Golden Bears Basketball/Football Golf Benefit featured full field, honored memorable teams

A brief thunderstorm yielded to clear skies and a welcome breeze at the Legends Golf Club Saturday as supporters gathered to participate in the annual Shelbyville High School Basketball/Football Golf Benefit.

The fundraising event also presents an opportunity for former players and fans to reminisce and pay tribute to outstanding Golden Bear athletes and teams from the past. This year the 1967-68 Shelbyville football and basketball teams were honored.

“This is something we look forward to each year,” said SHS boys basketball head coach John Hartnett, whose team produced a 19-win campaign in 2025-26. “We hosted 34 teams today and had 40 sponsors who are extremely generous to the basketball and football programs.”

The Law Family, Zotec Partners, Montana Mike’s, Cagney’s Pizza King and Hoosier Freight served as primary sponsors with Joe and Theresa Harlan making a generous contribution as well.

Hole sponsors were Corevision, Dr Phil Batton, Major Health Partners, Tom Dierckman, Hoosier Freight, EZ Dumpsters and “Z” Shirts.

The Kennard team comprised of Brandon Kennard, Carson Crosby, Logan McAbee and Taylor McKee (photo) earned a first-place crown with the Kaiser team made up of former SHS golf coach Mark Kaiser, Lee Ann Kaiser, Tim Ewing and Shawn Ewing finishing runner-up.

“We are very thankful for the support we receive each year,” said football head coach Scott Fitzgerald, whose team last season enjoyed it best year since 2017. “It is very expensive to operate high school football and basketball programs and the funds this event raises are crucial to our success.”

Tim Ash and Rich Brown (main photo with John Hartnett) represented the 1967-68 Golden Bear football and basketball teams that compiled a cumulative 29-5 record. Football standout John Cunningham was scheduled to be present but was unable to attend.

The 1967 football squad completed the best season for the Golden Bears since 1940 with an 8-1 slate. Rich Brown excelled as a running back and safety for the team whose only season loss was to Columbus.

“We had a very talented team,” said Brown. “Ron Winton was an amazing quarterback and Fred Avant was a great fullback. We had very strong offensive and defensive lines as well.”

The Golden Bears were only challenged in three games during the entire season.

That line was anchored by Wes Miller, John Chesser, Bill Heck, Dave Zerr and Larry Lewis.  

“Wes Miller was a real force on both sides of the line,” said former Shelbyville teacher and coach Dennis Hearne.

Ironically, Hearne, who dedicated 33 years as a teacher and coach at SHS, lined up on the Columbus side of the ball against Shelbyville that year.

“We had a very good team and were a much larger school so we had a little more depth. Shelbyville had a great team and tremendous running backs like Avant, Brown and Cunningham,” continued Hearne. “We were able to put pressure on Winton and an injury forced him out of the game in the second half. That significantly diminished their chances.”

Winton, the Conference’s leading passer that year, Avant, Brown and Chesser were named honorable mention on several all-state teams with Winton and Avant selected to play in the North-South summer All-Star game.

Tragically, Winton developed cancer following the season and died in February.

“One of the saddest moments I ever had was when Fred (Avant) and I visited him in the hospital during his final days,” recalled Brown. “He was extremely weak. He was such a strong person and his physical condition had really declined as he lost so much weight. But he was truly great. A fantastic athlete.”

The 1967 team joins four other squads in best-ever Golden Bear football team conversations. The 1940 Bears were a perfect 7-0 while the 1940, 1967, 1984 and 2007 SHS teams each suffered only one defeat.

Tom Sells, the coach of the 1967 Shelbyville Golden Bears football team, later went on to lead Bloomington High School to a multi-season 50-game winning streak and a number one state ranking in 1972.

The 1968 Golden Bears basketball team was a powerhouse that won 21 games against only four losses and garnered statewide attention throughout the season. Senior Tim Ash (photo with Rich Brown accepting the sectional championship trophy) led a squad that averaged 83 points per game, played in the inaugural game in what is now William L. Garrett Gymnasium and eventually lost to Columbus in the regional tournament championship game; a game legendary Columbus play-by-play sports announcer Sam Simmermaker cited as the most exciting game he covered in his 64-year broadcasting career.

Ash’s 23 points per game were supplemented by senior forward Bob Adkins’ 20-point mark and junior Wes Miller’s 18 points per contest. The aforementioned Rich Brown was a starting guard who checked in at seven points per game with sophomore Harry Larrabee averaging six.

Junior Kim Ash rotated in the three-guard rotation. Six-foot, five-inch Jim Ranochak came off the bench to lend to the rebounding effort. Other Golden Bears on the 1967-68 basketball unit were football standout Avant, Larry O’Neal, Greg Lowe and Eric and Rod Dickmann.

Shelbyville followed up a regular season-ending four-point loss to Crispus Attucks by cruising to three convincing wins to capture the first sectional title in the new gym. The Golden Bears dispatched Silver Creek by a 24-point margin in their opening game of the Columbus Regional before losing a three-point verdict to the hosts in the evening matchup.

Carl Hughes, who had previously led Aurora to the semistate in 1966, was in his second year as the SHS coach in 1968. He established a 41-8 mark in those first two seasons at the Golden Bears helm. He went on to hold head coaching positions at Elkhart Central, Warren Central, New Palestine and Eastern (Pekin).

“Coach Hughes did a good job designing the offense to accommodate our size and scoring ability,” said Ash. “We played well together and understood our roles. It was a satisfying, memorable year. I remember we scored 101 points against Greensburg in the last game at Paul Cross Gym as a major highlight.”

Ash and Brown were interviewed on WSVX Radio remote broadcast and recognized prior to the event.

There were also memorial tributes honoring former Golden Bear standout athletes Patrick Ellis and Gary Oldham, Jr.

Gary Long, the 2025 guest of honor and former Golden Bear and IU basketball star, spent the day as a goodwill ambassador, renewing friendships and meeting new participants.

“I truly enjoy being here each year,” said Long. “This day highlights Shelbyville’s proud athletic history and supports the school’s current programs. It is a great event.”

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