2025-26 Season Preview: Class 4A, Sectional 16

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The feature image is of [player_tooltip player_id='1044922' first='Zhaeyana' last='Cooper'] (2026) from Evansville's North High School.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Finally, I am down to the last Sectional preview, and now we can focus on the stretch run of January for all of these teams we've previewed. During the Spring of 2024, 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 has been more competitive, but the bigger classes have fewer teams than the smaller classes. This article serves as one of 64 previewing each Sectional in the state. In this specific article, I will take a look at Class 4A, Sectional #16. Below is a look at the teams in that Sectional, along with some general comments and analysis.<br><small>(<em>SAG = Final 2024-2025 Multiclass Sagarin Rating (398 teams); SOS = Final 2024-2025 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 #16 at Castle</font></strong><br>Gibson Southern (21-7), SAG 27, SOS 43<br>Castle (15-8), SAG 34, SOS 47<br>Evansville F.J. Reitz (18-6), SAG 44, SOS 75<br>Evansville North (14-10), SAG 62, SOS 36<br>Evansville Harrison (3-19), SAG 256, SOS 72</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Castle Knights are a team primed for a big postseason run. They aren't terribly deep, but they have several key upperclassmen, plus they replaced a graduated started with a talented transfer. 5-11 Senior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486494' first='Jayden' last='Scott']</strong> (<em>14.1p, 3.0r, 2.0a, 2.6s</em>) was really good when I saw her in July, and I'd expect a big Winter out of her. She is long, athletic, and she has really improved her perimeter jumper. She can also defend multiple positions. 5-7 Senior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='430958' first='Izabell' last='Grantz']</strong> (<em>11.6p, 6.1r, 2.7a, 2.5s</em>) has been a Swiss Army Knife for the Knights throughout her career. She isn't necessarily elite in any one category, but she is skilled in a lot of different ways and can affect a game with a well-rounded approach. She is strong, she's a solid ball-handler, and she can consistently make open jumpers. 5-6 point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486483' first='Paiton' last='Mitchell']</strong> (<em>5.6p, 3.8r, 4.2a, 3.1s</em>) is as scrappy as they come, and even when she doesn't score big numbers, she can lead a team with her motor, toughness, and ability to make non-statistical plays that help her teams win. She's the third of a really nice Senior trio leading the team. 5-10 Junior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='751080' first='Jordyn' last='Poelhuis']</strong> (<em>8.1p, 4.3r, 1.4a</em>) did a really nice job last season of adding some perimeter shooting, plus she is strong and physical enough to defend inside on a team of mostly guards. She is definitely an offensive presence capable of pouring in 20 points on any given night. Coming to Castle from Sectional rival North is 5-7 Junior guard<strong>[player_tooltip player_id='834934' first='Azaria' last='Finn']</strong> (<em>10.3p, 2.8r, 2.2a, 1.4</em>s). She will bring athleticism to the backcourt, plus she's creative, and she's an effortful defender. If the Knights can find anyone to back up those five, give them solid bench minutes, and not turn it over, they are talented enough and capable of making a nice postseason run in February.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Francis Joseph Reitz Panthers could be a problem this year. They combined strong Senior experience with an influx of young talent. 5-10 Senior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486473' first='Bailey' last='Hape']</strong> (<em>15.8p, 4.3r, 3.6a, 3.2s</em>) makes for a great leader, as she is a jack-of-all-trades type who can handle the ball like a point forward, she shoots it like a pure 2-guard, but she has the size and physicality of a small forward and can defend bigger players as well. 6-0 Senior front-liner <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='761169' first='Kendall' last='Kaiser']</strong> (<em>3.7p, 4.0r, 1.5a, 2.4s</em>) is a long, athletic, hard-working forward/post who is just a "glue" type of kid. She is a willing rebounder and defender, plus she can score it a little when needed. From there, a talented trio from a strong Sophomore class stands out. 5-10 guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='992369' first='Rhyan' last='Wagner']</strong> transferred in after spending her rookie season at Evansville's Mater Dei High School. The long, fluid wing can play any of three positions well. She can handle it a little, find open teammates, plus she is a dangerous perimeter shooter. 6-0 Sophomore forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='999407' first='Kierstyn' last='Kaiser']</strong> (<em>4.6p, 3.7r, 1.1a, 1.8s</em>) brings additional height, length, athleticism, and versatility. She can play effectively in the mid-post or stretch her game a little to the perimeter. 5-8 Sophomore guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='999409' first='Keilah' last='Mitchell']</strong> (<em>8.3p, 2.2r, 2.0a, 1.9s</em>) is a really nice athlete, a playmaker off the dribble, and she can create offense for herself or find open teammates willingly. She can also be an effective defender when motivated. 5-9 Senior forward <strong>Summer Johnson</strong> (<em>2.0p, 2.3r</em>) adds frontcourt depth, while several other Juniors and Seniors can help around the perimeter, if they ever want to break those ladies. The Panthers have several really nice pieces, so as long as they share the ball and work together toward a common goal, they could be a really nice surprise from the Pocket City this Winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Additional Players to Keep an Eye on:</strong> Evansville Harrison: 5-7 Sophomore guard <strong>Erin Butler</strong>, 5-9 Sophomore forward <strong>Reniah Cordray</strong>, 5-7 Freshman guard <strong>Jaliyah Farmer</strong>, and 6-1 Freshman forward <strong>AnneMarie Sterling</strong>; Evansville North: 5-9 Junior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='756251' first='Brooke' last='Silva']</strong> (<em>7.5p, 3.0r, 1.2s in 6 games</em>), 5-3 Sophomore point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='999422' first='Lexi' last='Scott']</strong> (<em>5.6p, 2.8r, 2.0a, 1.2s</em>), 5-6 Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1044922' first='Zhaeyana' last='Cooper']</strong> (<em>5.5p, 5.0r, 1.1a, 1.7s</em>), and Junior forward <strong>Maddy Walters</strong> (<em>3.1p, 2.3r</em>); Gibson Southern: 6-2 Junior post <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='756247' first='Paige' last='Schnaus']</strong> (<em>15.3p, 8.7r, 2.5b</em>), 5-10 Junior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='751126' first='Taylor' last='Weyer']</strong> (<em>3.7p, 2.9r in 11 games</em>), 5-6 Senior guard <strong>Molly Spindler</strong> (<em>2.6p, 1.3r</em>), and 5-10 Freshman forward <strong>Avery Paridaen</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->