Regional Preview: Class 2A South

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='473675' first='Brynna' last='Collins'] (2025) of North Knox High School.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Following a pair of Sectional championship games Monday evening, the Regional fields are now set. This season, the IHSAA decided to make the Regional a one-game affair to win a title, with two Regional games at the same host site, similar to past Semi-States. Therefore, there will now be two Regional winners at each site. The Semi-States will be a four-team, three-game event next Saturday, where teams in each class must win twice to advance to the State Finals. As for the Regionals, below is a look at the two Regionals in Class 2A taking place in the Southern half of the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="#FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Southmont Regional:</font></strong><br>Game-1: Eastern Hancock (22-3) vs. University (20-4), 1:00 p.m. ET<br>Game-2: Greencastle (22-4) vs. Union County (16-9), 4:00 p.m. ET</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Game-1:</strong> This first game at the Southmont Regional should be outstanding. Eastern Hancock hasn't lost since December 6th, winning 13 games in a row. They are deep, balanced, and can score the ball from all five positions. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='241193' first='Grace' last='Stapleton'] plays with great poise and control, plus she's an excellent perimeter shooter. The Bolding sisters, Senior <strong>Emma Bolding</strong> and Junior <strong>Sammie Bolding</strong>, offer Stapleton support in the backcourt, plus Junior wing <strong>Makenzie O'Neal</strong> is a nice, versatile forward. 6-1 Junior post [player_tooltip player_id='455934' first='Ruby' last='White'] will be needed defensively, plus she continues to impact games more and more offensively. University also plays with a great deal of balance and talent. 6-2 Senior [player_tooltip player_id='59743' first='Kelsey' last='DuBois'], plus Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='59772' first='Payton' last='Seay'] have a great deal of tournament experience and are looking to continue their season all the way until the end. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='241194' first='Jordan' last='Patterson'] is right there with them in terms of past experience, and Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='331806' first='Taylor' last='Seay'] is a really nice athlete in her second year as a Varsity contributor. The Trailblazers are always a touch matchup, and they themselves haven't lost since December 3rd, putting together a 14-game winning streak of their own. This is an incredibly tough pick'em game. I think Eastern Hancock is a little deeper, but University is more talented at key positions. As long as University can keep players on the floor, I'll give them the slight advantage...Trailblazers 51, Royals 47.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Game-2:</strong> Greencastle is in the middle of their best season of the 2000s, and they won their first Sectional since 2013. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='206425' first='Gloria' last='Brewer'] has a lot to do with that. She is the ultimate competitor, she plays with a great motor, and she can do a little of everything for her team. She is a talented scorer with a little range, she can find open teammates, but she also gets after it at the defensive end of the floor. Senior <strong>Emma Hunter</strong> and Junior <strong>Evelyn Briones</strong> have been key pieces for the Tiger Cubs this season as well. Hunter does a little inside-out, while Briones is a perimeter threat. Union County is in the Regional for the second consecutive year, both times following an "upset" win in the Sectional. The Lady Patriots have seen several quality graduates leave the last couple of Springs, but they seem to find people to step up. This year, they are more of the epitome of team, finding contributions throughout their roster, in turn making them difficult to defend. Senior <strong>Shelby Hill</strong> and Sophomore <strong>Katie McCashland</strong> are their top scorers, but the Patriots rely on everyone to make plays in a team-first environment. It seems to me like this is Greencastle's year, so I am going to take the Tiger Cubs in this one, but I expect Union County to put up a good fight early on. I'll take Greencastle by a 49-38 margin.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch:</strong><br>Eastern Hancock - [player_tooltip player_id='241193' first='Grace' last='Stapleton'], 2023 - 15.8p, 3.6r, 5.1a, 3.4s<br>Eastern Hancock - <strong>Sammie Bolding</strong>, 2024 - 11.5p, 2.3a, 2.3s<br>Eastern Hancock - [player_tooltip player_id='455934' first='Ruby' last='White'], 2024 - 8.3p, 6.5r<br>Eastern Hancock - <strong>Emma Bolding</strong>, 2023 - 7.9p, 3.7r<br>Eastern Hancock - <strong>Makenzie O'Neal</strong>, 2024 - 7.0p, 4.8r, 2.1a, 2.1s<br>Greencastle - [player_tooltip player_id='206425' first='Gloria' last='Brewer'], 2023 - 25.9p, 10.8r, 3.3a, 4.8s<br>Greencastle - <strong>Emma Hunter</strong>, 2023 - 15.0p, 5.1r, 3.2s<br>Greencastle - <strong>Evelyn Briones</strong>, 2024 - 9.7p, 2.5r<br>Greencastle - <strong>Madi Plew</strong>, 2024 - 3.4p, 3.8r<br>Union County - <strong>Shelby Hill</strong>, 2023 - 10.2p, 7.3r<br>Union County - <strong>Katie McCashland</strong>, 2025 - 9.2p, 3.2r, 2.2s<br>Union County - <strong>Brooke Fields</strong>, 2023 - 6.2p, 2.6r, 3.8a, 2.4s<br>Union County - <strong>Carly McCashland</strong>, 2023 - 4.7p, 2.2r<br>University - [player_tooltip player_id='59772' first='Payton' last='Seay'], 2023 - 20.3p, 7.7r, 2.8a, 2.7s<br>University - [player_tooltip player_id='59743' first='Kelsey' last='DuBois'], 2023 - 15.3p, 11.2r, 2.7a, 3.5b<br>University - [player_tooltip player_id='241194' first='Jordan' last='Patterson'], 2023 - 8.2p, 3.0r, 2.9a<br>University - [player_tooltip player_id='331806' first='Taylor' last='Seay'], 2025 - 7.7p, 3.2r<br>University - <strong>Keira Bright</strong>, 2024 - 5.7p, 2.0a</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="#FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Crawford County Regional:</font></strong><br>Game-1: South Ripley (16-9) vs. North Knox (26-1), 4:00 p.m. ET<br>Game-2: Brownstown Central (19-7) vs. Forest Park (22-3), 7:00 p.m. ET</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Game-1:</strong> South Ripley had big moments in the Sectional, avenging an 18-point loss to North Decatur by beating them 41-35 in the Sectional first round. Then they avenged a nine-point loss to Switzerland County be defeating them 47-36 in the Sectional Semifinal. Now, they are here, riding a five-game win streak. Senior <strong>Katelynn Samples</strong> is the leading scorer and rebounder for the Lady Raiders, but they get production from their entire lineup. That could work to their benefit tomorrow. Then there is North Knox sitting there at 26-1, winners of 10 in a row, with their lone loss coming by a single point to Brownstown Central (<em>below</em>). The Lady Warriors are doing it with mostly Sophomores and Freshmen as well, so they could make deep tourney runs for the next couple of seasons. Sophomore wings [player_tooltip player_id='295765' first='Alex' last='McKinley'] and [player_tooltip player_id='473675' first='Brynna' last='Collins'] provide the offensive punch for North Knox., but they have quite a bit of depth as well. The Lady Warriors are the clear-cut favorites here, and that's the direction I will lean. North Knox beats South Ripley, 51-33.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Game-2:</strong> The second game at Crawford County features the defending State Champs in Forest Park, versus an always competitive Brownstown Central squad. Brownstown leans heavily on the Senior duo of [player_tooltip player_id='178236' first='Madelyn' last='Hackman'] and <strong>Kalee Borden</strong>, and those two are really nice ballplayers. Hackman is an accurate shooter with deep range and playmaking ability. But Forest Park has nice size, four starters returning from last year's group, one of which is 6-1 Senior [player_tooltip player_id='178237' first='Amber' last='Tretter'], who is headed to Division-I Miami University (Ohio) next season. Forest Park should be stronger on the boards and defensively, plus Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='59728' first='Lydia' last='Betz'] and [player_tooltip player_id='574547' first='Carley' last='Begle'] are nice compliments to Tretter. It would take a great effort on Brownstown's part to upset the Lady Rangers. With that said, I will take Forest Park in this one, 48-38.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch:</strong><br>Brownstown - [player_tooltip player_id='178236' first='Madelyn' last='Hackman'], 2023<br>Brownstown - <strong>Kalee Borden</strong>, 2023<br>Forest Park - [player_tooltip player_id='178237' first='Amber' last='Tretter'], 2023<br>Forest Park - [player_tooltip player_id='59728' first='Lydia' last='Betz'], 2023<br>Forest Park - [player_tooltip player_id='574547' first='Carley' last='Begle'], 2023<br>Forest Park - <strong>Gabey Gray</strong>, 2023<br>North Knox - [player_tooltip player_id='295765' first='Alex' last='McKinley'], 2025 - 11.2p, 4.3r<br>North Knox - [player_tooltip player_id='473675' first='Brynna' last='Collins'], 2025 - 9.3p, 4.6r, 2.7s<br>North Knox - [player_tooltip player_id='420275' first='Lexi' last='Primus'], 2026 - 7.9p<br>North Knox - [player_tooltip player_id='362315' first='Brooklyn' last='Sturgeon'], 2025 - 6.5p, 2.3r<br>North Knox - <strong>Reegan Hammelman</strong>, 2023 - 5.7p, 4.2r, 2.8a<br>South Ripley - <strong>Katelynn Samples</strong>, 2023 - 9.5, 7.0r<br>South Ripley - <strong>Emily Flood</strong>, 2023 - 8.3p, 3.5r<br>South Ripley - <strong>Reese Obendorf</strong>, 2024 - 7.9p, 5.4r, 2.0s<br>South Ripley - <strong>Lydia Cornett</strong>, 2024 - 6.8p, 3.3r, 2.0a, 2.0s</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->