This 2014-15 winter’s sports season was a mixed bag for postseason competition.
While basketball typically reigns supreme in Indiana, individual sports were the ones that made waves in the area this year on the big stages.
Everyone likes the gleaming positives, so let’s start with those.
First on the calendar, in wrestling, Seymour saw Garret Johnson, Tristan Sitterding and John Shuffitt advance to the regional tournament.
After an up-and-down season, the Owls found individual successes and shocked some critics by making it past the sectional.
Who said Owls can’t swim?
The Seymour swimming and diving team had a tremendous finish to their season.
On top of having almost every swimmer finishing with lifetime or season-bests at one of the toughest sectionals in the state, Jon Montgomery represented the Owls in the 50 freestyle at the Indiana University Natatorium at IUPUI for the state finals, and the 200 freestyle relay team of Allison Hayes, Sarah Montgomery, Mackenzie Persinger and Katie Turner also competed.
During the season, coach Dave Boggs picked up his 500th win — an incredible milestone.
Unfortunately, basketball didn’t see the same outcomes as individual sports.
Every single girls basketball team in Jackson County got bounced in their first game of sectional.
Between difficult draws for Seymour and Brownstown Central, postseason inexperience for Crothersville and Trinity Lutheran and an injury-plagued season for Medora, the postseason was short-lived.
Very short-lived, and from what I’ve gathered, something that doesn’t typically happen in this county.
All but one boys basketball team lost in their first game of sectional as well.
Brownstown Central couldn’t have faced a much tougher opponent than Silver Creek in the opening round.
After a 17-3 regular season, it’s tough to go down that quick — but you have to beat the best to be the best.
Seymour also got a tough draw, as it matched up with powerhouse New Albany.
Despite their loss, the Owls had to be proud with their final record of 8-14 — they finished with more wins than the past two seasons combined and matched their total from the 2010-11 season.
Medora and Crothersville saw their seasons cut short in their first games at Orleans’ sectional.
Trinity’s boys got the furthest of any basketball team, boys or girls, making it to the finals against Orleans this past Saturday.
In a packed gym, against the No. 2-ranked team in Class A, the Cougars needed to put on their best performance of the season to come away with a win against Orleans.
However, that wasn’t the case, and the Bulldogs held home court and got revenge from last year’s loss in the finals to the Cougars.
Tough to swallow after a 17-4 regular season with a slew of seniors.
On Friday, Alyssa Goen will represent the Owls in the regional gymnastics meet at Columbus East — the last winter sport athlete standing.
With awards banquets in the coming days and weeks, there’s much to celebrate from winter. Despite some disappointing finishes, there was much success in the prior months.
Now begins the rebuilding phase for next winter.
With tough finishes for most, expect next year to be one to remember.
Jordan Morey is sports editor of The Tribune. Send comments to [email protected].