5 area teams remain for the Semi State round out of 8 that made it to Regionals, the most that Northeast Indiana could have had moving on, two wins away from a state title.
Remember, now semi state is a two game slate, meaning that these teams must win two games this Saturday to qualify for a state title berth.
CLASS 4A
FEATURING NORWELL AT LAPORTE
Norwell has two winning streaks this season. One for 11 games and their current trek at 10 games. This is a big week for the Knights, but no longer an unusual one as they play in the semi state round for the third straight season, but for the first time in Class 4A. Last season, Norwell won by 38 total points on semi state Saturday each of the last two seasons in a row; it kind of makes sense when you look at how Norwell performs, with consistency.
The Knights are currently considered the favorite to win the Class 4A state title and the overwhelming favorite to win this weekend’s semi state round with opening game opponent Crown Point considered the least likely to get through Saturday. Vanessa Rosswurm has herself on the Miss Basketball radar at 23.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, coming off another massive game against Snider last Saturday as the Knights scored 90 points – their most in a game since beating New Haven 90-22 in 2023. Add in severe intrigue with how much Macie Saalfrank (15.6 ppg) has developed every single game and the Knights look to be clicking better than ever. Saalfrank had 25 points and six steals in the win over Snider; she is averaging a team best 3.8 steals per game for Norwell this season.
Opposite from Norwell in the first game on Saturday sits Crown Point. The Bulldogs have three seniors on the roster, but are led and loaded by youth. Sophomore Ava Richie leads with 16.6 points and 3.5 steals per contest. Richie also shoots 35 percent from downtown on 161 attempts.
It feels like Northridge is playing with house money at this point after their massive Sectional round. The Raiders are led by Lily Scholl’s 18 points per game, bolstered by 12.4 ppg from Alli Ambers on a roster that is young and maybe here a year earlier than projected, but the Raiders are still here and riding a wave. Junior Zoe Yeater is shooting a team second best 51 percent behind Scholl’s 56 percent. They will face a strong scoring McCutcheon team, led by Junior Indiana All-Star candidate Lillie Graves’ 17 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game.
SCHEDULE
Northridge (20-7) vs. McCutcheon (22-5), 10 am
Crown Point (23-4) vs. Norwell (23-4), Noon
Championship, 8 pm
BOUNCE’S PREDICTION: Norwell beats Northridge 70-53 to win Semi State title
CLASS 3A
FEATURING BELLMONT AND FAIRFIELD AT LOGANSPORT
Will we get an area team showdown again this season in the semi state round? That is the way the new layout of things allows things to take place. Like their NE8 counterparts Norwell, this Bellmont team is considered by the computer to be the new favorite in Class 3A to capture a state title. That is a massive place to be for this program, who have won five in a row and only lost this season to the three Class 4A area juggernauts including the aforementioned Norwell. It is wild that Bellmont has played Norwell in the postseason so often that both teams now sit two wins away from being able to play back to back at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Bellmont had a super balanced Regional effort with Oni Krueckeberg, Ashley Bleke and Marianne Bleke each scoring 14 points in a 63-32 homecourt win over East Noble for this first Regional crown since 1993.
Fairfield has won eight in a row after a loss in the NECC Tournament semi finals. The Falcons have their second 20-win season under third year coach Kyle Hartman and this team clicks really well both on the basketball court and through their personalities. To reach a final against Bellmont, the Falcons would need to pull off another upset as Connersville is the heavy favorite in the noon game. Oddly enough, Bellmont and Fairfield don’t cross paths ever despite not being that far from eachother in geographical distance. Madison Jones was again stellar in the Regional title game, scoring 18 points with nine rebounds in the win over Kankakee Valley.
The Braves will open with Culver Academy, who are led by a freshman themselves while Bellmont has a solid young core. Laine Lyles averages 15.9 points per game for the Eagles, the only player on the team in double digit scoring this season. Senior Piper Brumm is a solid matchup too, averaging 8.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Culver’s other standout is junior Mimi Smith, who averages 3.8 steals per game with seven games of five or more steals.
Fairfield will open against Connersville, who is a senior laden group with three of those Class of 2026ers scoring double digits per game: Serenity Pennington (12.5 ppg), Ahniyah Bennett (12) and Addison Jones (10); sophomore Kendyl Bottomley adds 11.9 points per contest. At 6-foot-1, Bottomley is a matchup problem in the post where she averages 8.4 rebounds per game, tops in the 3A north semi state.
SCHEDULE
Bellmont (22-3) vs. Culver Academy (22-5), 10 am
Connersville (20-7) vs. Fairfield (20-6), Noon
Championship, 8 pm
BOUNCE’S PREDICTION: Bellmont beats Fairfield 55-49 to win Semi State title
CLASS 2A
FEATURING WHITKO AT FRANKFORT
Ranked number one. State title favorite. Back-to-back Regional titles. That is the kind of massive program that coach Justin Jordan has been able to build at Whitko. Jordan took over a one win program in 2020 and now six seasons in, he has flipped that record to only show one loss as the Wildcats are two wins away from their first ever state finals appearance. The Wildcats had not won a postseason title of any kind before last season, so to get here has been a testament to the program and the work of the players. Last season ended in a 13 point loss to Eastside in the opening game of semi state, but that demon was exorcized easily last weekend in a 64-28 Regional title win over that same Blazers program.
Whitko won last week with a balanced effort, similar to what they have used all season. Reese Stonebraker scored 16 to lead the way, but the Wildcats got 10 points each from Jayma Stonebraker, Hazel Leffers and Jocelyn Luecke. They also hit nine three pointers in a game where they held Eastside to zero triples, showcasing a defensive advantage that will massive this week; they also had 15 steals in the game headlined by Reese Stonebraker’s four – and she did all of that in 19 minutes played.
Whitko will do battle first with Oak Hill, who averages just 49.6 points per game compared to Whitko’s 64.5. Oak Hill has just one senior on their roster and are led by sophomore Brianna Dailey at 15.8 points per game. The Golden Eagles’ defense his a quality one though to try and keep Whitko far from their scoring average. At 13.5 steals per game, Oak Hill is led defensively by Landri Hardman’s 3.1 steals per contest and Dailey’s 1.6 blocks per contest.
On the other side of the bracket, Lapel represents likely the biggest challenge for Whitko in the long run. Senior Laniah Wills is among the favorites to be a Miss Basketball contender, averaging 26.7 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game. The 6-footer is a combo everything for the Bulldogs, she does a lot of everything and she does it really well. They will face Bremen, who is led by the senior trio of Eliana Grubbs (14.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg), Emma Kincaid (14.2 ppg) and Emma Lawmaster (10.4 ppg).
SCHEDULE
Lapel (22-4) vs. Bremen (23-2), 10 am
Whitko (25-1) vs. Oak Hill (22-3), Noon
Championship, 8 pm
BOUNCE’S PREDICTION: Whitko beats Lapel 62-55 to win Semi State title
CLASS 1A
FEATURING FREMONT AT HUNTINGTON
Fremont led Class 1A number one Marquette Catholic by five points after three quarters, and finished them off 64-51. Perhaps there was a some shell shocked nature to Marquette and to Fremont, because there was some shell shock to pretty much everyone in the state as Fremont pulled off arguably the biggest upset in the state for the Regional round. Mya Turner secured her 1000th career point in the third quarter becoming the second junior on this roster to hit that big milestone. Turner’s 26 point effort combined with Grace Scharlach’s 20 and Hailey Heller’s 11 to give Fremont their first trip to semi state since 1999. Can they rally again this week – as they are given the third best odds currently to win state and the second best to win the semi state behind Elkhart Christian?
Monroe Central is the first opponent for Fremont, also sitting at just two losses this season. The Golden Bears have not lost since January 3, their only regulation loss of the season. Led by a quintet of sophomores, Abe Ervin leads the way with 15.6 points per game as well as four steals per contest. Also scoring in double figure per game is Brynlee Patterson at 14.1 points and 3.1 steals per game.
Opposite of Fremont in the bracket will be an eight loss North Miami team and semi state favorite Elkhart Christian. North Miami has a fairly deep lineup, led by Laney Musall at 13.3 points per game and Kayden Donaldson at 12.5 points per game with Donaldson also being big on the boards with 8.6 rebounds per contest to add to the 10.4 per game from Grace Sailors. Elkhart Christian’s scoring depth is dangerous with five players averaging seven or more per game including four scoring in double digits. The more dangerous part of that top 5 as far as the future goes and where they are already? There are two sophomores and two freshmen involved. Sophomore Lily Maxwell leads the way with 11.6 points per game, followed by fellow sophomore Kyla Yordy with 10.4 points and team highs with 5.4 assists and 3.6 steals per game. Also in double figure scoring for Elkhart Christian are freshman Mia Hibbard (10.2) and senior Ivy Clapsaddle (10.1).
SCHEDULE
North Miami (18-8) vs. Elkhart Christian (22-4), 10 am
Fremont (26-2) vs. Monroe Central (21-2), Noon
Championship, 8 pm
BOUNCE’S PREDICTION: Fremont beats Elkhart Christian 42-37 to win Semi State title
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