Osgood Journal Sports
June 3, 2008

2008 ORVC Boys' Golf Team is slated

Gary Franklin, Sports Writer

The ORVC Boys Golf playoff was held at the Hoosier Links Golf Course in Milan on Friday, May 30, with South Ripley High School in charge of the event. Following the conclusion of play, SRHS Principal Bob Meyer tallied the scores of the individual players and their team totals for all to observe before announcing the outcome.
Threatening showers steered clear for the event, allowing the match teams to play straight through, not a common thing this spring with the above normal rainfall.
The Madison Shawe Hilltoppers pulled top honors as a team with a final tally of 349. The Milan Indians claimed their second place finish after going to the fifth golfers score to break a tie with the Southewestern Hanover Rebels at 363. Southwestern was then positioned as the third place finisher.
The South Ripley Raiders came in just under the wire at 365 as a team to fill the fourth spot solidly. In fifth with 374 was the Rising Sun Shiners. Sixth spot went to the Switzerland County Pacers at 399, and the Jac-Cen-Del Eagles rounded out the field with a score of 425.
The Medalist for the event was Deuce Wall of the Madison Shawe Hilltoppers with a round of 76. Just off the mark was South Ripley Raider graduate Jared Rogers with a solid round at 77.
Individually, the 1st place through 12th place finishers who were named to the All-ORVC Boys Golf Team for 2008 were:
Deuce Wall - Shawe @ 76
Jared Rogers - S. Ripley @ 77
Nick Hall - Shawe @ 79
Vinny Bottomley - Shawe @ 80
Brian Peters - Milan @ 81
Grote - Shawe @ 84
Tanner Ross - Switz. Co. @ 85
Michael Lovern - R.Sun @ 87
Brandon Scroggins - Sh. @ 87
Dean - S'w Hanover @ 89
Jake Waldron - S Ripley @ 90
Mathew Barringer - SwH @ 91
Jones - S'w Hanover @ 91
Romans - Rising Sun @ 91
Golf Sectionals were scheduled to be played at Sunrise Golf Course in Madison on Monday, June 2.

GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO Pictured from left are Deuce Wall of the Madison Shawe Hilltoppers @ 76, Jared Rogers of the South Ripley Raiders @ 77, Nick Hall of the Madison Shawe Hilltoppers @ 79, Vinny Bottomley of the Madison Shawe Hilltoppers @ 80, Brian Peters of the Milan Indians @ 81, Grote of the Madison Shawe Hilltoppers @ 84, Tanner Ross of the Switzerland County Pacers @ 85, Michael Lovern of ther Rising Sun Shiners @ 87, Brandon Scroggins of the Madison Shawe Hilltoppers @ 87, Nick Dean of the Southwestern Hanover Rebels @ 89, Jake Waldron of the South Ripley Raiders @ 90, Mathew Barringer of the Southwestern Hanover Rebels @ 91, Jones of the Southwestern Rebels @ 91 and Romans of the Rising Sun Shiners @ 91.

Raider resolve - positive results
Gary Franklin, Sports Writer

Never tell a Raider never, and never underestimate the power of positive thinking. Those two themes could ring true of this year's South Ripley Raider varsity baseball squad under the lead of a new head coach.
Much can be said of the young men who make up the team this season. "Winners", comes to mind among other things, but with that also comes the truism that the new man in the steering position gave all a chance to try to earn their way onto the team.
In the new seasons beginning, the guys were only deserving of a pink cap, not a Raider cap. To own a Raider cap required work, drive, dedication and a resolve to do ones best. That meant a player had to be recognized by not only coach and staff, but teammates as well, as the Raider cap became possible only by a player being nominated by a fellow player and ratification by seven or more players after making a great play in practice or in a game.
No free rides on the team. No guts, no glory. It evidently worked for the coach and his team as the unexpected season unfolded to become not only productive for rebuilding this year, but coach and team worked hand in hand to turn it into an ORVC conference 11-1 championship winner, which has also led to another South Ripley Raider baseball sectional victory.
The team now awaits their Tuesday, June 3, debut in the regional round of competition with aspirations to ride the ride as far as it will take them. Raider regional play will begin on Tuesday, June 3, against the Heritage Christian Eagles at Heritage Christian near Indianapolis.
Whatever that conclusion may be they have proven they are deserving and warrant an extra look.
Sectional championship
South Ripley Raiders 4
Lawrenceburg Tigers 0
Coach Hite and the Raiders called on ace of the mound, BJ Sieverding, to deliver the win and deliver he did. With solid field play behind him, the Raiders denied any predestined desires had by the Tiger battery.
Sieverding worked to a six and a half inning 3 hit shutout, while facing 30 Tigers. He walked 5, threw 4 K's and hit one batter. During the game the Tigers stranded 3 runners on the bases.
Excellent defense was executed at times by different Raider players. Chase Grider made a super catch on a line drive in left to kill Tiger hopes. Tyler Landwehr came up with balls going up the middle that would normally find their way through. Kyle Patrick ran down balls that should not be reached and shut Tigers down at the plate. Catcher Keck delivered put out throws to Richmond on third and Thomas at second base to dash Tiger hopes. Welch manned the bag at first like a Stretch Armstrong as center fielder Russ Steinhauer ate up balls hit his way.
One of those games where everything your team does is great and the other team leaves wondering what to heck you were carrying in your pocket.
Nice to be on the good side of one of those days!
Raider batting
1st
Russ Steinhauer - E7, thrown out attempting to steal second.
Brian Thomas - Ground out.
Jared Keck - Fly out.
2nd
BJ Sieverding - Single. (Scored off Richmond drive).
Thomas Welch - Ran count full before nailing a driving shot off the centerfield fence for an RBI double. (Scored off Patrick single).
Blake Richmond - Hit a shot to short, thrown out at first but earning an RBI with Sieverding scoring.
Kyle Patrick - Single to drive Welch home.
Tyler Landwehr - Hit into a double play.
3rd
Chase Grider - Bunt single (Scored off Keck single)
Russ Steinhauer - Thrown out.
Brian Thomas - Single.
Jared Keck - Single (RBI) scored Grider.
BJ Sieverding - Double play.
4th
Thomas Welch - Single.
Blake Richmond - Double play.
Kyle Patrick - Ground out.
5th
Tyler Landwehr - Fly out.
Chase Grider - K.
Russ Steinhauer - K.
6th
Brian Thomas - Full count/ Walk.
Jared Keck - Hit into a double play.
BJ Sieverding - Long ball off left center field fence for a double, moved to 3rd and scored off consecutive wild pitches for fourth Raider run.
Thomas Welch - Walk.
Blake Richmond - Hard shot off pitcher, thrown out at first on fielders choice.

GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO Above, Coach Rodney Hite reads off his Raider starting line up before their sectional championship game. South Ripley was expected by most, to at best have a mediocre season this year, as it was rebuilding from losing many starting seniors to graduation last May and the hiring of a new head coach. However, Coach Hite in his first year as the head baseball coach of the South Ripley Raiders and the teams members had different intentions. Their productive season earned the new coach the '08 ORVC "Coach of the Year" Award. He (Hite) earns respect and freely respects others. Nice job Coach and Raider sluggers! Each player had to earn his spot and playing time for the new coach. It obviously paid off nicely for them this year.

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Jac-Cen-Del Eagle boys' baseball team is regional bound

Gary Franklin, Sports Writer

Victories over IHSAA Class 1A Baseball Sectional #60 opposition in the Madison Shawe hosted tournament earned Coach David Bradshaw and his Eagles a trip to the regionals.
The Eagles with a season record to date of 20-4, will play at the Henryville regional with a slated first pich expected at 5 p.m. on Tuesday evening, June 3.
Henryville's season record stands at 17-12 through sectional play.
The Eagles worked their way through the Shawe sectional with wins of 15-3 over the South Decatur Cougars in the opener in just 4 and a half innings.
The Eagles second game found them in competition against the Rising Sun Shiners. Following a mound start for JCD by senior Brock Billman. That quickly went awry and found the Eagles trailing 2-0 early in their batting order, Coach Bradshaw called on ace Brandon Gehl. Gehl delivered a choke hold on the Shiners to get not only out of the inning, but shut them down for the remainder of the game, as the Eagles won 4-2.
A grim beginning became another positive outing for the powerful and cagey Eagles.
Advancing to the championship game, JCD again sent ace Gehl to the mound where he superbly led his team to a 3-1 victory over the Oldenburg Academy Twisters who had earned their way into championship contention by downing the Madison Shawe Hilltoppers 11-2 in seven innings.
Gehl's performance against the Twisters included 7 innings where he faced 26 batters, allowing 1 earned run off 4 hits, while collecting 6 K's and a walk.
Gehl would be first to tell you that his performance is only a part of the team effort and that everyones solid play is necessary to come out with a win.
However, the rest of the Eagles would just as quickly respond that playing behind Gehl's pitching performances this season have been a positive place to be.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Above, Eagle graduate Brandon Gehl makes another picture perfect delivery as his team backs him, to advance to the 2008 IHSAA Class 1A Baseball Regional scheduled in Henryville.