The Versailles Republican Sports
July 16, 2009

IHSAA chooses Fort Wayne to host 2010 Girls Basketball State Finals

Gary Franklin, Sports Writer

Indiana High School basketball enthusiasts, more specifically girls basketball enthusiasts of southern Indiana, will find their trek to the state championship next spring to be a somewhat longer drive.
Commissioner Blake Ress announced that the IHSAA has an agreement in principle approving Fort Wayne as the host site of the 2010 IHSAA Girls Basketbll State Finals.
The agreement is for one year and calls for the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum to host the 35th Annual Girls Basketball State Finals and its four state championship games on Saturday, March 6, 2010.
"The proposal submitted by the Fort Wayne business community to host our girls basketball state finals in 2010 was simply too attractive to pass over," said Ress. "Even though this decision may create some additional travel for some schools, I think the reception they receive in Fort Wayne will outweigh those issues. We are excited about hosting this event in Fort Wayne."
"As a community, we are delighted at the prospect of hosting the IHSAA girls basketball state finals next March," said Randy Brown, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. "Memorial Coliseum is an outstanding venue to host this great event and I'm confident our community will fully embrace this opportunity to make it a great experience for the teams and fans of high school basketball."
In addition to Fort Wayne, the IHSAA received bids from Ball State University and Indiana University.
Neither Indianapolis venue used in recent years - Conseco Fieldhouse, which hosted the girls state finals from 2001-2008, nor Lucas Oil Stadium, which hosted in 2009 - was available for use on next year's date.

______________________________________________________________________________

New baseball fields at Versailles Sports Complex become recognizable

Gary Franklin, Sports Writer

The progress continues on the new Versailles Sports Complex facility, just south of Pangburn Park in Versailles, on CR50.
Wet weather has hindered expected progress, but as weather cooperates, more work is done. Currently three baseball fields are being outlined with posts for fence lines on them with a fourth anticipated possibly yet this fall.
Once completed, area youth will benefit greatly by having a place to carry on many games at one time, whereas in the past, it has been hard to even find opportunity to schedule the many ages and teams desiring a place and time to play.
Watching the project in progress brings to mind the line, "If you build it they will come", from the movie Field of Dreams.
Pictured at right, fence installation workers are in the process of setting individual baseball field fence line posts and laying out adjoining field lines.

 

SUBMITTED PHOTO The '09 South Ripley Boys Golf Team pictured front from left include: Jake Waldron, Josh Huntington and Cody King. Standing are: Luke Ryle, Marty Porter, Justin Gullion, Nick Riehle, Dylan Underwood and Coach Greg Huntington. Unavailable for photo were: '09 graduate CJ Ridenour, Stephen Sieverding, Brandon Sizemore and Ethan Cumberworth.