IHSAA softball Fab 15: Sectional outlook for Central Indiana's top teams

Indianapolis Star

19-05-2025

The IHSAA softball state tournament begins a week from today with the start of sectionals. In anticipation of the year's marquee event, let's take one last look at Central Indiana's top-15 teams and examine their sectional draw and postseason paths.
Last week: 1
The Dragons have cooled a bit following a torrid start to the season, but the 10 runs allowed to Fishers were the most they'd allowed all season (previous high was five … in a four-run win) and this weekend's setbacks vs. Munster (5-4) and Crown Point (2-1) were competitive, quality losses. They're still generating hits, the defense is still solid behind Sadey Hughbanks (she's been a marvel this season) — I'm still buying New Palestine and they retain the top spot based on strength of schedule.
The draw? Couldn't have gone much better. New Palestine missed the bye, but avoided rival Roncalli and potential party crashers Indian Creek and Shelbyville. Don't write off the Braves or Golden Bears, obviously, but a sectional final rematch with the Royals would be tremendous theater (NP rallied for a 4-3 win to snap a five-game losing streak in the series).
LW: 2
Another team that definitively answered the big question surrounding its group, the Trojans have found success rotating through Sarah Riley, Riley Fuhr and Kara Biever in the circle, with each pitcher logging over 30 innings pitched. Riley, a freshman, should be closing in on 60 strikeouts by the start of sectionals; Biever, a sophomore, has an ERA just over 1.00; and Fuhr, a junior, boasts a sub-3.00 ERA and brings postseason experience to the rotation. We'll see how coach Alyssa Coleman handles her pitchers moving forward, but she's got options.
The lineup is no joke, either, with Mae Munson batting around .500, Sydney Herrmann and Hayden Baird combining for over 10 home runs and Brynn Meyer and Ana Powell both in double-digits for RBIs.
The Trojans drew the bye. Their biggest challenge will likely come in the sectional championship game against either Franklin Central or Mooresville. CG beat the Flashes, 8-3, in early April.
LW: t-3
Friday's tilt vs. Zionsville was rained out after a few innings, but the Irish have otherwise maintained their torrid pace through the meat of their schedule, padding the resume with wins over Castle, Noblesville, Roncalli and, most recently, a come-from-behind triumph over East Central. Those go with an early-April win over West Lafayette Harrison that's appreciated in value (four runs on eight hits vs. Bradi Odom), and they'll ramp up for sectional week with games against Yorktown and Shelbyville.
It starts with ace Sidney Feczko, who has been phenomenal this season, posting a sub-1.00 ERA and over 140 strikeouts. The defense behind her has been rock solid (fielding percentage around .970) and the lineup is seriously powerful with a glut of veteran talent (Anna Moore, Maddie Liter, Angela Valentine and Amya Gary) and a young up-and-comer in freshman Jordyn Hazewlood, who's batting over .400 and is closing in on 20 steals. (Cathedral loves to run as a team and has swiped over 70 bags this year).
Cathedral's already beaten Bishop Chatard and Danville, its two biggest (potential) challengers in the sectional and regional, respectively. Semistate could produce a matchup against New Palestine, Roncalli, Cascade or Shelbyville down in Jasper (#intrigue).
LW: t-3
The Eagles did not start ace Leah Helton on Friday at Cathedral, understandably, but their lineup was putting the ball in play against Irish ace Sidney Feczko and Kristin Evers was holding her own through the first three innings, holding the score at 3-1 when play was suspended.
Helton has been a workhorse, boasting an ERA around 1.50 and clearing over 120 strikeouts. She's the centerpiece of a similarly potent lineup, that's among the state leaders in home runs (Helton and Sylvia Mudis provide most of the power), and is hitting around .350 as a group (Hannah Bray, Charli Westerfield and Olivia Kohler all have solid averages). Emma Vargo, a key senior, has been sidelined due to injury.The Eagles are built for a deep tournament run, but the Sectional 8 bracket is a gauntlet and their schedule is extremely back-loaded. Last week included games against Franklin Central, Cathedral and Danville. The upcoming week features Noblesville, North Central and Cascade ahead of Monday's sectional opener vs. Westfield. Avoiding Noblesville and Hamilton Southeastern in the sectional is a positive, but there are no guarantees in that bracket.
LW: 5
Everything goes through pitcher Grace Swedarsky. The Virginia Tech commit is good enough on her own to lead the defending 4A state champions back to Purdue's Bittinger Stadium. The defense's error total is inflated a bit by rough nights against New Palestine (6) and Lapel (5), and the offense is finding hits at a steady rate — it's just a matter of producing runs at a more consistent rate (scratch across a couple and that's enough for Swedarsky most nights). Addison Richmond is at the core of that lineup, with seniors Chloe Smith and Maya Valenta, and freshman Sophia Feher backing her up. Richmond, Valenta, Makena Burlingame, Kenzie Lee and Kaitlyn Burdick lead HSE in RBIs.
As noted above, Sectional 8 is brutal and HSE got an especially tough draw with Noblesville followed by Fishers and potentially Zionsville. The winner of S8 will travel to the winner of S7 in regional, that'll probably WL Harrison and the aforementioned Odom, who's been excellent in her first/only season as a Raider.
LW: 7
The Quakers' impressive record includes wins over Cascade, Danville, Noblesville and Brownsburg.
The lineup is certainly potent. Maci Hanlin and Kylie Fish have combined for over 10 home runs. Hanlin also has double-digit doubles (as does Kami Arnett) and is among the team leaders with 30-plus RBIs. Ayva Mayes also has 30-plus RBIs to go with 30-plus hits. Ava Broyles and Kenzi Arnett (the team leader in steals) have also been putting up big numbers at the plate; Sidney Parks and Kami Arnett anchor a pitching staff that has a combined 1.30 ERA and over 200 Ks.
Plainfield's draw is a mixed bag. It got the bye … but will likely have to face Brownsburg and freshman pitcher Etta Schroering, who did not pitch during the regular-season meeting a couple weeks ago. The regional matches them against the winner of the Mooresville sectional (Center Grove and Franklin Central are the favorites there).
LW: 6
The Millers, who lost a wild 12-10 game vs. Brownsburg on Thursday, have played one of the state's toughest schedules and have their fair share of signature wins to show for it (WL Harrison, Franklin Central, Western, Lake Central, HSE and Yorktown). They're batting .365 as a team; Delaney Rundle, Haley Schatko, Brookelyn Grayson, Reese Newsom, Izzy Zapp and Nevaeh Nash all have 20-plus hits; Schatko (5), Newsom (5), Addi Emmerson (4) and Maggie Kern (3) lead the team in homers; and they're closing in on 90 steals as a team.
The big key to Noblesville's run? Addison Retzinger. The sophomore hurler has 113 strikeouts and a 2.58 ERA in 78.2 innings. She's backed up by Emme Yee, who has an ERA around 4.00 and has fanned 30 hitters.
The Millers grinded out a 1-0 win over first-round opponent HSE on May 6, with Retzinger spinning a four-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts. Rundle had two hits off Swedarsky; Schatko drove in the game's lone run.
LW: 8
The potential sectional quarterfinal preview vs. Shelbyville was washed out, but we did see Roncalli go toe-to-toe with sectional heavyweight New Palestine, limiting the Dragons to four hits taking a lead into the fifth inning (albeit with Hughbanks being used sporadically). That will be worth keeping in mind ahead of a potential rematch next week at New Pal.
Bennie Leffler, the junior, has been red-hot at the plate, providing further depth to a lineup that brings a trio of other power hitters in Addy Poe, Mo Curtis and Natalie Summers, a hits machine in Carly Keller (leads the team in steals) and another dependable bat in Elise Baker. Roncalli — which went 1-2 last week, losing by a run to both Franklin Central and WL Harrison — has generated 10-plus hits in six of its past seven games.
The defense has been very good, committing just 13 errors (.977 fielding percentage), and Poe, Kayla Brewer and Baker have handled the pitching duties, racking up nearly 200 strikeouts combined.
LW: 9
If the sectional bracket goes chalk, Edgewood would be a fun sectional final opponent for Cascade with Cadets ace Grace Gray going against Ally Bland, who's allowed just 17 earned runs (29 total) through her first 102 innings this season (164 strikeouts).
Gray is at the center of a very deep, experienced and talented Cascade roster. Tara Gruca, Lacie Godby, Ava Allen, Macey Pugh and Suzy Moore have all reprised their roles as key contributors from last year's 2A title run, and they've been bolstered by the emergence of sophomore Grace Parks, who has one of the fastest swings on the team according to coach Brett Taber and is batting over .420 with six doubles.
The Cadets beefed up their schedule this season with games against Castle, Zionsville (twice), Shelbyville, Sullivan, Center Grove, Hamilton Heights, Franklin Central, Danville and Fishers. That experience should have prepared them for their first foray into the 3A state tourney. They will likely host Cathedral if they advance.
LW: 10
When they're on, the Bulldogs are dangerous. They made waves a couple weeks ago, going nine innings with HSE in an eventual 1-0 loss, then highlighted last week with wins at Noblesville and at Franklin Central. Their resume also includes narrow losses to Crown Point and Center Grove, plus a walk-off win over Castle.
Schroering will make her postseason debut, while the lineup is led by Ohio State commit Izzy Neal, a track star. She's an on-base machine (and has 35 steals), and there's ample power behind her with Tatum Hunt (eight homers), Ashley Sylvia and Kensly Larkin, plus AG Pogue, Bailey Paddock and Hailey Prather, all of whom have double-digit RBIs.
Barring anything unexpected vs. Ben Davis, Plainfield will be the first major hurdle, then the championship game will likely require either dethroning former 3A power Tri-West or avenging a regular-season loss to Avon (Schroering pitched 5.2 innings and allowed one unearned run on eight hits in the 5-3 loss).
LW: 11
Whoever wins between Frankton and Lapel probably goes on to win the sectional. The Bulldogs, who finished runner-up in 2A last season, have a pitching staff headlined by a pair of sophomores — ace Ava Zdanowski, who has a sub-2.20 ERA and around 50 Ks, and Addison Bodenhorn, who has a sub-0.50 ERA and around 30 Ks — and a senior, Karlie Jannings. Jannings and Bodenhorn are also part of a lineup that's totaled over 200 hits as a group, and has ample returning experience from last season with Laylah Gore, Paige Stires, Ava Everman and Tatum Harper — all of whom have maintained their successes from last season. Taylor Mroz and Delaney Balser have both cleared 10 RBIs this season.
Advance past Frankton and Lapel will have a clear path to regionals, where it will likely host either Madison-Grant or Alexandria-Monroe (both pose a significant challenge).
LW: 13
The Tigers scored their best win of the season Wednesday, tagging Hughbanks for 10 runs (eight earned) on 12 hits over six innings en route to a 10-4 victory. Kate Murray set the school's all-time home run record in the win (she drove in a couple runs), Brooke Clayton had two hits and three RBIs, Adrianne Cook and Cate Summerfield both had two hits and an RBI.
Kendall Jordan and Hailey Kinder are batting over .500 and .400, respectively, both with 20-plus hits and double-digit RBIs, Anna McGrath is another reliable hitter, as is Azstryd Alexander. Consistency in the field will be critical for the Tigers, who've committed multiple errors in six of their past seven games, including five against McCutcheon and nine against Cascade over the weekend.
Fishers' resume also includes wins over Brownsburg and Yorktown. It took a 15-0 loss to Noblesville in mid-April (out-hit 13-2) and dropped a 6-0 decision vs. Hamilton Southeastern.
LW: 15
The Saints' record is always misleading as they play an extremely difficult schedule. This year's opponents have included Indian Creek, Cathedral, Mt. Vernon, Triton Central and Frankton. That experience has them battle-tested and poised for another deep tournament run with a pair of dependable arms in senior Brooklyn Barger and junior Gracie Boggs (over 60 and 80 strikeouts, respectively, with only four home runs allowed), and a lineup that's generated over 100 RBIs and 130-plus runs scored. Leyla Miller is batting .492, Avery Langston's scored 25 runs, Shae Olson is batting .397 and has driven in 17 runs and Zoe Sondag accounted for all three of the team's home runs.
Lutheran should not encounter much resistance in the sectional or regional. Semistate could match them against any number of heavyweights with ranked West Washington, Tri, Orleans and Clay City among the possible opponents.
LW: 14
The Flashes were 4-4 and coming off a 10-0 blowout loss to New Palestine in mid-April. Then they went 2-1 at a weekend event at Lake Central with two notable out-of-state wins and a narrow loss to the host Indians. They've gone 11-5 since, with two of those losses coming last week against Zionsville and Brownsburg.
Franklin Central is scrappy, resilient and experienced, with a talented No. 1 pitcher, Kiley Renick, who also powers a lineup that's batting around .390 as a group. Audrina Yorn, Jadyn Tinsley, Adelaide Hubbard, Kaylie Grayson, Alex Ireland and August Coons are all batting above .300 and have at least one homer and double-digit RBIs; Sarah Miller has over 30 hits and is nearing 30 runs scored.
Minimizing errors in the field will be critical (team fielding percentage around .920) for the Flashes, who have not played first-round foe Mooresville yet, but did drop an 8-3 decision to Center Grove. FC trailed 4-3 entering the sixth.
LW: 12
The Golden Bears, who lost to Westfield and dropped an eight-inning decision at Jennings County last week, have a pair of big bats smack in the middle of their lineup with Marshall commit Addison Stieneker and Anna Shearer. That pair has combined for over 80 hits, nearly 20 dingers and more than 70 RBIs. That's really impressive and there's a collection of capable hitters behind them with Destiney Johnson, Gracie Crafton, Julie Garrison, Kali Laycock and Hailey Maulden.
Crafton, a sophomore, has been solid in her first full season as the team's No. 1 starter, going 12-6 with a 4.41 ERA and 129 strikeouts. She went the distance to secure narrow wins over Bloomington North (eight innings), Seymour, Columbus North and Pendleton Heights, and allowed just four runs on five hits over three innings against New Palestine.
The sectional draw is tough with Indian Creek in game one, followed by Roncalli (probably) the next night.