The soccer season has been over for about seven weeks for local teams, but two Columbus East players had a chance to play in last weekend’s Indiana Soccer Coaches Association All-District Showcase.
Juniors Eric Stiles and Zach Roberts played for District 4 in the three games at North Central. Juniors and seniors from each of the four district teams played the other three districts.
“It was quite different than usual,” Stiles said. “I’m used to having set practices with my coaches. In this, you warm up on your own, you learn some of your teammates names, but not all, and you just go out and play your best. Not knowing your teammates made it a bit more difficult.”
Stiles, a defender, played 20 minutes in each half of each game. Roberts, a goalkeeper, played about 25 minutes through the end of the first half and beginning of the second half of each contest.
The District 4 team went 0-3, but all three losses were by one goal.
“It was really good competition,” Roberts said. “We just couldn’t find the back of the net. I didn’t really play to the expectation I hold myself to. Me and Eric were both a little rough for the first game. The second game, we played a little better. We kind of got molded into it.”
Both Stiles and Roberts play club soccer for Alliance FC. Ten players from Alliance were on the District 4 team.
Stiles was a first-team All-District and third-team All-State selection. Roberts had made second-team All-District.
“The competition was pretty good,” Stiles said. “It was a great experience for me. It was a learning experience on learning how to play with new people.”
Columbus North freshman Jenna Lang and East junior Lindsey Stoughton made first-team All-District on the girls side. Lang was named to the girls first-team All-State, while Stoughton made the third team.
North senior takes 42nd
Columbus North senior John Sluys finished 42nd in Saturday’s Mideast Cross Country Championships in Kettering, Ohio.
Sluys ran 17 minutes, 4.04 seconds for 5,000 meters (3.1 miles) at Indian Riffle Park. The meet featured 12 top seniors from four states.
Sluys helped the Team Indiana boys finish second with 43 points. Michigan won with 32, while Ohio took third with 53 and Illinois fourth with 104.
Olympians named All-HHC
Seven members of the Hoosier Hills Conference champion Columbus East football team have been named to this year’s All-HHC squad.
Offensive selections were Jacob Sitterding and Jacob Bolte (offensive line), Isaac VanCuren (tight end) and Sam Thomasson (specialist). Defensive picks were Julian Greenwell (defensive line), Nash Murphy (linebacker) and Jonah Wichman (defensive back).
Honorable mention selections for the Olympians are Cody Horner (wide receiver), Mark McDonald (running back) and Cory Harden (defensive line). Jennings County’s Owen Deaton (linebacker) also was honorable mention.
Ilya Schwartzman, who lead the Olympians to the HHC girls soccder title, is the HHC Coach of the Year. East’s Sarah Park, Lindsey Stoughton, Alana Dwenger, Emily Stiles and Breiana Burton and Jennings’ Baylee Byford are on the All-Conference team. East’s Jaeda Berkemeier, Kamebry Wagner, Maya Federle and Annie Bastian and Jennings’ Naomi Beal made honorable mention selections.
East’s Eric Stiles, Jorge Nieto and Zach Roberts and Jennings’ Gavin McKinney are on the All-HHC boys soccer team. East’s Daniel Boggs and Rick Sanchez made honorable mention picks.
East’s Allison Mack and Rilee Jessee and Jennings’ Hanah Bertram are on the All-HHC volleyball team. East’s Madyson Foster and CJ Clausen and Jennings’ Mary Leahigh made honorable mention.
In boys tennis, Jennings’ Thomas Schuler made honorable mention singles, and the Panthers’ Weston Miller and Kent Biehle made honorable mention doubles.
BC junior picks Loyola
Brown County junior Emma Summers has committed to continue her softball career at Loyola of Chicago.
Summers led the Eagles with a 16-3 record, 0.86 ERA, .500 batting average, six home runs and 23 RBIs as a sophomore. This summer, she won her third East Coast Summer Nationals title while playing with the Indiana Shockwaves-Perry.
North sets softball callout
Columbus North softball will have a callout meeting at 6 p.m. Monday in the athletic conference room.
All girls who want to play softball in the spring should plan to attend and bring their parents. For more information, contact coach Ron McDonald at 812-344-6993.
Ted Schultz is sports editor for The Republic. He can be reached at tschultz@therepublic.com or 812-379-5628.
