HIGH-SCHOOL

Vote now: What was the Herald-Times boys high school sports moment of the year?

Portrait of Jim Gordillo Jim Gordillo
The Herald-Times

There were a lot of great moments during the 2023-24 boys high school season. So which one was the best?

I witnessed many of these so that played a big factor in paring down the list. (and yes, a girls ballot will be available next week). Relive the moment with the links attached to each candidate and the attached tweets, then it's your chance to weigh in. Readers may vote as much as they like in the poll at the end of this story until Thursday at noon:

North's Jalen Williams (5) celebrates after overtime of the Bloomington North versus Bloomington South boys basketball game at Bloomington High School North on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. North won the game 56-53.

SOUTH BASEBALL: It looked like North had its annual rivalry game vs. Panthers in hand, but without a hit, using five walks, a catcher's interference and wild pitch, South scored four times in the bottom of the seventh for a stunning 4-3 win.

EDGEWOOD BASKETBALL: Mustangs stun rival North, 55-52, after 18-0 run and a crazy final two-minute flurry that ended with two free throws by Nolan Reynolds and a Cougar turnover.

NORTH BASKETBALL:Jalen Williams sinks 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left in overtime to top rival South, 56-53.

SOUTH BASKETBALL: Zach Sims scores 18 of the Panthers' last 21 points to rally his team to a 60-56 overtime win that gives coach J.R. Holmes his 900th career win.

SOUTH CROSS COUNTRY: Ryan Rheam had the race of his life to take 11th place finish at state meet at LaVern Gibson Course in 15:25.1. That's the fastest time by a Panther at state since Eric Rush finished in 15:17.6 in 1983. 

NORTH FOOTBALL: A city rivalry game with all kinds of heroics ended with Cole Grupenhoff's diving touchdown grab and Jack Leonard's two-point conversion catch to give the Cougars a 25-24 overtime win over South, which led to the first 9-0 regular season in school history.

SOUTH FOOTBALL: A city rivalry game with everything on the line in the sectional opener became an instant classic as well as the Panthers gained revenge on the No. 1 Cougars in a 44-31 shootout win, putting together scoring drives of 80, 80 and 72 yards in the second half to break open a 21-21 game.

SOUTH GOLF: Happy Gilmore breaks the school record with a 10-under par 61 at Cascades in a win over Bloomington North.

SOUTH SWIMMING:Juniors Lukas Paegle and David Kovacs had a state finals to remember as each broke school records on their way to bringing home four medals: two seconds, a third and fourth individually and a second and seventh with relays.

NORTH TENNIS: Connor O'Guinn makes a run all the way to the state singles tourney with an outdoor, then indoor, win at regional when rain forces final match to IU's covered courts.

SOUTH TENNIS: Evan Kantor and Ethan Peyton pull out a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win at 1 doubles to give Panthers a 3-2 win over North and a sectional title.

NORTH TRACK: Jaidyn Johnson had no problems finding traction in the rain (at least once the timing system got sorted out) becoming the first Bloomington athlete to sweep the 100 and 200 in the state finals.

Branson Weaver of Owen Valley celebrates after beating Christian Arberry of Warren Central in the 144-pound quarterfinal round of the 2023-24 IHSAA State Wrestling tournament at Ford Center in Evansville, Ind., Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.

OWEN VALLEY WRESTLING: 144-pounder Branson Weaver earned an 11-4 win in his opener at the state meet, meaning he'll end up as the first Patriot to medal in the finals since 1988. He wound up fourth.

SOUTH WRESTLING: Junior Evan Roudebush bounced back from last year's second-round upset to win a semistate title at 165 pounds, hanging on in the final for a 7-6 win. He was third at state.