By RICHIE HALL
sports@readthereporter.com
Winning the Class 4A Sectional 8 championship was a big accomplishment for the Fishers girls basketball team all by itself, but the Tigers set another mark as well once they picked up the trophy.
Not only did Fishers win its third sectional title in school history, but the team also tied its record for most wins in a season. The Tigers are 23-2, matching the number of wins from the 2019-20 team that also won a sectional title.
That means when Fishers travels to the Bill Green Arena on Saturday to play in the Marion regional, the Tigers can do two things they’ve never done before: Win a regional trophy and set a new record for most victories in a season. In order to do that, Fishers must beat a team that is no stranger to post-season success.
The Tigers, ranked fourth in the IBCA one-class poll, will play Homestead in the Regional 3 championship, which tips off at 4 p.m. The No. 12 Spartans will come into BGA with a 19-5 record and a victory at Sectional 6, played at Huntington North.
Homestead won a close game in the first round, edging out No. 7 Columbia City 46-45. The Spartans then rolled through their next two games, blasting Fort Wayne Wayne 73-32 in the semi-finals and taking care of the host Vikings 59-44 in the championship.
With the victory, Homestead was a sectional champion for the fifth consecutive year, and the ninth time in the past 10 years. The Spartans are no stranger to regional success: They have won four overall, including a three-peat in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Homestead’s 2017 team went all the way, beating Pike 61-54 for the 4A state championship.
Senior Alison Stephens led the Spartans with 15 points in the championship game.
Homestead is excellent in their execution of several offensive sets,” said Fishers coach Lauren Votaw. “We will need to communicate at a high level defensively and play with great urgency on that end of the floor. They shoot the ball very well and we must make sure we are prepared to contest.”
The Tigers, who are also co-champions of the Hoosier Crossroads Conference, began their sectional run by beating Carmel 63-43 in the first round; the Greyhounds had given Fishers a tough game during the regular season. In the semi-finals, the Tigers got past host, No. 2-ranked and defending state champion Noblesville, 67-64 in double overtime. Fishers then beat Hamilton Southeastern 58-44 in the final.
“Playing the best teams in the state has most definitely helped us to improve,” said Votaw. “It has forced us to be ready to go both physically and mentally each game. I am so proud of this team.”
Votaw said that during the season, the Tigers have shown “a great desire to improve” through their efforts in practice, post-game film, reflection, “and in their camaraderie and togetherness.”
The Smith twins, seniors Hailey and Olivia, are the Tigers’ leading scorers, with Hailey averaging 11.6 points per game and Olivia at 10.9 points per game. Both players also distribute the ball well, with Hailey dishing out 2.7 assists per game and Olivia handing out 2.6 per contest.
Hailey Smith is the leading rebounder (6.8), followed by senior Alycia Triplett with 5.1 per game. Junior Talia Harris leads in steals with 2.3 per game.
Hamilton Heights-Norwell
Hamilton Heights, a sectional champion for the third consecutive year, will travel back up to Bellmont Saturday to take on Norwell for the Regional 11 title. That game also tips off at 4 p.m.
The Knights are 21-3 for the season, and are No. 20 in the IBCA poll. Norwell is also rated fourth in the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association’s Class 3A poll. The Knights hosted Sectional 23, where they sailed past Peru 70-25 in the semi-finals before getting past an always-tough Northwestern team 55-54 in the championship game.
“They’re really good,” said Huskies coach Keegan Cherry. “They play a unique style. They’re going to play 1-3-1, trap all over the place.”
Kennedy Fuelling scored 21 points for Norwell in the championship game, with Makenzie Fuess adding 11 points.
“They’re athletic, they’ve got quickness,” said Cherry. “And when they start scoring, they’re hard to stop.”
Heights hosted Sectional 24, and claimed the championship with two dramatic wins. In the semi-finals, the Huskies stunned 3A No. 2 Jay County 58-47 with an outside shooting clinic: Heights made 13 3-pointers during the game.
Hamilton Heights’ Camryn Runner leads the Huskies with 18.9 points per game this season. Heights takes on Norwell Saturday at Bellmont for the Regional 11 championship.
In the championship, the Huskies edged out Yorktown in overtime 41-40. Heights had to use two different styles to get the win, but the Huskies used their experience with a tough schedule to pull through. Heights plays the toughest 3A schedule in the state, according to the Sagarin ratings.
“I think our schedule has prepared us well, playing the Noblesvilles, playing the Westfields,” said Cherry. “Our strength of schedule speaks for itself.”
Junior Camryn Runner is the top scorer for the Huskies, averaging 18.9 points per game, with junior Ella Hickok adding 8.8 per contest. Runner also leads the rebounds (7.1) and steals (2.7), while Hickok is on top of the assist list with 3.5 per game.
University-Eastern Hancock
University is back in a regional championship as well after winning its third consecutive sectional title. The Trailblazers, ranked No. 9 in Class 2A, travel to Southmont on Saturday and play 2A No. 8 Eastern Hancock for the Regional 21 title. That game tips off at 1 p.m.
The Royals are 22-3 for the season and are on a 13-game win streak. Eastern Hancock claimed the trophy at Sectional 42, first beating host Triton Central in a close opening-round game, 49-44. The next two victories were overwhelming, as the Royals beat Irvington Prep 97-13 in the semi-finals and Scecina 68-32 in the championship.
Eastern Hancock, coached by Shari Doud, has two double-digit scorers. Senior Grace Stapleton averages 15.8 points and is a highly-effective passer, with 5.1 assists per contest. Junior Sammie Bolding puts in 11.5 points per game. Junior Ruby White is the leader in rebounds (6.5) and blocked shots (1.4), while Stapleton has 3.4 steals per game.
“First, they are well coached and disciplined,” said University coach Justin Blanding. “Coach Doud brings so much experience and knowledge to the table.” They don’t make a lot of mistakes and they are hungry. We will need to put together 32 minutes of solid play.” Blanding said the Royals shoot the 3-pointer “extremely well” and called their offense “potent.”
The Trailblazers have a good offense, too, averaging 61.5 points per game. University hosted Sectional 43 and easily won it by beating Sheridan 77-44 in the semi-finals and Park Tudor 68-25 in the championship.
University’s Payton Seay is scoring 20.3 points per game for the Trailblazers, who travel to Southmont Saturday to play Eastern Hancock in the Regional 21 championship.
Two seniors have been leading the way for the Trailblazers. Payton Seay is the leading scorer, averaging 20.3 points per game, while Kelsey DuBois regularly earns double-doubles, at 15.3 points and 11.2 rebounds per contest. Seay averages 7.7 rebounds per game, and also leads in steals with 2.7. DuBois has been a force with 3.5 blocks per game, while senior Kamryn Washington has 3.2 assists per game.
University was 6-4 midway through the season, but has since won 14 consecutive games. Blanding pointed out that the ‘Blazers had to deal with injuries early in the season, and didn’t get to full strength until mid-season. He credited the team’s seniors with keeping everything together.
“As a group we decided that if we were going to be successful it was going to take everyone being held accountable including the coaches and we did that,” said Blanding. I put a lot on the seniors and they kept things together.”
Blanding said the team isn’t looking at its recent run as a winning streak, saying that the team just wanted to compete and be prepared for post-season play “if we were fortunate enough to advance and keep playing. We are keeping that same approach now. We just want to compete and have the opportunity to advance and play another day.”