May 2017: BNL Takes Sectional Title; Band Director Retires, Two Inducted Into Basketball Hall Of Fame

Last updated on Monday, January 1, 2018

(UNDATED) - In May the Bedford North Lawrence Baseball team took the Sectional Title; Bedford Mayor Shawna Girgis was awarded the Founding Dean’s Medallion; a BNL band director retired; Bob Bridge, Marla Inman Eltrevoog were inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall Of Fame and a Mitchell High School counselor retired.

BNL Baseball Team Calms First Sectional Crown

The Bedford North Lawrence baseball team celebrated when they defeated Floyd Central 9-3 at Stars Field to claim their first sectional crown since 1994.

The Stars started off strong with Drew Hensley hitting home plate when Austin Long hit a two-out RBI single up the middle giving the Stars the lead in the first inning 1-0.

At the top of the second the Stars didn't mess around and blasted in four runs with a single from Tanner McBride and Blake Fisher who slammed an RBI triple into center field. Fisher then scored on a wild pitch, Garrett Ramsey walked and Hensley hit one to left center putting him on second after a two-base error. Underwood came through with a two-run single making it 5-1.

The Stars tacked on a run in the fifth when Brody Tanksley got a leadoff hit, and McBride's sacrifice fly scored courtesy runner Ben Barker. But Floyd was able to score two runs making the score 6-2.

Hensley walked to lead off the sixth, and Underwood laid down a bunt single, with the throw getting away putting runners at second and third. Tanksley walked, and Brandt Callahan coaxed a one-out RBI walk before Cole Mathews ripped a two-run single to left to make it 9-2.

Floyd Central got its final run on a solo home run by Brayden Edwards in the sixth.

State of Emergency Declared in Washington County

Washington County was placed under a state of emergency after heavy storms dumped nearly six inches of rain within 45 minutes. Officials say 18 feet of water flooded three main areas of Salem -- Water Street, East Market Street and Main Street, Market and Walnut streets, was one of the hardest hit areas.

Many businesses were ruined, electricity was out and millions of dollars in damage has been estimated due to flash flooding along Brock Creek and Blue River.

The U.S. Highway 60 bridge over the West Fork Blue River closed for a time after two large petroleum tanks and three semi-trailers containers smashed into it.

Businesses and homes in the area were under several feet of water and firefighters had to make several rescues.
Officials estimate damages in the millions of dollars.

Bedford Mayor Awarded Founding Dean's Medallion

Bedford Mayor Shawna Girgis was awarded the Founding Dean's Medallion for her contributions in advancing public health care in rural communities.

The award was presented by Dean and Chancellor's Professor at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington Mohammad Torabi.

The Founding Dean's Medallion was commissioned to recognize those individuals whose careers and personal efforts have been dedicated to rigorous public health research, education, and practice by preventing disease, promoting health, and enhancing quality of life.

Mayor Girgis received the award for her contributions in the partnership between the IU School of Public Health, Lawrence County Superior Court I Judge Michael Robbbins and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in developing the county's Domestic Violence Coalition aimed at combating domestic violence issues within Lawrence County.

Hewetson Retires

From teaching a P.E. class at Mitchell Junior High School to student counseling at Mitchell High School, Julie Hewetson has been teaching and inspiring students of the Mitchell community for 38 years. In May of 2017 Hewetson retired.

Roger Gales Retires

After teaching close to 3,000 Bedford North Lawrence students over the past 23 years, Roger Gales directed his last high school band concert as a BNL Band Director. Gales started teaching at BNL in 1995 where he was first hired on at Shawswick Elementary on a temporary contract. He was there for a year when the high school Assistant Band Director position opened.

Gales left this message to present and future BNL band members, "Work hard. Enjoy the opportunities that you have. We are very fortunate that our school corporation and our school board is very supportive of the arts."

Bob Bridge and Marla (Inman) Eltrevoog Inducted into Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame

Bob Bridge and Bedford North Lawrence High School girls basketball standout Marla (Inman) Eltrevoog were among those inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

Bridge, a graduate of Evansville North High School and Indiana University, is a longtime sportswriter with the Bedford Times-Mail. Bridge also was recognized in April with a Virgil Sweet Award at the 2017 Indiana Basketball Coaches Association annual clinic. The Sweet awards are presented to those who have provided meritorious service in the promotion of basketball across Indiana.

Eltrevoog, was named to the Women's Silver Anniversary Team, which honored the outstanding accomplishments of those who were senior basketball players 25 years ago. Loogootee's Leslie (Wade) VanHoy also made the team.

Eltrevoog, who now lives in Illinois, was a member of the BNL squad that went to three consecutive state championship games, claiming the crown with an undefeated season in 1991. Not only was she the 1992 Miss Basketball, but she was an Indiana All-Star and received the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award. During her career at BNL, she set a girls school record of 1,658 points, along with 287 steals and 256 assists for teams that went 103-3 in four years.

During her senior year, she averaged 22 points per game and was named Associated Press All-State, Gatorade Indiana Player of the Year and Kodak All-American.

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