Congratulations to Josh Kendrick '97 and his Brownsburg High School boys' basketball team. The Bulldogs won the Indiana High School Athletic Association's Class 4A state championship Saturday at Conseco Fieldhouse on one of the wildest final plays you will ever see.

Don't believe me? Watch it by clicking here!

Kendrick and Bulldogs certainly had all the fan support Browsburg could muster. The Wabash baseball team stopped for dinner in Brownsburg on its way to Ohio Wesleyan last weekend. Everywhere we went there were signs, banners, and people wearing buttons wishing Brownsburg the best of luck in the state finals.

Josh is no stranger to fantastic finishes in important basketball games. I remember working the radio broadcast of the 1997 Indiana Collegiate Athletic Conference championship game between Wabash and Rose-Hulman. Wabash got a running one-handed jumper from Chad Tabor with three seconds left in the game for a 63-62 win, giving Kendrick, Tabor, and the rest of the team the conference championship and an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III basketball tournament.

Kendrick's path the IHSAA state title wasn't easy. His Bulldogs knocked off the top-ranked team in Class 4A --- undefeated New Albany at 26-0 headed into the semistate --- by a score of 51-41 to earn a shot at Marion in the finals. The last play of the game was supposed to be a pass to Julian Mavunga on the right side of the basket. When Marion's Jay Edwards intercepted the pass, Mavunga tipped it away and right to teammate Gordon Hayward. The senior drilled an off-balance shot just ahead of the buzzer to give Brownsburg the 40-39 victory and start Kendrick and the team's celebration. Earlier tournament wins included a 62-58 contest against North Central and a 63-59 victory over Carmel. Those victories over some of the best teams in the state of Indiana earned Kendrick the Indianapolis Star's Coach of the Year Award.

William Hobbs '97, Kendrick's roommate at Wabash, fondly spoke of Kendrick and his knowledge of the game even before entering the high school coaching ranks.

"If there is such a thing as a walk-on to a Division III basketball program, Joshua Kendrick fit the bill when he arrived to campus in 1993," Hobbs said. "He prepped at 400-student Blue River Valley High School, a perennial mushroom in the shadow of powerhouse New Castle. We met at the General Lew Wallace Motor Inn, where we were residents for more than a semester (due to an housing problem on campus).

"Kendrick was sure Petty would cut him before the season, and he nearly quit a couple of times. But he persevered. Though not the most talented player, he was smart --- a coach's player. He worked relentlessly to perfect his jump shot, which he unleashed in the Little Giants' NCAA run."

Joshua Kendrick --- Some Little Giant and quite a Bulldog!

Photo - Josh Kendrick cut down the nets after winning a conference championship as a player at Wabash. Now he's cut down the nets as a successful high school head coach after winning the state title last Saturday.

Posted by Brent Harris at 01:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ordinarily I would be posting a blog from Arizona, California, or Texas right about now. I normally travel with one of our sports teams on their spring break trip. It's a great experience. I get to know the players a little better, which helps me (hopefully) tell more of their great stories. This year one of those great stories came from Wabash alum Bob Bittel '57.

This year the strange leap year calendar had the Little Giant spring teams traveling while the Wabash basketball team was competing in the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament. I had already talked to Wabash coaches Cory Stevens, Jason Hutchison, and Mac Petty about my travel plans. Everything was in place to get the results from each sport as quickly as possible so we could share them with everyone on the web site. 

Part of that information heads out in an email to alums and friends of the College who have requested an email copy of the stories as soon as they are posted to the site. Bob is one of many alums with whom I've developed on-going online conversations regarding the success of the Little Giant teams. Bob has sent emails during radio broadcasts letting me know he's listening and cheering along with the Little Giant fans in the stadium while he listens to the game in his home in Yorba Linda, California. 

When Bob received the tennis results from California during the first part of the spring break week, he sent me an email asking about their schedule. Thursday's tennis match at Whittier was close enough for him to make a trip to watch the Little Giants in person and meet some of the players he had read about all season long. 

Here's a note Bob sent me last night after going to see Wabash fall 6-3 to Whittier:

Brent,

I was able to make it to Whittier College to see the Wabash tennis team play and it was just great! Meeting Coach Hutchison and the team members reinforced my respect for Wabash, its sports program and its student athletes. Had some great conversations with the Coach and players. The matches here were their first outdoors and a couple of them were sunburned. One of the guys was celebrating his birthday today. They were looking forward to seeing the L.A. Kings hockey game tonight from a luxury box, no less. Thanks for sending out the notification of their playing here during Spring Break!
GO WABASH!

Bob

I've seen this same thing happen again and again as Wabash teams travel to different parts of the country. I'm so happy one of the College's number one fans got a chance to spend some time with the players during their trip to California. Thanks, Bob, for your never-ending support of Wabash.

If you would like to be included on the same email list Bob and many others have joined to receive updates regarding Wabash athletics, drop me an email at harrisb@wabash.edu. Let me know what sports you are interested in and we'll add you to the list.

Posted by Brent Harris at 08:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Between Dayton, Ohio and Richmond, Indiana ---

It's Sunday morning and a tired group of Wabash basketball players are all sleeping on the bus as we head back to Indiana. When we arrive early in the afternoon they will all disperse to begin their spring break plans. Some are traveling to vacation spots. Others are headed home to relax. All have earned a break.

That includes the three seniors --- Earl Rooks, Gary Simkus, and Andrew Zimmer. That trio have provided great leadership on and off the court all season long. No small portion of credit in Friday night's huge win over 11th-ranked Wooster goes to those three for the way they've brought what is essentially a young Wabash basketball team together down the home stretch of the hoops season. This team has come together like no other in the past few years. Wabash basketball will be in good hands over the next few seasons with Brian Maloney, Aaron Brock, Wes Smith, and others. But make no mistake... we will certainly miss Earl, Gary, and Zim.

But now we move forward to spring sports. All week long we'll keep you updated with the efforts of the Wabash baseball and tennis teams as they travel and compete in Texas, Tennessee, and California. The golf team will wait for its coach to join the trip to Arizona --- Mac Petty left Saturday night after the loss to Ohio Wesleyan to head out West to take over his other duties as head golf coach (no break for Mac!). The Little Giants track team will take a break (except for our three national qualifiers) and prepare for the outdoor season. Swimmer Adam Petro will be the last winter sports athlete competing. Adam will participate at the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships March 20-22 at Miami University (OH). 

So take a break with me until later tonight. Then let's find out if the Little Giants picked up two wins in baseball at the University of Dallas.

Posted by Brent Harris at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)