Sectional Preview: 27
The coming high school season is almost upon us. With that, we are taking a look at each Sectional in the state. Starting with 64 and ending with 1. Today, we are previewing Sectional 40.
Brebeuf Jesuit (13-9) – Lost 1st Rd. Sectional
Last season was a tough one for Brebeuf. They had a tough schedule, was able to win quite a few games but unfortunately got paired up with Indianapolis Manual in a very tough Sectional. The State Champion came out of this Sectional (Crispus Attucks) and it very well could again as Brebeuf and others have positioned themselves in a good spot. They lose some tough seniors but they have talented scorer Myja White back along with Brennan Fitzgerald, Josh Haubry, Spencer Reist, Simon Banks, and many others. If they can regroup a bit and find a bit more offense, they have a chance. They didn’t put up a ton of points last year for a team with this much talent. They should improve and will compete in this Sectional this season.
Guerin Catholic (14-10) – Lost 1st Rd. Sectional
Last season, Guerin Catholic had to deal with their last season in 4A which didn’t go as planned with an early exit to Noblesville. Now, they will try and regroup a bit as they lost a lot of seniors with Cam Dixon, Conner Osswald, Matt Godfrey, and Joey Weas moving on. They do bring back Drew Thieme, Zach Munson, Jack Hansen, and Kian Sills. They have a good core group of players but this Sectional isn’t for the weak of heart. They will be a bit behind others in terms of pecking order but there is enough there that if they can get a good draw, they could get a legit shot to win this Sectional.
Crispus Attucks (25-4) – Won State Championship
Attucks was able to make a big run last year and walked away with the State Title in 3A. It was a huge feat and a very impressive one for first year head coach Chris Hawkins. Now, they are setup in an even more difficult Sectional than last year with a new look team. Only Micah Poole, Jamal Harris, and Derrick Briscoe return as significant contributors to a very senior heavy group. However, those three should be a good core with some new talent coming in as freshman that could provide some size. More for this season, it will be about putting everything together. It might take some time but they have quite a few pieces that could help get them into the second and third weekend.
Broad Ripple (17-6) – Lost 1st Rd. Sectional
Last year’s end came a little earlier than Broad Ripple probably wanted as they lost to Speedway in the Sectional Semifinals. Now, they move up to 3A and get stuck in one of, if not the toughest Sectionals in 3A. There are five legit contenders and Broad Ripple is one of them with a roster that brings back a ton of offense and scoring potential. Led by Caleb Brown and Xavier White, this team could be very difficult to matchup with on offense because of their numerous options and willingness to press the ball. This is a new level of talent they will be facing off with but they have a chance to be special this year.
Bishop Chatard (4-20) – Lost Sectional Semifinals
Last year was one to forget for Bishop Chatard who is now looking to put it in the rear view mirror. They were a team that didn’t have the depth they needed to compete at this point last year. However, they now have more pieces to work with. Seniors T.J. Mann and Cody Albin will look to pair their experience with talented sophomore Edreece Redmond as a much improved player who has the ability to score the ball a lot more this season. This will be a season where they will be trying to develop their team but might still need another year before they can really compete in this very difficult Sectional.
Indianapolis Northwest (8-15) – Lost 1st Rd. Sectional
Indianapolis Northwest is in a tough spot as they were only able to amass 8 wins last season and were a young team. They are still a young group in a very difficult Sectional with tons of top teams. If they are able to continue to develop their players, they could have a shot but the loss of standout junior Wendell DeMyers really hurts. They likely won’t be able to make a big impact on this Sectional this coming season but a lot of these teams will be graduating a lot next season and that could help in future years.
Cardinal Ritter (15-9) – Lost Sectional Semifinals
Last season, Ritter showed that they were going to be competitive but they fell a bit short with a Sectional Semifinal loss to Beech Grove. Now, they are setup for a big season where they could look to take home a Sectional Championship. While they lost some key pieces in Anthony Dumes and Bobby Bell, they bring back a stellar trio of Miles Tracy, Shelby Turner, and Nate Soltis. This team has athleticism and size with their best players really able to score the ball. They have enough here to defend teams pretty well and should be among the better rebounding teams in the state. If they can key in on those attributes, they should have a shot come late February.
Contenders For 2017-18: Brebeuf Jesuit, Crispus Attucks, Guerin Catholic, Broad Ripple, Cardinal Ritter
Prediction: Crispus Attucks
Player to Watch: Myja White (Brebeuf Jesuit)