Charlestown’s Chesney Jackson has been selected as one of 19 players named to the 2026 IndyStar Indiana Girls Junior All-Stars, recognizing the top junior basketball talent in the state.
Jackson was placed in the Red Group, which will compete against the Kentucky Junior All-Stars on May 31 at Charlestown High School. The Junior All-Stars will also face the Indiana Senior All-Stars on June 3. The team was selected through a statewide nomination and voting process involving members of the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.
Mark your calendars to see Jackson play!
Sunday, May 31 — Indiana Juniors vs. Kentucky Juniors at Charlestown High School (1 Pirate Place, Charlestown, IN 47111) — girls, 2:00 p.m. EDT; boys, to follow; admission, $15 per person at the door (adults, school-aged students; pre-school children are free).
Front Row (L to R) – Kristin Pickerell (Katie’s mother), Katie, Jeremy Pickerell (Katie’s father) ; Back Row (L to R) Austin Pickerell (Katie’s brother), Rebecca Jones (CHS Assistant Coach), Thomas Thornton (GC Head Coach), and Joe Witten (CHS Head Coach)
Charlestown senior Katie Pickerell recently gathered with family, friends, and coaches as she signed her celebratory letter of intent to attend school and play softball at Georgetown College in the fall.
Georgetown College is a private Christian college in Georgetown, Kentucky just 30 minutes from the state’s capital. Chartered in 1829, Georgetown was the first Baptist college west of the Appalachian Mountains. The college offers 44 undergraduate degrees and a Master of Arts in education. It offers degrees in areas of visual and performing arts, math and sciences, humanities, language and culture, business, medicine and healthcare, and others.
As a school of approximately 1200 students, Georgetown College has 58 student clubs and organizations, including four national fraternities and it is home to 24 varsity sports in the NAIA and the Mid-South Conference (MSC). The Tigers softball program is a five-time Mid-South Conference Champion.
Pickerell is a member of the 2025 Lady Pirate team who won the Mid Southern Conference Championship, a Sectional and Regional Championship, finishing among the Elite Eight in Indiana last season. Pickerell earned Mid Southern Conference Honors. She batted . 319 and provided the Lady Pirates with 23 hits, 17 RBIs, four doubles, two triples, and six homeruns in her junior season.
When asked about her choice to play at Georgetown College with the Tigers, Pickerell replied, “I’m so excited to continue my softball career at Georgetown College. I clicked with the girls on the team and I love the campus! The coaches are so supportive and made it feel like home. My parents went to Georgetown and my brother Austin is a sophomore there now, so I’m continuing the family tradition. I’m proud to become a GC Tiger. ”
Charlestown softball coach Joe Witten shared his sentiments about Pickerell saying, “I’m very proud of Katie and her hard work and dedication as a student-athlete. This moment is a reminder that dreams can come true with continued persistence and sweat equity. She has a great opportunity ahead of her, and I know she will make the most of it. I’m lucky to get to coach such a talented young lady.”
WPMQ, The Pirate Network congratulates Katie and wishes her a healthy and prosperous future as a Georgetown College Tiger.
There are no tournament season passes and Charlestown All Sports Passes are not valid for IHSAA state tournament series contests.
BROADCASTS / MEDIA
Please beware of fraudulent links for video streaming! No one has acquired permission from the IHSAA to video stream this sectional. The only approved radio media through the IHSAA 360 Group for these sectional games are:
WPMQ 99.3 FM
WKLO 96.9 FM
WORX 96.7 FM
Other media seeking coverage need to contact the tournament Media Directors below:
Kimber Doherty 100087@mygccs.com ; Melissa Stewart mstewart@gccschools.com
Spectators are allowed to photograph and film the events as long as it is for personal use only and does not violate IHSAA copyright. FACEBOOK LIVE STREAMS ARE NOT PERMITTED!
OTHER
A. No publications, brochures, fliers, etc. of any kind, whether for sale or free-of-charge, are to be distributed at IHSAA tournament events without prior approval from the IHSAA.
B. Balloons, banners and/or posters, etc. are not permitted.
C. Cowbells and other such noise devices, banners, shakers on sticks, signs, posters, etc., are not permitted.
D. No live animal mascots are permitted.
E. Line-up lanes of fans shall not be permitted on the playing floor at any time.
F. Audio/video devices are not permitted on the playing floor.
G. The throwing of articles, including toilet tissue, is not allowed.
The Charlestown High School Athletic Department is excited to welcome back members of the 1976 Pirate Basketball team as we celebrate the program’s 50th Anniversary on Thursday, February 5th.
That evening, the 2026 Charlestown Pirates Basketball team will host North Harrison in a Mid-Southern Conference showdown. The 50th Anniversary recognition will take place at halftime of the varsity game.
Tip-off is set for 6:00 PM with the JV game, followed by varsity action at approximately 7:30 PM.
We hope to see you there!
Article and graphic provided by WPMQ, The Pirate Network.
Recently, Charlestown senior Anthony Fresh was joined by teammates, coaches, family, and friends as he signed his letter of intent to attend school and play basketball at Miami University (OH) this fall.
Founded in 1809, it is the second-oldest university in Ohio and the tenth-oldest public university in the United States. It is named for its location near the Miami Valley, in turn named after the Myaamia people. Miami is about 30 minutes northwest of Cincinnati. The university enrolls over 18,000 students in Oxford and also has regional campuses in nearby Hamilton, Middletown, and West Chester. Miami also operates the international Dolibois European Center in Differdange, Luxembourg. The university offers more than 100 majors, 48 minors, and 11 co-majors with the most popular majors being finance, marketing, psychology, computer science, and biology.
Miami is a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and sponsors teams in nine men’s and ten women’s NCAA sanctioned sports at the Division I level. The RedHawks men’s basketball team has made 17 appearances in the NCAA tournament and they have eight former players who have gone on to play in the NBA. They are currently 16-0 and just broke the record for the longest home win streak in program history with 24 wins. There is extensive information on the program that you can dive further into at https://miamiredhawks.com/sports/mens-basketball
When asked about his choice to play for the RedHawks, Fresh said, “The reason I chose Miami is because of my visit there. It felt like home, and I loved the campus. Coach Steele showed how hard of a coach he was in practice and didn’t try to sweet talk anything. He told me nothing but the truth, and that’s a coach I need to make it professionally after college. The assistant coaches were the same way. Hanging out with them at the football game and eating with them made me see that outside of basketball, they are amazing people. The players did the same thing. When I asked the players questions, they told me how it was in their eyes. They didn’t try to sugarcoat anything. All of these factors played a big role in why I chose Miami. I can see myself getting better there; academically, athletically, and most importantly as a person. ”
Charlestown basketball coach Matt Lynch has coached Fresh for 2 years now. He has guided and allowed Fresh to be a key player on the team for these last couple years. This is what he had to say about Fresh: “We are beyond excited for Anthony Fresh. He has worked hard to give himself this opportunity to play at the Division I level. He immediately fell in love with Miami on his official visit and knew it was the right place for him to further his basketball career after high school. We cannot wait to see Fresh play at the collegiate level, but first we have unfinished business here at Charlestown.”
While we are on a bit of a break from high school sports for the holidays, we want to take the time to provide you with a recap of our Pirate Alumni who participated in intercollegiate athletics this past fall.
Below each athlete’s picture you can read their recap (provided by what stats and news were available through their school’s website). Please understand that some colleges and universities do a better job of providing stats/results and quality pictures than others, and we did our best to highlight our alumni with what resources were available.
Ava Benner – Midway University Volleyball
In her freshman campaign, Ava Benner posted 54 kills, 37 digs, 31 service points, and nine blocks for the Eagles.
Chase Benner – Georgetown College Football
Chase Benner wrapped up a four-year career with the Tigers as a tight end, contributing to Mid-South Conference championship teams in both 2023 and 2024 that earned NCAA postseason appearances. Georgetown made a strong run in the 2024 NAIA Football Championship, highlighted by a 27–21 second-round upset of No. 5 St. Thomas (Fla.) before falling to No. 1 Keiser (Fla.) in the quarterfinals. The Tigers finished this season 7–3 overall and 4–2 in conference play. Benner was also recognized for his academic achievements as an NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Blake Fraley – Indiana University Ultimate Frisbee
Blake is a member of the Indiana University Ultimate Frisbee team who completed the fall season with an 8-9 record. Fraley recorded six goals, one assist, and ten defended passes for the Hoosiers.
Ethan French – Hanover College Football
Ethan French finished up his sophomore campaign with six catches for 50 yards and a touchdown for the Panthers. Hanover posted a 9–3 overall record and went a perfect 6–0 in conference play to secure the outright HCAC championship. The Panthers reached the NCAA Division III playoffs, highlighted by the program’s first home playoff win over Grove City College, before falling to No. 1 overall North Central College in the second round.
Kaylee Kinser – Hanover College Cross Country
The Hanover sophomore turned in a personal-best 6K time of 22:56.79, finishing fourth at the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship. Her performance now stands tenth on the Hanover College women’s cross country all-time Top 20 list. Kinser was also named to the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference All Academic Team as well as the NCAA All Region Team where she missed the National Championship cut by just one place.
Clay McClelland – Knox College Football
Clay McClelland finished his sophomore season with 717 all purpose yards and six touchdowns for the Knox College Prairie Fire.
Jackie McCoy – Taylor University Cross Country
Jackie McCoy finished her junior season at Taylor University off strong with a 23:52 season record 6k, placing 62nd at the Crossroads League Championships. Jackie ran at a total of 5 meets this season for the Trojans after battling through some injuries.
Jessie McCoy – Taylor University Cross Country
Jessie McCoy is also coming off an injury yet finished her junior season at Taylor University off solid with a 24:32 season record 6k, placing 82nd at the Crossroads League Championships.
Austin Pickerell – Georgetown College Soccer
Austin Pickerell finished his sophomore season as a defender with the 2-10-1 Tigers where he started all thirteen games.
Jared Taylor – Mount St. Joseph University Soccer
Jared Taylor finished his freshman season where he played in five games for the 6-10-3 Lions.
Maci Vaughn – Indiana University Southeast Tennis
Maci Vaughn is currently in her junior year at IU Southeast, where she competes in both singles and doubles for the Grenadiers, who remain among the top teams in the River States Conference. While IU Southeast does not publish individual statistics, Vaughn has established herself as one of the team’s leading performers.
Bradley Watts – Georgetown College Soccer
Bradley Watts continued his soccer career at Georgetown College; however, an injury sidelined him for the season.
Alex Wright – Hanover College Golf
Alex Wright wrapped up his fall season at Hanover by competing in four tournaments across nine rounds. He totaled 10.6 points and recorded an 18-hole scoring average of 81.8. His top performance came at the Transylvania Fall Individual at the Wildcat Course, where he tied for 14th out of 30 golfers with a 22-over-par score, matching his best finish of the season. Wright will continue his season in the spring while preparing for the National Championships in early May.
Article and graphics contributed by the students in the Digital Sports Production class at Charlestown High School for WPMQ, The Pirate Network.
Recently, Charlestown High School’s Lady Pirate Soccer senior Leanna Rotondo was joined by family and friends to sign a celebratory letter of intent to attend school and play soccer at Berea College.
Conveniently located just forty-five minutes south of Lexington, KY, Berea College is nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The 400-acre campus features rolling hills, wooded areas, and open green spaces, providing a scenic and close-knit college environment in south-central Kentucky.
Berea College offers more than 30 undergraduate degree programs across the arts, sciences, and professional studies, all grounded in a strong liberal arts foundation. Academic programs are organized into areas such as Arts and Humanities, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Education, Business, Health and Human Performance, Sustainability and Environmental Studies, and Technology and Applied Design.
Berea competes at the NCAA Division III level as a member of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference with other schools like Hanover and Franklin Colleges. The Mountaineers sponsor a variety of men’s and women’s varsity sports, including basketball, cross country, soccer, volleyball, track and field, baseball, softball, and tennis.
Coming off a season with the most wins since 2018 and the second most in program history, the Mountaineers soccer program enters next season poised to continue its success.
Rotondo will major in business with a minor in digital media. When asked about her choice to attend school there and play soccer, she replied “I chose Berea because as soon as I stepped on campus, my parents and I felt like it was home. It is a perfect fit for myself and my future athletically and academically. The coaching staff and my parents were super helpful and supportive of my recruiting journey and that connection influenced my decision to attend Berea next fall. The team is everything I could ask for and more, and the girls made me feel like family on my first visit. I am blessed for the people that have helped me along the recruiting journey and I am excited for my future as a Lady Mountaineer.”
WPMQ, The Pirate Network congratulates Leanna and wishes her a healthy and prosperous future as a Berea College Lady Mountaineer.
