YEAR IN REVIEW: Top-5 moments for Lebanon in 2022-23

Jul. 2—Boone County athletic teams had plenty to be proud of during the past 12 months.

All three Boone County public high schools made their marks both within their conferences and state wide as well during the past year.

With the official IHSAA calendar done for the season, and it being a moratorium week for next year's preparations, it is time to look back at some of the top moments from each school.

Today we will look at Lebanon's year. The Western Boone review will be on Thursday and the Zionsville review on Saturday.

The lists were comprised after discussions with athletic directors and coaches, and some tough choices had to be made, but here is the list.

5. Boys Swimming and Diving Team wins Sagamore Title

The Lebanon boys swimming and diving team is building something special.

After having won only one conference title in 38 years prior to 2021, the Tigers now have two in three years.

This one was a little sweeter for the Tigers, who won it in 2021 but some teams weren't at full strength do to COVID. But everyone was full strength this year, and the Tigers topped second-place Crawfordsville 412-393.

Head coach Craig Howe said that the team is really focusing on on the big picture.

"We started talking about a longer term plan, and where we are this year and where we want to be a year from now," Howe said. "Ideally we hit this meet a year from now and we aren't resting, we aren't tapering, we aren't shaving and maybe don't even suit up — just focus on the sectional. This is a great start, but I think we will even be in a better spot in the next few years."

Lebanon had multi-event champions with Grayson Goff winning the 200-free and 100-free.

Rylan Rule won the butterfly and the breaststroke.

Goff, Rule, Tate DeLaRosa and Camden Perrine won the 200-free relay as well.

The Tigers placed fourth in the sectional and return a majority of their team next year.

"A lot of our guys took big steps forward and they are coming back," Howe said. "They were really committed in the weight room and have upped their commitment in the pool. They have to show that dedication in the summer now. But this group is hungry and they see there are some records on our board that were set in like 1994, so we have some things to shoot for."

4. Boys Basketball Repeats as Sagamore Champions

After graduating some key pieces from a successful team, there were some question marks for the Lebanon boys basketball team this year.

But thanks to some key senior leadership and some talented sophomores, the Tigers went a perfect 7-0 to win the Sagamore Conference outright.

"I think this is a big for our kids," Lebanon head coach Albert Hendrix said. "Obviously we have our eyes set on doing well in the post-season, but a big congrats goes to our kids. They have played well and earned it. They practice hard every day and I am proud of them."

The Tigers started the year 5-0, and after losing to eventual 4A state finalist Kokomo, rattled off three more wins before falling in their tournament title game to New Palestine.

After a tough loss to Guerin, the Tigers won their next six games, including four Sagamore Conference opponents to win the outright conference title.

It was Lebanon's first outright title since 2013.

Korbyn Sloggett led the Tigers in scoring 10.8 points and 2.7 assists.

Jack Ferrell scored 9.9 points and grabbed 5.7 rebounds and Jake Burns scored 9.1 points a game.

Kaden Lark scored 8.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

The season came to an end a little earlier than the Tigers hoped in the sectional semifinals, but Hendrix is proud of what his team accomplished.

"This was a great group of kids," Hendrix said. "They came into practice every day ready to work hard and I really enjoyed coaching them. They were fun to coach. I am extremely proud of these kids and what is more important is these kids are going to go on in life and be successful down the road."

3. Cross Country teams sweep titles

Since she has become coach, Shelley West has led the Lebanon cross country teams to new heights.

For the first time ever, Lebanon swept the Sagamore Conference cross country titles.

The boys won a close meet with Crawfordsville to take the title.

"Coming in they knew it was going to be tough and that Crawfordsville was going to be tough competition," West said. "They knew where they needed to be, they fought every step of the way and did what they needed to do."

Aiden Frost led the Tigers, placing fifth in a time of 17:30.7.

Crawfordsville's second runner came in sixth place, but the Tigers finished seventh, eighth and ninth, with Alex Emenhiser, Marshal Royal and Aydan Wetter finishing in 17:39.4, 17:44.8 and 17:49.4 respectively.

All four Tigers made first-team all-conference.

Kyler Stranger, Abram Hale and J.D. Hawks rounded out the line-up.

The girls won their first conference title since 2018.

"This was a fantastic meet for them," West said. "They started working in June to get to this point. This showed all their hard work."

Penny Lamerson was second overall in 20:42.6.

Jaleigha Howard, Harper Adams, Nadia Jones and Kloe Coyle were also first team all-conference, while Marabeth Burgin and Sarah Keith added second-team honors.

The Tigers added to the success later in the fall, with both teams advancing to the regional as a team.

It was the first time the girls made it out since 1999.

"We told them when they put their toe on the line today to focus on having their best race," West said. "The goal is to also advance to the next week, and you never know what can happen, but I am really proud of them."

Royal and Frost each made it to the semi-state.

There will be a new sectional alignment next year, but the Tigers will be aiming to continue their success.

2. Tiger wrestling claims first conference title since 2015

After seven years of Montgomery County dominance, Lebanon ended their conference title reign this year.

It had been a long four-year journey under head coach Jacob King building the program back up, but that made the conference title all the sweeter.

"These kids have really bought and and the culture and expectations of the kids are high," King said. "The kids are buying in, putting in the hard work and it's been an overall team effort that has gotten us to this point."

Lebanon placed 13 of their 14 wrestlers in the top-4, earning big points.

The Tigers got conference titles from Braxton Echeverria, Niko Trepcos, Vincent Laney and Carson Toole.

Ethan Coffman, Zach Tranum and Nabih Soumah earned runner-up finishes.

"It's hard seeing kids multiple times in a year, and we had seen all these guys before," King said. "We had some close matches, but the kids gutted it out. Whether it was champions, second, third or fourth-place matches, our kids gave it everything they and contributed."

Lebanon advanced seven to the regional and Ethan Coffman earned a bid to the semi-state.

While it wasn't quite the finish they had hoped for, it was a memorable year for the Tigers.

"We brought back a positive, winning atmosphere to this team," King said. "A lot of our guys weren't wrestling, and our younger guys are already talking about the off-season and next year. They are motivated to get right back in the room and start getting ready for next year."

1. Record-breaking year for Track duo

It was a big season on the track for the Lebanon Tigers.

The team broke numerous school records and finished with a representative on the podium at the IHSAA State Finals.

Kaden Lark took big leaps forward in the high jump this year.

The conference and sectional champion, Lark qualified for the State Finals, and placed eighth with a jump of 6-feet-7-inches.

"I think the day went really well," Lark said. "I was younger than a lot of the guys here, and I was a little nervous at first, but I got a PR and a made it to the podium, so I am happy."

Lark was also a key pieces of the Tigers in the sprints, being a catalyst in the 100 and 4x100 relays.

"I think he still is just scratching the surface of his potential," West said. "Obviously when you have someone who can jump 7-feet in the regional it can be intimidating, but he just sticks to his plan and goes from there."

Lark wasn't the only success story on the track for the Tigers.

Trey Ries broke a 40-year-old school record in the 200-meter dash in a dual meet against Western Boone and Southmont, and continued to lower the record all year.

"I was pretty ecstatic in breaking it," Ries said this week. "I was really excited to set the record, because it's something I have been working toward all year. I almost got it last week (in the Big Orange Meet), but now I finally got it."

Ries also ran the 100 and 4x100 for the Tigers, and also did well in the long jump, winning the conference title in all three events.

Ries saw his season end in the regional, just missing a state qualifying mark in the 200.

With Lark and Ries back, along with some other key pieces, the future is really bright for the Tigers.

Will Willems is the Sports Editor of the Lebanon Reporter. Follow him on Twitter @Will_Willems.