Sectional Draw: 2A North Breakdown
The Sectional Draw was last night and we are beginning our look and preparation for the upcoming week of elimination games. Today, we have our Sectional-by-Sectional Breakdown in 2A North.
Sectional 33: Whiting
Breakdown: At Whiting, look for Andrean to be the favorite. They are given a 63.6% favorite to win the Sectional by John Harrell. The next best option is Gary Roosevelt who has to play a good Lake Station team first before going through Andrean. If you are looking for a sleeper pick, look on the other side of the bracket as Hammond Noll gets a much more favorable path and if something happens with Andrean before they get to Saturday, they could have an even better shot.
Best First Round Matchup: Lake Station vs. Gary Roosevelt
Prediction: Andrean
Sleeper: Hammond Noll
Sectional 34: Hebron
Breakdown: At Hebron, look for a fun semifinal game between Marquette Catholic and Winamac with those two being the highest chance winners. John Harrell gives Marquette Catholic a 55.9% chance to win and Winamac a 20.4% chance. Marquette has already beaten Winamac this year by 23 but Marquette has been extremely up and down this year so it could be either team they would face. Hebron is the sleeper here going on the opposite side and with games they have done well in this year.
Best First Round Matchup: Hebron vs. Boone Grove
Prediction: Winamac
Sleeper: Hebron
Sectional 35: Westview
Breakdown: Westview is the team to beat here. They host, they get an easy first game, and while they do have to take on LaVille, it isn’t as if LaVille has been beating up quality opponents this year and Westview only has one loss themselves. Westview’s only loss was to Fairfield in the second time they played them in the span of six days. Harrell gives them a 61.3% chance to win but watch for Whitko on the other side of the bracket. They get two relatively beatable opponents and they know how to put up points and with guys like River West and Spencer Sroufe, that is difficult to match up with at this level.
Best First Round Matchup: Whitko vs. Bremen
Prediction: Westview
Sleeper: Whitko
Sectional 36: South Adams
Breakdown: This is a wide open Sectional. Harrell gives Canterbury a 40.1% chance to win but that seems a little high. Adams Central, Churubusco, and Eastside all have more wins this year. Adams Central looks like the team to beat in the north but an opening battle between Churubusco and Eastside will be tough. Canterbury did get the bye game. Look for Churubusco to be the team that can make it through as a sleeper.
Best First Round Matchup: Churubusco vs. Eastside
Prediction: Fort Wayne Canterbury
Sleeper: Churubusco
Sectional 37: Manchester
Breakdown: This year, Oak Hill doesn’t have the gauntlet it had last year and that should give them a little easier road, although, starting out with Manchester is not idea. Those are probably the two best teams in this Sectional. Harrell gives Oak Hill a 64.4% chance at the title and for good reason with their experience and talented seniors. While Oak Hill is the favorite, Manchester could be right there and if they have enough to win the game, they have had good results against the rest of the Sectional to make it to the end.
Best First Round Matchup: Oak Hill vs. Manchester
Prediction: Oak Hill
Sleeper: Manchester
Sectional 38: Fountain Central
Breakdown: Covington in the favorite going in and for good reason. They are 20-1 this year and there only loss is to a very good 3A team in West Lafayette. The rest of this Sectional is solid though but Covington grabbed the bye game and Harrell gives them a 68.2% chance to win. If you are looking for a team to take a chance on, Clinton Prairie seems like a good bet. They are 18-3 and have some solid wins and just a 6-point loss to Covington.
Best First Round Matchup: Fountain Central vs. Rossville
Prediction: Covington
Sleeper: Clinton Prairie
Sectional 39: Eastbrook
Breakdown: Tipton, with some luck, is sitting in a really nice spot and a 50.2% chance following the draw on Sunday. Only Tipton and Alexandria have winning records or even double-digit wins this season and matching up in the first round gives them more time to focus on each other. They haven’t faced each other but they are a combined 6-0 against the rest of the Sectional. This is your defecto Championship game and while Tipton is favored, it wouldn’t shock if Alexandria won but outside of that it is hard to pick anyone else.
Best First Round Matchup: Tipton vs. Alexandria
Prediction: Tipton
Sleeper: Alexandria
Sectional 40: Lapel
Breakdown: This is the best 2A Sectional in the state with Lapel, Wapahani, Monroe Central, and Frankton. Frankton has been the class of 2A all year and are the defending State Champions with most of their roster back. They also got a great draw getting a Monroe Central team and letting Lapel and Wapahani beat each other up before meeting in the Sectional Championship that Saturday. If you don’t want the favorite, even though Harrell gives them a 62.3% to win, look at Wapahani that drew the bye game and already has a win over Lapel this year.
Best First Round Matchup: Elwood vs. Lapel
Prediction: Frankton
Sleeper: Wapahani