Sectional Preview: Class 1A, Sectionals #49-#56

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id="324077" first="Gracie" last="Little"] (2025) of Washington Township High School. We have crossed into the new year, and the IHSAA girls’ basketball state tournament is getting ready to start tomorrow. With one day remaining before Sectional play begins, here is a quick look at who the better teams are in each Class 1A Sectional field. A lot can be decided in terms of conference races over these final few regular season days, but once we get to the tournament, it’s a wide-open race. Still, though, here are our picks for who we anticipate having the most success once we hit February. Below I have highlighted Sectionals #49-#56.   Sectional #49 - Morgan Township - Likely Favorite: Kouts - Upset Candidates: Washington Township/Covenant Christian (DeMotte) - Comments: Kouts has been strong much of the year, and at 17-6, they are the favorite in Sectional #49. Additionally, they are 3-0 against Sectional #49 opponents, and they’ve played three of the better ones in Washington Township, Covenant Christian, and Morgan Township. The Fillies turn to two players for the bulk of their scoring and rebounding. 5-11 Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="96074" first="Allison" last="Capouch"] (18.7p, 5.4r, 2.7a, 2.4s) has had a strong season, and she can score the ball inside against smaller defenders or knock down shots with range to 27-feet. 5-11 Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="182151" first="Lyndsey" last="Kobza"] (13.3p, 6.4r, 2.2a, 3.0s) is a strong, physical, hard-working kid who can dominate the block or comfortable play in the mid-post. From there, Junior wing Emma Garavalia (6.9p, 4.3r, 2.1s) offers some inside-out athleticism. Washington Township is going through a youth movement, with three of their top four scorers being Freshmen, but those youngsters are playing well beyond their years. Freshmen guards [player_tooltip player_id="324077" first="Gracie" last="Little"] (16.2p, 4.2r, 3.2a, 4.0s) and [player_tooltip player_id="331817" first="Clair" last="Klinger"] (15.4p, 3.8r, 2.9a, 4.4s) are double-figure scorers already, as is Junior wing Addison Graf (13.1p, 6.5r, 2.0a, 2.1s). Washington Township played Kouts to a six-point outcome earlier this season. Covenant Christian has had their moments as well, and their 18-4 record speaks to that. They have tremendous height and length at the Class 1A level, and they can play as many as five girls 5-10 to 6-1 at a time and cause a lot of problems for opponents. 5-11 Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="178238" first="Skylar" last="Bos"] (15.4p, 4.5r, 4.5a, 4.1s) is one of Northwest Indiana’s better players few people know about. 5-10 Freshman wing [player_tooltip player_id="366795" first="Sophie" last="Bakker"] (11.0p, 7.3r) has also found her way into the scoring column often this season. Sectional #50 - Culver Community - Likely Favorites: Argos/Triton - Upset Candidate: LaCrosse - Comments: On the surface, no team in Sectional #50 has fewer than seven losses, but the three schools listed above have combined to play 36 of their 63 games against schools from bigger classes. Argos and Triton battled to a 36-34 outcome very early in the season, otherwise these three teams haven’t faced each other this year. Argos has nice balance, with four girls averaging more than 7.5 points per game. 6-0 Senior front-liner [player_tooltip player_id="243581" first="Elizabeth" last="Edmonds"] (11.2p) leads the way for the Dragons. Junior Bella Stults (8.8p), Sophomore Samantha Redinger (8.4p), and Junior Emma Dunlap (7.6p) offer them multiple scoring options. As for Triton, they start inside with 6-0 Sophomore front-liner [player_tooltip player_id="369830" first="Addyson" last="Viers"] (19.1p, 8.2r, 2.0b). She is strong, physical, but also skilled facing the basket. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="372358" first="Kinsey" last="Atkins"] (12.1p, 3.4r, 2.6a, 3.2s) and Senior guard Taren Yates (10.6p, 5.2r, 6.2a, 2.8s) are quick/fast little water-bugs who just make plays at both ends of the floor. LaCrosse is one of those teams who can get hot quickly, as they have several girls capable of knocking down shots outside. They play with tremendous depth and have actually gone 3-1 against 3A/4A competition this year. I would watch for them to potentially be an upset candidate because of their ability to flip a game quickly with their perimeter shooting. Sectional #51 - Bethany Christian - Likely Favorite: Blackhawk Christian - Upset Candidate: Bethany Christian - Comments: Blackhawk Christian has had a great deal of success in girls’ sports recently, and this year’s basketball team is 16-7 and 4-0 against Sectional #51 competition. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="182146" first="Hailee" last="Kline"] is the leader of the Lady Braves, and she can score in a hurry, find open teammates, plus she’s a nice defensive player as well. Seniors Lily Helmuth and Regan Miller add a great deal of Varsity experience, while Junior forward Aubrie Swain transferred in from Carroll this year and offers nice height, length, and versatility. It is truly the tale of two seasons for Bethany Christian. Yes, they are 11-11, but they played the first 13 games without their point guard and posted just a 4-9 record. With her back in the fold, they went 7-2 down the stretch. And, if you have two capable guards at the Class 1A level, you can control most games. Sophomore point guard [player_tooltip player_id="326492" first="Mariah" last="Stoltzfus"] (10.0p, 3.9r, 3.2a, 3.8s) takes care of the basketball for the Bruins, she can knock down open shots, and she plays with infectious energy. In her absence, fellow Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id="338899" first="Zoe" last="Willems"] (19.0p, 10.0r, 2.9a, 3.1s) really stepped into the spotlight. She is a strong and active, plus a multilevel scorer who can put up points in a hurry. Sectional #52 - North White - Likely Favorite: North White - Upset Candidate: Caston - Comments: When you look at the season as a whole, North White and Caston are both 16-6, they’ve played comparable schedules, but North White is hosting the Sectional, and they defeated Caston, 42-29, back in early November. I think this is a close race, but I’ll lean towards North White because of each of those factors. The Vikings are deep, experienced, and they play extremely hard. Senior forward Caitlin Conn (11.7p, 8.4r) and Junior post Tessa Robertson (11.6p, 8.1r) are strong, physical, hard-working kids who can battle inside or play equally well in the midrange game. Senior point guard Hannah Cosgray (4.8p, 5.5a, 3.1s) doesn’t score much, but she is their security blanket, as she takes care of the ball and runs the offense. Junior Abigale Spry (9.6p, 3.7r, 3.2a, 2.3s) is a long, athletic combo guard who contributes at both ends, while Senior wing Lauren Annis (9.7p, 3.5r) returned from injury in late-December and offered them another offensive weapon. Caston doesn’t possess nearly the experience, but Sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id="239357" first="Isabel" last="Scales"] (14.8p, 5.1r, 3.4a, 3.5s) is probably the most talented prospect in Sectional #52, and she can go for 30 points at any moment. Senior forward Maddi Smith (12.5p, 5.0r, 2.4s) is a solid athlete who gives them an interior scoring threat. Sophomore guard Addison Zimpleman (7.4p, 2.7r) and Junior forward Bailey Harness (7.1p, 5.0r) give the Comets additional options when defenses cheat to Scales or Smith. Sectional #53 - Northfield - Likely Favorites: Northfield/North Miami - Upset Candidate: Southwood - Comments: Northfield graduated a ton of production from their 2020-2021 team, but they still managed an 11-8 record this season. Sophomore forward Hannah Holmes (12.4p, 9.8r) really stepped up in her second season, and she is a versatile, inside-out threat. Senior Emily Pennington (8.9p, 7.5r) and Freshman Elli Baker (6.9p, 3.9r) are the next most productive performers for the Lady Norse. They beat North Miami by four points just ten days ago, and they split a pair of games with Southwood in December. North Miami also saw some graduation losses in 2021, but Peru transfer [player_tooltip player_id="361363" first="Logan" last="Mouser"] (14.5p, 2.9r, 2.1a, 3.9s), a Junior guard, has certainly helped fill that void. Sophomore Kaiden Hanley (12.7p, 6.3r, 2.0s) and Junior Ellie Musselman (10.9p, 4.2r) are additional double-digit scorers who can each approach 20 points on a given night. North Miami has had a couple of big wins over the likes of Rochester, Culver Academy, and Taylor. Southwood is the wildcard here, as they are just feisty enough to cause problems for anyone in Sectional #53. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="372349" first="Ella" last="Haupert"] (20.0p, 4.0r, 2.4a, 2.1s) has put together an outstanding season, and the Lady Knights have gotten nice production from Junior forward Aleia Sweet (10.8p, 5.2r, 2.4a, 3.1s). Junior wing Alaina Winer (8.9p, 3.0r) and Senior post Bailey Wyatt (7.0p, 5.4r) add more experience to the lineup. Sectional #54 - Attica - Likely Favorite: Lafayette Central Catholic - Upset Candidates: North Vermillion/Clinton Central - Comments: Not to discourage anyone else in Sectional #54 (or anyone else in Class 1A), but Lafayette Central Catholic is 19-4 on the year and just one of those games...one...is against Class 1A competition, when they knocked off a good Vincennes Rivet team, 63-43. They are 7-1 against Class 4A, 8-3 against Class 3A, and 3-0 against Class 2A, and their accolades include wins over West Lafayette Harrison, Cathedral, Warren Central, Northwestern, West Lafayette (2x), Tri-West, Twin Lakes, and Pioneer...to name a few. Senior [player_tooltip player_id="128133" first="Karsyn" last="Cherry"] is an athletic, strong, and high-motor combo guard who can score or create. Junior [player_tooltip player_id="127241" first="Tori" last="Thompson"] is a long, fluid, smooth point guard who can really shoot it. Freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id="295785" first="Carley" last="Barrett"] has found a niche in this lineup as well, and she can really shoot/score the basketball at a high level. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="128204" first="Caitlin" last="Dineen"] and Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="331814" first="Kendal" last="Rider"] just add to an already impressive collection of backcourt talent. The one thing Central Catholic doesn’t possess is a lot of size, but they can space the floor and control tempo as well as anyone. If anyone has a shot at taking down the Knights in the Sectional, it’s likely either North Vermillion or Clinton Central. North Vermillion leans on a pair of Seniors in forward Ava Martin (12.6p, 6.7r, 2.5s) and wing Cami Pearman (10.3p, 6.4r, 3.0a, 2.6s). If their guards can take care of it, these two can possibly score enough to make it a game. Clinton Central also has some experience by way of Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="377046" first="Kendall" last="Davison"] (16.1p, 7.6r, 5.5a, 3.0s). She is versatile, hard-working, and can put up points in a hurry or facilitate a little as well. Sophomore Sara Parkison (11.8p, 8.8r) is a strong forward who can control the paint at times. Like North Vermillion, if Clinton Central can take care of the basketball, they can be competitive as well. Sectional #55 - Tri-Central - Likely Favorite: Tri-Central - Upset Candidates: Wes-Del/Cowan - Comments: There is not a team with a winning record in Sectional #55, so it’s a wide-open race this week. Tri-Central has a history of postseason success, even though they are 9-13, but they’ve played a fairly strong Class 1A schedule. Junior guard Karley Leininger (10.9p, 3.4r, 2.2a) is their leading scorer, but she managed just 10 games before missing nearly two months throughout December and January. She did return to action last week, though. Junior wing Gracie Grimes (7.5p, 5.6r, 3.2a, 2.6s) is their leading rebounder, and she can make plays as well. As the host school, look for them to be comfortable in their own environment. Wes-Del comes in at 8-11, and they got a big boost this year from Delta transfer [player_tooltip player_id="97269" first="Gracie" last="Gilland"] (18.2p, 4.0r, 4.0s), a Senior guard. She is a tremendous athlete and a capable scorer from anywhere on the floor. If Wes-Del can get huge games from her, they could sneak out of here with a Sectional title, but she’ll likely need help. Cowan is just 4-15, but stay with me, here. The Blackhawks have played a tough Class 1A schedule, and they’ve competed with quality teams like Tri (L 40-34) and Blue River Valley (L 51-43), and recently lost to Wes-Del by just one point, 56-55. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="243568" first="Lauren" last="Smith"] is one of the best players in this Sectional, and like Gilland, she’s capable of putting her team on her back at times and leading them to a tough win or two. Sectional #56 - Union City - Likely Favorite: Blue River Valley - Upset Candidates: Tri/Union City - Comments: Blue River Valley enters the state tournament 21-2, they are 5-0 against Sectional #56 opponents, and they’ve beaten Tri by 35 points and 19 points on two different occasions, though they haven’t faced Union City yet. The Vikings are still abusing opponents with the inside-outside combination of 6-1 Senior post [player_tooltip player_id="97266" first="Ally" last="Madden"] (19.7p, 11.8r, 2.1a, 3.0s, 4.1b) and Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="203655" first="Maci" last="Chamberlin"] (17.3p, 2.5r, 4.2a, 2.1s). Madden is a problem for teams of all levels, because she’s strong, physical, skilled, and all motor all the time. Chamberlin is an elite perimeter shooter, but she’s also a hard-working, skillful kid who can find open teammates. Senior wing Samantha Loveless (10.4p, 4.2r, 2.4s) has also found her way into double-digits scoring the ball. Tri can match Blue River inside to some extent behind the play of 6-0 Junior post [player_tooltip player_id="178241" first="Bailey" last="Parham"] (18.0p, 12.0r, 2.1a, 2.9s, 3.1b). She plays with a great motor and is willing to be physical as well. 6-0 Junior Abi Clarke (9.2p, 7.1r) and Freshman guard Kenley Cornelius (8.5p, 4.0r, 3.0a, 2.0s) have also had strong seasons and can give them additional offense when needed. Since their State Finals appearance in 2017, Union City has won 14 or more games four of those five years, but they are looking for their first Sectional title since then. This year’s squad also has nice size in the way of 6-1 Senior post [player_tooltip player_id="243576" first="Emily" last="Livingston"] (14.0p, 11.7r in 9 games). She missed nearly two months in the middle of the season, but she’s back, and she is a double-double machine each time she takes the floor. 5-8 Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="97326" first="Mariah" last="Claywell"] (19.9p, 11.2r, 4.0a, 4.6s) is a talented athlete, a playmaker, and a capable scorer who plays with a tremendous motor. She does a lot for them, and she can erupt at any moment. Freshman guard Oaklee Reichard (11.5p, 5.6r, 3.1a, 2.4s) has made a big impact early in her career as well, and she can make shots outside or attack the basket for scores.