Fishers High School

Fishers High School opened in the fall of 2006 and is located approximately 20 miles northeast of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is a school of approximately 3,700 students in grades 9 through 12. Fishers is a member of the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Class 4A (large enrollment) and the Hoosier Crossroads Conference (HCC). The conference consists of 8 schools including: Avon, Brownsburg, Fishers, Franklin Central, Noblesville, Southeastern, Westfield, and Zionsville. (Three Lafayette schools (Harrison, Jefferson, and McCutcheon) were members of the HCC for the first 8 years that Fishers competed.) These schools create a competitive conference, as all schools provide quality athletic facilities and place an emphasis on excellence both in the classroom and on the field. Since 1999, six teams from the conference have won the Class 4A Baseball State Championship with five other teams finishing runner-up during that time. The Fishers Tigers baseball program is one built upon character, class, and excellence in the classroom and on the field. In its inaugural season (2007), the Tigers won 6 games, but lost ten games by one-run or in the last inning, including a 2-1 heartbreaking loss to rival Southeastern in the Sectional opener. This first team was a young and inexperienced team playing without a senior class and with only two players who had previous varsity experience. This same group responded in their second season (2008) with 13 victories including the school’s first victory over a ranked team (#2 Kokomo), the school’s first no-hitter (left-handed pitcher Ben Taylor), and the school’s first Sectional victory (over rival Southeastern). The 24 players from the first two teams built the foundation and established the expectation for what it means to be a “Tiger Baseball Player”: one who is focused in the classroom, a model citizen off the field, and a fierce competitor who plays through adversity with class while displaying the utmost respect for the officials and their opponents. Now starting their eighteenth competitive season as a program, the Tigers have an overall record of 306-229-1 (record of 300-206-1 when playing with a senior class). The 2018 team won the school’s 1st State Championship and 2nd HCC Championship while setting the school record for victories in a season winning 29 games. The 2021 team became the 2nd Tiger team to reach the State Championship but came up short finishing as State Runner-up. The Tigers best winning percentage came in 2017 when the Tigers finished 27-6 (.818). After four losing seasons at the beginning of the program, the Tigers have finished above .500 in ten of the last thirteen seasons compiling a 263-153-1 record with a State Championship, a State Runner-up, 2 Semi-State Championships, 2 Regional Championships, 3 Sectional Championships, and 3 HCC Championships during that time. During the summer of 2012, Matt Hitt (2008 graduate) became the first Tiger to sign a professional contract when he signed with the Arizona Centennials (Independent Team). In 2013, Hitt also became the first Tiger to play with a Major League Affiliated team, the Vancouver Canadians of the Toronto Blue Jay organization. In 2021, Luke Albright (2018 graduate) became the first Tiger drafted when he was selected in the 6th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Grant Richardson (2018 graduate) was also drafted in same draft when he was chosen in the 17th round by the New York Yankees. Craig Yoho (2018 graduate) is the most recent Tiger drafted when he was selected in the 8th round of the 2023 draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. A total of 71 Tigers have advanced to the collegiate level to continue their baseball careers, including 2024 graduates Owen Backofen (Indianapolis), Jack Brown (Louisville), Evan Doran (Vincennes), Ben Hammond (Indiana Tech), Jason Johnson (Trine), and Gavin Kuzniewski (Ohio State). In 2024, Jack Brown and Gavin Kuzniewski became the twelfth and thirteenth Tigers selected to the Indiana South All-Star Team (2023 – Kyle Manship, 2022 – Tate Warner, Kiel Brenczewski – 2019, Luke Albright – 2018, Craig Yoho – 2018, Caleb Brenczewski – 2017, Luke Duermit – 2017, Nathaniel Rhodes – 2014, Drew Clark – 2012, Ant Roach – 2011, and Ray Calloway – 2009). The Tigers have had seven players earn 1st Team All-State honors (Jack Brown – 2023 and 2024, Luke Albright – 2018, Grant Richardson – 2018, Matthew Wolff – 2018, Craig Yoho – 2018, Luke Duermit – 2017, and Drew Clark – 2012). As previously mentioned, the Tigers also excel in the classroom with twenty-eight players honored to the Academic All-State Team: 2024 graduate Gavin Kuzniewski, 2023 graduates Jacob Kohlman and Nick Schnaiter, 2022 graduates Jack Backofen, Cody Jones, and JP Preston, 2020 graduates Drew Louden and Nick Lukac, 2019 graduates Kiel Brenczewski, Daniel Owens, Jon Vore, and JJ Woolwine, 2018 graduates Griffin Rhoads and Matthew Wolff, 2017 graduates Nathan Humphrey, Ryan Metz, Justin Pope, and Brendan Toungate, 2016 graduate Mike Folta, 2015 graduate Evan Ruthsatz, 2014 graduate Nicholas Podlogar, 2013 graduate Colin Scher, 2012 graduates J.P. Pena and Clay Small, 2011 graduates Connor McCalley and Chris Patrick, 2009 graduate Jacob Banitt, and 2008 graduate Kurt Kellogg. The Tigers played their first official home game at Tiger Field on Wednesday March 26, 2008, after playing all of their home games in 2007 off campus at Trinity Ball Park in Noblesville. Tiger Field is a completely enclosed field with a netting backstop, an underground drainage system and a fully-automated in-ground sprinkler system. Tiger Field also has 6 AWRE cameras installed for multiple camera views of the field. The diamond’s dimensions are 314 feet down the lines, 354 feet in the alleys, and 374 feet to straightaway centerfield. A full nine-inning scoreboard stands beyond the left field fence and lights surround the entire field enabling the Tigers to play night games. There are brick dugouts and double bullpens enclosed down each foul line. Each double bullpen allows for two pitchers and two catchers to work at one time. A 14 foot by 75 foot hitting tunnel stands just outside the fence down the right field line and beyond the first base dugout complete with multiple hitting stations and portable protective screens for drill work. There is permanent seating for approximately 350 people in an elevated grandstand behind home plate. At the top of the grandstand is a modern press box, which houses the public address system used to announce the games and to play music for the fans, as well as the electronics to operate the scoreboard. There is more than enough room along the side fences to accommodate additional spectators. Adjacent to Tiger Field beyond the right field fence is a second field (JV Field) used for practice and occasionally JV games. The dimensions to JV Field are identical to Tiger Field. JV Field has irrigation in the infield only, a small scoreboard beyond the left field fence and double bullpens down both foul lines. A second 14 foot by 75 foot hitting tunnel stands just outside the fence down the left field line and beyond the third base dugout. Welcome to Tiger Baseball! As the weather warms up in the spring, we encourage you to come out and watch us play. We promise with our competition and the style we play that you will not be disappointed. Fight Fishers Fight! GO TIGERS!