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Page 6 • The News-Banner • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2011
Steelers’ defense could have
time on its hands against Colts
By WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ryan Clark
respects Peyton Manning, and he feels
for the Indianapolis Colts as they continue
to search for traction and an identity
while their franchise quarterback
recovers from neck surgery.
Still, the Pittsburgh Steelers safety
isn’t exactly complaining about taking
on the winless Colts (0-2) without
Manning on Sunday, and Clark’s source
of glee has nothing to do with facing
Kerry Collins instead of the three-time
MVP.
Collins has a better record (3-2)
against the Steelers than Manning (2-
2), a better completion percentage (64
to 60), and a better touchdown/interception
ratio.
The one thing Collins doesn’t have
on Manning? Acting ability.
Taking on the Colts without Manning
means not having to endure 20-25
seconds of the quarterback standing at
the line of scrimmage frantically barking
out orders as if he was playing some
football version of charades.
“Thank God because that is so boring,”
Clark said with mock exasperation.
“Such a theatrical performance.”
Clark was kidding. Sort of. Clark
is pretty sure there was some football
involved in Manning’s gestures. He’s
also pretty sure some of it was simple
gamesmanship.
“It got talked about so much and
people loved it so much I think Peyton
even kind of fed into it, ’I’m going to
keep doing this because people think
I’m doing a lot at the line,”’ Clark said.
The Colts have been more deliberate
through the first two weeks as veteran
Kerry Collins — plucked out of retirement
by coach Jim Caldwell a month
ago — learns the system Manning has
orchestrated so artfully for 13 seasons.
That’s fine by the Steelers, particularly
guys like nose tackle Casey Hampton.
He’s used to playing maybe 15-20
snaps against the Colts because he’s not
quite fit enough to dash on and off the
field while Manning operates out of the
no-huddle even if Hampton, like Clark,
is suspect of Manning’s motives.
“Do you know he’s really getting
guys lined up and doing that? You
never really know what he’s doing,”
Hampton said.
Collins isn’t familiar enough with
the Colts’ offense to play those kind
of games. It doesn’t mean he hasn’t
been effective against the Steelers. He
beat them the first three times he faced
them, including a 17-point whipping
in 2008 while playing for Tennessee.
And even at 38-years-old, the Steelers
believe Collins can operate quickly if
not quite as efficiently as Manning.
“They’re not going to run the same
offense that Peyton runs, because
there’s only one Peyton, but they’re
still running their offense,” defensive
coordinator Dick LeBeau said. “And
they’re still running no-huddle, and
we’ll have to be ready for a lot of snaps
and getting our calls in at the ball.”
Pittsburgh will likely be without
defensive end Brett Keisel, who missed
practice again on Thursday with a knee
injury. Third-year man Ziggy Hood
will get the start if Keisel can’t go, and
though he’s wary of Collins, he’s not
expecting a track meet.
“It could be slowed down to where
we get in our formations and we get
it right,” Hood said. “This is the third
game and (Collins) has only been there
so long. If we was playing them late in
the season, maybe that no huddle will
come into play. Maybe this week we
don’t know. We’ve got to be prepared.”
For all the progress the Colts believe
they’ve made while giving Collins a
crash course in an attack that’s been tailored
to Manning’s unique talents, they
know they’re not quite operating at the
same speed as usual.
General manager Bill Polian, who
helped coax Collins out of retirement
to keep the Colts afloat while Manning
heals, heard Houston linebacker Mario
Sports Roundup
No. 20 Carroll tops Knights
The Norwell Knights fell 3-2 to 20th-ranked Carroll in a
Northeast Hoosier Conference boys’ tennis match on Thursday
evening at Fort Wayne.
Norwell lost for just the second time this season and the
Knights’ record is 12-2 and 4-2 in the NHC.
The Knights’ doubles teams were winners and scored the
team points. Kyle Fillman and Tanner Mathews held on to
their undefeated season rolling to 14-0 with a 6-1, 6-2 victory
in No. 1 doubles.
Brandon Taylor and Tanner Bowen combined to win the
No. 2 doubles match 7-6 (7-1), 6-3.
In No. 1 singles, Norwell senior Reid Imel suffered his
first loss against Ross Marano 6-4, 6-1. Imel is now 13-1 for
the season.
Carroll won the junior varsity match 6-2. The Knights’
jayvee record slipped to 12-5 and 3-3.
CARROLL 3, NORWELL 2
At Fort Wayne
SINGLES: Ross Marano (C) def. Reid Imel 6-4, 6-1; Luke Garrison (C) def.
Mitchell Wilson 6-1, 6-0; Dillon Fernando (C) def. LJ Reeve 6-1, 6-0.
DOUBLES: Kyle Fillman/Tanner Mathews (N) def. Cody Chase/Cory Daman
6-1, 6-2; Brandon Taylor/Tanner Bowen (N) def. David Salway/Scott Campbell 7-6
(7-1), 6-3.
CARROLL 6, NORWELL 2
Junior Varsity
SINGLES: Tyler Smith (N) def. Hunter Davis 8-6; Austin Crager (C) def. Austin
Scanlon 8-2; Brady Adams (C) def. Kyler Boots 8-4.
DOUBLES: Alex Hunter/Brandon Burch (N) def. Sage Sander/Ian Muter 8-5.
AC netmen defeat Bluffton
Adams Central defeated Bluffton 4-1 in boys’ Allen
County Athletic Conference tennis action on Thursday evening
at Bluffton.
Bluffton’s Jacob Antrim and Jackson Lambert won their
No. 2 doubles match over Jon Weil and Pierce Harris to
break up the Jets’ bid for a sweep.
Adams Central won the junior varsity matches 7-2.
Bluffton wraps up its season with the ACAC Tournament
at Adams Central. The first round begins at 5 p.m. on Friday
and continues at 9 a.m. on Saturday. The sectional round
of the Indiana state tournament will be held next week at
Norwell on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The sectional
draw will be announced Monday evening.
ADAMS CENTRAL 4, BLUFFTON 1
At Bluffton
SINGLES: Nathan Barger (AC) def. Damon Kuhlenbeck 6-0, 6-2; Connor
Lengerich (AC) def. Brendan Baumgartner 2-6, 6-4, 2-6; Jacob Weil (AC) def.
Carson Addington 6-0, 6-2.
DOUBLES: Keaton Fiechter/Isaac Luginbill (AC) def. Alex Penrod/Jake Garrett
6-3, 6-3; Jacob Antrim/Jackson Lambert (B) def. Jon Weil/Pierce Harris 7-5,
4-6, 6-2.
ADAMS CENTRAL 7, BLUFFTON 2
Junior Varsity
SINGLES: Ben Kaehr (AC) def. Tyler Lambert 8-5; Zach Fiechter (AC) def.
Hunter Greenway 8-6; Jared Ripley (AC) def. Alex Miller 8-0; Eric Ripley (AC) def.
Levi Eisenhut 8-3.
DOUBLES: Jacob Bergdall/Cody Walburn (AC) def. Austin Okey/Dalton Cunningham
8-2; Stephen Vanderkolk/Mitchel Drew (B) def. Nate Timmons/Lane
Harrison 8-3; Luke Marbach/Jon Swales def. Levi Eisenhut/Hunter Okey 8-3; Andy
Oliver/Blake Lewis (AC) def. Sam Dedrick/Taylor Pulver 8-6; Tyler Lambert/Hunter
Greenway (B) def. Noah Quinones/Cody Emenhiser 8-2.
Eastbrook spikers down Bluffton
The Bluffton volleyball team lost to Eastbrook 25-19, 25-
14, 25-15 on Thursday night at Bluffton.
Eastbrook won the junior varsity match 25-16, 25-9.
Bluffton’s varsity team was led by Gina Eisenhut with 10
kills and Maggie Garrett with nine. Eisenhut also had three
blocks, one ace and nine digs. Garrett also had one ace and
15 digs. Megan Evans had 15 assists and Kennedy Johnson
14 digs. Paige Jacobs had one kill and one block.
Morgan Corle, Kayelynn Baublet and Autumn Kilgore
each had one kill for Bluffton’s junior varsity. Laura Stroud,
Corle and Kilgore each had one ace. Siera Gregg and Laura
Stroud each had one assist. Corle also had five digs and
Emma Thompson had four digs.
DeKalb swats Norwell spikers
The Norwell volleyball team lost to DeKalb 25-18, 25-
16, 25-20 on Thursday night at Norwell.
DeKalb won the junior varsity match 25-19, 25-20. Norwell
had 31 digs.
Heritage girls beat Norwell in soccer
Heritage beat Norwell 4-2 in a girls’ soccer match on
Thursday at Norwell.
Tasia de Leon and Lauren Johnson scored second-half
goals for Norwell (2-10-1). Norwell goalkeeper Haley Hell-
Williams boasting about how much
easier it was to go through the pre-snap
without Manning back there pointing
fingers.
“(Williams) said the defensive line
felt much more comfortable doing their
jobs because all of Peyton’s motions
and gestures didn’t let them know
when they had to get into their stances,
so it caused them trouble,” Polian said.
“Kerry can’t do that. Nobody can. Peyton
is like a race-car driver who has
been driving that car for 14 years. He
knows every nuance, every little bump,
you have to recognize that and say
this is going to be a different looking
team.”
Still, Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin
pointed out Collins looked Manning-esque
the last time he played the
Steelers, nearly leading Tennessee to a
miracle comeback in week two of the
2010 season after coming on in relief of
Vince Young.
The Steelers were firmly in command
19-3 late in the fourth quarter
when Collins led the Titans to a quick
touchdown and a 2-point conversion
and had the team driving again when
the clock ran out.
“That experience is not lost as we
prepare for this one,” Tomlin said.
Pittsburgh’s defense was back to its
usual swarming self against the overmatched
Seahawks last Sunday, pitching
a 24-0 shutout. Yet through two
weeks the Steelers have yet to generate
a turnover, the first time that’s happened
in consecutive games since 2009.
Collins hasn’t provided the Steelers
with many opportunities, throwing
just two picks in 163 career attempts
against Pittsburgh. Clark points out the
defense’s mindset is focused more on
getting stops than getting the ball.
The Steelers will have more time
to think about it on Sunday now that
Manning’s acting is relegated to TV
commercials for the time being.
“It’ll be weird playing them without
Peyton, period,” Hampton said.
er had 14 saves.
Boys may register for Future Tigers
Boys in grades 3-6 in the Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitan
School District may sign up to play in the Bluffton Future
Tigers program. Cost to register is $25, which includes a
reversible basketball jersey. Registration applications are
available at the Bluffton High School office and should be
returned by Oct. 5. For more information or for assistance in
paying the registration fee call coach Kevin Leising at 824-
3724.
Sign up for Squires Basketball League
Any Northern Wells Community Schools’ girl or boy in
grades 3-6 may register for the Norwell Squires Basketball
League by Friday, Sept. 29.
Registration forms have been distributed to all schools.
Teams practice one or two times per week and games will
be held on Saturdays in the Norwell High School auxiliary
gym beginning Oct. 30. Team selection night is Oct. 12.
For further information, call Norwell girls’ basketball
coach Eric Thornton at 543-2213, ext. 7313, or boys’ basketball
coach Randy Hawkins, ext. 7235.
K105 to be at football game
K105 FM radio station will be at Fred F. Park Field in
Bluffton on Friday night an hour before the 7 p.m. kickoff
of the football game between Southern Wells and Bluffton.
Crusaders win cross country meets
The Norwell Middle School cross country teams defeated
Bluffton and Southern Wells on Thursday.
Norwell won the boys’ event with 18 points and Bluffton
finished in second with 47. Southern Wells did not have
enough runners.
The Crusaders’ girls netted 27 points, followed by Southern
Wells with 32 and Bluffton with 79.
Norwell’s Austin Boucher won the boys’ 3,000-meter
race in 10:52. The Crusaders’ Tyler Weirick was second in
11:08. Bluffton’s Jared Reckard was third in 11:10. The next
finishers were from Norwell, including Noah Steffen, Seth
Cole, Zach Froehlick, Hunter Searles, Cody Shively, Dustin
Haiflich and Caleb Torson in 10th place.
Bluffton’s other finishers were Eli Kitt in 11th, Colton
Anderson 12th, Chance Anderson 13th and Logan Baumgardner
19th. Southern Wells had four runners.
Norwell’s Megan Theisman won the girls’ 3,000-meter
race in 12:43. Jenalyn Miskin was fifth for the Crusaders,
followed by Hannah Worden sixth, Claire Johnson seventh,
Allison Topp eighth, Libby Kemper ninth and Halley Edington
10th.
Lake Central linebacker
ties national record
INDIANAPOLIS — For the second time this month, an
Indiana high school football player has made the national
record book.
Lake Central senior linebacker Tyler Szczecina returned
four interceptions for touchdowns in the last three games to
tie the national record for most interception returns for touchdown
in a season.
According to the National Federation of State High School
Associations Football Record Book, Szczecina shares the
11-on-11 mark with Mike Galliger of West Central (S.D.) in
2007 and Jacob Edelman of Standwood North Cedar (Iowa)
in 2009 (confirmed by NFHS, but not yet listed).
Szczecina returned two interceptions of 47 and 25 yards
against Portage on Sept. 2. He a 25-yarder against Crown
Point on Sept. 9. His fourth of 18 yards came against LaPorte
on Sept. 16. He also leads the Class 5A No. 8 Indians (5-0)
with 53 tackles, including eight for loss.
Big 12 fires commissioner
From The Associated Press
The Big 12 dumped its embattled commissioner and said
nine schools had pledged to give their TV rights to the conference
for the next six years, a step intended to preserve a
fractured league that has lost two members in the past year
and expects to lose another by next summer.
No contracts had been signed yet in part because some
schools must get the approval of their governing boards,
league spokesman Bob Burda said.
SPORTS
Norwell's Brandon Taylor, a member of the Knights' No. 2 doubles
team, sets up to return a shot during a recent match. Taylor
teamed up with Tanner Bowen on Thursday to win a match
at Carroll. (Photo by Paul Beitler)
California agents track pot
parcel to Bengal’s home
By JOE KAY and GREG RISLING
Associated Press
CINCINNATI (AP) — For authorities tracking a marijuana
shipment from California, the trail ended unexpectedly
at the home of a Cincinnati Bengals player in suburban
northern Kentucky where police say they found more drugs.
No arrests have been made. Police were still investigating
the case Thursday that has entangled Bengals wide receiver
Jerome Simpson, a North Carolina native in his fourth NFL
season. A package containing 2 1/2 pounds of marijuana was
tracked to Simpson’s home.
The case is being investigated by police at the Cincinnati/
Northern Kentucky International Airport, along with local
authorities.
A Bengals spokesman said the club was aware of the
reports but had no comment. Calls to Simpson’s agent went
unreturned. Simpson was excused from practice on Thursday
to deal with the matter. It was unclear whether he would
be available for a game Sunday against San Francisco at
Paul Brown Stadium.
Simpson was at his home along with girlfriend and teammate
Anthony Collins on Tuesday when the woman accepted
the package, said Michelle Gregory, a spokeswoman with
the California Department of Justice.
Collins’ agent didn’t return a call seeking comment. Collins
practiced on Thursday but didn’t make himself available
to reporters for comment. Coach Marvin Lewis said Collins
wasn’t a focus of the investigation, though he declined further
comment.
The package originated in Eureka, Calif., part of the socalled
Emerald Triangle, the state’s vaunted pot-growing
region, and was discovered by a drug-sniffing dog in Sacramento,
Gregory said. The address label bore the name of
Jason Snider, but Gregory said it’s not unusual for people
to use false names when sending illegal drugs through the
mail.
A search of Simpson’s home also turned up six more
pounds of marijuana, smoking pipes and scales, authorities
said.
“We don’t believe it (the package) was for personal use,”
Gregory said. “We believe there’s some sort of distribution
or sales out of his home.”
Bluffton's Brendan Baumgartner eyes the ball before hitting a
return against Adams Central's Connor Lengerich in their No.
2 singles tennis match on Thursday at Bluffton. (Photo by Paul
Beitler)
High School Calendar
Friday, Sept. 23
BOYS TENNIS: Bellmont at Norwell, 4 p.m. (rescheduled
match); ACAC Tournament at Monroe, 5 p.m.
FOOTBALL: Southern Wells at Bluffton, 7 p.m.; East
Noble at Norwell, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 24
GIRLS GOLF: IHSAA Regional at Noble Hawk (Kendallville),
9 a.m.
BOYS TENNIS: ACAC Tournament at Monroe, 9 a.m.;
Norwell at Delta Invitational, 9 a.m.
BOYS SOCCER: Columbia City at Norwell, 10 a.m.
JV FOOTBALL: Norwell at East Noble, 10 a.m.
CROSS COUNTRY: Norwell, Southern Wells at New
Haven Classic, 9 a.m.