Winter Sports Rewind

Girls Basketball

If you had a nickel for every time the Heritage Christian girls basketball team won a state title during the past three years, you'd have...well...15 cents.

The Eagles finished their regular season at 27-1, defeating Oak Hill in the IHSAA Class 2A championship game, 53-31. Rick Risinger's team was kicking on all cylinders throughout the year, and Heritage Christian will only lose one player on the 13-girl roster in its quest for a fourth straight championship.

The Carmel girls added another championship to the school's trophy case as well, beating South Bend Washington 84-72 in the Class 4A girls title. Chrissy Steffen tied a Class 4A championship game record with 31 points, and Carmel's 84 points also tied the record for most points by one team.

Wrestling (Team Finals)

Though the weather was cold outside, the wrestling mats got hot and sweaty during the 13th annual team wrestling state finals.

Lawrence North was the only area school to advance to the semifinals, beating Elkhart Memorial along the way, but 12-time champion Evansville Mater Dei brought the Wildcats' state hopes to an abrupt end. Mater Dei won, 43-19, but Lawrence North's Brandon Nelson, Qwion Booker, Bryce Grimes, Nick Polson and Chris Quiroga were able to squeeze out some victories in the match.

Perry Meridian was the only other school who made it to the quarterfinals. The Falcons lost, 29-24, to eventual champion Mishawaka.

The six wrestlers from Perry Meridian who won were Chico Adams, Chris Stepp, Blake Wood, Sampson Cook, Jacob Tonte and Jim Schoettle.

Boys Swimming

In what was the closest result in the past 20 years of the IHSAA boys swimming and diving state finals, Hamilton Southeastern could not defend what it had done in 2007.

The Royals lost to Chesterton, 271-266, and the only event the team won was the 400-meter freestyle relay. Matthew Kruse, Nathan Kinney, Austin Mudd and Cameron Owen finished in 3:04.12.

Westfield's Ben Wachtel defended two individual titles in the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle. He blazed through the 100 with a time of 45.82 and finished the 200 in 1:39.25.

When it came to the diving, it was all Jimmy Page of Crown Point. Page finished just ahead of Lebanon's Rylan Ridenour while Indian Creek's Casey Johnson came in third.

Hockey

Some people would call the third period of the Class 4A Indiana State High School Hockey Association championship a "Gold" rush.

The Carmel Gold hockey squad lit up the goal on its way to a 6-5 victory against South Bend Riley.

Going into the third period, Carmel was down 5-2, but four consecutive goals and impeccable goaltending turned the game around 180 degrees.

Danny Graham scored the game-winning goal, and other goals came from Chris Heil, Billy Cameron and Mike Grainda.

Noblesville, Hamilton Southeastern "A" team and Cathedral-Chatard also competed in the 5A, 3A and 2A championships, respectively, but none could come away with the gold.

Bowling

The thunderous sound of bowling pins being crushed was music to many athletes' ears during the Indiana High School Bowling state competition in late February.

Anderson Highland finished fourth in the boys competition, and Lawrence North finished seventh on the girls side.

Elliott Myers of Anderson Highland finished fourth in the boys singles, while another local bowler in Shelbyville's Alex Hill finished in fifth.

Two Central Indiana girls finished in the singles top 10 - Kayla Rector of Anderson finished in seventh, and Darcey Dearing of Center Grove finished in ninth.