Latest news with #Meaney
Indianapolis Star
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Lutheran runs its way to first IHSAA baseball state title: 'I wanted to prove how good we were'
INDIANAPOLIS – From the opening pitch, the Lutheran baseball team dictated the tone of Friday's IHSAA Class A state championship game against Kouts at Victory Field. The Saints treat the baseball diamond like a fastbreak on the basketball court. They swing early in counts, they run at every opportunity, they take extra bases and force the opposition to make plays to beat them. They force teams out of their comfort zone, and love to capitalize on mistakes. Leadoff hitter Nate Hughes doubled on the first pitch he saw, the Saints (21-10) scored three runs in the first inning and kept pouring it on, earning a 14-1 win over Kouts (27-7). IHSAA baseball state finals: Scores, schedule, higlights The victory gives Lutheran its first baseball championship. Eleven of Lutheran's 14 runs came on Kouts errors. The Mustangs committed six errors to Lutheran's four. "(Kouts starter freshman Billy Miller) is 14, 15 years old. We have to speed him up," Lutheran coach Josh Meaney said. "He threw strikes, but we hit them. We hit him and we hit him hard, and that's what we've done all year. "Not to be rude or mean, but I wanted to prove how good we were." Owen Lecher started the scoring with an RBI single in the first. Gage Meaney, the coach's son, added a two-run double. Kouts scored one in the fourth inning on an error, but Lutheran answered with vigor in the fifth. The Saints scored two on errors. Gage Meaney cleared the bases with a double into left field, and Austin Brandenburg stole home, capping a six-run inning. Lutheran scored five runs in the sixth, building a comfortable lead over the Mustangs. Meaney's five RBIs set a record for RBIs in a Class A championship game. "It feels great," the younger Meaney said of winning the championship. "Bringing the first ever title back to Lutheran is great. I had some struggles at the beginning of the year, so I never thought I'd accomplish anything like that. I saw the ball really well today, and the Lord helped us out a lot." Setting a record during a championship game seemed impossible for Meaney earlier this season. He injured his hamstring in early April and sat out for a week. He came back and struck out seven times in three games. His timing was off, and his confidence was low. Needing to find a way to bust his slump, Meaney raised his hands in his stance and eliminated his stride, allowing him to be quicker to the ball. He recorded five hits after the mechanical changes and developed into another offensive threat for the Saints. Hudson Mills scored three runs for Lutheran. Hughes and Caleb Courtot had two hits each. Senior Ryan Redding earned the win on the mound. Redding went the distance, allowing one unearned run on two hits with six walks and seven strikeouts. Redding entered the final inning 16 pitches below his 120-pitch limit. He forced a lead off ground out but hit the next batter. Facing his last batter, Landon Garrett, Garrett smacked a line drive to Masen Phelps at shortstop. Instead of catching the ball, Phelps dropped it on purpose, allowing him to flip it to Landyn Parker at second for a force out. Parker then had enough time to throw to first, doubling off Garrett and ending the game. "I've been trying to find the words, surreal is the best way to describe it," Redding said of earning the win in the state final. "I couldn't have done it without my guys. ... I'm just happy I got to do it with my best friends. "We practiced that play 1,000 times, the little drop and shove. It never actually worked but I'm glad it did (tonight). (Masen) is my best friend. I'll never get a chance to play another game with him, so I'm glad that's how it ended."
Indianapolis Star
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Former Marine has Lutheran Saints marching to first Class A baseball state final
INDIANAPOLIS – It's the hottest part of the day and the afternoon sun is beaming down on the Lutheran baseball field. The team is taking batting practice, and the pitching machine is cranked up high in preparation for its game against Kouts for the Class A state championship Friday at Victory Field. Freshman Rodney Freeman is at the plate, struggling to make contact. With every whiff, the baseball flies out of the back of the batting cage, banging against Alter Field's backstop. "Stop trying to swing hard and just make contact," Lutheran coach Josh Meaney yells from his perch near first base. After a few foul tips, Freeman starts spraying line drives around the field, the ping of his bat echoing throughout the otherwise quiet field. Freeman takes a couple more solid swings and exits the cage. "Nice adjustments," Meaney says to Freeman. Meaney, a heavily tattooed former Marine, is blunt but fatherly. His engaging style has quickly built Lutheran's program into one kids want to play for. In just three seasons at the helm, he's guided the Saints (20-10) to its first state title appearance. "It's scheduled, but there's definitely time (for fun)," senior pitcher Ryan Redding said of Meaney's coaching style. "You find the fun in camaraderie. You find the fun in each other. You don't find the fun in the mile that you run. You don't find fun in the base-running circuits. "It's being able to do all the stuff that you don't like with the people that you do like." Meaney played baseball at Martinsville under Hall of Fame coach Bill Tutterow. He learned the game from Tutterow and current North Central coach Andy McClain, and Meaney's path to coaching was gradual. Meaney joined the Marine Corps after graduating from Martinsville in 1995. It wasn't until his son, Gage, started playing baseball that he caught the coaching bug. Meaney started coaching tee ball, then in the Brownsburg Little League. He served as an outfield coordinator for BAM (Baseball Academics Midwest) for three seasons before taking over as an assistant coach. Through the travel ball circuit, Meaney started building relationships and developing his coaching style. "That just built my knowledge being there around guys who study baseball all the time," Meaney said of coaching with BAM. "It allowed me to continue to build my base as a newer coach, but I learned at a much faster rate with the mental training courses that they have. "I mix a lot of the old-school stuff in with the new-school stuff, and it allows us to play a little bit different. A lot of it is team mentality, control the controllables. ... You can't control what the umpire's gonna call, you can't control what the other team's gonna do. What you are in charge of is yourself. Your team environment, what you bring to the team. So that's a huge culture buy-in for us that we use a lot." Lutheran has had winning records in all three seasons under Meaney. The Saints went 16-12 in his first season, losing in the sectional championship game to Greenwood Christian. Last season, the Saints went 18-16, advancing to the semistate championship before losing to eventual champion Barr-Reeve. Each postseason loss taught the Saints a valuable lesson. Before last season's semistate final, the Saints hadn't played a night game all season. They lost three balls in the lights at Ruxer Field and lost 9-2. To prepare for a return trip to semistate, the Saints held baseball practice under the lights on their football field. They also changed their routine during the long layoff between the semistate semifinals and final, opting not to take naps but to stay up and focused. "It fueled us a lot, to work harder in the offseason and get better. That's all we needed to do," junior Hudson Mills said. "It was all the little stuff, really," added Redding. "The things we did in the offseason that we saw when we got tired. We ran a mile every week to work on conditioning. ... Stuff we learned from last year that pushed us this year." Last Saturday, Lutheran jumped out to a 7-1 lead over Northeast Dubois. The Jeeps scored four runs in the seventh inning before Redding entered with the bases loaded, getting the next three outs to seal the victory. Redding has emerged as Lutheran's top pitcher. The senior is 3-1 with a 2.42 ERA and 64 strikeouts over 46⅓ innings. Mills leads the Saints with five wins. Senior Sam Strader is 3-0 with a 2.36 ERA. Mills and senior Owen Lecher are Lutheran's top run producers. Lecher tore a tendon in his finger last season. The injury was misdiagnosed as a wrist injury and Lecher struggled to play through it. He finally had surgery to re-attach the tendon before football season last fall. Lecher helped lead the Saints football team to the Class 2A semistate final with his hand wrapped into a club. Finally pain-free, Lecher leads the Saints with a .494 batting average and nine doubles. He's second on the team with 33 RBIs and five home runs. Mills is batting .464 with a team-leading 38 RBIs and seven home runs. Seniors Caleb Courtot, Nate Hughes, Masen Phelps, Strader and junior Dax Lockliear are all batting above .300. Twelve different Saints have at least one stolen base. "We play fast. Hit baseballs, hit baseballs hard, and we get on the bases and run," Meaney said. "We want to speed up the game for the pitchers and the opposing defense. We try to play as fast of a game as we can. Even our pitchers, they get on the mound, they get their sign and they're ready to pitch. "I want to speed the game up on the opponent. I don't want them to have time to breathe. I want to run them and run them and run them. I want their heads going 900 different ways." Meaney said he knew this group of players was talented enough to play for a state championship when he took over as head coach three years ago. He credits his assistant coaches with allowing him to delegate certain responsibilities while keeping the program focused on player development. Meaney calls the base-running signs. Russell Parker and Brad Tidd coach the infield. Jacob Cutter is the team's pitching coach and Christian Brown coaches the catchers. Now that his initial group of players are seniors, he wanted to test them by scheduling as many games against higher-class schools as possible. The Saints lost their first two games by a combined 21 runs to Bishop Chatard and Roncalli. They quickly rebounded with four wins in a row, including two over last season's Class 3A state runner-up Brebeuf Jesuit. The Saints are battle tested, but Meaney knows it's hard to prepare for the feeling of a state championship game on the grand stage of Victory Field. He said he wants his players to soak in the moment, embrace it, enjoy it. But once the first pitch is thrown, he expects them to lock in and focus on taking home the trophy. "We just have to stay calm," Lecher said. "Everyone's gonna have jitters, both teams, every single player. I think they're going to wear off and we've just got to have confidence in ourselves and each other and hope for the best." Follow IndyStar high school baseball Insider Akeem Glaspie on X at @THEAkeemGlaspie and get IndyStar's high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter. All games at Victory Field and streamed live via FRIDAY Class A: Kouts (27-6) vs. Lutheran (20-10), 4:30 p.m. Class 3A: Jasper (28-6) vs. Andrean (30-3), 8 p.m. SATURDAY Class 2A: Boone Grove (25-6) vs. Evansville Mater Dei (23-7), 4:30 p.m.
Scottish Sun
29-04-2025
- Scottish Sun
Thug told man ‘go to sleep, you c***' before stamping on him with fake leg – leaving victim needing round-the-clock care
BRUTAL ATTACK Thug told man 'go to sleep, you c***' before stamping on him with fake leg – leaving victim needing round-the-clock care Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A THUG told a man "go to sleep you c***" before he stamped on him with his fake leg and left the victim needing round-the-clock care. Shannon Meaney called 57-year-old John Lowe over to him in a park in Salford before placing him in a headlock and shoving him to the ground. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Victim John was left with horror injuries after the attack Credit: MEN Media The 34-year-old then began violently kicking and stamping on the victim - using his prosthetic leg to inflict the blows. At one point he asked a man with him to pass over a hammer before making the chilling remark. John was later found dumped at the side of a path and struggling to breathe following the February 2023 attack. A shocking photo shows the dad hooked up to tubes in his hospital bed after suffering a traumatic brain injury. John now requires 24/7 support as a result of the savage assault and has been forced to move to a care home. His daughter said: "He cannot talk, eat, sleep, get dressed without help, he has no chance of getting better or getting his memory back. "My dad will never recover from his injuries and continue a normal life. He is just the shell of a man - he is like a stranger to me. His life was taken from him.' Meaney was today jailed for life with a minimum of 13-and-a-half years after he pleaded guilty to assault. Sentencing, Recorder of Manchester, Judge Nicholas Dean KC said: 'You have condemned Mr Lowe to a living death. His own daughter said he has zero quality of life. "That is what you condemned him to - and for what reason?' Manchester Crown Court was told former fitness instructor Meaney had been the victim of an assault in 2015 which saw him lose his leg following surgery. He suffered with PTSD and had spiralled into drug addiction. On Valentine's Day, 2023, he was sat in the park with an acquaintance when saw John. He told the witness "I'm going to do him in" before launching into the savage attack. The court heard Meaney believed John had given his dad some tablets, which had caused him to fall ill. A "red mist" then descended as he began battering the victim in "revenge", it was said. Detective Chief Inspector Neil Higginson from our Serious Crime Division said; 'Throughout this incident is a man and his loved ones who are having to come to terms with the consequences of this vicious attack which nearly cost John his life. 'Since we took on this case, we have faced challenges and setbacks but have remained resilient in securing the best possible outcome. 'We were determined to do everything possible to ensure Meaney has to face the consequences of his actions knowing the impact they have had on John's life. "I would like to commend John's family for their bravery, and the support they have given the investigation, especially his daughter, who has made clear the severe challenges they are continuing to try to overcome.' 3 John is unable to talk or eat following the attack Credit: MEN Media
The Sun
29-04-2025
- The Sun
Thug told man ‘go to sleep, you c***' before stamping on him with fake leg – leaving victim needing round-the-clock care
A THUG told a man "go to sleep you c***" before he stamped on him with his fake leg and left the victim needing round-the-clock care. Shannon Meaney called 57-year-old John Lowe over to him in a park in Salford before placing him in a headlock and shoving him to the ground. 3 The 34-year-old then began violently kicking and stamping on the victim - using his prosthetic leg to inflict the blows. At one point he asked a man with him to pass over a hammer before making the chilling remark. John was later found dumped at the side of a path and struggling to breathe following the February 2023 attack. A shocking photo shows the dad hooked up to tubes in his hospital bed after suffering a traumatic brain injury. John now requires 24/7 support as a result of the savage assault and has been forced to move to a care home. His daughter said: "He cannot talk, eat, sleep, get dressed without help, he has no chance of getting better or getting his memory back. "My dad will never recover from his injuries and continue a normal life. He is just the shell of a man - he is like a stranger to me. His life was taken from him.' Meaney was today jailed for life with a minimum of 13-and-a-half years after he pleaded guilty to assault. Sentencing, Recorder of Manchester, Judge Nicholas Dean KC said: 'You have condemned Mr Lowe to a living death. His own daughter said he has zero quality of life. "That is what you condemned him to - and for what reason?' Manchester Crown Court was told former fitness instructor Meaney had been the victim of an assault in 2015 which saw him lose his leg following surgery. He suffered with PTSD and had spiralled into drug addiction. On Valentine's Day, 2023, he was sat in the park with an acquaintance when saw John. He told the witness "I'm going to do him in" before launching into the savage attack. The court heard Meaney believed John had given his dad some tablets, which had caused him to fall ill. A "red mist" then descended as he began battering the victim in "revenge", it was said. Detective Chief Inspector Neil Higginson from our Serious Crime Division said; 'Throughout this incident is a man and his loved ones who are having to come to terms with the consequences of this vicious attack which nearly cost John his life. 'Since we took on this case, we have faced challenges and setbacks but have remained resilient in securing the best possible outcome. 'We were determined to do everything possible to ensure Meaney has to face the consequences of his actions knowing the impact they have had on John's life. "I would like to commend John's family for their bravery, and the support they have given the investigation, especially his daughter, who has made clear the severe challenges they are continuing to try to overcome.' 3
The Irish Sun
29-04-2025
- The Irish Sun
Thug told man ‘go to sleep, you c***' before stamping on him with fake leg – leaving victim needing round-the-clock care
A THUG told a man "go to sleep you c***" before he stamped on him with his fake leg and left the victim needing round-the-clock care. Shannon Meaney called 57-year-old John Lowe over to him in a park in Salford before placing him in a headlock and shoving him to the ground. Advertisement 3 Victim John was left with horror injuries after the attack Credit: MEN Media The 34-year-old then began violently kicking and stamping on the victim - using his prosthetic leg to inflict the blows. At one point he asked a man with him to pass over a hammer before making the chilling remark. John was later found dumped at the side of a path and struggling to breathe following the February 2023 attack. A shocking photo shows the dad hooked up to tubes in his hospital bed after suffering a traumatic brain injury. Advertisement Read more news John now requires 24/7 support as a result of the savage assault and has been forced to move to a care home. His daughter said: "He cannot talk, eat, sleep , get dressed without help, he has no chance of getting better or getting his memory back. "My dad will never recover from his injuries and continue a normal life. He is just the shell of a man - he is like a stranger to me. His life was taken from him.' Meaney was today jailed for life with a minimum of 13-and-a-half years after he pleaded guilty to assault. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Exclusive Sentencing, Recorder of Manchester, Judge Nicholas Dean KC said: 'You have condemned Mr Lowe to a living death. His own daughter said he has zero quality of life. "That is what you condemned him to - and for what reason?' Manchester Crown Court was told former fitness instructor Meaney had been the victim of an assault in 2015 which saw him lose his leg following surgery. He suffered with PTSD and had spiralled into drug addiction. Advertisement On Valentine's Day , 2023, he was sat in the park with an acquaintance when saw John. He told the witness "I'm going to do him in" before launching into the savage attack. The court heard Meaney believed John had given his dad some tablets, which had caused him to fall ill. A "red mist" then descended as he began battering the victim in "revenge", it was said. Advertisement Detective Chief Inspector Neil Higginson from our Serious Crime Division said; 'Throughout this incident is a man and his loved ones who are having to come to terms with the consequences of this vicious attack which nearly cost John his life. 'Since we took on this case, we have faced challenges and setbacks but have remained resilient in securing the best possible outcome. 'We were determined to do everything possible to ensure Meaney has to face the consequences of his actions knowing the impact they have had on John's life. "I would like to commend John's family for their bravery, and the support they have given the investigation , especially his daughter, who has made clear the severe challenges they are continuing to try to overcome.' Advertisement 3 John is unable to talk or eat following the attack Credit: MEN Media 3 Shannon Meaney has been jailed for life Credit: MEN Media
