East coach inducted into Elkhart County Hall of Fame

As a former NFL offensive lineman and current offensive line coach at Columbus East, David Miller knows those who play the position can sometimes be overlooked.

So Miller was thrilled to be selected into the Elkhart County Athletic Hall of Fame. He was inducted at a ceremony on Saturday.

“There’s a lot of players and coaches that I looked up to when I was younger who are in that, so it’s an honor to be among some good coaches and players,” Miller said. “Also, as I said in my speech, it’s good that an offensive linemen was being recognized.”

Miller graduated from Goshen in 1998, where he also wrestled and competed in track and field. He played at Ball State, then spent most of three years in the NFL as a guard and tackle for the Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears and New York Giants.

In addition to his football duties, Miller has been the head boys track coach at East the past four years.

East volleyball players sign

Two Columbus East seniors who verbally committed to Division I volleyball programs in October 2015 signed their national letters-of-intent this week.Bailey Western signed with Northern Kentucky on Monday in a ceremony in the East High School commons. The 6-foot-1 middle hitter led the regional-champion Olympians with 65 blocks and was second on the team with 417 kills.

“I’m very stress-free, very excited for the future,” Western said. “I’m excited to see what the future holds for me.”

Cortney VanLiew signed Wednesday to play volleyball and beach volleyball at Florida Gulf Coast. VanLiew led East with 554 kills and 372 digs in earning Class 4A All-State honors.

“It kind of hasn’t hit me yet, what the signing actually means,” VanLiew said. “But it’s also nice to know that I don’t have to fill out as many scholarship applications or things like that. There’s a lot of relief to it.”

Locals make All-District

Two boys and two girls from regional champion Columbus North soccer teams have been named to the Indiana Soccer Coaches Association All-District 5 squads.North senior Ian Hussey and junior Jannis Anderson and Columbus East junior Scott Hammond are on the boys first team. North junior Rico Hollenkamp and sophomore Alex McGill and East junior Eli Newell made the second team.

North seniors Addy Lang and Natalie Teo are on the girls first team. East freshman Lindsey Stoughton and Jennings County junior Alexus Brown made the second team.

Earning ISCA boys Academic All-State honors were East’s Graydon Chisholm, Newell, Nicholas Shedd and Simon Tunny; North’s Anderson, Andrew Potter, Hollenkamp, Hussey and Cameron Phillips and Jennings’ Nick AmRhein, Robbie Beal, Andrew Green and Adrian Miller.

Girls Academic All-State selections included East’s Jenny Bastian, Karlee Dowd, Addy Galarno, Kayla Gastineau, Elena Leddy, Maggie Lewis, Mila Lipinski, Morgan Martindale and Kim Schneckenberger; North’s Anna Andrews, Marina Hughes, Katlin Meek, Corrine Orben, Claire Risley, Teo, Liz Tynan, Charlotte Verbanic and Emma Wilson; Jennings’ Brown and Anna McDonald and Trinity Lutheran’s Lexi Bushur, Lydia Haak, Emma Patmore, Hailley Peters and Macy Taylor.

North pair share MVP

Sophomore Alex McGill and junior Rico Hollenkamp are co-MVPs of the Columbus North boys soccer team.Jeremias Dela Cruz won the Bull Dog Award, and Zach Green took the most improved award. Zack Friend won the David Green Spirit of the Game Award and was named the Bull Dogs’ ISCA Top Team Player.

Senior selected East MVP

Senior Maggie Lewis has been named MVP of the Columbus East girls soccer team.Addy Galarno was named Most Valuable on Offense, and Lindsey Stoughton, Morgan Martindale were selected Most Valuable on Defense. Emily Stiles was named Most Improved, Mila Lapinski won the Mental Attitude Award and was the Olympians’ ISCA Top Team Player.

Hailee Bott was selected Most Improved for Junior Varsity. Sarah Johnson, McKenna Downey and Reagin Branaman won the Mental Attitude JV award.

North senior named MVP

Senior Hannah Weaver has been selected MVP of the Columbus North volleyball team.Mady Johnson was named most improved, and Mackenzie Rooks won the Bulldog Award. Gabby Genth won the Casey Cooley Award, and Sidney Roese won the Jolie Crider Award.

Weaver also was honored for being the senior captain and Roese for being the junior captain.

Emma Tynan was named junior varsity MVP, and Hannah Jenkins was selected most improved. Andrea Roman was named freshman MVP, and Stacy Kramer was picked most improved.

Hauser picks award winners

Sydney Schoen, Pete Trotter and Sam Meek won MVP honors for volleyball, soccer and boys tennis; and David Seelye and Tori Chander were named Leading Runner for boys and girls cross-country at Hauser’s Fall Sports Awards program.Sarah Tedder won the Mental Attitude Award for volleyball, and Megan Swinford was named most improved. Other awards went to Brea Metz (most kills), Alana Owen (assist leader), Tannyr Davis (blocks leader) and Schlen (digs leader and highest serving percentage).

Andrew Titus won the Mental Attitude Award for soccer, and Mason Sherman was selected most improved. Kyler Davis and Joe Sweet shared the award for most goals, while Justin Stafford was honored for most assists and Evan Shaw was named won the Best Defense award.

Jacob Johnson and Alex Gross shared the Mental Attitude Award for boys tennis. Justin Compton was named most improved; and Meek, Sean Miller and Jacob Rose tied for the best record.

Jordan Johnson and Maleah Bates won the Mental Attitude Awards for boys and girls cross-country. Johnson and Kristin Keith were selected most improved.

Melanie Taylor was named MVP for reserve volleyball, while Shelby Fugate won the Mental Attitude Award, and Sydney White was named most improved. Ethan Wallace won the Mental Attitude Award for boys tennis, while Keagan Miller was selected most improved.

Ted Schultz is sports editor for The Republic. He can be reached at [email protected] or 812-379-5628.