The board of directors of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame has announced the 62nd induction class, to be honored in ceremonies on Wednesday, March 20, 2024.

Among them is a Greencastle and DePauw graduate.

Jay Frye, a 1968 Greencastle graduate, was a three-sport standout, playing basketball, football, and baseball.  Frye earned All-Conference, All Sectional, All-Regional, All-Semi-State while averaging 13.5 points and 8 assists per game.  He was also a 3-year starter in football, and a 4-year starter in baseball, where one highlight was pitching a 16 strikeout, no-hitter as a sophomore. 

Frye went to DePauw, where he graduated with a bachelors in zoology.  Playing basketball and baseball at DePauw, Frye was named “One of the Outstanding College Athletes of America” in 1972, while being named the shortest starting guard in the nation both junior and senior years. 

After DePauw, Frye graduated from Ohio State in Physical Therapy.  Frye had a private practice in physical therapy along with being a physical therapist for the US Ski Team in 1998. 

Frye is an entrepreneur in various businesses, and has owned the Ft. Wayne Fury since 1991. He serves on many NBA / CBA committees, including head of the Relations Committee.

GIANT fm will air the Indiana High School Athletic Association state championship Class A and Class 3A football games Friday beginning at 11 a.m.

The Class A game kicks off two days of state championship games at Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis. The first title game is a rematch of the 2022 Class A state championship game.

Class A, No. 1 Indianapolis Lutheran (12-0) is seeking a third-straight state title but will have to defeat No. 2 Adams Central (14-0) for the second straight year.

Adams Central’s last loss came to Lutheran, 30-13, in the 2022 state championship game. Lutheran enters the contest with a 42-game win streak.

Adams Central’s only football state championship came in 2000.

The Class 3A state championship game also features the defending state champion and No. 1 ranked team in the class.

Top-ranked Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (14-0) will face Heritage Hills (13-1) in the 3A state championship game scheduled to start at 3 p.m.

Chatard has won three of the last four 3A state championships, including the 2019 title over Heritage Hills, 34-3.

Heritage Hills’ only state title in football also came in 2000. The program’s only loss this season came to Gibson Southern on Sept. 22, 31-28. That loss was avenged Friday in a semistate win by Heritage Hills, 23-20.

Chatard has won 16 state football championships.

South Putnam claims second county title in four years, Greencastle earns first win

It could not have been a better way to go into Thanksgiving break for the South Putnam and Greencastle girls' basketball teams.

On Saturday, the Eagles cut down the nets, holding off North Putnam, 49-32, in the championship game of the Putnam County Girls' Basketball County Tournament. The title was the second in four years for South Putnam. 

In the third place game, Greencastle rolled past Cloverdale, 53-19, for its first victory of the season. 

South Putnam overcomes turnovers to defeat North Putnam

Hectic, fast paced and sloppy. 

That may be the best way to sum up the championship game of the Putnam County Girls' Basketball County Tournament between South Putnam and North Putnam. 

In a game that featured both teams combining for 54 total turnovers, it was South Putnam defending its home floor, picking up a 49-32 win over the Cougars. With the win, the Eagles improve to 4-2 on the season and have won two straight, while the Cougars fell to 4-3 and had a four game win streak snapped. 

Gardner said walking off his home floor with the title feels "good for the girls."

"That opportunity for them is what it's about, giving them an opportunity to cut down a net and do those types of things, so it's really good for them. We have to build upon it," Gardner said. 

The two teams struggled to keep control of the basketball early in the contest, combining for seven turnovers before a pair of free throws from South Putnam's Drew Gardner attributed for the first points. North Putnam would answer back with a pair of free throws and a basket from Lexi Daigle, but the advantage would be short lived, as the Eagles came roaring right back, as a three pointer from Lillian Emmerich gave the Eagles an 8-4 advantage it would not relinquish. 

The frantic pace continued into the second quarter, as South Putnam extended its lead to 16-5 on a three pointer from Lyla Rissler, prompting North Putnam head coach Curtis Lawrence to call a timeout. 

Whatever Lawrence said in the huddle resonated with his team, as they managed to trim the lead to 16-12 after a three from Hailee Daigle and a basket from Rose Haste. The two teams would trade baskets down the stretch in the first half, before a pair of free from South Putnam's Danae Cline sent the teams into the lockers with the Eagles holding a slim 20-14 halftime advantage after the two teams combined for 28 total first half turnovers.

South Putnam came out of the lockers and imposed its will early in the third quarter as Chlara Pistelli sparked a 6-0 run and took over the momentum in the game. Despite North Putnam's Lexi Daigle pulling the Cougars to within eight, Pistelli took over again, nailing a basket and a free throw before Cline hit a basket of her own, stretching the South Putnam lead to 33-20 midway through the third quarter. Pistelli would continue to find the basket for the Eagles, giving South Putnam a 37-20 lead heading into the fourth quarter. 

Pistelli's scoring ways continued into the fourth quarter, as a pair of free throws and a basket gave the Eagles a 43-23 advantage early in the fourth quarter. 

For the game, Pistelli finished with 16 total points, and Gardner said she was "big" for the Eagles. 

"She was big in the sense that she attacked the rim and did some things that I don't think we did a good job of in the first half. She really did a great job in the second half," Gardner said. 

Coming into the Thanksgiving break, Gardner likes the look of his team after winning the county title. 

North Putnam, who got 12 from Lexi Daigle against South Putnam, travels to Southmont Tuesday, while the Eagles will hit the hardwood again tonight against Southmont. 

Tiger Cubs maul Clovers for third place
Through six games this season, the Greencastle Tiger Cubs had shown signs of being able to play good basketball, and on Saturday night, it all came together for Greencastle, who picked up its first win of the season, dispatching Cloverdale, 53-19. In the win, Greencastle forced Cloverdale into 20 total turnovers, while Evie Briones hit six three pointers and finished with 22 total points. 

The win was the first of the season for the Tiger Cubs, who improved to 1-6 under first year head coach Jessica Lenihan, while Cloverdale dropped to 0-6.

Lenihan was all smiles after the win, stating she was "proud" of her team. 
 

For Greencastle, the Tiger Cubs did exactly what Lenihan had asked in her pregame speech, which was push and force the issue. 

"Pregame speech we said go out there and push that first quarter. We have been struggling to score right off the bat, so I told them to have confidence, get the ball out and push. I think we stepped up and did that," Lenihan said. 

Did they ever, as Greencastle set the tone early in the first quarter, forcing Cloverdale into four turnovers while racing out to a 13-2 lead behind the shooting of Briones, who scored the first five points of the quarter en route to a 14 point first half output. 

"Evie is a senior leader, we look for her and we look to her. She carries us and she is stepping into her role really well. I am very proud of her," Lenihan said. 

The lead would swell to 23-6 midway through the first half, but the Clovers would cut into the deficit, slightly following a basket from Emily Mann, but Greencastle's defense, combined with the play of Briones sent the teams into the lockers with Greencastle ahead 30-12. 

The halftime break did little to slow down Greencastle, who forced Cloverdale into seven turnovers in the third quarter, got five points from Ali Dobbs at the free throw line and held the Clovers scoreless in the third quarter, taking a 40-12 advantage into the fourth quarter. 

Cloverdale's Emily Mann would snap the lengthy scoring drought with a basket and free throw to cut the deficit to 41-15 with just over six minutes to play in the game. 

The Tiger Cubs continued to pour it on late in the contest, building a 50-18 lead on another three from Briones. 

"We knew coming in we would struggle to score after losing two good scorers, so all these girls are finding new roles and we are finding it. I am happy to see that," Lenihan said. 

Cloverdale will look for its first win of the season on Nov. 28 when it travels to North Putnam, while the Tiger Cubs will next play Tuesday at Crawfordsville. 

Bragging rights and a chance to win a trophy early in the season were up for grabs Friday night for the opening night of the Putnam County girls' basketball tournament. 

In the opening game Friday night, North Putnam knocked off Cloverdale, 50-36. 

In the nightcap, South Putnam defended its home court, turning back Greencastle, 50-31. 

North Putnam knocks off Cloverdale

Coming into the opening game of the Putnam County Girls' Basketball Tournament, Cloverdale coach J.J. Wade believed North Putnam would press on defense and look to get up and down the floor. 

His fears and beliefs were correct, as turnovers doomed the Clovers early and often, as North Putnam advanced to Saturday night's final with a 50-36 victory. 

The win was the fourth in a row for the Cougars, who improved to 4-2 and will take on South Putnam around 7:45 p.m. Saturday in the final. Cloverdale dropped to 0-5 and will play Greencastle at 6 p.m. for third place Saturday. 

The Cougars came out and set the tone early in the contest, racing out to a 5-0 game that stretched into a 15-6 advantage at the conclusion of the first quarter. North Putnam would continue to force turnovers to pad its lead, but could never truly pull away due to turnovers of its own. 

When the first half concluded, North Putnam held a 28-17 lead, as sophomore point guard Jenna Day paced the Cougars with 8 points. 

Cloverdale coach J.J. Wade kept his team in the locker room for an extended period during the half. 

However, North Putnam's defensive intensity only intensified, as the Cougars watched their lead stretch to 32-17 following a three pointer from Samie Hoops. 

Hoops would drain her third three pointer of the game moments later, pushing North Putnam ahead 38-17. 

The barrage would continue for the Cougars, who built a 45-28 lead after three quarters. 

Cloverdale tried to claw its way back into the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to 11, but turnovers and Lexi Daigle proved to be too much for the Clovers to overcome down the stretch. 

North Putnam saw nine players score, as Lexi Daigle led the way with 15 points. Hoops chipped in with nine and Jenna Day added eight. 

Cloverdale, on the other hand, was led by Emily Mann, who scored 16 points before fouling out. Millie Haga scored 10 and Sarah Nichols chipped in with nine. 

South Putnam tames Tiger Cubs 

With starting power forward Joscelyn Pilcher sidelined with an injury, South Putnam was looking for someone to step up. 

And, the Eagles got an answer very early as junior guard Chlara Pistelli got the offense going and South Putnam's defense chipped in early in its matchup against Greencastle. 

The combination of Pistelli's nine points in the first half and South Putnam's 2-3 zone early paid off nicely down the stretch, as South Putnam pulled off a 50-31  win. With the victory, South Putnam improves to 3-2 and snap a two game skid, while Greencastle drops to 0-6. 

The host Eagles wasted little time establishing themselves as a favorite in the tournament, racing out to a quick 7-2 lead that would swell to 14-3 at the conclusion of the first quarter. 

A three pointer by Drew Gardner put South Putnam ahead 20-9 early in the second quarter. The Tiger Cubs would trim the deficit to 10 following a three pointer by Ali Dobbs, but that would be as close as Greencastle would get in the first half, as South Putnam sent both teams to the lockers with a 28-14 advantage. 

In that first half, Pistelli recorded nine points to led the Eagles, while Dobbs paced Greencastle with 6 points. 

The halftime break did little to slow down the Eagles, who continued their scoring ways, racing out to a 35-16 advantage, forcing Greencastle to use a timeout very quickly in the third quarter. After three, South Putnam would find itself ahead 42-24. 

Drew Gardner led the way for South Putnam with 13 points, while Pistelli added 11 and both Madison Gardner and Danae Cline chipped in with 10. 

For Greencastle, Evelyn Briones led the way with 10, while both Madi Plew and Aleeyah Johnson scored seven for the Tiger Cubs. 

While the girl's basketball season may have just started, the intensity is sure to be high this Friday night as the Putnam County Tournament kicks off at South Putnam High School,

Cloverdale and North Putnam kick the tournament off at 6 p.m. with Greencastle and South Putnam following. The third place game is set for 6 p.m. Saturday with the championship following. 

Cloverdale vs. North Putnam

North Putnam enters the tournament at 3-2, while Cloverdale is 0-4. 

According to North Putnam coach Curtis Lawrence, the season is off to a "good start" for the Cougars, who have won three straight. 

"We have had contributions from all of our players," Lawrence told The Putnam County Post. 

As for Cloverdale, the Clovers are seeking their first county title since 2020 and their first win of the season. 

"The season has been a challenge thus far. We have a lot of injuries and have had to play a short bench with inexperienced athletes. That said, the girls have been working extremely hard and we have been competitive at times. These circumstances will only help us grow depth," Cloverdale coach J.J. Wade told The Putnam County Post. 

Both coaches admit they are approaching this week the same as any other. 

"We are simply trying to work on us and get better. It will be new for some to be in the County Tournament environment, but, ultimately, we are still trying to find the right lineup and positions with who we have available. We know it is a long season and we are striving to trust each other to get better every day," Wade said. 

Lawrence said North Putnam won't do anything out of the ordinary this week and is trying to keep it as business as usual. 

"With it being early in the season, regardless of the results, there is a lot of season left," he said.

So, what can fans expect? 

"North Putnam plays a deep rotation, presses and gets up and down the floor. Coach Lawrence will certainly have his team ready. We know we need to take care of the basketball and play solid defense to give ourselves a chance to play Saturday," Wade said. 

For the Cougars, Lawrence said they need to come out and play the same way they have the last three times out. 

"Coach Wade does a wonderful job with his program and they will be ready to play.  We have to come out and do what we’ve done this season," he said.

Both coaches admit, it would be special to hold the trophy at the end of the tournament. 

"Anytime you can win a championship for your school and community, it is special since that is who we are playing for," Wade said. 

Lawrence echoed those sentiments. 

"Obviously, winning the County Tourney is important.  It’s one of the goals that we set as a team, as did the other county schools.  All four programs want to hold the trophy after Saturday night.  The team that plays two complete games will be the ones that get to do that," Lawrence said. 

Greencastle vs. South Putnam

The night cap features a Greencastle team searching for its first win under a first year head coach taking on the host Eagles, who are 2-2 on the season. 

Greencastle enters 0-4 under Jessica Lenihan, who admits the Tiger Cubs opened with four "competitive" games. 

"We are slowly putting the missing pieces together we have struggled to find in the first 3 games. We have been putting in the work to find ways to mesh as a team, and I think we were finally able to in our previous game, against a tough competitor, Brown County. The girls fought hard and gave it all they had to a really good team," Lenihan said. 

Leading the way for Greencastle has been Evie Broines, who has been playing with a "leader mentality," according to her coach. 

"I believe that is helping our girls out. She's been handling the ball with a lot more confidence and she is working hard to score. I think Aleeyah Johnson and Ali Dobbs are gaining confidence as well with handling the ball. Both are playing outstanding defense as well. Madi Plew is taking on a new role this year with playing on the outside perimeter and has hit a couple of big shots. Bailey Brown is so strong down low and we are trusting her in the paint to get us some big baskets. As a coaching staff, we are very impressed with our freshman class this year, especially Sarah Simmerman. In the previous game against Brown County, Sarah stepped up and played solid defense and even contributed with nine points. We have been getting better and better each week and we know our first win is right around the corner," Lenihan said. 

As for the Eagles, who have lost two straight, head coach Brian Gardner said he has gotten solid play out of Danae Cline and Chlara Pistelli, as well as Madison Gardner. 

Both coaches acknowledge there is extra pressure that comes with the county tournament, but they are trying to keep the focus on improving. 

"Because the county is early in the year, it is good to focus on your team as much as possible. We talk a lot about working on things that we have to fix about ourselves this early in the year, which allows you to talk about those things all week while you are preparing for the game. Having a team that the juniors have played in this weekend before, they understand the game has a lot of runs in it and you have to have a next play mentality," Gardner said. 

Lenihan said there is the extra pressure, but admits she has preached to the girls to treat the county like any other game. 

"We need to stick to our game plan and not let that pressure change how we view and approach these games. We have to be business as usual," she said. 

While the two have not played each other yet this season, the two coaches note the opponent looks strong. 

"Greencastle is a good basketball team. Even though they have not won a game, they do good things on the court. Briones is very good in the open court and can shoot the ball well. We will have to make sure they are not able to get easy looks and that they do not get loose in the open court," Gardner said. 

As for the Eagles, Lenihan said, they will be "very tough and well coached."

"They are very athletic, aggressive and we have to do a good job of slowing them down. If we can stick to our game plan and execute what we have worked on so far this year, I am confident we can get the win," Lenihan said. 

And, what would it mean to win the county?

"Winning the county is always a goal for our team just like it is for the rest of the county. It means a lot to the girls to have the opportunity to cut down the net this early in the year," Gardner said. 

Lenihan agrees. 

"It would be a huge accomplishment for this group of girls if we could win county. Coming off such a successful season last year, these girls have felt the pressure of trying to live up to that. It is no secret that we lost over 40 points a game in scoring between two of our previous players, so our girls have had to step up and work extra hard to fill that big scoring void we lost. Winning the county tournament would show everyone how hard we have been working this season and it would give these girls a big lift of confidence going into the rest of the season," Lenihan said. 

When the South Putnam Eagles hit the hardwood this season, they will do so with a new coach and plenty of talent. 

Josh Estridge replaces Kyle Swafford, who led the Eagles to an 11-11 campaign last year, which was the best record since the 2018-19 season. 

"We have a lot of returning players and I think we can build on what was established last season.  This offseason for me was building relationships with the players and started implementing my system.  We really focused on fundamentals, ball movement on offense, and building our defensive principles," Estridge told The Putnam County Post.

South Putnam brings back some experience and weapons this season, beginning with senior guard Drew Hill, who averaged 18 points and six rebounds last year. 

Also back is junior forward Cameron Bozell, who averaged 7.8 points and four boards, junior guard Wyatt Mullin, who averaged 6.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game and Wyatt Switzer, a junior forward, who averaged 3.8 points and 3.8 rebounds last year. 

According to Estridge, the Eagles have the "ability, talent, leadership and experience to have a successful season."

"My goals for this team are to get consistent effort day in and day out.  Compete in every single game we play.  Hopefully we can create some consistency as a whole where we are playing our best basketball come tournament time.  I think we have the pieces to compete for championships," Estridge said.   

The Eagles open the season Nov. 21 at home against Clay City. 

When the North Putnam boy's basketball team hits the hardwood this season, they will do so with a team that features quite a bit of experience under head coach Vincent Brooks. 

"We return all but one player from last year's 16-10 team, so we believe this team has great potential," Brooks told The Putnam County Post. 

A season ago, the Cougars played well on the defensive end, as North Putnam allowed the fewest points per game in school history. 
However, they struggled, at times, on the other end of the floor. 

"Our greatest weakness last year was our three point shooting. We did a great job improving that this summer and look forward to continued work for more improvement," Brooks said. 

Leading the way for the Cougars this season will be senior Nolan Hackleman, who averaged 11.3 points per game last season. Joining him will be: senior Brady Barber, who averaged 6.8 points; senior Jaylen Windmiller, who averaged 5.2 points; senior Matt Farrington, who averaged 3.8 points; and junior Kaden Helderman, who averaged 8.9 points.

Brooks believes his team has the ability of making some serious noise this season, which opens on the road Nov. 21 at Southmont. The Cougars open the season with road dates to Southmont, South Putnam, Edgewood and Sullivan before hosting Parke Heritage on Dec. 9.

"Adding improved three point shooting to a similar defensive effort from last year will put us in a position to win a lot of games," Brooks said. 

As he enters his second season at the helm of the Cloverdale boy's basketball team, Karl Turk knows what the final outcome and record was for the Clovers a season ago.

Cloverdale went 2-22 and that is not lost on Turk. 

"Reflecting upon last season, certainly the final outcome and record are firmly etched in everyone's mind and serve as a source of motivation. In concert with the record, and more relevant to this year's team, is the amount of perseverance that the 2022-2023 Clovers showed. Usual basketball challenges (height/experience) were coupled with injuries to the point often we only had 6 regular varsity players dressed. Nonetheless I never noted any lack of effort or attention within the group and its that spirit that the holdovers (Tayt Jackson, Noah Betz, Levi Johnson, Scottie McGuire and Liam Ramsay) impart with the new cast. The program made significant strides this past summer as we participated in a full summer schedule in 2023, which he had not done the year previously. The experience gave a great deal of insight into  how well holdovers could adjust to new roles and was especially valuable for the 8th graders making the transition to high school basketball this season," Turk told The Putnam County Post.

Heading into this season, Turk notes this year's Cloverdale roster will be a "very unique" one. 

"This year's varsity Clovers will be an intriguing blend of players making their way back to the program aligned with the aforementioned five starters," Turk said. 

Last year's leading scorer, Noah Betz, a senior, looks to build off last year's 12.4 points per game and continue as the team's best shooter and a well-rounded leader for the Clovers. 

Joining Betz in the front court will be senior Eli Kelley, who returns after not playing since his freshman season. 

"Kelley has a high basketball acumen, is well rounded, and is the most athletic member of the team," Turk said. 

Providing depth in the front court will be senior Liam Ramsay and senior Tyson Bridges, who is recovering from a football injury, according to Turk. 

"If Bridges is able to play, it would mark his return to the basketball program after not playing the previous season," Turk said.

In the backcourt, the Clovers feature junior Tayt Jackson, who averaged 8.2 points per game last year and often had the task of defending the other team's top guard. 

Returning to the backcourt will be senior Zach Thomas, who did not play last season,  and junior Houston Jobe, who returns to Cloverdale after attending South Putnam schools in the past. 

"Zach has already emerged as a leader in the locker room and looks to excel at both guard positions. Houston has impressed in fall workouts at both guard positions," Turk said. 

In addition, Cloverdale will also lean on senior Scott McGuire, who is a four year member and had his junior season cut short by injury, and junior Levi Johnson, who became a starter late last year. 

Turk said the goal this season is simple -- win.

"Certainly winning seasons like an obvious goal; yet, there are many components both physically and mentally that we need to excel in, in order to win. Our challenge is to exhibit winning habits on a more consistent basis. To this point, the players have performed admirably and we are going into our first official practice the best we've been in many aspects in a number of seasons," Turk said. 

The second-year coach said his team would like to post its first winning season since 2017-18, capture the first sectional title for the first time since 2018 and the first county title since 2018. In addition, he wants his team to be the best scholars and gentlemen they can be. 

"How good can we be? The answer lies within the players," Turk said. 

Young.

That's the best word to sum up what Greencastle boy's basketball coach Bryce Rector saw from his Tiger Cubs last season, as they finished 7-17. 

"Looking back on last season, the thing that probably stands out the most was our youth. It showed quite a bit throughout the season, both in good ways and bad ways. I thought we probably lost several games that we were in position to win, and I attribute a majority of that to our lack of experience," Rector told The Putnam County Post. 

Not all was negative, however, for the Tiger Cubs, according to Rector. 

"I saw a tremendous amount of growth in players as the season progressed," said Rector, who is 97-76 heading into his eighth season. 

The Tiger Cubs used the offseason to develop both in terms of basketball and physical skill sets, Rector said. 

"Our kids have put a lot of time in the gym and have improved their game and have also spent a lot of time with Coach T in our weight program and we have seen excellent progress athletically in a lot of our players," Rector said. 

The Tiger Cubs will be paced this season by sophomore guard Sam Gooch and sophomore forward Cody Evans. A season ago, Gooch averaged 11.5 points per game and 4.2 rebounds, while Evans averaged 11.7 points and 4.5 rebounds. 

Also back are junior guard Anthony Adams, who averaged 6.3 points and 3.1 rebounds, junior forward Jake Simmerman, who averaged 2 points and 3.3 rebounds, junior forward Ian Williamson, who averaged 1.3 points, and sophomore Nathan Sutherlin, who averaged 2.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and just under two assists. 

Rector believes the Western Indiana Conference, the Putnam County title chase and the sectional are all "wide open."

"I expect Greencastle to be competitive with everyone on our schedule this year and be in a position to win games with most of our opponents. We will still be relatively young this year, so it will be fun to watch our guys continue to grow throughout the season. I think the Greencastle team you see in the first game of the year versus Crawfordsville will be vastly different than the team you see at the end of year come tournament time. It should be a lot of fun to watch that progress and growth throughout the season," Rector said. 

While their football seasons may have ended earlier than they wanted, both Greencastle and South Putnam were rewarded for their seasons, when it came to the All-Western Indiana Conference teams. 

Greencastle saw senior wide receiver/safety Owen Huff, senior running back/linebacker Lemar Moore, freshman quarterback Cole Stephens, junior kicker/punter Ian Williamson, senior wide receiver/linebacker Brendle Brennan, junior tight end/defensive end Brayden Monroe and senior lineman Jackson Buis all selected. 

Photo: Greencastle's Ian Williamson, left, and Owen Huff, right, celebrate a touchdown during the sectional semifinal against Linton-Stockton. 

Photo courtesy of Luke Morey/Greene County Daily World. 

The Tiger Cubs finished the season 8-3 after falling to Linton-Stockton, 26-21 in the sectional semifinal. 

"It is bittersweet. It is great to be recognized, but agonizing because we all feel like we should still be playing," Stephens said of his players being recognized.

South Putnam also put multiple players on the all-conference list. 

For the Eagles, a total of five players were recognized. Those players were: junior quarterback/safety Wyatt Mullin, senior linebacker Aiden Beadles, senior wide receiver/safety Caden Switzer, senior kicker Wyatt Kendall and freshman linebacker/guard Keenan Mowery-Shields. 

The Eagles finished the season 9-2 after falling in the sectional semifinal to Lutheran, 21-14. 

South Putnam head coach Chuck Sorrell said all those recognized worked hard this season. 

"We had other players like Kolby Harcourt, Bransyn Hanley, and Parker Harris that should be on there too, but we lost votes with our loss to Greencastle," Sorrell told The Putnam County Post. 

When North Putnam girl's basketball coach Curtis Lawrence looks out on the floor this season, he sees a lot of similarities to last year's squad in terms of faces and names. 
And, rightfully so, as the Cougars lost only one player from season. 

"What stands out from last year is the group of girls we have coming back. We only lost one senior from last year's team, so we have an experienced core group coming back," Lawrence told The Putnam County Post. 

And, Lawrence is back on the sidelines after resigning after last season, which saw North Putnam finish 10-13. He was hired back a few weeks before the season started. 
With Lawrence back, he will lean heavily on the play of senior guard/forward Lexi Daigle this season, as well as junior guard Rose Haste, senior guard Addi Osburn and junior guard Jacy Huffman. 
Senior guard Samie Hoops is coming back from a torn ACL, and Lawrence hopes to get her back during the season. 

"This is a very good group of girls to work with. We are making a few changes from last season, and they have adjusted well. Our goal is to be competitive in our games this season.  I don't like to put a number on wins.  This is going to be a team that competes night in and night out.  The results will take care of themselves," Lawrence admitted. .