WARSAW – We noted in the first half of our 2017-18 year-in-review on some of the down notes from the athletic campaign, today we finish on a high note. Yes, there were some crazy moments that could be deemed negative, but boy, were there some fantastic moments that also warrant some space.

We brought you 10 teams and 10 athletes as part of our IFN Top 10 countdowns last week. Today we dive a little deeper, looking at some specific moments from games, people and workspaces that made us smile and say, ‘that’s what it’s all about.’ For those who may have raised a stink about us pointing out the negative yesterday, take solace in us pointing out the good today.

Dealing With Death

We noted in both our countdown and in our feature with Mason McIntrye, Triton had a pretty rough year. The passing of Cam Scarberry not only punctured the hearts of Triton football and wrestling, but left the Bourbon community in scramble mode. Where humanity hasn’t totally fallen apart was the response by the neighboring communities, particularly how Pioneer opened its arms in its home game with Triton the following week. Triton’s next home game had a ’54’ painted at midfield and 54 was left on the scoreboard. It’s never easy to lose a loved one, but it is easy to honor them. Bravo to all involved.

In a related matter with Triton passings, kudos to Courtney Jennings and those who helped put together the first Run For Bre event, and keeping it alive for 2018. In honor of Triton graduate Breanna Lemler who passed away in 2016, the road race helps raise money for the Breanna Lemler scholarship, aimed to help students involved in 4-H prepare for the future.

Walking Away A Champion

The school year saw several long-standing staples in the athletic forums call it quits after remarkable careers.

At Tippecanoe Valley, Bill Patrick stepped back from the head coaching ranks to make way for his son, Chad, to take over the Viking ship. Already a Hall of Famer in the state of Indiana, Patrick was No. 2 on the all-time wins list at 765 wins. Since then, he’s been passed by both JR Holmes at Bloomington South (786) and Jack Keefer at Lawrence North (778) on the chart, to sit fourth overall. Also at Valley, longtime athletic director Duane Burkhart is finally putting the Valley windbreaker up after nearly three decades of service to the school. Burkhart not only was the AD for 24 years, but also coached numerous sports for the Vikings, the only school he worked for in 35 years of education.

Warsaw football head coach Phil Jensen decided to step away from coaching duties after this past season. Leaving the program with the most wins all-time at 104, Jensen fittingly won his final game at Fisher Field in a sectional victory against Chesterton and ended his career where he started his football life, his alma mater Penn High School, in the Tigers’ final game.

Jensen, known for his fire and direct approach, noted after telling his team that his son, Michael, is the primary reason for leaving. Michael is set to play quarterback for Indiana Wesleyan this fall in the program’s inaugural football season. Phil wouldn’t miss it for the world.

One of the game’s great officials, Eric Coburn, hung up his whistle this year after over 30 years of officiating. Coburn, who worked the Class 4-A boys basketball state championship in his final game in uniform, was often voted among the top officials in the state, and has the résumé to back it up. Coburn, from Leesburg, also spent his days as a police officer before retiring recently.

Champions Of Character

There moments throughout the season that didn’t necessarily affect a scoreboard.

Some did, specifically a pair from Wawasee where a woozy, weary and masked Aubrey Kuhn hit the shot of her life, a running layup in the final moments to lead the Lady Warriors to a major upset of Tippecanoe Valley in the Fairfield Girls Basketball Sectional. Kuhn had broken her nose for a second time earlier in the season, warranting the mask, was dealing with the flu and also landed on her head during the third quarter of the Valley game and admitted later she may or may not have had a concussion. It was delirium, however, for the Warrior boys basketball team two months earlier, who landed one of the biggest upsets in Northern Lakes Conference history when it ended a 42-game NLC losing streak while ending Warsaw’s 21-game NLC winning streak at the Tiger Den.

Warrior boys basketball coach Jon Everingham, known for having a spicy relationship with officials in his years as head coach, showed some real class after his team was eliminated from the sectional, finding each of the refs and shaking their hand for a game well-worked. Speaking of coaches, kudos to Aaron Wolfe at NorthWood, who went out of his way EVERY night to thank any and all media working the game and finding an aspect of their work to spotlight as a compliment to the overall product. He didn’t have to, but it means a lot to have that respect from so many others who loathe the site of media members approaching with microphones turned on. And also to John Heerema, the head coach at Covenant Christian (DeMotte), who had his boys basketball players walk up to Josh McDaniel of Lakeland Christian Academy one-by-one and shake his hand after McDaniel dropped his 1,000th point in a holiday tournament.

Thanks to Doug Ogle, as well, for his Cowboy Cookies, to Warsaw swim coach Tony DeBrota for use of his air conditioned office in what is otherwise a sauna of a WCHS pool, and the hospitality at the schools during the season. Fans don’t often see the carpet the schools roll out for those who promote, and how much goes into keeping adults happy at kids games.

A simple head nod to both The Rev at Warsaw and Coach Stookey at Wawasee for continuing to serve well into their 80s. Their lifetimes of contributions are invaluable.

A shoutout goes to Caleb Cripe of Northridge swim for one of the best swim moments we’ve seen, breaking a national record twice in the course of three weeks in the backstroke. His reactions to both will last a lifetime. Also to Tommy Hickerson winning a national championship in javelin at his home Grace College during the NCCAA National Championships. We predict that might not be the last time we hear from the WCHS alum before his track career is done.

Props to NorthWood baseball for raising over $11,000 for cancer care through the Jason Motte Foundation. It’s applauded when a group can raise $500 or hit four figures. NorthWood got their numbers in three months and had other schools chipping in. And also for the hand-signed letters of appreciation the team sent to every donor and contributor. Our hearts go out to the Warrens and all of the NorthWood families that deal with cancer, but to everyone in every community who have the same struggles. It’s not just a NorthWood issue, it’s an everyone issue.

Kudos to Aundreya Wegener from Wawasee cheerleading and gymnastics. She didn’t know she was being watched when she did the right thing in returning money that had fallen out of a pocket of a woman at Northridge High School at halftime of a football game. Wegener’s friends were urging her to keep it, her conscience told her to return it. The lady from Ridge appreciated her money being returned.

It’s always nice to be told we are doing a good job. It’s a step further when you get handwritten letters from athletes themselves for coverage or simply being there. It takes some real character to step out front, and without naming them all, you know who you are, and we reciprocate the gestures.