2010 top 5 local sports (team) news
By Andrew Ferrell
5. Whitko wrestling competes in regionals for the 2nd straight year.
After many years of Columbia City dominance, Whitko took a back seat. The times have changed in recent years as Whitko is looking to make their third regional appearance.
4. Churubusco football ends season in semi-state.
This is the second season in four that the Eagles have made it to the semi-state round. For those non-tournament followers, this means they are among the top 4 teams in their respective class and top 20 in the entire state...huge accomplishment.
3. Columbia City's girls XC team makes 2nd straight state appearance.
For the last three years, the CC girls' cross country have jumped into the upper echelon of top competition. Last season, the girls finished 16th at the state finals, led by a strong junior class (at the time). This season, that same junior class from a season ago pushed the Eagles into a 13th place finish at State. And the hope for more CC XC greatness is right around the corner with the strength of the freshman class.
2. Wayne Kreiger resigns after 33 years of coaching girls' basketball at Columbia City.
During his 33-year reign as head coach at Columbia City, Kreiger donned a 520-222 record, a .701 winning percentage. He gathered 16 sectional titles, 8 regional titles, 1 semi-state championship, and a state finals runner-up in 2000.
Kreiger was inducted into the Indiana Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006, where he was the third most winningest coach in Indiana's women's high school basketball; Kreiger is currently the fifth most winningest coach.
Kreiger also added assistant coach for the Indiana All-Star Team and coach for the Jr. All Star Team to his list of accomplishments, as well as the Claude Wolf Coach of the Year Award in 2005 from Manchester College.
1. All three county schools win their football conferences.
This wouldn't be such a big deal if it was something to happen frequently, but because of the fact that Whitley County hasn't seen anything like this in its history, it becomes a big deal. The last time the county came remotely close to something of this caliber was in 1990, when Whitko and Columbia City both won their conferences.
For Columbia City, this was a turnaround season, ending the year at 10-2 is much different from a year ago when they were 4-8. This was the first winning season since the 2003 season when the team went 7-5. And that 1990 year...the last time Columbia City owned a part of the conference title.
For Whitko, much of the same story as Columbia City, ending the season at 8-2 after last season's performance of 3-7. Although the Wildcats ended in a heart breaker in sectional play; again, another turnaround season.
For Churubusco, it means the same old thing...winning is habit. This conference championship gives 'Busco back-to-back conference titles. Enough said.
So think again when you rank them yourself, never before have we had a year like this in football.
Congrats to all teams and good luck in the upcoming year!
