As we approach the postseason of boys basketball, followed by months of clamoring for the return of football, Outside the Huddle thought we would look at some of the top two-way athletes in northeast Indiana.
The following five guys are not an exhaustive list of the best football/basketball players in the area, but rather the top of the heap in OTH’s mind.
What do you think? Who are we forgetting?
JAMES ARNOLD, SOUTH ADAMS
The record-breaking quarterback has been impressive on the basketball court as well for the Starfires.
In the fall, Arnold averaged 264 passing yards per game for the Starfires, finishing with 3,168 yards through the air and 43 touchdowns with just six interceptions. He was named Class 1A Junior All-State by the IFCA and has already rewritten the passing record book at South Adams.
In hoops, Arnold is the leading scorer for the Starfires, averaging a touch over 15 points a contest. He is also second in rebounds at 6 per game for a team that has reached double-digit wins without a single senior on the roster.
LUKE GOODE, HOMESTEAD
Perhaps the most obvious one on the list, the Division I basketball prospect has had another sensational season on the court. He enters tonight’s regular-season finale averaging 17.4 points and 7.1 rebounds a contest for the Spartans.
Goode also turned heads in the fall as quarterback of Homestead, throwing for 2,778 yards and 27 touchdowns with two INTs.
HAYDEN JONES, EAST NOBLE
The East Noble senior not only has shined in both hoops and football this year, he was big time on both sides of the ball in the fall.
The two-way starter picked off a pair of passes and made 63 tackles for the Knights.
Offensively, the senior was deadly on the outside and downfield at wideout. He hauled in 73 passes for 1,190 yards and 16 touchdowns. Of the myriad of weapons that Bailey Parker had at his disposal, Jones was arguably the most dangerous.
Jones was named Class 4A Senior All-State by the IFCA.
In hoops, Jones directs the offense for an 11-win East Noble team. He leads the team in scoring (16.1 ppg) and assists (6.2 apg) while sitting third in rebounds per game (5.1 rpg).
QUALEN PETTUS, NORTHROP
Pettus led the Bruins football team in both catches and receiving yards at wideout this past season, despite missing the latter portion of the season due to injury.
That same injury forced him to miss the first seven games of the basketball campaign, but his returned buoyed Northrop after a 1-6 start. He enters the final weekend of the regular season averaging 13.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game and is the Bruins’ most consistent offensive threat.
RAY VOLLMER, CARROLL
Chances are Vollmer could have played college athletics in any of three different sports, but he has chosen football and Indiana State for his future.
The three-sport standout who also plays basketball and baseball is one of the more underrated pure athletes in the area.
The senior finished with three interceptions and 25 tackles and was named First Team All-SAC for the Chargers on the football field as one of the best defensive backs around.
In hoops, Vollmer has stepped up in his final prep campaign to be one of the veteran presences in the backcourt. He averages 6.9 points and 2.8 assists per contest, but his biggest games on the scoreboard seem to come in the biggest moments. He dropped 21 points in the SAC Holiday Tournament championship game against Snider and posted a 15-point effort last Friday when Carroll knocked off Homestead.
OTHER TWO-SPORT STANDOUT CONTENDERS (in no particular order): Jon Barnes Jr., Snider; Hayden Nern, Bluffton; Josh Gross, West Noble; Jayshawn Underwood, Snider; Brenden Lytle, Bishop Dwenger; Jakar Williams, New Haven; Jamarrion Hutchins, New Haven; Michael Sievers, Columbia City; Gage Kelly, Churubusco; Ben Voirol, Adams Central.
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