Posted Friday, January 31, 2025 5:00 am
Thorntown Elementary School
200 W. Mill St.Thorntown, IN 46071
Bob Cox and Carson DeVol | Journal Review
THORNTOWN — A new tradition starts today at the girl/boy doubleheader between North Montgomery and Western Boone. The event will be a “throwback” game played at Thorntown Elementary School.
The Western Boone school district recently replaced the gym floors at Thorntown and Granville Wells elementary schools. It was suggested that once a year a varsity basketball game be played there.
Western Boone Coach Dustin Oakley supports the throwback idea and realizes the game will not be a typical home game for the Stars.
“We have been over at Thorntown a couple times within the past week,” Oakley said. “We were just trying to get some shots up and get used to the gym as much as possible.”
Both Oakley and North Montgomery Coach Chad Arnold said their teams are excited to play at Thorntown. The two Sagamore Conference teams expect a good crowd and both teams will be playing for a conference win.
“The team is very excited for this game,” Oakley said.
Arnold said his team is looking forward to the experience but is not changing their preparation.
“We will prepare for this game against WeBo the same way we prepare for all of our opponents,” he said.
HISTORICAL NOTES
Thorntown has a prestigious history in the early days of the state tournaments. Thorntown won a state championship in 1915 and Wingate won back-to-back titles in 1913 and 1914.
Before consolidation, Darlington and Thorntown also were rivals.
Another historical moment that could occur during the game is that Charger Kelby Harwood, who lives outside Darlington, needs just one basket to put him into the 1,000-point club. Harwood’s grandfather, Steve Weliever, played in the Darlington and Thorntown game as a guard for the Indians. Weliever, who lives in Arizona now, plans to attend the game.
“I like throwback games and am looking forward to it,” Harwood said. “If I am fortunate enough to reach 1,000 in an old gym that my grandfather and Darlington played in, it will be awesome and something I would have never imagined.”
The girls’ game is scheduled to tipoff at 6 p.m. with the boys’ game to follow.