By Eric Wood

Pennant Student Reporter

For about as long as about anyone can remember, my grandparents — Ruth and Vern Thompson — have been a constant staple at Penn Kingsmen football and basketball games. They have been loyal attendees since my uncle (their son), Mike, began playing in the PHS Marching Band in 1967.

That’s 50 years of wearing Black and Gold and cheering on the Kingsmen!

“We figured that since we were coming to the (marching band) events anyways, we might as well watch the football games, too,” Ruth said.

Ruth and Vern were honored at the football game vs. Elkhart Central (Friday, Oct. 6) for 50 years of Kingsmen loyalty. P-H-M Superintendent Dr. Thacker was joined by U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly, P-H-M Board Members Jamie Woods and Chris Riley, and Penn Principal Sean Galiher to honor Vern and Ruth midfield before kickoff. Click to watch the video below of the midfield recognition on Friday, October 6.

A couple of weeks before the recognition, my grandparents visited me at Penn. I sat down with them to find out what keeps them coming back year after year, my grandma always attests that the feeling of community and the excitement that Penn teams bring is special.

“It just never gets old,” Vern Thompson said. “It’s a great stress reliever after a long week. It’s always fun to go to the game, and fun to talk about the game afterwards.” 

Through both tumultuous and serene periods of their lives, my grandma and grandpa have remained devoted Kingsmen fans.  
 

My grandparents met at a square dance, whereas my grandpa describes, “It was love at first sight.”

Both grew up locally, Vern realizing his love of sports while playing basketball and running track at Madison, and Ruth playing drums in the marching band at Riley High School. She was the first female drummer in the Riley Marching Band.

The two happily married in 1950, just months before Vern would be shipped away to Fort Worth, Texas, to begin Army training. This past summer with U.S. Congresswoman Jackie Walorski’s help, Vern was finally awarded five medals for his service in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve during the Korean War: Good Conduct Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal with three bronze service stars, and United Nations Service Medal. Click to watch a story that aired on WSBT after he received his long-awaited medals.

It’s been an honor to learn about community support and commitment from my grandparents.

And take it from someone who knows, there is nobody more deserving of being honored by Dr. Thacker and the Penn Community than my grandparents.

With the release of the 2016-17 Accountability Grades, Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation is proud to have nine schools received A's:
 

• Bittersweet Elementary School
• Elm Road Elementary School
• Horizon Elementary School
• Meadow’s Edge Elementary School
• Moran Elementary School
• Northpoint Elementary School
• Prairie Vista Elementary School
• Discovery Middle School
• Penn High School
   

Overall, 62 percent of Indiana schools received an A or B. For more information on and to view the 2016-17 School Accountability Grades, please click here to visit the IDOE website.

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation has received an “A” grade from the Indiana Department of Education for the past seven years and expects to again be named an “A” Rated School District by the IDOE when that data is released.

With the release of the 2016-17 Accountability Grades, Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation is proud to have nine schools received A's:
 

• Bittersweet Elementary School
• Elm Road Elementary School
• Horizon Elementary School
• Meadow’s Edge Elementary School
• Moran Elementary School
• Northpoint Elementary School
• Prairie Vista Elementary School
• Discovery Middle School
• Penn High School
   

Overall, 62 percent of Indiana schools received an A or B. For more information on and to view the 2016-17 School Accountability Grades, please click here to visit the IDOE website.

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation has received an “A” grade from the Indiana Department of Education for the past seven years and expects to again be named an “A” Rated School District by the IDOE when that data is released.

Penn's Kingsmen knocked off archrival South Bend St. Joseph, 3-2, to capture the Portage Boys Tennis Regional Championship. The Kingsmen beat Chesterton 4-1 in the first round.

Coach Eric Bowers' Kingsmen earned their 11th Regional Championship in program history.

Penn advances to the Culver Academy Semistate on Saturday, Oct. 7, to play host Culver Academy at noon.

PENN 3, South Bend St. Joseph 2

Singles

1. Thomas Pries (St. Joseph) beat A.J. Antonelli (Penn), 6-3, 6-2.

2. Will Thurin (Penn) beat Cole Matthews (St. Joseph), 6-2, 6-1.

3. Aidan Sucharetza (Penn) beat Brett Loitz (St. Joseph), 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles

1. Steve Mullaney-Andrew Sill (St. Joseph) beat Eric Spaargaren-Aiden O’Day (Penn), 2-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (0).

2. Maity Spitters-Nick Casetti (Penn) beat Kevin Zmyslo-Brendan Anderson (St. Joseph), 6-1, 6-1.

PENN 4, Chesterton 1

Singles

1. A.J. Antonelli (Penn) beat Mathew Jewison (Chesterton), 6-3 6-1.

2. Will Thurin (Penn) beat Nick Hanson (Chesterton), 6-2, 6-0.

3. Aidan Sucharetza (Penn) beat Corydon Gaff (Chesterton), 6-2, 6-1.

Doubles

1. Blake Ellenwood-Chad Whalen (Chesterton) beat Eric Spaargaren-Aiden O’Day (Penn), 6-2, 6-1.

2. Maity Spitters-Nick Casetti (Penn) beat Paul Petro-Luke Liapes (Chesterton), 6-2, 7-5.

Defending State Champion Penn Girls Soccer Team beat South Bend Adams, 6-0, in Sectional Semifinal action on Thursday, Oct. 5.

A Photo Gallery is posted below.

By GARRETT WENZEL

Coach Jeff Hart's defending state champion and No. 1-ranked Penn Kingsmen Girls Soccer Team opened the Penn Sectional with a 9-0 victory against South Bend Riley on Tuesday, Oct. 3.

Penn (17-0-1) advances to the semifinal game against South Bend Adams on Thursday, Oct. 5.

Penn stung Riley with six goals in a seven-minute span in the first half.

Lauren Cernak scored a goal in the fifth minute to put the Kingsmen on the board.

Kristina Lynch followed that with a goal in the seventh minute to put Penn up 2-0.           

Lynch scored her second goal in the ninth minute.

Lauren Hamilton followed that with a goal in the 11th minute to make a 4-0. 

Brooke VanDyck also scored in the 11th minute to make it 5-0 Kingsmen. 

Haylee Shahan scored in the 12th minute to make it 6-0 Kingsmen.

Molly McLaughlin added to the Kingsmen scoring total with a goal in the 19th minute.

Sydney Egendorfer scored in the 48th minute to make it 8-0 Penn.

Mallory Lehman closed out the scoring in the 54th minute to make it 9-0 Kingsmen.

By PATRICK WHITEHEAD

Coach Sarah Hendricks' Penn Volleyball Team locked up a share of the Northern Indiana Conference title with a 25-20, 25-18, 21-25, 25-11 victory at South Bend St. Joseph.

Penn and St. Joe entered the NIC showdown each with 10-0 records. 

If Penn beats Mishawaka on Thursday (Oct. 5), or St. Joseph loses its league finale, the Kingsmen will win the NIC Championship outright.

Italia Fields led the Kingsman with 17 kills followed, by Alyssa Torres with 13 kills. Ally Hickey racked up 10 kills. 

Naomi Willis had 39 assists.

Rachel Hickey led Penn with an amazing 43 digs, followed by Sophia Cruz, who had 17 digs. Kylee Hixenbaugh had 15 digs and Julia Beers had 13 digs.

Penn Volleyball is 27-4-0 overall.

Penn’s Kingsmen fought back from a 1-0 deficit to defeat South Bend Adams, 3-2, in the Class 3-A South Bend Sectional semifinal on Wednesday, Oct. 4.

Coach Josh Nakayama’s Kingsmen, ranked No. 6 in the state, take a 14-1-2 record into the Sectional Championship match against South Bend Riley. The title game is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday at South Bend’s Tallman/Beyrer Field in the School Field complex.

Penn unleashed a fast and furious attack after Adams took a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute. Micah Craig got the Kingsmen on the board first with a free-kick goal in the 33rd minute.

Craig scored his second goal with a clinical finish from the corner off an assist from Sammy Atkins to put the Kingsmen up 2-1 over the Eagles in the 62nd minute.

Atkins blasted a laser off an assist from Micah Craig to put the Kingsmen up 3-1 over the Eagles in the 70th minute.

Penn’s Volleyball Team, coached by Sarah Hendricks, clinched a share of the Northern Indiana Conference Championship with a 3-1 victory against South Bend St. Joseph on Tuesday, Oct. 3.

A Photo Gallery is posted below.

Penn rallied from a 1-0 deficit to defeat South Bend Adams, 3-2, in the first round of the Class 3-A Sectional at South Bend’s Tallman/Beyrer Field on Wednesday, Oct. 4.

A Photo Gallery is posted below.