My View/Your View: Colts Score Biggest Touchdown for Preps

Clearing out the mail (e-mail) bag:

Dear Mark,
What do you think about the Indiana high School Athletic Association finally getting a deal to keep the state football finals at Lucas Oil Stadium? - Bill, Indy

My thought: Just Grrrreat! But we need to share the kudos. Yes, the IHSAA worked hard to land that three-year agreement through the 2011-12 season, and the Capital Improvement Board reportedly made some concessions to help alleviate expenses, but what a tremendous gesture by Jim Irsay and the Indianapolis Colts. Not only did they agree to a sponsorship agreement for the state finals, they plan to sponsor and support the entire Indiana high school football tournament, including sectional, regional, and semistate games as well. If the Colts are indeed the first professional sports franchise in the country to partner with a high school association for such a sponsorship, then hip, hip ... hooray for them! The Colts scored one big TOUCHDOWN, in my opinion.

Hi Mark,
It’s quite a feat when you look at Carmel’s girls swim team with that record 23-year winning streak, but isn’t it about time swimming became a “class sport’’ so other schools have more of a chance to win a state title?

My thought: I’d like to get a raise, too, but it ain’t going to happen. Not any time soon, anyway. Seriously,
the IHSAA distinguishes the 20 sponsored sports as either a “Team Sport” or an “Individual Sport”. Team sports are defined as baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball and volleyball with the remaining sports, including swimming, falling into the individual sport camp. The philosophy regarding swimming and other individual sports, according to the IHSAA, is that a participant can advance in the state tournament regardless of how his/her team fares in competition. I don’t know of any proposals to change the current set up but, hey, there’s always hope. A lot of us weren’t expecting to see Class Basketball come about, either.

Dear Mark,
Will the Indiana High School Athletic Association ever use a shot clock in girls and boys basketball?
Teri, Noblesville

My thought: I think we’re going to hear much more about such a possibility. Eight states reportedly already use a shot clock in girls basketball. To my knowledge, I know of no states who’ve implemented a shot clock for the boys. Not many teams try and hold the ball as much nowadays, but a shot clock would hurt teams who like to play cat and mouse before trying for a backdoor layup, etc., against a superior team. In other words, a solid ball handling team still can hold an advantage if it’s able to control the basketball. Also, in such a poor economy, just how expensive and how practical would it be to put a shot clock in every gymnasium in Indiana? Should the IHSAA elect to go to a shot clock like you see utilized in college and pro basketball, then I’d also like to see seeding among the state’s four classes in the state tournament. I mean, why not?

Dear Mark,
Any thoughts on the selections of the Indiana All-Stars this season, and how the new game director of has done so far? - Jon, Fishers

My thought: As is the case in whoever makes the tough calls to round out the girls and boys teams, you’ll always find someone who’s unhappy about some of the selections. I said earlier that I thought the selections for both teams were pretty good. I’m sure we all could come up with a name or two we thought might have been just as deserving, if not more deserving. I covered the Kokomo Wildcats when Charlie Hall, the new game director, played. He was an exceptional player. He came within a last-season shot of taking a boys team from Kokomo to the State Finals in the early 1990s, and he coached the Kokomo Wildkats girls to a state championship, posting a 26-0 record in Class 4A during the 2003-04 season. He also recently served as an assistant coach for the Ball State women. I saw him and talked to him during various stages of the state tournament this season, and I can assure you that he takes his job seriously. He has a lot of integrity, and he obviously knows the game.

Mark,
Nice article about your sensational Sophomore Team. Make sure you take a look at Micah Pollard from the Covenant Christian (girls basketball). - Tim, Indianapolis

My thought: I could only be in so many places in a short time since I only started writing a column for VYPE.com/centralindiana in January. Sorry I did not get to see her play. I’ll certainly jot down her name as a player to see in the coming season. For those like me who did not see Micah play, she’s a two-year starter at point guard, I’m told, as well as an All-City selection as a sophomore. She helped Covenant Christian win sectionals in both seasons. And by the way, she also excels for the track and field team. So she must be a pretty fair athlete.

Dear Mark,
Thanks for your interest in girls basketball and all you’ve done to support the girls and the game. - Judi, Carmel

My thought: I really enjoyed watching girls basketball; I’ve only contributed a few stories to the cause. So, there are others who’ve done much for the game than me through the years. The girls game has come a long way, and I think we’re going to see more outstanding athletes and teams in the years to come. I especially think the Ben Davis girls will be GOOD for the next few years. The school has a superior system, and great talent. I also think former Ben Davis assistant Sara Straham, recently named head coach at Pike High School, will do a good job and create a winning atmosphere with the Red Devil girls. As a former player, she has a great deal of knowledge. I like her calm demeanor, as well as the way she interacts with her players.

Mark,
I’m guessing you listen to some of the daily sports radio shows. Why is there not one that covers only high school sports? - Rob, Indy

My thought: Good question; I’m not aware of one that covers high schools only, either. I think Dan Dakich talks a lot about high schools. He tries to give listeners a little taste of most sports, but I know he has a passion for high schools, especially high school basketball. I also like to listen to The Drive with JMV. John Michael Vincent, in my opinion, does a really good job, and he’s quite interesting. I really like it when he talks to former high school athletes who are not in the bigs, such as baseball. He’s in a 3-7 p.m. time slot on WNDE. I think Dakich scores real well in his 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. time slot. WNDE has a national sports show pretty much in the same time slot. I personally think WNDE (1260 AM) could score well, certainly much better, with the right person, maybe even a former sportswriter, talking local sports – and heavy on high schools – let’s say in the 9 a.m. to noon time slot.

Hey MM,
Why would the IHSAA put two high ranking teams like North Central and Lawrence North in the same sectional in boys basketball like it did this past season? - Joe, Indy

My thought: Well, Joe, I’m guessing a pretty good Cathedral team, which was also ranked among the state’s top 10 teams, is asking the same thing about being in that same Arlington Sectional.

Mark Morrow is an online columnist for VYPE High School Sports Magazine, Central Indiana. He can be reached at mediamarko@sbcglobal.net or by leaving a comment.