2024-25 Season Preview: Class 3A, Sectionals 23 & 24

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='884415' first='Rhiana' last='Bowman'] (2025) of Western High School.   As we enter the third week of official IHSAA games, I wanted to take the time to preview 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 13th of 24, previewing each Sectional in the state. In this specific article, I will take a look at Class 3A, Sectional #23 and Sectional #24. Below is a look at the teams in each of those Sectionals, along with some general comments and analysis. (SAG = Final 2023-2024 Multiclass Sagarin Rating (394 teams); SOS = Final 2023-2024 Strength of Schedule)   .   Sectional #23 at Twin Lakes West Lafayette (16-10), SAG 39, SOS 44 Western (16-6), SAG 61, SOS 91 Twin Lakes (15-10), SAG 88, SOS 104 Maconaquah (11-11), SAG 185, SOS 231 Northwestern (7-16), SAG 233, SOS 72 Peru (3-20), SAG 288, SOS 216 Logansport (4-19), SAG 309, SOS 219   Sectional #23 could be WIDE open, as schools at the top all had significant roster changes of different kinds in the offseason. West Lafayette graduated three of their top four scorers, including an all-time great Red Devil in Adrianne Tolen (17.8p, 8.3r, 2.3a, 4.6s). She played multiple positions at a high level, plus she could be relied upon to take over when necessary. She is now playing at Missouri S&T. Additional graduates were Sarah Werth (13.5p, 3.9r, 2.5a, 2.1s) and Vivian Huston (6.8p, 3.7r, 2.0a). Both were hard-working, skillful wings who also played with versatility and skill. That leaves 6-0 Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='828032' first='Molly' last='Andrew'] (7.3p, 6.3r) as the most experienced of the returnees. She possesses some size & strength, but she's also a solid athlete and a skillful forward. 5-3 Senior guard Dylan Kastens (3.3p, 2.8r), 5-7 Senior wing Bree Johnson (1.8p, 4.0r), 5-7 Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='773100' first='Emma' last='Wiete'], 5-4 Senior guard Ellie Wilcoxson, and 5-7 Sophomore guard Emma Garringer all saw action last year and now likely become the core of the Red Devil rotation. 6-1 Freshman front-liner Amaya St. hilaire should see quality minutes early, and she offers some height and more versatility. Whether or not West Lafayette handles pressure and can find needed scores late in games will be crucial to their success in 2024-2025. The Western Panthers are coming off of a season in which they started 13-0. Now, they must replace their top five scorers, all graduates. Gone are Mackenzie York (13.0p, 4.6r, 3.3a, 3.0s), Chloe Hunt (12.8p, 6.7r, 2.0a, 2.3s), Kayleigh Turner (9.8p, 4.6r), McKenna Smith (7.0p, 4.3r, 2.4a), and Lauren Bradley (5.3p, 3.0r). That doesn't leave a lot of experience on hand, but at least 5-11 Junior post Ellyse Walden (4.4p, 3.5r) and 6-1 Senior post [player_tooltip player_id='884415' first='Rhiana' last='Bowman'] (2.6p, 2.3r in 11 games) offer the Panthers size and physicality inside. Look for Junior wing Cheyenne Smith (2.3p) to see plenty of opportunity with the entire backcourt graduating. 5-6 Senior forward Reyce Gibson and 5-2 Senior guard Molly Stage return upperclassman experience while looking for bigger roles as well. Newcomers who could impact the Varsity roster include Sophomore guard Ella Rawlings, Junior guard Maci Turner, plus Freshman guard Ella Crume. If the Panthers can utilize their interior play early this season while their guards gain valuable reps, they could be comfortable as a unit by Christmas and compete for a Sectional title in February.   Twin Lakes graduated one of the state's all-time 3-point shooting leaders in Olivia Nickerson (20.0p, 5.2r, 2.6a, 2.3s; 406 career 3-pointers made at 39%), who is now ripping the nets at Bethel University (IN). If that was all, I would have considered the Indians to potentially be a favorite in Sectional #23. But unfortunately, this Fall 5-7 Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='295736' first='Addison' last='Bowsman'] (21.5p, 7.2r, 6.8a, 2.8s) injured her knee during Fall league play and sadly is unavailable for her Senior year. She was a 2024 Indiana Junior All-Star, she's committed to the University of St. Francis (IN), and she was their poised leader who always handled pressure. The good news is that the Indians do return some experience. 5-5 Junior guard Taylor Oliver (6.9p, 3.0r, 2.0s) and 5-7 Senior guard Jasmine West (5.8p) have big-game experience and could both reach double figure averages as scorers this year. 5-8 Senior wing Chloe Lucas (1.4p, 3.8r) and 5-6 Senior forward Kaitlyn Lipps (0.6p, 2.0r) logged 23 and 25 games, respectively, last season. Two Freshmen could make a major impact from the outset this year. 5-5 point guard Addyson Hines and 6-0 front-liner Crickette Draghici add a scoring ball-handler and an interior defender much-needed by Twin Lakes at this point in time. Look for the Indians to remain competitive, and they could surprise some people as an underdog. Maconaquah was an even 11-11 team last time, but now they must endure the graduation of seven Seniors, including three of their top four scorers from 2023-2024. Miranda Stoll (15.0p, 5.3r), Bailey Carson (9.7p, 4.0r, 2.7a), Sydney Barnes (4.6p, 3.6r), Shaelyn Powell (2.9p, 2.9r), Lauryn Merritt, Hallie Maiben, and Chloe Smyth will no longer be in uniform for the Lady Braves. 5-9 Sophomore wing Ireland Kile (4.9p, 2.7r) played quality minutes as a rookie, and now she looks to lead Maconaquah statistically, if not potentially score the ball in the teens this year. Sophomore guards Delaney Betzner and Aubrey Stoll played sparingly in 16 games each last season, but both could start these next three years. 5-7 Sophomore wing Kasey Murry, plus 5-6 Junior guards Addie Maiben and Averie Maiben look to join the core rotation on a team without a Senior, and without much size. The Braves will likely use this season to gain necessary experience, but don't be surprised if they pull an occasional upset as well.   Northwestern is trying to get back to its winning ways from just a few years ago, and they graduated just one contributor in Lexi Hale (9.6p, 7.9r, 2.5s), so they have a great chance to improve. 5-7 Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='386496' first='Anna' last='Bishir'] (10.2p, 2.2r) returns for the Tigers, and I'd expect her to be even more impactful this year. She is tough-nosed, she plays with a motor, and she is a nice athlete. 5-10 Senior forward Berkley Wray (7.2p, 6.8r) provides some toughness and physicality on the interior, while 5-4 Senior wing Savanah Lipinski (1.3p) saw a few minutes in most games a season ago. The Tigers will essentially be building a new rotation around Bishir and Wray, so in addition to Lipinski, look for 6-0 Junior post Maci Rody, 5-4 Sophomore Izabella Arrick, and 5-9 Junior forward Hannah Eller to earn some of that opportunity. 5-3 Freshman guard Brooklynn Conwell is a talented youngster who will try to find some court time as well. The Tigers can match or exceed last year's win total, especially if they can get a couple of these newcomers to adapt quickly. Another set of Tigers, the Peru Tigers, also return quite a bit of production. Kaylene Kirk (7.2p, 4.6r), Brook Garner (2.6p, 5.0r), plus three others graduated in the Spring, but leading scorer and playmaker [player_tooltip player_id='761184' first='Addison' last='Robbins'] (10.3p, 4.9r, 4.0a, 2.0s), a 5-6 Junior guard, returns for her third season of Varsity action. She can run the show or knock down open jumpers from the wing. 5-8 forward Jacey Boswell (5.8p, 3.6r) and 5-10 post Madalyn Gatliff (3.1p, 4.5r) are a pair of Sophomores who earned valuable playing time last season as rookies, and both look to fill more prominent roles this year. 5-1 Senior guard Sydney Azbell (2.2p) and 5-7 Senior wing Lucy Sensel could help add veteran depth to the rotation. Robbins needs a running 'mate this year, and if Peru can get another consistent scorer (or two), it could really help them improve their record. As for the Logansport Berries, they've had one winning season since 2013-2014, but they could play several nice youngsters on this roster and learn as they go. Lydia Goad (12.9p, 2.7r) and Laney Pearson (7.0p, 2.8r, 2.0a) were recipients of a diploma, while Senior forward Elle Deardorff (3.2p, 4.3r) did not return, so the Berries will have to manage without them. 5-4 Senior guard Kellen Cripe (7.2p, 2.0r, 2.0s) takes the reins as the most experienced player. 5-11 Junior post Golda Kitchell (2.3p, 4.9r) will likely become more of a focal point offensively and could have a big year. The Berries are likely to turn to a Freshman class for additional help. 5-6 guard Mady Baumgardner, 5-3 guard Gracie Risley, and 5-8 forward Lily Clem will likely see Varsity action from the beginning of the season. It might take a couple of years, but Logansport has a good outlook for the future.   .   Sectional #24 at Connersville Hamilton Heights (24-3), SAG 13, SOS 46 Jay County (22-3), SAG 53, SOS 168 Connersville (13-10), SAG 156, SOS 141 Yorktown (13-11), SAG 170, SOS 158 Delta (11-12), SAG 202, SOS 174 New Castle (2-21), SAG 276, SOS 103   Despite the reclassification this Spring, most of the teams in Sectional #24 have been grouped together in the past. Hamilton Heights was highly competitive in 2023-2024, however, four of their top five scorers, including University of Evansville Freshman Camryn Runner (26.9p, 5.6r, 2.7a, 4.0s), graduated. The other three graduates include Ella Hickok (10.1p, 3.3r, 4.4a, 2.6s), Hadleigh Cherry (5.5p, 3.3r, 3.0a), and Kassidy Schakel (2.7p, 2.3r). Senior Kennedy McClain-Cherry (2.2p, 2.6r) and Sophomore Kamryn Rhoton (2.1p) are also no longer listed on their online roster. Stepping to the forefront this season will likely be Senior guard Katie Brown (8.7p, 2.1r, 2.3s). She could easily step into a teens average scoring the ball, while also being solid at the defensive end of the floor. Sophomore guard Presley Cherry is the only other Varsity holdover this season, but she played just sparingly last year. The remainder of the roster will be new faces at this level, but don't be surprised to see Freshmen Juliana Thompson, Illiana Bowyer, Macy Bradley, or Abby Hilfiker stepping into key roles immediately. I wouldn't expect the Huskies to win 24 games again, but a winning record in general isn't out of the question. The Jay County Patriots are typically competitive and well-coached, but the graduation of six Seniors, including five of their top six scorers, will be tough to overcome. Gone are Sophia Saxman (11.2p, 7.5r, 2.6a, 3.2s), Molly Muhlenkamp (10.8p, 5.3r, 2.0a, 2.3s), Breanna Dirksen (5.5p, 3.5r, 3.4a, 3.4s), Isabella Denton (5.5p, 3.2r), Danielle May (3.6p), and Livia Luzzi. The good news, however, is that leading scorer [player_tooltip player_id='756250' first='Hallie' last='Schwieterman'] (12.3p, 4.3r, 2.2a, 2.7s), a 5-8 Sophomore guard with Division I interest, is capable of scoring 20 points and handing out 5 assists every night. I'd expect for her to have a big year, however, the rest of the roster could be very young. 5-7 Junior Alexis Sibray (0.7p in 18 games), 5-5 Junior Raylah Newton (0.2p in 16 games), and Senior Natalie Carreno (9 games played) are the next most experienced players. All will be needed to lean on early in the season. The Freshman class could see as many as five rookies take the court this season, including 5-6 guard Gabi Petro, 6-1 post [player_tooltip player_id='1225051' first='Amelia' last='Heath'], wing Natalie May, forward Raylin Hummer, and post Stella Skirvin. How quickly the 2028 class adapts to the speed and size of Varsity competition will go a long way towards when the Patriots can start seeing consistent success.   The Connersville Spartans weren't very deep a season ago, but they also didn't play any Seniors. The experience they've gained the last couple of years could catapult them to near 20 wins this season. 5-6 Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='567128' first='Ahniyah' last='Bennett'] (9.7p, 5.5r, 3.0a, 2.9s) is the first one you notice when you watch them play. She is extremely quick, fast, and vertically explosive. She is a blur in transition, and she continues to improve her skill. 5-4 Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1256502' first='Serenity' last='Pennington'] (10.2p, 3.5r, 3.5s) is actually their leading returning scorer. She can fill it up and she is active & feisty defensively. 5-3 Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='882733' first='Addison' last='Jones'] (9.5p, 3.0r, 2.0a, 2.3s) is another near-double-digit scorer who can affect the game in a variety of ways. Those three together, though small, are a tough backcourt to face. 5-7 Senior forward Jacey Willhelm (4.5p, 3.9r) has good experience inside the arc. From there, 5-4 Sophomore guard Myleigh Perry (2.1p in 15 games) got her feet wet as a Freshman, while 5-7 Junior forward Maddie Harrison, 5-9 Sophomore post Kinze Van Meter, and 5-7 Sophomore forward Taylynn Selby saw minimal action but look for bigger roles this year. Also look for 6-1 Freshman front-liner [player_tooltip player_id='999397' first='Kendyl' last='Bottomley'] to affect the game around the paint. She is extremely long, still growing, and she has some skill. This group will be a tough "out" come Sectional time, if they can mold together nicely. The Yorktown Tigers are yet another team who would like to lay claim to a Sectional #24 title this year. They graduated three members of the 2024 class, most notably post Jayde Garrett (4.3p, 5.1r), but they return four of their top five scorers...5-4 Junior guard Addy Barnes (9.0p, 2.7r, 3.4a) transferred to Sectional rival Delta. Leading the way once again is 5-9 Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='486126' first='Lilly' last='Sylvester'] (14.5p, 7.0r). She has length and athleticism, and she's really good in the mid-post, but she has continued to develop her perimeter skillset as well. 6-1 Sophomore post [player_tooltip player_id='834931' first='Alexis' last='Fields'] (6.0p, 6.6r) is big and strong and one of the better young interior players lesser known around the state at this time. 5-7 Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='949526' first='Olivia' last='Conklin'] (4.8p, 2.3r) is a hard-working perimeter scorer who could increase her scoring this year, while 5-7 Senior forward Claire Hazen (4.3p, 5.0r) is an impactful rebounder and defender for the Tigers. 5-10 Sophomore forward Mya Hargreaves (0.4p, 2.8r) and 5-9 Freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id='1144641' first='Rylie' last='Johnson'] could make an immediate impact to the starting lineup, or at least the core rotation, this time around.   Delta was much-improved last year, and this year they look to achieve 15 or more wins and potentially compete for a Sectional #24 crown. 5-9 Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='832654' first='Jillian' last='Barr'] (15.3p, 10.2r3.8s, 3.3b) is a great place to start. She is hard-working, very athletic, and she is almost dominant at the Class 3A level in the mid-post. 5-4 Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1256487' first='Griffyn' last='Knight'] (9.8p, 4.0r, 2.0a, 3.0s), 5-6 Junior wing Elizabeth Bamidele (7.2p, 3.0r, 3.1a, 2.3s), and 5-4 Sophomore guard Harper Timmerman (5.8p, 2.9r, 2.3a) are three more returning starters who provide valuable experience. With another year under their belts, they should now be able to handle most situations they come across. 5-9 Junior forward Katelin Gann (3.4p, 4.4r) played 7 games in November and hasn't played since, while 6-1 post Paizley Cool (9.9p, 5.1r, 2.1b in 7 games) returned from injury late last year, then graduated. Those are the two key players missing on this season's roster. 5-4 Junior guard Addison Barnes (9.0p, 2.7r, 3.4a) transferred in from Yorktown, as mentioned above, and she adds another scoring threat on the perimeter. 5-7 Junior wing Olivia Marshall (3.3p, 2.1r) and 5-11 Freshman post Gracie Maurer are a pair of players who could have a big impact early this season. The Eagles are usually fairly skilled and pretty competitive, so don't count them out. The New Castle Trojans are hoping they're through the worst of it, having won three or fewer games in four of the last five seasons. They are young, but they have some talented pieces to build around. Approaching 10 wins would be a successful season for the Trojans this year. [player_tooltip player_id='797505' first='Emma' last='Hart'] (15.1p, 3.7r, 2.2s) and three others graduated in the Spring, however, they return most everything else and add a real Freshman talent. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='1238562' first='Alana' last='Orr'] (4.0p, 2.0r in 12 games), Junior forward Kaidyn Minyard (2.2p, 3.1r), and 6-0 Sophomore post Mallory Owens (2.1p, 4.7r) are the most experienced and most productive returnees. But be ready for 5-7 Freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id='751047' first='Carlee' last='Lanzer'] to take over as the team's leading scorer. She is skilled, talented, and has a bright future in green ahead of her. Also, Sophomore guard Piper Arthur has improved significantly since last season and could be impactful early this year.

The featured image is of Rhiana Bowman Rhiana Bowman 6'1" | C Western | 2025 IN (2025) of Western High School.