MOUNTIES’ ATHLETICS FLEXING NEW MUSCLE

Mike McGraw
Hoosier Authority

I love writing stories about turnarounds. When a team or school suddenly starts winning, it is usually a story of what is best in sport—success through effort and dedication. The rise of a team always makes for a good story. When it happens to an entire program, it is a great story. To that end, what has happened at Southmont High School in the last five weeks or so is quite a tale.

Outsiders have long viewed Southmont as the little stepsister of the Sagamore Conference. Though commonly held, that perception is not necessarily true. The Mounties have long fielded some of the best wrestling and track teams in western Indiana. Nonetheless, Southmont has struggled for years trying to stretch that success across other sports. They have especially had trouble winning in the most visible sports, football and basketball. In fact, the Mounties have had just three winning football seasons in the past 23 years.

There were few indications in the early weeks of this fall that led anyone to believe this year would be any different. After their first 11 games the volleyball team stood 5-6. Three weeks ago, the football team was 1-5 and looked to be headed in the wrong direction. Indications can be deceiving.

The football team has won three straight games, including the regular season finale against arch rival Crawfordsville. They are considered favorites versus Greencastle in the sectional opener. The volleyball squad won 13 of their last 14 matches to close the regular season with a school best ever record of 18-7. The boys’ soccer team also set a school record for wins. The top runner on the girls’ cross country team has emerged as one of the favorites for the individual state championship. Her name is Kreasy Clauser and she will be the subject of a feature on these pages next week.

Hoosier Authority wanted to know the cause for the sudden dramatic success. So, we packed up and drove just south of Crawfordsville to ask some questions. We found that, as it usually does, it starts at the top with an athletic director who has a clear vision and a community that has embraced it. It extends to a group of young, aggressive coaches who understand that an athlete’s mind and spirit are almost always more important than his or her body. It ends as it ALWAYS does, with a group of hard working athletes who have caught a case of the most contagious and wonderful disease in the world—winning

In the video players on this page are interviews with athletic director Jeff Irwin, football coach Desson Hannum, and volleyball coach Amber Powers. We thought you might like to see their views on why the Mounties are riding high in the saddle.