CARTER: Players to watch
By Zach Carter / August 18, 2023With the 2023 Delaware County high school season starting this Friday, I’ve decided to release the names of players that I think will ball out this season.
With the 2023 Delaware County high school season starting this Friday, I’ve decided to release the names of players that I think will ball out this season.
Yorktown went into last night’s home opener against Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory having only played one other game (a 3-0 win against Westfield) this season. But the Braves had already played four games and had only lost one set in that stretch. Yet the visiting Braves have now lost four sets as the Tigers came out victorious as they defeated their opponent 3-1, giving Yorktown its second straight win.
Senior midfielder, Avery Fenchel, took on the first three goals as she stepped out on the field after recovering from last season's ankle injury. “Everyone contributed today,” Fenchel said. Sophomore midfielder, Tori Monaco, assisted two of Fenchel’s goals. Monaco listens to rap artists, Jay Cole and Trippy Red continuously the hour prior to the game to help set her focus and mindset while doing some visualization.
The 2023 Delaware County high school football season is right around the corner as week one will begin on August 18. While some teams are looking to continue with what they worked on last season, others are going to have new looks. But the three goals that are the most prevalent are making their school proud, being the best in the county, and making a run in the playoffs.
Going into last year’s Delaware County Championship, Delta was hoping to complete the three-peat as they had won the tournament for two straight seasons. But Yorktown would be named the champions by defeating the Eagles by three shots. “Losing by three strokes, it was really painful,” Delta junior Avery Stinson said. Because of that loss, the Eagles had a goal to become county champions once again. And after all 24 competitors turned in their scorecards following some rainy conditions on Saturday afternoon, the blue and gold were named the 2023 Delaware County champions.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The United States played its best game of this Women's World Cup and it wasn't good enough to stop the two-time reigning champions from being eliminated in the round of 16. The Americans' bid to win an unprecedented third consecutive title ended Sunday on penalty kicks. It is the earliest exit in tournament history for the United States, four-time winners of the World Cup.
Ball State is hosting the Annual Fan Jam for area families to celebrate fall sports. The event will be on August 12 a Scheumann Stadium, according to a Ball State Athletics Release. Fan Jam will start at 5:30 p.m. and will have food, games, music, activities and autographs involving athletes from every Ball State fall sports team. Admission will be free to all.
After just the third practice back from the offseason, those in the Ball State soccer program gathered together to hear head coach Josh Rife’s closing remarks. The 2021 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Coach of the Year talked about the importance of being battle-tested, and encouraged the Cardinals to continue the energy they’ve brought to camp after just two days back in Muncie.
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — The Americans came into the Women’s World Cup as the two-time defending champions and tournament favorites. By the end of the group stage, they are relieved to still be in the competition. “That was stressful. I was like (expletive),” said United States star Megan Rapinoe, using a curse word to describe her emotions after the team squeezed into the knockout stage with a 0-0 draw against Portugal on Tuesday.
As associate head coach at Middle Tennessee State University, Peña led the Blue Raiders to their second-ever Conference USA Tournament title. This gave the team a berth in the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional Final. Before being defeated in the regional by fifth-seed Alabama, the Blue Raiders won three regional games. This is the most wins in a regional by a Conference USA team since 2014.
Since she was three years old, Addie Chester’s life was lived through the game of soccer. “I feel like as a kid, it's just kind of what you're good at,” she said. “If you're good at something, you'll keep doing it.” But when she was about to attend Delta High School, she was on the cusp of being done. “Anybody who's played a sport for that long gets burnt out at different times,” she said.
The 57th annual Murat Shrine North/South All-Star Classic did not go as planned as the contest was cut short due to multiple scuffles between the two teams. With 4:09 remaining in the fourth quarter, back-to-back plays ended with shoving matches and players screaming at their opponents. The referees did not hesitate to call the game.
If an Indiana high school football athlete shines for their school, they could be chosen for the Murat Shrine North/South All-Star Classic, which is held by the Indiana Football Coaches Association. For this year’s 57th annual game, two Delaware County players will play for the North team. Those are Muncie Central’s Josiah Ullom and Yorktown’s Kolton Nanko.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — U.S. women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe is ready to retire after an illustrious career in which she won an Olympic gold medal, two World Cups and never shied away from using her platform to spotlight social issues. Rapinoe, 38, announced Saturday her fourth World Cup will be her last and she'll officially retire with the OL Reign at the end of the National Women's Soccer League season.
Kendra Keesling was set on Ball State when she was making a decision when it came to her future education. But after four years of being a cheerleader, volleyball player, and track and field athlete for Delta High School, the senior and soon-to-be nursing major’s athletic career seemed to be coming to its conclusion. “I really had the mindset that I do not want to do sports in college,” Keesling said. “I think I'm just gonna focus on my schooling and figure out who I am as a person outside of athletics.”
Vanis Buckholz started playing volleyball during his sophomore and junior year in high school, and only a handful of years later, Buckholz has now been selected to play on the USA Men’s Collegiate National Team. “I tried out my sophomore year in Spring and that was my first time ever playing volleyball and absolutely fell in love with it,” Buckholz said. “My summer going into junior year I started club volleyball at Balboa Bay, then I fully committed to it my junior year in high school.”
Ball State Softball head coach Lacy Schurr is stepping down from her position and will move into a role with the coaching staff at the University of Pittsburgh, according to Ball State athletics. “We are grateful to Lacy for her contributions to the Ball State program, and we wish her well at Pitt,” said Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell. “Our program is on an upward trajectory, and I’m excited to search for a coach that continues our upward path.”
All but one of the 30 of the Major League Baseball teams are hosting Pride Nights this season, most during Pride Month, which celebrates and supports LGBTQ+ culture and rights. The Texas Rangers are the only team without a Pride Night. They say they are committed to making everyone feel welcome at all games.
In my first season as the Daily News beat writer covering Delaware County high school athletics, I saw multiple athletes fight their way to help their school. But when the 2022-2023 sports season officially ended, I thought to myself, which players stood out? With that in mind, here are my awards for the season. The first two awards are a bit different than the rest as I sent an email to the area’s athletic directors asking for nominees. From there, I looked at the candidates and chose the winners.
When you walk into the Ball State Track and Field locker room, it looks as you would probably expect. There are lockers along the wall filled with gear. Two couches and stools help fill the space. But laying in the corner are two things that stick out: two water guns. Some might ask, what are water guns doing in the corner of a college locker room?
