Class 3A Season Preview: Sectionals #17-#20

The beginning of the high school season is this week, as we are just hours away from the first official games. With that in mind, I wanted to continue our thorough preview of the 2019-2020 season. In this article, I will take a look at the first Class 3A North Regional, which incorporates the winners of Sectionals #17 through #20. Below is a look at the teams in each of those Sectionals, along with some general comments and analysis. I will continue previewing the upcoming season throughout this week, with my final preview articles likely posting over the weekend.   (SAG = Final 2018-2019 Multiclass Sagarin Rating (403 teams); SOS = Final 2018-2019 Strength of Schedule)   Sectional #17 Gary Lighthouse (8-11) SAG 228; SOS 200 Griffith (13-12) SAG 263; SOS 341 Calumet (10-12) SAG 294; SOS 340 Hammond Gavit (11-9) SAG 310; SOS 366 Hammond (4-9) SAG 373; SOS 355 Hammond Clark (2-21) SAG 384; SOS 333 After a 2-year stint in Class 3A, and two Sectional #17 titles, Gary West Side is back up in Class 4A, making this Sectional wide open once again. Before West Side joined the group, Gary Lighthouse had won the previous three Sectional titles, and they again look to be the favorite on paper to begin the season. Junior wing Prentciss Gates (14.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.9 spg) took the reins last year and led the Lions in scoring. Sophomore wing Iatia Poston (12.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.3 spg) put together a really nice Freshman year as well. Sophomore post Larr’Onna Coleman (2.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and Sophomore forward Alicia Miller (2.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg) also saw the floor quite a bit as Freshmen, plus Junior wing Dreme Brown (2.6 ppg) has a little experience as well. If all of that youth can quickly mature together, the Lions could be in for a double-digit win season and another Sectional title. They will miss Sylvia Brown (8.3 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.4 spg) and KaDrea White (4.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.1 spg), who both graduated. Griffith had a much-improved season a year ago, and they did so without playing any Seniors. They should challenge Gary Lighthouse in Sectional #17, plus Griffith might have a little better depth. Leading the way are Ariel Esquivel (13.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.8 apg, 3.7 spg), a Junior point guard, and Julissa Hamm (10.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, 3.1 spg), a Junior wing. Sophomore guard Marisa Esquivel (7.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg), Sophomore guard Cierra Pipkins (6.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.3 apg, 2.6 spg), and Sophomore forward Jaecy Nelson (5.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg) all saw quality minutes as Freshmen. Senior front-liner Briah Strezo (5.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg) also finds herself as a part of the rotation. There are four more Sophomores and another Junior who saw the floor a little last year as well…the Panthers could be trouble in the not-so-distant future. Other top players in Sectional #17 include Senior guard Jai Reed of Calumet, Senior guard Dominique Johnson (10.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.3 spg) of Hammond Gavit, and Junior forward Destiny Johnson of Hammond Clark.   Sectional #18 Kankakee Valley (20-5) SAG 39; SOS 109 Knox (21-5) SAG 89; SOS 214 Culver Academy (11-8) SAG 234; SOS 237 Hanover Central (8-16) SAG 299; SOS 260 Wheeler (7-16) SAG 323; SOS 329 River Forest (3-20) SAG 369; SOS 346 Sectional #18 looks much different, with half of the schools leaving and new schools replacing them. Now, suddenly, it looks like Kankakee Valley (down from Class 4A) could consistently be the team to beat here. However, KV did graduate their top four scorers, six of their top seven, and seven total ladies. Most notably missed will be Sarah Martin (16.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.3 apg, 2.3 spg), Catherine Cavinder (8.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.5 spg), Maddie Swart (7.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.6 apg, 2.3 spg), Kaylee Barrett (5.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg), and Carley DeKock (4.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg). Now, the load falls squarely on the shoulders of Senior guard Karmen Nowak (4.3 ppg, 2.6 rpg), Senior wing Sam Martin (3.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg), Senior post Kailee Webster (3.1 ppg), and Senior forward Courtney Sizemore (2.8 ppg). Historically, though, the Kougars have been really good with having “program” kids, so I’d anticipate some of the newcomers who played mostly JV last year will have an immediate impact and keep them relevant. One youngster who could step up early is Freshman wing Lilly Toppen. She's a very good shooter with versatile perimeter skill. Knox has had a good thing going in recent years, and they look to challenge Kankakee Valley for sure this season. They will, however, have to deal with the graduation loss of their do-everything point forward Lindsey Simpson (17.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.2 apg, 6.0 spg), as well as front-liner McKenzie McIntire (4.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg). Senior wing Makayla Richie (7.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg in 4 games) is also reportedly not returning. However, there are plenty of able bodies who do return, most notably Junior front-liner Remi Jordan (10.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg), who has the size to play inside and the skill to play facing the basket. Junior wing Felicity Olejniczak (9.1 ppg, 4.3 spg) looks to increase her scoring output this year too. Junior forward Preston Minix (6.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg) will also play a bigger role this season. Look for athletic and skilled Sophomore forward Megan Bolen (3.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg) to potentially be a wildcard for Knox. Sophomore post Brianna Korcha and Freshman point guard Riley Messer also flashed potential with the Varsity at a June shootout I attended. Culver Academy moves into Sectional #18 this year, and they are coming off of an improved season. However, they are now without graduates Rebecca Christlieb, Andrea Brooke, and Sydney Herczeg. But the Eagles have a nice, experienced Senior group this season, led by guards Mary Cate Wright and Lucy Pugh, wing Dana Rodgers, and post Evie Frutkin. Throw in Senior post Anaia Johnson, and the Eagles might at least have the most experienced group in Sectional #18. Hanover Central played a mostly underclass group last year, and that could pay dividends this year. Senior forward Amanda Schreiber (11.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg) leads the way for the Wildcats, but she gets help from talented Junior front-liner Julia Blue (7.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg) and Junior guard Nevaeh Govert (6.3 ppg). The Wheeler Bearcats also played a slew of underclassmen, and they now return a Senior frontline of post Aaliyah Williams and forward Sydney Eden, plus they have a young backcourt led by Junior point guard Elena Giorgi. River Forest, on the other hand, graduated their top three scorers. Now it’s up to Sophomore Morgan Mullinax (6.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.9 spg in 10 games), Senior Jaylan Dixon (3.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg), and Senior Yesenia Cervantes (2.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg) to step up for the Ingots.   Sectional #19 Mishawaka Marian (22-4) SAG 30; SOS 111 South Bend St. Joseph (16-8) SAG 57; SOS 102 John Glenn (15-10) SAG 102; SOS 148 South Bend Washington (10-13) SAG 205; SOS 126 New Prairie (5-19) SAG 300; SOS 100 South Bend Clay (6-17) SAG 337; SOS 219 Jimtown (1-22) SAG 364; SOS 221 With South Bend Saint Joseph making the move back down to Class 3A, Sectional #19 might be the place to be in Northern Indiana at the end of the season. Mishawaka Marian is the defending Sectional Champion, though they will have to adjust to the graduation losses of wing Makayla Weaver (13.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.3 spg) and point guard Kiya Roby (3.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 4.0 apg, 2.7 spg). Returning for the Knights is the inside-out combination of Junior guard McKenzie Hudgen (11.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.4 apg, 4.4 spg) and Senior post Christina Himelick (7.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg). There might not be a better tandem in the state who play as hard as those two. Senior guard Jaiden Rangel (6.2 ppg, 2.4 apg) and Sophomore guard Payton Rangel (4.0 ppg) were a big part of the rotation as well. A Freshman who could stand out is guard Nevaeh Foster. She is a talented athlete with the potential to score in double-figures as soon as this season. Also, Marian did see several Juniors and Sophomores get into Varsity games a year ago, so hopefully that experience will help them in the long run. The Saint Joseph Indians could be the biggest threat to Marian this year, and St. Joe honestly could end up being the favorite. After spending the last two seasons in a Class 4A Sectional, they look to make a deep run in the Class 3A tournament. They will miss graduated guards Macy Seese, Jessica Brandt, and Ciera Carter, but there is a lot to look forward to for the Indians. Talented Senior wing Keegan Sullivan is back for her fourth year of Varsity. She is strong, tough, highly skilled, and can take over a game offensively. Senior forward Kashlin Biffle is a strong and physical interior player who also possesses good skill away from the basket. Senior forward Anne Goralczyk is another skilled interior player. Plus, Sophomore guard Kelly Ratigan and Sophomore wing Shamara Allen are talented youngsters who will play much bigger roles this year. John Glenn nearly upset Marian a year ago, falling in the Sectional Semi-Final 34-33. The Falcons must now replace the contributions of Bethany Hayden (14.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.7 spg), Morgan Plunkett (7.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.5 spg), and Dessa Lang (5.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg), who all graduated. Junior guard Seja Lang (8.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2.1 spg) will play a much bigger role this year. Senior Raegan Romer (3.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg), Sophomore forward Maddie Hudspeth (3.8 ppg), Senior Abby Machnic (3.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.2 apg), and Senior Julianne Wilk (2.2 ppg) have all played quality minutes in the past. Look for Sophomore forward Jessie Yelaska and Freshman wing Kennedy Hayden to possibly play big roles this season. Another team who will undoubtedly be talented this year and could sneak up on some people, are the Panthers of South Bend Washington. The Panthers did graduate Timberlynn Thomas (16.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 3.0 spg) and Treceyona Jennings (4.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg), but they have some really talented youngsters. Sophomore forward Mila Reynolds (18.7 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 4.4 apg, 2.3 bpg) is one of the most talented Sophomores in the state, and she can play inside or out. Her younger sister, Freshman Amiyah Reynolds, is a tall, long, point forward type who will absolutely help on the perimeter. Point guard Rashunda Jones is another talented Freshman who plays with great speed and quickness, and as she gets stronger, she’ll start controlling games at the Varsity level. If they can get added production from girls like Junior guard Camiya Robinson (4.5 ppg in 11 games), Senior post Nyah Porter (4.5 rpg), or Senior guard Asia Phillips (2.1 spg), they’ll be able to beat most teams on any given night. A wildcard could be the improvement of 6’4 Junior post Francisca Galicia. New Prairie looks to improve this season, after playing nearly all underclassmen in their regular rotation. Back for her Senior year is guard Libby Lapczynski (12.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg). Senior post Sydney Meyers (7.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg) plays with a motor and could contribute more this year. Junior wing Jordan Winters (7.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg), Sophomore wing Maddie McSurley (4.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.4 spg), Sophomore guard Taylor Nelson (4.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg), and Junior wing Allison Pavlick (2.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg) should also figure into the equation this year. South Bend Clay returns a fairly experienced backcourt and could be much better this season. Senior guard Regan Ward, Senior guard Tonia Horston-Smith, and Junior guard Nataya Hicks all return for the Colonials. Jimtown hasn’t won more than six games since 2010-2011, but they return all but one player from last season’s team. If they can each step it up a little, that can be achievable. Senior forward Jamie Lawson (9.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg) leads the way for the Jimmies.   Sectional #20 Central Noble (27-1) SAG 26; SOS 132 NorthWood (16-8) SAG 45; SOS 52 West Noble (18-6) SAG 75; SOS 123 Tippecanoe Valley (16-7) SAG 88; SOS 133 Lakeland (15-8) SAG 138; SOS 188 Wawasee (4-18) SAG 279; SOS 92 Sectional #21 is now Sectional #20, pushing their Regional matchups to the West/Northwest instead of the East/Northeast. Also, Fairfield has fallen down to Class 2A, while Central Noble has moved up to Class 3A due to their tournament success. With graduation hitting a few of these teams hard, this Sectional is up for grabs. If I had to pick, I would say NorthWood might be the favorite here, based on the strong interior play of Senior post Kate Rulli (12.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and athletic Senior forward Maddy Payne (12.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg). The Black Swish will need to find some guard play, as both Kenzie Bergman (9.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.8 apg) and Neely Trenshaw (3.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.2 apg) graduated. But Senior wing Karlie Fielstra (4.7 ppg, 2.3 apg), Junior wing Alea Minnich (3.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.0 apg), Junior guard Kendal Miller (3.5 ppg), and Junior forward Bre Wise (2.2 rpg) return to the fold with experience. Central Noble will likely remain competitive, but the graduation losses of point guard Sydney Freeman (18.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.6 apg, 5.0 spg, 1.7 bpg) and front-liner Meleah Leatherman (15.9 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 1.5 bpg) will be felt early and often this season. Anna Stayner (2.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg) also graduated. Junior wings Bridgette Gray (9.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg) and Lydia Andrews (4.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.0 apg), plus Senior forward Sam Brumbaugh (2.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg) return with the most experience and should see their production go up quite a bit. Gray is a very good perimeter shooter when in rhythm. Senior Jocelyn Winebrenner also saw some action last year and can help, and an up-and-comer who can help is Junior forward Adrienne Mast, who has dealt with injuries during her brief career. West Noble is a “system” team that is always competitive, year-in, and year-out. Last season they were the Sectional #21 Champions, but the graduation losses of Megan Godfrey (8.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.1 spg), Lauren Burns (7.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.6 spg), Madison Schermerhorn (6.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 4.5 apg, 4.8 spg), Angela Gross (6.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg), plus twins Tori (3.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg) & Tara Miller (3.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.5 spg), leave the Chargers looking for nearly an entire lineup. The good news…Junior guard, and leading scorer, Lillian Mast (10.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.3 spg) returns, and she plays with a tremendous motor. Junior front-liner Nichelle Phares (2.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg) was a part of the regular rotation, Junior point guard Erin Shoemaker played a little more than most of the remaining girls, and Sophomore forward Jazmyn Smith flashed some potential during the grassroots season this Spring & Summer. I’d expect West Noble to still be a tough “out” this season. To a degree, Tippecanoe Valley is also looking for new leadership, as all-everything guard Sophie Bussard (21.3 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.9 apg, 3.6 spg) has graduated. However, the cupboard isn’t quite bare, as most everyone else returns. Junior guard Sydney Wagner (7.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.8 spg), Senior guard Jillian Walls (6.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg), Senior guard Emma Craig (6.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.6 apg, 2.7 spg), and Junior front-liner Hayley Backus (5.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg) all return with considerable experience. Considering the guard play, the Vikings should at least be able to control tempo on most nights. Freshmen Kaydence Mellott and Corrina Stiles could see the floor early as well. I think the sleeper in Sectional #20 this year is Lakeland. With a limited history of success in girls’ basketball, they had their first winning season since 2007-2008 last year, they return their top three scorers, and their only graduate was point guard Makayla Mast (5.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2.2 spg). While they will need to break in a new floor general, Junior wing Bailey Hartsough (19.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.3 apg, 4.4 spg) returns and is a tough matchup for opponents. She’s long, athletic, and skilled, and she would be drawing a lot of college attention for hoops, but she is a talented volleyball player as well. Junior guard Keirstin Roose (9.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.3 spg) had a nice season last year, plus Senior forward Beth Stroop (6.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg) returns as well. Senior post Isabelle Larimer (4.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg), Junior guard Madison Keil (4.1 ppg), and Junior forward Sadie Edsall (2.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg) were all Varsity regulars last season as well. Wawasee had an uncharacteristically down year in 2018-2019, but they look to bounce back behind several experienced returnees. Leading scorer Casey Schroeder (11.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.0 spg), plus Caitlin Wortinger (4.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.3 spg), did graduate. The Warriors, however, return five regulars from their rotation, with Sophomore wing Jada Carter (5.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg) and Junior guard Danielle Jenkins (5.2 ppg, 2.0 rpg) leading the way. Sophomore forward Kennedy White (3.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg), Senior forward Hannah Lancaster (2.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg), and Senior forward Rhian Galloway will attempt to help improve the Warriors this time around.   Feature image is of McKenzie Hudgen of Mishawaka Marian High School. Image is courtesy of her own Twitter account.