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Lakes ends MHS coaching career after three decades, will remain as teacher

Posted: Feb 13, 2018 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

It’s the end of an era for Marion Giants cross country, as longtime coach Terry Lakes is stepping aside to hand the over the reins to someone new.

Several current and former cross country team members attended the Marion School Board meeting on Feb. 13, when Coach Terry Lakes announced his retirement from coaching. Seen here are Lakes and his wife, Vicky, members of the school board, and cross country team members past and present.

Lakes will retain his teaching position and will continue as the department chair for the English department at Marion High School.

“Teaching has always been the most important thing,” Lakes said. “I always knew there would come a time when I would focus for a few years just on the teaching. It’s time for someone else to take charge and bring a new energy to the cross country program.”

>> Click here to read more about Coach Lakes' record with his MHS teams and more

JROTC Drill Team turns in their best performance at Purdue U.

Posted: Feb 12, 2018 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

The Marion High School JROTC Drill Team has continued to improve this year with each successive competition. Earlier this month, they faced the stiffest competition thus far at Purdue University. Not only did the cadets turn in their best performance of the season, they performed the best they ever have.

The Marion High School JROTC Drill Team earned four top place finishes at Purdue University on Feb. 10, 2018. This was the best performance the team has achieved in six years.

“The drill and color guard team pulled out our best performances of the season and of the past six years,” said retired Command Sgt. Maj. Jon Smith, who has coached the team for six years. “Purdue is arguably our toughest meet each year. We made great strides at this competition.”

The Giants entered teams in six of the competitive categories and ended up taking first place in four of those events, along with two third place finishes. The Giants placed first in color guard, armed squad exhibition, individual exhibition and duet exhibition. The Giants also earned a third place finish with a second color guard team and earned a third place finish overall in the competition.

Commanding the all-female color guard, which garnered first place, Cadet Joanna Hildago described her team’s win: “Awesome! I was so nervous during the event but my team was doing really well. It was our best routine ever!”

Marion High School JROTC’s all-female color guard team takes first place at the Purdue University Drill Competition on Feb. 10. Cadets Joanna Hildago, Audrey Dickerson, I’Yeal Hornaday, and Lunden Colley were one of the four teams from Marion to take first place honors at the competition.

Cadet DJ Smith continued to dominate other competitors, winning in the individual exhibition event in the fourth competition of the season. Smith also teamed with Austen Robbins to take first place in the duet exhibition event.

Marion High School JROTC cadet DJ Smith reports in to a drill sergeant at the beginning of his exhibition routine during the drill competition hosted by Purdue University on Feb. 10. Smith’s routine, along with three other Marion teams, earned first place finishes.

Cadets DJ Smith and Austen Robbins earn a first place finish in the duet exhibition event for Marion High School at the drill competition hosted by Purdue University on Feb. 10, 2018. This was the third time the duo has earned a top finish this season.

The victories continued throughout the day as armed squad exhibition team lead by Joseph O’Donnell took the floor.

“I felt very confident in my team going into the event,” O’Donnell said. “We turned in a clean routine with few, if any, mistakes in spite of us all being nervous. It was the best feeling to hear our team announced and knowing we won at Purdue!”

During drill competitions, U.S. Army Drill Sergeants serve as the graders. They watch to ensure the cadets perform the specified movements properly, but also scrutinize each movement looking for the slightest infraction. One minor mistake can mean the difference between winning and losing.

“I am so proud of what we have accomplished so far this season,” Command Sgt. Maj. Smith said. “We are really seeing the benefit of all the hard work and dedication. I had several coaches for other teams come up and congratulate us on how well our cadets performed.”

Next up for the Giants is the competition hosted by the University of Kentucky ROTC program on Feb. 24.

MHS Black History Club presents: ‘And in This Corner: Cassius Clay’

Posted: Feb 09, 2018 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

WHAT: “And in This Corner: Cassius Clay”, this year’s MHS Black History Club play

WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018

WHERE: Walton Performing Arts Center, Marion High School, 750 W. 26th St.

COST: $7

MARION — You know the story of Muhammad Ali, but do you know the story that came before? Later this month, you’ll have the chance to explore the famous icon’s early years, in the Marion High School Black History Club’s presentation of “And in This Corner: Cassius Clay”.

The play is set for 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, at the Walton Center at Marion High School.

“And in This Corner” was written by Idris Goodwin, a contemporary playwright who has won many awards and accolades for his work. This vibrant historical drama focuses on the iconic boxer’s early life in Jim Crow-era Louisville, Ky. In it, Cassius Clay Jr. takes his first step into the ring and starts becoming the man would know as Muhammad Ali. It’s a classic story of an unlikely hero, but it also explores how remarkable communities help to create heroes.

The main actors in the play include brothers Jalen and Jordan Hill, a freshman and a senior, respectively, who play Cassius Clay in different stages of his life. Other cast members include Taliea Wells, senior, who is playing Clay’s mother, Odessa; Brett Cope, senior, playing Joe Martin, Clay’s trainer; James Bell, a junior, playing Eddie Green, Cassius’ best friend; Manual Davis, senior, playing Corky Baker, a neighborhood bully; along with seniors Kaleb Evans, Jacob Speikes, Jalon Spurgon, Joseph O’Donnell, Maria Porter, and Toosie Jackson, along with sophomore Darzuan Weaver.

>> Click here to see some of the cast members discuss the play on The Giant Showcase

In addition, several members of the Marching Giants will be performing in a parade for the play.

The cast also includes a wide range of ages, from a second-grader to adults in the community, among 25 extras adding life to the play.

The MHS Black History Club has put on a play every year since 1980. The play is the largest fundraiser of the year for the club, and proceeds help fund their annual spring college tour to historically black colleges and universities. This year’s trip is to the Atlanta area.

Tickets can be purchased from any Black History Club member or from Bobbie Owensby, MHS teacher and sponsor of the club, as well as director of the play. They will also be available at the door the night of the play.

Anyone who wants to donate to the spring college trip or help in any other way can contact Mrs. Owensby as well, by calling her at the high school, 664-9051, ext. 3234.

>> Click here to RSVP on our Facebook event page and get reminders about the play

MHS Band Boosters fundraiser this Friday (2/9) at Giant Bistro

Posted: Feb 08, 2018 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

The Marion High School Band Boosters will have a fundraiser at the Giant Bistro from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9.

The Giant Bistro, 2215 S. Western Ave., is run by the Culinary Arts program at Marion Regional Career Center. Fundraisers for Marion Community Schools groups and community groups is a common way that MRCC and the Giant Bistro gives back to the community.

>> Click here to view the Giant Bistro menu for February 2018

Come out this Friday to support the Band Boosters as they raise funds to support the band program, including the purchase of new uniforms for the Marching Giants and other needs.

JROTC Rifle Team 13th among nation’s best

Posted: Feb 08, 2018 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

The Marion High School JROTC Rifle Marksmanship Team placed 13th during their second-ever trip to a national-level competition.

The Marion High School JROTC Rifle Marksmanship Team finished 13th at a national championship hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Ga. Picture from left are team members Jade’Lynn Kendall, Hailey Teeguarden, Coach David Farlow, Taylor Sorah, and Levi Hofmann.

The team of four Marion cadets was among only 30 teams from across the county to qualify for the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit’s Junior Rifle National Championship. The AMU championship was open to any youth shooters, not just JROTC cadets.

“It was a great honor and speaks well of our team to have qualified for attendance at the AMU championship,” said retired Lt. Col. David Farlow, the JROTC senior Army instructor and Rifle Team coach. “Our team has shot well all year so it was exciting to break into the ‘big league’ to shoot against the best from across the country. I am so proud of them.”

The Marion tem was comprised of cadets Taylor Sorah, senior; Hailey Teeguarden, junior; and Levi Hofmann and Jade’Lynn Kendall, both sophomores.

“It was a good change of pace to go and shoot in Georgia on a military base,” said Sorah, the Giant’s Rifle Team captain. “We learned so much from the more experienced shooters there.”

And an experience it was. The Giants had to shoot in two different relays in as many days. During each of the relays, the marksmen shot in the three standard positions of standing, kneeling, and prone. However, the number of qualifying shots for each position was twice what the Giants were used to shooting in competitions.

“During these longer matches, physical and mental fatigue can affect the shooter,” Farlow said. “Also, the cadets had to learn to deal with the pressure of shooting in such a high-level competition. It can be nerve-wracking.”

Teeguarden said participating in the championship was another opportunity for growth for the team.

”It was really neat to see so many other teams there who were clearly much better than us,” she said. “I learned so much by just watching the better marksmen; learning what they do and how they prepare for the match was a great benefit.”

Marion High School JROTC Cadets Jade’Lynn Kendall, Hailey Teeguarden, Taylor Sorah, and Levi Hofmann take aim during the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit’s Junior Rifle National Championship at Fort Benning, Ga.

This was the Giants’ first visit to the AMU Championship. However, they competed last year at the Army JROTC National Championship held at Camp Perry, Ohio. The cadets will return again to shoot in the JROTC National Championship competition next week.

The Marion Rotary, Marion High School Alumni Association, and other individuals provided generous donations to help cover some of the costs for attendance to the AMU match.

“We simply could not have been able to make this trip without the generous donations,” Farlow said. “I know our team is truly grateful for the support from the community.”

In addition to the Army JROTC National Championship match, the Giants have several other upcoming competitions, including the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s Indiana State Championship and the American Legion’s Indiana Youth Shooting Championship.

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