Before we get to the 2026 Outside the Huddle All-Area Team and our end-of-year awards, Bounce wanted to take some time and take a last glance at area conferences and hand out some league-specific metaphorical hardware.
Today, we will look at the teams in the area that are not part of the four major conference.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Bryce Lacross, Blackhawk Christian
LaCross put together a breakout sophomore campaign for Blackhawk Christian, even though he broke out pretty well as a freshman. Emerging as one of the most productive and versatile guards in the area, the playmaker averaged 19.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game, showcasing his ability to impact the game in multiple ways while taking on a leading offensive role. His scoring ability was evident throughout the season, including standout performances like a 25-point outing against North Side and a 40-point effort in sectional play, proving he could deliver in big moments. Beyond the numbers, LaCross solidified himself as the cornerstone piece for the Braves moving forward.
HONORABLE MENTION: Mydin Burgher (Warsaw), Avery MacFarlane (Lakewood Park)
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Avery MacFarlane, Lakewood Park
If you know Bounce’s awards and OTH history, you know MVP means something different than Player of the Year. MVP to us is someone who is legit the most valuable to their team and overall success of that program.
MacFarlane delivered a dominant senior season for Lakewood Park Christian in 2025-2026, cementing himself as one of the premier all-around players in the area. The 6-foot-6 standout reached the 1,000-point mark for his high school career while averaging 20.4 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. His production placed him among the area’s best scorers and rebounders, and his ability to consistently control the paint and contribute offensively made him a nightly mismatch. MacFarlane’s season was highlighted by his ultra-rare double-double average—something few players in Northeast Indiana achieve—continuing the dominance he had already established earlier in his career.
HONORABLE MENTION: Ben Hardin (Canterbury), Kobe Marquardt (Lakewood Park), Chandler Cox (Whitko), Bryce Lacross (Blackhawk Christian), Wyatt Schroll (Manchester), Sam Lara (Warsaw)
BREAKOUT/MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: Wyatt Schroll, Manchester
Schroll’s season at Manchester marked one of the more impressive year-to-year jumps in the area, as the sophomore guard blossomed from a sometimes-used bench piece on the Squires’ state title team the year before into the primary offensive weapon. After averaging just 1.2 points per game in limited varsity minutes as a freshman, Schroll exploded into a leading role, putting up 18.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 2.5 steals per game.
His scoring ability quickly became the centerpiece of Manchester’s offense, highlighted by multiple big outings—including a 39-point performance against LaVille—and consistent stretches of 20-plus point games. Beyond just scoring, Schroll’s defensive activity and ability to create turnovers added another layer to his impact, helping him emerge as one of the Three Rivers Conference’s most dynamic young guards.
HONORABLE MENTION: Nicholas Collins (Canterbury), Jaeden O’Neal (Blackhawk Christian), Kyler Wood (Blackhawk Christian), Kobe Marquardt (Lakewood Park), Drew Jones (Warsaw), Cooper Laukhuf (Whitko)
COACH OF THE YEAR: Matt Roth, Blackhawk Christian
Blackhawk Christian put together another strong and tournament-tested campaign under coach Matt Roth during the 2025-2026 season, once again proving itself as one of the area’s most consistent programs. The Braves finished 20-8, a ninth straight season with 20 or more wins, including four straight seasons under Roth, who has never won less than 20 games at the helm of Blackhawk Christian.
The Braves saved some of their best basketball for March and masterful closing of close games, ripping off a postseason run that included wins over Angola (61-48) and DeKalb (53-52) before edging East Noble 47-45 to capture the Class 3A Sectional 21 championship—marking the program’s ninth consecutive sectional title, the longest active streak in the state. Blackhawk carried that momentum into the regional, extending a late-season winning streak before ultimately falling to Delta 40-30 to close the year.
Overall, it was a season defined by resilience and postseason success, as the Braves once again positioned themselves among Northeast Indiana’s top programs with another sectional trophy, something they did both of their years in Class 3A.
HONORABLE MENTION: Deric Adams (Canterbury), Matt Moore (Warsaw)
These opinions represent those of Bounce and Outside the Huddle. No opinions expressed on Outside the Huddle represent those of any of our advertisers. Follow Bounce on Twitter at Bounce_OTH
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