When the scoreboard hits zero Friday night, we will be a third of the way through the high school football season in Putnam County. 

Heading into tomorrow night, Greencastle and North Putnam are looking for its first win of the season, Cloverdale is looking to put together a win streak and South Putnam is flying high at 2-0. 

Cloverdale heads to Brown County, Greencastle entertains West Vigo, and North Putnam rolls out the red carpet for South Putnam. 

Here's a look at all three matchups. 

Brown County (0-2) vs. Cloverdale (1-1), 7 p.m., Hill Field

After securing its first win of the season last week against Edinburgh, Cloverdale and head coach Tyler Lotz look to pick up another win this week when they travel to Brown County. 

The Clovers picked up a 20-6 win over Edinburgh last week, and Lotz admits he saw some good things from his team, but also some things that still need to be cleaned up. 

"We have to clean up missed tackles. Our offensive line did better and sealed the deal for us as we were able to run clock and the football. We were able to run the ball extremely well," Lotz said during the Coaches Corner on WREB. 

Quarterback Tate Jackson rushed for over 100 yards, as Cloverdale adapted well during the week to changes in practice due to the heat. 

"We moved practices to the evenings and the kids handled it well. We had guys there every night working. Our leadership has gotten better since week one," Lotz said. 

As was the case against Edinburgh, Lotz hopes he can utilize his team's numbers and full platoon to their benefit against Brown County, who fell 60-0 to Jennings County. 

"This is another week where we play a team that has 25, 26 guys and we should be able to use our numbers to our advantage. We are at full platoon and we subbed a lot of guys defensively last week," Lotz said. 

One thing the Clovers will focus on is dealing with success. 

"Last year we got our first win and our seniors got their first win and it went to their head. We addressed it right away and we don't want to be satisfied. We don't believe we are close to there yet. We need to keep working hard and growing," Lotz said. 

Greencastle (0-2) vs. West Vigo (0-2), 7 p.m., Harbison Stadium 

Football is a game of two halves, and Greencastle found that out last week.

After rolling to a 21-17 halftime lead and overcoming adversity early on, the Tiger Cubs found themselves on the short end of the scoreboard, suffering a 43-21 setback against Northview.

"We had some really good things at the beginning of the game. Defense made some huge stops. I'm happy with how the guys battled. They do a good job mixing up coverages and fronts, and I thought our guys did a pretty good job handling. We were not able to stay consistent on drives. It was a two point game, 23-21, going into the fourth and we had the touchdown called back. We ran out of gas," Greencastle head coach Dave Stephens said. 

Coming into the contest, Greencastle had dealt with illness, and Stephens admits it took its toll. 

"Illness went through our team really bad. We ran out of energy and bodies in the second half," Stephens said. 

Despite being 0-2, Greencastle has had chances this season, as Stephens notes the transition and learning new offensive and defensive schemes continues. 

"We are teaching plays and how we go about football. We went from grinding it out to spreading it around and basketball on grass on offense. What matters is at the end, not the beginning. I am happy with -- what we've had available -- the growth of our team the first two weeks," Stephens said. 

When it comes to West Vigo, Stephens acknowledged it will be "nice to be home."

"We have things we want to get better at. Coach Clements is a good coach, and I have a lot of respect for him. We'll have our hands full. We have to prove to ourselves we can do a better job of holding up against heavy run teams and putting them in situations where they're behind the sticks," Stephens said. 

North Putnam (0-2) vs. South Putnam (2-0), 7 p.m., Cougar Stadium

WREB GIANT fm Game of the Week, Pregame 6:40 

South Putnam coach Chuck Sorrel doesn't need any reminders of how big and important the rivalry is with North Putnam. 

"So far, my one loss in the county is to North Putnam. It's a place I make sure we're going to be ready to play," Sorrel said. 

At 2-0 with a high flying rushing attack on offense and a defense that held Owen Valley to 11 yards rushing last week and is allowing an average of 3 points per game, South Putnam is off to a strong start that Sorrel traces back to the work put in during the summer. 

"We get after it in the summer. Who we play is pretty good," Sorrel said. 

As the season is underway, Sorrel hangs his hat on his team's defense, which is led by Aiden Beadle. 

"We're pretty good on defense. I'd put our front six or seven up against anyone in A or 2A. Our offensive line has gelled together. We've got some special guys on offense," said Sorrel, who admitted he made some personnel changes last week on the offensive line that paid off nicely. 

Last week, the Eagles knocked off Owen Valley, 46-6, as there was balance on the offensive side as South Putnam threw for 165 yards and rushed for another 175. 

North Putnam, on the other hand, suffered a 56-33 loss to Southmont. While his team is 0-2, head coach Scott Moore said he has seen positives. 

"We have shown signs of what we want to become and that we can play good football against quality opponents.  Our defense played well both games, we just have to limit big plays and get off the field on third and fourth downs to not allow drives to continue or give up scores on those downs.  Last week we came out really sharp on both sides of the ball, we just have to learn to continue to play at a high level of focus and intensity, because when playing big games if we let up for a second they will take advantage and that is what happened last friday.  That will come with more and more experience with our young team.  We have some good skilled players and our quarterback's ability to run the football this year has been big for us.  Our offensive line has to continue to improve and defensively, we have to make big plays when our number is called.  We know what we are doing and know the system, just have to put it together for an entire series more consistently," Moore said. 

Despite the fact the Cougars are 0-2, Sorrel knows his team will be in for a fight. 

"I've heard their quarterback is good. He played well against us last year. We are stingy on the run, and if we can keep stopping the run that'll help. We'll see what they have in store. They're tough to beat and it's a tough place to play. I don't want to go over there and put offense in a bad situation or have costly turnovers that hurt our defense," Sorrel said. 

Moore echoed those sentiments, saying South Putnam is a "very good football team." 

"They have athletes everywhere on both sides of the ball and their program is in a good place.  We know that we will have to be at the top of our game and we hope to compete for four quarters and give ourselves opportunities to make big plays in all three phases of the game," Moore said.

It has been said that a good defense can pave the road to a state championship run, and if that adage is true, the South Putnam football team could be in great position. 

Heading into Friday's road trip to rival North Putnam, the Eagles have allowed an average of 3 points per game and held Owen Valley to 11 yards on the ground. 

"It was a hard fought victory. The kids played their heart out and showed they have what it takes to work through adversity and challenge teams for championships," coach Chuck Sorrel told The Putnam County Post. 

In the win, the Eagles got strong play out of its defense, as well as balance out of its offense. 

"We're pretty good on defense. I'd put our front six or seven up against anyone in A or 2A," Sorrell said. 

On offense, the Eagles threw for 165 yards and rushed for another 175 on the ground, as South Putnam continues to get strong play out of quarterback Wyatt Mullins. 

"Wyatt Mullins is a great athlete. He's in his third season starting for us and we knew his freshman and sophomore seasons, he was still still growing and coming into his own. Now, we have really broken him loose and he has confidence not only in himself, but his teammates to get the job done on the field," Sorrel said. 

In addition, the Eagles got big play out of wide receiver/safety Drew Hill and senior middle linebacker Aiden Beadles. 

"Drew's ability to catch the ball and read on defense has helped our team out dramatically. Aiden broke our single game sack record Friday at three-and-a-half and was all over the field on tackles. How he hasn't been offered scholarships amazes me. He is a hidden gem that any high caliber college program would love to have," Sorrel said. 

Challenging teams for championships is something Sorrel has tried to do since he arrived at South Putnam, who is ranked 5th this week in the IFCA Coaches Poll. 

In 2020, the Eagles finished 12-1, falling to Covenant Christian in the regional, and he admits his team has the potential to make another run and, perhaps, go even further. 

"We, as a staff, knew we are building this team to win championships and to challenge Lutheran because if you want to win it all, it goes through them as they have proven the last three to four years. We knew our kids were coming, several of them have started for us as freshmen and sophomores, so it was just a matter of time before they grew into the athletes we have believed they can become," Sorrel said. 

His vision is starting to take shape for the South Putnam football team, and Sorrel notes it has been "rewarding" to see. 

"Seeing our vision that my staff and I have worked hard to build has been a great reward, but also to see a great continued tradition that has been here at South Putnam for a while, coaches like Hall of Fame coach Mark Wildman, coach Troy Burgess or any of our previous head coaches built before us, which is winning championships. We are honored to carry on that tradition and hope to add to it even more," Sorrel said. 

Sorrel said his team enters a critical period of the schedule with rivals North Putnam and Greencastle the next two weeks with quite a bit of momentum and confidence after the big win against Owen Valley.

"Our motto is win the county, then the conference and then the tournament, so we are excited to keep grinding and keep improving each week going forward," he said. 

In order to stay focused, Sorrel said it starts and ends in practice, film study and the weight room, stating he and his coaching staff push the players to continue to grind. 

"Keep working on any little thing to keep you mentally prepared, including keep working on your grades in school. We have always had a great scout/JV to practice against as well so that helps us to keep getting better every week, not to mention it helps those young guys get better for the future, too. We really mean it when we say we have 25 guys who are ready and can play varsity ball at any given moment. That is huge for a 1A program and allows our young players to keep working hard at JV and to improve just like they would at a big school program. Maybe they don't see significant varsity time until they are juniors or even seniors at those schools, but when they finally do, they don't miss a beat and can compete against anybody," Sorrel said. 

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As the calendar moves to Week Two of the high school football season, South Putnam looks to move to 2-0, while Cloverdale, North Putnam and Greencastle all look to secure the first win of the season. 

Cloverdale will roll out the red carpet for Edinburgh, while Greencastle heads to Northview, North Putnam hosts Southmont and South Putnam will host Owen Valley. 

Here's a look at all four matchups. 

South Putnam (1-0) vs. Owen Valley (1-0)

Kickoff changed to 7:30 p.m., Wildman Field

This one promises to be quite a treat for fans. South Putnam enters ranked 6th in both the Class A AP Poll and IFCA Coaches Poll after knocking off Cloverdale 69-0 last week. Owen Valley, on the other hand, won its first game under first year head coach Joe White, is ranked 13th in the Class 3A AP Poll. 

Head coach Chuck Sorrel told The Putnam County Post he was pleased with the overall play of his team against Cloverdale, but he did single out several players. 

"Kolby Harcourt played great. He's our running back who took over for graduated senior Luke Switzer, who was a workhorse for us the previous three seasons. Kolby stepped right in without missing a beat. On the defensive side, Aiden Beadles looked primed and well, as he was flying around on the field making tackles. He even looked great on special teams. How no one has scooped him up and offered a scholarship to him amazes me. He is a hidden gem and we feel schools should be jumping at him," Sorrel said. 

Owen Valley blew past Brown County, 60-0, last week, as Kyvan Bandy rushed 16 times for 197 yards and three trips to the end zone. 

A season ago, Owen Valley held its own against the Eagles, knocking off South Putnam 57-34.

What will happen tomorrow night at South Putnam? 

According to Sorrel, Owen Valley is again a very tough opponent. 

"Owen Valley looks good. They are big, move well and compete. It should be a great game," he said. 

As for what he sees as the keys to an Eagles victory, Sorrel said it starts and ends up front. 

"Controlling the line of scrimmage for our front six on defense and our offensive line play. They have come together really well this summer, so we are looking forward to seeing how they do with another big line. And just letting our quarterback, Wyatt Mullins, take command of the offense like he did last week," Sorrel said. 

North Putnam (0-1) vs. Southmont (1-0), 7 p.m., Cougar Stadium

Pregame coverage has moved to 7:40 p.m. with kickoff adjusted to 8 p.m. 

GIANT fm Sports on WREB

After a rough week one outing, the North Putnam Cougars will look to right the ship against a soon to be new conference opponent in Southmont. 

With North Putnam announcing earlier this year it was leaving the Western Indiana Conference for the Sagamore Conference, this will be a rivalry clash as early as next season. 

In last week's 40-16 road loss at North Montgomery, North Putnam fumbled on its first offensive play and it never got any better, as turnovers and missed tackles plagued the Cougars. 

After falling behind 40-0, North Putnam quarterback Christian Kramer hit Brogan Woodall for a touchdown pass and Kramer converted the two point conversion, cutting the deficit to 40-8. North Putnam's second touchdown of the night came when Caiden Hankins found the end zone from 12 yards out. 

As for Southmont, who trails the overall series against North Putnam 18-17, the Mounties upended Fountain Central 49-19. 

In the win, full back Wyatt Woodall rushed 14 times for 196 yards and four touchdowns, as Southmont rumbled for 387 yards on the ground and racked up over 500 yards of total offense. Quarterback Nathan Boyer was 8-of-13 for 129 yards in the win. 

Greencastle (0-1) at Northview (1-0), 7 p.m., Knights Stadium

The David Stephens Era got off on the wrong foot last week, as the Greencastle Tiger Cubs suffered a 21-14 loss to Danville, as Stephens said Danville was as big and athletic as advertised. 

"I felt like we played a great game until we had our two best offensive players go down with cramps in the second half. We don't have the depth with where we are at in the development of our program to compete when top guys go down. But we will get there," Stephens said. 

The first year head coach said he was pleased with the play of the following: quarterback Cole Stephens, running back Lamar Moore, wide receiver Ian Williams and defensive end Cam Pingleton. 

As for Northview, Tyler Lee set the tone early and often at running back, rushing for 166 yards and three touchdowns in the first quarter, as Northview blew past Terre Haute North, 48-16. 

Northview is 17th in the Class 4A AP Poll and tied for 13th in the IFCA Coaches Poll. 

Stephens said Northview is "big and physical."

"Northview is a big, physical team that is well coached and have an amazing home record over the past 10 years. We will have to come out and execute our offensive and defensive schemes to give ourselves an opportunity to win," Stephens said. 

Cloverdale (0-1) vs. Edinburgh (0-1), 7 p.m. Cloverdale 

The Clovers look to get back on the winning side of things this week as they host Edinburgh. 

The Clovers bring back several skill players, including running back Levi Johnson, and Lotz admits he is excited about this season. 

Edinburgh fell 12-7 against Tindley, as Jackson Hartwell scored from three yards out for the Lancers. 

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Cloverdale girl's golf seeing huge improvement

As he enters his third season at the helm of the Cloverdale girl's golf program, Jamie Steffy does so feeling good about where the Clovers are headed. 

"We have continued to improve every year. Our numbers from my first year was at two golfers and went to five last year. For the first time in 12 years, we won a match and, in fact, we ended up winning three golf matches and beating 12 teams last season. So the improvement we have made has been a real positive for our program from our first year to last year. The thing I am really pleased about is how we have grown in our individual play, our club selection and over knowledge of how to play golf. Especially considering every golfer I have had, I have had to teach them how to swing the club and play golf

since they have never played before," Steffy told The Putnam County Post.

Gone from last season are Kiersten Wade and Kaitlyn Kerr, both of whom improved quite a bit and helped recruit other players to the team. 

"Girls look at golf on TV and say "it's boring", but as I tell them if you just watch golf on a Sunday afternoon, yes it is. But watching compared to being out there playing are 2 different things.   You come out, you will like to play.  Golf has a way of getting into your blood to want to play more and more.  

The Clovers have eight golfers out this season and Steffy admits he and the team are "optimistic about this season."

Leading the unit is sophomore Aliyah Maldonado, who Steffy admits has improved every year. 

"She will be our No. 1 and should be one of the top players in the county. Celeste Terrell, a sophomore, will be a good player for us who is very long off the tee and as her short game/putting improves, she will be a top player as well.   Autumn Wheeler, a junior, is the opposite of Celeste, maybe not as long off the tee, but her strength is her short game and putting.  Both are returning players with experience for us," Steffy said. .

The Clovers have recently tasted success, knocking off South Putnam and then both Greencastle and Clay County, as well as finishing with their lowest score of the season in a loss to North Putnam. They also have a win over Owen Valley this fall. 

"The expectations are there to have a good season, and, possibly, contend for the Putnam County Girls Golf Championship," Steffy said. 

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Indiana high school athletics has more than its share of well-known traditions, though the pursuit of game officials tends to settle quietly into the background.

However, it, too, remains a most vital component in order for every one of the 22 sports sanctioned by the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) to complete its season as seamlessly as possible.

The IHSAA in an effort to not only expand its pool of officials, but broaden each individual’s knowledge, is working with RefReps, which offers comprehensive online officiating education courses that include an interactive training video, instructor guides, assessments and more.

RefReps’ mission is to educate the next generation of high school sports officials so that he or she is best equipped with the skills necessary before confidently setting foot on the football field, wrestling mat, softball diamond, etc.

“What is unique about Indiana is it was the first state to pilot this in the high schools,” said Kyle Armstrong, founder and CEO of RefReps, which is now in its third year. “In the spring of 2022, we had seven high schools pilot this, and, if you fast-forward to today, we’ll be in around 500 schools in 33 different states.”

Representing Indiana on the ground floor of this effort were, in alphabetical order, Avon, Bedford North Lawrence, Brownsburg, Kokomo, Mitchell, Pioneer and South Bend Adams.

The number grew to 51 Indiana high schools incorporating RefReps during the 2022-2023 school year; in excess of 100 are expected to take part this school year.

“If you look at the trajectory of licensed officials in Indiana from the 2015-2016 school year to 2016-2017, it went up by 43 officials,” said Armstrong. “That was the last year the number went up, and every year up to 2021-2022, it had dropped by over 1,000 officials.

“It had gone down, down, down, down, down, and, boom, we do the pilot program, and it goes up by over 300 officials,” said Armstrong.

The global outbreak of COVID-19 eliminated all high school sports in Indiana during the 2020 spring season, decreasing the number of officials to 5,829 during the uncertain times surrounding the 2021-2022 school year.

A comeback of sorts took place in 2022-2023 with the number rising to 6,158.

Compare this to the 2016-2017 school year in which there were 6,907 officials. There was a time, according to IHSAA Assistant Commissioner Brian Lewis, where that total regularly exceeded 7,000 officials.

RefReps is helping push these numbers back up.

“The two years following COVID, we saw a big drop. Many officials paused during COVID and then never returned. We are beginning to see an increased number of officials, but we must continue to get the next generation of officials started,” said Lewis. “There is a myriad of reasons for the official shortage across the country.”

We have a shortage of officials because there are more contests being played, whether it’s travel ball or something else. The average age of officials is upwards of 54 years old, so as they retire, are we getting enough of the next generation involved?”

The uncertainty brought on by a pandemic played a role in the decrease in officials.

However, other factors trickled in. One being persons no longer wanting to subject themselves to hostile fan bases.

“I think part of it is we went through a two-year span of contests not being played or fans being limited,” said Lewis. “People were at home. They were sitting in their house. We come out of that, and sportsmanship, egregious behavior has just been off the charts. We are seeing it more in the travel world, and in the AAU world, but it’s starting to sneak into education-based athletics. Officials, prefer to officiate in an education-based system because we have administrators and staff who can control that atmosphere a little bit.”

Using RefReps in state high schools and colleges enables Indiana to cast a wider net than before in gauging the interest of young people interested in becoming a high school official.

According to Armstrong, the program is extremely flexible in that it can be taught.

“Most high schools will have an actual stand-alone sports officiating class,” he said. “The second option is to take our materials and use them in the pre-existing physical education classes.”

For more information, prospective high school officials can go to refreps.com.

“We want to increase the number of new officials, but I’ll get calls all the time saying you need to lower your expectations, or you need to lower your standards, and we’re not going to do that,” said Lewis. “We hold our officials to a very high standard, and we are not going to sacrifice those standards to increase numbers. We are in the business of education-based athletics and the business of kids.”

“We have different requirements when it comes to tournament eligibility, but we’re looking at ways to give younger officials the ability to advance in the officiating world to make that a little bit easier.”

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The high school football season has officially arrived in Putnam County, as the road to Lucas Oil Stadium and a state championship is underway. 

This season offers a new face in a familiar place, as well as high expectations for all four teams. 

Week One features an intra-county matchup between South Putnam and Cloverdale, while North Putnam hits the road for a meeting with North Montgomery and Greencastle opens the season with Dave Stephens at the helm against Danville. 

Here's a look at all three games. 

South Putnam vs. Cloverdale, 7 p.m., Wildman Field

Coverage on Giant fm Sports on WREB begins at 6:40 p.m. 

The football season begins with the Putnam County rivalry between South Putnam and Cloverdale kicking things off. 

For South Putnam, Chuck Sorrell's team brings back 17 starters from a team that went 7-3 and ended with a loss to eventual Class A champion Lutheran in the sectional tournament. 

The Eagles enter with high expectations, as they are ranked seventh in the preseason Indiana Football Coaches Poll and enters the season fresh off a huge offseason that saw significant gains in the weight room, according to coach Chuck Sorrell. 

"This will be the strongest (weight room) team we have had in my 5 years. This class has been lifting with me since 8th grade and the gains are really beginning to show. We have also added a lot of speed and explosion work into the lifts. Every position has gotten bigger, stronger and faster since last football season. We currently have five 500 pound squatters and 12 over 405," Sorrell said. 

Sorrell believes in his defense, which is led by linebacker Austin Beadles, who notched 174 tackles and 18 stops for a loss last season. 

"We return 9 of those starters and we have a chance to be really good on defense," Sorrells said.

A season ago, South Putnam knocked off Cloverdale, 70-0, but Sorrells knows his team cannot afford to overlook anyone, any week.  

"With three new coaches in the county in the past two years, we have to continue to get better to make sure we are ready to defend that crown. All three schools are doing great jobs of building football programs so we can not look past any of them. I think everyone will think we are down because we lost 13 seniors, but that is a good thing for us. I feel we will have the best overall team that we have had in my five years," Sorrell said.

As for Cloverdale, the Clovers enter with second year head coach Tyler Lotz and a push to improve on last season's 1-10 mark and secure the first winning season since 1996. 

A season ago, Cloverdale was plagued by turnovers, something that has been a point of emphasis during the offseason in Lotz's messaging. 

"We lost games we should have won because of turnovers and we let games get out of hand because of turnovers. We didn't do a great job of taking care of the ball and we didn't create enough turnovers on defense to balance ourselves out. That is the main focus going forward along with some other tweaks that will need to be made," Lotz said.

The Clovers bring back several skill players, including running back Levi Johnson, and Lotz admits he is excited about this season. 

"We want to take that momentum we created last year and snow ball it into something bigger and better this year. I believe we're headed in the right direction and I'm excited to see what this group can do in our '23 season," Lotz said.

Greencastle vs. Danville, 7 p.m., Harbison Stadium

The David Stephens Era begins in earnest against Danville, who replaces Crispus Attucks as the season opening opponent for 2023. 

The last time these two teams played was in the 2021 sectional, which Danville won 41-7.

Stephens, a 1997 Greencastle graduate and former Owen County offensive coordinator, looks to build off of last year's 4-6 campaign that ended with a loss to Cascade in the sectional tournament. 

The Tiger Cubs look to improve on a 4-6 season that ended with a loss to Cascade in the sectional tournament. 

Greencastle enters the season with a spread offense and looking to get the ball into the hands of its playmakers early and often, according to Stephens. 

"Offensively, we run a spread offense and we will definitely spread the wealth. I am particularly excited about the emergence of Owen Huff at receiver. Lamar Moore at running back has been really explosive this summer. Brayden Monroe has had a breakout season at tight end and defensive end this summer," Stephens said. 

It will be the job of freshman quarterback Cole Stephens, who stands 6-foot-2-inches, to distribute the ball.

"Cole has done a wonderful job of being the conductor of our air raid attack. Cole means an awful lot to our offense and to our team meeting the goals that we have set out for ourselves. The thing that I find the most impressive about him is at 14 years old. He has established himself as one of the team leaders," Stephens said.

With a new coach and new schemes in place, Stephens wants the Tiger Cubs to focus on two things. 

"Our goal is to focus on ourselves and control what we can control. As long as we take care of our own business, we should be able to compete in our conference and our sectional," Stephens said.

Danville enters with some playmakers on both sides of the football, starting with offensive lineman Evan Lawrence, who has committed to Indiana. 

Quarterback Conner Soper, a junior, returns after throwing for over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns and he has weapon Jace Scrafton back. A season ago, Scrafton caught 22 passes for 306 yards and two touchdowns. 

Defensively, Steven Webb returns after notching 102 tackles. 

North Putnam at North Montgomery, 7 p.m. 

North Putnam will look to improve on last season's 4-6 campaign when they hit the road for a date with North Montgomery. 

A season ago, the Cougars fell 36-7 in the opener en route to an 0-4 start. However, North Putnam was able to correct things, winning four of its last six games. 

During the process, North Putnam showed an ability to put points on the board, scoring or surpassing 50 points three times. 

Moore said last year's record was the byproduct of a new staff and new system. 

"We had a great senior class that bought in and did everything they were asked of. They will be tough to replace, but we have a lot of young guys that now know what it takes to be successful and we are confident in them. We knew that we had a tough schedule to start the year and even though we were in each game at certain points and competitive, we let some get away from us on the scoreboard. We played a lot of guys that were not able to have any JV experience in the years prior and now that they have had a year of Friday nights we are looking for them to be leaders on and off the field. We finished the season strong going 4-1 in our last 5 regular season games and played a tough Sullivan team to a 4 quarter game in the sectional. Our JV team went undefeated last season and some of those guys will have to step into new roles, but we also started several freshmen on Friday nights, so they will have to be leaders as sophomores with the experience they have," Moore admitted. 

Moore said the Cougars will feature some young linemen, who have gotten stronger in the weight room, as well as some young skill players that he is looking forward to seeing. 

"We have some young receivers/defensive backs and a couple of running backs/linebackers that are looking to take over every down roles and had a great spring catching and knowing the offense and defense. Our quarterback had a great offseason attending camps and throwing well this spring, as he has also gotten a lot stronger this offseason," Moore said.

Moore believes this could be a special season for the Cougars. 

"If we continue to buy in as a team and do things the right way in all aspects, I am confident that we can put ourselves in positions to be successful this upcoming season," Moore said.

North Montgomery went 5-5 last year, allowing just under 19 points per game while averaging 22.6 points per game. 

The Chargers bring back quarterback Ross Dyson, as well as running backs Austin Sulc and Noah Hopkins, along with receivers Jarrod Kirsch and Roman Utterback. 
Last season, Dyson threw for just under 900 yards and eight touchdowns and added another 491 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Sulc scampered for 505 yards and seven touchdowns, while recording 83 total tackles and five sacks on defense. 

The Indiana State Fair is celebrating great high school basketball teams from over the years.

A few select teams will be highlighted throughout Wednesday and some members of those teams will also be on-site at the Purdue Extension Auditorium (Gate 12 on the north side of the Fairgrounds next to Hoopfest) including those outlined below.

A moderator will be on hand to ask questions of the players as well.

Lineup for the Great High School Teams panel discussion

'68-'69 Indianapolis George Washington - Steve Downing, Wayne Pack, Ken Parks, Steve Stanfield moderated by Bill Benner (11 a.m.)

'86-'87  Marion: Jay Edwards*, Lyndon Jones*, Kyle Persinger moderated by Jim Brunner (1 p.m.)

'02-'03 Pike: Justin Cage*, Robert Vaden, David Barlow, Sydney McDaniel moderated by Bob Lovell (3 p.m.)

'05-'06 Lawrence North: Coach Jack Keefer, Greg Oden, Stephan Van Treese, Qadr Owens moderated by Chris May (5 p.m.)

'08-'09 Ben Davis Girls: Coach Stan Benge, Bria Goss*, DeAirra Goss, Dee Dee Williams moderated by Greg Rakestraw (6:30 p.m.)

17 returning starting positions have South Putnam poised for a big season.

But youth mixed in with the veterans leaves a few things to work on.

Head coach Chuck Sorrell enters his fifth season with a significant returing core from last season's 7-3 squad that scored 425 points.  A six game win streak was snapped by highly regarded 2A power Linton-Stockton in Week 9. The season ended in the next week in the sectional quarterfinal with a loss to the eventual 1A state champion, Indianapolis Lutheran.

The Eagles are ranked seventh in the preseason Indiana Football Coaches Poll. Lutheran is number one followed by Adams Central, North Decatur, North Judson, Sheridan and Carroll (Flora) in the top six. Providence is ranked eighth with Park Tudor ninth and a tie for the tenth spot in the poll between Covenant Christian and South Adams.

Sorrell says he has plenty of veterans. It's mixing in the youth that offers some challenges to the start of the season.

Leading the way defensively is an all-county, All-WIC and all-state linebacker. Senior Austin Beadles recorded a team-high 174 tackles with 18 for loss last season.

Despite the veteran influence, Sorrell says his team is not a finished product.

South Putnam hosts Cloverdale in Friday's season opener.  Coverage on GIANT fm Sports on WREB begins at 6:40 p.m. 

Beginning August 20, hunters can apply for a variety of reserved hunts by visiting on.IN.gov/reservedhunt.
The online method is the only way to apply for the hunts listed below. No late entries will be accepted. Applicants must possess a hunting license that is valid for the hunt for which they are applying.
Applications for the following reserved hunting opportunities open Aug. 20. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Sept. 24:

• Fish & Wildlife Area (FWA) waterfowl hunts: Waterfowl hunts at participating FWAs, including LaSalle, Kingsbury, Hovey Lake, Goose Pond, and Kankakee. Province Pond Wetland Conservation Area, managed by J.E. Roush Lake FWA, will also participate.
   
• Fish & Wildlife Area (FWA) deer hunts: Firearms season deer hunts at Deer Creek and Fairbanks Landing FWAs.  
   
• State Park property deer hunts: Deer hunts at participating state park properties, including Chain O’Lakes, Clifty Falls, Fort Harrison, Harmonie, Indiana Dunes, Lincoln, O’Bannon Woods, Ouabache, Prophetstown, Shades, Shakamak, Spring Mill, Tippecanoe River, Turkey Run, Versailles, and Whitewater Memorial state parks and Raccoon Lake. Cave River Valley Natural Area, which is managed by Spring Mill State Park, will also participate.
   
• November Game Bird Area (GBA) hunts: Hunts on GBAs in northern Indiana (Benton, Jasper, Newton, Warren, and White counties). Hunters may choose from a variety of hunt dates. These are not put/take pheasant hunts.
   
• November youth-only Game Bird Area (GBA) hunts: Youth-only hunts on GBAs in northern Indiana (Benton, Jasper, Newton, Warren, and White counties). Hunters may choose from a variety of hunt dates and must have an adult at least 18 years of age present while hunting. These are not put/take pheasant hunts.
   
• Indiana Private Lands Access (IPLA) Hunts: The IPLA program has switched to online reserved hunts and are no longer available through self-service sign-in. IPLA will offer reserved hunts for game bird, squirrel, waterfowl, and firearms deer on private lands.

Applications for the following reserved hunting opportunities open Oct. 1. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Oct. 29:

• December Game Bird Area (GBA) hunts: Hunts on GBAs in northern Indiana (Benton, Jasper, Newton, Warren, and White counties). Hunters may choose from a variety of hunt dates. These are not put/take pheasant hunts.                                                                                                         
• Indiana Private Lands Access (IPLA) Hunts: IPLA will offer archery and muzzleloader deer, late season waterfowl, goose only, and small game hunts on private lands.

Hunters will be selected through a random computerized drawing. Applicants will be able to view draw results online within two weeks after the application period closes. An email will be sent to all applicants when draws have been completed.
Only one application per hunt is allowed. No changes can be made once an application is submitted.

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After watching her team go 12-16 overall and finish eighth in the Western Indiana Conference last season, South Putnam volleyball coach Ellen Houser enters this year looking to replace quite a bit of experience and talent lost due to graduation. 

"My initial thoughts regarding last season are that it will be tough to fill our graduating seniors' roles on and off the court," Houser told The Putnam County Post.

Those seniors were Kelsey Custis, Taylor Hartley, Laney Nolley and Emmy Jeter. 

"We lost setters, a valuable middle blocker, and key back row defense. Each of these athletes were fantastic leaders, and that will be the toughest role to replace," Houser said. 

With that said, the Eagles do bring back some talented seniors this year in Peyton Freeman, Joscelyn Pilcher and Olivia Woolums. 

"I am excited to see each of these athletes step up and take an active role in our team's successes. Additionally, Chlara Pistelli and Danae Cline are returning as setter and libero," she said.

South Putnam will open the season Aug. 23 against West Vigo and Houser is excited to see what her team can do on the court, mentioning she has an "amazing group of student athletes that excel in all of their extra-curriculars."

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When Greencastle boy's soccer coach J.D. Sims looks back on the 2022 season, he does so with positive, happy feelings as the Tiger Cubs finished 16-3-1 and were a perfect 8-0 in the Western Indiana Conference. 

"It is easy to say I am happy when I look back at last season with all we accomplished and the amount of goals we scored," Sims told The Puntam County Post. 

The Tiger Cubs fell 4-1 to Providence in the playoffs and much of the success had to do with the play of Seth Kallem, who scored 62 goals and had 23 assists and has since graduated. 

"Losing Seth, our 62 goals and 23 assists seems harsh, but I think there is a silver lining. We relied too heavily on him. With him graduating, it gives other boys a chance to step up and show what they bring to the table. I think we will have a more rounded, complete team this year," Sims said. 

Also gone is Boyd Ensley, who scored two goals and had 16 assists and was Greencastle's captain, providing a "large voice."

"His left foot, work ethic and leadership will be hard to replace this year. I don't know if Seth Kallem could ever be replaced. He blew past every record the school had for soccer. He will forever be cemented as one of, if not the best player in GHS boy's soccer history. Jonah Kaiser and Logan Peters were rotation players who brought us the energy when we needed it. Collin Short didn't see much varsity time but had a personality that will be missed by our coaching staff. There are a lot of hungry, young men on this team looking to get as much playing time as possible," Sims said. 

Greencastle has a large senior class this season, according to Sims. 

Sims mentioned Dylan Olsen, Clay Glessner and Sam White as players who did a "great job" holding down the back line last year. 

"I only see that improving this year," Sims said. 

Also back is keeper Harris Weltz, who Sims said is a "pivotal part of the team."

"He is a great shot stopper and provides attack from the back a lot of teams will not expect," Sims said. 

The Tiger Cubs also bring back center mid Henry Cox and winger Jalen Hardmen, who worked hard over the years to solidify their positions, according to Sims. 

In addition, Dylan Barcus and Josh Rimple return this fall. 

"Dylan was a manager for us but has decided to get out on the field. He is showing a lot of promise for his first year, and Josh is learning all he can from Harris in the goal department. Josh has been our number two goalie under Harris and has grown exponentially over the past few years," Sims said. 

This year's sophomore class has "bulked up," Sims said, adding he is looking forward to seeing increased output this year from that class. 

"Micah Foss netted 33 goals and 25 assists for us last year. He will be our spearhead this season. Milyn Tucker, who had three goals and 11 assists, found his groove the second half of our season, cutting through defenses with his passing and awareness along with providing an offensive threat from outside the perimeter. Jayce Spidel gave us more control and attacking depth with the role he played as fullback last year. Anthony Peters, Jackson Rodgers, who played more of a rotation role will see more game time this year. Travis Overshiner, Cooper Grable and Sam Hanlon will spend more time on the varsity roster this year. We have a large group of freshmen hungry to play and put a mark on the team," Sims said. 

Sims admitted he is "extremely excited" for this year's squad. 

"I think this team has more depth than any of the teams I have coached over the near decade of coaching I have. We have a great group of starting players and an even better group of boys hungry to take their spots. Competition for field time will only lead to players working harder and help reinforce our style from a coaching perspective. We have a wonderful culture in the team that will only push us towards our goals. We want to beat everyone in our season this year. Win conference, win sectional, compete in regionals and take it as far as we can. Most of all, we want to play attractive, team soccer," Sims said.

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For the Greencastle girl's golf team, the success of last season wasn't necessarily measured in terms of wins and losses. 

For Brad Kingma's team, there was improvement the entire season, he said. 

"Last season we saw improvement from girls who were still beginning to learn the game even though we didn't have much success in the wins/loss column," Kingma told The Putnam County Post.

Two golfers who saw quite a bit of improvement and success last year was Emma Callahan and Grace Long, both of whom return this year for the Tiger Cubs. 

"Emma is a junior, who won an all-county award for her play in the county tournament. Grace is also a junior and has really improved her game this summer," Kingma said.

Greencastle did lose Ryleigh Tuttle and Jessica Garrison from last year's squad due to graduation. 

"Ryleigh was our number one player as well as our most experienced player and Jessica provided our team with some depth. They will be replaced by Hannah McLaughlin, who has limited experience playing for Cloverdale's team two years ago, and Bayley Shrum, who is just beginning. Each of the girls have made great strides in their games already at the start of the season so we hope to continue making those improvements so that we can achieve individual success as well as win a few more team matches," Kingma admitted. 

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After watching his team go 11-5, finish second in the Western Indiana Conference and fall in the opening round of sectional against Bethesda Christian, North Putnam boy's soccer coach Kyle Morgan is hoping his team can create another "historic season" this year. 

And, why not? 

"Last season was, overall, a positive one. We return almost everyone from last season, including five seniors: Brady Barber, Matt Farrington, Nolan Hackleman, Evan Polley and Jaylen Windmiller. We 

return multiple juniors who were regular starters for us in both attack and defense as well. This means we are able to keep the spine of our team consistent, which is a huge bonus for us," Morgan told The Putnam County Post. 

North Putnam does have to replace Myckah Slagle and Carter Thomas, who were the lone seniors from last year. 

 "Both of these players provided great leadership and were positionally flexible to play in both offense and defense so losing them hurts. Myckah was a rock for us defensively, and Carter started 3 straight years across a few different positions so we will miss them both," Morgan said. 

As he looks to this season, Morgan and North Putnam have lofty goals as they chase a "historic season."

"We want to win our first conference championship in boys soccer history at North Putnam. We want to finish with at least 10-11 wins once again and then when sectionals come around we want to compete against some of the best teams in the state and, hopefully, be playing in a sectional championship," Morgan said.

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 Get in the game with "The Basketball Experience IN Indiana". Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC) launched "The Basketball Experience IN Indiana" microsite to tell Indiana's basketball story and why it is more than just a sport in the Hoosier State.

"We are excited to unveil this microsite, which serves as a tribute to the passion and talent that shaped Indiana's basketball history," said Lt. Gov. Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. "The microsite pays homage to the home of basketball and Hoosier Hysteria while creating an educational experience for site visitors. 'The Basketball Experience IN Indiana' houses an extensive array of content and experiential opportunities throughout the Hoosier State."

This digital adventure will give you an adrenaline-pumping guide to all things basketball in the Hoosier State. From larger-than-life-size statues and murals of coaches and players, to awe-inspiring exhibits and storied stadiums across the state, there is something for every basketball fan to discover.

"Basketball has had a profound impact on Indiana's culture and community," said Elaine Bedel, IDDC Secretary and Chief Executive Officer. "We aim to showcase some of this history, while celebrating the game's role in fostering camaraderie, athletic excellence and team pride. We encourage basketball fans and history enthusiasts alike to explore the inspiring online tribute to Indiana's basketball heritage."

The timing for the launch of "The Basketball Experience IN Indiana" is perfect as the theme for the Indiana State Fair is "The State That Grew the Game of Basketball". IDDC staff will be at the Indiana State Fair on Aug. 6 to celebrate "IN Indiana Day". Fair-goers can meet IDDC staff at the end of the Boulevard inside Gate 1 to play games, win prizes and discover the great things you can do around Indiana.

VisitIndiana.com/basketball is where visitors can uncover Indiana's basketball history and experience the excitement firsthand. Are you ready to get your game on? Dive into the world of Indiana basketball with us! We created a media toolkit so you don't miss your shot.

A new head coach will lead the North Putnam girl's soccer team into the season this year, as Jacob Bender is looking to put his stamp on a program that finished 3-13-1 a year ago. 

"I'm trying to create a program with a positive culture and good atmosphere. I believe we can achieve that this year and I’m very excited to work with this group of girls," Bender told The Putnam County Post.

The Cougars enjoyed a strong offseason with hopes of being ready for the season opener Aug. 14 at Owen Valley. 

"The off-season was very positive. Everyone that was involved in the off-season impressed me. We built off of concrete fundamentals and communication each day," Bender said. 

Bender said it will be tough to replace last year's seniors. "It’s always hard to replace seniority. We lost key senior athletes that were strong leaders in the team. I have faith that our new seniors will be good leaders for the next class of players," Bender said.

With that said, he is excited about this year's roster, but opted not to single out players, noting it has been a "collective" effort.  

"Each player I have impresses me each day. I’m so glad to have such a talented group of girls. We have a strong collective team spirit and that comes from each of my players thinking of the team over individual stats," he said. 

With the season rapidly approaching, Bender said his main goal heading into the season is to keep the love of the sport within the North Putnam community. 

"I hope that the team enjoys being together and from that we can achieve the results we want," Bender said. 

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