Hunt holds oldest record

It’s almost time for kickoff.
It has become easy to tell when the NFL season is nearing, because reader questions inevitably turn to the topic.
Though the question was asked, I’ll hold off on my predictions for the season. Those will get their own column next week, as they always do.
But why not whet the appetite by leading off with a couple of football-related queries this week?
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The Indianapolis Colts locked up their most prized asset for years to come in Andrew Luck’s contract extension. Have they done enough to protect him with offensive line acquisitions?
—Adam Gray,
Fort Wayne
Will the Colts have a 1,000-yard rusher this year?
—Steve Garbacz,
Fort Wayne

Two Colts questions for the price of one.
First let’s take a look at the offensive line.
In 2015, the following players were most often in the starting lineup along the Colts’ line: Anthony Castonzo (left tackle), Jack Newhort (left guard), Jonotthan Harrison (center), Hugh Thornton (right guard) and Joe Reitz (right tackle). The current depth chart indicates that four of those five, minus Harrison, will be the starters this year, though Mewhort will miss the beginning of the season because of an injury.
That seems to mean Indianapolis is looking for most of its improvement to come via upgrading the center position, which will be filled by rookie Ryan Kelly. The first-round draft pick from Alabama will almost certainly be an improvement, but it would be unfair to expect him to fix all of the blocking problems the team had last season.
To Steve’s question, I say no. Frank Gore failed to reach the 1,000-yard mark last season despite being the workhorse back and playing all 16 games. The Colts will be a pass-first team and at age 33 Gore is likely to miss time or split time this year.
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What’s your take on fantasy sports? Do you play? Do you think it hurts the game anyway?
—Dusty Guggenbiller,
Fort Recovery

I love fantasy sports. I do play, though not as much as I used to.
I started playing fantasy football in 1992, back when scores were tallied by picking up a newspaper on Monday and looking at box scores. There was a time I played in a list of football, baseball and basketball fantasy leagues every year. Now I’m down to just football, and only a few leagues.
One of the things I enjoy about fantasy sports is that they can create a deeper connection to the game. I’ve always been a huge sports fan, but I was never more plugged in to baseball and basketball especially, than when I had my fantasy teams. If I wanted to do well, I had to care about more than just my favorite teams and the handful of stars that dominate the headlines. The name of the fifth starter for the San Diego Padres became important.
Fantasy sports can have a downside. Some participants take them too seriously, berating NFL players on social media for getting hurt or having a bad game. Others pour too much money into them, turning the games into a gambling problem rather than harmless recreation.
But with the right attitude, fantasy sports are an activity that can add enjoyment to the games while bringing fans together.
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What is the longest-standing record in both boys and girls sports at Jay County High School?
—Dave Blackford,
Portland

With 40 years and 20 varsity sports to track, there are a lot of possibilities. Some teams have kept great records, while others have had information lost as coaches have come and gone.
I’ve done the best I could to track down the oldest marks that are still standing. If readers have other ideas of records that may surpass these, feel free to send them in and I’d be happy to try to verify.
Girls: Carla Miller set the JCHS record in the discus in 1982 with a toss of 130 feet, 7 inches. She won the state championship in the shot put that year, but her school record in that event was later surpassed by two-time state champion Kerri McClung.
Boys: It seems a safe bet that this is the oldest record on hand, as it occurred during the first year the school was open. Dean Hunt set the mark for pitching wins in 1976 when he recorded 12 on a team that finished 23-8. Two pitchers — Josh Jellison with 11 in 2003 and Dan Ferrell with 10 in 1992 — have reached double digits since then, but Hunt still stands alone with a dozen.