Center Grove Winter Sports Teams Are Firing on All Cylinders
Writer / Kevin Conrad
Photography Provided
Boys Basketball Wins Record 24th County Title
Center Grove High School (CGHS) boys basketball held off a gritty Whiteland team in the 65th Johnson County boys basketball
tournament championship game at Center Grove. The Trojans outscored their county rivals 21-2 in the final quarter to secure a record 24th county championship, beating the Warriors 68-43. Seniors Joey Schmitz, Jalen Bundy and Peyton Byrd led CGHS in scoring with 21, 16 and 11 points, respectively. CGHS Head Coach Zach Hahn ties former Trojan Head Coach Cliff Hawkins for the most county titles with six.
Schmitz Sets Three-Point School Record
Center Grove senior boys basketball guard Joey Schmitz made nine three-pointers in the Trojans’ 73-66 home win over Jennings County. The Indiana All-Star candidate netted a career-high 39 points in the victory.
Girls Basketball Takes Down Top-Ranked Teams and Wins Second Annual Carol Tumey Holiday Tournament
Center Grove girls basketball played two of its best games of the season against state-ranked Lawrence North and Jennings County. The Trojans dismantled the Wildcats 65-48 and held off the Panthers 64-57. Junior Lilly Bischoff had 18 points versus Lawrence and 17 points against Jennings to lead the team in scoring. Senior Audrey Annee had 14 points in each game and senior Rachel Wirts contributed 12 and 17 points respectively in each contest. CGHS won the second annual Carol Tumey Holiday Tournament for a second year in a row, beating Jeffersonville 72-24 in the semifinals and Brownsburg 62-45 in the finals. Junior Ava Grant tallied 18 points against the Red Devils and Annee had 19 points versus the Bulldogs. Wirts, Bischoff and Grant were 
named to the All-Tournament team.
Wrestlers Win County Championship and Top Carmel
The Center Grove wrestling team captured the Johnson County Tournament title with wins over Whiteland (81-0), Indian Creek (67-6), Greenwood (83-0) and Franklin (59-12). Senior Noah Clouser was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. Clouser, Reese Courtney and Charlie LaRocca were all four-time county champs for CGHS. The nationally and state-ranked Trojans won at Carmel 57-10 to remain undefeated in dual meets. CGHS placed second in the Al Smith Invitational and third in the Team State Invitational, two of the most prestigious tournaments in the state.
Brown Brings Home a State Medal in Girls Wrestling
Center Grove sophomore Aaliyah Brown placed fourth in the girls wrestling state finals in the 100-pound weight class. Brown advanced to the finals following first-place finishes in the semi-state and regional rounds. Brown was also named wrestler of the meet two times during the regular season.
Swimming and Diving Capture County Greatness
Center Grove boys and girls swimming and diving won the Johnson County tournament at the CGHS natatorium. Senior Lara Phipps and sophomore Henry Lyness were named girls and boys Swimmers of the Meet. Phipps set the county record in the 200 freestyle and was a part of the relay team consisting of Addyson Matern, Clara Brandon and Izzy Ferguson to set the county record for the 400 freestyle relay. Phipps has also set long-standing school records in the 200 free, 50 free and 100 fly. The Trojans hosted a holiday invitational, and the girls took top honors while the boys placed second.
