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SECTIONAL 35 AT CENTRAL NOBLE
Projected Winner: Eastside
This is about as much of a no brainer as there can be. All of these teams in this Sectional field play in the same conference and Eastside has already run through each of them this season. Eastside is 6-0 versus this group with the closest win being 15 over Central Noble, but then extended that gap to 35 points just a week later in the rematch win.
The Blazers have one loss. They are just plain better than the other teams in this Sectional and their domination is fun to watch. They aren’t boring, they play the right way with good physicality. Even if it’s predictable, catch an Eastside game this week, they are well worth the time.
Player You Can’t Miss: Taylor Mack, Eastside
Mack’s diversity as a player has been on much better display this season. She has played with a really interesting level of intensity in games and doesn’t seem to alter who she is as a player no matter the opponent or the score. You have to like that in a player, especially in the win or go home world of the postseason.
Don’t be surprised if: Some NECC teams get better postseason showings than they did regular season
If Eastside does run this show, that doesn’t mean some other NECC teams can’t get back from some earlier season losses to eachother. Watch out for Westview and Lakeland to have potentially good showings.
Westview’s only losses to teams in this sectional are Eastside and Central Noble. Are they going to challenge Eastside? It’s unlikely but after how strong the Warriors finished the season they may be the second best team in this field on the right night.
Lakeland is also interesting because they have a lot of pieces to be solid just haven’t figured out putting it all together yet. Cara Schackow has been a great interior rim protector presence and Dulce Canedo can hit you from a lot of angles. Lakeland’s only win against a team from this Sectional was opposite Prairie Heights, so they could get some good ones back to end the year.
SECTIONAL 36 AT BLUFFTON
Projected Winner: Bluffton
The Tigers are in the midst of the best season seen in Wells County in decades that isn’t taking place in the northern part of the county. Bluffton is just rolling and doing so with a deep squad that is going to make them difficult to battle on their home court in the postseason where they have some good recent Sectional successes. This Bluffton team is rolling along so well that now that they are down to 2A opponent, could they be a state contender? The Tigers are 4-0 against Sectional opponents and 8-0 against Class 2A.
Isabella Stout gets loads of attention and rightfully so. She is one of the most prolific scorers in the area at 20.7 points per game, scoring in the 20s or higher on 12 different occasions. But this lineup is stacked with Konley Ault adding 15.3 points and a team best 3.7 assists and Maryn Schreiber adding 10.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Freshman Khloe Dick adds another 9.3 points per game and Bluffton has so much firepower.
Player You Can’t Miss: Jayma Stonebraker, Whitko
Is this the best defensive player in the area that nobody is talking about enough?
Stonebraker has been great offensively for Whitko too, don’t get it wrong. But in helping the Wildcats to a repeat as co-TRC champs, what she has done on the defensive end has been pretty special for a sophomore. Averaging four steals per game doesn’t come easy and she has dialed that up, going for six or more on five occasions including a season high eight swipes in a win over Southwood.
Don’t be surprised if: Woodlan rebounds their way to the top
With Whitko and Luers (even on a down year) in this Sectional, a clear cut #2 team really doesn’t highlight itself completely. But Woodlan has something different than most teams and when it comes out, a big rebounding battle win for Woodlan has big game implications. Alyssa Anderson obviously leads that with 10.8 rebounds per game. Anderson has nine double digit rebounding games including two in the 20s, grabbing double digit offensive rebounds in each of those games.
In Woodlan’s 30 rebound per game average, 12.2 come on the offensive end with Anderson at 5.2 and Alix Jacquay and McKenna Goble also proficient on that end. A lot of second or third shot chances could be massive for Woodlan in a close game. The 14-7 Warriors would probably like a third shot at host Bluffton.
SECTIONAL 38 AT LEWIS CASS
Projected Winner: Oak Hill
The only team in this bracket with 20 wins this season, Oak Hill has been near perfect against Class 2A, posting an 11-1 mark against the class while going 20-2 overall leading into a marquee opening round game opposite Wabash. Oak Hill beat Wabash on December 18, 40-29, the only time a team held the Apaches to less than 43 points all season. Oak Hill meanwhile held 13 opponents to 29 or less point, finishing the regular season with a defensive average of 29.5 points per game.
Liz Godfrey’s 10.2 points per game leads a very balanced scoring output. No other Eagle scores in double digits, but four more average at least five points per game and Oak Hill still puts up 45.8 points per contest. Godfrey has his 48 three pointers on the season.
Player You Can’t Miss: Kaitlynn Honeycutt, Wabash
While we have long praised Apache leading scorer Brookelyn Buzzard, there is a good chance that Honeycutt is the biggest catalyst in a potential Wabash run. She goes into the postseason averaging 13 points per game and a team best 3.4 assists with a team second best 3.3 steals per contest. When Honeycutt is at her best, she is game changing on defense and has eight games with four or more steals including 9 in a game opposite Marion.
Don’t be surprised if: Wabash has too much scoring power
The Apaches shared the TRC title this season and did so while winning 18 games overall and going 4-1 versus Sectional teams. That one loss was to Oak Hill back in mid-December. Wabash is an accomplished team and in this Sectional have the 2nd best record overall, second best record against Sectional teams and the second best record in the sectional against other Class 2A programs.
There weren’t really bumps in the road for the Apaches with the addition this season of Brookelyn Buzzard (15 ppg) and a really solid senior season out of Anna Daughtry (10.4 points, 4.2 steals per game). This is a team that goes three deep in double digit scoring averages with a fourth player who can pile it on offensively as well. The go into Sectionals on a six game win streak and have won 10 of their last 11 games.
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