opening night

We first visited Lawrenceburg as the old gym came down and now, on the night before Thanksgiving, the new home of the Tigers welcomed fans for the first ever varsity boys game. I'm sure the new arena is everything they could have hoped for; the only downside of the evening - both the boys & girls lost to Franklin County.  CGS.

 

L & M

So, here was the plan - drive to Marion to catch a scrimmage at the old Marion Fieldhouse (where the Giants won 37 Sectional titles between 1921 & 1970) and on the way, stop at Oak Hill to photograph practice.  Sadly, we never made it to Oak Hill.  Why?  Well, in one word - Lapel.  For a number of reasons we stopped in the tiny hamlet (home to the 2A Bulldogs) and headed to what appeared to be the old gym, now surrounded by a newer elementary.  As good fortune would have it, the secretary (Angie Howell) was head coach Jimmie Howell's wife and told us that the boy's team was holding a rare practice in the old gym - where Jimmie played for his father and in 2005 coached Lapel to a 1A State Championship.  Wow.  For the next hour & 1/2 it became obvious why the Bulldogs, under the watchful eye of their coach, have seen so much success.  We reluctantly hit the road again, making our way through storms & sunsets and arrived at the old Marion gym just before tip-off.  Did I say old?  Well, there are some of the original bleachers and a framed section of the floor but thanks to a forward thinking community the "old" gym is now a new YMCA.  Lapel & Marion - both preserving history in their own ways.  CGS.

the eel tank

Welcome to Eminence, home of the Eel Tank and the birthplace of UCLA's 10 National Basketball Championships.   What?  That's right, little Eminence, home of the Eels (located nowhere near the Eel River, but that's another story) with a school population of 125 and a history of some roundball success (both the boys & girls teams have won 4 Sectional titles and one Regional) was the birthplace of Glenn Curtis.  Curtis, a successful college coach at Indiana State from 1938-46, is more well known as the head coach of Martinsville High School (19 years) where he won 3 State Championships and coached John Wooden (who would go on to succeed him at ISU and eventually to UCLA).  But, back to the Eels - or on this rainy night, the Lady Eels.  A recent lack of success has not affected the desire & pride we witnessed at the well maintained little gym, where after every home game the current crop of 7th graders sweep the stands to earn money for their high school prom.  Eminence remains the birthplace of greatness and a great place to watch Indiana's game.  CGS.