Nothing in baseball can match an ace pitcher, not even the weight of history.
FORT WAYNE – Five boys basketball state banners hang on a south wall at the Harding gym, representing the Class 2A state title and four Class 3A and 2A runner-up finishes.
The program built by Al Gooden has been about getting to the state finals, especially over the past decade, with all five appearances coming since 2001.
The chance to add another banner rests in the talented hands of a team making a final run under the Harding banner.
This week, East Allen County Schools announced its plan to close Harding for a year and then reopen it in 2012 as a magnet school called the Paul Harding College and Career Academy, leaving any future athletic accomplishments by the school in doubt.
“I haven’t even thought about it,” Gooden said after the Hawks’ 61-46 season-opening win over Homestead on Wednesday. “My daily reading in my Bible says, what can you do about the past? Nothing. What can you do about the future? Nothing. What you do have is right here, right now. That’s what I am working on. I haven’t said anything to the kids about it. We are just trying to make right here, right now the best we can.”
Gooden is 312-169 in 21 years at Harding with a 2001 2A state title, two 3A state runner-up finishes in 2002 and 2008 and 2A state second places in 2005 and 2006.
“We can’t do anything about it,” Gooden said. “It is a tough situation, and we don’t know truly what’s going to happen. We just have to wait and see.”
Current Harding underclassmen will have to choose in the coming weeks which of the four other EACS school they will want to attend next year.
Sophomore V.J. Beachem, who had 17 points and 10 rebounds against the Spartans (1-2), is the Hawks’ most visible player with an offer from Purdue and an unofficial visit to Michigan in September.
“I think about it a lot,” Beachem said of the closing of Harding. “It is tough for me.”
Beachem said the decision on his next school has to be made by Dec. 17, but he doesn’t know what his two choices will be.
“I get asked about it a lot, but I don’t really know,” he said. “I want to focus on this win right now.”
Mike Stevenson and Domonique Williams each added 11 points for the Hawks, while A.J. Milligan had eight points and 14 rebounds.
Harding (1-0) won in what could be its last season opener by dominating against a Homestead team still missing its big gun in junior Zach Terrell, who has missed the first three games because an ankle injury. After the loss, Terrell said he should be back in action in about two weeks.
“I think they will be a great team with Zach Terrell,” Gooden said. “That’s their leader, and that kid has some toughness.”
Drew Sery had 24 points to lead the Spartans.
