2024-25 Season Preview: Class 2A, Sectionals 39 & 40

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='486521' first='Laniah' last='Wills'] (2026) of Lapel High School.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we wrap up Thanksgiving week, I wanted to take the time to continue previewing the season Sectional by Sectional. In the past, I have typically started in Class 1A and moved up, but this season I started with Class 4A instead. Additionally, during the Spring, the IHSAA moved to a traditional enrollment-based format, realigning all classes with hard enrollment cutoff lines per class instead of taking nearly 400 schools and simply dividing them into four equal classes. With that said, each class should be more competitive, but the bigger classes will have fewer teams than the smaller classes. This article serves as the 20th of 32, previewing each Sectional in the state. In this specific article, I will take a look at Class 2A, Sectional #39 and Sectional #40. Below is a look at the teams in each of those Sectionals, along with some general comments and analysis.<br><small>(<em>SAG = Final 2023-2024 Multiclass Sagarin Rating (394 teams); SOS = Final 2023-2024 Strength of Schedule</em>)</small></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="#FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #39 at Sheridan</font></strong><br>Lapel (23-5), SAG 60, SOS 126<br>Frankton (17-8), SAG 96, SOS 225<br>Sheridan (20-6), SAG 105, SOS 283<br>Elwood (3-20), SAG 356, SOS 335<br>Taylor (1-22), SAG 372, SOS 266<br>Tipton (0-23), SAG 377, SOS 188</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Teams:</strong> Lapel has gone 45-13 over the past two seasons, with a State Finals (<em>2022-2023</em>) appearance and a Semi-State (<em>2023-2024</em>) appearance during that time. Unfortunately, graduation took three of their top four players, however, star 6-1 Junior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486521' first='Laniah' last='Wills']</strong> (<em>19.3p, 12.8r, 2.0s</em>) does return, and as long as they have her in the fold, they have a chance each night. Wills is a long, wiry-strong, explosive athlete who can dominate the low-block and mid-post, plus she's adding a perimeter skillset to her game. 5-7 Junior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='721513' first='Sophie' last='Goodwin']</strong> (<em>2.9p</em>) played a lot last season and is expected to step into a much bigger role this year. 5-7 Senior forward <strong>Taylor Mroz</strong> (<em>2.3p</em>) and 6-0 Senior post <strong>Brooklynn Boles</strong> (<em>0.8p</em>) return experience and help the Bulldogs on the interior. 5-8 Junior guard <strong>Amiyah Nunn</strong> (<em>2.3p, 2.1r in 12 games</em>) and 5-5 Sophomore guard <strong>Layla Dawson</strong> (<em>0.4p in 12 games</em>) look to play much bigger roles around the perimeter. The good news is that Wills has returned, and they have a go-to, but the bad news is it might take a little while for the rest of the rotation to come together and click. If they can, they could make another tournament run in 2024-2025. Cross-county rival Frankton is always a tough "out" come February, but they too are dealing with loss. Their top two players received their diplomas in the Spring, so they will have to find others to step into those key roles. The one thing the Eagles have is some size, so that's a good place to start. 5-11 Senior forward <strong>Ann Curtis</strong> (<em>2.2p, 3.3r</em>) and 6-1 Junior sister <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1131946' first='Macy' last='Curtis']</strong> (<em>2.3p, 3.4r</em>) provide a major presence in the paint. They are joined by 5-10 Senior forward <strong>Sophia Hoagland</strong> (<em>4.2p, 4.3r</em>) who can play inside or out, plus she adds another rebounder and defender to the mix. 5-8 Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1122757' first='Emma' last='Key']</strong> (<em>7.0p</em>) will likely be relied upon to bring an offensive punch this year, and she is probably their best all-around basketball player. 5-9 Junior guard <strong>Lainey Hamaker</strong> (<em>2.2p</em>), 5-6 Sophomore wing <strong>Addie Moore</strong> (<em>1.7p in 11 games</em>), and 5-6 Sophomore guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1238468' first='Laela' last='Dietzer']</strong> (<em>1.1p in 12 games</em>) could be counted on to provide backcourt support. As the Eagles get accustomed to their new roles, look for Frankton to be a winning program once again. When everything is decided in February, it very well could be Sheridan who is still standing at the end of Sectional #39 competition. They have a strong group of Seniors, plus a couple of talented Sophomores to back them up. 6-1 Senior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='324072' first='Kenzie' last='Garner']</strong> (<em>21.0p, 9.8r, 4.9a, 4.2s, 2.2b</em>), a Ferris State University commit, is an intriguing combination of height, skill, and talent. She can defend and rebound on the interior, she has an accurate shot from 3-point range, plus she can create some off the dribble for herself or teammates. The return of 5-9 Senior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='482853' first='Cecilia' last='Timme']</strong> (<em>9.5p, 4.8r, 3.7a, 3.3s</em>) was big for the Blackhawks last season, as she is another versatile player who can fill any of three positions. Fellow Seniors <strong>Nova Cross</strong> (<em>6.2p, 2.5r, 2.1a</em>), a 5-5 guard, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='331804' first='Shelby' last='Eaton']</strong> (<em>5.4p, 2.7r</em>), a 5-9 forward, bring additional experience to the court, and both have talent &amp; skill of their own to contribute. Sophomores <strong>Brielle Garner</strong> (<em>4.7p, 2.4r</em>) and <strong>Sadie Timme</strong> (<em>3.3p, 4.2r</em>) saw a lot of opportunity as rookies, and both look to help in an even bigger way this season. 5-7 Senior guard <strong>Mac Smith</strong> (<em>3.1p, 2.8r</em>) is yet another veteran who can help in the backcourt. With everyone returning, Sheridan has a bit of an advantage early in the season, as they should be able to pick up from where they left off last season. Look for them to be a force in Class 2A this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Keep an Eye On:</strong> Elwood: 5-6 Sophomore guard <strong>Breelyn Norris</strong>; Taylor: 5-5 Senior guard <strong>Jallainah Harris</strong> (<em>13.8p, 3.1r</em>); Tipton: 5-8 Sophomore wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='875512' first='Mackenzie' last='Farinella']</strong> (<em>4.0p, 3.3r</em>)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span><font color="FFFFFF">.</font></span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #40 at Alexandria-Monroe</font></strong><br>Eastbrook (23-3), SAG 56, SOS 233<br>Alexandria-Monroe (18-5), SAG 71, SOS 241<br>Blackford (19-7), SAG 91, SOS 184<br>Wapahani (17-8), SAG 196, SOS 285<br>Madison-Grant (7-16), SAG 329, SOS 245<br>Muncie Burris (2-17), SAG 378, SOS 364</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Teams:</strong> The Alexandria-Monroe Tigers are seeking their first Sectional title since the 2001-2002 season. The best news for them is that they not only return the Sectional's best player and nearly all of their roster from last year, but they don't have to deal with Frankton or Lapel in their Sectional this year. 5-8 Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='404111' first='Jacklynn' last='Hosier']</strong> (<em>24.4p, 6.2r, 4.4a, 5.7s</em>), a University of Vermont commit, does a lot for the Tigers. She is a playmaker off the dribble who can create offense for herself or others, she can knock down an open perimeter jumper, and she uses her length and quickness well defensively to create turnovers. 5-5 Senior wing <strong>Lily Harpe</strong> (<em>6.8p, 4.4r, 3.7a, 3.5s</em>) is a nice sidekick, as she adds a variety of skill and ability herself. Fellow Seniors <strong>Kylan McFall</strong> (<em>5.3p</em>), <strong>Trinity Ford</strong> (<em>5.0p</em>), <strong>Rylie Kellams</strong> (<em>4.7p, 2.7r</em>), and <strong>Olivia<font color="FFFFFF">.</font>Jones</strong> (<em>3.4p</em>) join Hosier and Harpe to form an extremely experienced rotation. Freshman forward <strong>Conleigh Davidson</strong> and Freshman wing <strong>Daisy Bivens</strong> look to impact the Varsity from the outset of the season. Alexandria should be a top team in Class 2A this season, and their experience should only help them separate from the rest of the Sectional field, as long as they remain healthy and take care of the ball. With Eastbrook and Blackford graduating nearly all of their production from a season ago, Wapahani could be the team to challenge Alexandria this year. They welcome the return of Junior twins <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1131968' first='Emily' last='Luce']</strong> (<em>8.8p, 3.2r, 2.6a, 2.7s</em>), a 5-5 guard, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1131972' first='Megan' last='Luce']</strong> (<em>9.6p, 3.8r, 2.1a</em>), a 5-6 guard, to the backcourt. Both of them are capable ball-handlers and point guards, but they can also shoot/score it and defend. 5-9 Senior forward <strong>Bailey Carpenter</strong> (<em>2.7p, 2.2r</em>) and 5-6 Senior guard <strong>Judy Dargo</strong> (<em>2.6p</em>) could step into much more vital roles this season. However, the addition of 6-3 Senior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='295783' first='Kimber' last='Abshear']</strong> (<em>11.5p, 7.7r, 2.2a, 2.1s, 3.2b</em>), a transfer from Monroe Central, should also help the Lady Raiders immediately. The Division I Oakland University commit is extremely long, fluidly athletic, and skilled away from the basket. After those five, if they can find any depth whatsoever, they should be highly competitive every time they take the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Keep an Eye On:</strong> Blackford: 6-1 Junior post <strong>Rylee Heiser</strong>; Eastbrook: 5-9 Senior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1218572' first='Mia' last='Bustos']</strong> (<em>8.2p, 6.3r</em>); Madison-Grant: Freshman forward <strong>Grace Wood</strong>; Muncie Burris: 5-8 Junior wing <strong>Sydney Jackson</strong> (<em>11.3p, 3.0r, 2.1a, 3.8s</em>)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->