Indiana
Indiana Spring Game Showcases Stout Run Game, Opportunistic Defense
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Head football coach Curt Cignetti boiled the Indiana Spring Game down to its essence after its conclusion Thursday night at Memorial Stadium.
“Some good, some bad, some ugly,” Cignetti said.
In the modified scoring system used for the Spring Game, which was more like a scrimmage, the Offense defeated the Defense, 31-23.
It was the first chance for fans to see players like quarterback Fernando Mendoza, running backs Roman Hemby and Lee Beebe Jr., and freshmen like cornerback Byron Baldwin Jr.
Other familiar names were not on the field. Wide receiver Elijah Sarratt and linebacker Aiden Fisher did not participate. Neither did defensive end Mikail Kamara. Cornerback D’Angelo Ponds played, but only briefly.
Cignetti said after the game that Sarratt and Fisher “dinged up their knees” in Indiana’s final practice, but neither injury is thought to be serious. There was not an explanation for Kamara’s absence.
The Spring Game was split into segments, with the No. 1 offense facing the No. 1 defense, the No. 2 offense facing the No. 2 defense and so on.
No official statistics were kept, but unofficially Fernando Mendoza completed 11 of 15 passes for 137 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Alberto Mendoza completed 11 of 14 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown.
Indiana’s ground game was stout. Kaelon Black rushed for 62 yards on seven carries, including a 40-yard scamper. Beebe rushed for 53 yards against a mix of defensive units. Maryland transfer Roman Hemby rushed for 26 yards. All of the backs averaged at least 3.7 yards per carry.
Cignetti spoke highly of Black, the lone holdover from Indiana’s 2024 backfield.
“He’s got good speed. He’s got a lot of juice. He’s been with us a long time,” Cignetti said.
The No. 1 offense demonstrated resilience on its first series. Mendoza converted one 3rd-and-14 pass and one fourth down pass. Both were long gainers. The first was a 26-yard catch by new tight end Holden Staes, and the second was a 23-yard reception by E.J. Williams. It allowed Mendoza to find Omar Cooper Jr. for a 13-yard touchdown pass.
After that, the defense held sway. They held the No. 2 defense to the equivalent of a punt, worth three points, and then when the No. 1s came back on the field, one of Indiana’s most opportunistic players did his thing.
Linebacker Rolijah Hardy jumped in front of a sideline pass and went 43 yards untouched for an interception return touchdown. The defense led 10-7 before the No. 2 offense tied the game with a field goal just before the first quarter ended.
“His last week of spring was really, really good, and that’s how we need him to play when he comes back in the fall. He’s got a lot of talent,” said Cignetti on Hardy.
After the defense stopped another drive by the No. 1 offense for three points to take a 13-10 lead, running back Khobie Martin coughed up the ball after a handoff near midfield. Freshman defensive back Seaonta Stewart scooped up the loose ball to give the defense another four points awarded for a turnover.
Working with a short field after the turnover, Beebe dominated a short 40-yard drive. He had a 24-yard catch and rushed for the rest of the 16 yards, including a 5-yard drive to tie the game at 17.
The defense made two more stops before the Indiana offense got into a better rhythm. With the No. 1s on the field, Mendoza engineered a 63-yard scoring drive capped by a 12-yard Cooper touchdown catch.
After that, the No. 2 offense got a touchdown after a 70-yard drive. Wide receiver Lebron Bond caught a 6-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Alberto Mendoza.
Cignetti did not comment much on Thursday’s performance, but he said both Fernando and Alberto Mendoza made strides in spring practice.
“I thought his last three practices, one of which was a scrimmage, he made major strides. It really started to click. I felt really good before the scrimmage where we were there with him. I think Alberto had a good spring, too,” Cignetti said.
The transfer portal, which opened Wednesday, should give Indiana the opportunity to add pieces and depth where needed. Cignetti mentioned that, but declined to say what he’s specifically looking for.
Apart from that, there was a sense of optimism coming out of spring practice. Fisher didn’t play, but he talked to the media about where the Hoosiers are as a team.
“When you have guys that are adapted to the system, everybody’s comfortable and familiar and you’re playing a lot faster. It’s like a game every single day we go out there. So we’ve gotten a lot better this spring,” Fisher said.
Indiana won’t have any official action until fall camp opens sometime in late July or early August. The season opener is on Aug. 30 as the Hoosiers host Old Dominion.
(WXIN/WTTV) — A man who is reportedly a local hospital chaplain and contract worker for the Department of Child Services is now facing felony child sex crime charges in both Indiana and Illinois.
Jose Briseno, 60, is currently being held in Marion County Jail on charges of child exploitation and possession of child sex abuse material. He also faces one count of internet child solicitation as a Level 5 Felony in Tazewell County, Illinois.
While court documents state that Briseno lives in a home on the north side of Indianapolis, his jail booking information states that he is a Mexican citizen. Court documents filed last week in Marion Superior Court 35 detail how he has previously worked for several child services groups.
Indianapolis police began investigating Briseno on June 3 when authorities in Illinois sent a tip that a man living in Indy may be involved in child sex crimes. The tip stated that the suspect was previously contracted to work with Illinois DCFS and had since moved to Indianapolis.
The suspect was later identified as Briseno, who had reportedly helped transport children to parental visitations while working for DCFS. It is during this time that Briseno allegedly met the 15-year-old girl he is now accused of soliciting nude photographs from.
Briseno is said to have contacted the teen girl over social media apps with the username “tanman1966,” the suspect’s birth year. While pretending to be a younger man named Pablo, the 60-year-old allegedly convinced the victim to send explicit images over text.
When the girl realized she had actually been communicating with Briseno, she said she tried to block him. However, Briseno allegedly threatened to disseminate her nude photographs and forced her to produce more child sex abuse material, all while sending explicit material of his own.
This alleged solicitation all occurred after Briseno had moved to an Indianapolis home near 86th Street and Ditch Road, according to court documents. Investigators later matched the IP address to his residence on Kings Cove Court and brought Briseno in for questioning.
The suspect reportedly told police that he was employed as a hospital chaplain with Gentiva as well as a case manager with the Indiana Department of Child Services. DCS officials confirmed to FOX59/CBS4’s Angela Ganote that Briseno was contracted but never employed by DCS.
Court records state that, over the past few years, Briseno has worked as a pastor for First Christian Church, First Christian Church of Mason City Inc, and West Union Christian Church in Illinois. He has also worked for DCS contractors in Indiana and Illinois.
While attempting to track down Briseno, investigators reportedly found that he was working for a hospice care center in Terre Haute. A Facebook post reviewed by FOX59/CBS4 shows that a man named “Chaplain Joe,” or “Mr. Mariachi,” was employed at Southerncare, Inc. Research as recently as May 22.
Online jail records show that Briseno was booked last Tuesday, June 9, into the Marion County Adult Detention Center. The court has since set a $5,000 cash bond.
Online court records show Briseno was charged last Friday, June 12, with Possession of Child Sex Abuse Material as a Level 6 Felony. An initial hearing was reportedly held on Monday afternoon in front of Judge Charnette Garner. A pre-trial hearing is now scheduled for July 27.
DEARBORN COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) Two people died in a crash Sunday morning in southern Indiana. Police believe weather and alcohol may have been factors.
The crash took place at around 3:30 a.m. on U.S. 52 in Dearborn County according to a press release from Indiana State Police.
The initial investigation determined that a 2020 Honda Civic, being driven by Kelis Manuel, 22, of Fairfield, Ohio, was traveling westbound on U.S. 52, just west of State Road 46. In a no passing zone, Manuel attempted to pass a pickup truck hauling a trailer. Manuel’s vehicle collided head-on with a semi that was traveling eastbon US 52.
The semi driver was taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Manuel and an unidentified rear passenger in her vehicle were transported to Cincinnati area hospitals for treatment of life-threatening injuries.
A front seat passenger in Manuel’s vehicle, identified as Kimora Manuel, age 21, Cincinnati, Ohio and a rear seat passenger, Le’Marea Holmes, 22, also from Cincinnati, both lost their lives in the crash. They were both pronounced deceased on the scene by the Dearborn County Coroner’s Office.
Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash. Toxicology tests are pending. Heavy rain in the area at the time may also have been a contributing factor.
CHICAGO (WLS) — A man from Indiana was shot and killed near Chicago’s Ford City Mall this weekend, officials said.
The shooting happened around 2:50 a.m. Saturday in the 7600 block of South Cicero Avenue, Chicago police said.
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The victim, a 21-year-old man, was standing outside at the location when a male offender with a firearm shot him in the head, police said.
The man was taken to a hospital in critical condition. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office later confirmed the man died due to his injuries.
SEE ALSO | At least 18 shot, 5 fatally, in weekend gun violence across Chicago
The victim was identified as 21-year-old Martin Isaac Cantu Murillo of South Bend, Indiana, the medical examiner’s office said.
No further information was available as Chicago police continue to investigate.
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