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> MC top sports stories of 2006
Southsider2k12
post Jan 2 2007, 12:41 PM
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http://www.thenewsdispatch.com/articles/20...e_adam/col3.txt

QUOTE
Parkhouse's top sports stories of the year


The more time you spend doing something, the more months and years start to run together on you.

I'm coming up on six years as a sports writer here at the N-D, and it's already starting to happen for me, though the time I've put in pales in comparison to others.

But I have a feeling 2006 will wind up standing out in my mind when I look back on my career as a sports writer and the things I've covered.

This year had a couple of local state champs, some unexpected playoff runs, lots of wins and sectional titles.

Here are my six favorite stories of '06 from the area prep scene. Keep in mind that these are high school stories, so the Pop Warner team's run won't appear, though the Junior Pee Wees certainly caught my attention and everyone else's this season.

Anthony Novak wins golf state title - What a run it was this past summer for the Michigan City High School junior.

I went down to Franklin, Ind., expecting to see the Wolves contend for a team state title. As the first day progressed, it became evident that they might not even make the cut. They didn't, but Novak was still alive.

Actually, that's an understatement. He was more than alive. He was leading the whole darn thing. I remember saying to Novak after his staggering first-round 66, “If I have to stick around for another day, you better win state.”

Of course I was kidding - sort of. But Novak did just that. He shot even par on the second day, which stood up for the state crown.

Soon, Novak will get to do what many individual state champs never get to do: Defend his title.

Bob “Bear” Falls hired as City's Athletic Director - This story began back in 2004, when Jeff Freitag was removed as AD. That started a process where volleyball coach Vera Jones - followed by assistant principal Steve Wilson - served as AD on an interim basis.

All this after Falls should have been hired, but walked away over minor details that administration refused to iron out.

Eventually, the system came to its senses and gave Falls the job. The result has been the guy that everybody likes doing the job that nobody wanted, and doing it very well.

I was critical of MCAS for botching this hire initially, and rightfully so. But in the end, they got it right.

Marquette volleyball wins sixth state title - When you've won as much as the Blazers have, it's easy to get numb when talking about winning another state crown.

But this year was different. It was never automatic for coach Troy Campbell's club, which was young but extraordinarily talented.

Campbell never publicly expressed any doubt about this team's ability to win state, and I think that's why they eventually did it. The scary thing for the rest of the state is that this was the year the Blazers were vunerable.

Now, with freshman sensations Brianna Gannon and Ashley Edmond still in the fold through the 2009 season, three more consecutive crowns isn't out of the question.

Marquette soccer teams slay City in sectionals - First, it was Marquette's boys team coming up big to upset City in the LaPorte Sectional. About a week later, on the same field at Kesling Park, it was the Marquette girls team matching the feat.

But the way the girls did it was far from ordinary. I remember being at Kesling Park on that ridiculously cold night. The night when City led 2-0 with less than eight minutes left in the game. Then the future N-D Player of the Year, Abby Durkin, scored three consecutive goals to push the Blazers to the stunning victory.

The wins were naturally big because they were upsets, but more so because they came against City.

It may never happen again, but for one magical week, Marquette was the soccer capital of Michigan City.

LaPorte football reaches first-ever semi-state - First the Slicers beat Penn for their first-ever sectional trophy, then topped conference rival Crown Point for their first-ever regional title.

With a battering ram for a running back (Airrence Shark) and a prolific passing game, the Slicers had fans throughout the county rooting them on.

Eventually, the magical season came to an end in Carmel, as many teams' title hopes have in the past.

But the Slicers can certainly hold their heads high, knowing that they - along with New Prairie's Cougars - were part of the greatest high school football season in LaPorte County history.

LaPorte boys basketball wins unlikely sectional title - It was the sectional that someone had to win, and it just wound up being the Slicers.

Problem is, many - myself included - thought that LaPorte was the least likely team to emerge from the Michigan City Sectional with the hardware.

But coach Tom Wells, who for my money is the best coach in the Duneland Conference, guided this decidedly mediocre roster to a sectional championship despite enduring an eight-game losing streak during the regular season.

And you know what? The Slicers are putting themselves in a position to do it again. Come March, fans in the Maple City may have even more hardware to add to an expansive trophy case.

It's just one of many storylines we'll be following over the next 12 months here at the N-D.

What will the top stories of 2007 be? Hopefully this year stands out as much as the one we're about to put to bed.

Happy New Year, everyone.

Have an idea for Home Cookin' or Parky's People? Contact Sports Editor Adam Parkhouse at aparkhouse@thenewsdispatch.com or 874-7211, Ext. 461.



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