Mistakes Cost Freight in 68-50 Loss to Jacksonville Sharks

LarryInFishers.com
Dominic Roberto with a second quarter TD run

Some nights in football, nearly everything that can go wrong does. Saturday night was one of those nights for the Fishers Freight.

Dropped passes, a blocked extra point, an interception, and a costly holding penalty in the end zone all added up as the Freight suffered their third straight loss, falling to the Jacksonville Sharks 68-50 Saturday night at the Fishers Event Center.

Despite the loss, kicker Calum Sutherland continued his standout season, recording three deuces — kickoffs through the uprights worth two points each — to add six points to the Freight total. Sutherland now extends his league-leading deuce total this season.

For much of the first half, the game resembled the hard-hitting, back-and-forth battles that have become common between the Freight and Sharks. Fishers held a slim 29-27 advantage at halftime and appeared poised to make a run in the second half.

But Jacksonville took control early in the fourth quarter with a momentum-swinging sequence that proved too much for the Freight to overcome.

Sharks quarterback Sammy Edwards scored a touchdown, followed by a deuce from kicker Marc Orozco. Pinned deep on their own 5-yard line on the ensuing possession, the Freight were then flagged for holding in the end zone, resulting in a safety. Jacksonville quickly capitalized on getting the ball back with another touchdown, suddenly stretching the lead to 59-42.

Fishers never recovered from that stretch as Jacksonville pulled away late.

The bye week comes at a good time for the Freight, who will now have an opportunity to regroup before traveling to Jacksonville for a rematch with the Sharks in two weeks.

The Freight return to the Fishers Event Center on June 6 to host Tulsa.

Fishers Awards More Than $88,000 in Classroom Innovation Grants

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Scott Fadness visited classrooms across the Hamilton Southeastern Schools district as the school year wrapped up to announce more than $88,500 in funding through the City of Fishers’ Educator Innovation Grant program.

The program, launched in 2024, is designed to provide teachers with financial support to introduce innovative learning opportunities into the classroom. Since its creation, the City of Fishers has awarded 28 grants totaling $473,093.

City officials say the grants have supported projects at every grade level across the district, including makerspaces, STEM programs, virtual reality, film and media instruction, English as a New Language (ENL) initiatives, and teacher professional development.

This latest round of funding focuses heavily on expanding technology and hands-on learning opportunities at both Fishers High School and Hamilton Southeastern High School.

Among the grant recipients:

• Jeffrey Fronius of Fishers High School’s Engineering Department received $13,900 to purchase a laser cutter for engineering and robotics programs. The equipment will allow students to design and fabricate projects on campus rather than traveling elsewhere for hands-on experience. The tool will also support the school’s FRC #5010 Tiger Dynasty Robotics Team, which recently earned finalist honors and the FIRST Engineering Inspiration Award at a statewide competition.

• Braden Tribolet and Adam Good of Fishers High School’s Media and Marketing Department received $59,854 to modernize the school’s media program. The grant will fund drones, podcasting equipment, professional-grade cameras, and stabilization equipment aimed at helping students develop portfolios aligned with collegiate and industry expectations.

• Lisa Brown of Fishers High School’s Photography and Yearbook programs received $12,933 for two professional-grade cameras. The equipment will be used to capture images for the yearbook, student newspaper, social media channels, and district art shows while giving students experience with professional-level photography tools.

• Risa Petty of Hamilton Southeastern High School received $1,820 to establish a switch-accessible Office and Garden Work Zone for special education students. The project is intended to help students build vocational independence and workplace skills through the use of adaptive tools that simulate real-world office and gardening tasks.

Grant applications are reviewed by a committee made up of former HSE educators, local entrepreneurs, and HSE alumni. City officials say applications are accepted on a rolling basis with no funding cap for project requests.

The next round of Educator Innovation Grants is scheduled to be awarded in the fall of 2026.

Juneteenth Jubilee Returns to Conner Prairie June 19

LarryInFishers.com
Photo from 2025 Juneteenth celebration in Fishers

The seventh annual Juneteenth Jubilee, organized by the Fishers Arts Council and students from Fishers High School’s Future Black Leaders club, is scheduled for Friday, June 19, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Conner Prairie.

The annual community celebration, managed by students since 2020, will feature Black-owned businesses, visual artists, culinary artists, community organizations, and live entertainment. This year marks the fourth consecutive year the event has been hosted at Conner Prairie.

Organizers say more than 2,000 people attended last year’s event.

The Juneteenth Jubilee is led by students in the Future Black Leaders club at Fishers High School, who oversee event planning, vendor coordination, entertainment, educational materials, and fundraising efforts.

“Juneteenth marks the celebration of freedom for many African American people,” student organizer Gianna Fowler said in a statement. “It celebrates liberty and independence.”

Another student organizer, Sondos Mertami, said the event also serves as an educational opportunity for the community.

“Juneteenth is important to the Fishers community because it brings people together and raises awareness of the holiday, allowing people to learn about the history behind it,” Mertami said.

Les Reinhardt, executive director of the Fishers Arts Council, praised the work of the student organizers.

“Working alongside these incredible student leaders is an inspiration,” Reinhardt said. “We are proud to support these students and the amazing event they create for the community year after year. They decide what will be offered, coordinate with the vendors and entertainment, create educational materials, and fundraise. It’s truly amazing to see the power of what our youth can make happen in Fishers.”

Organizers say approximately 30 vendor spaces remain available for businesses and artists interested in participating in the event. The application deadline is May 19.

Additional sponsorship opportunities are also available for businesses wishing to support the event.

More information about vendor registration and sponsorships can be found at Fishers Arts Council.

Fishers High Students Shine in National Civics Competition

LarryInFishers.com
(L-R) Caden Rose, David Snyder & Rahil Shah

Three students from Fishers High School are earning national attention for their performance in one of the country’s top civics competitions, with one now advancing to the national finals at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

FHS sophomore Caden Rose has been named one of just 20 national finalists in the Presidential 1776 Civics Contest, a nationwide competition focused on civic knowledge, constitutional principles and American government.

The national finals are scheduled for June 9 in Washington, D.C., where the top finisher will receive a $150,000 scholarship.

The competition, organized through the Presidential 1776 Award Program, is designed to encourage excellence in civics education and promote deeper understanding of the nation’s founding principles.

What makes the accomplishment especially notable is the dominance shown by Fishers High students during the regional stage of the competition.

Only four students from Indiana advanced to the Regional Semifinals held May 1 in Michigan. According to information provided by Fishers High School teacher Liz Paternoster, three of those four Indiana semifinalists came from Fishers High School — Caden Rose, Rahil Shah and David Snyder.

Competition organizers reportedly described that level of representation from one school as extraordinary and uncommon nationally.

At a time when civic engagement and civic literacy among young Americans has become a growing topic of national discussion, the strong showing by the Fishers students highlights what educators say is a commitment to civic education and academic excellence within the school.

Rose now advances to the national championship event, where finalists from across the country will compete at the Kennedy Center.

Fridays With Larry – May 15, 2026

LarryInFishers.com

A new statewide law affecting Indiana students, a major career change, and growing concerns about the nation’s future are all topics featured in this week’s Fridays with Larry podcast.

In the May 15 episode, I discuss Indiana’s newly enacted requirement restricting student cell phone access during the school day. Under the new law, students will either need to leave phones at home or store them during school hours, with some limited exceptions. Supporters say the measure is aimed at reducing distractions and improving student focus, while critics question how the policy will work in practice and whether it goes too far. I take a look at both sides of the debate as schools prepare for implementation this fall.

My guest this week is Eric Douglas, owner of the Handyman Connection franchise in Fishers. Before entering the business world, Douglas spent 20 years in education, including 15 years as a building principal. He talks about his decision to leave education and launch his own business, along with the challenges and rewards of making such a major career transition.

I also comment on some troubling new poll numbers showing many Americans growing increasingly pessimistic about the future.

The podcast wraps up with an unusual story out of Washington state involving a call center language barrier unlike most people have ever experienced.

Fridays With Larry is sponsored by Citizens State Bank.

You can watch to the May 15 video edition of Fridays with Larry using this link.  Or if you prefer to just listen, use this link.

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Chemical Incident in Fishers High School Science Lab Prompts Emergency Response

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A chemical incident in a science laboratory at Fishers High School prompted a response Thursday afternoon from local and state emergency personnel, according to Hamilton Southeastern Schools officials.

School district officials said the Fishers Fire Department and Fishers Police Department were called to the high school after a chemical reaction in a science lab raised concerns for a teacher preparing materials for an upcoming Advanced Placement Chemistry class project.

The district said the Indiana State Police also assisted in the investigation.

According to the statement released by HSE Schools, the substance involved in the incident was safely destroyed and no injuries were reported.

School officials praised the response of school staff and emergency responders.

“We appreciate the quick response of our staff, local first responders and state emergency personnel,” the district said in its statement. “Student and staff safety remains our top priority.”

HSE Schools said normal operations at Fishers High School will continue Friday without interruption.

Fuel Open 2026-27 Season at Fishers Event Center on Oct. 16

LarryInFishers.com

The Indy Fuel will open their 2026-27 ECHL season at home Friday, Oct. 16 against the Wheeling Nailers as part of a newly released 72-game schedule announced by the club Thursday.

The upcoming campaign marks the Fuel’s third season playing at the Fishers Event Center and the franchise’s 13th season overall.

Indy will play 36 home games in Fishers and 36 on the road. The regular season concludes Sunday, April 11, 2027 with the final game of a three-game road series against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.

The Fuel begin the season with a demanding stretch of 15 consecutive games against Central Division opponents before heading to Atlanta in mid-November for a three-game set against the Gladiators. In all, 56 of Indy’s 72 games will come against division rivals.

Among the Fuel’s most frequent opponents will be the Bloomington Bison, who face Indy 13 times this season, including seven games at Fishers Event Center. The Fuel will also play 11 games against the Cincinnati Cyclones and eight each against the Fort Wayne Komets, Kalamazoo Wings and Toledo Walleye.

The home schedule includes visits from several non-division opponents, including the Florida Everblades, Allen Americans, Kansas City Mavericks, Greenville Swamp Rabbits and Trenton Ironhawks.

As in previous seasons, the schedule is heavily weighted toward weekends. Sixty-three of the Fuel’s 72 games will be played on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, with only nine weekday contests scheduled. Indy will face 13 stretches involving three games in three days.

Weeknight home games Monday through Friday are scheduled for 7:15 p.m. faceoffs. Saturday home games will begin at 7 p.m., while Sunday contests are set for 4 p.m. The lone exception is a special 10:30 a.m. game on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

The Fuel are the ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks and the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs.

Review the full Schedule at this link.

HSE Schools Recommend 30-Minute Daily iPad Limit for Young Students

LarryInFishers.com

Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools conducted a recent survey examining iPad usage in kindergarten through second grade classrooms, and district officials are now recommending that average screen time for students in those grades be limited to no more than 30 minutes per day — less than 10 percent of the school day.

Assistant Superintendent for Foundational Learning Dr. Danielle Fetters-Thompson reviewed the survey findings during Wednesday’s school board meeting. The study measured classroom iPad usage during one week in November and another week in March of the current school year. All 13 HSE school buildings serving grades K-2 participated in the survey.

District officials said there were 996 total responses from kindergarten, first-grade and second-grade classrooms, along with special education, related arts and English as a New Language (ENL) teachers.

According to the survey, some teachers reported no iPad use on certain days, while others indicated students used the devices for 10 to 15 minutes daily, primarily for intervention programs and the UFLI blending board reading program.

Higher usage times, ranging from 60 to 75 minutes, were generally tied to participation in the “Hour of Code” program, an initiative designed to introduce students to computer science and programming concepts.

The district’s recommendation to limit iPad use to an average of 30 minutes per day does not apply to several required instructional or support situations. Exceptions include state and local assessments, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs), and accommodations required under Section 504 plans, all of which could increase daily screen time.

HSE officials said the new screen time recommendation will be communicated to parents through the district’s annual Back-to-School forms.

MercyMe Bringing Fall Christian Music Tour to Fishers Event Center

LarryInFishers.com

Contemporary Christian music fans will have a major concert date to mark on their calendars this fall as MercyMe brings its MercyMe LIVE Tour to the Fishers Event Center on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026.

The concert lineup will also feature fellow Christian music artists Jeremy Camp, Tim Timmons and Sam Wesley.

Tickets for the Fishers stop of the tour will first be available during a venue presale beginning Thursday, May 21 at noon local time. General public ticket sales open Friday, May 22 at noon through Fishers Event Center.

MercyMe remains one of the most successful acts in Christian music, known for chart-topping songs including “I Can Only Imagine” and “Even If.” The band has recorded nearly 30 No. 1 songs across Christian music charts and has earned numerous honors, including Grammy nominations, GMA Dove Awards, K-LOVE Fan Awards, American Music Awards and a Billboard Music Award.

The group’s breakthrough hit, “I Can Only Imagine,” became the first Christian song to achieve platinum and double-platinum digital certification. The song later inspired the 2018 feature film “I Can Only Imagine.” A sequel film, “I Can Only Imagine 2,” focusing on the story behind the song “Even If,” premiered earlier this year.

MercyMe’s latest studio album, “Wonder & Awe,” was released in August 2025 and features the band’s recent No. 1 single, “Oh Death.”

Jeremy Camp joins the tour with popular songs including “I Still Believe” and “Dead Man Walking.” Tim Timmons and Sam Wesley are scheduled to open the evening with a collaborative performance featuring songs such as “Starts With Me” and “Holding Onto Me.”

The Fishers performance is expected to be one of the more prominent faith-based music events on the local entertainment calendar this fall.