One final shout-out to spring sports teams and individuals.

First of all I would like to mention the magical run the Linton-Stockton softball team made this postseason. The team was able to overcome a lot of controversy and adversity en route to its record-breaking season and somewhat of a surprising surge to the Class 2A state championship game -- the first such game for any Miner athletic team in school history.

Also a special congrats should go out to Miner senior Izzy Carpenter for winning the mental attitude award. I can not think of a better representative from the school to receive this prestigious award.

The Shakamak athletic program also brought home some postseason hardware this spring. Junior Drew Gambill completed his season long goal of reaching the podium at the track and field state finals this season as he shattered his own and the school record in the 800-meter run by nearly three seconds in his fourth-place finish in the event.

Gambill, who is in a three step phase, will try and become a state champion in the event next season. He completed phase one his sophomore season by reaching the state meet (finishing 10th) and phase two this past season by earning All-State honors (top nine finish).

The Lakers baseball team had their season end in heart-breaking fashion as they fell one game (one inning actually) short of having the chance to defend their state championship from a season ago. Vincennes Rivet upset the Lakers, 8-7 in the semistate, by scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Shakamak has won 19 sectional titles (eight straight), nine regional titles (six straight), four semistate and one state championship. Over half of these titles have came since class sports beginning in the 1997-98 season -- the biggest mistake in high school sports PERIOD, in my opinion (which will be re-evaluated in another separate column). But with eight of their nine starters returning next season the Lakers will look to add to these gaudy totals.

The Lady Lakers also made headlines this past spring season by capturing their 10th softball sectional crown. Not many people expected the Lady Lakers to emerge from the Clay City Sectional that featured Class A No. 4 North Central and No. 9 Clay City. But on the right arm of freshman Mikayla Crane the Lakers knocked off Clay City in the semifinals before bouncing a four-win White River Valley team in the championship.

No. 2 ranked Riverton Parke dashed any hopes of a Cinderella-type run for the Lady Lakers in the first game of regional play. Paige Wolf's squad will lose just two starters to graduation and expect to build on their late success from this season, next season.

White River Valley track and field senior Kelsey Anderson also made a postseason splash this past spring as she ended her prep career at the state finals. The Hannibal-LaGrange bound basketball player qualified for the state meet in the discus throw. With her efforts, Anderson also landed some scholarship money from HLC to compete on their track and field team for the next four seasons as well.

Anderson, along with Union (Dugger) graduate Megan Gambill, will be competing in the Class A East and West All-star game at Blackford High School in Hartford City this weekend. Gambill, who will be competing for a spot on the Lady Screaming Eagles basketball team at the University of Southern Indiana, scored 10 points last weekend at New Castle in the inaugural Class Basketball All-star Classic.

Also staying with the All-star theme, several Linton-Stockton and Union (Dugger) football players will playing one final prep game as they play in the Wabash Valley Football coaches All-star game at Terre Haute South High School on Saturday.

Linton-Stockton head coach Steve Weber will once again be the head coach of the South All-star team.

I am sure there are many more outstanding efforts by area performers that I have failed to mention and I give my apologies now for the omissions. Feel free to leave feedback and comments on anything I have failed to recognize.

Congrats to all area teams, athletes and coaches on another exciting and memorable spring sports season.

Travis David is a sports writer for the Greene County Daily World and can be reached at 812-847-4487 ext. 20 or tdavid@gcdailyworld.com