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85th Porter County
Conference (PCC)
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85th Porter County
Conference (PCC)
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85th Porter County Conference (PCC) Boys
Championship
at Boone Grove and Valparaiso High
School - All Saturday games on WIMS (1470)
AM
1-16 (W) LaCrosse (7-2) vs. BOONE GROVE
(5-5)
1-16 (W) Washington Township (1-9) vs.
Morgan Township (9-2)
1-17 (Th) HANOVER CENTRAL (5-6) vs. Hebron
(4-7) 5:30 p.m.
1-17 (Th) Kouts (8-4) vs. South Central
(5-5)
1-19 (Sat) semifinals - 11 a.m.**
1-19 (Sat) semifinals - 1 p.m.**
1-19 (Sat) Girls PCC championship - 5:30
p.m.**
1-19 (Sat) Boys PCC championship - 8 p.m.**
**Saturday's games will be at Valparaiso High
School in honor of the league's 50th
anniversary.
The PCC's 50 Greatest Players will be
honored between games.
Kouts (8-4, 4-0)
KOUTS - Kouts has won their last four games, but they draw a late Thursday quarterfinal, which means they get the shortest rest of anyone in the tournament. On the other hand, the Mustangs are in the soft side of the bracket. They can't see Boone, Lacrosse or Morgan until the title game. 6-foot-5 junior Brad Parks (15.3 ppg.) has averaged 10 rebounds per game and 6-foot-5 senior Morgan Drazer (12.5 ppg.) grabs 7.8 caroms. Junior guard Adam Mueller (12.7 ppg.) and senior lead guard Preston Frame (4.7 assists per game) all want to pick up the pace and run as their 61 points per game average (No. 1 in the PCC) would indicate.
This is a return-to-glory season for Kouts and old coach Marty Gaff. Kouts has won more games this year than they did in both of the last two seasons combined (5-15 and 2-18) and they want to re-enter the discussion of who's the PCC king with neighbor and arch rival Morgan, a team they have not yet seen this year. A Morgan-Kouts final would be a classic contrast in styles.
BOONE GROVE (5-5, 3-1)
PORTER TOWNSHIP - If defending league champion Morgan Township is a "now", then Boone is a "soon". Boone Grove may have the best sophomore class in all of NW Indiana led by point guard Mike Eleftheri, who played significant minutes last year. The Wolves have a trio of young 6-foot-4 forwards including Jacob Wright, Ryan Reynolds and Danny Block plus 6-foot-2 left-handed leading scorer Wayland Roach. All are sophomores. Right now, the youth leads to wide mood swings. Scoring droughts and dramatic rallies. Don't lean too heavily on Boone Grove's won-loss record. Two of the losses are to Morgan Township and two others are to 4A DAC teams Portage and Valparaiso. I must admit that Boone traditionally has a lot more success in the sectional than they do in the PCC finals. Boone has won more sectional championships in the last 20 years (eight) than they have PCC championships (four).
Can they win this weekend? They aren't favored and for a lot of Boone boys, this is their first PCC tournament and it is noticeably different on the floor and in the stands. Morgan is 5-0 against Boone in the last two seasons and Boone would play Morgan in the Saturday morning semifinals at Boone Grove at 11:00 a.m. That's all the Wolves can ask.
HANOVER CENTRAL (5-6, 1-3)
CEDAR LAKE - Hanover Central's 5-6 record is promising, but they are probably disappointed with it. The Wildcats have lost four games by three points or less and they certainly feel they should be 9-2. The Wildcats are led by senior shooting guard Charlie Huffnagle, 6-foot-3 senior high-jumping forward Andrew DeYoung, junior Kevin Mantel and 6-foot-2 junior scoring leader Jordan Rizo (15.7 ppg.). But they are also well-stocked up front with 6-foot-7 Tim Kubiak and 6-foot-2 Jarrod Howard. At times, this is a very good team as is evidenced by wins over South Central and 4A Munster. But they are looking for the kind of win that would establish them as good in everyone's minds including their own. Wins this Saturday would be those kind of wins. This team can run and press. Hanover can use 10 players in any game.
More than anyone else here, they are built for a tournament like this. Hanover gets a rematch with Hebron Thursday. The Hawks won the first game 49-46 in overtime at Hebron and HC certainly has to feel that's a game they should have won. The Wildcats should welcome this rematch. Then HC will likely face a South Central team they match up well with. HC beat South Central 61-55 last month and the rematch would be in Saturday afternoon semifinal. Let's be honest. Hanover (and everyone else in 2A Sectional 33) will need a major upset to defeat Bishop Noll (8-2) at sectional time in March. But sitting in the bracket opposite Morgan and Boone, Hanover can and should reach the finals in this tournament. The Wildcats carry the longest drought of any team here, but they are bigger and faster than the much more experienced Morgan boys. If there is an upset winner (anybody but Morgan or Boone) of this tournament, it will be Hanover Central.
Morgan Township (9-2, 3-1)
MORGAN TOWNSHIP - Kouts is actually the first place team in the PCC, but no one thinks Kouts is the favorite in the PCC tournament. The Cherokees have won nine in a row, including two victories over Boone Grove. For Morgan to shut down Class 4A Hobart (8-4) by a 53-45 score and jack up LaCrosse (7-3) by 21 points indicates that this team has intensity and a tight knit focus that will be hard to beat. The Cherokees ride 6-foot-2 swing man Troy Turner (12 ppg.) and 6-foot-2 power forward Eric Spaulding. Morgan limits your possessions and defenses you into shots that are 1.) Long and 2.) Bad.
Morgan drew Washington Township (1-9), the last place team in the PCC in the quarterfinals, so they're going to be in the Saturday semifinals. To beat them, you need power inside, and while Kouts, Boone and Hanover are taller, they aren't stronger. Morgan is the defending PCC, South County and 1A Sectional champion and that's significant because they have rebuilt the following from Morgan's glory runs (68-21 from 1987-90, 51-20 from 2002-2004) under former coach Matt Bush.
If you attend the PCC tournament, you will be very surprised at how many fans, the vaunted 'Cherokee Nation' that come out of the South Porter County cold to support Morgan Township. Morgan beat Hanover, LaCrosse (in 2 OTs) and Boone to win the PCC last year.
50 Greatest Porter County Conference (PCC) Boys
Basketball Players
(1958-2008) Listed is the players' Senior Year
Brad Albers (1987) Westville
Jim Baske
(1977) LaCrosse
Rick Blastick (1972) Morgan
Township
Danny Borys (2005) BOONE GROVE
Mike Broughton (1973) Hebron
Dan Burge (1962) Wheeler
Matty Bush (2004) Morgan Township
Cole Casbon (1991) BOONE GROVE
Dave Curry (1981) Westville
Tim Curtis (1982) Wheeler
Doug Dybzinski (2000) BOONE GROVE
Matt Goetz (1995) Washington
Township
Aric Graham (1997) BOONE GROVE
Russ Handwork (1977) BOONE GROVE
Kevin Hannon (1981) BOONE GROVE
Steve Hendershot (1982) Morgan Township
Ricky Hise
(2003) Kouts
Mike Hofferth (1970) Hebron
Mike Holobawski (1987) HANOVER CENTRAL
Josh Kain
(1996) Kouts
Kevin Ketchmark (1991) LaCrosse
Clair Knapp (1986) Hebron
Ron Kobza (1990) Hebron
Larry Kubal (1973) BOONE GROVE
Scott Lawrence (1991) LaCrosse
Mike Lemmons (1997) BOONE GROVE
Al Lindahl (1965) Jackson
Township
Greg Link (1969) Jackson
Township
John Lodics (1988) Morgan
Township
Andy Marks (2001) Hebron
Nate McGinley (2005) Morgan Township
John Meyne (1980) BOONE GROVE
Bill Morrisroe (1972) Morgan
Township
Garry Newland (1977) Kouts
Tom Newland (1979) Kouts
Tom Noak (1973) Wheeler
Rick Ragland (1971) Hebron
Frank Robertson (1964) Morgan Township
Dick Rust (1976) Hebron
Shawn Ryan (1990) Hebron
Todd Schafer (2003) Wheeler
Gary Scroggins (1971) Hebron
Bill Smock (1967) Hebron
Bob Smock (1965) Hebron
Josh Spinks (1994) Hebron
Todd Thomae (1988) Wheeler
Jake Wade (1996) Kouts
Dennis Wozniak (1979) LaCrosse
Greg Yergler
(1982) Kouts
Mark Zitt (1993) Westville
Porter County Conference (PCC)
Boys
Tournament Champions
(Head coach is listed in
parenthesis)
2007-Morgan Township (Dustin Nelson)
2006-South Central (John Steinhilber)
2005-Kouts (Marty Gaff)
2004-BOONE GROVE (Matt McKay)
2003-Wheeler (Randy Stelter)
2002-Hebron (Mike DeFries)
2001-BOONE GROVE (Matt McKay)
2000-BOONE GROVE (Matt McKay)
1999-Wheeler (Randy Stelter)
1998-LaCrosse (Bill Berger)
1997-BOONE GROVE (Matt McKay)
1996-Kouts (Marty Gaff)
1995-Kouts (Marty Gaff)
1994-Hebron (Dennis Foster)
1993-Hebron (Dennis Foster)
1992-Hebron (Dennis Foster)
1991-Kouts (Marty Gaff)
1990-Hebron (Dennis Foster)
19889-LaCrosse (Bill Berger)
1988-Morgan Township (Matt Bush)
1987-HANOVER (Terry Strawbridge)
1986-Hebron (Kevin Leising)
1985-Kouts (Marty Gaff)
1984-HANOVER (Terry Strawbridge)
1983-BOONE GROVE (John Hinkey)
1982-Hebron (Gary DeSmet)
1981-Kouts (Jim Welsh)
1980-BOONE GROVE (John Hinkey)
1979-BOONE GROVE (John Hinkey)
1978-Hebron (Mike Lord)
1977-BOONE GROVE (John Hinkey)
1976-Hebron (Mike Lord)
1975-Morgan Township (Paul Bauer)
1974-Morgan Township (Paul Bauer)
1973-BOONE GROVE (Curt Casbon)
1972-Wheeler (Bob Smith)
1971-Hebron (Paul Schroeder)
1970-Hebron (Paul Schroeder)
1969-Hebron (Paul Schroeder)
1968-BOONE GROVE (Curt Casbon)
1967-Hebron (Michael Cavanaugh)
1966-BOONE GROVE (Earl Grieger)
1965-Hebron (Don Broughton)
1964-Morgan Township (John Starks)
1963-Hebron (Don Broughton)
1962-Kouts (Robert Gray)
1961-BOONE GROVE (Earl Grieger)
1960-BOONE GROVE (Earl Grieger)
1958-59-BOONE GROVE (Earl Grieger)
1957-58- Chesterton (Evar Edquist)
1956-57-Portage (Dean Snider)
1955-56-Chesterton (Evar Edquist)
1954-55-Chesterton (Evar Edquist)
1953-54-Hebron (John Bastin)
1952-53-Portage (Karl Speckard)
1951-52-Chesterton (Evar Edquist)
1950-51-Portage (Melvin Taylor)
1949-50-Chesterton (Norman Michel)
1949-Hebron (Dick Falls)
1948-Portage (Dean Snider)
1947-Portage (Dean Snider)
1946-Kouts (Luis French)
1945-Kouts (Luis French)
1944-Portage (C.W. McComas)
1943-Portage (C.W. McComas)
1942-Portage (C.W. McComas)
1941-Liberty Township (Curt Rathburn)
1940-Morgan Township (Clare Dinsmore)
1939-Morgan Township (Clare Dinsmore)
1938-Chesterton (Walt Jones)
1937-Morgan Township (Clare Dinsmore)
1936-Portage (V.R. Charlson)
1935-Wheeler (Bernard Rose)
1934-Liberty Township (Edgar Ulrich)
1933-Liberty Township (Edgar Ulrich)
1932-Chesterton
1930-31-Liberty Township
1929-30-Wheeler
1928-29-Chesterton
1927-28-Chesterton
1926-27-Wheeler
1925-26-Wheeler
1924-25-Chesterton
1923-24-Chesterton
PCC Championships -- Hebron-17, BOONE
GROVE-14, Chesterton-11, Portage 9, Kouts-9, Morgan Township-8, Wheeler-7, Liberty
Township-4. HANOVER CENTRAL 2, LaCrosse-2,
Jackson Township, South Central, Washington
Township, Westville-0.
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reserved.
Revised: January 16, 2008
.