Several Columbus North, Columbus East and Brown County boys and girls have been named to the Indiana Soccer Coaches Association Academic All-State teams.
For the boys, the list includes North’s Derek Arau-Ortiz, Nico Gotoh, Konnor Gibbons, Noah Marsh and Aidan Whitley; East’s Ben Eikenbary, Jonathan Ruch, Ian Scholl, Martin Simon Rodriguez and Brady Wiltsey and Brown County’s Carter Norcutt, Eli Webb, Ely Wesley and Caleb Clifford.
For the girls, the list includes North’s Amelia Corney, Anna Halstead, Kaitlin Kasidas, Chloe LaVelle, Charlotte Loheide, Rachel Merritt, Bella Newman Stump, Libby Richards and Paige Terry and East’s Ruth Federle, Nadia Harris, Kylie Hatcher, Taylor Scott, Kate Stiles, Kira VanValkenburg and Erin Walters.
East’s Sylva commits to IUC
Columbus East boys soccer senior Justin Sylva recently made his commitment to continue his soccer career at IU Columbus.
Sylva is the first commit for the Crimson Pride for the Class of 2024.
Local players named All-HHC
Columbus East’s Nadia Harris, Taylor Scott and Kira VanValkenburg have been named to the All-Hoosier Hills Conference girls soccer team.
East’s Kylie Hatcher and Ruth Federle and Jennings County’s Maddie McIntosh and Alayna Phillips were honorable mention selections.
Ash named East girls track coach
Kareem Ash has been named girls track coach at Columbus East.
Ash succeeds longtime coach Glen Brown, who died this summer.
JC grad has Castle in state finals
Daniel Watson, a 1997 Jennings County graduate, is the head coach of the Castle volleyball team that will be playing in Saturday’s state finals at Ball State’s Worthen Arena.
Watson has led the Knights to a 34-3 record this season and an overall 289-109 record in his 14th season at Castle. His daughter Emma Watson is a junior middle hitter on the team.
Castle will play Hamilton Southeastern in the Class 4A final at around 7 p.m. Saturday.
Basketball sees rule changes
With girls basketball in full swing this week, fans might notice a big difference in terms of the team fouls and bonus free throws. During the offseason, rule changes were made by the National Federation of High Schools for boys and girls basketball at the high school and middle school levels.
Beginning this season, one-and-one free throws for common fouls after the team’s seventh foul in a half are eliminated. Bonus free throws always will be two shots beginning with the team’s fifth foul in a quarter. The team fouls reset after each quarter.
North college signings next week
Columbus North will hold its first of three college signing ceremonies for the Class of 2024 on Wednesday.
The signings will be held in the school’s cafeteria beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Senior seeks info on former North players
For her senior project, Columbus North basketball player Kaitlin White is gathering contact information from former Bull Dog girls basketball players. Former players can visit the link https//forms.gle/gmCRdgUoY2FM6976
For more information, contact White at kaitlinwhite148@gmail.com
