2023 Sports Rewind: Year in Review

Take a look back at some of the biggest local sports moments of 2023

2023 was a great year for sports in Eagle Country. 

We are taking a trip down memory lane by taking a look at some of the brightest moments this past calendar year. 

The stories below are not ranked in any particular order. 

East Central Repeats as State Champs

Photo by IHSAA.

The Trojans repeated as IHSAA Class 4A State Champions on Thanksgiving weekend with a 42-14 win over the Panthers at Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis. 

The in capped off an undefeated15-0 season, which is just the second perfect season in program history. 

Senior running back Josh Ringer carried the ball a season-high 34 times for 251 yards and three touchdowns. Cole Burton and Ryan Brotherton also scored touchdowns for the Trojans. 

Defensively, East Central gave up 340 yards of offense including 228 passing yards. But the Trojans came up with timely stops and created four turnovers, including a pick-six from senior safety Moses Wheat. Carson Pieczonka finished with two interceptions, while Brayden Rouse had one. Eli Ertel, Connor Kuhn, and Dylan Maxwell (Mental Attitude Award winner) were among the other top performers, defensively. 

East Central now has four state championship wins, coming in 2023, 2022, 2017 and 1994. 

Due to their recent success in Class 4A, East Central will play at the 5A level the next two seasons. 

Josh Ringer Wins Mr. Football 

EC Athletics photo.

Josh Ringer is Indiana Mr. Football. 

The East Central star running back won the award in a landslide, receiving 66 percent of the vote from 1,850 eligible Indiana Football Coaches Association voters, reports the Indy Star. 

Ringer beat out Center Grove quarterback Tyler Cherry and Crown Point linebacker Will Clark to become East Central's second Mr. Football winner in school history. Josh Martini previously won the award as the state's top high school football player in 1994. 

The Miami (Oh.) University signee ran for a single-season school record 2,880 yards and 55 touchdowns. He added 13 receptions for 278 yards and five scores. 

For his career, Ringer owns a litany of EC records, including:

• Most Career Rushing Yards: 6,640 (14th all-time in Indiana)
• Most Career Rushing Touchdowns: 110
• Most Career Total Touchdowns: 118
• Most Career Points: 708 (9th in state history)
• Single Season Rushing Yards: 2,880
• Single Season Rushing Touchdowns: 55
• Single Season Total Touchdowns: 60 
• Most Rushing TDs in a Game - 7 
• Most Points Scored in a Game - 42
• Best Rushing Average in a Season - 10.3

Mason Parris Wins National Championship, Hodge Trophy

Lawrenceburg native Mason Parris capped off his final season at the University of Michigan in the biggest way possible. 

Parris, a fifth-year senior, captured the NCAA Heavyweight Championship in March. 

He went undefeated (33-0), ending his season with a 5-1 decision over Penn State’s Greg Kerkvliet in the national championship match. 

"I've been dreaming about it for a long time and to finally get it done, the feeling is real. I feel great out there. Greg is a great competitor, a lot of respective off to him but it was my day and I went out there and had fun and did my thing," Parris said in a post match interview with ESPN. 

Off Parris' 33 wins this season, 17 were against ranked opponents and 10 wins came against eight heavyweight All-Americans. 

He was named an All-American for the fourth time and won the Hodge Trophy, which is college wrestling's equivalent to college football's Heisman Trophy. 

Parris' final collegiate record stands at 124-18. 

Harrison Girls Wrestling

Harrison Girls Wrestling celebrates their OHSAA State Championship. Photo by Harrison Girls Wrestling.

The Harrison High School girls wrestling team won its second consecutive state championship in March. 

The Wildcats took first place at the inaugural OHSAA Girls Wrestling State Tournament held at Ohio State University

Harrison finished with 97 points as they cruised to their second straight state title.

Chloe Dearwester continued her dominate high school career with a third individual state title at 105 pounds. Dearwester (38-0) won by fall in the championship match over Nikera Johnson (Sandusky) in just 59 seconds.

Raegan Briggs won the state title at 125 pound state champion, winning by decision (10-3) over Anna Madi, of Brecksville. Briggs finished the season with a record of 35-2.

Harrison placers:

• Leah Willen (41-7) placed 3rd at 100 pounds
• Jessica Edwards (28-10) placed 6th at 235 pounds

In total, seven of eight Harrison wrestlers advanced to day two at the state championship.

State qualifiers included Lilly Kinsel, Olivia Olive, Mia Hotchkiss, and Molly Hudler.

Goepper Unretires

Nick Goepper speaking at the Dearborn County Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast earlier this year. Photo by Travis Thayer, Eagle Country 99.3. 

Nick Goepper’s retirement from competition is over.

The Lawrenceburg native stated, “I’m Back” in a Facebook post on November 20.

Goepper announced his retirement from full-time competition in January, soon after he took silver in the Slopestyle event at the Sochi Olympics.

In April, Goepper served as the guest speaker at the annual Dearborn County Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast at Perfect North Slopes. It was then that Goepper revealed to the attendees that the slopestyle event had gotten “repetitive” and that he had a new goal.

That new goal is competing at the Olympics in the Halfpipe discipline. Goepper’s aim is to compete in the X Games and the 2026 Milan Olympics.

“It’s time for the next chapter, HALFPIPE,” said Goepper. “No more retirement, I love this too much. LFG!”

Turnover Hunger

Milan and Batesville varsity football programs joined teams to raise thousands of dollars for the Weekend Backsack Program. Photo by the Ripley County Community Foundation. 

Batesville and Milan football teams joined forces again in 2023 to help raise funds for food insecure students in Ripley County. 

Turnover Hunger is a program supported by the Ripley County Community Foundation that accepts donations or pledges for every turnover that the Milan and/or Batesville varsity football teams forced in their games during the 2023 season.

This season, the two teams combined to force 53 turnovers, resulting in $5,000 being distributed to the Weekend Backsack Program.

All the money collected will be granted to Batesville Primary School, Jac-Cen-Del Elementary School, Milan Elementary School, South Ripley Elementary School, and Sunman Elementary School. The grant dollars are used to support students who suffer from severe food insecurity with a backpack of kid-friendly, nonperishable food for the weekend.

The money raised this season is going enough to provide meals to over 250 hungry students this semester.

In Ripley County, The Weekend Backpack Program relies solely upon charitable donations and is one reason why Coaches Evan Ulery and Ryan Langferman have devoted the 2023 football season and past seasons to Turnover Hunger.

To learn more about the Turnover Hunger Program, visit https://rccfonline.org/turnover-hunger-is-back/. 

LHS Esports Arena

Photo by Lawrenceburg High School.

The Lawrenceburg High School Esports team is taking gaming to the next level.

On October 24, a new state-of-the-art Esports arena was unveiled at LHS.

The arena is complete with new gaming desks, PCs, headsets, and chairs.

The LHS Esports team has grown quickly over the past few years. They finished their first competitive season with the Indiana High School Esports Network in the spring of 2022.

At the end of their first competitive season, the Lawrenceburg Super Smash Brothers (SSB) team made a run to the state finals.

Currently, 30 high school student-athletes compete during fall and spring seasons under Coach Carrie Stegemiller.

Their new Esports arena was made possible by a $20,000 Elevating Education grant from Altafiber.

A New Home for "Hoosiers" Trophy

Photo provided.

The newly renovated Milan High School gym lobby was completed in May. 

The public got its first glimpse at the stunning space in mid-June at a special Gym Lobby Dedication Ceremony that featured members of the 1954 championship team. 

The lobby features a large, retro looking trophy room with the 1954 Championship trophy in the center, surrounded by a mural of champions and many trophies from all sports. An expanded concession stand and larger restrooms complete the interior.  A centralized ticket booth will allow fans easy entry into the gym. The front sidewalk gathering space has been enlarged to accommodate crowds.  

Other recent improvements at Milan HS include the installation of a multi-use turf field and a new weight room that sits adjacent to the new gym lobby. 

IHSAA Girls Golf State Finals

Ava South. Photo by Batesville High School.

Three golfers from southeastern Indiana finished within the top 16 at the IHSAA Girls Golf State Finals. 

Batesville's Ava South and Addyson Weiler and East Central's Rowan Pies not only represented their schools well, they showed everyone they are three of the best golfers in the state. 

South, a sophomore, tied for 2nd place with a two-over performance for the tournament, totaling 146 strokes in two rounds. She shot one-over, 73 each round. In total, South made 29 pars, 7 bogeys, and 6 birdies. 

Her Batesville teammate, Addyson Weiler, placed 16th with 154 (+1). The Bulldog junior shot an 82 during the opening round and bounced back with an even-par 72 on day two.  

East Central sophomore Rowan Pies finished tied for 14th place with a 153. Pies, much like Weiler started slow with an opening round 81 and rebounded with an even-par 72 on Saturday. 

This year's individual state champion golfer is Samantha Brown of Westfield. She carded a two-under, 142. 

Carmel (+32) captured the team state championship. Westfield, Homestead, Noblesville, and Center Grove rounded out the top five. 

See full results here.