Lions and Couriers joined by Defenders and Crusaders in "wide-open" ICSTS finals

One thing is certain. No repeat champions will be crowned at the 2009 ICSTS state finals. Covenant Christian, who won the last two boys titles, has joined the IHSAA and Trinity, last years’ girls champion, lost to Heritage Christian in the North regional.

Last year’s boys runner-up Horizon Christian (Central Region) is joined in the 2009 boys field in Lafayette by Clinton Christian (North), Heritage Christian (Northwest), and Columbus Christian (South). Clinton lost to Covenant Christian in the 2008 Final Four at Anderson University.

In the first boys semifinal at 11:00 am the Horizon Christian Lions (25-6) meet the Columbus Christian Crusaders (16-16). The Lions defeated the Crusaders 53-46 during the regular season.
The Lions, coached by Keith Meyers, are making their third finals appearance in the last four years. Leading the way are record-setting seniors Luke Jones and Taylor Bradbury. Jones has over 500 points this season and Bradbury has set a new standard with 20 double doubles for a team that averages over 60 points per game.

Kevin Roth’s Crusaders are part of the tournament field for the first time since 2005. Roth describes his team as “a young team that is eager to learn and (has) great potential.” Key players are 6’5” senior center Derek Roth (14.4 pts. per game, 8.3 rebounds per game) and 5’8” sophomore guard Luke Mathis (10 ppg, 4.6 rpg). The Crusaders earned their berth with a 56-52 overtime surprise of South regional favorite Lighthouse Christian.

Two teams who have never faced each other battle in the second boys semifinal slated for 1 pm. The Clinton Christian Couriers (15-12) upset regional favorite Trinity enroute to winning the North while the Heritage Christian Defenders (17-6) replace Covenant Christian as the Northwest representative. Both the Couriers and the Defenders played Covenant Christian in the regular season with Heritage winning 46-43 and Clinton losing 51-47.

The Couriers make their fourth trip in five years to the ICSTS finals. Coach Chad Schrock’s young squad is led by 5’10” senior forward Evan Stutzman, who averages 14.2 pts. and shoots 75.9% at the free-throw line. Other key contributors are 6’4” junior center Jordan Bontrager (10.8 pts., 6.4 reb.) and 5’9” junior guard Dustin Yoder (8.4 pts., 39.3% three point shooting).

The Defenders from Dyer counter with high-scoring 5’11” senior center/forward Jake Andringa. Andringa averages 22.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and over 2 steals per game. He is shooting 49% from beyond the arc and 85% at the foul stripe. Five-foot-eleven junior guard Zach Kooiker adds 6 points per contest. Joel Noorman’s Defenders shoot 47% from the field and 37% from three-point range as a team.

The two winners will meet for the 2009 state championship. By the end of evening, a new champion will be crowned. It could be a former winner or a new one. Altogether, "Hoosier Hysteria" should reign again.