We’ve been talking about spring and keeping our eye on spring sports for a few weeks now, but it just hasn’t felt right.

Finally, it feels like spring.

Amazing what the sun can do. Even though it’s still a little crisp outside, that big yellow thing just makes a huge difference. You know what else makes a difference? Spring sports are starting to get in the swing of things.

• Don’t know if you saw it (or voted on it), but I thought the poll question on our homepage last week was pretty interesting. Especially the results. The question was: Which team do you think is most likely to repeat as state champs this spring? In what I thought was a shocker, Scecina softball took 34.4 percent of the votes to lead the way – even after losing one of the best players in the state, Emily Wethington. Second place, which I thought would have easily been first, was Park Tudor girls tennis with 30 percent. After that it was a big drop off: Hamilton SE softball (11%), Warren girls track (10%), Cathedral baseball (7.8%) and Warren boys track (6.7%). Anyone care to share their thoughts on that? It’s a decent debate this time of year, early in the season.
• We put up a little story on the Class 3A No. 2 New Pal softball squad on the homepage yesterday, so if you care to read, here it is. The Dragons, led by the Marcum sisters and senior Jessica Huey, have quite a week ahead. Games include a Thursday date with heated rival Mt. Vernon, followed by hosting Class A No. 1 Lutheran on Friday and 4A No. 1 Pendleton Heights on Monday. I guess New Pal will find out how good it is. I love when good teams schedule big games during the regular season, especially when it’s out of conference and voluntary. New Pal also just added 2A No. 1 Scecina to its schedule for May 2.
  
• A few more news-y things to pass along, if you haven’t heard. Beech Grove boys basketball coach Randy Males, fresh off a thrilling sectional title on the Hornets’ home floor, has resigned from the sidelines. Males coached 11 seasons for the Hornets and will continue teaching at the school. Also, Greg Schellhase has left as athletic director at Guerin and will take the same position at Zionsville.
• Just some players that have gotten off to great starts, in other words, players you might want to go see this spring: Heritage Christian lacrosse All-American David James; Franklin Central softball pitcher Chanda Bell; Avon softball pitcher Jenny Esparza; Cathedral golfer Corey Ziedonis; Mt. Vernon baseball pitcher/hitter Tyler Calder; Ben Davis boys track sprinters (Matthew Terrell, etc.); Lawrence North boys track jumper Tra Wilson and thrower Brandon Pounds…and many, many more.
• Time to get outside this week…lots of great games going on. In baseball, the Carmel vs. North Central rivalry is renewed in a Thursday-Friday home-and-home. The Greyhounds are currently No. 1 in 4A while the Panthers cracked the rankings at No. 10 this week. Also on the diamond, 4A No. 2 Brownsburg travels to Noblesville tomorrow (Wednesday), just after the preseason No.1  Millers dropped out of the top 10. In track, Decatur Central hosts the Hawk Invite this Friday, featuring Decatur discus stud Bob Belden. Belden recently broke two-time defending state champ Josh Greenwald’s school record. Congrats kid!