Caston’s Spin, Winamac’s Compton, Pioneer’s E. Lewellen, Klepinger named all-Hoosier North

Caston’s Zeider, Winamac’s Brandt, Pioneer’s A. Lewellen, Culver’s Clingler named honorable mention

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Boys basketball

Caston’s Joey Spin, Winamac’s Russell Compton and Pioneer’s Ezra Lewellen and Hunter Klepinger were both named honorable mention all-Hoosier North in voting done by the conference’s coaches and released to the media Monday.

In addition, Caston’s Kade Zeider, Winamac’s Beau Brandt, Pioneer’s Addai Lewellen and Culver’s Owen Clingler earned honorable mention status.

Spin was third on Caston in scoring at 9.5 ppg and also led the Comets in assists with 2.9 per game. Zeider led Caston in scoring (10.5 ppg) while making a team-best 70 3-pointers.

Compton led Winamac in scoring (12.2 ppg) and also averaged 5.6 rebounds per game. Brandt tied Compton for team-high rebounding honors (5.6 per game) while also scoring 8.3 points per game.

Klepinger and Ezra Lewellen each averaged 9.9 ppg. Ezra Lewellen led in rebounds at 5.2 per game while Klepinger averaged 4.4 boards. Addai Lewellen averaged 4.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg and 1.4 apg.

Clingler, a senior point guard, received conference recognition for the first time in his career. Culver beat LaVille 43-42 on Jan. 29 for their first conference win in over three years.

Triton’s Tyson Yates was named the conference MVP.

Triton and LaVille tied for the conference title at 6-1.

ALL-HOOSIER NORTH

Joey Spin (Caston), Cade Short (Knox), Gunner Wagner (Knox), Leyton Czarnecki (LaVille), Bobby Good (LaVille), Andrew Dill (LaVille), Blayne Wilcox (North Judson), Payton Cox (North Judson), Ezra Lewellen (Pioneer), Hunter Klepinger (Pioneer), Tyson Yates (Triton), Ashton Oviedo (Triton), Russell Compton (Winamac)

HONORABLE MENTION

Kade Zeider (Caston), Declan Austin (Knox), Owen Binkley (Knox), Ayden Doyle (LaVille), Addai Lewellen (Pioneer), John Gardner (Triton), Bruce Johnson (Triton), Cole McKinney (Triton), Owen Clingler (Culver), Beau Brandt (Winamac)

Conference MVP – Tyson Yates (Triton)

FINAL STANDINGS

LaVille 6-1, Triton 6-1, Knox 5-2, Pioneer 4-3, Caston 2-5, Winamac 2-5, North Judson 2-5, Culver 1-6

Smith nominated for player of week: Caston junior center Sam Smith was nominated for the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association/Franciscan Health player of the week award for District 1 boys for the week of March 8.

Smith scored a team-high 17 points and also grabbed four rebounds in Caston’s 64-52 loss to Triton in two overtimes in a Class 1A regional semifinal at Triton Saturday.

The award went to Fort Wayne Blackhawk senior Caleb Furst.

Academic All-Hoosier North

Forty-six RTC area student-athletes earned academic all-Hoosier North honors, according to the list released to the media Tuesday.

They include 21 student-athletes from Pioneer, 12 from Winamac, 10 from Caston and three from Culver.

Pioneer

Mackenzie Walker (girls basketball), Katelyn Duncan (girls basketball), Madison Blickenstaff (girls basketball), Macee Baker (girls basketball), Kennedy Corn (girls basketball), Hailey Gotshall (girls basketball manager), Ezra Lewellen (boys basketball), Wyatt Zeider (boys basketball), Hunter Klepinger (boys basketball), Christian Scott (boys basketball), Brock Robinson (boys basketball), Esther McKaig (girls swimming), Olivia Freels (girls swimming), Angelina Shepherd (girls swimming), Grace Ulrich (girls swimming), Emily Chan (girls swimming), Mackenzie Robinson (girls swimming), Nicole Quaglio (girls swimming), Amanda Harrington (girls swimming), Ryan Adams (boys swimming)

Winamac

Alyssa Villanueva (girls basketball), Ella Gearhart (girls basketball), Kaya Campbell (girls basketball), Aubrey Gearhart (girls basketball), Emily Rausch (girls basketball), Carson Bennett (boys basketball), Jaden Terry (boys basketball), Brendan Day (wrestling), Jason Tankersley (wrestling), Brenna Day (wrestling), McKenzie Mitchell (wrestling), Paxton Wallace (wrestling)

Caston

Maddi Smith (girls basketball), Abby Williamson (girls basketball), Olivia Boldry (girls basketball manager), Cam Kline (boys basketball), Joey Spin (boys basketball), Kade Zeider (boys basketball), Sam Smith (boys basketball), Bryce Rudicel (boys basketball), Jake Paschen (boys basketball), Autumn Garling (wrestling manager)

Culver

Lizzie Pugh (girls basketball), Maddie Shedrow (girls basketball), Josh Havron (boys basketball)