By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Winston Churchill once stated “To improve is to change. To be perfect is to change often.” If that’s true, Bedford North Lawrence is on the road to perfection. The 2024-25 school year was marked by turbulent, messy, unexpected directional shifts at the top of high-profile sports – even at the helm of the entire athletic program.
Is change good? It can lead to growth, new opportunities, and progress. It can also be stressful, disruptive, and even destructive. BNL has reached a crossroads, with the path forward yet to be determined.
Despite all the upheaval, the Stars still found their moments to shine. Records were shattered, individuals were honored, and BNL added to its trophy case.
So here are the top moments from another memorable, for reasons that span the spectrum, year:
10. Yates steps down as AD: The last move was among the most surprising when Adam Yates resigned as athletic director after only one season at the helm. Citing understandable family reasons, he stepped down to take the same position at Peru High School. His successor will be only the sixth AD in the school’s 52-year history.
9. Boys track wins sectional title: For the first time in six years, BNL recorded a team triumph in the IHSAA sectional at Brownstown, scoring 130 points in the 10-team field to edge Brownstown by two points. The Stars won two events, with Braydon Patterson taking the blue ribbon in the high jump while Tripp Stahl won the top honor in the shot put. BNL won its sixth overall title and advanced competitors to the regional in seven events.
8. Gabhart dominates sectional: In a dominant performance, senior Garrett Gabhart made a huge splash in the IHSAA sectional at Jasper, winning two events and anchoring a victorious relay. Gabhart won the 100-yard butterfly (breaking the school record with a time of 49.92) and 100 backstroke, then clinched BNL’s win in the 400 relay. Gabhart went on to finish 12th in the state in his two events during the IHSAA championships.
7. Patterson finishes 7th in state: After matching the school record during the Hoosier Hills Conference meet, Braydon Patterson won the sectional title in the high jump, finished second in the regional and ultimately came in seventh during the IHSAA state finals. Patterson cleared 6-8 in the HHC meet to match the mark set by Lane Hawkins in 2019.
6. Girls golf advances to state: After winning their 12th straight IHSAA sectional title, the Stars finished second in the regional and qualified for the state championship rounds at Prairie View for the third consecutive season. BNL settled for 16th place in the finals. During the offseason, successful head coach Kori Johnston stepped down and handed the team baton to assistant Carly Stigall for the upcoming 2025 campaign.
5. Gates named South All-Star: Baseball star Cal Gates, who signed with Indiana University, was selected for the South All-Stars by the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association. He is the 17th player in program history to earn that designation, and he joined his father Nick (1997) on that honor roll. Gates hit .557 with 7 home runs and 43 runs scored during his senior campaign as BNL went 19-7.
4. Ratliff, Graves named All-Stars: Ava Ratliff and Kendall Graves, BNL’s dynamic slugging duo, capped their careers with selections to the South All-Stars by the Softball Coaches Association of Indiana. They are the 11th and 12th players in program history to earn that honor.
Ratliff, the most feared power hitter in state history, finished her amazing four-year run by shattering the state record for home runs with 69, and she was second in state history with 179 RBIs. Ratliff also set the school record for career hits with 195. She will play for Auburn. Graves, on her way to Butler, hit .515 as a senior and joined an elite list with 50-plus hits during her final season.
3. Tidd named new football coach: Following the resignation of Derrick Barker, Brayden Tidd was named the 10th head football coach in program history. Tidd, a 2016 BNL grad, returned to his alma mater to take over a team coming off a 2-9 campaign. His focus will be turning BNL (which has enjoyed only 21 winning seasons in 51 years) into a solid contender. BNL has won only one sectional title in school history.
2. Ryan follows father as hoops coach: After Kurt Godlevske resigned after two seasons in order to care for his elderly parents, BNL hired Jackson Ryan as the new boys basketball coach. Ryan, a 2013 BNL grad, followed in the footsteps of his father Mark, who coached the Stars for nine seasons and won the program’s last sectional championship in 2001. The younger Ryan, who also coached Mitchell for four seasons, is the 11th coach in program history.
1. Spreen takes over as girls coach: Following nine seasons as an assistant coach under Jeff Allen, Chase Spreen returned to his alma mater after a year’s absence to take over the school’s most successful program.
BNL girls basketball slipped dramatically during the 2024-25 campaign, finishing 7-16 in Greg Burton’s tumultuous and brief tenure as head coach. That represented BNL’s first losing season since 2006 and the most losses in one year. Spreen was a member of the staff when BNL won its fifth state championship in 2023. He is the 13th coach in school history.
Other noteworthy stories included Paige Voigtschild qualifying for the state finals in cross country; Ethan Stancombe advancing to the wrestling semistate; BNL football winning a postseason game with a victory over Jennings County; and boys golf qualifying of the IHSAA regional for the first time in three years.
Gates was named male Athlete of the Year, while Graves and Ratliff shared female Athlete of the Year honors.
And that’s a wrap on another crazy year! Let’s hope to steer toward calmer waters in 2025-26.
