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Indianapolis Star
3 days ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
IHSAA girls volleyball preview: Central Indiana sleeper teams entering 2025 under the radar
There are a number of Central Indiana high school girls volleyball teams beyond those included in our preseason Fab 15 who are capable of challenging for a sectional title and potentially a deep state tournament run. Let's take a closer look at some of those teams — most of whom will probably appear in those area rankings later this season. The Orioles will be breaking in a new setter under the direction of a new coach next season. But coach Kyla Thomas has ample experience in her lineup, particularly on the attack, which returns kill leaders Avery Walter, Aniah Kilburn and Milyn Kirsh. The defense will likely transition leadership to an underclassman, sophomore Stella Hamood, who logged 306 digs (most among returners) and a team-leading 45 aces over 98 sets last fall. The schedule — which opens with Center Grove, Yorktown, Bellmont and Tri-West — will have this group ready for postseason play. IndyStar preseason Super Team: Get to know Central Indiana's best players Coach Jonni Parker returns a lot of talent in her second season, headlined by juniors London Evans, a Marquette-bound setter/right side, and Lila Bruszewski, a Charleston-bound outside hitter. The defense is also experienced with junior Tennie Anderson and senior Lexi Kedvesh both returning. Filling in the attack beyond Bruszewski will be key. Junior Emily Overbeck led the team in kills last season and there are a number of newcomers eager to make an impact: Freshman Caroline Far (outside) and sophomores Alaina Mclendon (middle), Sydney Clouse (outside) and Addison Kilroy (setter/right side). The Crusaders graduated just one senior and return an all-state honoree in outside hitter Kenzie Mann. That's a terrific foundation for a group that saw record turnout for tryouts (50 girls!) and has experience returning at middle hitter (Raven Russell) and setter (Kadison Oppy). Russell, a 6-3 senior, logged 109 blocks and 117 kills last season. Injuries may hamper the Tigers early on, but their overall depth, defensive prowess and talent on the block (see: 6-1 junior Lana Mays, who had 72 blocks in 2024) has them lurking as a potential party-crasher in Sectional 8. Setter Ava Tester and Ella Dragoo figure to serve as the battery on the attack, which first-year coach Kimberly Baker expects to play at a fast tempo and with more consistency. Look for newcomers Alana Kay — who's projected to start at middle blocker as a freshman — Caitlyn Gutt (opposite/setter) and Katie Brinkruff (DS) to have an impact this year, alongside senior outside Kylie Wilson. Junior outside Laila Love is recovering from a back injury. The graduation of record-setting hitter Abby Kaminski means the Flashes will have a more balanced offense this season, with middles Brenna Storz (Central Michigan commit) and Brooklyn Wake expected to take on more prominent roles. The team's talent on the outside raises expectations, as well, with returning sophomore Ryelle Koomler joined by incoming freshman Delaney Cooper. Tying together the offense: Setter Emily Williams, a rising junior whose ability to block and defend will help compensate for the loss of Kaminski. FC brings depth defensively, as well, with Katie Bailey and Kinley Huotari joined by Roncalli transfer Cicily Boarders. The Wildcats will be very inexperienced, but they have a few strong foundational pieces to build upon. Setter Kyra Joostberns picked up 743 assists (9.5 per set) and 45 aces as a sophomore, while Anna Joostberns and Addie Hammel provide depth behind senior libero Jayda Vanoskey, an IU-Columbus commit. Addie Knox, coach Nick Cox's "utility player," will occupy the outside opposite Amaya Zander, who hit .268 and picked up 133 kills as a freshman. Sophomore middles Micah Shanklin and Malia Norfleet will handle things at the net. The Saints graduated three critical seniors and lost their lone returning senior, Delaney Pass, to an ACL injury. So, yeah, there may be some early growing pains. But given time this has potential to be a dangerous group with outside hitter Lillian Pass and setters Reagan Crabtree and Shaefer Scearce ready to lead the retooled offense, and newcomer Sophia Levine poised to make her varsity debut. Coach Kathy Anderson is also high on the potential of junior outside/middle Faith King, who impressed through the first week of practice. The Marauders will be adapting the pace of their offense as they replace setter Ava Whitmore, but there is ample experience returning for this senior-driven group which returns 10 varsity players. Evansville commit Aubry Dowling anchors what should be a very solid defense, with Emersyn Llewellyn bringing additional depth. Seniors Alivia Morgan in the middle and Sierra Holverson on the outside (and DS), and transfer Da'aliyah Kemp will be key figures on the attack. Freshman Sophie Rahmany will likely step in as setter. Mt. Vernon poses the biggest threat to Yorktown in Sectional 9. Last season marked the Panthers' first sub-.500 finish since 2020. They're looking to get back to 20 wins this season and have the talent to challenge for a sectional title. They'll be strongest on offense with the core trio of Rose Strabala at setter, Maddie Follman on the outside and Maya Loy in the middle bolstered by the arrival of newcomers Sophia Reeves, Lily Orr and Kenleigh Schueller. Coach Wong Boodrasang expects his team to be stronger defensively, but it's unclear who will sport the libero jersey. A match to circle: Oct. 7 at Lawrence North, which will likely determine the MIC champion.
Indianapolis Star
07-08-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
IHSAA volleyball preview: Indiana's top liberos and defensive specialists to watch in 2025
The 2025 high school volleyball season is nearly upon us! Our Insider Brian Haenchen will be getting you prepared for the upcoming campaign with a week's worth of content, all leading up to the unveiling of our preseason Super Team on Aug. 11 and Central Indiana preseason Fab 15 on Aug. 13. Be sure to subscribe to the Indianapolis Star and follow Brian on Twitter for Indiana high school volleyball updates and coverage throughout the season. IHSAA volleyball preview: Indiana's top setters to watch in 2025 IHSAA volleyball preview: Indiana's top outside and opposite hitters to watch Today, we're looking at the state's top liberos and defensive specialists. Listed as a defensive specialist and outside hitter, the junior Dayton commit recorded 428 digs and 110 kills over 95 sets last season. Breitwieser also set career-highs with her 57 aces and 69 assists. She has 667 digs through two varsity seasons. A 5-3 junior, Dakin averaged nearly 10 digs per match last season, totaling 367 over 114 sets for the semistate runner-up Bruins. She also notched 60 assists and 56 aces (284 points). Dakin set her season-high with 21 digs against Brebeuf and had 17 against both Cathedral and Class A champion Trinity Lutheran. Del Real, a Southern Illinois commit, is coming off a career season. She set career-highs across the board with 501 digs (14.7 per match), 91 assists and 41 aces for the regional champion Bulldogs. Doak, who recently committed to Marshall, will be stepping in for Kennedy Cherry as the Huskies' libero. She was charged with just seven errors on 169 receptions last season as a sophomore and totaled 134 digs over 75 sets. She also served for 89 points with 14 aces. Widely regarded among the state's top 2028 prospects, Haffner racked up 453 digs and 60 aces across 108 sets in her debut campaign. She was charged with just 22 errors on 471 receptions and was one of 12 players selected to Team USA's U19 roster for the Pan American Cup over the summer. Another highly touted 2028 prospect, Hurley recorded 170 digs (6.1 per match) and 25 aces in her first season. She picked up a season-high 23 digs in a five-set loss to Warsaw, and had a run of 10 straight matches with one reception error or fewer entering the sectional final for the eventual sectional champion Kingsmen. The senior IU commit made contributions both defensively (611 digs; 1,452 for her career) and offensively (106 assists; 337 career) for last season's sectional champs. Hepler also served up 55 aces and scored 55 points, and picked up the third assist of her career. Her 33 reception errors were a career-low. A 5-4 Taylor commit, Flagle cleared 1,200 career digs as a junior, racking up a career-high 513 over 100 sets (5.1 per set). She also set 51 assists and served for 50 aces and 224 points. Flagle had a season-high 45 digs against Greenfield-Central. The 5-4 McConnell notched 314 digs over 104 sets playing alongside 2025 graduate Bella Dafforn last season as a junior. She was charged with just 24 errors on 387 receptions and completed her line with 52 aces and 81 assists. Ritchie was a defensive stalwart in her debut season, accumulating 439 digs and 697 receptions (30 errors) over 115 sets for the 4A state runner-up Tigers. She posted a 92.8 serve percentage with 228 points and 62 aces, and totaled 12 blocks (two solo). A junior Bowling Green commit, Strack picked up 460 digs and served for 192 points with 35 aces. She also had 43 assists with just one error on 44 attempts and put down five kills on 22 attempts. The senior West Virginia commit was charged with just 19 errors on 317 receptions and dug out a career-high 311 shots (nearly matched her total from the previous two seasons combined). She also served up 37 aces and 216 points, and put down three kills. The senior Oakland commit nearly matched her career-high with 436 digs. She did set career-highs with her 54 aces and 105 assists, helping lead the Bulldogs to a sectional championship.
Indianapolis Star
04-08-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
IHSAA volleyball preview: Indiana's top outside and opposite hitters to watch in 2025
The 2025 high school volleyball season is nearly upon us! Our Insider Brian Haenchen will be getting you prepared for the upcoming campaign with a week's worth of content, all leading up to the unveiling of our preseason Super Team on Aug. 13 and Central Indiana preseason Fab 15 on Aug. 14. Be sure to subscribe to IndyStar and follow Brian on Twitter for Indiana high school volleyball updates and coverage throughout the season. Today, we're looking at the state's top outside and opposite side hitters. A junior Michigan commit, Bombacino tallied 325 kills on .254 hitting for the sectional champions, who return their top two attackers and both starting setters. Bombacino also racked up 203 digs, 43 blocks and 72 aces over her 103 sets played. The Loyola Chicago-bound senior furthered her development following a strong sophomore campaign, racking up 485 kills on .307 hitting. She cleared 20 kills in four matches (reached 26 twice) and rounded out her 2024 line with 39 aces, 33 blocks and 270 digs. Volleyball state finals return to Indy: It felt inevitable. Reaction is nearly all positive The reigning Journal & Courier Small Schools Player of the Year, Foster hit .370 and racked up 343 kills over just 89 sets for the sectional runner-up Bison. The Western Kentucky commit posted double-digit kills in all but 13 matches, averaging 3.9 per set and setting her season-high with 20 in a four-set win over Evansville Memorial. She rounded out her season line with 60 aces, 33 blocks (25 solo) and 232 digs, and enters her senior season with 1,050 kills through three varsity seasons. The 5-9 senior hit .330 and tallied 287 kills across 99 sets. She notched a career-high 47 aces, 41 blocks (35 solo), a career-high 265 digs and 18 assists. Gumbel, who picked up a season-high 17 kills (.406 hit%) in a four-set loss to Homestead, enters her senior season with 493 kills and 94 total blocks across two-plus varsity seasons. Hanchar enjoyed a breakout junior campaign, totaling 339 kills on .310 hitting for the short-handed Irish. She also served 37 aces, blocked 39 shots (14 solo) and collected 252 digs. She is a 5-10 full-rotation hitter. The 2026 Illinois commit led the Hornets to the Class 3A state final last season, averaging 5.6 kills over 121 sets (676 total, .373 hit%). She's a prolific attacker, evidenced by her five matches with 30-plus kills. Among those outings were a 37-kill performance vs. NorthWood (.395 hit%) and a 36-spot (.414 hit%) vs. 4A Homestead. The 6-foot Harris, who has 1,164 career kills, also logged 127 aces, 53 total blocks and 265 digs. The 5-11 Alabama commit scored 425 kills in her third varsity season, putting her within reach of the 1,000-kill plateau entering the fall. She also recorded 47 aces, 20 total blocks, 323 digs and five assists. Two of Imes' best performances came against two of the best teams on the Eagles' schedule: Westfield (27 kills, .250 hit%) and Hamilton Southeastern (25 kills). A 6-2 Central Michigan commit, Jones totaled 56 blocks on the right side last season for the state champion Royals. She also put down 145 kills, 36 aces (166 points) and 62 digs. Jones blocked five shots in a 3-2 win over Tri-West in mid-September. Lemming accumulated 547 kills on .494 hitting over 81 sets last season (6.8 per set), leaving her with 1,289 entering her final varsity season. The Butler commit, who set a season-high with 51 kills on .610 hitting in a four-set win over Rensselaer Central, also notched 55 aces (112 points), 18 blocks and 332 digs. A 6-1 opposite side hitter, Lewis was the Irish's primary attacker, totaling 204 kills (428 career), 77 total blocks (37 solo), 38 aces and 62 digs over 88 sets. The Georgetown commit had 12 kills on .556 hitting in a two-set sweep of Center Grove and six total blocks in a four-set loss to Roncalli. The 5-11 Ohio-bound senior cleared 1,000 career kills, totaling 463 on .340 hitting to leave her three-year total at 1,035 (.280 hit%). Mahin also picked up 69 aces, 41 total blocks, 271 digs and 22 assists. A recent Ball State commit, the 6-1 Mandsager is back after missing her sophomore season due to injury. She was very good as a freshman, posting 216 kills on .230 hitting, 43 aces, 29 total blocks (24 solo) and 103 digs. Miles, a 6-1 Illinois commit, dazzled as one of HSE's primary attackers, racking up 411 kills on .402 hitting with 28 blocks, 11 aces and 80 digs over 104 sets. She had 15-plus kills in five matches, including a season-high 21 on .410 hitting in the semistate final vs. FW Carroll. The 2027 Kentucky commit improved her efficiency (hit% increased from .306 to .377) as she cleared 300 kills for a second consecutive season (340; 721 career). She served 36 aces and 134 points, and rounded out her season line with 20 solo blocks (30 total), 251 digs and 59 assists for the regional champion Knights. A rising 2028 prospect, the 5-7 Ritchie picked up 185 kills in her debut season (115 sets). She also registered 62 aces (228 points), 12 total blocks and 439 digs over 115 sets. Ritchie cleared 10 kills in five matches, posting a dozen against both Brebeuf Jesuit and Avon. The 5-11 Purdue commit is ranked tops at her position by Prep Dig Indiana and is coming off a career year for the regional champion Bulldogs. Schara scored 577 kills on .322 hitting (1,480 career), 57 aces, 27 blocks and 359 digs (1,012 career). She's the centerpiece of a very talented returning nucleus for Crown Point. Another future Purdue Boilermaker, the 5-10 senior reset her career-high with 517 kills on .355 hitting. She tacked on 47 aces, 43 solo blocks (50 total), 358 digs and 25 aces to her season line and enters the fall with 1,174 kills, 104 blocks and 741 digs for her career. Sinish, an IU Indy commit, cleared 1,200 career kills for the 4A state champs last season, totaling 494 on .351 hitting. She put down 23 kills in the semistate final vs. HSE, then notched 15 against Yorktown in the final. Sinish also logged 61 aces, 49 total blocks, and 236 digs. She has 128 blocks and 635 digs for her career. The 6-0 senior established herself as a key contributor to the HSE rotation last fall, registering 215 kills on .291 hitting over 102 sets. She had a season-high 18 kills in a five-set win over Zionsville and rounded out her season line with 43 blocks and 40 digs. Sliwa is a Ball State commit. The West Virginia-bound Smith reached 450 kills — her second consecutive season with at least that many — on .271 hitting. She also recorded 244 digs, 36 total blocks (22 solo) and 49 aces over 87 sets. Smith has over 1,200 career kills and is closing in on 1,000 career digs. A 6-1 Missouri commit, the multi-sport Stahley set career-highs across the board with 394 kills on .350 hitting, nine aces, 31 total blocks, 80 digs and 11 assists. She had 12 kills in the state championship match vs. Angola, and enters her final varsity season with 641 career kills. The Notre Dame commit is back for her senior year after missing most of last season due to injury. Stegall, a 5-11 outside, had 235 kills, 60 digs, seven aces and 26 blocks as a freshman in 2023. The rapidly rising sophomore made quite the impression as a freshman, totaling 404 kills on .302 hitting, 31 aces, 35 total blocks and 242 digs. Utterback cleared 20 kills in five matches, including a career-high 28 (.345 hit%) in a five-set loss to Brownsburg in the sectional. The SMU commit fought through injury to help the Bruins reach the 3A state semifinals, recording 243 kills on .255 hitting, 40 aces, 62 total blocks and 147 digs over 90 sets. She had 10-plus kills in 10 matches, including a season-high 15 in a four-set win over eventual 2A state champ Western Boone. More names to know: Rylee Bumgardner, Danville; Callie Gibson, Brownsburg; Addison Jones, Barr-Reeve; Lanie Marie Graber, Barr-Reeve; Natalie Sevier, New Palestine; Ella Warrick, Linton-Stockton; Sophie Wischmeier, Brownstown Central.
Indianapolis Star
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
IHSAA baseball Fab 15 rankings: A change at the top, plus sectional predictions
We've made it to the final week of the IHSAA baseball regular season. Temperatures have consistently reached perfect baseball weather without getting too hot (in my opinion). Top teams continue to jostle for the top spot. The middle tier has started to stabilize as well with Zionsville making a leap back up the rankings. Here's this week's Central Indiana Fab 15: Last ranking: No. 2 The Tigers clinched at least a share of the Hoosier Crossroads Conference title with their 4-2 win over Franklin Central. The Tigers can clinch an outright title with a win over Brownsburg on Wednesday, or with a Zionsville loss to Noblesville. The Tigers have won four games in a row and are 11-1 in the toughest conference in the state. That's a résumé worthy of the No. 1 spot. ∎ Sectional prediction: Fishers opens sectional play against Hamilton Southeastern. Fishers is 2-0 against HSE this season. Playing a rival in an elimination game adds intrigue to the matchup, but I think Fishers advances to face the winner of Zionsville vs. Noblesville. It's unfortunate one of Fishers, Zionsville or Noblesville won't advance past the sectional semifinals, but need for a seeded tournament aside, in this exercise, I have Fishers advancing to face Westfield in the sectional championship. Fishers is 2-0 against Westfield with a combined margin of victory of just three runs. Expect a close game, but I think Fishers wins the sectional championship. Last ranking: No. 1 Center Grove has stumbled a bit, dropping two of its past four games. The Trojans will be tested down the stretch with games against Hamilton Southeastern, University and Brebeuf Jesuit looming. ∎ Sectional prediction: In another unfortunate sectional draw, reigning Class 4A runner-up Mooresville opens the postseason against Center Grove. One state title contender will be eliminated in the first round. Seems like an issue seeding could fix. With that being said, I expect Hudson DeVaughan to give the Pioneers a good chance to win, but Center Grove's depth will be too much for Mooresville. I think Center Grove advances past the winner of Southport vs. Perry Meridian to face Decatur Central. Decatur Central is a program on the rise with multiple talented underclassmen, but knocking off Center Grove is too much to ask. I have Center Grove winning the sectional title. Last Ranking: No. 4 Roncalli may be one of the hottest teams in Central Indiana. The Royals have won 11 games in a row and claimed two title last week, winning the Marion County tournament with a win over Brebeuf Jesuit on Tuesday and claiming the Circle City Conference title with a win over Guerin Catholic on Thursday. ∎ Sectional prediction: Roncalli gets one of the tougher first-round matchups opening against Shelbyville. Shelbyville has an ace in Kentucky commit Aiden Smith. Smith is 4-1 with a 2.21 ERA and 43 strikeouts over 31⅔ innings. If Smith is on, the Golden Bears have a good chance to knock off the Royals. I think Smith gives his team a great start, but Roncalli pulls out the win in the end. The Royals avoid a semifinal matchup against New Palestine, and I think both teams advance to the sectional final, setting up a great game between New Pal and Roncalli. Heading into the final week of the regular season, Roncalli has a team ERA of 2.05. New Pal has a team ERA of 1.52. Roncalli has four players with more than 27 innings pitched. New Pal has just two, Rigg Mahurin and Holden Hughes. I think Roncalli's depth allows it to knock off New Pal in a close game. Last ranking: No. 5 New Pal's offense has caught fire over its current three-game winning streak, scoring a total of 28 runs. ∎ Sectional prediction: I broke down the New Pal sectional in the Roncalli capsule above. I think New Pal advances past Rushville and Indian Creek, setting up a sectional championship game against Roncalli. The title game is a true toss-up, but I think Roncalli's depth will help the Royals defeat the Dragons in a close game. Last ranking: No. 6 Noblesville continues to rise back up the rankings. The Millers have won 10 games in a row, but they face a tough final week with a game against Brownsburg and two games against Zionsville looming. Adding to the difficulty of their final week, Noblesville ends the regular season against Zionsville, only to open sectional play against the Eagles, too. ∎ Sectional prediction: The outcome of this week would've certainly impacted how I predicted the outcome of Noblesville's first-round matchup against Zionsville. But I'm working on this before the teams play twice, so I'm going to give it my best guess. Both teams can put two aces on the mound. Junior Beckett Doane and senior Joe Glander have electric stuff for Noblesville. Zionsville can counter with sophomore Davis Moore and senior Brady Shaw. Noblesville has an experience advantage, and the offense has more slugging with senior Trevor Corbett and junior Aiden Reynolds combining for six home runs. I think Noblesville advances past Zionsville, before losing in a close game to Fishers. Last ranking: No. 14 Zionsville is the big riser with its two victories over Avon. Brady Shaw and Nick Wahl combined for a one-hit win over Avon in the first game. Camden Moore, Jackson Tielker and Matt Pederson had two RBIs each. Davis Moore threw a one-hit shutout in Zionsville's second win over Avon. ∎ Sectional predictions: I broke down the Zionsville vs. Noblesville sectional matchup in the Noblesville capsule above. Both teams are well-balanced, but I think the Millers' offense helps Noblesville pull out a close first-round win. Last ranking: No. 7 Westfield holds steady, winning four in a row by a combined 34-10 margin. Jordan Beck drove in six runs in a win over Hamilton Southeastern. Matthew Spencer, Jackson Blevins and J.P. Sears combined to shutout Greenwood Christian. Sam Flickinger threw 4⅔ no-hit innings against Columbus North, striking out six. Owen Swinford closed out the no-hitter with a strikeout. ∎ Sectional prediction: Westfield won its lone matchup against Carmel back in late April. Both teams have improved since then, but I think Westfield has the experience to defeat Carmel, advancing to the sectional championship against Fishers. I broke down the Westfield vs. Fishers matchup in the Fishers capsule. Fishers is 2-0 against Westfield, and I think the Tigers improve to 3-0, beating Westfield and clinching a sectional title. Last ranking: No. 8 The Greyhounds have hit their stride after an up-and-down April. Carmel has allowed just two runs over its past three games. Gabe Mathison and Anthony Back drove in two runs each against Mt. Vernon. Cole Caldwell threw a shutout against Batesville, scattering three hits, walking none and striking out eight. ∎ Sectional prediction: Carmel is playing some of its best baseball down the stretch, but postseason baseball is a different story. Mathison and J.D. Stein are talented and experienced players. Can they do enough to lift Carmel past Westfield? I don't think so. I think Westfield wins a close game against Carmel in the semifinal. Last ranking: No. 3 The Orioles have dropped seven of their past 11 games. They have wins over Fishers and Brownsburg over that stretch, showing how high their ceiling is, but also highlighting the inconsistency plaguing the team at times. Avon has a chance to vault back up the rankings with a game against Columbus North and two games against Westfield this week. ∎ Sectional prediction: Avon opens with a semifinal game against Plainfield. I think the Orioles defeat Plainfield, setting up a championship game against Brownsburg. Avon and Brownsburg split in the regular season. Brownsburg won the most recent matchup and has been playing better of late. I think Brownsburg knocks off Avon, clinching the sectional title. Last ranking: No. 9 Lapel continues to win, moving its win streak to 13 games in a row. Kai Newman struck out 11 and allowed just one hit over five shutout innings against Kokomo in the first game of a doubleheader. Ray Smith added two hits and three RBIs in the second game of the doubleheader. ∎ Sectional prediction: The Bulldogs should be the heavy favorite to win the Lapel sectional. Aside from Lapel, Frankton is the only team with a winning record in the sectional, and Lapel beat Frankton 10-3 in late April. I think Lapel cruises to a sectional championship over Frankton. Last ranking: No. 12 Cathedral clinched its 30th City championship with a 2-0 win over Covenant Christian. Connor Christiansen drove in both runs with a single. Ethan Dorsey and Landon Hughes combined for the shutout. The Irish dropped a game against reigning Class 4A champion Lake Central before handily winning their next two games. ∎ Sectional prediction: Cathedral dropped down to Class 3A this season, instantly becoming a strong state title contender. The Fighting Irish seem poised to face Bishop Chatard in the sectional final. Cathedral is 2-0 against Chatard, winning by a combined 16-2 margin. I think the Fighting Irish defeat Chatard a third time, clinching a sectional title. Last ranking: No. 11 Cascade moved it win streak to nine in a row with quality wins over Lebanon and Decatur Central. The Cadets got strong pitching performances from Royce Bright, Jackson Minner and Davis Hart against Lebanon. Hart added a complete game win against Decatur Central, allowing one run and striking out four. Cascade has a measuring stick game against Mooresville on Monday, and a matchup against sectional opponent Owen Valley on Wednesday. ∎ Sectional prediction: Cascade moved to Class 3A this season, but its sectional draw is much more favorable. The Cadets should advance to the sectional final to face the winner of Speedway vs. Owen Valley. Regardless of the opponent, I think Cascade wins the sectional title. Last ranking: No. 13 Franklin's played a tough schedule, dropping just one game against a team it probably should've beaten in Plainfield, and that loss came all the way back in early April. Braedon Burton went the distance against Greenwood, scattering six hits, allowing just one earned run and striking out eight. Nash Netter drove in three RBIs in Franklin's second win over Greenwood. The Grizzly Cubs will be tested with two games against Decatur Central this week. ∎ Sectional prediction: Franklin opens the tournament with a semifinal matchup against Columbus East. I think Franklin defeats Columbus East, advancing to face Whiteland in the championship game. Whiteland has a great win against Center Grove, showing what it can do when everything is going well. I think Franklin's tough schedule will have it ready to pull out a close win over Whiteland for the sectional title. Last ranking: Tied 15th Tri-West had won nine of its past 10 games before dropping a game to Noblesville via run rule. The 10 runs allowed to the Millers ties the total the Bruins surrendered over their past four games combined. Noblesville is a state title contender and should serve as a measuring stick for Tri-West. ∎ Sectional prediction: Tri-West opens a talent-heavy sectional against Frankfort. I predict the Bruins will beat Frankfort and advance to face a Crawfordsville team they've beat twice already. I think Tri-West makes it three wins over Crawfordsville, setting up a sectional championship against Brebeuf. Brebeuf is scuffling down the stretch, losing three in a row heading into the final week of the regular season. I think Tri-West plays sound baseball and beats Brebeuf to win the sectional title. Last ranking: Tied 15th Triton Central's six-game winning streak came to an end with a loss to Heritage Christian. Games against Lutheran and Park Tudor will be great tests before the postseason begins. ∎ Sectional prediction: Triton Central opens the tournament against Irvington Prep. The Ravens average 11.5 runs per game. Offense isn't a problem, but IPA has to pitch well to win. I think Triton Central beats IPA, advancing to face Scecina. The Tigers beat Scecina by a combined 24-2 margin in their first two games. I think Triton Central beats Scecina again, setting up a championship game against Heritage Christian. In a close game, Heritage Christian knocks off Triton Central to win the sectional title.
