A Kosciusko County graduate who went on to a historic coaching career will be part of the upcoming induction class at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

The board of directors of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame announced their 60^th induction class, to be honored in ceremonies in 2022. 

The late Garth Cone attained small school success as the noted coach of Alexandria High School.  Leading the Tigers’ program from 1977 until his untimely death at the age of 63 in 2010, Cone’s teams won 419 games (61%), along with 16 Central Indiana Conference titles, five sectionals, three regionals, a semi-state and the 1998 IHSAA 2A championship. 

Three of his team’s sectional titles (1989, 1994 and 1995) came in the one-class state tournament played at Anderson, each of them with small-school Alexandria knocking out the host Indians. 

An assistant coach of the 1995 Indiana All-Stars, he served as President of the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. 

He was a 1965 graduate of Pierceton High School and a 1969 graduate of Taylor University, where he played under Hall of Fame coach Don Odle.

Cone was inducted into the Taylor University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999.

Greet the morning with bald eagles at Mississinewa Lake’s annual Sunrise Eagle Watch on January 18.

Meet at Mississinewa’s Miami State Recreation Area (SRA) boat launch at 6:30 a.m. to caravan to the largest documented bald eagle roost in Indiana. Participants should dress for the weather and bring binoculars, cameras, and spotting scopes.

After the eagle watch, have breakfast with birds from Salamonie Raptor Center back at Miami SRA for a free-will donation at 9 a.m.

Registration is required by calling 260-468-2127. Accessible parking available at the roost, please make requests during registration.

Mississinewa Lake is at 4673 S. 625 E., Peru, 46970.

Almost 43,000 fall fingerling walleyes were stocked at eight locations in northern Indiana in early October. An additional 26,738 fall fingerlings were stocked at five more locations in late October to mid-November.

The fish stocked in the second round were grown at Fawn River State Fish Hatchery to supplement the earlier stockings that were purchased from a private commercial fish supplier. The stocked walleye are primarily 5- to-7-inch fingerlings. A few fish are larger. They will typically reach 14 inches after two years of growth and 16 inches by age 3.

The target stocking rate for these larger fall walleye fingerlings is 10 fish per acre, a figure DNR fisheries biologists say provides the best balance for fishing potential, growth, and fisheries balance.

Lakes and (county) stocked include:

• Bass Lake (Starke)
• Crooked Lake (Steuben)
• Clear Lake (Steuben)
• George (Steuben)
• Pine/Stone Lakes (LaPorte)
• Pretty Lake (LaGrange)
• St. Joseph River (St. Joseph)
• Sylvan Lake (Noble)
• Shriner Lake (Whitley)
• Wall Lake (LaGrange)
• Winona Lake (Kosciusko)
• Wolf Lake (Lake)

Most of these locations are stocked with fall fingerlings each year to sustain the walleye population. A few locations are stocked on alternate years to improve walleye fishing in additional areas. The lakes are continually evaluated by biologists for fish survival and angling use.

Multiple other lakes are stocked with walleyes by privately funded lake associations. A stocking permit that is evaluated and approved by the local DNR fisheries biologist is needed before any stocking can take place.  

The young fish are often found in vegetation or large rocky habitat. Anglers should handle young walleye they catch gently because they are the future of the fishery.

Rochester Lady Zebras picked up a road win at Lewis Cass Tuesday.

Randy Wynn had the call on GIANT fm Sports.

In boy basketball, Caston used a 22-8 second quarter to build a 15-point halftime lead, 37-22.  But the Comets couldn’t make it stand up as Lakeland Christian outscored Caston 38-19 in the final two quarters to post a 60-56 win in the opener for both teams.

Caston placed three players in double figures led by Joey Spin’s 14 points.  Kade Zeider scored 12 and Bryce Rudicel added 11.

Caston (0-1) will host Lewis Cass on December 1 in the opening round of the Cass County Invitational.

Tuesday boys scoreboard

Twin Lakes 49, Winamac 41

Peru 68, Logansport 41

Wapahani 76, Southwood 48

Carroll (Flora) 50, Lewis Cass 49

In boys basketball tonight, Rochester travels to Culver in a game on GIANT fm Sports.  It is a varsity-only matchup with pregame coverage at 6:40 pm.

Other area boys basketball season openers:

Argos at Bremen

Triton at Oregon-Davis

Plymouth at John Glenn

Wabash at Oak Hill

Indiana high school boys basketball tips-off this Thanksgiving week.

Rochester must replace over 49 ppg from six seniors that were lost to graduation.  It was a class that led the Zebras to an 18-2 record, 9-0 TRC championship record and back-to-back sectional titles.

Tippecanoe Valley transfer Paul Leasure will help fill in some of that scoring punch.  He averaged over 11 ppg last season as a sophomore for the Vikings.

It’s the first back-to-back winning seasons for Rochester since the 2010-2011 seasons.

Rochester opens the season at Culver in a varsity only game on Thanksgiving Eve, November 24.  Pregame on GIANT fm Sports on 92.1, giant.fm and the GIANT fm App will be 6:40 with tip at 7:00 pm.

Caston opens the boys basketball season Tuesday with a road trip to Lakeland Christian.

The Comets are coming off back-to-back double digit win seasons for the first time since the 2013-14 through 2014-15 seasons.

Caston was 10-16 last season, 2-5 in the Hoosier North.

Seniors Kade Zeider and Sam Smith led the Comets in scoring as juniors, 10.5 and 10.3 ppg, respectively.

Tippecanoe Valley has had one winning season in the Vikings last six.  Chances improve this season with the return of two of last year’s three double digit scorers.

Junior Nolan Cumberland topped the Vikings last season at 11.9 ppg.  He was followed closely by senior center Dawson Perkins (11.4 ppg) and Paul Leasure (11.4 ppg).  Leasure, a junior, is now attending Rochester.

The Vikings (7-16, 2-7 TRC last season) open the season on Saturday at Oregon-Davis.

Rochester girls basketball begins the 2021-22 campaign tonight with a home opener against North Judson.

Head coach Brian Jennings returns for his fourth season with a veteran core that has captured consecutive sectional titles and has aspirations for a third this season.

Jennings says a familiar face for the program will take over the JV reigns this season.

Jennings talks about another addition to the coaching staff.

5’10” senior Lexy Thomas is looking forward to the season…and even beyond that.  Thomas, 8.5 ppg, 7 reb last season, knows what her future calls for after her final campaign as a Zebra.

Rochester and North Judson tonight on GIANT fm Country – available at giant.fm and the GIANT fm App.

Jets - Colts Thursday Night Football can be heard on 92.1.

Among other area girls games tonight 

Caston at Argos

The Comets (15-7) put together the program's first winning season since 2013-14.

Bremen at Tippecanoe Valley

The Vikings 13-9 season ended with a 62-61 (OT) loss to NorthWood in the sectional semifinal.

Valparaiso at Winamac

Warriors were 11-9 last season.  Kingsley Kroft led Winamac with 12 ppg as a junior.

Valpo has won both meetings since this became the season opener two seasons ago.

Culver at Culver Academy

Culver Academy dropped its season opener to #11 (1A) Morgan Twp on Tuesday, 47-43.

Culver (8-13 last season) seeking first above .500 season since 2014-15 (19-5).

Rochester girls basketball begins the 2021-22 campaign tonight with a home opener against North Judson.

Head coach Brian Jennings returns for his fourth season with a veteran core that has captured consecutive sectional titles and has aspirations for a third this season.

Jennings says a familiar face for the program will take over the JV reigns this season.

Jennings talks about another addition to the coaching staff.

5’10” senior Lexi Thomas is looking forward to the season…and even beyond that.  Thomas, 8.5 ppg, 7 reb last season, knows what her future calls for after her final campaign as a Zebra.

Rochester and North Judson tonight on GIANT fm Country – available at giant.fm and the GIANT fm App.

Jets - Colts Thursday Night Football can be heard on 92.1.

Among other area girls games tonight 

Caston at Argos

The Comets (15-7) put together the program's first winning season since 2013-14.

Bremen at Tippecanoe Valley

The Vikings 13-9 season ended with a 62-61 (OT) loss to NorthWood in the sectional semifinal.

Valparaiso at Winamac

Warriors were 11-9 last season.  Kingsley Kroft led Winamac with 12 ppg as a junior.

Valpo has won both meetings since this became the season opener two seasons ago.

Culver at Culver Academy

Culver Academy dropped its season opener to #11 (1A) Morgan Twp on Tuesday, 47-43.

Culver (8-13 last season) seeking first above .500 season since 2014-15 (19-5)

Rochester is set to open the girls hoops season Thursday.

Rochester (12-9 last season) is coming off back-to-back sectional championships and a veteran core is back for head coach Brian Jennings.

On Thursday, it’ll be North Judson in the opener.  It's a Bluejays team without Lillian Frasure’s 24 points and 10 rebounds per game.  Frasure graduated following last season's 20-6 season that ended with a semistate loss to Lafayette Central Catholic.

Jennings says North Judson with a new coach makes prepping for game one even more difficult.

Rochester edged North Judson 79-73 in an exciting overtime season opener in 2020.

On Saturday, it's a short road trip to Caston to play a Comet team that put together 15 wins and a winning season for first time since 2013-14.

Caston upended Rochester last season, 57-53.

And a few schedule changes will be in play for Rochester this season.

The return of winter high school sports this week with the tip off of the girls basketball season.  That will quickly be followed by boys hoops, wrestling and swimming.

For now, diminishing Covid concerns and statistics are allowing for a more normal approach for fans.

Rochester Athletic Director Kevin Renie.

Renie says reaction to the start of the winter sports seasons is much the same around the Three Rivers Conference.

The Rochester Zebra girls season opener s Thursday with North Judson Thursday.  That game can be heard on GIANT fm Country - HD2, available thru giant.fm and the GIANT fm App.

Thursday Night's Colts - Jets game will air on 92.1 Thursday.