Osgood Journal Sports
November 28, 2006

Withers nets 30 in opener, but the Indians fall short
Gary Franklin - Sports Editor

Milan Indians opened camp on Saturday evening, November 25. They hosted the North Decatur Chargers in a challenging basketball contest thru three and a half quarters, falling short at the end 61-49. The score is one that is deceiving to the reader as the game was much closer than the final score reflects.
Playing the game to a tie at 42 at the close of the third quarter, the Indians' hopes were yet alive. The Indians only trailed by five at the mid point of the fourth, but fouls allowed the Chargers to edge away after that. A game with the availability of senior Jeremy Hunt, later in the season, could prove to be a horse of a different color as they say.
Out of the gate running
The star of the night was Indian Bryant Withers, scoring basically at will, both from the floor and the stripe. Withers, a 6'4" Milan senior scored the first eight points for his team, leading to a Charger time out, with him headed to the free throw line. Resuming play Withers added the FT to put them up 9-8. He added another field goal before any other Indians scored for an 11-9 Milan lead.
Senior Jerrid McDonald stole the ball and drove for a lay up, 13-9. The Chargers nailed a pair of free throws and Indian junior Jeff Werner added a FG for 15-11. The Chargers would not be denied, as closing the quarter for a three pointer at the horn, Blake Litmer drew the score to a 15-14 Milan lead.
Second Quarter
The Chargers took the lead on their opening possession to start the second quarter, as PJ Metz hit a FG followed by a 3 pointer. Indians Talon Atwell and Withers each added FG's to bring the game to a tie at 19 at the 4:35 mark. The Chargers added three points and Indian Zach Baker hit the front end of a one plus one try. A pair of Withers FG's and a McDonald 3 at he buzzer brought the Indians to within two at the half time horn, 29-27.
Second Half
The Chargers were first to score opening the second half, but the Indians tied the game at 31 with a pair of FG connections by Tyler Kirk. The Chargers added 11 more points during the balance of the quarter. Indian Withers added a FG and a FT. Kirk scored a FG off a Werner feed. Withers added a FG and two FT's, and a Baker feed gave Withers the inside move for another FG. The score after three, a tie at 42-42.
The Final Chapter
The Indians managed to again tie the game in the fourth quarter at 44 at the 6:21 mark, but gradually lost ground from that point on, falling in the end 61-47.
Milan Indians -47
Bryant Withers 30
Tyler Kirk 8
Jerrid McDonald 5
Talon Atwell 2
Jeff Werner 2
Zach Baker 2
Justin Rogers
Craig McKittrick
Jared Ison
Jeremy Hunt
----------------------------------47
ND Chargers -61
PJ Metz 25
Joe Gauck 14
Neal Ploeger 8
Blake Litmer 6
Kyle Waggoner 4
Adam Land 2
Doug Mohr 2
Chris Neuman
Travis Blodgett
Alex Pulskamp
Doug Mohr
----------------------------------61
ND Reserve won the opener 38-27.

GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO Indians and Chargers battle Indian Bryant Withers (50) plays the game on both ends. Above he defends the basket from North Decatur Charger (15) Neal Ploeger. The Chargers won in spite of Withers' 30 point production.

Try telling them it's 'just a game'
Gary Franklin - Sports Editor

Raider and Eagle sports are of the best for fans to attend, as many in the community have attested. No reason why the opening Boys Turkey Shoot-out basketball game played at Tyson gymnasium should be anything less. The game between JCD and SR, held on Tuesday, November 21, was a test of wills, with the Eagles rising to claim the victory at games end 65-54.
A Fear-less Raider team took the floor eager to get the game started, but without the assistance of senior Michael Fear. Raider teammates picked up the slack for his absence due to an ankle injury and played to an excitable crowd.
Eagles win tip
Although the Eagles won the center court tip to open the contest, Raider Trent Tucker was first to put points on the board for a 2-0 SR lead. Eagles Justin Huff and Matt Gehl each answered with FG's, to take the lead 4-2, JCD. Raider Tucker tied it again at four. Huff missed a pair of FT's and the Raiders went up by five at 9-4 off a Chris Miller 3 pointer, and a Kyle Patrick FG. Eagle Tucker Brown responded with back to back FG's to edge the score to 9-8.
The remaining first quarter scoring by Eagles came from, a FG each by Matt Gehl and Andrew Wagner with 2 FG's and a FT by Brandon Gehl. Raider scoring was by Patrick with a FG, and Tucker with a FG and a FT. The score after one quarter, JCD 17-14 SR.
Quarter two
Raiders Erik Demaree with 2 FG's and a Sieverding FG to a 3 point basket by Huff knotted the score at 20 early in the second quarter. Eagle Brown connected on both ends of the one plus one and Matt Gehl made a FT to take the lead by four. Only short lived, as Raider Sieverding quickly added three 3 point baskets to the Raider tally for a SR 29-24 lead.
Scoring for the remainder of the half was Raider FG's by Demaree, Miller and Thomas Welch hitting one of two FT attempts. The Eagles added to their score with FG's by Matt Gehl, Brandon Gehl, and Daniel Leonetti. The half time score, SR 35-30 JCD.
Quarter three
The Eagles progressively eliminated their deficit, taking the lead. They closed the third quarter on top by two at 48-46 off a Coty Horn buzzer beating three point shot, catching nothing but the bottom of the net. Third quarter scoring came from:
Eagles Matt Gehl with two FG's, a FG and two of four FT's by Justin Huff, a FG and 3 pointer each by Blake Sutton and Coty Horn. Raider scoring came from a Demaree FG and two misses at the stripe, a pair of Patrick FG's and a pair of FG's and a FT made by Tucker. Final score after three quarters of play, JCD 48-46 SR.
Eagles close the deal
In the fourth, the Raiders added only 8 points. Those points came from one of two FT's made by Sieverding, a Demaree FG, a miss on the front end of a FT attempt by Miller, a FG by Tucker, and one of two FT makes by Miller. With 39 seconds remaining in the game, Patrick fouled out and Mitchell Krall scored the Last FG for the Raiders.
The Eagles scored 17 points in the final quarter. Eagle scoring was by, Brandon Gehl with a 3, a FG, and two of four FT's made. Huff connected for two of three FT attempts. Matt Gehl added a pair of FT's, as did Andrew Wagner, and Sutton made a FG and two of two FT attempts.
The final score, JCD 65-54 SR. The Eagles claimed possession of the Ripley Publishing Co. Inc. sponsored traveling 'Pride Trophy' as a result of their win. The Eagles now possess both the girls' and boys' trophies.
A long season is underway and where the trophies or the teams end up at years end remains to be seen. Getting them is one thing, holding onto them is another chapter to be written.
JCD Eagles -65
Tucker Brown 6
Coty Horn 5
Brandon Gehl 14
Justin Huff 11
Matt Gehl 14
Daniel Leonetti 2
Andrew Wagner 4
Blake Sutton 9
Gerald Hardesty
Thomas Wenning
Eric Horan
SR Raiders -54
Chris Miller 7
BJ Sieverding 12
Erik Demaree 10
Trent Tucker 14
Kyle Patrick 8
Mitchell Krall 2
Thomas Welch 1
Andy Miller
Jared Keck
Michael Fear
Eagle reserve won 47-29 over the Raiders in the opener.

GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO Pictured from left Jac-Cen-Del Eagle, Brandon Gehl, attempts to score on South Ripley Raider defender, Kyle Patrick. Gehl tied for high scorer for the Eagles' team with brother Matt for 14 points each. Raider high scorers for the game were 14 by Trent Tucker, and 12 by BJ Sieverding.