2025-26 Season Preview: Class 3A, Sectional 31

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='486561' first='Nya' last='Dame'] (2026) from Princeton Community High School.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now that the previews for Classes 1A and 2A are complete, it's time to finish up Class 3A. This is the next to last article for Class 3A Sectionals, as the season is ending its third week, and I wanted to continue offering you a glimpse at what the 2025-26 season could hold with a preview of each of the state's 64 Sectionals once again. 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 3A, Sectional #31. 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 #31 at Vincennes Lincoln</font></strong><br>Washington (23-3), SAG 28, SOS 60<br>Jasper (16-9), SAG 75, SOS 74<br>Princeton Community (11-13), SAG 80, SOS 63<br>Vincennes Lincoln (12-11), SAG 140, SOS 89<br>Southridge (12-10), SAG 170, SOS 82</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Washington has had a string of talent over the last decade, and despite graduating three players from their eight-player rotation last season, they return the other five, including their top two scorers and top rebounder. 6-2 Senior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486519' first='Katie' last='Reed']</strong> (<em>14.5p, 7.1r, 1.7a, 1.6s, 1.0b</em>) has gotten better each year, and she had a tremendous grassroots season over the Spring &amp; Summer. She is active &amp; athletic, skilled to the 3-point line, plus strong enough to battle inside for boards and to defend the block. 5-7 Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486476' first='Shaylyn' last='Hawk']</strong> (<em>11.1p, 3.3r, 1.6a, 1.9s</em>) had a monster June for her school team and July for her travel team. She is strong, physical on attack, plus she plays with a nice motor and toughness. She has a beautiful perimeter shot, plus she's starting to handle it more and initiate the offense. 5-11 Junior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='751098' first='London' last='Gilley']</strong> (<em>6.0p, 4.5r, 1.8a, 1.0s</em>) is a Swiss Army Knife. She is a selfless, pass-first point forward type, she has strength, some athleticism, and she can score it from all three levels. She was unfortunately injured early in the Spring, but she is already back in the lineup. 5-8 Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='999582' first='Kyra' last='Schuckman']</strong> (<em>1.9p, 1.3r in 15 games</em>) and 5-10 Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486523' first='Ella' last='Williams']</strong> (<em>1.7p, 2.6r</em>) have seen plenty of playing time in the past, but now both will contend for starting spots. Schuckman was good this July, showing the ability to get to the basket and draw repeated free throw attempts. Williams is a long, fluid ball-handler who has good vision and can create for others. Building depth will be key for the Hatchets, so early on look for Junior guard <strong>Ella Knepp</strong> (<em>0.3p in 3 games</em>) and Senior forward <strong>Maddy Johnson</strong> (<em>0.3p, 1.7r in 6 games</em>) to get the first shot at rotation minutes. Washington will have to make up for its lost 2025 graduates, but they have enough talent her to be considered a Sectional #31 and Class 3A South contender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Princeton Tigers dropped from 19 wins in 2023-2024 to 11 wins last season, but they did so minus several quality 2024 graduates. Now, they look to return nearly all of their core, including their strong and gritty backcourt. 5-5 Senior point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486492' first='Ailie' last='Taylor']</strong> (<em>17.1p, 3.0r, 2.9a, 1.3s</em>) proved last Winter that she could handle the load offensively, but during the Spring &amp; Summer, she really impressed with her improved ball skill and ability to distribute. 5-5 Senior wing <strong>Raven Jones</strong> (<em>9.5p, 3.7r, 2.5a, 2.0s</em>) is another nice athlete around the perimeter. She can defend and is a willing rebounder at her size, but she's also a nice slashing scorer. 5-3 guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486561' first='Nya' last='Dame']</strong> (<em>8.7p, 2.4r, 1.5a, 1.0s</em>) is an aggressive scorer off the ball. She can get downhill and finish around the basket, plus she has some touch outside. She can slide over and run point as well, if needed. 5-11 Junior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='756242' first='Alexis' last='Kermode']</strong> (<em>5.5p, 5.7r, 1.0a, 1.1b</em>) brings what size there is for the Tigers. She is more of an inside-out forward who will likely play some small forward at the next level, but she is an interior rebounder/defender type for the undersized Princeton squad. 5-7 Sophomore wing <strong>Claire Walden</strong> (<em>1.4p, 1.4r in 18 games</em>) saw her share of minutes as a rookie, and she could bring another rebounding and defensive minded player to the lineup. Look for her to compete for a starting spot. After those five, maybe look to Sophomore forward <strong>Alivia McKee</strong> (<em>0.2p, 1.0r in 9 games</em>) to get a look, as the Tigers try to build some depth and balance. Princeton definitely has the guards to frustrate opponents. They can get out and increase tempo, or they can control it and slow things down when necessary. Either way, they will be a problem for opponents in Sectional #31 in early February.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Additional Players to Keep an Eye on:</strong> Jasper: 5-6 Senior guard <strong>Ayla Elkins</strong> (<em>10.8p, 2.8r, 1.1a, 1.4s</em>) and 5-8 Senior guard <strong>Emily Kleiser</strong> (<em>8.2p, 3.8r, 1.5a, 1.9s</em>); Southridge: 5-10 Senior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='866750' first='Saydee' last='Arnold']</strong> and 5-0 Senior guard <strong>Yuliana Leon</strong>; Vincennes Lincoln: 5-8 Senior forward <strong>Grace Archer</strong> (<em>11.1p, 4.7r, 1.5a</em>) and 6-2 Junior post <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1137351' first='Marlo' last='Thorne']</strong> (<em>5.9p, 5.6r, 1.2a, 3.6b</em>)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->