for Tyler Hensley and Paul Miller who had both been four year managers for the team and had handled the team's needs very well, stating that they would be greatly missed. Underclassmen managers recognized included Anthony Gramaglia, Ryan Dennis and home game announcer for the Raiders, Rob LaFary.
Three players were elevated to the varsity level prior to sectional and regional tournament play. They were Blake Richmond, Ryan Thomas and Andy Miller.
The varsity team included Thomas Welch, Jared Keck, Kyle Patrick, Russ Steinhauer, BJ Sieverding, Eric Landwehr, Cory Yeomans, Josh Cumberworth, Michael Fear and Tim Burcham.
The Most Improved Player Award was presented to Jared Keck.
The Best Pitcher Award was presented to BJ Sieverding . Sieverding finished the season with a perfect 9-0 record.
The Best Defense Player Award was presented to Josh Cumberworth. Cumberworth was deadly from behind the plate, nailing many would be advancers, which led others to think twice before making the attempt. "He also imposed a threat when at bat," stated Holdsworth, "as he carried a .460 hitting pace for the season."
The Leading Hitter Award went to Michael Fear with a .507 season average. This set a new batting average school record which ironically had been held by Assistant Coach Thom Conover.
The Senior Academic Award was earned by Tim Burcham.
The Raider varsity team had Co-Mental Attitude Award winners named. They were Michael Fear and Tim Burcham.
"With six senior players and two senior managers moving on, the team will make new changes, but shows good potential with the younger guys, developing as they have thus far," stated Holdsworth, "who again thanked all who had helped to make the 2007 South Ripley Raider baseball season a positive experience for the team.

GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO Pictured from left are the 2007 ORVC Coach of the Year Scott Holdsworth and members of the Raider Varsity Baseball Team who played their way to the ORVC All-Conference team: Josh Cumberworth, Michael Fear, Cory Yeomans and BJ Sieverding. The Raiders were playing their Class 2A Regional competition against Providence the night of the ORVC Spring Sports Banquet, held at the Pines Restaurant in Madison. The deserving Raiders were presented their certificates and medallions by Coach Holdsworth during the SRHS program.

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Coach Garrett leads Milan Indian students to
National Olympic Weightlifting competition

Gary Franklin - Sports Editor
Gary Franklin
Sports Editor
According to Coach Mark Garrett, two Milan High School students that have qualified for the Nationals in Olympic Weightlifting. They are Lady Indian senior Deborah Fryer - who is also ORVC conference champion in the 400m run in track, and sophomore Travis Pennington - runningback for the Indian varsity football team and runner in the 100m dash in track.
Fryer's national weightlifting competition will be in the 58 kilo class, while Pennington will compete at the 77 kilo level. Fryer's personal bests in the Snatch has been 48 kilos (105) pounds and 63 kilos (139) pounds in the Clean and Jerk. Pennington's bests have been 91K (200) pounds in the Snatch and 110K (242) pounds in the Clean and Jerk.
The Nationals take place in Springfield, Missouri, from June 29 -July 1. The competition is made up of seven weight classes for girls and eight classes for boys.
Two-hundred-twenty-five kids from across the nation have qualified to compete at this year's Nationals which only includes five from Indiana, and two of those are from Milan High School as named.
The Indian competitors are instructed and trained by Mark Garrett, a Milan teacher and Dual Certified Coach by USA Weightlifting (USAW), the governing body of Weightlifting in the United States.

GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO In photo at top, Fryer demonstrates the first motion of the Clean and Jerk.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Above, Milan Indian Travis Pennington practices for the Nationals in Olympic Weightlifting as senior Jeremy Herbert spots for him at the MHS weight training room. The teenagers are instructed by Mark Garrett, a Milan HS teacher and a Dual Certified Coach by USA Weightlifting (USAW) which is the governing body of Weightlifting in the United States.

 

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