FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
Late rally lifts Indiana State past Evansville
Late rally lifts Indiana State past Evansville
Sycamores win by 66-62 final
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – In a game that featured 11 lead changes, it was Indiana State making the final run as they defeated the University of Evansville men’s basketball team by a final of 66-62 on Saturday afternoon at the Ford Center.
Tayshawn Comer was the top scorer for the Purple Aces, finishing with 24 points and 7 assists. Tanner Cuff scored 11 while Josh Hughes and Connor Turnbull registered 10 apiece. Hughes led UE with 9 boards while Turnbull added 8. Jaden Daughtry registered a game-high 26 points for the Sycamores.
“I thought we did a good job with our energy. Our defensive game plan was excellent holding ISU under their average,” UE head men’s basketball coach David Ragland said. “There were a few possessions that changed everything down the stretch and those things are fixable. Our guys are understanding that mindset, playing physical and executing are what matters, and they have responded the right way since the break. We needed a chance to regroup and give ourselves a chance to win.”
After scoring a career-high of 26 points just three days ago, Tayshawn Comer was back at it, posting 12 points in the opening half. His triple set the Purple Aces up with a 5-2 lead in the opening moments while the Sycamores scored the next five to take their first lead at 7-5. Baskets from Josh Hughes and Kaia Berridge put the lead back in Evansville’s hands with a 13-9 edge at the 13:25 mark.
Just as fast as the Aces made their run, ISU came back to retake an 18-15 edge. The teams swapped the lead over the later moments of the period, leading to a 26-23 Sycamore lead with 3:28 on the clock. Evansville erupted to score 13 of the next 15 to take its largest lead of 36-28 inside the final minute. Cam Haffner, Comer, and Hughes each recorded a triple during the run. ISU scored the final basket of the period to make it a 36-31 game at the break.
Indiana State came out on fire to open the second half, quickly cutting the deficit to one as they scored six of the first eight points in the first two minutes of the second half. Evansville fended off the challenge, but with 12:18 remaining, Indiana State took its first lead of the period at 48-46. Just as they had done all game, the Aces battled back. A triple by Cuff was followed by a basket from Trent Hundley that gave UE a 51-48 edge with 9:47 left.
Another spurt by the Sycamores saw them score the next four to go back up by a point before a pair of free throws from Comer put UE back in front (53-52) with 5:19 remaining. It was Cuff and Comer who kept UE in the fight, overcoming a pair of ISU leads to tie the game at 57-57 entering the final three minutes.
In the ensuing possession, ISU retook the lead for what would be the final time. They led by as many as four, but UE had a chance. Two more Comer free throws cut the deficit to 62-60 at the 45-second mark. Following a Sycamore miss, UE corralled the rebound, but a turnover returned possession to ISU and they would hold on for the 66-62 win.
Both teams completed the game shooting 40.7% (22-of-54) while UE wrapped up the game with a 36-33 rebounding lead. The Aces are back at the Ford Center on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. game against Illinois State.
-www.GoPurpleAces.com-
Lady Trailblazers open 2025 with big win over Volunteer State
Lady Trailblazers open 2025 with big win over Volunteer State
VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Lady Trailblazers opened the 2025 portion of their schedule Saturday night with a showdown against Volunteer State Community College from Gallatin, Tenn.
The Lady Blazers were propelled by a big first half scoring run to pull away and come out the big 87-47 victory over the Pioneers.
VU got off to a slow start Saturday night in their first game back from the Holiday break, finding themselves trailing midway through the first quarter 15-11 to Volunteer State.
The Lady Blazers were able to come back strong to close out the first quarter however, scoring the final 11 points of the opening period to take a 22-15 lead.
Vincennes continued this run into the second quarter as VU used a 27-2 scoring run, stretching from the first quarter through most of the second quarter to take an early commanding 38-17 lead.
VU would continue to add to this big lead with 13 straight points late in the first half before the Pioneers hit a buzzer beater three to end the first half with the Lady Blazers on top 51-25.
The Lady Trailblazers picked up on the defensive end to begin the second half, holding the Pioneers to just six points in the third quarter as VU’s lead continued to grow to 71-31 heading into the fourth.
Vincennes was able to put the game away early in the fourth quarter, putting an exclamation point on the victory with a 10-0 fourth quarter scoring run as the Lady Blazers cruised to a big 87-47 victory over Volunteer State C.C.
The Lady Blazers were led by an outstanding game by freshman Delora Pricop (Satu Mare, Romania) who was able to set new season highs with 27 points and 17 rebounds in the game, her sixth double-double of the season, while also leading the Blazers with three blocks on the defensive end of the floor.
Freshman Emani Washington (Indianapolis, Ind.) was the second leading scorer for VU Saturday night, finishing the game with 18 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Freshman Iris Comesana (Vigo, Spain) also set a new season high Saturday night with 14 points, including a pair of threes to go along with six rebounds and four assists.
Freshman Ahmya Thomas (Phoenix, Ariz.) continues to move the ball well from the point guard position, finishing her night with 13 points, six assists and four steals.
Sophomore Marta Gutierrez (Alicante, Spain) was the fifth Lady Blazer to score in double figures, with all five of VU’s starters Saturday night scoring double digit points.
Gutierrez had a strong all around game with 11 points, team leading seven assists and six steals, while also grabbing four rebounds on the night.
The Lady Blazers will look to keep this momentum going as they get set for a tough Region 24 road game Wednesday, Jan. 8 when VU heads to Belleville, Ill. to take on Southwestern Illinois College at 6 p.m. eastern.
VU will then return home to the P.E. Complex Saturday afternoon for another Region 24 contest when Vincennes hosts Shawnee Community College Saturday, Jan. 11 at 2 p.m. eastern.
VINCENNES BOX SCORE
VINCENNES (87): Iris Comesana 6-9 0-0 14, Delora Pricop 11-17 5-8 27, Ahmya Thomas 6-11 1-5 13, Marta Gutierrez 5-7 0-0 11, Emani Washington 7-13 3-3 18, Jazmyn Robey 1-4 0-1 2, Netala Dixon 1-5 0-0 2, Team 37-66 9-17 87.
Volunteer State – 15 10 6 16 – 47
VU (7-8, 2-0) – 22 29 20 16 – 87
Three-point goals: VU 4 (Comesana 2, Gutierrez, Washington). Rebounds: VU 38 (Pricop 17). Assists: VU 27 (Gutierrez 7). Steals: VU 18 (Gutierrez 6). Blocked Shots: VU 4 (Pricop 3). Turnovers: VU 18. Personal Fouls: VU 12. Fouled out: None.
Strong second half leads Trailblazers past Volunteer State C.C.
Strong second half leads Trailblazers past Volunteer State C.C.
VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Trailblazers hit the floor for the first time Saturday night after the two-week Holiday break and found themselves in a tough defensive battle with Volunteer State Community College from Gallatin, Tenn.
The Trailblazers were able to regain composure in the second half and outscored the Pioneers 49-24 on their way to securing a 75-51 victory inside the Physical Education Complex.
Vincennes got off to a fast start Saturday night and looked to be off and running early after the Pioneers scored the opening five points of the game, VU answered with a 17-3 scoring run to take a 17-8 lead.
The Pioneers would work their way back with a late first half 12-1 scoring run to regain the lead, which would hold going into halftime at the Trailblazers headed into the locker room trailing Volunteer State C.C. 27-26.
The Trailblazers looked to come out of the locker room firing, scoring the first seven points of the second half before building their first double digit lead of the night with a 16-4 scoring run to take a 54-43 lead.
VU kept adding to this lead with a 10-0 scoring run and were able to cruise down the stretch and come away with their sixth straight victory with a 75-51 win over the Pioneers.
“I think we were pretty similar in both halves on the defensive end,” VU Hall of Fame Head Coach Todd Franklin said. “The numbers were about the same, there really wasn’t a whole lot of difference. But in the second half we had some solidity and all of a sudden you scored 49. The first half, I don’t know what you call that but it certainly wasn’t basketball.”
“We can attribute that to the break or do whatever we want with it but it wasn’t very good,” Franklin added. “If we have a half like that at SWIC, we might as well just go home at halftime. But we got some that got a little more solid in the second half and the results showed it. We scored 49 points and the shooting percentages are completely different, it was far from perfect but at least it was an effort to play something that resembles the basketball that we’ve practiced.”
“But on the defensive end and basically on the glass, I thought we were fine all night,” Franklin said. “I don’t know how good we actually did but the results were good all night. We got stops all night. We handled the glass on both ends, I felt like, pretty well all night. I’ll go back and watch it to see if that’s really true but I didn’t think that was an issue. I told the guys at halftime that they shot 10 for 34 and we outrebounded them and we’re down one. That just tells you how bad we were on the offensive end. Then when you flip around and we score 49 in the second half, it wasn’t like we put in a whole new world at halftime.”
“I did get a little more control of things in the second half,” Franklin added. “Get a little more totally simplified and here’s what we’re going to do. As long as we stayed with that and stayed true to that, we were pretty successful. In the second half the results were fine, I don’t know if we will get those results against SWIC Wednesday night, we are going to have to play better than that to have a 49 point half. But we’ll see what happens. We’ll see who comes to work and tries to respond to this and be better because we will have to be a lot better Wednesday.”
The Trailblazers were led offensively by freshman Dayton Williams (Louisville, Ky.) who finished off his third double-double this season with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while also adding a team-high four steals and three assists.
Sophomore and 2024 NJCAA All-American Lebron Thomas (Bishopville, S.C.) was the second VU scorer in double figures, scoring 13 of his 15 points in the second half, while also adding four assists and three rebounds.
Freshman Ali Sakho (Toronto, Ontario) had a big game off the bench Saturday night for the Trailblazers, finishing with eight points, seven rebounds and a team-high four steals.
Freshman Chrisitan Andrews (Asheville, N.C.) played some big minutes down the stretch and finished his night with nine points and three assists.
Freshman Travelle Bryson (Anderson, S.C.) was able to provide a spark for the Trailblazers off the bench as well with six points and eight rebounds, while sophomore Bryan Akanmu (Paris, France) added nine rebounds and a team-high five assists in the game.
“I thought Ali was the star of the game for us,” Franklin said. “In terms of playing up to what we think he should do right now with where he is. He’s still getting back into shape, he’s still not there but he’s a lot closer than he was. He’s had a little time to knock off some rust. His numbers are good, eight points and seven rebounds playing about half a game right now. Those are good numbers but I thought defensively, they couldn’t do anything with him and he ended up with four steals because they tried to throw over the top of him four times and four times he said, well that’s not going to happen. Because he will pin you down and not let you walk him up the lane, he’s strong enough and knows how to do it without fouling and he’s a lot longer than you think he is when he stretches that arm out there. Those are big plays. He had four individual stops right there and that’s something we haven’t had. He’s brought something to the table here and I think that if we can ever get Kenaz to want to rebound the ball and just play simple but assertive, those two guys can probably give us a good 40 minutes at some point when we get it all back and in tune here.”
“A lot of time in the first half of the year Kenaz wasn’t ready to play at all,” Franklin added. “And Ali wasn’t available. I think Hussein is doing better in practice if we have to go there. So I think the three of them can handle that spot. I thought Ali was the star of the game because he gave us something that was very solid that we needed and had a real impact on the game.”
“Dayton had some moments tonight,” Franklin said. “Travelle gave us some things off the bench. Christian was a little bit better in the second half with some things off the bench. Lebron was better in the second half. And the results, if you took the first half, they were awful. Then if you just look at the second half you would say that’s pretty good and there’s a reason. Just be solid. See the game, be solid, play within what we want you too and there are plenty of plays that happened in there. When you get out of kilter, it tends to not work out so well. But we can say it’s because we just got back, haven’t played in two weeks, it’s hard to be sharpe.”
“I also thought that they sped us up a little bit because their guard is quick,” Franklin added. “He tried to get under us and in the first half with it being the first game back it probably sped us and got us out of our rhythm offensively. Because we were not in game mode enough to be intense enough, focused enough to handle that and in the second half we were. Again, it’s one of those deals where you can’t do it, it’s that you didn’t. They brought something that you had to answer a question with and in the first half we weren’t prepared to answer the question well enough. But obviously we could because we did in the second half. We’ve got to put 40 minutes together from here on out because it’s all Region games. They are all big. We knocked the rust off tonight and hopefully we knocked enough of it off to where we can go on the road and play well.”
The Trailblazers will look to keep this momentum going as they get set for a tough Region 24 road test Wednesday, Jan. 8 when VU travels to Belleville, Ill. to take on Southwestern Illinois College at 8 p.m. eastern.
Vincennes will then return home to the P.E. Complex Saturday, Jan. 11 when VU hosts Shawnee Community College at 4 p.m. eastern.
“SWIC is a hard place to play,” Franklin said. “It’s a three-plus hour bus trip away, you get off the bus and you play. NCAA Division I teams don’t do that because it’s tough. Then you have to go and play somebody that is usually good. Coach Harrington has won a million games. They’ve got good players, they play hard and it’s a different environment. They are good and he does a good job and they are challenging. They’ve won a lot of games, so anytime that you are going to try to beat a good team at their place after getting off the bus three hours, it’s hard. They usually press and trap and do some things, change defenses and do some things that are challenging particularly early. Usually by the second or third time in the tournament we play them, we’ve gotten a little more acclimated to that and that has shown over the years.”
“But that first time when you go over there, especially this time of year, it’s a very, very tough game and again, for us to have a chance to win, we’ll have to play better than we did in the second tonight,” Franklin added. “We will have to grow from that and play better than that then we’ll have a chance. If we play anything resembling the first half tonight, then anybody who wants to listen to the game or watch the stream will be able to turn it off pretty quickly. They are playing well lately. They played well the last three or four games of the first semester and then blew out Lewis & Clark today, so they will be ready for us. Hopefully we can get into the gym here in the next couple of days and get ready for them.”
VINCENNES BOX SCORE
VINCENNES (75): Bryan Akanmu 2-9 0-0 4, Michael Cooper 1-7 5-6 7, Kenaz Ochogwu 4-6 0-2 8, Lebron Thomas 5-11 4-5 15, Dayton Williams 6-11 1-2 16, Christian Andrews 3-4 2-2 9, Jalen Calloway 1-4 0-0 2, Travelle Bryson 2-4 2-2 6, Ali Sakho 3-5 2-3 8, Team 27-61 16-22 75.
Volunteer State – 27 24 – 51
VU (12-3, 2-0) – 26 49 – 75
Three-point goals: VU 5 (Williams 3, Thomas, Andrews). Rebounds: VU 50 (Williams 11). Assists: VU 19 (Akanmu 5). Steals: VU 10 (Williams 4, Sakho 4). Blocked Shots: VU 3 (Ochogwu, Williams, Bryson). Turnovers: VU 15. Personal Fouls: VU 14. Fouled out: Bryson.
CONTESSA SCORES TWICE IN LOSS TO RIVERMEN
CONTESSA SCORES TWICE IN LOSS TO RIVERMEN
Evansville, In.: It was a big night for Derek Contessa, who scored multiple goals for the first time as a Thunderbolt, however it was a rough night overall as the Thunderbolts fell 8-4 to the Rivermen on Saturday night at Ford Center. The Thunderbolts’ next home game will be on Friday, January 24th against the Pensacola Ice Flyers at 7:05pm CT.
In a great start for Evansville, Contessa opened the scoring with an unassisted power play goal at 2:27. Minutes later, Matthew Hobbs scored at 5:31 on a net-front play from Tyson Gilmour and Nolan McElhaney to make it 2-0 Evansville. At 11:39, Contessa deflected in his second goal of the game, assisted by McElhaney and Vili Vesalainen to extend Evansville’s lead to 3-0. The tide turned as the Rivermen scored a power play goal at 13:01, scored by Jordan Ernst to cut the lead to 3-1. Ernst scored again at 15:00 to make it a 3-2 game with Evansville holding the lead to the intermission. In the second period, goals by Carson Baptiste at 2:39, Ernst at 5:07, Baptiste again at 7:50, and Ernst again on a power play at 14:18 put the Rivermen ahead 6-3. At 14:45, Brendan Harrogate cut the deficit to 6-4 off a face-off from Myles Abbate and Matt Dorsey to get Evansville back within two goals, the goal also extending Harrogate’s point streak to eight consecutive games. The Rivermen put the game away in the third period with additional power play goals from Baptiste and Ernst to round out the 8-4 final score.
Contessa finished with two goals, Hobbs and Harrogate scored on goal each, and McElhaney tallied a pair of assists. In goal, Cole Ceci finished with 26 saves on 34 shots. The Thunderbolts and Rivermen meet again on Friday, January 17th at Peoria Civic Center, face-off set for 7:15pm CT.
Individual game tickets and group packages are on sale for the 2024-25 season. Season tickets for the 2025-26 season are on sale now. Call 812-422-BOLT(2658) or visit our website (www.evansvillethunderbolts.
About Evansville Thunderbolts: The Evansville Thunderbolts is the area’s only professional hockey team. The Thunderbolts are a proud member of the SPHL. The team is owned and operated by VW Sports, L.L.C, a subsidiary of VenuWorks, Inc. www.evansvillethunderbolts.com
No. 2/6 Hoosiers Split with No. 4/4 Gators
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – No. 2-ranked Indiana men’s swimming and diving took care of No. 4 Florida, 163-137, Friday (Jan. 3) in dual meet action inside the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida.
The meet finished in a split decision, as the No. 6-ranked IU women fell to the No. 4 Gators, 164-136.
Junior Owen McDonald led the men, winning all three of his individual events – sweeping the backstroke events before completing the triple in the 200-yard IM. He was one of four Hoosier men to win an individual event Friday, while the IU quartet of Rafael Miroslaw, Matt King, Mikkel Lee and Tomer Frankel also won the 400-yard freestyle relay.
Friday marked King’s Hoosier debut after joining the program as a transfer in the fall. The Hoosiers picked up the win despite absences of recent World Champion Zalán Sárkány and mid-year transfer Caspar Corbeau.
Indiana’s senior diving duo of Quinn Henninger and Carson Tyler dominated the springboards Friday, sharing the top two spots in each event. On the 1-meter board, Tyler blew away the field with a 425.33, earning scores of 65.00 or better on each attempt, followed by Henninger in second with a 384.98 after a final-round 74.40 leapfrogged Florida’s Peyton Donald. Henninger came away the victory on 3-meter after a great battle between teammates, earning a score of 385.88 to Tyler’s 385.43.
Senior Anna Peplowski swept her events, taking the 100 and 200-yard freestyle events as well as the 200 IM. Peplowski out-touched Olympic teammate Emma Weyant in the 200 free by 2.37 seconds in a time of 1:44.78 before defeating the Florida senior again in the IM by 27 hundredths with a 1:59.10. In the 100 free, Peplowski dueled junior Kristina Paegle for the top two spots, winning in a time of 48.90 to Paegle’s 49.22.
Paegle would get her victory in her signature event, the 50 free, posting an NCAA B cut time of 22.49. Sophomore Ella Roselli was also a winner on the women’s side, finishing first on the 1-meter board with a 297.53.
TEAM SCORES
Women
No. 4 Florida 164, No. 6 Indiana 136
Men
No. 2 Indiana 163, No. 4 Florida 137
HOOSIER WINNERS
Women
Kristina Paegle – 50 freestyle (22.49)
Anna Peplowski – 200 freestyle (1:44.78), 100 freestyle (48.90), 200 IM (1:59.10)
Ella Roselli – 1-meter (297.53)
Men
Tomer Frankel – 400 freestyle relay (2:53.46)
Quinn Henninger – 3-meter (385.88)
Matt King – 400 freestyle relay (2:53.46)
Mikkel Lee – 400 freestyle relay (2:53.46)
Owen McDonald – 100 backstroke (46.99), 200 backstroke (1:43.48), 200 IM (1:46.20)
Rafael Miroslaw – 200 freestyle (1:34.33), 400 freestyle relay (2:53.46)
Carson Tyler – 1-meter (425.33)
Jassen Yep – 200 breaststroke (1:54.93)
NCAA CUTS
A: N/A
B: Brian Benzing – 100 breast (53.33); Miranda Grana – 100 back (53.50); Owen McDonald – 100 back (46.99), 200 back (1:43.48); Rafael Miroslaw – 200 free (1:34.33); Kristina Paegle – 50 free (22.34); Anna Peplowski – 200 free (1:44.78), 100 free (48.90), 200 IM (1:59.10); Jassen Yep – 100 breast (53.35), 200 breast (1:54.93).
NCAA ZONE QUALIFYING SCORES
1-meter: Quinn Henninger (384.98), Ella Roselli (297.53), Joshua Sollenberger (362.25), Carson Tyler (425.33), Maxwell Weinrich (373.43), Lily Witte (269.78)
3-meter: Mary Kate Cavanaugh (282.60), Quinn Henninger (385.88), Skyler Liu (325.50), Ella Roselli (324.53), Joshua Sollenberger (344.63), Carson Tyler (385.43), Maxwell Weinrich (355.50), Lily Witte (314.25)
UP NEXT
UE men return home to face Indiana State
UE men return home to face Indiana State
Aces and Sycamores tangle on Saturday
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Following a road win at Southern Illinois, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team looks for its third Missouri Valley Conference win in a row when they welcome Indiana State to the Ford Center on Saturday at 1 p.m. ESPN+ and the Purple Aces Radio Network will have the broadcast.
Last Time Out
– Another strong team performance saw the Aces lead by as many as 21 points before defeating SIU by a 68-53 final on Jan. 1
– Tayshawn Comer finished with a career-high 26 points, hitting eight field goals and eight free throws
– Cam Haffner added 20 points and 9 boards
– UE held the Salukis to 31.1% shooting and a 19.4% showing from outside
Another Strong Performance
– Cam Haffner scored 20 points in the win at SIU and has 16.5 PPG in the last two games
– In three games prior to Dec. 29, he averaged just 4.3 points
– Haffner has hit six triples in the last two contests and his average of 2.21 3’s per game is 9th in the league
– Averaging 13.3 PPG, he is second on the team and 15th in the MVC
Career Game
– Converting 8 field goals and 8 free throws, Tayshawn Comer scored a career-high 26 points in the win at SIU eclipsing his previous mark of 23, which he set as a player at Eastern Kentucky
– In the last two games, Comer has hit 17 of his 21 free throw tries
– Comer has three 20-point games this year
– Against Chattanooga, he posted a season-high 8 assists and has posted at least 2 assists in 12 out of 14 games this season
– Over the last nine games, Comer is averaging 3.7 assists per contest while his season average of 3.43 is 10th in the Valley
Top Rebounder
– Tanner Cuff has hauled in 30 boards in the last four games, an average of 7.5
– His season tally of 6.4 per game is 9th in the league and paces the team
– On the offensive side, Cuff has scored 7 or more in each of the last five games and is averaging 8.6 PPG on the season
– He had the top game of his career against Chattanooga, scoring 18 while adding 5 boards, 4 assists, 2 blocks and a steal
Defensive Turnaround
– Evansville’s last two games have seen a full defensive turnaround
– In the first 12 games that saw UE go 3-9, opponents were averaging 74.3 PPG while shooting 44.8% from the field and 34.1% from outside
– The defense has improved greatly in the last two contests, holding the opposition to 46.5 PPG, 28.7% shooting and 19.6% from 3-point range, which has resulted in two victories
Scouting the Opponent
– Indiana State heads to the Ford Center with an 8-6 record while sitting at 2-1 in the MVC
– On New Year’s Day, the Sycamores dropped a close overtime contest to Bradley by a final of 90-89
– ISU won its first two league games at Missouri State and home versus Murray State
– Samage Teel paces the Sycamores with his average of 17.7 points
– Teel is a 56.7% shooter and paces ISU with 61 assists and 21 steals
– Jaden Daughtry holds an average of 12.1 PPG
– Head coach Matthew Graves is in his first season at the helm of the program; he was an assistant at UE during the 2018-19 season
-www.GoPurpleAces.com-
Winter Storm Update County Road Crews Say They’re Ready
County Highway Garage Ready for Upcoming Winter Storm
Evansville, Indiana – January 3, 2025 – In anticipation of the significant winter storm
forecasted to arrive on Sunday, January 5th, the County Highway Garage has finalized its
preparedness plan to ensure safe and accessible roadways for all residents.
The National Weather Service has predicted freezing rain mixed with snow showers and sleet, which could result in hazardous driving conditions and potential disruptions. The County Highway Garage, in coordination with the Emergency Management Agency (EMA), is proactively taking steps to mitigate these risks and ensure the community’s safety.
Key components of the preparedness plan include:
1. Fleet Readiness: All snowplows and salt trucks have been inspected and are fully
operational.
2. Material Stockpiles: Ample supplies of road salt are on hand, with distribution points
strategically located throughout the county to expedite deployment.
3. Crew Deployment: Road maintenance teams will begin operations ahead of the storm’s
arrival, focusing on pre-treating major roadways, bridges, and intersections. 13
snowplows will be deployed to their respective snow routes, spreading treated salt, and
crews will work in 24-hour shifts to ensure continuous coverage throughout the event.
4. Public Communication: Regular updates on road conditions, closures, and safety
advisories will be provided via the county’s website, social media platforms, and local
news outlets. Residents are encouraged to stay informed and limit travel during the height
of the storm.
Highway Department Superintendent Scot Wichser stated, “Our team is fully prepared to
respond to this storm. We are committed to keeping our roads safe and accessible, and we ask for the public’s cooperation to ensure everyone’s safety.”
Residents are reminded to:
• Avoid unnecessary travel during the storm.
• Equip their vehicles with emergency kits, including blankets, flashlights, and non-
perishable food.
• Report hazardous road conditions to the County Highway Garage at 812-435-5777.
• Report emergencies to Central Dispatch by calling 9-1-1.
Hoosier girl basketball players have embraced Caitlin Clark as a worthy role model
While Caitlin Clark is known for her incredible skills as a former Iowa Division I and current WNBA Indiana Fever basketball player, her impact shoots beyond the court.
The Rookie of the Year stole the hearts of Hoosiers in a famously basketball-obsessed state and has created a new phenomenon for girls’ and women’s basketball now in the heart of their own season.
Teagan Cox, a smiley third-grade New Castle girl proudly wearing a sweatshirt with Clark’s No. 22 on the front and back, said her interest in the basketball star started when she saw her on TV, which then grew her confidence in her own abilities.
“Like, whenever I started playing, I didn’t really know that she played until I started seeing her on things,” said Cox. “She made me feel like I could play too.”
Teagan’s favorite thing about Clark is the inspiration she’s brought to her.
“She makes me feel like I can be as good as she is,” Teagan said.
New Castle is home to the largest high-school gymnasium in the nation, New Castle Fieldhouse, which seats more than 8,000 fans and where young girls like Cox will grow up to play.
Alyssa Wilson, head girls’ basketball coach at New Castle High School, says she notices a change in the atmosphere due to Clark. During practice in the gigantic gym, the words “Clark” echo across the court when a three-pointer is made, versus the old exclamations of influential male basketball players.
“[She is] a pop culture effect,” Wilson said. “She changed the narrative.”
Wilson enjoys how much attention Clark has brought to basketball, as she is able to discuss her with her players and use her as an example. However, she believes her skills influence female athletes in general.
Some of her favorite attributes of Clark are how hard she plays and the competitiveness she brings to the game. She also admires her reactions during the game, as it shows she takes the game seriously.
“[She’s] not afraid to show emotion on the court; she cares,” Wilson said.
Wilson advises players to exhibit her work ethic by observing her.
“[It’s] not just the way she plays; it’s the hard work and extra time she puts in,” said Wilson. “That is what it takes to excel. You have to do extra training and work outside of practice and games.”
Clark’s accomplishments have also piqued the interest of men, as she has shattered viewing records. For example, her first game with the Fever was ESPN’s most watched WBNA game ever.
Chad Tabor, JV girls’ basketball coach at New Castle High School, believes her influence has changed men’s perspective on the game.
“It’s crazy the impact, and it goes out more than girls, I think,” said Tabor. “I’ll use my son, for example. When [my daughter] Cameron had games or there was girls’ basketball on or whatever, he would always make these comments, you know, ‘It’s just girls’ basketball.’ Well now, when Caitlin is on, he watches.”
He isn’t the only one. Her win against LSU’s Angel Reese back in February had 12 million viewers, a number that used to seem impossible to reach for women’s games.
Tabor has high hopes for the future of women’s basketball, thanks to Clark.
“As far as being a coach of girls’ basketball, … my hope would be that it gets more girls interested in playing basketball,” Tabor said. “I think you’ll see that as we go, especially as some of the younger kids, you know, maybe fourth, fifth, sixth, into junior high, I’ll think you’ll see more kids play when they get to high school because of her.”
He thinks her main attraction comes from her relationship with fans.
“One part that makes her so popular and well liked would be how she interacts with kids and, you know, younger players. She seems to always make time for them,” Tabor said. “She is always doing autographs. I think she just gets it, like she is on a platform where she can influence, you know, kids, and I think she understands that.”
Like Wilson, he is impressed by the effort she puts into the sport, even more than her skillset.
“She’s very confident, and she goes hard. I think her work ethic is very strong, and I think that’s why she is so good, because she’s got that will to win, good work ethic, and she puts in the time. It’s no coincidence that she is one of the greatest because it doesn’t happen if you don’t work hard,” said Tabor.
Those on the college scene have also had firsthand experience of Clark’s effect on the sport.
Bailey Parham was a successful basketball player at Tri High School in Straughn. Now a sophomore basketball player at the University of Illinois-Springfield, she said she has personally witnessed Clark’s influence on players.
“Being around my teammates here, who were supporting her and like looking up to her and the records she was breaking and thinking, like, in the NCAA, we have the ability to do that too, like some of my teammates, we’ll talk about that,” said Parham.
She has also seen the change in attendance during games.
“I went to a couple Fever games this year. We had went to games before that, and the years before that, and just seeing a difference in the crowd—like, there are so many more fans there,” she said. “I think she just brought a whole new fanbase to the game. So many people that were never even interested in watching the WNBA before, or girls’ sports in general, I think have watched her and started to follow her teams, and it has been really cool to see her do that.”
Parham finds Clark’s main attribute, aside from her talents on the court as an “unbelievable shooter,” to be the way she has dealt with her popularity and fame.
“She stays composed and, like, she’s had a lot of stuff put on her this year, you know, like being a rookie, just being able to handle all that. Like, so many people are watching her, and all eyes are on her about everything, and I just think she’s done a really good job handling all that,” said Parham.
She also admires the way Clark never gives up no matter what she is handed and tries to implement that in her own game.
“Just to keep playing no matter what is thrown at you, no matter the situation, and whatever you get handed, you have to face it and just keep playing through everything,” she concluded.
Livvi Lee, an athletic third-grade basketball player from New Castle, says she is a huge fan of Clark for two main reasons: her attitude for the sport and the choices she makes on the court.
“She’s athletic and has good sportsmanship,” Livi says. “I like how she shoots her three pointers and stuff, gets her teammates the ball.”
Third-grader Harper White sat doing homework after school, her eyes lighting up at the words “Caitlin Clark.” Her admiration for Clark goes back to the player’s college days at the University of Iowa. Harper has also seen her in action at Gainbridge Fieldhouse during a Fever game.
“She’s a good basketball player, and she supports her team,” said Harper.
Clark’s mere presence in the WNBA has made girls like Harper feel supported and inspired in their own athletic endeavors, she says, and she’s happy she plays the same sport.
Lucy Kinnard, a third-grader with a blond ponytail, shyly approached a reporter in the elementary school gymnasium. At the mention of Clark, her demeanor changed.
“She’s a good teammate, and she perseveres,” Lucy said, her description of Clark summing up the thoughts of almost everyone in the country.
“She’s an icon.”
Franklin College senior and Statehouse File reporter Averi Phelps completed this article as part of her senior project. Phelps graduated in December 2024.