Zach Carter is a third-year journalism major and writes “Carter’s Comments” for the Daily News. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.
With 1.2 seconds left on the clock, Muncie Central boys’ basketball was tied with Yorktown 38-38 Feb. 14, 2023. Former Bearcats’ head coach Justin Ullom took a timeout and gave the purple and white the game plan.
After the huddle broke, the ball was inbounded on the left wing to Muncie Central senior Daniel Harris. He caught the ball and went for the 3-point shot.
Swish. Nothing but net.
The fans went crazy, the Bearcats mobbed Harris and the Tigers were in shock. As an avid basketball fan, and the one who had to write about the fantastic finish, I was smiling ear to ear.
But, hey, it’s just one of many notable games that the Muncie Central Fieldhouse has hosted in its 97-year history.
Growing up in Delaware County, I always heard stories about the Bearcats’ athletic program. Whether it was about the famous basketball arena or the long-standing football stadium that sat on the White River since 1950, stories of success and history engulfed the area.
Famous alumni like Ball State basketball and NBA player Bonzi Wells and former Muncie Central and NFL star Ryan Kerrigan stood out as friends and family recounted memories and tales of the purple and white.
When I started at the Daily News, high school football was my first beat. It didn’t take long for me to become familiar with the Bearcats as they were one of the four Delaware County schools to have a football team. Before the 2022 season, the program was not in the best spot. From 2018 to 2021, they were 6-31.
But the 2023 Bearcat team was different. As I began covering them, you could tell the team was not a roster to mess with. Former Muncie Central head coach Kyle Padgett was one of the main reasons behind the new attitude by holding players accountable and requiring their best effort.
That season, the program finished 4-6 after losing their first five games of the season. It was one of my favorite storylines to cover as the team attempted to turn things around.
Add the fact the school built a brand new stadium with a turf field and redone bleachers one year later, it was something the community and the students who attended the school had pride in. The players felt like they were loved and knew they were a part of something bigger than themselves.
Though all of that was great, the one thing that has always stood out to me about the Bearcat football program has nothing to do with the success or the new stadium. It was how I was treated. Following that year, Padgett was the first Delaware County head coach to invite me to a summer practice. He let me watch the entire session, take photos and talk to any player that I desired.
That respect is still something I haven’t forgotten and it proved to me that my work — though I’m very hard on it — was indeed something to be proud of.
The same can be said for Ullom and the Muncie Central basketball team. Whether it was a big win or a tough loss, both the head coach and players never said no to an interview. Even when it wasn’t after games and I just needed some information for a feature piece, Ullom always took a phone call and was honest.
That kind of treatment helps us sportswriters in ways that some may not imagine. Simple texts about stats or a certain highlight help high school beat reporters stay on top of things and keep us in the right.
That is what I’ve experienced covering Muncie Central sports. Nothing but respect.
But with the recent news of Ullom and Padgett leaving their respective teams, changes are coming to the school. In my opinion, they need to find coaches who will lead like the previous guys did. The Bearcats need coaches who want to win and build a culture that demands success.
Muncie Central basketball used to be the program in the area with captivating seasons that saw eight state titles in its history.
With athletic director Jeff Holloway leading the search, I think that’s just the case.
Though both Ullom and Padgett are no longer with the Muncie Central athletic program, I must thank them for allowing me open access to their teams and treating me like a professional sports reporter.
Though I still have one year left at Ball State, I hope my work covering the Bearcats has been appreciated by the community and Muncie Central fans and athletes. I wish the players and coaches throughout the Muncie School Corporation that I’ve covered, chatted with, and written about, nothing but the best and I’ve tried my best to be the fairest and decent reporter I could be.
For this 21-year-old Delaware County kid, it’s been a privilege and honor to help continue telling the stories that have surrounded this historic program and I can’t wait to see what the future of the Bearcats has in store.
Contact Zach Carter via email at zachary.carter@bsu.edu or via X @ZachCarter85.
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