SYRACUSE- There are others in the area who will play basketball in college.
There are others who have gaudier numbers or who have made flashier plays.
But words like gaudy and flashy don't really apply to a guy like Joe Leach.
Leach has been named the 2006-2007 Area Player of the Year based on his numbers, talent and ability to help his team win.
And he won' t even be showcasing his skills in college.Leach made the decision early in the basketball season that he will play football not basketball in college. Leach will play quarterback for the University of Indianapolis.
"I'll miss playing," Leach said of basketball. "I'm probably going to play intramurals but I'm going to miss it. It was up in the air for a while but I kind of always knew I was going to go for football," said Leach.
Leach was Wawasee's leading passer and rusher and received interest from several Division I schools for football before deciding to take the smaller school route and go to the Division II Greyhounds.
Loads of NAIA schools were looking at Leach for basketball, including Grace and Bethel.
Former teammates Austin Kaiser and Kory Lantz play for the Lancers and Pilots, respectively.
"I'm good friends with both and they were both supportive and didn't pressure me to go to any schoool. They just wanted me to do what's best," said Leach.
On the court, Leach is pretty supportive of his current teammates.
Leach averages 13.8 points per game and shoots 55.6 percent from the field.
The 6-foot-3 senior has connected on 47.6 percent of his three pointers and hits his free throws at a 74-percent clip.
From the guard spot, Leach is first on the team in rebounding at 5.8 boards per contest.
Leach is hesitant to talk about his own accomplishments, however.
He's a total team guy and it shows.
Even when he talks about what he does on the court it's not about offense.
He takes pride in what he can do on defense.
"If I'm guarding their best player," said Leach of his defensive duties against the opposing team, "I'm concentrating on that and don't worry about offense."
Leach's humility came from a supportive family structure.
Despite his parents divorcing when he was young, Leach has always had family around to support and guide him.
His mother, Janie, and father, Greg, were there but Leach also got a lot of support from his uncle and sister.
Joe Hutsell is a detective for the Noble County Sherriff's Department, but first and foremost he's Leach's uncle. It's Hutsell who imspired Leach to major in Criminal Justice this fall at the University of Indianpolis.
"I've been around my uncle since I was real young," said Leach. "He comes to all my games that he can, and for the sectional in football and basketball he gives us a police escort. He's kind of a role model."
Then there's Leach's sister, Jessica, who is currently at Purdue.
Jessica could easily be spending her weekends in West Lafayette, but instead opts to come home almost every weekend to be there for Joe.
"I'm really close with my sister," said Leach. "She comes home almost every weekend for my games. She's also been a person to help raise me."
Leach's teamwork came into play this season with the addition of guard Tylor Trobaugh. Trobaugh went to school in the area but moved away and last year played in Tennesse.
Trobaugh brought plenty of talent to the team but anytime another big-time player comes to a team there is a chance for a problem.
With guys like Leach and Andrew Mock problems were averted.
"Andrew and I went back to playing with him from the old days," said Leach. "We had a little bit of adjusting to do but not that big."
"We've had a bunch of fine young kids from music to arts to athletics," said Wawasee Athletic Director Mary Hurley. "What makes Joe stand out is his quiet demeanor. Usually in high school the star athletes don't have that quality. He's one of the first ones at the girls games. He's just one of those kids."
Leach hopes to continue his basketball career for a little while longer as the Warriors get set to do battle in the NorthWood Sectional.
Wawasee (15-5) takes on Angola (11-9) at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Last year, the Warriors fell to eventual Class 3A state runner-up Jay County in the Blackford Regional final.
This year, Leach and Co. want to stick around a while longer.
"We feel pretty good right now," said Leach. "We're on the right track."
