The Versailles Republican Sports
February 14, 2008

Raiders take "Knight-cap" and honor 'the ole coach'

Gary Franklin, Sports Writer

Capturing the victory over the South Dearborn Knights on Thursday, February 7, the South Ripley Raiders etched another mark in the games won bracket at Tyson Auditorium.
Leading the charge for the Raider cause in this outing was senior center, Trent Tucker, with a 15 point production. His 15 points qualified him as the top scorer of the game. Teammate senior guard Chris Miller followed with 11 points to match the Knight high scorer with 11 points also Jo Scudder.
Score by Quarter
1st Raiders 9 - 3 Knights
2nd Raiders 15-10 Knights
3rd Raiders 23-21 Knights
Final Raiders 46-42 Knights
South Ripley Raiders 46
Trent Tucker 15
Chris Miller 11
Erik Demaree 8
Jared Keck 5
BJ Sieverding 4
Thomas Welch 3
Non-scoring Raiders were Kyle Patrick, Andy Miller, Jordan Bodenberg, Chase Grider and Brian Thomas.
South Dearborn Knights 42
#12 Jo Scudder 11
#34 J. Scudder 9
#23 Kaffenberger 7
#44 Harrell 6
#42 C. Cutter 4
#53 Disbro 3
#14 Cheatham 2
Non-scoring Knights were #10 Cutter, #20 Anderson, #22 Goodall, #24 Elder, #33 Grove, and #50 Glib.
The remaining Raider schedule slates them at Tyson Auditorium against the Rising Sun Shiners on Friday, February 15, at Greensburg against the Pirates on Saturday, February 16, and winding up the scheduled season at Tyson Auditorium against the Jac-Cen-Del Eagles on Friday night, February 22.
Each of the above games will start with a JV contest tip off at 6 p.m.
The Friday, February 15, game at Tyson will honor the sectional winning 1970 & 1978 Raider teams, and on the Friday, Feb. 22nd game against JCD, (which is the last night for SR to have the gym as their home court), Raider seniors will be honored along with SR coaches, athletic directors, sponsors and administrators who have held positions while Tyson was an important center for the Versailles athletic programs, especially boys basketball.

"Honoring the Coach" Though each victory is important, a higher purpose was found in the amassing of fans in Tyson Auditorium on the evening of February 7, during the scheduled meeting of the South Ripley Raiders and the South Dearborn Knights. The South Ripley Raiders and fans made time to give special honor of Coach Wm. "Gus" Moorhead for him and his teams accomplishments from 1957 thru 1960, where they won four straight sectionals, with three of those being accomplished in the Tyson Auditorium. GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO Pictured front center is Wm. "Gus" Moorhead. Back row from left are present South Ripley Raider Boys Coach Scott Holdsworth, Principal Bob Meyer and Ted Ahaus, SR Superintendent.

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Milan Indian wrestler aspirations suppressed by Mother Nature's sting

Gary Franklin, Sports Writer

Practice makes perfect, so the old adage goes, but perfection can be foiled by the onset of flu-like symptoms, no matter how much one may have practiced to develop perfection.
Such was the unfortunate fate of a hard working group of young Indian wrestlers, as they had earned their way to the 2008 semi-state round of competition at New Castle Chrysler Arena on Saturday, February 9.
More hurtful is the fact that four of those ready to take on semi-state competition for Milan at the New Castle High School semi-state were seniors and will not get another chance, as the one sophomore, Jared Huff, will.
The fifth senior from Milan to earn the right to compete in the semi-state, Justin Miller, had already forfeited his right to compete due to a conflicting scheduled welding competition at the Southeastern Career Center.
For four or five days prior to competition, the Indians had developed flu like symptoms that had kept them from keeping anything down, weakening them tremendously, with competition so near at hand.
Nick Yatsko, the 160# class Indian wrestler was sick enough that he was told not to leave his home. Tanner Roark, the 285# regional champion had battled trying to keep something down for four straight days before his semi-state match. Josh Dickey, the 130# Indian wrestler regional champion, had earned a 44-1 record enroute to the semi-state competition, but found himself missing school and practice from the illness up to a day before competition. Brandon Davies, also a senior Indian wrestler who had earned a chance at the New Castle semi-state, also suffered from the weakening outbreak along with physical pain.
Sadly for Coach Roy Adams and assistant coach Bob Riley, all they could do was watch as the weakened group tried their best in spite of the situation, fall one by one in their respective matches.
I too, as well as the groups' parents and supporters, felt the anguish of their fate as it became inevitable, a match at a time, they were simply not up to power and this would not be the one they had worked so hard to put together over their years of hard work on the mats in preparation for this day.
However, one could not find a quitter among them as they gave the little strength they were left with, in an attempt to pull off a win.
Heroes don't always win and the good guy doesn't always get the girl, but I know the dedication these young men have put into becoming better in their sport of wrestling will work for them for many, many years to come.
A state championship medal may not hang from their neck, but a well deserved congratulations has been earned by each of them as they are all truly winners!