Semi-State Showdown: Class 1A

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='486528' first='Laniah' last='Davis'] (2026) of Marquette Catholic High School.   The 2025 State Tournament is now over two weeks in, and we are to the Semi-State rounds. There are eight teams remaining in each classification, 32 out of nearly 400 teams still playing, and by the end of Saturday night, only eight teams total will remain in the entire state. Below is a look at the Class 1A matchups, our thoughts and predictions for each Semi-State, as well as some players to watch for from each team. All eight Semi-States, weather pending, are slated to be played throughout the day this Saturday, February 22nd. All game times listed below are Eastern Time.   .   Northern Semi-State - LaPorte   Game-1: 11:00a - Elkhart Christian vs. Lafayette Central Catholic Game-2: 1:00p - North Miami vs. Marquette Catholic Championship Game: 8:30p - Winner Game-1 vs. Winner Game-2   Analysis: Lafayette Central Catholic and Marquette Catholic are two of the "bluebloods" expected to be here. Both were highly ranked from the outset of the season, both have talent & depth, and both have a great deal of postseason experience. The LCC Lady Knights won State Titles in 2015 & 2016, and they were most recently in the title game in 2022. Their Senior guard trio of [player_tooltip player_id='295785' first='Carley' last='Barrett'], [player_tooltip player_id='452729' first='Grace' last='Bordenet'], and [player_tooltip player_id='692232' first='Maddy' last='Bruce'], plus wings [player_tooltip player_id='730754' first='Casey' last='Schuessler'], a Junior, and [player_tooltip player_id='999430' first='Brooke' last='Thompson'], a Freshman, offer them a great deal of versatility and perimeter firepower. Plus, they've prepared with a tough regular season schedule. The only place that worries me is their lack of frontline size/strength. If they face a team with the guards to handle their pressure and get into a halfcourt offense regularly, then they could struggle with that. Marquette Catholic might just be that team. They have talented guards like Junior [player_tooltip player_id='486528' first='Laniah' last='Davis'] (19.8p, 8.5r, 2.9a, 3.5s), Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='751101' first='Marissa' last='Pleasant'] (8.2p, 2.2r), and Junior [player_tooltip player_id='486479' first='Addison' last='Penziol'] (6.8p, 2.2r) who have played against elite guards growing up, learning poise and ball security. But the Blazers also boast size in 5-11 Senior [player_tooltip player_id='324083' first='Natalie' last='Robinson'] (5.6p, 5.5r, 2.8s), 6-0 Senior Livia Balling (6.0p, 3.7r) and 5-10 Senior Brielle Jones (2.7p, 3.6r), and while they aren't overly tall, they're taller than the Lady Knights starting group, plus they're used to interior physicality. The Blazers were State Champions in 2018 & 2019, and they were the State Runners-Up just last season, so this group has a great deal of experience.   Elkhart Christian entered this year's tournament having won four Sectional games in 20 years as an IHSAA Member school. So, this is clearly new territory for them, now having won their first ever Sectional and Regional in the same season. 5-3 Freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id='1203491' first='Lily' last='Maxwell'] (12.5p, 3.5r, 3.6s), 5-5 Freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id='1225067' first='Kyla' last='Yordy'] (10.6p, 5.0r, 4.3a, 4.4s), and 5-7 Junior wing Ivy Clapsaddle (13.0p, 3.9r, 2.4s) aren't very tall, but they pack a punch. Clapsaddle is their leading scorer and can make shots at all levels, Maxwell is an outstanding perimeter shooter, and Yordy is the tough-nosed creator who makes things go. 5-6 Junior Sydni Haviland (6.1p, 7.8r) and 5-5 Junior Justine Yordy (4.0p, 3.3r, 2.6s) don't exactly bring size to the table, but both play bigger than they are and help make winning "hustle" plays often. They are coming off of a nice win over Fremont in the Regional. North Miami entered the state tournament 12-10, so they are playing with house money right now. They had a fortunate draw in the Sectional and beat solid teams in Daleville (Sectional Final) and Carroll (Regional). The Warriors have won Sectionals in three of the last four years, but they have never advanced past the Regional round in the 2000s. 5-11 Sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='1223004' first='Kayden' last='Donaldson'] (12.7p, 10.2r, 4.2b) brings the interior presence, while 5-7 Junior guard Laney Musall (11.9p, 4.3r, 3.0a) has provided a spark from the perimeter. Junior Grace Sailors (7.3p, 8.8r) and Freshman Layla Hampton (4.0p, 3.5r) add strength and defense around the paint, while 5-5 Senior Victoria Masters (3.8p, 3.5r, 2.8a) handles the ball quite a bit and gets them into their offense.   Projected Outcomes: Lafayette Central Catholic is going to test Elkhart Christian early and put a lot of pressure on their young guards. If the Eagles can handle it, I think they have enough offense to hang with the Lady Knights, but they will need to be near-perfect handling the ball and take/make great shots. Central Catholic is just a different animal than what Elkhart Christian is used to seeing, so at some point, I expect the Lady Knights to separate and win (LCC 49, Elkhart Christian 37). In Game-2, look for Marquette Catholic to also pressure North Miami and test their poise. The Blazers have the depth and size to wear out most Class 1A opponents, so I would anticipate that will be their approach in this game. North Miami will need to find offense, so look for them to lean heavily on Musall and Donaldson. In the end, I think Marquette will just be too much and eventually overwhelm the Warriors (Marquette 61, North Miami 36). That leaves the two favorites in the North, Marquette Catholic & Lafayette Central Catholic, battling for one spot in the Class 1A State Finals. Both have talent and experience, both have great guard play, and both know what it takes to get the job done. I honestly would expect a very aggressive, competitive, but also possibly a low-scoring and sloppy game in the first quarter/half as both teams try to figure out exactly how to put a chink in the other's armor. The Lady Knights will try to speed up the Blazers, most certainly, while the Blazers will attempt to use their physicality and length to their advantage. Honestly, this is a coin flip game for me, but since I need to pick a winner, let me go with Lafayette Central Catholic in a narrow one (LCC 47, Marquette 43).   .   Southern Semi-State - Shelbyville   Game-1: 10:00a - South Decatur vs. Borden Game-2: 12:00p - Anderson Prep vs. Northeast Dubois Championship Game: 8:00p - Winner Game-1 vs. Winner Game-2   Analysis: As soon as the Lanesville Eagles were announced as moving to Class 2A, all the talk in the South has been how Borden had a big advantage to get to the State Finals in Class 1A. Why not? They have two Division-I prospects in 5-11 Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='486522' first='Ava' last='Wheeler'] and 6-0 Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='486550' first='Riley' last='Rarick'], they have a strong guard in 5-6 Junior [player_tooltip player_id='486552' first='A.J.' last='Mallad'], a talented backcourt youngster in 5-7 Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='973276' first='Saylor' last='Schleicher'], and another experienced interior player in 5-10 Junior [player_tooltip player_id='797505' first='Emma' last='Hart']. Despite that, they just won their first Sectional title since the 2014-2015 season, and they had never won a Regional title. So as far as postseason experience goes, there is still a learning curve. Now, they must face a South Decatur team who was able to avoid Sectional favorites Tri and Morristown, who were in the other half of the bracket. County rival North Decatur ended up in the final against the Lady Cougars, and in a mild "upset", the Cougars won a Sectional Championship. Next, they faced a very good Oldenburg team, managing a 1-point victory in a hard-fought, low-scoring game. The Cougars are here to work and do the unthinkable now, and it all starts with 5-11 Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1122850' first='Makayla' last='Somers'] (12.6p, 9.2r). She controls the paint and can score it a little, rebound, and defend. 5-10 Sophomore sister Taylor Somers (7.4p, 6.5r) helps Makayla inside along with 5-7 Freshman Raegan Benge (4.0p, 3.3r). On the perimeter, South Decatur looks to 5-7 Senior wing Paige McQueen (7.7p, 2.4r, 2.8a), 5-6 Freshman guard Dalilah Martin (4.6p, 3.0r, 2.3s), plus 5-2 Freshman point guard Makayla Puckett (4.0p, 2.7r, 3.0a).   Northeast Dubois had not won a Sectional since 2017-2018, and while they have been to the State Finals twice (runners-up in 2005 & 2012), this group of players is too young to have witnessed those seasons. The Jeeps are currently on an 11-game winning streak, and hungry for more. They have played a considerable schedule and should be prepared for this weekend. 5-7 Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1218635' first='Emmersen' last='Kalb'] (16.9p, 3.3r, 2.0a) is their offensive standout. She can score it from different spots on the floor, and she's a solid all-around athlete. 6-2 Senior post [player_tooltip player_id='1044775' first='Lyllee' last='Schnell'] (9.1p, 8.0r) and 5-5 Junior point guard Bella Cummins (9.1p, 3.2r, 2.2a, 3.5s) are her top sidekicks. Schnell continues to improve and brings length, some physicality, and a developing offensive game. Cummins is a feisty little playmaker who gets after it defensively as well. Seniors Kenzie Cave (3.8p, 3.1r) and Ava Helming (3.6p, 5.0r) give the Jeeps one of the oldest core groups in all of Class 1A. The Jets of Anderson Prep Academy are coming in hot, having won eight of their last nine games. They are probably the biggest "underdog" remaining in Class 1A, but the one thing they do possess is experienced size. 6-0 Senior front-liner [player_tooltip player_id='570379' first='Alivia' last='Peoples'] is a 20-point, double-double machine inside. She is strong, physical, but also athletic around the rim and in the mid-post. 5-11 Senior post Kaylynn Orr is another big, strong, physical interior player who loves to call the block home. Junior guards Clara Fulton and Jalah Watson offer the Jets some experience around the perimeter, though both will need to step up in a big way if they are to continue their postseason run. Just a couple of years ago, APA only had six girls in the entire high school program and struggled to an 0-17 record. This year, they won their first Sectional and Regional as an IHSAA member school, so they are a sentimental favorite, if there ever was one.   Projected Outcomes: I think the early games could be over quickly. Look for Borden to open the day Saturday with an offensive run and slowly extend it throughout the game. I could see them up something like 15-6 after the first quarter, then just manage a win from there. I think their combination of height, length, and experience are going to pay dividends in this one, as they take care of a South Decatur team with three Freshmen and a Sophomore in their top six players. South Decatur has had a nice season, but I will take Borden in this one (Borden 54, South Decatur 37). In the second early game, I think Anderson Prep will do everything it can to handle pressure, get the ball into the frontcourt, and pound it inside. However, I think Northeast Dubois will do everything it can not to let that happen, and they are just a more consistent, deeper team across the board. Look for the Jeeps to win each of the four quarters by near double figures, ultimately winning the game (Northeast Dubois 58, Anderson Prep 27). Those results pit Borden against Northeast Dubois in the Semi-State Final, and I'm not really sure what to think of that matchup. Borden has been solid this postseason, but they escaped with a 41-36 win against Vincennes Rivet this past weekend, and Northeast Dubois is a little bit better (the Jeeps defeated Rivet 49-37 three weeks ago). The Jeeps are the older team, but Borden is the more talented team. In the end, I feel like the Lady Braves just have more playmakers to lean on down the stretch, and if Northeast Dubois experiences any foul trouble to their top three girls, especially Kalb, they could be in trouble. I will take Borden, but in a close one (Borden 45, Northeast Dubois 41).

The featured image is of Laniah Davis Laniah Davis 5'8" | SG Marquette Catholic | 2026 State IN (2026) of Marquette Catholic High School.