Sectional Preview: Class 3A North

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='331809' first='Makenzie' last='Fuess'] (2024) of Norwell High School.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The regular season has concluded, and the state tournament begins soon. While brief, below is a look at the eight Sectionals in Class 3A in the Northern half of the state. All statistics provided here have been pulled from each school's MaxPreps page, so if your stats are not represented here, your team's MaxPreps page has not been updated by your coach/school.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="#FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #17 - Highland</font></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Favorite:</strong> Highland<br><strong>Contender:</strong> Hanover Central<br><strong>Longshots:</strong> Bishop Noll, Boone Grove, River Forest, Griffith, Calumet</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preview:</strong> Highland (13-7) and Hanover Central (14-7) are the only two teams in this field with more than seven wins, and Highland already beat Hanover earlier this year, 42-36. I would expect Sectional #17 to come down to those two teams, with Senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='631647' first='Aaliyah' last='Keil']</strong> (<em>12.2p, 5.7r, 2.3s</em>) and Sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='624883' first='Jordan' last='Steele']</strong> (<em>17.6p, 3.1r, 3.2s</em>) leading the way for the Trojans. The Wildcats have an experienced group of Seniors, led by <strong>Emmi Doty</strong> (<em>8.8p, 3.8r, 2.3s</em>), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='718306' first='Skylar' last='Ferry']</strong> (<em>7.5p, 2.5r, 2.8a, 3.5s</em>), and <strong>Gabi Comia</strong> (<em>7.5p, 4.6r, 3.4s</em>). Sophomore <strong>Sienna Stilley</strong> (<em>7.9p, 3.9r</em>) has had a nice season as well for Hanover Central.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Our Pick:</strong> Highland</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="#FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #18 - Rochester</font></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Favorite:</strong> Tippecanoe Valley<br><strong>Contender:</strong> Culver Academy<br><strong>Sleeper:</strong> Bremen<br><strong>Longshots:</strong> John Glenn, Rochester, Knox</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preview:</strong> Tippecanoe Valley has played everyone in Sectional #18 and is 5-0 against the field. Not many of the other schools have played each other. The Valley Vikings boast good size, skill, and aggressiveness. Senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='825918' first='Ava' last='Egolf']</strong> (<em>13.0p, 5.6r, 2.6s</em>) is the only double figure scorer, but fellow Seniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='718304' first='Kelsey' last='Cox']</strong> (<em>6.9p, 5.1r</em>) and <strong>Chesnee Miller</strong> (<em>6.2p, 2.1r, 3.6s</em>) are also major contributors. Culver Academy has a great deal of young talent, but they need to gain experience on the fly. Freshmen <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='834939' first='Kayla' last='Herron']</strong> (<em>9.8p, 4.3r, 3.1a</em>) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='834929' first='Jimara' last='Combs']</strong> (<em>8.0p, 4.3r</em>), plus Sophomores <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486551' first='Valencia' last='Miller']</strong> (<em>8.8p, 5.8r</em>) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='492316' first='Piper' last='Brumm']</strong> (<em>6.5p, 2.8r</em>) hope to be enough to offer redemption if they play Valley again. Also keep an eye on Bremen. Junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='570388' first='Kila' last='Foster']</strong> (<em>17.9p, 3.9r, 2.4s</em>), plus Sophomores <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='434719' first='Eliana' last='Grubbs']</strong> (<em>11.0, 5.9r, 3.5a, 2.0s</em>) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1131960' first='Emma' last='Kincaid']</strong> (<em>10.3p, 4.6r, 2.1a</em>) are all capable of big games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Our Pick:</strong> Tippecanoe Valley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="#FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #19 - New Prairie</font></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Favorite:</strong> New Prairie<br><strong>Contenders:</strong> Jimtown, South Bend St. Joseph<br><strong>Longshots:</strong> South Bend Clay, Mishawaka Marian</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preview:</strong> Despite a bit of a rough patch right around the New Year, New Prairie (18-5) had a great regular season and looks to be a strong favorite in Sectional #19. Seniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='326487' first='Jayden' last='Flagg']</strong> (<em>14.4p, 3.3r, 4.7a, 2.4s</em>), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='825922' first='Jolie' last='Johns']</strong> (<em>12.8p, 5.5r, 2.2a, 2.4s</em>), and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='331818' first='Morgan' last='White']</strong> (<em>12.0p, 3.6r, 3.1a, 2.6s</em>) are talented enough to carry the Cougars to several wins this postseason. Just how far will depend on their tremendous defensive efforts. Jimtown has Senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='239359' first='Justyce' last='Williams']</strong> (<em>14.2p, 5.5r, 3.2a, 2.6s</em>), and South Bend St. Joseph has Sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1256528' first='Kayla' last='Woods']</strong> (<em>11.2p, 7.5r, 2.5a, 3.2s</em>), but both teams will need a number of supporting players to step up and have big games as well, if either are to upset New Prairie.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Our Pick:</strong> New Prairie</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="#FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #20 - West Noble</font></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Favorites:</strong> Fairfield, NorthWood<br><strong>Contender:</strong> Wawasee<br><strong>Longshots:</strong> West Noble, Lakeland</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preview:</strong> Fairfield, NorthWood, and Wawasee have taken turns beating each other this season, and it wouldn't surprise me if any of the three won Sectional #20. Fairfield is the defending State Champion, and despite graduating quite a bit of production, they still return some talent as well. Look for Seniors <strong>Natalie Whitaker</strong> and <strong>Kaylee Dillon</strong> to lead from the backcourt, while Sophomores <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='567137' first='Eva' last='Herbert']</strong> and <strong>Mykayla Mast</strong> provide height, length, and skill. NorthWood probably poses the biggest threat to Fairfield, with Junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='570370' first='Claire' last='Payne']</strong> (<em>10.1p, 10.8r</em>) and Senior <strong>Joselyn Edwards</strong> (<em>9.5p, 3.0r</em>) presenting a nice inside-out duo with experience. Wawasee is another experienced team with a cast of Juniors ready to make their mark, most notably <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='923155' first='Mackenzie' last='Hackleman']</strong> (<em>11.2p, 4.4r, 2.2a, 4.0s</em>) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='525707' first='Olivia' last='Horn']</strong> (<em>7.6p, 4.9r</em>).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Our Pick:</strong> Fairfield</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="#FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #21 - Garrett</font></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Favorite:</strong> Angola, Leo<br><strong>Contenders:</strong> Bishop Dwenger, Woodlan<br><strong>Sleepers:</strong> Concordia Lutheran<br><strong>Longshots:</strong> Garrett, Heritage</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preview:</strong> This is a tough one, as there are some competitive teams and players here. Angola and Leo were each 5-1 against the field, and they ironically ended up beating each other this season. Angola has a couple of nice Seniors in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='298265' first='Kylie' last='Caswell']</strong> (<em>10.6p, 3.0r, 2.1s</em>) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='201879' first='Macy' last='Oberlin']</strong> (<em>7.4p, 2.2r, 4.5s</em>), plus a pair of talented Juniors in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1122727' first='Bailey' last='Holman']</strong> (<em>7.8p, 8.1r</em>) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='295792' first='Alexis' last='Stillman']</strong> (<em>6.5p, 5.2r, 2.6a</em>). Leo is led by talented Sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='624881' first='Leah' last='Shappell']</strong> (<em>10.6p, 8.8r, 2.0a, 2.2b</em>), plus Senior <strong>Kayla Adams</strong> (<em>8.9p, 8.6r</em>) put together a nice year. Keep an eye on Senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='201870' first='Giselle' last='Eke']</strong> and Freshman <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='743355' first='Isabelle' last='Eke']</strong> at Bishop Dwenger, Senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='264114' first='Taylor' last='Kneubuhler']</strong> (<em>14.4p, 6.3r, 2.0a</em>) and Sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1038858' first='Alyssa' last='Anderson']</strong> (<em>11.3p, 10.4r</em>) from Woodlan, plus Sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='462366' first='Alivia' last='Bolinger']</strong> (<em>13.6p, 7.3r2.2s</em>) of Concordia Lutheran has had a nice second season for the Cadets.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Our Pick:</strong> Angola</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="#FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #22 - Twin Lakes</font></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Favorites:</strong> Rensselaer Central, Benton Central<br><strong>Contender:</strong> West Lafayette<br><strong>Sleepers:</strong> Western, Twin Lakes<br><strong>Longshots:</strong> North Montgomery, Frankfort</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preview:</strong> Sectional #22 is one of the most loaded Sectionals in the state, regardless of class. Rensselaer Central (22-1) has had a stellar season, but can they finish the deal? They get strong play from Junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='295796' first='Taylor' last='Van Meter']</strong> (<em>13.5p, 5.8r, 2.9a, 3.2s</em>) and Sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='492323' first='Kamri' last='Rowland']</strong> (<em>13.9p, 6.6r, 3.5s</em>). The Bison of Benton Central are kind of the "been there, done that" group. They have a great deal of postseason experience and look to get one more shot at the Bombers after falling twice this year by single digits. Senior post <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='176407' first='Sarah' last='Gick']</strong>, plus Senior wings <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='369829' first='Sienna' last='Foster']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='718318' first='Rachel' last='Tolen']</strong>, provide offense and defense both for the Bison. West Lafayette will try to ride the strong play of Seniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='177359' first='Adrianne' last='Tolen']</strong> (<em>18.2p, 8.5r, 2.4a, 4.6s</em>) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='177360' first='Sarah' last='Werth']</strong> (<em>13.8p, 3.8r, 2.5a, 2.0s</em>). Western has an incredibly deep Senior class with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='496049' first='Mackenzie' last='York']</strong> (<em>13.0p, 4.6r, 3.3a, 3.0s</em>) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='572810' first='Chloe' last='Hunt']</strong> (<em>12.8p, 6.7r, 2.0a, 2.3s</em>) leading the way. And Twin Lakes utilizes a nice duo of their own in Senior sharp-shooter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='177346' first='Olivia' last='Nickerson']</strong> (<em>20.9p, 5.3r, 2.8a, 2.3s</em>) and Junior point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='295786' first='Addison' last='Bowsman']</strong> (<em>21.3p, 7.3r, 7.1a, 3.0s</em>).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Our Pick:</strong> Benton Central</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="#FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #23 - Maconaquah</font></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Favorite:</strong> Norwell<br><strong>Contender:</strong> Bellmont<br><strong>Longshots:</strong> Oak Hill, Maconaquah, Mississinewa, Northwestern, Peru</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preview:</strong> Most years, Norwell is alone at the top of their Sectional, but Bellmont has had a nice run over the last few seasons. Still, though, the combination of Seniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='264113' first='Kennedy' last='Fuelling']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='331809' first='Makenzie' last='Fuess']</strong>, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='718310' first='Dekota' last='Hubble']</strong>, plus Sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='732354' first='Vanessa' last='Rosswurm']</strong>, has the Knights ready to make a deep playoff run. Bellmont is still talented enough to take out the Knights, and the Bruins won't be afraid if and when they match up. Senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='455940' first='Hailey' last='Cole']</strong>, along with Juniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='828044' first='Emily' last='Bleke']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='923163' first='Kamryn' last='Jarvis']</strong> will certainly be ready.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Our Pick:</strong> Norwell</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="#FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #24 - Yorktown</font></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Favorite:</strong> Hamilton Heights<br><strong>Contender:</strong> Jay County<br><strong>Sleeper:</strong> Frankton<br><strong>Longshots:</strong> Yorktown, Delta, New Castle, Centerville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preview:</strong> Hamilton Heights (20-2) and Jay County (21-2) have the most impressive records in Sectional #24, however, Hamilton Heights took care of Jay County, 53-41, back in early November. Seniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='177352' first='Camryn' last='Runner']</strong> (<em>27.9p, 5.9r, 2.8a, 4.1s</em>) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='298256' first='Ella' last='Hickok']</strong> (<em>9.6p, 3.2r, 4.5a, 2.6s</em>), plus Junior <strong>Katie Brown</strong> (<em>9.1p, 2.0r, 2.5s</em>), stand out for the Huskies. Runner is an Indiana All-Star candidate. Jay County does have enough firepower to upset Heights, and it starts with Freshman <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='756250' first='Hallie' last='Schwieterman']</strong> (<em>12.5p, 4.5r, 2.1a, 2.8s</em>). She is a dynamic talent and has gotten better each game. Seniors <strong>Sophia Saxman</strong> (<em>11.4p, 7.8r, 2.9a, 3.4s</em>) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='718313' first='Molly' last='Muhlenkamp']</strong> (<em>10.3p, 5.2r, 2.0a, 2.4s</em>) stepped up big time this season as well. Don't forget about Frankton and their tournament success over the past few seasons. Seniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='572794' first='Emma' last='Sperry']</strong> (<em>18.2p, 8.9r, 3.8a, 3.3s</em>) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='572817' first='Amaya' last='Collins']</strong> (<em>15.1p, 3.0r, 2.6a, 2.3s</em>) are a potent duo who have proven they can take over games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Our Pick:</strong> Hamilton Heights</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->