Osgood Journal Sports
April 7, 2009

Annual 40/8 Basketball All-Star games are played

Gary Franklin, Sports Writer

On Saturday evening, April 4, the Ripley County Voiture 1047, 40 and 8 sponsored the 56th Ripley County vs Tri-County All-Star games. This years event was once again held at the Jac-Cen-Del High School gym.
The event began in '54 when there were only boys teams in our area. After the induction of girls teams, they too were added to the program, with female stars participating in a girls Ripley County vs Tri-County All-Star contest.
The 40 and 8 uses the All-Star games and sponsor funds to helps raise monies for area students seeking a registered nursing degree. Fifteen scholarship applicants were given $1000 each.
The girls game was first on the ticket this year, and got underway with a center court tip-off at around 6:30 p.m, following the playing of "National Anthem" and their player and coach introductions .
Girls Ripley County vs
Tri-County All-Star Game
This years Tri-County girls team, coached by Lawrenceburg Lady Tiger Coach Abby Friend, found five of their teammates able to attend when it was time to play. They were: Emily Rennekamp (later named Star of Stars among the ladies' contest) and Brittany Fehr and Kate Albright of the Lawrenceburg Lady Tigers. They were joined by Brooklyn Bovard of the South Dearborn Lady Knights and Courtney Weaver of the Rising Sun Lady Shiners.
Two Ripley County All-Stars were moved to the Tri-County team for the competition to allow substitutions during the two 20 minute halves to be played. They were Jac-Cen-Del Lady Eagle Kristen Hicks and Batesville Lady Bulldog Julie Meyer.
The remaining Ripley County All-Star team consisted of Milan Lady Indian Coach Jeff Stutler, Kelly Stutler - injured and unable to play, Kayla Stutler and Jessica Wessler of the Lady Indians. Valorie Wagner of the Jac-Cen-Del Lady Eagles, Erica Ester and Jordan Vinup of the South Ripley Lady Raiders, Jenny Meyer and Ashley Wuestefeld of the Batesville Lady Bulldogs.
Referees Roger Young, Jason Hughes and K C Conaway provided their officiating services for the event. Play action was announced by Bob Lafary, with Brian Dodson official timer and Rob Lafary the official scorer.
Tri-County controlled the opening tip. However, JCD Lady Eagle Val Wagner's steal, leading to her first basket of the evening, gave the Lady Ripley County Stars the 2-0 lead. Wagner added a second FG before Tri-County's Emily Rennekamp connected for a FG and the FT combo, to which she followed with another FG to take the lead at 5-4.
By the break, Rennekamp of Tri-County was showing strength and had produced 11 of her team's 30 total halftime points. Other points scored by Tri-County were 6 by Kate Albright, 6 by Julie Meyer, 4 by Courtney Weaver and Brittany Fehr with 3.
The Ripley County Lady Stars were led at the break by Lady Indian Jessica Wessler with 11, Ashley Wuestefeld 5, Erica Ester 4 and Lady Eagle Val Wagner with tenacious hustle and numerous assists and rebounds, added 6.
The Ripley County Lady Stars knotted the game at 35 off a Wagner FG with 17:23 remaining in the game. However Rennekamp and Julie Meyer provided Tri-County with back to back to back FG's to pull in front by six.
With the help of the Lady Ripley County Stars, Wagner's FG score cut the TC lead to one at 44-43, where Lady Raider Jordan Vinup tied the game at 44 with a FT connection.
Lady Eagle Hicks seered the net with her first 3 pointer, but it counted for the TC Stars as she was playing for them tonight. Lady Bulldog Ashley Wuestefeld knotted the game at 47 with her FG at the 11:38 mark.
TC made a run off another Hicks 3 pointer added to a Courtney Weaver FG only to find Lady Raider Erica Ester's FG cutting the RC deficit to two at 52-54 to which Wagner's score tied the game at 54 each.
Rennekamp again led the way for TC with another basket. A basket by RC's Wessler pulled her team to within one at 60-61 at the 2:30 mark, but again Rennekamp would not be denied as she addded to the TC lead. The final score was, Tri-County team 67-63 over the Ripley County team
Game scoring for Tri-County was: Emily Rennekamp 28, Courtney Weaver 11, Kate Albright 6, Brittany Fehr 5 and Brooklyn Bovard 2. Ripley County girls playing with TC scoring: Julie Meyer 8 and Kristen Hicks 7. Ripley County scoring was: Valorie Wagner 17, Jessica Wessler 15, Erica Ester 11 and 10 each by Jordan Vinup and Ashley Wuestefeld. No scoring by Jenny Meyer, Kayla Stutler nor injured Kelly Stutler. *(This was Kayla Stutler's first game in her career to have no fouls whistled against her.)
Scholarship presentations are made
"It is with great pride and joy that we are able to present the recipients a nursing scholarship award again this year", Jim Lemon added, but it is the first time to do so without Abel Hooton who was unable to attend due to his health." That being said, Jim Taul was announced as the presenter of the certificates on behalf of the 40 and 8.
The 15 students receiving the '09 scholarships were: Jordan Vinup of South Ripley, Brittany Osborne of Milan, Audrey Dawn Huffmeyer of Jac-Cen-Del, Rachel Fullenkamp of Batesville, Julie Meyer of Batesville, Megan Marie Grieshop of Oldenburg Academy, Ashley Benz of South Ripley (unable to attend), Jaime D. Lunsford of Jac-Cen-Del, Ashley Nicole Thomas of South Ripley/Marion College, Allana Beth Newhart of Jac-Cen-Del, Christina Wildman of Oldenburg Academy, Joshua B. Tunny of Jac-Cen-Del/Indiana State University, Jean Brunsman of Oldenburg Academy, Janna M. Lloyd of South Ripley and Emily Fasbinder of Batesville.
Prior to the boys event, Paul Hardy presented certificates of appreciation to the referees for their services, as well as to Brian Dodson,and Rob and Bob Lafary, for their work in helping to keep the event grand.
Boys Ripley County vs
Tri-County All-Star Game
Following a lot of (in fun) trash talking before the game, and a demonstration of dunks by the teams ready to face off as part of the crowd entertainment hype, both teams sent shorter members to center court for the tip-off.
Observing the pre-game warm up one would be led to think it was gonna' be a war, but in reality, nothing less than solid respect and sportsmanship was displayed between players throughout the evenings games.
Coach Mike Pratt, varsity boys coach of the Lawrenceburg Tigers led the Tri-County Boys All-Star team's bench, while Coach Travis Wrightsman, head varsity boys coach of the South Ripley Raiders accompanied on the bench by Brad Samples headed up the Ripley County Boys All-Stars.
TC's Sean Powell of Lawrenceburg Tigers scored the first basket of the game. A Ripley County tie came off the basket by South Ripley Raider Thomas Welch. Blake Sutton of the State Champion Jac-Cen-Del Eagles created an awesome display of in traffic manuevering to score and put RC up for the first time. TC's Powell answered with the first 3 ball of the game to regain the lead at 5-4. Erhart of the East Central Trojans nailed a 3 bomb to put Ripley County ahead 7-5, only to have Powell erase it with a trey of his own.
Rising Sun Shiner Logan Jackson took his turn at center stage with a pair of un-stoppable FG's for TC. RC's Sutton swished the net cords with his three ball, taking RC to a two point deficit where massive substitutions were made.
South Ripley Raider Andy Miller knotted the game at 16 with a deep trey before TC's Jackson put on a dunk-a thon exhibit, to give TC a 24-19 lead.
Later action found a Welch assist to Sutton for the trey give RC the three point edge at 32-29. State Champion Jac-Cen-Del Eagle Tim Arnett also tied the match with his gigantic dunk at 38. The halftime score was 50-46, Ripley County holding a four point lead.
Tri-County first half scoring: Rising Sun Shiner Logan Jackson 12, Lawrenceburg Tiger Sean Powell 10, South Dearborn Knight Zach Anderson 6, Lawrenceburg Tiger's Dakota McElley 6, Sean Snider 3, Corbin Pratt 3, Brett Bondurant 2, South Dearborn Knight Jimmy Scudder 2 and Rising Sun Shiner Michael Lovern 2.
Scoring by Ripley County Stars: Blake Sutton of the Jac-Cen-Del Eagles 11, Pete Reding of the Batesville Bulldogs 11, East Central Trojan's Jake Meiners 6 and Tyler Theising 4, Tim Arnett of the Jac-Cen-Del Eagles 4, Andy Miller of the South Ripley Raiders 4, East Central Trojans Chris Erhart and Eddie Acheson 3 apiece with South Ripley Raiders Thomas Welch and Jordan Bodenberg scoring 2 each.
Batesville Bulldog Alex Jobst' dunk at the horn closed the contest with Ripley County the victors at 127-102.
The Tri-County scoring totals for the game were: Rising Sun Shiner Logan Jackson 24, Lawrenceburg Tiger Sean Powell 21, South Dearborn Knight Jimmy Scudder 14, Lawrenceburg Tiger Dakota McElley 13, South Dearborn Knight Zach Anderson 10, Lawrenceburg Tiger's Brett Bondurant 7, Sean Snider 5, Corbin Pratt 3, Derek Robertson 3 and Rising Sun Shiner Michael Lovern 2.
Scoring by Ripley County Stars: Batesville Bulldogs Pete Reding 24 and Alex Jobst 17, Blake Sutton of the Jac-Cen-Del Eagles 16, South Ripley Raider Andy Miller 15, East Central Trojan's Chris Erhart 12 and Tyler Theising 11, South Ripley Raider Thomas Welch 10, with six each by East Central Trojans Eddie Acheson and Jake Meiners and South Ripley Raider Jordan Bodenberg and four points by Jac-Cen-Del Eagle Tim Arnett. Non-scoring for RC was Chris Walker of the Milan Indians. Pete Reding of the Batesville Bulldogs was announced the boys star of stars.