BY CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
It gets harder and harder to narrow down and select the top players in a particular sport at the end of each season. One of the toughest to decipher are the all-county girls basketball teams here in Hamilton County.
Talent and depth runs deep throughout the county with nine schools that are ultra-competitive not just locally, but on a statewide level. After all, the nine teams combined for 152 wins and 75 losses this winter against some of the toughest schedules in the state.
The success of the teams in the county keeps increasing, year-by-year, with Fishers being the third team since 2019 to reach the state championship, winding up as this year’s 4A runner-up.
Hamilton County has a great history of representation in the girls state championship. Noblesville is the only team (girls or boys) to reach four consecutive final fours in IHSAA history. They captured the 1987 state title, finished as 1988 state runners-up and were state finalists in both 1989 and 1990. The Millers grabbed their second state crown last season in 2022.
Hamilton Southeastern won the 2019 Class 4A state championship in its only appearance.
Hamilton Heights has one state finals appearance, finishing as the 2013 3A runner-up.
University played in one state final, finishing as the 2008 1A runner-up.
Carmel is the only other county school that played for a single-class state championship, finishing as the 1995 state runner-up. The Greyhounds got their lone title 13 years later, taking home the 2008 4A state championship.
Presenting the Hamilton County Reporter’s First Team All-County players:
Hailey Smith (Fishers) – A leader on Fishers’ 4A state runner-up team this year, Hailey paced a balanced Tiger offense with 12.1 points per game and also grabbed 6.9 rebounds per game. She also shot 59 percent on two-point field goals and 73 percent at the foul line. Hailey will be continuing her basketball career at Ball State University.
Camryn Runner (Hamilton Heights) – Runner led the Huskies all the way to the 3A north semi-state before their season ended to top-ranked Twin Lakes in the semifinals. Camryn, a junior all-state candidate, was tops for the Huskies at 18.9 points and 7.2 rebounds, along with crossing the 1,000-point barrier (1,235).
Meredith Tippner (Noblesville) – Tippner came off the 2022 state championship season and took it upon herself to score more for the Millers. Just a sophomore, Meredith led Noblesville in her second season with 17.6 points per contest and snagged a solid 9.2 boards per outing. She also shot 51 percent overall.
Riley Makalusky (Hamilton Southeastern) – Riley made her mark in HSE history and closed out her high school career by surpassing 1,000 points (1.067). Makalusky averaged 19.9 points with 3.9 rebounds, leading the Royals to a Hoosier Crossroads Conference co-championship. The Butler commit also made 82 percent of her free throws and was 32 percent from three-point range.
Reagan Wilson (Noblesville) – Wilson came into her own offensively this season for Noblesville as a leader. The junior Iowa State commit scored and a 16.9 per game clip and also managed 3.4 steals and 4.0 assists to help guide the Millers. Reagan knocked down a county-leading 57 three-pointers for 37 percent and also was an 82 percent foul shooter.
Payton Seay (University) – Seay led the county with 20 points per game and also pulled down 8.0 rebounds, while also shooting 57 percent from the field. Payton helped lead the Trailblazers to its third consecutive sectional championship, losing their regional title matchup to Eastern Hancock. Seay finished her 91-game career with a total of 1,294 points (14.2 ppg). She was also a vital part of the University semi-state teams of 2021 and 2022.
Kelsey DuBois (University) – Kelsey wound up averaging double-double with 15.3 points and led the county with 11.2 rebounds per game. DuBois was 50 percent from the floor and a steady 76 percent on free throws. She wound up scoring just behind Seay with 1,231 points in 90 games and also had 902 boards to her credit and was also a big part of the Trailblazers’ recent tournament success. DuBois will continue her basketball at New York University.
Olivia Smith (Fishers) – The ying to her twin sister’s yang, Olivia is one of those players that could catch fire depending on the matchup the Tigers faced. Smith averaged 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and dished out 2.5 assists, while making 50 percent of her field goal attempts. Olivia was a key part of Fishers’ state tournament runner-up finish and will join her sister at Ball State next year.
Olivia Brown (Hamilton Southeastern) – Brown had quite the senior season to cap off her Royals career. It wasn’t the points for Olivia, but everything else Olivia did that was a big part of what aided HSE to share the HCC title. A University of Akron commit, Brown led Hamilton County with an unselfish 7.5 assists per game, and not to mention 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 steals for the defensive-minded guard. She finished her career with 447 assists (5.7) and 233 steals (2.9).
Maya Makalusky (Hamilton Southeastern) – Maya took full advantage of being able to play for a second season with older sister Riley. The younger Makalusky had a stellar sophomore year, averaging 15.4 points and grabbing 3.9 rebounds. She also knocked down 49 three-pointers, which were third in the county, for 40 percent and now has 99 made from outside in just 46 games.
Kenzie Garner (Sheridan) – Garner had an explosive sophomore season. She made her presence known to Blackhawk opponents with 18.8 points and 9.5 boards and not to mention, 4.3 steals per game. Kenzie also made 31 of 101 three-point attempts for 31 percent and nailed 77 percent from the foul line.
Talia Harris (Fishers) – Harris was that X-factor all season long for Fishers on its way to the 4A runner-up finish. She averaged 9.5 points and 4.3 rebounds, along with 2.1 assists and 2.2 steals while she helped run the Fishers offense. Talia shot a steady 53 percent on two-point field goals. Harris is known for her quick defense and led the Tigers with 33 deflections.
Ellie Kelleher (Westfield) – Kelleher is the type of player that does a little bit of everything and that’s exactly what Kelsey Key needed in her first season as coach at Westfield. Ellie led the Shamrocks in most categories and was the more experienced coming into the season. She averaged 11.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists, while shooting 40 percent from the floor and a trustworthy 59 for 72 at the charity stripe for 82 percent.
Ella Hickok (Hamilton Heights) – Hickok was a big part of the Huskies’ tournament run all the way to the semi-state. As a junior, she was counted on for an average of 9.0 points, 3.5 assists and 2.2 steals per game as part of Heights’ backcourt with Runner and Rhoton. Ella made 40 three-pointers for 37 percent and was 74 percent on free throws.
Hannah Lach (Carmel) – Lach came back for her senior year as one of the leaders for the Greyhounds. When leading scorer Izzy Shepherd went down with an injury with nine games remaining, Hannah was leaned on to shoulder more offense. She scored 8.1 points and snagged 4.5 rebounds. Lach was a 55 percent shooter from two-point range and 79 percent from the free throw line. Hannah has committed to play basketball for DePauw University.
Megan Cobb (Guerin Catholic) – Cobb was a big part of the leadership on the court for the Golden Eagles. One of the better rebounders in the county, Megan pulled down 7.3 rebounds per game while averaging 7.4 points and was able to put together three double-doubles. The senior forward also shot 44 percent on two-point field goals.
Natalie Fernandez (Guerin Catholic) – A senior, Fernandez was the Golden Eagles’ leading scorer with 8.2 points per game. Natalie was also a reliable rebounder with 3.0 per game and dished out 2.0 assists per game, and was named as first team All-Circle City Conference.
Hamilton County Players of the Years:
Hailey Smith, Fishers and Camryn Runner, Hamilton Heights
First Team
Name School Class
Hailey Smith Fishers Senior
Camryn Runner Hamilton Heights Junior
Meredith Tippner Noblesville Sophomore
Riley Makalusky Hamilton Southeastern Senior
Reagan Wilson Noblesville Junior
Payton Seay University Senior
Kelsey DuBois University Senior
Olivia Smith Fishers Senior
Kenzie Garner Sheridan Sophomore
Maya Makalusky Hamilton Southeastern Sophomore
Talia Harris Fishers Junior
Olivia Brown Hamilton Southeastern Senior
Ella Hickok Hamilton Heights Junior
Ellie Kelleher Westfield Junior
Hannah Lach Carmel Senior
Megan Cobb Guerin Catholic Senior
Natalie Fernandez Guerin Catholic Senior
Second Team
Name School Class
Ava Shoemaker Noblesville Junior
Kaitlyn Shoemaker Noblesville Senior
Izzy Shepherd Carmel Sophomore
Alycia Triplett Fishers Senior
Joirdyn Smith Fishers Junior
Kaylee Rhoton Hamilton Heights Senior
Teegan Acres Hamilton Southeastern Senior
Chaney Smith Sheridan Senior
Jordan Patterson University Senior
Aubrey Crockett Westfield Sophomore