Hoops Sectionals Set For Area Ladies
It’s safe to say that the Warsaw girls basketball team will have a pretty good scouting report on their first-round sectional foe.
The Tigers will face familiar foe Elkhart Memorial to start postseason play.
Warsaw will meet Memorial in the opener of the Class 4-A Northridge Sectional on Feb. 11.
The Tigers, who won sectional and regional titles a year ago, are scheduled to face the Crimson Chargers (5-10) this Wednesday in the Northern Lakes Conference and regular-season finale. The game was originally slated for last Tuesday, but was postponed due to the weather. The Tigers beat Memorial a year ago in a first-round sectional contest.
The IHSAA announced the postseason pairings this evening after the drawing was held in Indianapolis. Sectional play begins the week of Feb. 10 with sectional championship games on Saturday, Feb. 15. Regionals are set for Feb. 22 with semi states March 1 and the State Finals on March 8 at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute.
There are a record 402 teams entered statewide in the 39th annual tournament.
Northridge, which has never won a sectional title, boasts the top record in the six-team field. The Raiders are 14-4 heading into the final week of the regular season.
Warsaw sits at 8-9, but has recovered nicely from a tough 2-7 start to the season. The Tigers edged Northridge 30-28 on Jan. 11 at Warsaw. The Tigers are slated to host NorthWood Monday night in another rescheduled game before entertaining Memorial Wednesday.
Wawasee, 2-14 on the season, drew a monumental first-round assignment in the loaded seven-team field at the Class 3-A NorthWood Sectional. The youthful Warriors face the host Panthers, who are 15-4. NorthWood defeated Wawasee 72-31 on Jan. 11. This is the final season for NorthWood Hall of Fame coach Steve Neff, who guided the Black Swish to a state title in 1999.
The NorthWood Sectional also includes the strong trio of Whitko (11-6), Tippecanoe Valley (10-6 and Fairfield (13-4).
Triton, sitting at 12-6, will host its own Class 1-A Sectional in Bourbon. The Trojans face LaCrosse in a first-round game. No. 1 Oregon-Davis, which just defeated Triton 75-35 on Jan. 30, faces South Central in the tourney opener at Triton. The Bobcats are 14-2.
Lakeland Christian Academy, in its second IHSAA tournament, will travel to the Class 1-A Hamilton Sectional. The Cougars, who are 5-12, face Howe (0-5). LCA defeated Howe 61-4 on Nov. 16.
Area regional hosts this postseason include Penn for Class 4-Am Bellmont for Class 3-A and Caston for Class 1-A.
Warsaw will serve as a semi state host again this season.
Sectional Pairings
Class 4-A At Northridge
Tuesday, Feb. 11
Game 1: 6 p.m.: Elkhart Memorial vs. Warsaw
Game 2: 7:30 p.m.: Concord vs. Elkhart Central
Friday, Feb. 14
Game 3: 6 p.m.: Northridge vs. Game 1 winner
Game 4: 7:30 p.m.: Goshen vs. Game 2 winner
Saturday, Feb. 15
Game 5: 7 p.m.: Championship
Class 3-A At NorthWood
Tuesday, Feb. 11
Game 1: 7 p.m.: West Noble vs. Whitko
Wednesday, Feb. 12
Game 2: 6 p.m.: Fairfield vs. Tippecanoe Valley
Game 3: 7:30 p.m.: Wawasee vs. NorthWood
Friday, Feb. 14
Game 4: 6 p.m.: Lakeland vs. Game 1 winner
Game 5: 7:30 p.m.: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner
Saturday, Feb. 15
Game 6: 7 p.m. Championship
Class 1-A At Triton
Tuesday, Feb. 11
Game 1: 6:30 p.m.: Oregon-Davis vs. South Central
Game 2: 8 p.m.: LaCrosse vs. Triton
Friday, Feb. 14
Game 3: 6:30 p.m.: Culver vs. Game 1 winner
Game 4: 8 p.m.: Argos vs. Game 2 winner
Saturday, Feb. 15
Game 5: 7:30 p.m.: Championship
Class 1-A At Hamilton
Tuesday, Feb. 11
Game 1: 7 p.m.: Lakewood Park vs. Bethany Christian
Wednesday, Feb. 12
Game 2: 6 p.m.: Elkhart Christian Academy vs. Hamilton
Game 3: 8 p.m.: Howe vs. Lakeland Christian Academy
Friday, Feb. 14
Game 4: 6 p.m.: Fort Wayne Blackhawk vs. Game 1 winner
Game 5: 8 p.m.: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner
Saturday, Feb. 15
Game 6: 7:30 p.m.: Championship