Thanks for Pennville help (03/24/06)

To the editor:

We, the people of Pennville and the surrounding area, want to thank Marla Coleman for opening her new store, Kindness Matters, next door to the post office on Saturday night after the Jay County boys (basketball team) won the semi-state.

When we heard they were coming through Pennville, Marla opened her store and started filling more than 100 red, white, and blue balloons and gave them away to everyone.

Please stop in and let her know how much we appreciate her. There were others that put up signs with lights and balloons, also.

We also want Hannah Williams to know we are very proud of her. We know you gave it your best.

Good luck. We appreciate you.

God bless Craig Teagle and his team.

Naomi Betts

Pennville

Forgotten?

To the editor:

I have been watching and delight in the hoop-da-la of the basketball fever that has captured the hearts of the people of Jay County.

It is a great achievement, that the hard work and practice of these young men has brought them this honor. It think it is just great.

I know the parents of the players are as pleased as punch with their boys. I know just exactly how they feel to be able to go to Indianapolis to see their team represent Jay County High School in the state finals. Wow.

Several of us parents felt the same way when the Jay County High School wrestling team of 1982 won the semi-state championship, and there was no less joy in our hearts as that team walked into the fieldhouse down in Indianapolis for the state finals.

It is the same now as it was then. Not very many of the people of Jay County even know there is a wrestling team at Jay County High School and, judging from The Commercial Review articles, that great achievement has been forgotten. Just like I have forgotten the name of that great fieldhouse down in Indianapolis. It was torn down several years ago and something new has been built in its place. But I will not forget the team that went there to compete in the state finals.

One of the articles that I am referring to is on the front page of the paper (Monday, March 20, 2006). One sentence written by Ray Cooney, “The Patriots (20-6) will make their state finals debut — in any sport— Saturday at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis when they take on the 10th ranked New Castle Trojans (20-6) for the Class 3A state crown.” When Ray used the words “in any sport” he was incorrect. “In any sport” would include wrestling, wouldn’t it?

Then I read the editorial on page 4, where you wrote, “Wow, for the first semi-state title in the county’s history” Now I realize you were writing about basketball and you were right if all you mean is basketball. But semi-state title would include wrestling, wouldn’t it?

Then you went on to write, “but just think how transforming a team performance like this would have been in the first two or five or even 10 years into the history of Jay County High School.” Yes, again you are right if when you say team you mean basketball team. You probably did not know or have forgotten about the Jay County High School wrestling team of 1982 winning the semi-state championship.

Please, go to the high school and look in the trophy case and you will see the trophy inscribed for all to see that the Jay County High School wrestling team of 1982 won the regional and semi-state championship.

I remember that team. My son Mike, was on that team.

I owned a 1978 Dodge van and when the team had an away meet, half of the team rode in my van — all the heavyweights. What a load that was. I will not forget that the Jay County High School wrestling team of 1982 won the semi-state championship.

I think I can understand why they are not remembered. Then, as now, not very many people think of wrestling as a sport, or even a team sport. There were not 1,500 fans at the fieldhouse to cheer the team. There were not a lot of pictures and articles in The Commercial Review when they won. In fact, this little note has probably mentioned the team’s accomplishments more times than anything you can find in the past copies of The Commercial Review.

Then, as now, one or two paragraphs is all that is allotted for the wrestling teams in Jay County.

Then you also wrote, “It would have been nice — something out of a Hollywood screenplay — if JCHS had been heading for a state championship in its first few years. It would have been nice, but it would have been unrealistic.” But you probably just meant basketball.

Now I would not have written to you at all except you missed something else that rubbed me the wrong way and I just could not bite my tongue any longer. You wrote, “For decades, alumni associations have been around for the old high schools — Portland, Dunkirk, Redkey, Pennville, Bryant, Madison, Pennville, Gray.”

I know the dust has settled and the grass has grown over the grave where they buried the remains. I know Jackson Township does not have a town or even a big crossroad.

Jackson Township is so far back in the sticks that the government would not even let us vote here because we do not have a paved parking lot beside a building big enough in which to vote.

However, the good people at Union Chapel have started a pave the lot fund, just so we can vote in Jackson Township. If you can, send them a buck or two to help with the project.

But I digress.

Let’s get back to what you wrote “...old high schools: Portland, Dunkirk, Redkey, Pennville, Bryant, Madison, Pennville, Gray.”

I know it probably just slipped your mind, but I remember and shall not forget Poling High School because I graduated from Poling High School.

I want you to know that the Poling High School Alumni Association will have its annual alumni banquet on May 6. The banquet will be held just one-quarter mile south of the little crossroad that used to be Polingtown in the activities building of Union Chapel Church. Anyone who graduated from Poling or went to Poling or even just remembers someone that went to or something that happened at Poling, will be welcomed at that banquet. Call me to make reservations for the banquet.

I wish JCHS basketball team the very best.

Remember, team, how you have been coached and the plays you have practiced, work hard as a team and enjoy the day to the utmost. You are going there because of all your hard work and team effort. Go Jay County. You have reached a level where few from Jay County have been. You now have the opportunity to raise the bar another notch in basketball. Go for the gold. Bring home that state championship trophy.

You can place it in the trophy case right along with the state championship trophies that the Jay County marching band and the Jay County cheerleaders have won. Their parents are very proud of them, also.

But then, Mr. Editor, I guess you were just talking about basketball and did not mean to forget all the other great accomplishments of our Jay County High School. Yes, where is that alumni association for Jay County High School, they have great things to remember and many a good reason to crow about?

As for you sir, and Ray Cooney, keep up the good work.

I hope that in some small way I may have written something, some little clue, that will be of use to you in the future as we all try to remember the past. That there were other teams besides basketball teams and one other small high school in Jay County.

They are gone but not forgotten by the ones that love them.

Sincerely

Max E. Blowers

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