Writer / Kevin Conrad
Photography Provided by Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Rams, Beth Krejsa, and Ceciley Hyde
Girls Basketball Takes Down Defending State Champ in Regional Championship Game
Center Grove High School (CGHS) girls basketball won its sixth regional title by defeating Bedford North Lawrence (BNL) 48-27 on the home court of the defending state champs. The Trojans outscored BNL 33-18 in the second half to secure the victory. Junior Lilly Bischoff led the CGHS team with 18 points, senior Rachel Wirts scored 12, and junior Ava Grant added 10. The Trojans advanced to the regional after winning the sectional championship at Mooresville, where they won their 23rd sectional title by defeating Bloomington South, Greenwood and Mooresville.
Bischoff Sets School Record
Center Grove junior guard Lilly Bischoff broke the school record for the most assists in a season, surpassing the previous record of 137 set during the 2000-2001 season. She achieved this feat by providing a season-high 11 assists in a 77-32 home win over Heritage Christian. After the Trojans’ victory versus BNL, Bischoff’s season tally of assists stood at 158.
Yesteryear’s Boys Basketball Stars Celebrated
CGHS honored its former boys basketball players, coaches, staff, cheerleaders and student managers during halftime of the All Decades Game against Floyd Central in the historic West Gym. These individuals represented the past nine decades of CGHS boys basketball, dating back to the 1940s. CGHS defeated Floyd Central 79-45, and was led by senior players Joey Schmitz with 23 points, Will Spellman with 17, Ben Chestnut with 11, and Dylan Meador with 10.
Girls Swimming and Diving Finish Seventh in State Finals
CGHS girls swimming and diving had another great season, winning the sectional and county titles and placing seventh in the state finals. It was the Trojans’ 29th sectional and third in a row. Here are CGHS’s top performers in the state finals who also earned all-state honors:
50 freestyle – Lara Phipps, fifth place
100 freestyle – Lara Phipps, second place
200 freestyle relay – Lexi Stuart, Addyson Matern, Tenley Wilkins, Lara Phipps, Isabella Ferguson, Clara Brandon, Karlie Dodd, Kayla Fischer, second place
100 breaststroke – Karlie Dodd, sixth place
400 freestyle relay – Lexi Stuart, Clara Brandon, Addyson Matern, Lara Phipps, Kayla Fischer, Isabella Ferguson, Cira Mazdai, seventh place
Wrestlers Take Sectional by Storm
Number-three state-ranked CGHS wrestling won the sectional title at Mooresville and set the sectional record for the most team points, with 324.5. CGHS has won 19 sectional championships and four under Head Coach Maurice Swain. All 14 of CGHS’s wrestlers advanced to the regional and 12 of them were individual sectional champs. In the regional and semi-state, the Trojans placed second behind number-two state-ranked Brownsburg, and had five regional champs, four semi-state champs and 10 state qualifiers.
Trayce Jackson-Davis and Russ Yeast Rising Young Stars in the NBA and NFL
CGHS alums Trayce Jackson-Davis (TJD) of the Golden State Warriors and Russ Yeast of the Los Angeles Rams are budding talents in the NBA and NFL. TJD became the first CGHS alum to be drafted into the NBA, taken in the second round with the 57th pick of the 2023 draft. Yeast was the first CGHS graduate to be drafted into the NFL, selected 253rd in the seventh round of the 2022 draft.
TJD, CGHS’s only Mr. Basketball and McDonald’s All-American, is in his rookie season with the Warriors, and is averaging more than six points per game and four rebounds a game. He returned to the Hoosier state for the first time for a game against the Indiana Pacers on February 8. TJD was welcomed by the hometown fans with a standing ovation and chants of “T-J-D” throughout Gainbridge Fieldhouse. He had six points, two rebounds and a blocked shot in four minutes of action, in a 131-109 win against the Pacers.
Yeast, Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year his senior year at CGHS, just completed his second year with the Rams. He played in the NFC Wild Card game this season, becoming the first Trojan to play in an NFL postseason game. He had five tackles from his safety position in a 24-23 playoff road loss to the Detroit Lions. In the regular season finale, Yeast led the Rams in tackles with seven in a 21-20 win at San Francisco. He was awarded the game ball from his head coach for his excellent defensive play. Yeast has played in 32 games and has amassed 81 tackles, 53 solo tackles and 28 assisted tackles.
