The 2013-2014 local basketball season was a successful season for many teams, and as well as a build up time for many teams. The success went as far as two local teams going to the state championship, and left a big subject for the Bloomington-Normal talk. Many communities don't get to experience their local teams going to state tournaments very much, and a lot may never get to have that experience. The Heyworth Hornets, who placed second in the 1A state tournament, and the Bloomington Central Catholic Saints, who won the 2A state tournament, both showed no mercy as they fought through a tough post season. Many sports teams had student-athletes win many academic honors, as well as athletic honors, as in placing into the all state teams for IHSA. Many people may not realize that this went on, may have never read about it, but this is a subject that should be recognized by the whole community, there are many successful young men in these programs, and there is a lot you need to know about these teams. Both teams have a lot of stories behind there success, makes you proud to be in this community.             

  • Heyworth Hornets

 

  • Summary

The Heyworth Hornets, a small town just outside Bloomington, had played together since elementary school, with ten seniors, one having transferred to Heyworth for the 2013-2014 school year, and they all played well together as a team. They started out the season 13-0, and were 18-8 going into the post season, at the end of the season they had finished 26-8 and finishing second place in the 1A state tournament, marking the schools' first time appearing in an IHSA State Basketball post season. Undefeated going into the Christmas tournament in St Teresa, they hit a rough patch where injuries occurred and their talked up great season was questioned. Through the season they suffered many injuries, including Justin Witten, Colten Reeves, Wesley Anderson, and Hayden Boyd, four key players to the Hornets success. Witten (out for four weeks) and Boyd were both out during the Christmas tournament, as Witten returned Reeves then suffered an injury towards the end of a close game putting him out for two weeks with Hayden Boyd, they later returned on the same date, and Wesley Anderson then gets injured mid practice, putting him out for 2-4 weeks as well. There were many crazy, important games throughout the season that was noted down. To clinch the conference championship, the Hornets had to fight through a triple overtime game. The guys kept fighting through every minute leaving everything they possibly had out on the court, it was such an emotional win as they learned they won the conference title. Another great game was the Regional semi final game against the Blue Ridge knights, going into double overtime, beating them with a great out of bounds playing, scoring a lay up with 4.3 seconds on the clock. The Knights got the final shot off that would have beat the Hornets and ended there season, but failed to capitalize. That game really brought the guys together and taught them that nothing was going to stop them if they were healthy, playing as hard as they can, and playing up to their ability. Coach Tom Eller earned his 100th career win at the state tournament, beating Sesser Valier to get to the championship, where they would then take on the Mooseheart Red Ramblers, where they lost in a nail biting game, where Heyworth set a IHSA record on the biggest comeback in IHSA State History, coming back from a 23-2 deficit.

2013-2014 ROSTER

SG -  6'01" - Adam Wickenhauser (SENIOR) - Came off the bench the whole year, played some minutes, and came out strong for the state championship. Strong three                                                                                        point shooter.

PG - 5'10" - Justin Witten (SENIOR) - Starting All State Point Guard, who was later recruited by Monmouth basketball, ran the Hornets offense throughout the year. 

SG - 6'0" - Dallas Lee (SENIOR) - Starting Guard who was selected into the all star game, very fast paced player.

SG - 5'10" - Hayden Boyd (JUNIOR) - Guard off the bench, played a lot of minutes and was also at one point a starter in replacement of Justin when he was hurt.

PF - 6'2" - Kyle Schultz (SENIOR) - Strong, physical player with outstanding defense and great hustle. He was a starter all throughout the year.

SF/PF - 6'4" - Kaleb Marr (SENIOR) - Very good player on both sides of the floor, he was the co-mvp on the season, and started at the forward position.

PF/C - 6'5" - Colten Reeves (SENIOR) - First year transfer from Clinton, played a lot of minutes and started a good amount of games for the Hornets.

SF/PF - 6'2" Logan Johnson (SENIOR) - Started a few games for the Hornets, played a ton of minutes off the bench, played well on both sides.

SG - 5'9" - Bobby Rewarts (SENIOR) - Played some minutes, he knew his roll, and did that very well. He played smart basketball when performing in games.

C - 6'3" - Jacob Omahana (SENIOR) - Played some minutes, always worked hard, and played his roll well.

PG/SG - 5'11" - Jacob Day (SOPHOMORE) - Played very limited minutes, normally in blowout games as a sophomore, dressed up to have experience for next season.

SF - 6'4" - Wesley Anderson (SENIOR) - Very strong defensive player, started most of the year for the hornets.

PG/SG - 5'8" - Ryan Tomlin (JUNIOR) - Played some minutes, not too many as they had so many veteran guards, played well when he was in on defense.

Coaches

Head Coach Tom Eller - Started his career at Deland-Weldon where he left with a losing record, as he came to Heyworth to build up a mediocre program. Eller                                                             began his first two seasons with losing records and hasn't looked back since. He finished his third season a couple games over .500, his                                                             fourth season even better, and his fifth season he led his troops to the state championship game in Peoria, where he was rewarded his                                                               100th win on his career.

Assistant Coach Joe Brennan - Second season with the Heyworth Hornets, and is there to stay as he resides locally.

Assistant Coach Sam Biver - Second and last season with the Hornets as he is to return to school in Missouri.

  • Central Catholic Saints

The Central Catholic Saints, a private catholic school in the city of Bloomington, had a great season in the 2013-2014 school year, as they brought home the 2A State Basketball Championship, where they celebrated for as long as a month after. Central Catholic got a lucky return of High School Basketball start who moved out of state after Junior High and returned to Bloomington for his senior year, Nick Norton. The well coached Saints out fought so much adversity throughout the year but did not slow down once. They continued fighting until the very end of the season, where the celebration began. Two Saints went on to play college basketball, as some stars are in their senior season at Central Catholic now.

2013-2014 Roster

Jake Reinhart

Austin Holman

Nick Norton

Mitch LaTulip

Mike Billington

Elliot Hoerdemann 

Kellin Rollins                                  

Parker Goodlick

John Rave 

Jake Baughman

Jake Wolf

Jacob Gillmore

Braxton Coffmen                                                                                                                                                

John Hester

Coaches

Head Coach Jason Welch

Assistan Georges LaFaivre

Assistant Aaron Ellison

Assistant Jesse Hawkins                                       

Assistant Pat O'Brien

 

  • Unusual Local Success

This was such a big deal around the community, people talked all around the area, the teams were even brought in and recognized in an important Bloomington-Normal city board meeting, as their success was recognized to the community that may not have heard. The small town of Heyworth celebrated as much as a year after, as the state basketball team was recognized with their own float for the Homecoming parade. These area teams left a huge mark for their community and their respected schools, considering most communities may never get to see their local teams make it that far, let alone two teams in the same year, playing in Peoria on the same weekend, hoping each other won it all.

  • Interviews

Heyworth Coach Tom Eller - Interviewer- "Coach how did it feel last year going that far with the group you had?"

                                                      Eller- "Well it was a blast, would have loved to win it all but nobody should be ashamed with how we did, we talked all season about making it happen and we did."

                                                     Interviewer- "How did you guys handle the pressure? And how did the players handle the preparation leading to the event?"

                                                      Eller- "We handled the pressure very well not letting much get to us, not getting to nervous, keeping level heads. We knew  we  had the community behind us all along, and we wanted to make them proud of us. The boys were so happy, and the community still                                                                        talks about it to this day. We are very proud of our second place finish, we were overlooked and known as underdogs all year  and through out the post season."

IHSA Official Charles Lockenour  - Interviewer - "Charles how long had it been since you seen two local teams go to the state tournament in the same year?"

                                                              - Charles - "Well it was something you don't see very often and for sure put a mark on the Bloomington-Normal area when talking about IHSA basketball. That maybe something you see once every five to ten years two teams going to the state championship from the same community, on the same weekend, in the same place. That is so crazy, and something us from the IHSA won't ever forget."

                                                             - Interviewer- "Awesome, thanks for your input charles, it is nice to have someones input with great knowledge."                                       

 

 

 

Edit tags