By Al Stilley
Southsider Voice correspondent
Five of the 10 Southside girls high school basketball teams have winning records as the regular season ends this week and the state tournament begins Tuesday.
The teams with winning records are lead by 4A No. 15 Roncalli (17-6), No. 16 Center Grove (16-6) and two-time reigning Greenwood sectional champion Franklin Central (15-7). Surprisingly 2A Manual (10-9) has a chance at its first winning season since 2003-04, and Class A Greenwood Christian is 12-9 after winning only one game last season.
Sectionals begin with all but two Southside teams in action. Drawing byes, Southport and Franklin Central must wait until Feb. 13 to play.
Here’s the outlook for the 10 Southside teams, won-lost records through Jan. 31:
BEECH GROVE (10-11) – Coach Mark Parker has a youth movement in freshmen Cameron Cardenas (19.4 points, 3.4 assists, 51 percent shooter from field) and 5-11 Katie Giller (10.2 points, 10.0 rebounds) … could be dark horse in Greencastle Sectional … deceiving record due to 0-7 mark against 4A teams … won five-of-last seven games … held eight teams below 40 points … lost to Danville 66-59, first sectional foe, in late November … 4-2 in Indiana Crossroads Conference… close out Thursday in league game at Scecina.
CENTER GROVE (16-6) – Favorite to win Greenwood Sectional … third time to face Whiteland this season … own Warriors with wins by 24 and 44 points … unbeaten against three sectional foes … won six-of-eight of last games … rangy, lanky and balanced … 6-1 Regan Wentland, 5-10 Bri Gliesmann, 5-7 Jessica Norris and 5-5 Lauren Rau combine for 43.6 points … Norris hits 47 percent of 3s … opened season with eight-game win streak … lives or dies on perimeter shooting … close out Thursday against Bloomington North.
FRANKLIN CENTRAL (15-7) – looking for sectional three-peat under coach Brian Hacker … strength of schedule helps FC in sectional … won four-of-last-five games Tuesday before facing No. 3 Lawrence North … Senior Kennedy Archer leads team in scoring (17.0) and rebounding (6.1) … Sydney Huffman and Ashlyn Huffman combine for 22.4 points … Flashes meet No. 16 Center Grove-Whiteland winner in Feb. 13 semifinal.
GREENWOOD (9-11) – Ends season by hosting Greenfield on Thursday … offense comes from 5-8 junior guard Holly Hoopingarner, who scored 39 of team’s 47 points Saturday to defeat New Palestine by five … own 48-41 win against opening foe Franklin … need more balance on offense …. Coach Deb Guckenberger’s team could reach homecourt sectional title game.
GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN (12-9) – Vastly improved Cougars … only one win last season … seasoning of players led to 11 more wins this season … coach Alan Weems has only one senior … 4-2 against teams in Morristown Sectional … 4-1 against nonclass A teams … tough draw … opening foe Southwestern owns 60-49 win from Jan. 29 … wrapped up season Tuesday at Morristown.
LUTHERAN (7-11) – Travels to Park Tudor on Friday, ends season Saturday at home against Edinburgh … impressive 4-1 against sectional opponents … 1-8 teams above Class A … ran string of three sectional titles from 2004-06 … plays third game in five days in sectional opener Tuesday … favored against Waldron … a win moves Lutheran to Feb. 13 semifinals at Morristown.
MANUAL (10-9) – Could be the surprise team on Southside … Redskins win big when they win: 65-3, 63-15, 71-28, 42-18 … average 33.8 rebounds and 10.8 steals … coach Katie Fisher has 19-21 record at Manual … leader is 5-11 senior Tiara Harris (16.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.6 steals) … have not won a sectional game in last eight tries … meets Washington in Attucks Sectional … a win would find ’Skins facing Triton Central (19-1) in Feb. 13 semifinals.
PERRY MERIDIAN (9-11) – Falcons’ face big emotional hurdle as 27-year assistant coach Howard Ely is recovering from a heart attack … Ely, a longtime AAU girls basketball mentor, collapsed courtside Jan. 28, released from hospital Monday … team still building with only one senior, point guard Amanda Annee … Ben Davis Sectional draw favors Falcons to reach title game … last won title in 2006 … No. 10 Pike and Ben Davis in opposite bracket.
RONCALLI (17-6) – No. 15 Rebels in opposite sectional bracket at No. 3 Lawrence North … face rival Cathedral, a team Rebels defeated 57-43 in late November … team leader Lindsey Corsaro (Kentucky recruit) out due to season-ending knee injury (ACL and meniscus tear) in loss to No. 1 Bedford North Lawrence … the defeat ended six-game winning streak … fell to sectional favorite Lawrence North twice this season … Rebels meet Perry Meridian today.
SOUTHPORT (7-14) – Close out season at home Thursday against No. 8 Mooresville and Saturday with Columbus East … struggling to overcome six-game losing skid … only one win in last eight games … last win Jan. 17 against Terre Haute South … last winning season 2006-2007 … face No. 10 Pike or host Ben Davis in semi Feb. 13.
Sectional pairings
Tuesday, Feb. 10, first game 6 p.m., second game 7:30 p.m.
At Lawrence North (4A)
No. 2 Lawrence North (20-1) vs. Lawrence Central (3-16)
No. 12 Roncalli (17-6) vs. Cathedral (15-6)
At Ben Davis (4A)
Ben Davis (11-8) vs. No. 10 Pike (15-7)
Northwest (9-10) vs. Perry Meridian (9-11)
At Greenwood (4A)
No. 17 Center Grove (16-6) vs. Whiteland (9-13)
Greenwood (9-11) vs. Franklin (8-13)
At Greencastle (3A)
Beech Grove (10-11) vs. Danville (15-5), 7 p.m.
At Crispus Attucks (2A)
Attucks (19-3) vs. Irvington Prep (1-20)
Manual (10-9) vs. Washington (3-10)
At Morristown (1A)
Southwestern (6-14) vs. Greenwood Christian (12-9)
Waldron (3-15 vs. Lutheran (7-11)
Feb. 13 semifinals at 6 and 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 14 sectional championships at 7:30 p.m.
Southsider Voice correspondent
Five of the 10 Southside girls high school basketball teams have winning records as the regular season ends this week and the state tournament begins Tuesday.
The teams with winning records are lead by 4A No. 15 Roncalli (17-6), No. 16 Center Grove (16-6) and two-time reigning Greenwood sectional champion Franklin Central (15-7). Surprisingly 2A Manual (10-9) has a chance at its first winning season since 2003-04, and Class A Greenwood Christian is 12-9 after winning only one game last season.
Sectionals begin with all but two Southside teams in action. Drawing byes, Southport and Franklin Central must wait until Feb. 13 to play.
Here’s the outlook for the 10 Southside teams, won-lost records through Jan. 31:
BEECH GROVE (10-11) – Coach Mark Parker has a youth movement in freshmen Cameron Cardenas (19.4 points, 3.4 assists, 51 percent shooter from field) and 5-11 Katie Giller (10.2 points, 10.0 rebounds) … could be dark horse in Greencastle Sectional … deceiving record due to 0-7 mark against 4A teams … won five-of-last seven games … held eight teams below 40 points … lost to Danville 66-59, first sectional foe, in late November … 4-2 in Indiana Crossroads Conference… close out Thursday in league game at Scecina.
CENTER GROVE (16-6) – Favorite to win Greenwood Sectional … third time to face Whiteland this season … own Warriors with wins by 24 and 44 points … unbeaten against three sectional foes … won six-of-eight of last games … rangy, lanky and balanced … 6-1 Regan Wentland, 5-10 Bri Gliesmann, 5-7 Jessica Norris and 5-5 Lauren Rau combine for 43.6 points … Norris hits 47 percent of 3s … opened season with eight-game win streak … lives or dies on perimeter shooting … close out Thursday against Bloomington North.
FRANKLIN CENTRAL (15-7) – looking for sectional three-peat under coach Brian Hacker … strength of schedule helps FC in sectional … won four-of-last-five games Tuesday before facing No. 3 Lawrence North … Senior Kennedy Archer leads team in scoring (17.0) and rebounding (6.1) … Sydney Huffman and Ashlyn Huffman combine for 22.4 points … Flashes meet No. 16 Center Grove-Whiteland winner in Feb. 13 semifinal.
GREENWOOD (9-11) – Ends season by hosting Greenfield on Thursday … offense comes from 5-8 junior guard Holly Hoopingarner, who scored 39 of team’s 47 points Saturday to defeat New Palestine by five … own 48-41 win against opening foe Franklin … need more balance on offense …. Coach Deb Guckenberger’s team could reach homecourt sectional title game.
GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN (12-9) – Vastly improved Cougars … only one win last season … seasoning of players led to 11 more wins this season … coach Alan Weems has only one senior … 4-2 against teams in Morristown Sectional … 4-1 against nonclass A teams … tough draw … opening foe Southwestern owns 60-49 win from Jan. 29 … wrapped up season Tuesday at Morristown.
LUTHERAN (7-11) – Travels to Park Tudor on Friday, ends season Saturday at home against Edinburgh … impressive 4-1 against sectional opponents … 1-8 teams above Class A … ran string of three sectional titles from 2004-06 … plays third game in five days in sectional opener Tuesday … favored against Waldron … a win moves Lutheran to Feb. 13 semifinals at Morristown.
MANUAL (10-9) – Could be the surprise team on Southside … Redskins win big when they win: 65-3, 63-15, 71-28, 42-18 … average 33.8 rebounds and 10.8 steals … coach Katie Fisher has 19-21 record at Manual … leader is 5-11 senior Tiara Harris (16.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.6 steals) … have not won a sectional game in last eight tries … meets Washington in Attucks Sectional … a win would find ’Skins facing Triton Central (19-1) in Feb. 13 semifinals.
PERRY MERIDIAN (9-11) – Falcons’ face big emotional hurdle as 27-year assistant coach Howard Ely is recovering from a heart attack … Ely, a longtime AAU girls basketball mentor, collapsed courtside Jan. 28, released from hospital Monday … team still building with only one senior, point guard Amanda Annee … Ben Davis Sectional draw favors Falcons to reach title game … last won title in 2006 … No. 10 Pike and Ben Davis in opposite bracket.
RONCALLI (17-6) – No. 15 Rebels in opposite sectional bracket at No. 3 Lawrence North … face rival Cathedral, a team Rebels defeated 57-43 in late November … team leader Lindsey Corsaro (Kentucky recruit) out due to season-ending knee injury (ACL and meniscus tear) in loss to No. 1 Bedford North Lawrence … the defeat ended six-game winning streak … fell to sectional favorite Lawrence North twice this season … Rebels meet Perry Meridian today.
SOUTHPORT (7-14) – Close out season at home Thursday against No. 8 Mooresville and Saturday with Columbus East … struggling to overcome six-game losing skid … only one win in last eight games … last win Jan. 17 against Terre Haute South … last winning season 2006-2007 … face No. 10 Pike or host Ben Davis in semi Feb. 13.
Sectional pairings
Tuesday, Feb. 10, first game 6 p.m., second game 7:30 p.m.
At Lawrence North (4A)
No. 2 Lawrence North (20-1) vs. Lawrence Central (3-16)
No. 12 Roncalli (17-6) vs. Cathedral (15-6)
At Ben Davis (4A)
Ben Davis (11-8) vs. No. 10 Pike (15-7)
Northwest (9-10) vs. Perry Meridian (9-11)
At Greenwood (4A)
No. 17 Center Grove (16-6) vs. Whiteland (9-13)
Greenwood (9-11) vs. Franklin (8-13)
At Greencastle (3A)
Beech Grove (10-11) vs. Danville (15-5), 7 p.m.
At Crispus Attucks (2A)
Attucks (19-3) vs. Irvington Prep (1-20)
Manual (10-9) vs. Washington (3-10)
At Morristown (1A)
Southwestern (6-14) vs. Greenwood Christian (12-9)
Waldron (3-15 vs. Lutheran (7-11)
Feb. 13 semifinals at 6 and 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 14 sectional championships at 7:30 p.m.
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