Regional Preview: Class 2A North

Everything about the Sectional round last week was eventful…the team play, the individual play, the upsets, and even the weather. 64 total teams escaped to play another day…in the Regional round tomorrow, February 9th. Below is a look at the eight teams who represent the eight Sectionals in Class 2A in the Northern half of the bracket, along with some general comments and analysis. By the end of the day Saturday, only two of these eight teams will remain. I will continue previewing the other Regional sites throughout the day, with eight articles posting in total (Class 1A posted yesterday).   SAG = Current 2018-2019 Multiclass Sagarin Rating; SOS = Current 2018-2019 Strength of Schedule *All Game Times Are Eastern Time*   WINAMAC REGIONAL Central Noble (25-0) SAG 23; SOS 162 North Judson-San Pierre (21-3) SAG 29; SOS 147 Hammond Bishop Noll (21-6) SAG 101; SOS 197 Bluffton (13-11) SAG 170; SOS 223 10:00a – North Judson-San Pierre vs. Bluffton 12:00p – Central Noble vs. Bishop Noll 8:00p – Championship Game Central Noble comes in as the defending Class 2A State Champions, and following a 22-0 regular season, I would consider them a slight favorite in this Regional. The Senior duo of Sydney Freeman and Meleah Leatherman has been strong for four years, and they look to cap off great careers with another deep tournament run. But this season they are getting more help. Bridgette Gray (2021) has been strong for them, averaging nearly double-figures. Lydia Andrews (2021) and Sam Brumbaugh (2020) also have big-game experience and fill out the starting lineup, plus upperclassmen Anna Stayner (2019) and Jocelyn Winebrenner (2020) give them a boost off the bench. Bishop Noll will look to cause problems in their matchup with Central Noble. Point guard Courtney Blakely (2021) has had an outstanding year, and she is a Division-I prospect who can certainly match up with Freeman. Rose Fuentes and Laila Rogers are an additional pair of Sophomores who really solidify the Noll lineup and give them scoring options, while Kristian Steele (2019), Eris Harris (2019), and Emily Sutton (2020) bring additional experience to the court. North Judson-San Pierre likely poses the biggest threat in this Regional to Central Noble, and like the Cougars, North Judson has a strong duo of their own responsible for compiling back-to-back 20-win seasons. Lilliann Frasure (2021) and Madeline Schumacher (2019) form one of Class 2A’s best inside-out pairs with their skill, athleticism, and constant motors. But as we’ve seen year after year, at this point in the state tournament it takes other key role players to step up to win two games in a day. Look for any combination of Lauren Cox (2019), Macy Reimbold (2019), Courtney Trusty (2019), and Natalia Gebka (2020) to have an impact if the Blue Jays are to be successful. Bluffton is probably the biggest underdog in this Regional, and possibly remaining in the North in Class 2A, but they have a lot of balance and share the ball, plus they play tough defense and frustrate opponents. They turn to Emme Boots (2021), Olivia King (2020), and Grace Miller (2019) to lead them, but they also get support from Allison Powers (2019), Alyssa Burchett (2019), Meryl Frank (2020), and Jamie Myers (2019). Championship Game Prediction: Central Noble over North Judson-San Pierre in overtime   EASTERN-GREENTOWN REGIONAL Oak Hill (21-3) SAG 30; SOS 218 Monroe Central (19-5) SAG 62; SOS 159 Lafayette Central Catholic (20-6) SAG 70; SOS 108 Tipton (20-5) SAG 89; SOS 231 10:00a – Monroe Central vs. Tipton 12:00p – Oak Hill vs. Lafayette Central Catholic 8:00p – Championship Game This Regional might be one of the most competitive in the entire state, regardless of class. Monroe Central has had a fine season, and Jordyn Barga (2019) on the interior plus Hannah Bolton (2020) on the perimeter form a lethal pair of weapons with their ability to really score the basketball. But they are much deeper than that, as they can get points from any number of players on a given night. Hannah McCollum (2020), Gabby Beckham (2020), Brooke Bolton (2020), Katie Pike (2020), Allie Morrison (2020), and Mabrey Buis (2020) give them a rotation that offers skill, versatility, and athleticism. Tipton is another deep team with really good length and athleticism. Cassidy Crawford (2019) and Kelsey Mitchell (2019) are the names you know, and they can put up points in bunches. But girls like Abigail Parker (2022), Gracie Phillips (2020), Lexi Altherr (2019), Emma Crawford (2021), and Lauren Shively (2020) provide good depth. Also, Rachael Ressler (2019) and Ella Wolfe (2022) have given the Blue Devils a boost, as they’ve both recently returned from injury and contributed immediately. The Golden Eagles of Oak Hill have been a dominant force in Class 2A throughout the 2000s, and they are once again one of the best teams in the state. Not only do they have individual talent, but they also play incredibly hard and physical. The core of Taylor Westgate (2020), Adrianna Trexler (2019), Jenessa Hasty (2019), and Kaela Robey (2019) are now finishing their third year together in the lineup, and they’ve seen a State Finals appearance, plus a Regional run in that time. But this year they look for more, as they are getting additional help from Andrea and Marissa Wilk (2019), Brittany McCorkle (2019), and Abby Shaw (2020). Lafayette Central Catholic has its own postseason history, and this year they could be a “sleeper” team in this Regional because of their ability to shoot the basketball. Lexi Thompson (2019) is their unquestioned leader, but they have also gotten strong play from Freshmen Caitlin Dineen and Karsyn Cherry. Add in Kaylyn Cherry (2019), Halle Blumling (2019), and Annie Haan (2022), and they could cause problems throughout the day tomorrow. Championship Game Prediction: Oak Hill over Monroe Central   Header photo of Monroe Central High School vs. Wes-Del High School in November; photo courtesy of the Monroe Central Twitter page.