As the 2023 calendar year draws to a close, it is a reminder there was an abundance of excellence to look back on over the last 12 months.
Area high school athletes competed on the state and national stage, cut down nets and collected plenty of individual milestones and dramatic victories along the way. For the second straight year, a team reaching the girls basketball state finals tops our top-10 list.
Enjoy our look back at the top area high school stories of 2023:
1. DOMINANT DAWGS
Sparked by a star newcomer, an experienced Lapel girls basketball team finally realized the potential that had been there during previous seasons. With the addition of freshman Laniah Wills, seniors Kerith Renihan, Deannaya Haseman and Jaylee Hubble won the school’s first Madison County championship since 2008 in January before winning the first sectional since 2007 on the way to the state finals.
After falling in the county finals three times in four years, the Bulldogs knocked off defending champion Pendleton Heights in the county championship game.
Lapel finished with 22 wins on the season, including tight wins over Wapahani, Alexandria and Winchester in the sectional and a dramatic victory over Eastbrook — and food poisoning — in the regional championship game.
2. LEADING LIBERO
Pendleton Heights senior libero Ramsey Gary displayed her defensive talents on the national stage after being selected for the Under Armour High School Volleyball All-American Match in Orlando.
In a game loaded with national stars — including Indiana Miss Volleyball Chloe Chicoine from McCutcheon — Gary played well with 11 digs, four assists and received serve at a 90.9% success rate. Gary went on to have an outstanding freshman season at Indiana University.
3. DIAMOND QUEENS
With a flair for the dramatic, the Arabians were the top headliners in another exciting area softball postseason. Behind the strong pitching of Shelby Messer, PH got a go-head three-run homer from Katelin Goodwin to upend New Palestine in the sectional final before Bo Shelton’s improbable grand slam walk-off winner gave the Arabians a second straight regional title.
Sydney Clark delivered a walk-off single to put PH into the semistate championship game, where the dream ended against top-ranked Roncalli.
Elsewhere, Lapel won its third softball sectional title with a rout of Wapahani and met three-time sectional champion Madison-Grant in the regional. The Argylls defeated the Bulldogs and returned to semistate for the second straight year.
4. COUNTY KINGS
Behind 24 points from Ahmere Carson and 20 points from Ja’Quan Ingram, Anderson won its second straight boys basketball Madison County championship, 79-60 over Lapel. It was the record eighth county title for the Indians, who repeated for the first time since 2014.
5. MULLER MONSTERS
Outscoring its opponents 58-5 during the week, Lapel won its second straight Nick Muller Madison County Baseball Championship. It was just the third time a school had repeated as Muller champs, and the Bulldogs were led by tournament most valuable player Owen Imel.
6. SPRING TRACK SHOCKERS
It was a night of upsets as Madison-Grant (boys) and Frankton (girls) stunned Pendleton Heights by winning Madison County track-and-field championships. The Argylls were led by boys John McCord winner Tanner Brooks while Frankton’s Sydney Duncan went on to a podium finish at the state finals in the shot put.
7. BIG COACHING NEWS
A pair of area basketball coaching greats were on the move in 2023, one coming and one going. Frankton girls coach Stephan Hamaker stepped down after two stints totaling 12 years, 214 wins and two semistate championships. Meanwhile, Joe Buck returned to the sideline for Pendleton Heights after last leading the Arabians in 2005-06. Buck won six sectional titles during his previous stint with PH.
8. FEBRUARY FINALS
February saw a pair of Arabians juniors compete on the state finals stage. Jacob Simpson placed 20th in both the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard butterfly at the state swim finals while Jack Todd finished his wrestling season in the first round of the state finals at 145 pounds with a record of 32-4.
9. NET GAINS
It was a championship season on area tennis courts in 2023 as both the Alexandria girls and Frankton boys repeated with sectional titles. The Tigers won their fourth straight girls title in the spring while the Eagles won their second straight in the fall. Madison-Grant won its first boys Madison County championship, and Shenandoah’s Christian Dyer and Cooper Allen took a doubles sectional title on their way to the regional finals.
10. FOUR SCORERS
Four area players reached the 1,000-point milestone during the calendar year, including a pair of underclassmen and a pair of sisters.
PH senior Whitney Warfel was the first, reaching the milestone in January against Noblesville and was followed by Carson, who did likewise against Fishers in February. Warfel’s little sister, Kaycie, and Alexandria’s Jacklynn Hosier topped the milestone days apart in November, just a handful of games into their junior seasons.
HONORABLE MENTION
• Liberty Christian repeats boys basketball sectional title
• PH sweeps county golf titles
• Daleville and M-G repeat volleyball sectional titles
• Ava Jarrell, Cameron Smith and Hunter Smith advance to state cross country finals
• Elwood wins first football game since 2020
• PH wins sixth straight county volleyball title
• Jarrell, Cameron Smith and Zoe Allen join Duncan at state track finals
This article appeared in The Herald Bulletin.