The Sideline – November 30

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New Palestine coach named ‘30 under 30’

New Palestine volleyball coach Kelli Whitaker recently was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s “30 under 30” list.

The AVCA names 30 high school coaches nationally, who are under the age of 30, each year. Whitaker was one of four coaches from Indiana honored, including Maggie Harbison of Center Grove and Austin Hilman and Cassandra March of Roncalli.

Whitaker, a 2006 New Palestine graduate, has led the Dragons to a 110-62 record in five seasons as head coach. The program has posted three consecutive 25-win seasons and won back-to-back sectional titles in 2016-17.

The Dragons won their first regional title in 2016, the same year Whitaker was named the Indiana Volleyball Coaches Association’s Class 3A South Coach of the Year.

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Anderson among IBCA Players of the Week

Indiana University recruits Damezi Anderson of South Bend Riley and Robert Phinisee of McCutcheon are among the honorees in this week’s IBCA/Subway Player of the Week program.

The duo is joined by New Albany senior Romeo Langford and Cambridge City Lincoln senior Garrett Pumphrey in completing the first week of boys winners, while girls recipients for the week of Nov. 20 to 25 are South Bend St. Joseph sophomore Keegan Sullivan, South Vermillion sophomore Mallory Hawkins and Lawrenceburg sophomore Juliana Kemper.

Anderson and Sullivan are honorees for District 1 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. Phinisee, Pumphrey and Hawkins are winners for District 2. Langford and Kemper are recipients in District 3.

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Carmel remains No. 1 in IBCA girls rankings

The Indiana Basketball Coaches Association released their Top 20 girls rankings this week with Carmel atop the list. All records are as of Sunday, Nov. 26. First-place votes are in parentheses.

Rank, school W-L

1. Carmel (15) 8-0

2. Pike (2) 8-0

3. N. Central (Indy) (2) 6-0

4. Lawrence North 7-0

5. Homestead 4-1

6. Northwestern 6-0

7. Bedford N. Lawrence 6-1

8. North Harrison 6-1

9. Hamilton S.E. 6-2

10. S. Bend St. Josephs 4-0

11. Jeffersonville 4-2

12. Heritage Christian 4-3

13. Penn (1) 6-1

14. E.C. Central 9-0

15. Center Grove 6-1

16. Zionsville 3-3

17. Brownsburg 7-1

18. Castle 5-0

19. Northridge 6-2

20. Martinsville 6-3

Other schools receiving votes

Angola, Avon, Beech Grove, Ben Davis, Chesterton, Columbus East, Columbus North, Elkhart Central, Evansville Memorial, Fishers, Fort Wayne Northrop, Fort Wayne South Side, Glenn, Greensburg, Jac-Cen-Del, Lake Central, Michigan City Marquette, North Judson-San Pierre, Oak Hill, Tippecanoe Valley, Valparaiso, Warren Central, Warsaw Community