2024-25 Season Preview: Class 1A, Sectionals 55 & 56

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we enter December, I wanted to take the time to finish 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 28th of 32, previewing each Sectional in the state. In this specific article, I will take a look at Class 1A, Sectional #55 and Sectional #56. 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 #55 at Tri-Central</font></strong><br>North Miami (9-13), SAG 188, SOS 202<br>Northfield (12-13), SAG 253, SOS 261<br>Southwood (7-15), SAG 290, SOS 268<br>Tri-Central (8-14), SAG 311, SOS 262<br>Daleville (9-14) SAG 320, SOS 347<br>Southern Wells (7-16), SAG 333, SOS 322<br>Cowan (4-18), SAG 342, SOS 328<br>Wes-Del (2-4), SAG 366, SOS 380</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Teams:</strong> To be completely honest, there are maybe five or six teams in Sectional #55 who could win a couple of games in February, but I will focus on the four most likely. North Miami graduated one of their best players in recent memory, but they still return two really talented youngsters and have enough back in total to compete for the crown. 5-7 Junior guard <strong>Laney Musall</strong> (<em>12.1p, 4.1r, 2.4a, 2.0s</em>) now assumes the top spot and leadership responsibility. She can act as both a scorer and a facilitator, if need be. 5-11 Sophomore forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1223004' first='Kayden' last='Donaldson']</strong> (<em>6.0p, 5.5r</em>) played quite a bit as a rookie, but now she'll be counted on to provide more interior scoring and rebounding. 5-5 Senior guard <strong>Victoria Masters</strong> (<em>4.0p, 2.6r</em>) has starting experience, and she can help with ball-handling when needed. 5-7 Sophomore guard <strong>Laina Kling</strong> (<em>1.3p in 16 games</em>) is the next most experienced returnee, so the Warriors will need to build some depth early this season. 5-10 Junior forward <strong>Grace Sailors</strong> steps into a Varsity role this season, while Freshman forward <strong>Layla Hampton</strong> and Freshman guard <strong>Porscha Pickett</strong> look to contribute early and often as well. The Warriors could be a really tough matchup, once they get everyone on the same page. Northfield also graduated a couple of key pieces, but they return a talented Senior and several nice underclassmen. 6-0 Senior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1122656' first='Elli' last='Baker']</strong> (<em>12.7p, 5.4r</em>) could be a real problem for opponents because of her athleticism and ability to play at all three levels effectively. 5-4 Senior guard <strong>Camryn Kuhn</strong> (<em>5.8p, 3.2r</em>) and 5-8 Junior wing <strong>Callie Hoffman</strong> (<em>4.5p, 5.2r</em>) bring veteran starting experience to the rotation, while Sophomore post <strong>Faith Krom</strong> (<em>2.1p, 2.3r in 15 games</em>) and 5-9 Sophomore guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='751091' first='Laney' last='Haupert']</strong> (<em>0.9p</em>) saw limited minutes but are ready for more action this time around. From there, like North Miami, look for the Northfield Norse to ask a pair of Freshmen to fill some voids in the lineup. Guard <strong>Teagan Baer</strong> and forward <strong>Emily Miller</strong> are the most likely candidates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Daleville is an intriguing entry this season, as they return some good, young talent and look to post the first winning record since the 2018-2019 season. 5-6 Junior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1256446' first='Addisyn' last='Gothrup']</strong> (<em>12.6p, 2.2r</em>) has been a top player for the Broncos since her Freshman year, and she can play on the ball and facilitate or score it from different areas of the floor. 5-5 Sophomore point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='751114' first='Olivia' last='Pratcher']</strong> (<em>4.9p, 4.6r, 2.0a, 2.3s</em>) is a strong, compact, but active and athletic player who can get to the rim and find open teammates. 5-8 Sophomore forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='751106' first='Modlene' last='Campbell']</strong> (<em>5.1p, 3.5r</em>) is a solid to strong interior player who works hard, rebounds &amp; defends, and can play in the mid-post effectively. Junior guard <strong>Makenna Corbin</strong> (<em>1.6p, 2.8r</em>) was a key sub last year and fights for a permanent starting spot this season. Two big boosts for the Broncos are the return of 5-11 Senior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1122743' first='Trishell' last='Johnson']</strong> (<em>10.3p, 8.2r, 3.6s, 2.4b in 2022-2023</em>) and 5-9 Senior forward <strong>Emily Simmons</strong> (<em>1.7p, 2.7r in 2021-2022</em>). Johnson is a strong and athletic front-liner who last played as a Sophomore (<em>and was an all-conference caliber performer</em>), while Simmons returns after not playing since her Freshman year, and she is a nice, multisport athlete. Daleville seems to have good balance now among their starters, so as long as they aren't required to get too deep into their bench, they could be a problem in Sectional #55. Another team looking to be much-improved due to the return of several players are the Lady Raiders of Southern Wells. Senior wing <strong>Collena Reeves</strong>, Junior wing <strong>Gracie Reeves</strong>, Senior post <strong>Kenzie Paxson</strong>, and Senior guard <strong>Callie Ripperger</strong> offer a veteran presence for a team who will play as many as 12 girls on a given night. 5-2 Sophomore guard <strong>Erika Beavens</strong> and 5-5 Sophomore wing <strong>Kaylea Coffel</strong> saw some action last season as rookies, with Beavens even playing on the ball quite a bit at times. That experience should definitely help them in their second year. But the Raiders also welcome the return of Senior forward <strong>Ashlie Needler</strong> and the arrival of Freshman point guard <strong>Kaylee Davis</strong>. Needler missed last season but is capable of posting double-doubles each time she takes the floor, while Davis is a playmaker at both ends, whether that's as a creative scorer/facilitator or as a pesky defender. Look for Southern Wells to be vastly improved in 2024-2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Keep an Eye On:</strong> Cowan: 5-9 Sophomore forward <strong>Savannah Hall</strong> (<em>4.7p, 5.7r</em>); Southwood: 5-7 Sophomore point guard <strong>Lola Winer</strong> (<em>7.1p, 3.0r</em>), 5-9 Sophomore forward <strong>Hali Pershing</strong> (<em>5.6p, 6.1r</em>); Tri-Central: 5-9 Senior guard <strong>Layla Keith</strong> (<em>8.8p, 2.8r</em>), 5-9 Sophomore post <strong>Logan Creason</strong> (<em>5.0p, 4.4r</em>); Wes-Del: 5-7 Sophomore guard <strong>Caroline Caward</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span><font color="FFFFFF">.</font></span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #56 at Randolph Southern</font></strong><br>Monroe Central (15-8), SAG 203, SOS 280<br>Randolph Southern (14-8), SAG 244, SOS 348<br>Union City (14-13), SAG 263, SOS 327<br>Blue River Valley (12-11), SAG 295, SOS 298<br>Union (Modoc) (8-12), SAG 353, SOS 371<br>Cambridge City Lincoln (3-18), SAG 368, SOS 360</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Teams:</strong> Sectional #56 in all likelihood is going to come down to Monroe Central and Randolph Southern. Though Monroe Central lost a big presence to transfer, they return a lot of their production and add a couple of talented newcomers. 5-7 Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='366800' first='Sydney' last='Patterson']</strong> (<em>15.2p, 3.8r, 2.3a, 2.6s</em>) has been a fixture on Varsity for four years now. She is tough, strong, versatile, and can create opportunities for herself or others. Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1218670' first='Addy' last='Puckett']</strong> (<em>7.7p, 4.7r, 3.0a, 2.3s</em>), 5-11 Senior post <strong>Maleigh Ervin</strong> (<em>4.6p, 2.3r</em>), and Junior guard <strong>Avery Thomas</strong> (<em>3.2p</em>) add quality veteran know-how and should all be primary contributors again this season. Puckett and Thomas can handle or score a little, while Ervin will be counted on heavily to provide an interior presence. A trio of Freshmen, two of which are younger siblings to the above, help round out the core this year, and they enter with talent and skill alike. 5-5 guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='992343' first='Brynlee' last='Patterson']</strong>, 5-6 guard <strong>Aberee Ervin</strong>, and front-liner <strong>Oaklie Davis</strong> should play early, if not start, for the Golden Bears. I would expect to see Ervin on the ball quite a bit and act as a scorer, while Patterson is also a wing scorer who can get downhill, and Davis could provide some athleticism, rebounding, and defense inside the arc. Monroe Central will have a mixture of old and new in the lineup, but they should be able to score from all five positions...something incredibly difficult to defend at the Class 1A level. Randolph Southern graduated six Seniors in the Spring, four of which were in the core rotation. However, they return some talent and have more players "waiting in the wings" for their turns. 5-11 Junior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='761158' first='Haileigh' last='Allen']</strong> (<em>15.3p, 6.7r</em>) is the standout of the bunch, and I'd expect for her game to continue to improve. She is extremely long and wiry, fluid, somewhat smooth, and she has nice touch outside and can get to the basket. Senior forward <strong>Tarissa Watson</strong> (<em>4.8p, 3.8r</em>) is a worker in the mid-post and will defend &amp; rebound for Randolph Southern. Sophomore guard <strong>Joselyn Smith</strong> (<em>2.2p, 2.1r</em>) saw a little action as a rookie, but she is primed to be a much bigger part of the offense this time around. Senior guard <strong>Mia Saylor</strong> returns to the lineup after missing last year, and she should add backcourt stability, along with Junior point guard <strong>Aubrey Mills</strong> (<em>0.1p in 9 games</em>), who played sparingly last season. That likely won't be the case in 2024-2025. 6-1 Senior post <strong>Alexis Shumaker</strong> (<em>0.9p in 8 games</em>) and 5-5 Junior guard <strong>Brooklyn Gerber</strong> look to make big impacts in the lineup as well. Randolph Southern has a top Class 1A talent in Allen, and she'll produce each time out. The rest of the roster is talented as well, but they'll need to prove consistency on a Varsity floor, then they'll be able to cause problems in Sectional #56 in February.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Keep an Eye On:</strong> Blue River Valley: 5-4 Senior guard <strong>Ella Schmidt</strong> (<em>7.1p, 2.4r</em>); Union (Modoc): 5-10 Senior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1218605' first='Glory' last='Ellis']</strong> (<em>11.5p, 6.3r, 2.1s</em>), 5-9 Sophomore forward <strong>Kenzy Ogden</strong> (<em>4.6p, 5.5r</em>); Union City: 5-5 Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='570378' first='Oaklee' last='Reichard']</strong> (<em>9.0p, 4.7r, 2.0a</em>)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->