Dominant Bronchos in 'reloading project'

One name dominated the area girls swimming scene for the past three years -- Jenny Connolly.

The Harrison grad and her five state championships are now at Tennessee. Who will emerge this season as the swimmers to watch in Tippecanoe County and the surrounding area?

Golden Bronchos

Lafayette Jeff can win a fifth straight team sectional championship this season. The Bronchos' 23 sectional titles are third-most in state history, behind Columbus North (29) and Carmel (25).

Broncho coach Jim Sharps refers to this season as a "major reloading project." Paige Kelsey, defending sectional champion in the 50 free, and Mel Auckley lead a group of five returning letterwinners.

Fast start carries Jeff

By Nathan Baird • nbaird@journalandcourier.com • November 19, 2008

Lafayette Jeff wanted to set a tone for the rest of the tournament with its Girls J&C Hoops Classic opener against Harrison.

Just four minutes after tip-off, the Bronchos accomplished that goal.

Behind a dominant first quarter and Charae Richardson's double-double, Lafayette Jeff beat Harrison 87-44 at Resler Gymnasium on Tuesday.

"We just want to win so bad this year," said Richardson, whose 32 points and 13 rebounds were game highs. "This is my last year, and I want to go out on a good note. Of all the years, we have the best chance to win this year."

Richardson scored six points during a game-opening 12-0 Broncho run. Jeff (1-1) missed its first nine 3-point attempts, but Kayla McCall made two, and Breanna Calloway hit another in a one-minute span as the Bronchos led 25-3 early in the second quarter.

Jeff hit 13 of 30 3-pointers after its early drought.

"Once you hit one, and they keep giving it to you and you hit another one, you get that confidence boost and you get that adrenaline rush," said Calloway, who hit five 3s en route to 23 points off the bench. "You want to keep hitting, and you want to keep getting the ball."

Harrison (0-2) committed 13 of its 32 turnovers in the first quarter. Ashley Courtney (12 points, five assists) and Jaclyn Williams (11 points, nine rebounds) enjoyed solid nights, but the rest of the Raiders were 8-for-27 from the floor.

The Raiders pulled within 53-32 with 3:46 left in the third, but Jeff scored 34 of the game's final 46 points.

"What I wanted to do was try to match at least intensity and toughness," Harrison coach Clay Hanna said. "It was going to be hard for us to match their speed and execution in Game 2, especially with how we played in Game 1.

"I was actually happy with what we were doing. I felt like we weren't backing down."

Challenged by coach Jan Conner to step up her intensity, Richardson hit four 3s in the final 12 minutes and scored 21 second-half points.

"When there are a bunch of kids in there that are inexperienced, you've got to be the one that comes through," Conner said of Richardson. "She did."

2008 HCC Fall Sportsmanship Award
Lafayette Jefferson High School

(L-R):  Glade Montgomery (Principal), John Hatter (Girls’ Golf Coach); Rich Miotke (Girls’ Soccer); Dave Howell (Cross Country Coach); Gail Gripe (Volleyball Coach); Tim Hollendonner (Boys’ Soccer); Andy Kennedy (Football Coach), Mark Preston (Athletic Director); and Zach Brennan ( Boys’ Tennis)

J&C Hoops Classic excites coaches

By Nathan Baird • nbaird@journalandcourier.com • November 3, 2008

By now, area basketball players are anxious to get back on the court.

Coaches whose teams play in the J&C Hoops Classic tournaments say the annual events heighten that anticipation.

"The girls have really bought into it," Twin Lakes girls basketball coach Brad Bowsman said. "Whenever you have a tournament with the same teams every year, it builds some rivalries. It builds the anticipation of the basketball season right off the bat."

Bowsman's Indians learned Sunday they will begin their title defense against tournament host McCutcheon. The sixth annual boys tournament opens with Harrison playing two-time defending boys champion and tourney host Lafayette Jeff.

Pairings were drawn for both 2008 J&C Hoops Classic tournaments at Puccini's in West Lafayette.

"The kids love it, and that's the neatest part of the tournament," said Jeff boys coach Scot Bunnell, whose teams are 8-1 in three years of Hoops Classic play. "It's a tournament that everybody in the community's embraced. Everyone gets to go out to Lafayette Jeff that first week of the season and see everybody play."

The girls tournament opens on Monday, Nov. 17. Benton Central, which has played in the three previous Girls Hoops Classic championship games, opens against Frankfort. Twin Lakes follows against McCutcheon.

The second night of the girls tourney features four county teams, one of which will eventually play in its first Hoops Classic title game. Harrison plays Lafayette Jeff, while Central Catholic plays West Lafayette.

Four county teams also square off to open the boys tournament on Monday, Dec. 1. Harrison and Lafayette Jeff precede West Lafayette and McCutcheon, which are scheduled to open the regular season against each other five days earlier.

Twin Lakes plays Frankfort on Tuesday's first quarterfinal, followed by Benton Central against Central Catholic.

Carmel's offense too much for Jeff

By Ken Thompson • kthompson@journalandcourier.com • November 1, 2008

Third-ranked Carmel's offense features four potential Division I football players, led by Mr. Football contender Morgan Newton.

Lafayette Jeff has strong senior leadership and an emerging talent in sophomore quarterback Colin Bultinck. For a while, the Bronchos stayed step for step with the defending Class 5A state champions but Newton and the Greyhounds pulled away for a 44-21 victory in a Sectional 4 semifinal Friday night at Scheumann Stadium.

"Carmel, offensively, that's a special team," Jeff coach Andy Kennedy said. "When you have four or five (Division I) guys like that on one side of the ball, they're a pretty special group."

The Kentucky-bound Newton was dominating, rushing for two ouchdowns and throwing for another. He was 10 of 12 passing for 104 yards and gained 97 on 10 carries.

Kurt Freytag also rushed for two touchdowns to help Carmel (10-1) overcome an impressive first drive by Lafayette Jeff, which finished 6-5.

The Bronchos took a 7-0 lead when Bultinck guided a 13-play, 80-yard drive. He connected with Steven Edmundson on a 22-yard touchdown pass, fittingly on third-and-18, with 4:20 to go in the first quarter. Jeff was 4 of 4 on third down during the drive.

Carmel pulled within 7-6 just under three minutes later when Freytag broke free for a 24-yard touchdown run. But Jordan Babcock's extra-point try struck the left upright.

The Greyhounds took the lead for good just seconds after being pinned at their 3 by a Bultinck punt. Evan Bergman went 89 yards untouched with 7:06 to play in the second quarter.

Lafayette Jeff went scoreless on two other red zone opportunities in the first half, including a first-and-goal from the Carmel 5, and entered halftime trailing 20-7. That drive ended with Campbell's 22-yard field goal attempt blocked.

The Bronchos had a first-and-10 at the Carmel 12 with 12.7 seconds to play when Bultinck was intercepted by Joe Rippe in the end zone.

"We thought we had a holding call on the interception, which was the difference between going in halftime down 20-14 rather than 20-7," Kennedy said. "You've got that puncher's chance still and your kids are feeling good about themselves."

Butinck finished 23 of 47 for 320 yards and three touchdowns but regretted those missed opportunities.

"It would have been huge; the game would have been totally different," Bultinck said. "If you turn it over in the red zone, it kills you.

"They were by far the fastest defense we've seen all year. We knew coming in we could dissect them; they have holes and there were guys open. I just had to get them the ball and I didn't do that well tonight."

The Bronchos' receiving corps took two big hits. Mike Sewell left the game early with an apparent hamstring injury and Edmundson was lost late in the third quarter trying to tackle Newton near the Jeff sideline.

Edmundson's replacement, sophomore Deley Dupree, caught two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, including a 69-yarder that brought Lafayette Jeff within 37-21 with 5:21 to play.

"When Edmundson went down, we lost our speed on the outside," Bultinck said. "Deley came in and did a terrific job making catches I didn't even know he could make."

The two offenses battled to a statistical stalemate, with Carmel outgaining Jeff 394-387. The Bronchos recorded 22 first downs to the Greyhounds' 15 and were aided by 115 yards in penalties.

Raiders solve Bronchos' defense

When Harrison's volleyball team smelled blood, it went for the kill.
After battling Lafayette Jeff for the first two games, the Raiders cruised through the third game in a 25-15, 25-18, 25-11 Class 4A Sectional championship victory.

"Whenever we have a big run or a big lead, we all just get pumped up," said Harrison senior Jorden Traver, who had four aces, including three straight in the decisive game. "Once we get that momentum, we are just unstoppable."

It was the second straight sectional title for the Raiders and eighth in program history.
It didn't come without some setbacks, however.

Harrison defeated the Bronchos on Aug. 28, but saw a stingier Jeff defense during Saturday's encore. Jeff totaled 39 digs, led by Bre Calloway's 10.

"It does get kind of overwhelming because we were hitting the ball down, but they were playing great defense," Harrison's Haley Baker said. "They definitely improved since the last time we played them."
Harrison's Alexa Banker went through a rough stretch where she was called for going under the net and had two hitting errors in the second game. That stretch allowed the Bronchos to take a 9-7 lead.

But Banker redeemed herself with spikes on four straight points during a night where she led all attackers with 13 kills.

"That was a big difference maker that she kept her composure and bounced back and stared down the moment for herself," Raiders coach Lori Janssen said.

Jeff received sparks in spurts from sophomore Morgan Riley, who had 10 kills and a .600 hitting percentage.

Matching Harrison's Sami Vierk, Riley had four kills during the first 11 points of the second game. Vierk had 11 kills and Jacklyn Williams added 10 for the Raiders.

Though Riley has been playing out of position, Bronchos coach Gail Gripe said she saw a breakout performance during the sectional matches between the Raiders and McCutcheon in the morning semifinal.
"This was her best moment," Gripe said. "I hope she discovered a little bit of what we've been seeing all year long at the level which she can begin to play."

Harrison also had an underclassman step up in the sectionals, with freshman Molly Spitznagle compiling a .714 hitting percentage and adding three blocks.

Erika Ostrom had a match high 14 digs for Harrison, while Karli Williamson's 35 assists led all passers.
Harrison (18-15) advances to play Huntington North (23-12) in the second match of the Huntington North Regional on Saturday.

Tanner Braden ended his prep tennis career on a winning note.

After the Lafayette Jeff senior and his sophomore brother, Connor Braden, fell to eventual state champion doubles team Joe Hammond and Nick Laconi of Zionsville, they rebounded in the consolation match.
The Bronchos doubles team finished third in the IHSAA individual state tournament with a 6-4, 7-6 (2) victory over Terre Haute North's Michael Eberle and Richard Holcomb.
The Bradens finished the season 22-4 at No. 1 doubles for Jeff, with three of those losses coming to Zionsville's Laconi and Hammond.

Jeff doubles team reaches quarterfinals

Lafayette Jeff's No. 1 doubles team of Tanner Braden and Connor Braden are among the final four doubles teams in the state.

The duo defeated Jasper's Tanner Niehaus and Chris Campbell 6-1, 7-5 Friday to advance to the state semifinals at 10 a.m. today.

"We came out and we got fired up and we were real loose," Connor Braden said. "We were just having fun with it."

Leading 5-3 in the second set, the Bradens had a slight hiccup before putting away Wildcats.
The Bronchos duo (21-3) will face Zionsville juniors Joe Hammond and Nick Laconi (28-1) in the semifinals.

The Bradens have played Hammond and Laconi this season twice, which led to two of their three losses this season. However, confidence is high with the knowledge of Zionsville's type of game.

"We know their game pretty well," Connor Braden said. "They are really consistent. It's hard to get to them. You just have to go out and put away shots."

Harrison sophomore Evan Hawkins lost 6-3, 6-3 to undefeated Dalton Albertin of Lawrence Central in the singles quarterfinals. Hawkins finishes 16-4.

Jeff runs past Anderson

ANDERSON -- Lafayette Jeff coach Andy Kennedy decided to put Friday night's Class 5A sectional opener at Collier Field in the hands of his five senior offensive linemen.

They responded by paving the way for 339 rushing yards, and the Bronchos scored a decisive 42-14 football victory against the Anderson Indians.

Jeff has been better known for its passing attack in recent seasons, but the Bronchos attempted just eight passes against the Tribe. Instead, Kennedy chose to allow senior Desmond Lake to run wild behind that big and experience offensive line.

The cold weather and muddy footing helped make the strategy even more effective.
"Our running game has really been clicking," Kennedy said. "We felt like we could get an early lead, and then sit on the ball and run a little more time off the clock."

Four first-half Anderson turnovers helped the Bronchos take that early lead.
Quarterback Nolan Earley threw a pair of interceptions deep in Lafayette Jeff territory, and the Indians also lost two fumbles.

The Bronchos turned the first two miscues into touchdowns and took a commanding 28-0 lead into intermission.

"Any team in our sectional is going to beat you if you have that many turnovers and mental mistakes," Anderson coach Pete Gast said. "And tonight we definitely didn't have a very good second quarter."
Lafayette Jeff quarterback Colin Bultinck opened the scoring with a 65-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter, and the Bronchos added 22 more points in the second quarter.

Ryan Campbell scored on a 15-yard run to start the quarter. Bultinck and Lake each added 1-yard runs before Campbell capped the scoring with a 33-yard field goal.

Lake carried the ball 17 times for 137 yards, with the bulk of his workload coming before halftime.
"Desmond Lake is a special athlete," Kennedy said. "He had a span this season where he scored about 13 touchdowns in three games."

Jeff turned to freshman Justin Ulmer in the second half, and he added 106 yards on 13 carries.
Gast said he was expecting the Bronchos to run.

"With the conditions out there, it wasn't surprising," he said. "They have a lot of seniors on the line, and that (running) was probably a safer strategy."

Anderson found some success running the ball as well. Scooter Perine gained 122 yards on 19 bruising carries.

Lafayette Jeff scored on an 18-yard run by Bultinck and a 3-yard run by Ulmer in the third quarter to push its lead to 42-0.

Westfield humbles Jeff

By MATTHEW GLENESK • For the Journal & Courier • October 18, 2008

WESTFIELD -- Maybe Lafayette Jeff's players were looking past Westfield.

With sectional play beginning next week, it would only be natural to peek ahead. However, the previously winless Shamrocks made sure the Bronchos took notice, blowing out Lafayette Jeff 30-3 in Friday's regular season finale.

"I think we just got hit in the mouth," Lafayette Jeff coach Andy Kennedy said. "I tried to tell these kids that in our conference anything can happen on any given night and it did tonight."

Westfield (1-8, 1-8 Hoosier Crossroards Conference) resorted to trick plays to keep Jeff (5-4, 5-4) off balance in the first half.

From a 7-yard touchdown run by Cheaney Day on a fake field goal to a 53-yard completion on a perfectly executed hook-and-ladder play on a vital third down, the Shamrocks kept Lafayette Jeff guessing most of the night.

Lafayette Jeff's offense was dormant for much of the first half before a 46-yard dash down the sideline by senior Desmond Lake set up a late 39-yard field goal by Ryan Campbell to put the Bronchos on the board, down 17-3.

In the first half, the Bronchos had trouble curtailing the Shamrocks' ground game as Nick Crouse rushed for 114 yards and the Shamrocks offense netted a combined 243 total yards compared to the Bronchos' 118.

Lafayette Jeff tried some trickery of its own after recovering a Westfield fumble inside the Shamrocks' 10-yard line. However, the move backfired as Campbell's halfback pass intended for quarterback Colin Bultinck was intercepted at the goal line.

Westfield avoided its first winless regular season since 2004.

All the news wasn't bad for the Bronchos as Lake surpassed the 1,000-yard mark on the season with 85 yards on 11 carries.

After starting the season 4-0, the Bronchos have lost four of five. Heading into next week's sectional game at Anderson, Kennedy said he hopes Friday's humbling loss will resonate with his team this week.

"Hopefully our kids learned they have to come ready to play every game," Kennedy said. "Whether a team is 2-6, 0-8 or if a team is 9-0, they have to come ready to play."

Area trio earns state tennis berths

STAFF REPORTS • October 19, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS -- Tippecanoe County will have a representative each in the IHSAA boys state singles and doubles finals.

Harrison sophomore Evan Hawkins (21-4) defeated previously unbeaten Frankton senior Alex Poe 6-1, 0-6, 6-4 in the individual regional semifinals, then ousted Fort Wayne Canterbury senior Mitchell Stein 6-1, 6-3.

Lafayette Jeff's Tanner Braden, a senior, and Connor Braden, sophomore, scored a pair of victories to advance to the doubles state finals.

The Bradens (20-3) scored a morning victory over Frankton seniors Jon Gardner and John Whitcomb 6-1, 6-0 before clinching a state bid with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 win over DeKalb seniors Jonathan Haggarty and Nick Kelly.

The IHSAA state finals begin with quarterfinal play at 2 p.m. Friday at Park Tudor.

Red Devils, Bronchos pitch shutouts

By Jeff Washburn • jwashburn@journalandcourier.com • October 15, 2008

Neither reigning Harrison Sectional girls soccer champion West Lafayette nor Lafayette Jeff were at their offensive best Tuesday night.

But the favored Red Devils and Bronchos did not allow a goal and found enough offense to post quarterfinal victories.

Junior Mackenzie Staton scored three times and added an assist in West Lafayette's 5-0 victory against Frankfort (7-9-1).

Sophomore Kayla McCall scored 9:33 into the first half of Jeff's 1-0 victory against pesky Central Catholic (6-10-1).

"We had a little trouble coming out tonight," said Staton, who scored twice during a 21/2-minute span of the first half.

"We had a lot of really good shots, but we couldn't get them in. Once we started hitting and getting our combinations going, we got the good opportunities in."

West Lafayette played the final 76 minutes without standout goalie Jessica Gwin, who took a shot to the mouth in front of the Red Devils' goal.

"She got a tooth knocked loose, but she is a tough cookie," WL coach James Hunter said. "Hopefully, she will be all right. She went for some X-rays, but knowing her, she will be back."

Hunter altered his starting lineup as a reward to several of his reserves.

"We wanted to give all players a chance to start a game this year," Hunter said. "I was happy that during the first couple of minutes, some of the players who haven't started were able to put a goal in.

"After that, girls who are used to starting picked up the pace and continued that throughout the first half. In the second half, I was a little disappointed that we didn't score more goals."

Jeff's Brisa Reyes fed a perfect pass to McCall for the second game's only goal. Freshman keeper Allison Fohr made three difficult saves to protect the advantage.

"I was surprised when Brisa sent that ball through," McCall said. "It was a really nice ball. I got lucky. This game was definitely a lot tighter than I anticipated. I was hoping we could get more goals than that. But our defense played really good."

Broncho coach Rich Miotke is happy to escape.

"This time of the year, you may not play your best, but the main thing is the result," Miotke said. "CC played very well for most of the game.

"They played 60 minutes when they were beating us to most of the 50-50 balls. We've got to clean that up and play a little more solidly in the back against West Lafayette."

CC coach Angela Makinen praised her team's effort.

"We had three or four shots that almost went in," Makinen said. "The girls fought for it. I told them, 'This is a start.' We are a second-year team playing against a Jeff team that has been around forever.

"I couldn't be more proud of the way they played tonight. We played great defense for the last 70 minutes. I'm ready to get (Jeff) on our schedule."

Campbell lifts Jeff past Fishers

By Jeff Washburn • jwashburn@journalandcourier.com • October 11, 2008

When it became apparent this summer that sophomore Colin Bultinck would be Lafayette Jeff's starting quarterback, wide receiver/kicker Ryan Campbell was the first senior to extend his friendship to the left-hander.

Friday was Senior Night at Scheumann Stadium, and a grateful Bultinck wanted to make sure Campbell and his classmates experienced the thrill of victory in their final regular-season home game.

Protected by an all-senior offensive line, Bultinck completed 16 of 19 passes for 177 yards, including 3- and 31-yard touchdown tosses to Campbell, in the Bronchos' 27-23 Hoosier Crossroads Conference victory against Fishers.

Campbell ran 39 yards on a reverse with 1:31 remaining in the third quarter for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown.

Bultinck also threw a 32-yard TD pass to senior wide receiver Mike Sewell on a night when Fishers had the ball for 69 plays to Jeff's 45.

"Before the game, I told my dad that my goal was to get all the seniors a touchdown, no matter if it's passing or rushing," Bultinck said. "I'm glad I got (Campbell and Sewell) touchdowns. When I found out I had a chance to be the quarterback, Ryan took me under his wing.

"He always asked if I wanted to go throw, and he invited me over. He helped me become comfortable with the seniors. He and I have hooked up a lot this season because of that chemistry. I'm very grateful to him and to all the seniors for that. Ryan wasn't going to lose tonight."

Campbell was a busy man, starting at cornerback for the first time this season.

"This feeling is euphoric," Campbell said of a victory that snaps Jeff's three-game losing streak. "It doesn't seem real right now. I've never played in a game like that, not even in Lafayette 56ers. That's the best game I've ever played. It's the most fun I've had.

"It was fun to also play defense and help us win a game. On my last touchdown, before the snap, I didn't think it would go all the way, but right when I got the ball, their outside linebacker got pushed out, and I cut it back. I knew no one would catch me. We had to have this one. It's a morale booster."

Fishers (5-3) drove from its 20-yard line to the Jeff 15 with 28 seconds remaining, but Tigers quarterback Alex Hines' fourth-down pass fell incomplete in the end zone.

"Maybe the tide turns a little bit," Jeff coach Andy Kennedy said. "Something finally went our way. We needed a break like that. We had all kinds of opportunities, and they had all kinds of opportunities. It was just a heck of a football game.

"Colin really managed the game well. We kind of handicapped him a little tonight when we also played Campbell and Sewell at cornerback. We knew we would not be as explosive. The tradeoff was that the defense was shored up on the outside."

Hines completed only 11 of 28 passes for 102 yards.

But Kennedy said the obvious difference-maker was Campbell.

"What more can you say about that 142-pound kid?," Kennedy said. "He played slot receiver, he had a 39-yard touchdown run, he had two or three pass breakups, he returns punts and kicks for us. He is a heck of an athlete with a great attitude."

Jeff, Twin Lakes team up for cancer benefit

By Sam King • sking@journalandcourier.com • October 7, 2008

Tonight's Twin Lakes/Lafayette Jeff volleyball match at Crawley Gymnasium will be the first Jefferson High School Team up for the Cure event

Both teams, coaches and officials will wear pink for the freshman, junior varsity and varsity matchups. Lafayette Jeff's volleyball program is raising money and awareness for YWCA breast cancer education and prevention programs and to raise funds for breast exams to women in the area who can't afford it.

"Everyone is very excited," junior Kaitlyn Landis said. "We're trying to get people out to support a good cause."

The idea derived from Purdue's Dig for the Cure event and high schools from the Columbus, Ohio area that raised money through volleyball. When Jeff coach Gail Gripe contacted Twin Lakes about the idea, she received nothing but positive feedback.

"Mr. (Twin Lakes athletic director Kent) Adams was really gung-ho about it," Gripe said. "This is an opportunity for our girls to be aware of what's going on. And I think they need to be a part of community service."

Along with the players, the fans are encouraged to wear pink. A limited supply of pink T-shirts resembling the ones the players will wear will be for sale for $15.

Donors can fill out pledge cards, giving money per dig for Jeff, Twin Lakes or both, or just make a straight donation. Throughout the varsity match, each dig will be signaled with the hanging of a "D."

In the future, Gripe hopes to see the event develop into an eight-team event.

"Through volleyball, we're hoping we can help people," Gripe said.

The match begins at 6 p.m.

Jeff coach helps raise awareness of breast cancer

By Sam King • sking@journalandcourier.com • October 8, 2008

When Lafayette Jeff volleyball coach Gail Gripe came up with the idea to have Tuesday night's match against Twin Lakes be an all-pink affair to raise breast cancer awareness -- early during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month -- it was almost too late to set up anything else.

Gripe's vision was several teams competing in a day-long volleyball event.

That was before she realized how much work was involved -- the planning, ordering shirts for the officials, coaches and teams, getting clearance from the IHSAA to use pink balls.

Now with the idea out there, it would be great for volleyball fans in the area and the YWCA, which benefited from the money raised Tuesday, to see a large turnout with numerous volleyball teams.

The five teams in Tippecanoe County and maybe three other top teams from the area could compete at Jeff, which has the facilities to host such an event.

It would be a day where coaches could worry about things other than wins and losses.

In this case, everybody wins.

Jeff, Twin Lakes team up for cancer benefit

By Sam King • sking@journalandcourier.com • October 7, 2008

Tonight's Twin Lakes/Lafayette Jeff volleyball match at Crawley Gymnasium will be the first Jefferson High School Team up for the Cure event.

Both teams, coaches and officials will wear pink for the freshman, junior varsity and varsity matchups. Lafayette Jeff's volleyball program is raising money and awareness for YWCA breast cancer education and prevention programs and to raise funds for breast exams to women in the area who can't afford it.

"Everyone is very excited," junior Kaitlyn Landis said. "We're trying to get people out to support a good cause."

The idea derived from Purdue's Dig for the Cure event and high schools from the Columbus, Ohio area that raised money through volleyball. When Jeff coach Gail Gripe contacted Twin Lakes about the idea, she received nothing but positive feedback.

"Mr. (Twin Lakes athletic director Kent) Adams was really gung-ho about it," Gripe said. "This is an opportunity for our girls to be aware of what's going on. And I think they need to be a part of community service."

Along with the players, the fans are encouraged to wear pink. A limited supply of pink T-shirts resembling the ones the players will wear will be for sale for $15.

Donors can fill out pledge cards, giving money per dig for Jeff, Twin Lakes or both, or just make a straight donation. Throughout the varsity match, each dig will be signaled with the hanging of a "D."

In the future, Gripe hopes to see the event develop into an eight-team event.

"Through volleyball, we're hoping we can help people," Gripe said.

The match begins at 6 p.m.

Jeff piles up yards, penalties in defeat

By Nathan Baird • nbaird@journalandcourier.com • October 4, 2008

Lafayette Jeff celebrated Homecoming with a prolific night of offense at Scheumann Stadium on Friday.

But more costly penalties and Avon's lethal running attack contributed to the Bronchos' third straight loss.

Orioles sophomore Darren Oliver rushed for 204 yards and five touchdowns as Avon outscored Jeff 44-34 in a Hoosier Crossroads Conference victory.

"It's becoming a replay of last year," said Broncho senior Ryan Campbell, who scored 16 of Jeff's points. "We start off explosive, putting wins on the board. Then we come out and just shut down defensively.

"I'm not putting it all on the defense; we made a couple of offensive istakes that were critical. But we need to step it up defensively. We can't allow 44 points and win in this league."

Jeff sophomore quarterback Colin Bultinck rushed for 152 yards and a touchdown and threw for 263 yards and two more scores. That included a school-record 99-yard scoring pass to Mike Sewell in the fourth quarter.

Campbell collected 91 yards and a touchdown receiving and kicked field goals of 32 and 42 yards and four PATs. Homecoming king Desmond Lake rushed for 144 yards and a touchdown.

Avon (5-2) led 28-27 at halftime as the teams combined for 654 yards. It appeared the teams might repeat their 2006 performance, when the Bronchos won 58-52 in double overtime.

But Jeff (4-3) turned the ball over on downs twice and punted once on its first three second-half possessions as Avon pulled ahead 42-27 with 4:02 left.

"After the first quarter, seeing the scores rack up one after the other, I was just hoping to God our defense would step up and play like they should," said Avon senior defensive lineman Tyler Boyd, who recorded the Orioles' only sack among a handful of tackles for loss. "We ended up pulling it out in the end."

Avon rushed 41 times for 348 yards. Oliver scored on touchdown runs of 80 and 66 yards, as well as three 1-yard plunges, and is averaging nearly 10 yards per carry this season.

Jeff, hampered by penalties all season, committed six more for 62 yards in the first half. Three holding penalties killed the Bronchos' final drive of the first half, and a critical block in the back call negated a Bultinck 26-yard touchdown run that would have pulled Jeff within eight in the fourth quarter.

"We're making up for it in practice and getting better at it," Bultinck said. "We all know if we do penalties, you have a consequence from it. Honestly, the penalties will stop sooner or later, and once they do we'll start rolling."

Jeff took over at its own 2, trailing by 15 with 4:02 to play. After a false start moved the Bronchos back another yard, Bultinck lofted a pass down the east sideline. Sewell snagged it and raced 99 yards to the end zone.

Campbell kicked the PAT, but his onside kick attempt did not travel the required 10 yards, giving Avon possession at the Broncho 48. Jeff took over on downs at its own 12, but Bultinck was flagged for intentional grounding in the end zone two plays later, and the safety put Avon up 44-34.

Another onside kick attempt with 1:14 left failed, and the Orioles ran out the clock.

"This is our best offensive game of the year," Campbell said. "We put 34 points on the board -- that obviously should have gotten us something. We'll just come out next week and try to do the same thing."

Area golfers struggle at state

STAFF REPORTS • October 4, 2008

FRANKLIN -- Lafayette area participants struggled Friday during the opening round of the IHSAA's girls golf state finals at the par-72, 5,697-yard Legends of Indiana.

Lafayette Jeff got an area-best 8-over-par 80 from sophomore Regan Pittard but finished with 345, missing the 18-hole cut by 13 strokes and finishing 13th.

Leisha Beutler added an 84 for the Bronchos, Breanna Hatter had an 89, Melissa Kerfoot shot 92 and Claire Sunkel had 105.

Only the top nine teams, plus anyone tied for ninth or within 12 shots of the leaders, advance to this morning's final round.

Twin Lakes got an 83 from Katie Reiff but shot 360 to finish 17th in the 21-team field.

The Indians' Rachel Hickman fired a 91, Carly McLeland had 92, Grace Amsler shot 94 and Abby Dilling carded a 108.

Individually, Harrison's Michelle Boone shot 83, and Crawfordsville's Stormy Staton had a 91. Neither made the cut.

Richmond got a tourney-leading 6-under-par 66 from Trisha Witherby and is in first place through 18 holes with a 305.

Jeff golf takes second, advances to state

Lafayette Jeff fell one stroke short of winning a regional championship at Lafayette Municipal on Saturday, but advanced to the state meet for the first time since 2002.
Led by Regan Pittard's 78, the Bronchos totaled 337. Western won the meet with a 366.
Harrison's Michelle Boone carded a 76 to take medalist honors and earn her first state berth. The Raiders finished just four strokes out of the third and final state-qualifying spot.
Crawfordsville's Stormy Staton (77) also qualified for state

Turnovers, penalties add up to Jeff defeat

BROWNSBURG -- Lafayette Jeff head coach Andy Kennedy didn't need to wait to review the game film to pinpoint why the Bronchos lost 27-24 Friday night at Hoosier Crossroads Conference rival Brownsburg
"I think it comes down to what we've talked about all year: penalties, penalties, penalties and turnovers," Kennedy said. "And you can't recover from that when you play a good team."

Brownsburg had more yards on one play -- a fourth quarter 61-yard touchdown pass from Brad Hollen to Charles Torwudzo -- than Jeff amassed in the entire second half. Add in 11 penalties after halftime and the result was just a formality.

"We turned the ball over twice and we had a lot of penalties that were just drive-killers on offense," Kennedy said. "I just think that was the big point. We've worked on it all year and it came back to bite us again."

Through the midway point of the season, offense hadn't been a problem for Lafayette Jeff, ranked No. 10 in Class 5A. The Bronchos (4-2, 4-2) averaged more than 31 points a game heading into Friday night's matchup against the Bulldogs (3-3, 3-3).

But the Bronchos' offense was noticeably quiet in the second half as they failed to score and managed just 53 yards of total offense in the game's final two quarters

Torwudzo, a 6-foot-5 wide receiver, posed matchup problems for the Bronchos secondary, and his game-breaking ability proved the difference. Torwudzo caught four passes for 142 yards and two scores, including the 61-yard strike that gave the Bulldogs the lead for good with 10:53 remaining.

Things started out brightly for the Bronchos as Desmond Lake added touchdowns No. 13 and 14 to his season total, including a 36-yard burst on which he broke three tackles and showed impressive balance.
But the highlights were few and far between in a game Kennedy said he would be hard pressed to find positives.

"We just didn't look sharp," Kennedy said. "We're going to start playing some of the tougher teams in our conference and we're going to have to play much more disciplined football, and we've

Bronchos seek state golf berth

Lafayette Jeff senior golfer Breanna Hatter was in sixth grade when the Bronchos made their most recent state finals appearance, finishing fourth in 2002.

Today, 16th-ranked Jeff is a top three Lafayette Regional finish from returning to the IHSAA's 21-team, two-day championship.

The Bronchos won the Lafayette Sectional by 50 strokes and likely will battle Western and Cathedral for regional honors.

"It means a lot," said Hatter, Jeff's No. 2 player and the daughter of coach John Hatter. "When I was a freshman, we were the laughing stock. Now, we are one of the most threatening teams out here.
"I don't want our season to end. I will melt down if something bad happens in the regional. We've worked hard to get this far."

With four of their top six players set to return for 2009, Jeff has tremendous potential.
"I definitely will come back next year and watch a couple of the tournaments," Hatter said. "I want to see how well they will be doing.

"As we prepare for this regional, our key is to practice our putting. That's what it's going to be about. Our main thing is having our swagger. To go to state would be awesome."
John Hatter said that is an attainable goal.

"This is what we've wanted ... to be grouped with Western and Cathedral in the final group," John Hatter said.

"These kids have come a long way in a short time. Now, it's all going to come down to putting."
Harrison's Michelle Boone and Carroll's Megan Garrison expect to be in the hunt for individual medal honors.

Medalist, Jeff enjoy big wins

By Nathan Baird • nbaird@journalandcourier.com • September 21, 2008

This wasn't how Megan Garrison expected to defend her Lafayette Jeff Sectional title.

The Carroll senior opened the first two holes of Saturday's meet with strong drives. But shaking hands on the greens led to a pair of three-putts and two double-bogeys on her scorecard.

"I just told myself there's 16 holes left to go and anything can happen, and just play golf and not worry about anything else," Garrison said.

After calming herself down, Garrison went on to shoot an even-par 72 and repeat as the sectional medalist at Lafayette Municipal.

Garrison's attempt at a sectional repeat provided the day's only drama. Lafayette Jeff crushed the field by 50 strokes to repeat as team champion.

Harrison and Central Catholic posted solid back-nine performances to also qualify for next Saturday's Lafayette Jeff Regional, also at Municipal.

"Everybody was surprised; nobody thought we were going to play this well," Jeff's Claire Sunkel said. "We practiced hard this week; we didn't take it easy or anything. We had a lot of late practices."

Garrison shot an 80 at Municipal to win last year's sectional title. Through those first two holes, it appeared she might struggle to repeat that score.

But the senior righted herself and cruised into the turn with a 35. On the front nine, she reached eight greens in regulation.

"On No. 3, my drive was good, on the fairway," said Garrison, who had a chance to finish 1-under but bogeyed the 18th hole. "My second shot was on the green, and I just barely missed my putt right on the side of the hole, so I knew it was better. I just tried to calm myself down."

West Lafayette's Kathryn Sands (87) and Benton Central's Megan Souligne (90) also qualified for the regional as individuals.

Harrison's Michelle Boone finished second with a 77, followed by Jeff's Regan Pittard (78) and Sunkel (79). That duo helped the Bronchos obliterate their previous best 18-hole score this year and increase their state-best total of sectional championships to 24.

Leisha Beutler (81) and Breanna Hatter (82) also contributed for Jeff, which repeated as sectional champion for the first time since 2002-03. Earlier in the week, the Bronchos won the City/County Meet at Municipal by 39 strokes.

"It gave us a little bit more confidence coming in here, because we already did the course before with the pin placements pretty much the same," Pittard said.

Bronchos coach John Hatter told his team it needed to shoot under 340 to win Saturday. By far exceeding that goal, Jeff also proved it can compete with potential regional contenders like Western and Kokomo.

"Another score like this is what it's going to take," Sunkel said. "And it's going to be harder, because the course is going to be set up a lot tougher. It won't look like the same place."

Jeff rolls to golf sectional title

STAFF REPORTS • September 20, 2008

Lafayette Jeff repeated as team champion by a whopping 50 strokes, and Carroll's Megan Garrison repeated as individual medalist at the Lafayette Jeff Sectional at Lafayette Municipal on Saturday.

The Bronchos carded a 320 behind strong performances from Regan Pittard (78) and Claire Sunkel (79). Harrison (370) and Central Catholic (375) also qualified for next Saturday's regional, also held at Municipal.

Garrison's even-par performance included a 35 on the front nine. Harrison's Michelle Boone (77) was the runner-up.

Broncho miscues lead to first loss

By Jeff Washburn • jwashburn@journalandcourier.com • September 20, 2008

FISHERS -- A three-minute, 48-second nightmare ruined Lafayette Jeff's Friday night trip to Class 5A's fifth-ranked Hamilton Southeastern.

Four crucial Broncho mistakes -- three from freshmen or sophomores -- produced 24 stunning points in Hamilton Southeastern's 41-31 Hoosier Crossroads Conference victory in Reynolds Royals Stadium.

"Had we played like we did in the first half, we would have gotten this game," said Campbell, who caught seven passes for 152 yards and rushed five times for 28 yards. "We should have won this game.

"Mistakes have been hurting us all year. It's hard when you play so well in the first half and then come out and make stupid mistakes in the second half. We need to fix that."

Each team entered this crucial HCC battle with a 4-0 record. The score was tied at 17 with one minute remaining in the second quarter when Jeff's game-deciding nightmare began.

First, sophomore defensive back Daniel White allowed HSE wide receiver Tyler Sherrier to race past him for a 59-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Jordan Hoffman, who completed 16 of 20 passes for 250 yards and four TDs.

Then, Royals junior Kevin Cook fielded the second-half kickoff right at the goal and raced 100 yards for a TD.

Two plays later, Broncho sophomore quarterback Colin Bultinck's errant pitch to Desmond Lake was recovered at the Jeff 25-yard line, setting up a field goal that extended the HSE lead to 34-17.

On the ensuing kickoff, Jeff freshman Justin Ulmer fumbled a short kickoff. The Royals recovered, setting up Hoffman's 33-yard TD pass to Rob Rice.

In less than four minutes, HSE's 24-point blitz blew open what was an entertaining game.

"Mistakes killed us," Jeff senior linebacker Drew Koning said. "That's all there is to it. We can't make mistakes when we are going to play better teams like this."

Jeff coach Andy Kennedy, who was 13-0 in regular-season games as a head coach, liked his team's 376 yards of offense and 31 points, but he was disgusted by mistakes.

"We had about a five-minute stretch when it was like we couldn't get out of our own way," Kennedy said. "On the kickoff return to start the second half, we could say the guy was in the end zone and that it should have been a touchback, but that started the snowball of events.

"The thing our kids have to learn is that we have to handle adversity. Football is a game of inches and change. The bottom line is that we have to tackle the kid. We have to respond better."

Bronchos aiming to recapture past glory

By Jeff Washburn • jwashburn@journalandcourier.com • September 19, 2008

Only Martinsville (10), Indianapolis North Central (four) and Penn (four) have won more IHSAA girls golf state championships than Lafayette Jeff's three.

The Bronchos have a state-best four second-place finishes and have a state-leading 24 state finals appearances. But it has been 11 years since Jeff's most-recent first- or second-place effort.

The current collection of Bronchos is eager to create a resurgence, beginning Saturday in the Lafayette Sectional.

No. 1 player Regan Pittard is a sophomore. No. 3 player Leisha Beutler is a junior. And No. 5 and 6 players Melissa Kerfoot and Kate Burklow are freshmen.

At this point, the 16th-ranked Bronchos lack a standout individual, but they have six players capable of shooting in the 80s, which isn't a bad thing in high school girls golf.

"We depend on each other to bring in good scores," senior Claire Sunkel said of the reigning sectional champion Bronchos. "If our No. 1 is having a bad day, we can count on our fifth to pull through with a good score.

"Consistency is nice. I'm very excited. We have a really good chance of winning the sectional. If we play to our potential, we should win."

Pittard, who shot 83 to lead Jeff to the City/County Tournament championship, said the sum is greater than the individual parts.

"It's nice to have everybody so close in score," Pittard said. "We rely on each other's scores if we need help. Some people have better days than others. Then, it switches around."

During Tuesday's City/County final round, freshman Burklow shot better than senior Breanna Hatter and junior Beutler.

"We have teammates who are there for each either and who always try their best," Burklow said. "It's nice being a freshman and having teammates who will back you up. It's a good team. It's great to have depth. We definitely are improving, which speaks well for our future."

Coach John Hatter said the Bronchos are peaking at the perfect time.

"Our two freshmen had some of their better scores for the year in the City/County," Hatter said. "They felt some pressure, and I think they will be better for it."

Harrison junior Michelle Boone, who won the City/County by eight shots with a 3-over-par 75, is the clear-cut favorite to win sectional medal honors.

Jeff strikes early, often

By Jeff Washburn • jwashburn@journalandcourier.com • September 13, 2008

For a second consecutive week, the Lafayette Jeff football team's red and black Hit Stick has found a home in senior linebacker Drew Koning's locker.

On a soggy Friday during which the Bronchos and Noblesville combined for 827 yards, 45 first downs and 56 points, Koning's bone-crushing hit on the game's first play laid the foundation for Jeff's 35-21 victory at Scheumann Stadium.

Photo Provided by Journal and Courier

Millers sophomore Jake Bates completed a short pass to wide receiver Jake Fakes on the first play from scrimmage, but Koning's tackle forced a fumble, which the Bronchos recovered at the Noblesville 11-yard line.

Only 45 seconds later, Jeff senior Desmond Lake, who rushed 17 times for 189 yards, ran for the first of his four touchdowns.

Lake, who had 10 carries of 10 yards or more, has 14 touchdowns in the season's first 16 quarters.

Jeff (4-0, 4-0 Hoosier Crossroads Conference) rode Koning's defensive play to a 14-0 halftime lead. The Millers (1-3) never got closer than 14.

"If you lay a big hit on somebody, you get your number on (the Hit Stick)," said Koning, who had 11 tackles. "The guy who gets the biggest hit of the night gets to keep it until the next week.

"The first hit was big, because it set the tempo. I read the play and stuck him. I didn't know he fumbled it until after I looked up. It gave us a boost at the start of the game."

Jeff had a pair of two-play scoring drives and a pair of three-play TD drives but ruined its chance of a blowout with 16 penalties for 155 yards. Penalties accounted for six of Noblesville's 28 first downs.

"Our defense played really well," Koning said. "We just have to cut out the penalties. That's just all there is to it. We had a 30-yard penalty that ended up (creating) their first touchdown."

While Bates completed 26 of 43 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns, Jeff countered each Noblesville scoring drive with Lake making big yards behind the Bronchos senior-dominated line.

The Bronchos ran 46 plays for 443 yards, 9.6 yards per snap. Jeff ran for 297 yards and passed for 146.

"I love them," Lake said of his offensive linemen. "All five are beasts. We had those guys last year, and they've come back stronger this year. They are just a good blocking line.

"Noblesville's drives were long, and I was sitting there waiting to go in. Then, when we got back in, we scored quickly."

Jeff had scoring drives of 45 seconds, 34 seconds, 63 seconds and 37 seconds.

But coach Andy Kennedy said the Bronchos' first defensive play may have been the most important snap in a game of 124 plays.

"That play, defensively, set the tone," Kennedy said. "Had we taken care of business offensively and not had all the penalties ... that killed our opportunity to blow open the game.

"I don't know if I've been part of a game that has had that many penalties. It kills momentum on both sides. It was hard for our offense to get a rhythm. But our defense played a great first half."

Lake ran 10, 1, 16 and 31 yards for touchdowns. Quarterback Colin Bultinck scrambled out of the pocket and fired an 89-yard touchdown pass to junior Jake Matthews for Jeff's fifth score.

"The positive from this game is that after each time they scored, we scored," Kennedy said. "They would score, and we would score quickly. We just have to play more disciplined. We have to clean that up. That's been a problem all year.

"If you're scouting us, you've got to think we're going to shoot ourselves in the foot or blow up. But we are 4-0. We just didn't play as well as we would have liked."

Jeff golfers fifth in league meet

STAFF REPORTS • September 9, 2008

CICERO -- Leisha Beutler shot an 82 to lead Lafayette Jeff to a fifth-place finish at the Hoosier Crossroads Conference meet Monday at Bear Slide Golf Club.

Fourth-ranked Hamilton Southeastern (323) won the meet, and No. 2 Avon finished second. The Bronchos (349) were just six strokes behind third-place Noblesville, which is ranked 10th.

Michelle Boone's 78 led Harrison, which finished ninth. Bethany Hainje led McCutcheon with a 101.

Big plays lift Jeff past Mavs

By Jeff Washburn • jwashburn@journalandcourier.com • September 6, 2008

McCutcheon's young football team saw the blueprint of what it hopes to become Friday night at Ellison Stadium.

Lafayette Jeff has lots of speed, a talented, experienced offensive line, a knack for making big plays and the will to win when it trails or is tied during the final quarter.

Sophomore Colin Bultinck's 53-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Steve Edmundson with 9:22 remaining snapped a 20-20 tie. Senior running back Desmond Lake's 79-yard TD run with 5:16 to go carried the unbeaten Bronchos to a 34-20 victory.

"We are a very fast team," said Edmundson, who caught two passes for 91 yards. "We're undersized, but we are very fast and very competitive. It all works out for us.

"On my touchdown, I had to stop and act like it was a running play. Then, I just took off down the field. I guess I sold it pretty well. Then Lightning (Lake) iced it. I'm Thunder, and he is Lightning."

McCutcheon sophomore Clint Thayer completed 18 of 30 passes for 170 yards. Junior Brandan Miller rushed 19 times for 98 yards and a touchdown and sophomore wide receiver Gaven Schreckengast caught six passes for 57 yards.

But each time the Mavericks (0-3) made a run, the Bronchos (3-0) answered with a big play. The Bronchos had 15 plays of 10 yards or more, including 10 that went at least 15 yards.

Bultinck, whose 94-yard, fourth-quarter TD pass to Lake beat Harrison 37-30 last week, completed 10 of 20 passes at McCutcheon for 205 yards.

Lake, who has nine touchdowns in the past eight quarters, rushed 22 times for 192 yards and caught three passes for 29 yards.

"At the end, the middle was wide open," said Lake, who ran for four TDs. "Every time I ran through the middle, somebody would grab me from the side. I knew that if I ran fast, I could break one."

The Bronchos trailed Zionsville in the fourth quarter but rallied to win 22-14. They trailed Harrison 30-17 after one quarter and won 37-30.

This time, they were tied at McCutcheon with 9 1/2 minutes remaining before winning by 14.

"It's very important to play well in the fourth quarter," Lake said. "If we couldn't finish a game, we would have lost."

Jeff's Andy Kennedy, now 12-0 as a head coach in regular-season games, said the Bronchos' experience is evident.

"We get up, and then we get lethargic," Kennedy said. "After (McCutcheon) scored, we scored every time. We do have nine seniors on offense, and we're able to run the ball better than in years past. Desmond Lake looked blazing fast on that last touchdown.

"Colin missed a couple guys deep, and he knew it. But the thing I love about him is that he keeps saying, 'Run Fly again, and I will get him this time.' He is going to grow every game."

By Andrew Hancock/Journal & Courier -- Jefferson quarterback Colin Bultinck throws the ball at McCutcheon's Ellison Stadium in Lafayette on Friday, September 5, 2008.

McCutcheon coach Ken Frauhiger said the Mavericks played well but couldn't counter Jeff's strengths.

"There's no substitute for speed and no substitute for a senior offensive line," Frauhiger said. "When they want to line up and run the ball, they can. That's a huge positive in this league.

"We're tired of playing well. We're ready to go over the top. Our kids are still working. We don't have to worry about that. We're playing two freshmen lineman in this league. I'm proud of our kids."

Jeff rally stuns Harrison

By Nathan Baird • nbaird@journalandcourier.com • August 30, 2008

A Friday night that seemed it might last forever turned into one Desmond Lake will never forget.

The Lafayette Jeff senior running back scored five touchdowns, the last on a 94-yard fourth-quarter touchdown reception that lifted the Bronchos to a 37-30 victory over Harrison at Scheumann Stadium.

Lake rushed for 87 yards and three touchdowns and caught six passes for 143 yards and two more scores. The Bronchos (2-0, 2-0 Hoosier Crossroads Conference) rallied from a 30-17 first-quarter deficit.

"I thought it was amazing, a dream come true," Lake said. "I went out there and played my heart out, and we came out with the victory."

Colin Bultinck's 13-yard touchdown pass to Lake with 9:31 left tied the game 30-30. Harrison (1-1, 1-1) responded with a nearly seven-minute drive that seemed it might end with a go-ahead score.

The Raiders drove to the Broncho 7, but faced third-and-12 after a false start -- their 14th penalty of the game. T.K. Rock's 9-yard pass to Bowdie Linsenmeyer set up fourth-and-goal at the 3, but B.J. Bennett fumbled the fourth-down snap and Jeff took over at its own 6.

"We figured they were probably going to run the ball," Lafayette Jeff senior linebacker Drew Koning said. "That's exactly what they did, and we came up with a fumble. It felt good."

Harrison coach Jeromy Flowers defended the choice of not kicking a go-ahead 20-yard field goal. Rock was 4-for-4 on PATs in the first quarter.

"We wanted to go up, because our defense had been struggling," Flowers said. "We didn't know how long we'd be able to hold them out. It's the same thing we did last year at McCutcheon. We felt like we could punch it in and we had the right play dialed in, we just fumbled it."

On second-and-10, Lake got behind the Harrison defense, caught Bultinck's 30th pass attempt and raced untouched into the end zone. Ryan Campbell, knocked out of the game by a knee injury in the second quarter, added the potentially crucial extra point.

"The play before that, the guy was holding," Lake said. "He'd been holding the whole game, and I told the ref but he wasn't paying attention to me. Our coaches were yelling at him, so the next play, we ran the same play.

"I think he was scared to touch me because the refs were looking at him. I just took a step, he fell that way, and I just went straight and (Bultinck) threw me the ball."

Harrison, out of timeouts, netted 5 yards while going four-and-out on its final possession. Hindered by 127 penalty yards and four interceptions, the Raiders totaled only seven first downs in the final three quarters.

"We found a way to shoot ourselves in the foot every time," Flowers said. "We can complain about the calls, but we shot ourselves in the foot."

The teams combined for 47 points in an unreal first quarter. Linsenmeyer's 1-yard touchdown plunge gave Harrison a 14-10 lead. Two plays later, Raiders linebacker Chase Ritter returned an interception 37 yards for another touchdown.

Senior quarterback Brycen Hamilton entered for Jeff and led a 65-yard scoring drive, capped by Lake's 5-yard touchdown run. Coty Padilla's kick return set up Linsenmeyer's 27-yard touchdown run, making it 28-17 Harrison.

A punt snap over Bultinck and out of the end zone gave Harrison its final two points of the quarter. Lake's 2-yard run late in the second quarter pulled Jeff within 30-23 at halftime.

"I thought it was going to be like a basketball score: 100-100," Lake said.

Line play pivotal in Harrison-Lafayette Jeff rivalry

By Nathan Baird • nbaird@journalandcourier.com • August 28, 2008

Two seasons ago, Lafayette Jeff played with some of the best Class 5A football teams in the state. Harrison struggled to play with anyone.

The Bronchos' 58-0 home victory over Harrison epitomized that discrepancy. But the gap closed last season, and the Raiders opened Sectional 4 play with a 49-28 victory over Jeff.

Recent fortunes still fuel both sides of this rivalry, which resumes with its 27th meeting Friday at Scheumann Stadium.

"It definitely motivates me," Jeff senior lineman Doug Shaw said. "I don't want to lose to Harrison again, that's for sure."

Both offenses showed signs of life, and struggle, in season-opening victories.

A 78-yard touchdown pass from T.K. Rock to Corey Shandrick highlighted Harrison's 21-13 victory over Westfield. That play accounted for 27 percent of the team's offense, and the Raiders totaled nine first downs.

"We've just got to get more sound," Harrison senior lineman F.N. Lutz III said. "We've got to get the snap in, and we've got to stay on our blocks longer."

In his first varsity start, Jeff sophomore quarterback Colin Bultinck led first-half scoring drives of 73 and 77 yards. But the Bronchos managed two first downs on four second-half possessions.

"The O-line just needs to work more as a unit," Shaw said. "One person will mess up, and the whole play will be ruined. Moving the ball is going to be a key thing this week."

Westfield's 13 points were the least Harrison allowed to a regular-season Hoosier Crossroads Conference opponent since 2002. But the Raiders may play without defensive end Taylor Andrews, who recorded four sacks against Westfield, but suffered an eye injury in a weight room mishap earlier this week.

"We're going to need a lot of penetration on the D-line," Harrison senior linebacker Shane Brunson said. "The linebackers, I know we're going to need a lot of penetration on blitzes and we'll need to help in coverage. Our skills guys are going to need to get coverage, because they're a lot faster this week than (Westfield)."

Jeff's defense wavered in the second half against Zionsville, but Mike Huffer and Steven Edmundson responded with clutch interceptions. The Bronchos don't want a repeat of last year's sectional loss, where Harrison rushed for 385 yards.

"We have a little different defense this year, so hopefully that works to our advantage when stopping the run," Jeff senior defensive lineman Jordan Phillips said.

Harrison edges Lafayette Jeff, 2-1

By Jeff Washburn • jwashburn@journalandcourier.com • August 28, 2008

The value of athletic experience was reinforced once again Wednesday night at Lafayette Jeff's Scheumann Stadium.

Harrison's girls soccer team has six senior starters. Jeff has one to go with one freshman, four sophomores and four juniors.

Raider senior forward Kaitlyn Lewis scored her team's first goal, then assisted on freshman Abbie Newton's game-winner with 4:58 remaining in Harrison's 2-1 Hoosier Crossroads Conference victory.

"I'm really proud of both, because both were combined plays," Lewis said. "I couldn't have scored if not for (senior) Meagan Redding's corner kick.

"And I couldn't have created our second goal had the team not gotten the ball to me. It was a great goal. Abbie was right there. This really was a team effort and a team victory."

Lewis scored with 29:48 remaining in the first half on Scheumann Stadium's quick artificial surface.

Jeff pulled even with 22:18 left in the opening period when Sam Houston converted off an assist from Lily Munoz.

"You definitely have to be cleaner with your touches," Lewis said of playing on Jeff's fast surface. "Just one wrong touch and one wrong move can send the ball going the other way. It's hard to adjust to, but we adjusted right away.

"This game was important, because we have a big game (tonight) with West Lafayette, so we wanted to come out of this one strong and be all pumped for that game."

Harrison coach Arin Yarc Keen was thrilled with Lewis' leadership after senior midfielder Lindsey Lane was sidelined in the first half after being hit in the face. Lane did not return but is not seriously injured.

"(Lewis) worked hard all game to create," Yarc Keen said. "Both of our frontrunners were trying to create opportunities, and it finally came together. That (winning) goal was a combination of everyone coming together at the same time.

"It started with our first touch. Especially on this fast turf, we had to keep our first touch down. That started our connection of passes. It all happened from there ... good runs and connecting on passes."

While Harrison (2-1, 1-1 in the HCC) clearly is a more experienced team than Jeff (1-2, 0-2), Yarc Keen said her Raiders continue to be a work in progress.

"We're still learning a lot of our roles," Yarc Keen said. "We had a ton of players coming off the bench and stepping into big-time roles.

"Jeff is a good side. They are real young. They get to play on this fast turf all the time. It makes them a better team."

Broncho coach Rich Miotke said Wednesday's test is a perfect example of his team's inexperience.

"Right now, we're playing a solid 30-to-35 minutes," Miotke said. "We need to prepare ourselves mentally and physically to play a 70-to-80-minute game. Once we do that, we will be a very solid team, front to back.

"(Harrison) came at us right away and put us on our heels. We didn't play as physical in the first half as we did in the second. It was hard for us to turn the game around. There are no easy games. (Harrison) proved it to us."

Big plays rescue Jeff

By Nathan Baird • nbaird@journalandcourier.com • August 24, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS -- Physically, Lafayette Jeff senior Steven Edmondson spent the first half of Saturday's season opener against Zionsville on the Lucas Oil Stadium sideline.

Figuratively, Edmondson spent that half in the doghouse. Bronchos coach Andy Kennedy benched the two-year starting cornerback for disciplinary reasons.

After redeeming himself with the biggest play of his career in the fourth quarter, Edmondson needed another moment on the sideline.

"I had to go to the sideline and take a knee," Edmondson said, holding the red and black 'Hit Stick' bat awarded for making the team's biggest defensive hit. "I don't know how to explain it really. Your knees get weak and you're happy and you want to go sit down for a minute and just let it all come in."

Edmondson's emotional moment came after his 60-yard interception return for a touchdown capped Jeff's fourth-quarter rally against Zionsville in the Marsh Indiana Invitational. Another Edmondson interception 30 seconds later sealed the 22-14 Hoosier Crossroads Conference victory.

"That was when we knew we had it, and it just felt real good," said Broncho junior Jacob Matthews, whose 97-yard kickoff return touchdown gave Jeff a 15-14 lead with 7:19 left.

Colin Bultinck, in his first varsity start for Lafayette Jeff, completed 10 of 15 passes for 137 yards. He completed 9 of 10 for 120 yards in the first half as the Bronchos built a 9-0 lead.

Jeff dominated the first-half time of possession, 16:41 to 7:19.

"It was amazing," Bultinck said. "I've been waiting for this day ever since I moved here, basically. It's a relief to get my first game out, and it's great that it's in the new Lucas Oil Stadium. It's a great atmosphere and very, very loud. Sometimes I couldn't even hear myself."

Melvin Woodard's 11-yard touchdown pass to Gene Barrett with 48 seconds left capped a 15-play, 83-yard drive and cut Jeff's lead to 9-7 late in the third. Jeff tried to convert on a fourth-and-1 at its own 41 on the next drive, but the Eagles stopped Desmond Lake for a loss.

Five plays later, Woodard hit a wide open Brian LaFayette for a 20-yard touchdown that gave Zionsville a 14-9 lead.

"We planned on running outside; we wanted to run right behind Shane Wyant and Will Speakman," said Andy Kennedy, a former Broncho player who won his debut as Jeff head coach. "For some reason, we ran the ball up the middle.

"It's one of those plays where you're the hero or the goat as a coach, and I would still put it in Des' hands again."

Matthews stole the momentum back with his 97-yard burst on the ensuing kickoff. The Eagles responded by driving to the Broncho 19, but junior defensive back Mike Huffer stepped in front of a Zionsville receiver in the end zone and picked off the pass.

When Edmondson later grabbed his first interception and sprinted into the end zone with fist pumped, the Bronchos were again in command.

"I looked at the quarterback and he had his arm cocked," Edmondson said. "I stepped up and the ball happened to be there and I took it to the house."

Woodard completed 14 of 17 to open the game, but completed only two passes with three interceptions over his final 10 attempts. Barrett caught 11 passes for 115 yards, and Paul Gabor carried 19 times for 98 yards.

The Bronchos won their third straight season opener and fifth in the last six years. Playing in the Colts' impressive new venue magnified Saturday's victory.

"The kick return was huge, and the O-line stepped up and blocked great, and I don't think I got any sacks," Bultinck said. "Everyone played perfect; that's all I can say."

Jeff players eager to initiate new stadium

By Nathan Baird • nbaird@journalandcourier.com • August 22, 2008

Anticipation for Saturday's Marsh Indiana Invitational at Lucas Oil Stadium has been building in the Lafayette Jeff locker room for weeks.

The Bronchos may have a small advantage for the 4:30 p.m. game against Zionsville. Jeff played a dome game last season, losing to Avon 21-17 in Peyback Classic VIII.

Jeff practiced at the facility Thursday night, but the players were already talking about the necessary adjustments on Wednesday.

"Sometimes it's harder to hear things going on in the stadium, so you have to have different hand signals," senior linebacker Drew Koning said. "Last year when we went out there, you couldn't hear anything. It's almost like a bigger field, so you have to get used to it. It's a completely different atmosphere."

The eight teams participating in Saturday's event will play a game at the stadium before the Indianapolis Colts do. The significance is not lost on the Bronchos.

"I'll tell my kids about it, grandkids," senior running back Desmond Lake said. "It's special because it's their stadium, and they're major league. It's an honor to play there."

Jeff coach Andy Kennedy said senior wide receiver Mike Sewell is questionable for Saturday due to a sprained ankle. Sewell, who caught 27 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns last season, did not play in the Bronchos' scrimmage against Merrillville last Friday.

The Bronchos opened each of the past two seasons with victories over Zionsville. Jeff wants to start strong after losing its last four games of 2007.

"We expect them to run the ball a lot, and hopefully we can stop that," Koning said. "Hopefully our offense is working well, and we can come out and do our thing and win."

Bronchos shift Anderson game to Conseco

By Nathan Baird • nbaird@journalandcourier.com • August 9, 2008

The Lafayette Jeff boys basketball team's winter tour added another prestigious venue this week.

The Bronchos will play Anderson at Conseco Fieldhouse on Jan. 17 as part of a day of games organized by Compton Strategies. The same company is organizing the Marsh Indiana Invitational football event, in which Jeff will also participate.

Compton Strategies president Ray Compton said the basketball event will likely feature five games, with Jeff and Anderson scheduled for 8 p.m.

"Any time you get a chance to play down at Conseco Fieldhouse, it's such a neat opportunity for those kids," Jeff coach Scot Bunnell said. "It's a neat deal when you've got kids like we do, getting down to Indy and having a chance for people throughout the state and the media to see them."

None of the other teams are finalized, though Compton said another likely participant is Danville. Warriors center Travis Carroll committed to Purdue in June.

Compton said he had also spoken with Tipton, which is scheduled to play Twin Lakes on that date, about participating. He organized four similar events at Conseco and Hinkle Fieldhouse during the past three seasons.

"We're just tickled pink to have that as a headliner for us," Compton said of the Jeff-Anderson game. "It will probably be a little bit more of a state-type setting than we've done before."

Jeff is also scheduled to play North Central in the Circle City Classic at Southport on Dec. 13. The Bronchos will play Franklin Central and either Tipton or Bluffton in the Hall of Fame Classic at New Castle on Dec. 30.

Jeff will play Jeffersonville and either Marion or East Noble in the Marion Tournament on Jan. 2 and 3.

"The kids put themselves in a position the last two years by how they played and the level they played at to deserve something like this," Bunnell said. "Any time you have a chance to play those type of situations and in those environments, it can only prepare you for postseason play."

Ticket prices are not yet available. The game was originally scheduled as a home contest for Jeff, which won 71-59 last season at Anderson, a former North Central Conference rival.

"It's kind of bittersweet to have those two teams coming together to play," Jeff athletic director Mark Preston said. "There's not a lot of schools that are as rich in basketball tradition as Anderson and Lafayette Jeff."

Jeff VIP treatment includes Lucas Oil Stadium tour

By Nathan Baird • nbaird@journalandcourier.com • August 9, 2008

As part of Lafayette Jeff's involvement in the Marsh Indiana Invitational at Lucas Oil Stadium, area football fans can get a closer look at Indiana's newest sports landmark.

At a Scheumann Stadium press conference on Friday, event organizers announced the availability of VIP Experience tickets for the Aug. 23 game between Lafayette Jeff and Zionsville.

The $30 tickets include admission to the game, a walk-through of an NFL locker room and the field level and a visit to the New Media Center. VIP Experience tickets are available only at the Jeff athletic office, and the Broncho athletic program receives $6 for every VIP ticket sold.

"It's probably the second-nicest field I've seen; this one here is pretty cool," said event organizer Ray Compton, referring to the Scheumann complex. "... This is going to be an incredible event. We're very excited to have Lafayette Jeff."

The VIP Experience for the Jeff-Zionsville game will start at 3 p.m. on the day of the game. Those ticketholders will also have access to a catered Lucas Oil Club Seat lounge.

General admission tickets, $11 in advance, will be available both at the Jeff athletic office and at area Marsh supermarkets. Admission is $14 on game day.

Additionally, the youth football programs of all participating schools are selling $5 tickets to their players. The youth players can go onto the field and form a human tunnel for their high school team's entrance.

"It's a very exciting opportunity, not only for our high school team, but all the way down to the third-grade level," Jeff coach Andy Kennedy said.

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