Baseball Rallies in Semifinals to Claim County Tournament Championship
Center Grove High School (CGHS) baseball once again asserted its dominance over local rivals by clinching its fifth consecutive Johnson County championship. The talented Trojans, the state’s top-ranked team, overwhelmed Edinburgh in the tournament’s opening round 22-0, and delivered an impressive performance in the finals, decisively beating Greenwood Christian Academy by the same score.
The semifinal game against Franklin presented a different challenge for the Trojans. They found themselves trailing 4-1 after three and a half innings. However, CGHS rallied in the sixth inning to tie the game at five. The Grizzly Cubs managed to push ahead with a run in the top of the seventh, taking a 6-5 lead, and were just three outs away from an upset win. Yet the resilient Trojans had other plans, saving their best for last.
In the final stanza, junior Gannon Grant started with a walk. Senior Carson Bush sacrifice-bunted Grant to second base. Senior Cal Schembra hit a single to right field with one out, scoring Grant and tying the game at six. The left fielder misplayed the hit, allowing Schembra to advance to third base. Senior Cayden Jones, known for his clutch performances, including a game-winning three-pointer for the CGHS boys basketball team this past season, stepped up to the plate. The left-handed designated hitter launched a high fastball over the right field fence, giving the Trojans their first lead and securing an 8-6 victory.
CGHS demonstrated great resolve in achieving this impressive come-from-behind victory.
“It means a lot for us seniors to win county, and it felt good to do it in our final season,” said Jones. “That game against Franklin shows how resilient our team is, being down the whole game and rallying together to come back and win. It feels good knowing you have a group of guys who all bought into one goal and work hard for it every day. The home run was fun. I was given the opportunity to hit at that point in the game and wanted to do whatever I could to help our team get the win.”
“Our lineup is full of guys who can step up and deliver for us,” said Bush. “Baseball is a tough game, but we believe we can compete in any situation, and each of us is ready to do their part to help this team win. Winning the county tournament is always a goal, and now we are on to chasing the other goals we have for this season.”
The Trojans will continue to work hard to achieve their ultimate goal of winning the Class 4A state title in late June at Victory Field.
Boys Volleyball Achieves Historic Milestone for the School
The CGHS boys volleyball team played its first-ever match as an IHSAA-sanctioned sport on April 1 at home, winning against Southport by a score of 3-1. Previously, boys volleyball had been a club sport. The Trojans began their historic season with six wins and one tie before experiencing their first defeat, losing to Franklin in the inaugural Johnson County Tournament.
“We are all so excited that boys volleyball is now an IHSAA-sanctioned sport,” said CGHS Boys Volleyball Head Coach Andrea Pawlik. “This is something that countless people have worked on for a very long time, and it is an honor to be able to coach for Center Grove High School in this sport’s first year as a sanctioned sport. The administration and athletic department have been absolutely wonderful in making this season run smoothly. The team this year looks quite different than last year, when we finished in the top eight in the state. But with the newer staff improving every day and some returning veterans, plus passionate coaches who give their all, we have a very special program of hard-working kids that have big goals this season. Our eyes are on postseason and doing the things it takes to be successful along the way for sectionals and beyond.”
In mid-May, CGHS will be one of 16 schools hosting a sectional in the opening round of the first IHSAA boys volleyball state tournament. Additionally, CGHS will be one of four schools hosting a regional on May 24.
