No more fun and games for JHS girls

Scheduling conflict affects sports on two December weekends

BY MIKE HUTSELL

A Jeffersonville High School varsity girls’ basketball game has been canceled this weekend and a 32-year varsity wrestling event has been reshuffled due to multiple events being booked at Jeff High’s William S. Johnson Arena.

Saturday’s Red Devils girls’ home game against Corydon Central High School has been called off, and the varsity boys’ team will play its scheduled game against Louisville’s Ballard High School at the arena instead.

An attempt to turn the event into a split boys-girls doubleheader — with the varsity girls’ game being played at 6:30 followed by the boys’ contest at 8 — was declined by Corydon Central.

“It did not make sense to us to play a boy-girl doubleheader that did not include our boys’ varsity program,” said Corydon Central head coach Mike Uhl. “It’s just unfortunate that we will not be playing a game we thought that we had scheduled.”

Chad Gilbert, girls’ head coach at JHS, noted that the game against Corydon Central has been played on the same weekend at alternating home sites for each of the last 15 seasons. Uhl, who has been head coach at Corydon Central for 12 seasons, also confirmed that the game against Jeffersonville has been played on the same weekend during each year of his tenure.

“Somewhere along the line, a mistake was made with our schedule and if anyone is to blame for this, then that responsibility falls on me,” said Jeff Griffith, assistant principal and director of athletics at JHS. “I’m still hopeful and confident that a compromise can be reached and that the contest can be played.”

The boys’ contest against Ballard was played the same weekend a ago year at Johnson Arena. This season’s contest is again being played in Indiana rather than at the Louisville school.

A copy of the contract between the two schools obtained by The Evening News shows that JHS has agreed to host the game and share at least $2,500, or half of the total gate from admissions to the contest — whichever number is greater. The contract was negotiated on June 25 and mailed to Ballard to be signed in July.

Griffith said Wednesday that attempts to reschedule the girls’ game are being made, but no makeup date has been set. Varsity boys’ basketball coach Tim LaGrange declined comment, noting that he does not have final say in scheduling commitments.

Sharing revenue is not unprecedented for JHS athletics. Twice in the past 10 years, a varsity football game has been moved to Evansville Reitz High School with an agreement on revenue being shared with Jeffersonville.

Gilbert says he is preparing the remainder of his season as if no game will be played.

“It’s unfortunate for these kids and this program that not only will they lose a game during the season, but they also lose a chance to play in front of their home fans,” he said.

Economically, the impact of losing a varsity home date will prove costly for the program.

Being a regional rival, the crowd for a home date against Corydon would draw an estimated 800 to 1,000 fans. Admission prices for varsity games are $5. Not playing the contest also means a loss of concession, T-shirt and program sales, which go to JHS girls’ booster club. The booster club has also already purchased concessions and will have miss out on sponsorship agreements with local business that had donated to the event — which boosters estimate could cost more than $2,000.

Johnson Arena will not available to reschedule the game for earlier in the day because of the JHS varsity wrestling team hosting the Hoosier Hills Conference Duals. Alternate dates are being considered, but an agreement is not yet close to completion.

“I’m still confident that both sides can come to an agreement and the game can be played,” said Griffith. “If it is not, we are mindful that there will be loss of revenue if they do not play and we think we have alternatives in mind to help remedy that.”

Wrestling classic being reshuffled

The Jeffersonville Classic, held annually on the third Saturday of December for 32 years, will run a truncated five-hour schedule rather than its customary 10-hour window in an effort to clear out prior to a varsity boys’ home game against Class 4A No. 1 Bloomington South High School on Dec. 19.

The 16-team wrestling event, which attracts opponents from Muncie, Bloomington and several nearby schools, will now be held both at Johnson Arena and JHS’ upstairs auxiliary gym.

Biannually, the classic is held as a two-day event during years when JHS has a scheduled road basketball game on Friday night, allowing the event to run shorter on Saturday.

This year, JHS has a home contest against Silver Creek on Friday, negating any chances of holding wrestling over two days.

A shortened event likely will cost wrestling boosters money in concession sales and will shorten an annual silent auction that is held each year.

“Coach (Danny) Struck has bent over backward to ensure that this annual event can continue,” Griffith said. “He’s confident and I’m confident that both events can take place on the same day and that is our plan going forward.

“Like in girls’ basketball, we know that wrestling is making sacrifices to help us through a difficult situation and we are mindful of what they may be sacrificing in order to make things work.”