2024-25 Season Preview: Class 3A, Sectionals 19 & 20

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='295754' first='Addison' last='Baxter'] (2025) of Columbia City High School.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we enter the second 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 10th of 24, previewing each Sectional in the state. In this specific article, I will take a look at Class 3A, Sectional #19 and Sectional #20. 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 #19 at South Bend St. Joseph</font></strong><br>New Prairie (20-6), SAG 127, SOS 200<br>Culver Academy (15-8), SAG 145, SOS 201<br>Plymouth (10-13), SAG 171, SOS 151<br>John Glenn (12-11), SAG 206, SOS 178<br>South Bend St. Joseph (7-16), SAG 255, SOS 161<br>Mishawaka Marian (3-20), SAG 330, SOS 153</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>New Prairie posted winning records each of the last two years, and they were their first winning seasons since 2003-2004. Now, they must deal with heavy graduation losses, as their top six scorers, and eight 2024s in total, graduated last Spring. Most notably missing are <strong>Jayden Flagg</strong> (<em>13.8p, 3.3r, 4.7a, 2.2s</em>), <strong>Jolie Johns</strong> (<em>12.9p, 5.4r, 2.0a, 2.3s</em>), and <strong>Morgan White</strong> (<em>12.1p, 3.9r, 3.1a, 2.5s</em>). That trio accounted for just under 75% of the team's points each night. A new-look Cougar squad will consist of a number of changes, obviously. Seniors in the mix this time could be 5-9 guard <strong>Lilli Armato</strong> (<em>1.5p</em>), 5-10 forward <strong>Morgan Flagg</strong> (<em>1.3p</em>), 5-10 forward <strong>Nevaeh Trobaugh</strong> (<em>1.2p</em>), and 5-8 guard <strong>Lauren Abbott</strong> (<em>0.6p</em>). Also keep an eye out for Sophomore front-liner <strong>Chloe Deutscher</strong>, who could provide interior defense for the Cougars. 20 wins will be tough to come by, but a winning record could be in the realm of possibilities if they can mesh early in the season. The Culver Academy Eagles fielded a rather young roster a season ago, and they were able to post a winning record while gaining valuable experience. Unfortunately, athletic Junior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486551' first='Valencia' last='Miller']</strong> (<em>8.5p, 5.7r</em>) transferred to Hammond Central, while post <strong>Jenna Kerr</strong> (<em>3.2p, 5.9r</em>) graduated. The good news, however, is that leading scorer <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='834939' first='Kayla' last='Herron']</strong> (<em>9.6p, 4.4r, 3.1a</em>), a 5-7 point guard, and third leading scorer <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='992539' first='Jimara' last='Combs']</strong> (<em>7.9p, 4.2r</em>), a 5-9 shooter, both return. Each is just a Sophomore, so they have bright futures ahead of them. 5-8 Junior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='492316' first='Piper' last='Brumm']</strong> (<em>6.2p, 2.6r</em>) also returns, and she is a strong, physical wing who plays with versatility and a nice motor. <strong>Reis Seddelmeyer</strong> (<em>6.1p, 3.3r, 2.6a</em>), a 5-7 Senior point guard, is great at ball security and finding open teammates. Where the Eagles could struggle is on the glass, as they are primarily perimeter-oriented this year. 5-8 Sophomore <strong>Mimi Smith</strong> (<em>2.2p, 2.1r</em>) does add a toughness inside, while 5-10 Juniors <strong>Kate Clemons</strong> (<em>1.6p</em>) and <strong>Amelia Binkley</strong> (<em>1.1p</em>) will likely be the tallest Eagles in the rotation. Culver Academy's backcourt is good enough to carry them in most games, so look for them to approach 20 wins this season. Plymouth is excited for the 2024-2025 season, as they graduated just one player with major experience, and they return a mostly veteran roster. Missing this year are 2024 grads <strong>Rylee Mann</strong> (<em>7.0p, 6.0r</em>) and <strong>Laila Leisegang</strong>. 5-6 Senior point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='454676' first='Lena' last='Jones']</strong> (<em>9.9p, 5.5r, 4.1a</em>) is in her fourth year at the helm for the Pilgrims. She has been great taking care of the ball and facilitating, but look for her to score it a little more this year as well. 5-8 Senior forward <strong>Sophie Miller</strong> (<em>9.7p, 2.7r</em>) is another veteran who works hard and contributes in different ways. 5-4 Junior guard <strong>Alana Allen</strong> (<em>5.6p, 4.3r, 2.0s</em>), 5-7 Senior guard <strong>Mady Sullivan</strong> (<em>5.5p</em>), 5-2 Senior wing <strong>Tynley Gantz</strong> (<em>5.0p, 2.5r</em>), and 5-10 Junior front-liner <strong>Eva Sheedy</strong> (<em>1.3p</em>) could round out the starting lineup in 2024-2025. Also keep an eye on 5-7 Freshman wing <strong>Chloe Horton</strong>. She could bring an immediate offensive boost as well as handle the ball a little. Moving from Class 4A to Class 3A in the recent realignment, Plymouth will be a candidate for a Sectional #19 championship immediately.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Falcons of John Glenn are another program returning a majority of their productivity. Only <strong>Sophia Romer</strong> (<em>4.8p, 3.7r</em>), <strong>Rylee Johnson</strong> (<em>2.2p</em>), and <strong>Keelyn Bradley</strong> (<em>1.1p, 2.7r</em>) were lost to graduation. The Falcons will be happy to welcome back 5-7 Senior wing <strong>Alivia Turnage</strong> (<em>8.1p, 3.2r, 2.6a in 9 games</em>), who missed everything after Thanksgiving. She is a versatile and experienced contributor who instantly makes them better. 5-6 Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1122784' first='Addison' last='Reese']</strong> (<em>7.8p, 2.2r</em>) is a very good perimeter shooter who stepped up last season, as did Senior point guard <strong>Dani Divine</strong> (<em>6.4p</em>). From there, Junior guard <strong>Dre Weddington</strong> (<em>5.0p, 3.1r</em>), Senior wing <strong>Daelynn Nance</strong> (<em>2.4p, 2.5r</em>), and Junior forward <strong>Arianna Stanley</strong> (<em>1.2p</em>) helped last year but look for bigger roles this time around. The Falcons aren't built on massive size, but if they can take care of the ball, make shots, and figure out a way to defend the interior, they could be another team challenging for the Sectional #19 crown. The St. Joseph Indians find themselves in that same boat, graduating just <strong>Eliana Lang</strong> (<em>2.6p, 3.2r</em>) and <strong>Grace Scicchitano</strong> (<em>2.4p, 4.6r</em>) from the rotation, though they did help on the boards quite a bit. 5-7 Junior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1256528' first='Kayla' last='Woods']</strong> (<em>11.3p, 7.5r, 2.6a, 3.4s</em>), 5-6 Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1122812' first='Kenadie' last='Schrock']</strong> (<em>9.9p, 5.7r, 2.5a, 3.6s</em>), and 6-0 Junior post <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486481' first='Nicki' last='Byrne']</strong> (<em>7.5p, 6.7r</em>) are a great trio for the Indians to begin with. They have size, skill, and some athleticism, plus they logged a lot of minutes last season. 5-6 Sophomore guard <strong>Trinity Parker</strong> (<em>2.8p, 2.0r</em>) also found her way to the Varsity floor most nights, and she is primed for a much bigger role in her second year. Where they go from there will be the biggest question, but don't be surprised if Freshman guard <strong>Lauren Hickey</strong> or Freshman post <strong>Pollie Walters</strong> find their way into the starting lineup at some point. Both could definitely help improve St. Joseph sooner rather than later. If the Indians build their depth, the top three players could lead them to a double figure win total in 2024-2025. Backyard Catholic rival Mishawaka Marian won just three games a season ago, following a string of highly successful years. The Lady Knights lost a handful of kids who graduated or just decided against playing in 2024-2025. That leaves them pretty inexperienced across the board. Potential rotation players include 5-5 Senior guard <strong>Sydney McIntee</strong>, 5-7 Junior forward <strong>Fane Sete</strong>, and 5-4 Junior guard <strong>Theresa Reynolds</strong>. Also keep an eye out for Freshman forward <strong>Elle Boser</strong>, guard <strong>Kariya Bye</strong>, and forward <strong>Reese Carver</strong>, who could all play immediately. If the returnees can get some help from the newbies, look for Marian to potentially double their win total from 2023-2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span><font color="FFFFFF">.</font></span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #20 at Fairfield</font></strong><br>Columbia City (22-3), SAG 10, SOS 32<br>Tippecanoe Valley (19-4), SAG 75, SOS 149<br>NorthWood (20-7), SAG 112, SOS 157<br>Fairfield (22-4), SAG 139, SOS 213<br>Wawasee (14-10), SAG 152, SOS 147<br>West Noble (2-21), SAG 310, SOS 160</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional #20 could be the place to be in the North for Class 3A. Five of the six teams had winning records last year, and four of them won 19 or more games with single digit losses. Columbia City was outstanding in 2023-2024, and even though they graduated some good ballplayers, they still might be the favorite in Sectional #20. Back for her final year is 5-9 Senior point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='295754' first='Addison' last='Baxter']</strong> (<em>18.4p, 6.6r, 5.0a, 5.2s</em>). The Butler University commit was a 2024 Indiana Junior All-Star, and she does everything for the Eagles, from handle the ball, to create offense, knock down shots outside, and defend/rebound. Her backcourt help this season will come from 5-8 Junior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486514' first='Anisa' last='Tonkel']</strong> and 5-7 Senior guard <strong>Laney Ziliak</strong>. Tonkel could have an especially good year. She brings a nonstop motor with athleticism and a fairly strong frame. 5-11 Sophomore forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='992133' first='Claudia' last='Strack']</strong> could be in line for a much bigger role as well, as she adds some height up front, along with length, athleticism, and a motor. 5-6 Senior guard <strong>Alivia Kidd</strong> and 5-8 Junior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1256475' first='Torah' last='Holler']</strong> bring some experience and can add depth for Columbia City. The Eagles did graduate talented point guard <strong>Kyndra Sheets</strong> (<em>13.8p, 3.1r, 3.2a</em>), forward <strong>Molly Baker</strong> (<em>11.4p, 5.2r</em>), plus guards <strong>Tessa Tonkel</strong> and <strong>Faith Frey</strong>. However, Baxter should be enough a lot of nights, and the improvements of the younger Tonkel and Ziliak should only solidify the backcourt. Look for Columbia City to again approach 20 wins in 2024-2025. Tippecanoe Valley has been a strong program over the last 15 years, and they look to again aim for a winning record this season. However, the Vikings have a new coach for the first time in more than a decade and they lost leading scorer and rebounder <strong>Ava Egolf</strong> (<em>13.5p, 5.8r, 2.6s</em>) to graduation. Also gone this time around are <strong>Kelsey Cox</strong> (<em>6.5p, 5.5r</em>), <strong>Macy Petersen</strong> (<em>6.4p, 5.0r</em>), <strong>Chesnee Miller</strong> (<em>6.1p, 2.3r, 2.0a, 3.6s</em>), and <strong>Ava Smith</strong> (<em>4.7p, 2.7r</em>). The Vikings now turn to 5-5 Junior point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='928922' first='Gaby' last='Gonzalez']</strong> (<em>6.8p, 2.2r, 2.3a, 2.8s</em>) for leadership. She is feisty, hard-working, and makes winning plays. 6-0 Junior post <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1005168' first='Lucy' last='Hayden']</strong> (<em>4.8p, 3.0r</em>) saw quality minutes a year ago as well, and she combines size, strength, and skill. 6-0 Senior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='881325' first='Carlee' last='Snyder']</strong> (<em>3.9p, 3.0r</em>), an Olivet Nazarene University signee, brings an inside-out approach and should play a lot more in her final year. 5-11 Junior wing <strong>Dalynne Bussard</strong> (<em>3.1p</em>) is a talented multisport athlete who could step up as well. Building depth early in the season will be critical for the Vikings, but 5-6 Sophomore guard <strong>Hadley Wise</strong> should help with that.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The NorthWood Black Swish are hanging out trying to get to their State Championship form of a few years ago, as they have an intriguing group who will definitely win games. 6-1 Senior post <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='570370' first='Claire' last='Payne']</strong> (<em>10.3p, 10.8r</em>) is a walking double-double, a nice athlete, and she works hard inside. She is committed to Appalachian State University for Volleyball. 5-8 Senior forward <strong>Haylee Heflin</strong> (<em>7.3p, 2.3r</em>) and 5-3 Senior point guard <strong>Megan Yoder</strong> (<em>5.7p, 2.2r, 2.1a</em>) give the Black Swish additional veteran experience to lean on. The Sophomore trio of 5-5 guard <strong>Kinzee Hartman</strong> (<em>4.6p, 2.1r</em>), 5-10 wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1137304' first='Ella' last='Branham']</strong> (<em>3.7p, 4.5r, 2.1s</em>), and 6-1 forward <strong>Addie Davis</strong> (<em>2.3p</em>) gained valuable experience as rookies, but now they look to step into more prominent roles and combine with the Seniors to create a strong rotation top to bottom. 5-6 Junior guard <strong>Brooke Johnson</strong> looks to make her first contributions at the Varsity level in 2024-2025, while <strong>Joselyn Edwards</strong> (<em>9.5p, 3.0r</em>) and <strong>Callie Johnson</strong> (<em>3.9p, 4.7r</em>) are a pair of graduates whose production will be missed. If NorthWood can quickly help these Sophomores transform from solid rotation players to strong starters, they could be a 20-win team once again and potentially contend for Sectional #20. Fairfield has gone from a good all-around program to one that has won 22 or more games each of the last three seasons, including a 2023 Class 3A State Championship. This time, the Falcons must play without graduates <strong>Kaylee Dillon</strong> and <strong>Natalie Whitaker</strong>, who brought production and multiple years of experience, as well as a few other 2024s. But the cupboard is far from bare. 5-11 Junior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='567137' first='Eva' last='Herbert']</strong> has played from the beginning of her career, and she is a versatile inside-out forward with tremendous length, athleticism, and skill. 5-11 Junior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='773840' first='Mykayla' last='Mast']</strong> transferred in from Westview at the beginning of last year, and she brings the ability to score it from most spots on the floor. 5-11 Sophomore forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='751296' first='Madison' last='Jones']</strong> and 5-10 Senior forward <strong>Haddee Herbert</strong> allow Mast and the younger Herbert to operate almost exclusively outside. 5-7 Junior forward <strong>Macy Worthman</strong> helps build depth. Also keep an eye out for Freshmen <strong>Paige Park</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1231860' first='Jenna' last='Fought']</strong>, who could play very early this season. It's always difficult to replace quality graduates, but the Falcons have enough talent, skill, and size to compete with anyone in Sectional #20 on any given night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One year ago, Wawasee played three Seniors, none of which was in the top three for scoring on the team, but they also played seven Juniors and two Sophomores who are now Seniors and Juniors with tremendous experience. The Warriors want to be included in the mix of Sectional contenders, and rightfully so. 5-7 Senior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='923155' first='Mackenzie' last='Hackleman']</strong> (<em>11.3p, 4.5r, 2.2a, 4.0s</em>) is a do-everything athlete who plays with a great motor, plus she can really defend. 5-10 Senior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='525707' first='Olivia' last='Horn']</strong> (<em>7.1p, 4.9r</em>) has some skill in the mid-post, but she is also strong and physical, plus she plays with versatility. 5-9 Senior forward <strong>Ava Couture</strong> (<em>6.8p, 4.3r</em>) and 5-3 Senior point guard <strong>Lucy Wilkinson</strong> (<em>4.3p</em>) have starting experience and start to round out the lineup. Couture is a long, wiry-strong kid who can defend and rebound, while Wilkinson can act as a set-up person or knock down open shots. 5-9 Senior <strong>Molly Beer</strong> (<em>1.8p</em>) and Senior front-liner <strong>Kiersten McCreary</strong> should round out the core of Warriors' rotation. Wawasee always plays tough, physical, and aggressive basketball. They can very well win around 15 games once again, especially with the number of experienced Seniors they have on the roster this year. Following years of consistent success, the West Noble Chargers haven't won more than seven games since the 2020-2021 season. Now they must replace leading scorer <strong>Alexia Mast</strong> (<em>11.8p, 2.7r, 2.6s</em>) and leading rebounder <strong>Alayna DeLong</strong> (<em>5.7p, 7.0r</em>), both graduates, along with a couple of others who left via the diploma. 5-4 Sophomore guard <strong>Marley Mast</strong> (<em>4.0p, 3.7r, 2.0a, 2.1s</em>), 5-8 Junior post <strong>Kayle Jordan</strong> (<em>2.3p, 3.8r</em>), and Sophomore guard <strong>Allison Recendiz</strong> (<em>2.3p, 2.2r</em>) found themselves in the six player rotation that saw a majority of the minutes last year. They will need to find others to step up if they want to improve their win total in 2024-2025. That could come from Junior guard <strong>Stella Venturi</strong>, Junior forward <strong>Kylie Ware</strong>, Sophomore forward <strong>Leah Pruitt</strong>, or any of four Freshman who could contribute immediately. The Chargers likely aren't in contention for Sectional #20 this season, but they could be improved by season's end if they can find some scoring and defend the interior.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->