Quarter Turn: Class 4A
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The featured image is of Ryan Viele Ryan Viele 5'8" | CG Hamilton Southeastern | 2022 State IN of Hamilton Southeastern High School. Believe it or not, after Tuesday night’s games we have reached the quarter point in the 2020-2021…
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Continue ReadingThe featured image is of Ryan Viele Ryan Viele 5'8" | CG Hamilton Southeastern | 2022 State IN of Hamilton Southeastern High School.
Believe it or not, after Tuesday night’s games we have reached the quarter point in the 2020-2021 season based on dates/days. While it might not seem like it for some teams who have played just a game or two (or maybe even none), several others are four, five, or six games into their seasons. In our new environments with safety protocols in place, conditions aren’t ideal for most teams, but at least we are able to take to the hardwood and get something rolling for these student-athletes. After hearing about how other states are handling things, a big “thank you” needs to be aimed at our athletic directors and school administrators who are doing their best to make athletics available to our kids throughout the state. Anyway, below is a look at a few storylines I thought stood out so far in Class 4A. We can’t talk about everyone in each article, so I tried to find what “popped” to me.
2020 State Finalists Figuring It Out
After what turned out to be a historic Class 4A State Championship Game back on February 29th, both Lawrence North and Northwestern were facing the loss of several key 2020 graduates. For the Wildcats, they lost four starters and five Seniors in total, all of which went on to college basketball opportunities.
Katie Davidson
Katie
Davidson
5'10" | SF
Lawrence North | 2020
State
IN
(Miami-OH),
Kristian Young
Kristian
Young
5'4" | PG
Lawrence North | 2020
State
IN
(Illinois-Chicago), and
Lauren Gunn
Lauren
Gunn
5'9" | SF
Lawrence North | 2020
State
IN
(Valparaiso) are all at the Division-I level. As for the Tigers, they too saw five Seniors exit via the diploma, with three of them pursuing college hoops. However, both
Madison Layden
Madison
Layden
6'1" | SF
Northwestern | 2020
State
IN
(Purdue) and
Kendall Bostic
Kendall
Bostic
6'1" | C
Northwestern | 2020
State
IN
(Michigan State) found their way to the Big Ten, and both will go down as two of the best to ever put on their uniforms. So what’s left? Well, Lawrence North is off to a 3-3 start against a brutal schedule, including games today against Columbus North and Crown Point. They have a lot of youth gaining experience on the fly, but Senior guard
Jayla Smith
Jayla
Smith
5'11" | SG
Lawrence North | 2021
State
#73
Nation
IN
, a Purdue University commit, is back and as dangerous as ever. She was “Miss Big Shot” in the State Finals nine months ago. Additionally, Sophomore wing
Monica Williams
Monica
Williams
5'10" | SF
Lawrence North | 2023
State
IN
continues to improve, and she has been a really nice sidekick to Smith. Based on the quality of their schedule, they could very well be 12-10 entering Sectional play, but they have the firepower and experience to knock out anyone along the way and defend their title. When it comes to Northwestern, losing so much scoring, rebounding, and experience would be tough on just about anyone, but the Tigers have turned to a trio of returnees to help them keep with their winning ways. Sophomore wing
McKenna Layden
McKenna
Layden
6'2" | SF
Northwestern | 2023
State
IN
now takes on the go-to role, and she has been stellar thus far, averaging 20.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game, helping them to a 4-0 early season start. Senior guard Ellie Boyer and Junior post
Leah Carter
Leah
Carter
6'1" | PF
Northwestern | 2022
State
IN
have also elevated their games, both averaging double-figures at this point in time. The Tigers’ schedule isn’t quite as daunting as Lawrence North’s, so they very well could approach 20 wins again before tournament play.
No Parrish, No Perish?
University of Oregon Freshman
Sydney Parrish
Sydney
Parrish
6'2" | SF
Hamilton Southeastern | 2020
State
IN
had been a huge part of Hamilton Southeastern’s success the last four seasons, and with her graduation, plus the graduation of a strong 2019 class that helped the Royals win the 2019 Class 4A State Championship, Hamilton Southeastern was set to turn to a mostly new cast of characters with an uncertain set of expectations because of their inexperience. So what do the Royals do? They start the season 4-0 with wins over Center Grove, Ben Davis, Columbus East, and Fort Wayne Carroll, before finally falling yesterday at Carmel. They have also done so playing just one Senior, two Juniors, and five Sophomores a majority of the minutes. Junior guard
Ryan Viele
Ryan
Viele
5'8" | CG
Hamilton Southeastern | 2022
State
IN
and Sophomore wing
Riley Makalusky
Riley
Makalusky
6'2" | SF
Hamilton Southeastern | 2023
State
IN
have scored in double-digits to begin the year, but while Viele is an attacker who seemingly glides to the rim with ease, Makalusky is more of a deep shooter who threatens opposing defenses outside. Senior forward
Lydia Self
Lydia
Self
5'10" | SF
Hamilton Southeastern | 2021
State
IN
has been a monster on the boards so far, averaging 15.3 per game and 6.8 at the offensive end. Junior guard
Makayla Hinshaw
Makayla
Hinshaw
5'8" | SG
Hamilton Southeastern | 2022
State
IN
has been her usual self defensively, and Sophomore point guard
Olivia Brown
Olivia
Brown
5'7" | PG
Hamilton Southeastern | 2023
State
IN
has done a nice job from the helm of making the ship go. This group, collectively, has a lot of length, athleticism, and intensity. They are only going to gain confidence and learn from their mistakes as the season wears on, so watch out for them in February…each of the next three years.
Early Season Stat Leaders: Seniors Shining in Class 4A
While it’s still really early in the season, there are nine young ladies scoring at or above the 20-point threshold in Class 4A, per MaxPreps. Anderson Senior wing
Tyra Ford
Tyra
Ford
5'9" | SF
Anderson | 2021
State
IN
has been outstanding all season, and she tops the list averaging 34.6 points per game. Roncalli Senior guard
Madelyn Bischoff
Madelyn
Bischoff
5'10" | SG
Roncalli | 2021
State
IN
(25.5), Michigan City Senior forward
Trinity Thompson
Trinity
Thompson
6'0" | PF
Michigan City | 2021
State
IN
(24.2), Fishers Senior guard
Katie Burton
Katie
Burton
5'9" | SG
Fishers | 2021
State
IN
(23.3), and Valparaiso Senior wing
Kiana Oelling
Kiana
Oelling
5'10" | SF
Valparaiso | 2021
State
IN
(21.3) all come in above 21.0 points per game early this season. Just seven players are averaging double-digit rebounds in Class 4A, led by Michigan City Senior forward
Trinity Thompson
Trinity
Thompson
6'0" | PF
Michigan City | 2021
State
IN
at 17.0 per game. Hamilton Southeastern Senior wing
Lydia Self
Lydia
Self
5'10" | SF
Hamilton Southeastern | 2021
State
IN
has been strong on the glass, averaging 15.3 rebounds, while Muncie Central Junior athlete Jasiah Scaife has posted 13.7 rebounds per game thus far. Northwestern Sophomore wing
McKenna Layden
McKenna
Layden
6'2" | SF
Northwestern | 2023
State
IN
is dishing out the assists at a 9.5 assist per game clip. Lawrence Central Senior forward
Da’Naria Washington
Da’Naria
Washington
5'9" | SF
Lawrence Central | 2021
State
IN
(6.0), Noblesville Sophomore guard
Ashlynn Shade
Ashlynn
Shade
5'10" | SG
La Lumiere Prep | 2023
State
#33
Nation
IN
(5.8), Franklin Community Junior wing
Kuryn Brunson
Kuryn
Brunson
5'10" | SF
Franklin Community | 2022
State
IN
(5.5), and East Central Senior wing Kyla Maxwell (5.3) are all helping on more than five team baskets per game each time out. Noblesville Sophomore guard
Ashlynn Shade
Ashlynn
Shade
5'10" | SG
La Lumiere Prep | 2023
State
#33
Nation
IN
has been quite the thief, averaging 6.0 steals per game. Michigan City Junior guard Jaden Smallwood isn’t far behind at 5.2 per game, while ten more young ladies are at or above 4.0 steals per game. Northwestern Junior front-liner
Leah Carter
Leah
Carter
6'1" | PF
Northwestern | 2022
State
IN
and Columbus East Sophomore post Gabrielle Dean lead Class 4A in blocked shots at 3.5 per game, while Center Grove Senior wing
Mary Wilson
Mary
Wilson
5'10" | SF
Center Grove | 2021
State
IN
(23) and Franklin Community Freshman guard
Scarlett Kimbrell
Scarlett
Kimbrell
5'11" | SF
Franklin Community | 2024
State
IN
(20) have each made 20 or more 3-pointers in this young season. Kimbrell is shooting 47% outside as well (20-43).
Sectional #8 Best In State?
Of the six teams in Sectional #8, five of them are currently in the Top-25 of the first release of Jeff Sagarin’s rankings, which figure in a team’s strength of schedule, home vs. away games, etc. While I realize it’s way too early to rely solely on that, I have a feeling because of these schools’ strengths of schedule, they will all be up near the top at the end of the season as well. Carmel sits at 4-0 right now, with wins already against Hamilton Southeastern and Zionsville. They rely heavily on the inside-out duo of 6-1 Junior Wing
Kate Clarke
Kate
Clarke
6'1" | SF
Carmel | 2022
State
#56
Nation
IN
, a University of Michigan commit, and 6-3 Senior forward
Bridget Dunn
Bridget
Dunn
6'3" | PF
Carmel | 2021
State
IN
, a Kent State University signee. Fishers is off to a 6-1 start, and they have knocked off Zionsville as well. They rely on superb guard depth, most notably Senior
Katie Burton
Katie
Burton
5'9" | SG
Fishers | 2021
State
IN
, Senior
Audra Emmerson
Audra
Emmerson
5'6" | PG
Fishers | 2021
State
IN
, and Sophomore
Hailey Smith
Hailey
Smith
5'10" | SG
Fishers | 2023
State
IN
. Burton has committed to Saint John’s University in New York, while Emmerson has committed to Purdue University-Fort Wayne. Hamilton Southeastern checks in at 4-1, and we addressed them earlier in this article. Noblesville is 3-1 out of the gate, and they are heavily reliant on Sophomore star
Ashlynn Shade
Ashlynn
Shade
5'10" | SG
La Lumiere Prep | 2023
State
#33
Nation
IN
, while Freshman guard
Reagan Wilson
Reagan
Wilson
5'7" | PG
Noblesville | 2024
State
IN
and Senior wing Jayla Jones are also off to nice starts. Westfield is 2-1 right now, but they are currently in the middle of a number of unfortunate postponements. They turn to talented Junior wing
Alyssa Crockett
Alyssa
Crockett
6'3" | SF
Westfield | 2022
State
#62
Nation
IN
. Junior guard
Chesney Tebbe
Chesney
Tebbe
5'7" | CG
Westfield | 2022
State
IN
and Senior guard
Jessica Castor
Jessica
Castor
5'6" | CG
Westfield | 2021
State
IN
have continued their strong play from the Summer. And after an abnormal and injury plagued 6-17 season in 2019-2020, Zionsville is happy to have Senior forward
Katey Richason
Katey
Richason
6'0" | PF
Zionsville Community | 2021
State
IN
back and healthy. The Miami University (OH) commit missed much of last season injured. The Eagles are 3-3 right now, but they have also seen a number of youngsters step up, including Sophomore forward
Laila Hull
Laila
Hull
6'1" | PF
Zionsville | 2023
State
#49
Nation
IN
, who continues to score the ball consistently at all three levels.
Unranked? No Problem
East Central, Fort Wayne Snider, Franklin Community, Michigan City, and Roncalli all began the season outside of our Preseason Top-10, but all have started this season with an undefeated mark of 3-0 or better, plus all are currently among the Top-50 teams in the state in the initial Sagarin ratings. East Central has typically used a great deal of size to overwhelm opponents in the past, and while they still have a little size, they are doing so this year with more of a balanced attack. Junior guard
Hope Fox
Hope
Fox
5'7" | CG
East Central | 2022
State
IN
has been outstanding to begin the year, and her versatility is apparent. Sophomore forward
Josie Trabel
Josie
Trabel
6'0" | PF
East Central | 2023
State
IN
is another multidimensional kid who can play inside-out. Junior guard Ashley Nobbe transferred in from Batesville this year, and she brings more stability to the backcourt, as does Senior wing Kyla Maxwell. The Trojans are 4-0 to begin the year, with a big game tonight at Mount Vernon (Fortville). Fort Wayne Snider is very much on the young side of things as a program. With a new head coach and a number of Freshmen impacting the rotation, they could be a team that sustains success the next several years. Freshman point guard
Jordyn Poole
Jordyn
Poole
5'6" | PG
Fort Wayne Snider | 2024
State
IN
was a thrill to watch all Summer, and she headlines this young team. Senior forward
Destiny Jackson
Destiny
Jackson
5'10" | SF
Fort Wayne Snider | 2021
State
IN
, a Loyola University (Chicago) signee, transferred in from Northrop, and she gives them a boost in both scoring and rebounding. Freshmen
Destini Craig
Destini
Craig
5'9" | PF
Fort Wayne Northrop | 2024
State
IN
and
Joh’nea Donahue
Joh’nea
Donahue
5'8" | SG
Fort Wayne Snider | 2024
State
IN
bring a great deal of talent and potential for Panther fans to be excited about as well. They are 3-0 right now, but it doesn’t get any easier with games next weekend against Fort Wayne South Side and Warsaw. I’ve touched on Franklin Community in recent weeks, and they are 4-0 right now with early season wins against Mount Vernon (Fortville) and Columbus North. Having Senior guard
Kyra Baker
Kyra
Baker
5'5" | PG
Franklin Community | 2021
State
IN
and Junior wing
Kuryn Brunson
Kuryn
Brunson
5'10" | SF
Franklin Community | 2022
State
IN
both back in the fold and healthy absolutely helps. But the additions of Freshmen guards
Scarlett Kimbrell
Scarlett
Kimbrell
5'11" | SF
Franklin Community | 2024
State
IN
and
Lauren Klem
Lauren
Klem
5'1" | PG
Franklin Community | 2024
State
IN
have also been huge. All four players are averaging double-digits so far this season, and they are lighting up the nets from beyond the arc. Their next big test looks to be December 12, when they travel to Plainfield (5-1) for a conference matchup. I haven’t heard anyone mention Michigan City this year, but they are 5-0 and have gotten superb play from Senior forward
Trinity Thompson
Trinity
Thompson
6'0" | PF
Michigan City | 2021
State
IN
and Senior guard
Katelyn Halfacre
Katelyn
Halfacre
5'4" | CG
Michigan City | 2021
State
IN
. Thompson has committed to play at Northern Kentucky University, and she is averaging an impressive 24.2 points and 17.0 rebounds this season. Halfacre is at a robust 18.0 points per game herself. They have already beaten typically strong Plymouth and Portage squads, and they have a big stretch coming up with three of their next five games against conference foes Chesterton, Lake Central, and Merrillville. Roncalli has put together some really nice years in its history, but I feel like lately they have been a bit under the radar because of the number of strong teams in Central Indiana. This Roncalli group is off to a 4-0 start, however, with a big game today against Center Grove. Senior guard
Madelyn Bischoff
Madelyn
Bischoff
5'10" | SG
Roncalli | 2021
State
IN
has been unbelievable so far this season, averaging 25.5 points and 4.5 steals per game. Senior forward Sofie Carr and Sophomore guards
Savanna Bischoff
Savanna
Bischoff
5'9" | SG
Center Grove | 2023
State
IN
and
Sydney Horton
Sydney
Horton
5'7" | CG
Roncalli | 2023
State
IN
have been solid as well early this season. Their schedule will get tougher quickly, though, as they have Heritage Christian, Ben Davis, and Lawrence North all on the docket in December.