Baseball
Entering his tenth season at Bloomington South, coach Phil Kluesner will have a lot on his plate for the 2019 season. Alex Franklin, Mitchell Gingerich, Grant Smethurst among other senior starters from last year have all graduated, and a very inexperienced group will take over.
The recent loss of junior pitcher Jacob Young (Tommy John surgery) definitely hurts as well, but senior pitchers Wil Stockman and Chris Cole along with juniors Brayden DeMier and Zach Bellini should be able to pick up the slack. Behind the plate will be junior Sean Azcui who is beyond poised for a breakout at the plate. Junior Colby Reed and sophomore Mason David also look to be potential first year starters that could make great contributions. Besides that, there are several positions open that could be filled by essentially anyone. Honestly, this season could go either way for the Panthers, but I believe they’ll be able to get back on track and reclaim the sectional title.
Notable games: 4/16 Terre Haute South, 4/23 @BHSN, 4/27 @Columbus East
Softball
Now five years removed from their fist state championship, coach Meg Montgomery and the South softball team continue to have high expectations, despite recent disappointment. On the rubber, junior Jenna Albertson will handle most of the workload, with senior Mara Goodwin seeing some time as well. Junior catcher Jasper Sons has shown the ability to hit a deep ball, as well as being a consistent hitter. Senior shortstop Lizzie Halstead is also a valuable player in both the field and at bat.
Although this is a talented team, they have one of the hardest schedules possible, playing several top 25 teams.
Notable games: 4/4 Martinsville, 4/11 Terre Haute North, 4/13 @Mooresville, 4/18 @Terre Haute South, 5/11 @Shelbyville
Girls Tennis
This years girls tennis team is once again highlighted by junior Maya Mills. Mills was South’s number one for singles the last two years and will continue to build off of her success. Other notable returners for singles include senior Nidhi Krishnan and junior Maggie Doyle. With the loss of Lauren Bauman and Isabel Fernandez to graduation, coach Gretchen Wurtman will likely roll with junior Tate Blackwell and sophomore Natalie Hall to lead doubles.
“I think we’re going to be pretty good this year,” junior Rachel Walker said. “[Mills] is getting better and better, and she still has two years left. Even though we don’t have many seniors, I think we can do well.”
Boys Golf
Coach Dustin Carver and the boys golf team are headed in the right direction, with seniors Seth Kestranek and Thomas Tierney leading a talented young golf team. Junior James Bomba and sophomore Drew Todd will likely build off last years success and continue to be key contributors.
“This team is getting better and better every year. I think that 2019 is going to be a good season for us,” Bomba said.
Boys Track
This year’s boys track team takes a huge blow after losing key seniors like Chase Washington and Jonathan Dodrill. Along with the loss of seniors, junior Jedd Conrad will miss the entirety of the season with a torn ACL from football. Junior Maveric Thiery will again represent South for their short distance sprinting. Other key runners include juniors Jack Gillard and Josh Miller, along with senior Ian Shaw.
Girls Track
The girls should continue their success this year as nearly all of their best runners are returning for 2019. This years group is highlighted by senior Jordan Monson, who dominated hurdles last year, as well as long jump and relay. Like Monson, senior Phoebe Rensink competes in several events for South and is a frequent top placer. Other notable contributors include junior pole vaulter Lindsey Way and sophomore Aviv Hagar.
“I think that we can be pretty good this year,” Hagar said. “This team is a lot of fun, and we get along really well.”
