Matchups Set For Sectionals
It’s been a good week for the Warsaw boys basketball team.
The Tigers not only collected a pair of much-needed wins to snap a losing skid, but the IHSAA delivered some more good news Sunday night.
Warsaw received a favorable draw for the sectional round of the state tournament series set to begin March 4.
The Tigers, who are 11-8 and defending sectional champions, will face Northern Lakes Conference foe Goshen (9-9) in a first-round game of the Class 4-A Elkhart Sectional at North Side Gym on March 4. Warsaw, with a win over the Redskins, would then play host Elkhart Central (5-13) in a semifinal game March 7.
Coach Doug Ogle’s team is 2-3 versus the sectional field with regular-season wins over both Goshen (48-41) and Central (71-37) in January. The Tigers picked up home wins this past week over Elkhart Christian and Fort Wayne Luers to stop a five-game losing streak.
Northridge, the NLC champions and sectional favorite at 17-2, drew a bye and will play the Concord-Elkhart Memorial winner in a semifinal game March 7. The Raiders went 7-0 to claim the NLC title and their only two losses are to No. 5 Penn, who is 17-1 on the season. Northridge, which lost to Warsaw in the sectional finale at Elkhart a year ago, is seeking its first-ever Class 4-A sectional title and its’ first championship since 2004.
A strong field featuring defending champion Tippecanoe Valley (15-3) and NorthWood (17-1) highlight the Class 3-A Wawasee Sectional. The Vikings, who have won 11 of their last 12 games, play the host Warriors (4-14) in a first-round game on March 5. The two teams are scheduled to play this Friday at Wawasee in the regular-season finale.
NorthWood, ranked No. 5 and led by a pair of 1,000-point scorers in Zach Zurcher and Jonathan Wilkinson, will face Lakeland in a first-round sectional contest. The Panthers’ lone loss was a 54-52 defeat at the hands of NLC opponent Northridge. NorthWood lost to Valley in the sectional title game in 2013. The Panthers are 5-0 versus the sectional field this season, including a 58-43 win over Valley on Jan. 3 in a semifinal game of the Winning Edge Holiday Tournament.
Triton will look for its seventh straight sectional crown at Culver. The Trojans, who were Class 1-A state runner-up last year, are 3-0 versus the field. Triton will play the winner of the LaCrosse-Culver game in a semifinal matchup on March 7. Triton topped Northern State Conference foe Culver 64-56 on Jan. 17 at Culver.
Lakeland Christian Academy will compete in the Class 1-A Hamilton Sectional. The Cougars (1-18) face Lakewood Park (9-9) in the opener at Hamilton on March 4.
Elkhart Christian, which won a regular-season best 15th game Saturday night, headlines the field at Hamilton. The No. 4 Eagles, who play Bethany Christian (3-15) in a first-round game, have never won a sectional championship. Elkhart Christian topped Bethany by 54 and 29 points during a pair of meetings in the regular season.
The four-team regionals are set for Saturday, March 15 at Michigan City (4-A), Blackford (3-A) and Triton (1-A). Semistates are Saturday, March 22 at Lafayette Jeff or Huntington North.
The State Finals are Saturday, March 29 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Class 4-A
At Elkhart Central (At North Side Gym)
Tuesday, March 4: 6 p.m.: Concord (12-6) vs. Elkhart Memorial (7-11); 7:30 p.m.: Goshen (9-9) vs. Warsaw (11-8)
Friday, March 7: 6 p.m.: Northridge (17-2) vs. Concord-Memorial winner; 7:30 p.m. Elkhart Central (5-13) vs. Goshen-Warsaw winner
Saturday, March 8: 7:30 p.m.
Class 3-A
At Wawasee
Tuesday, March 4: 7:30 p.m.: West Noble (16-4) vs. Whitko (1-17)
Wednesday, March 5: 6 p.m.: Wawasee (4-14) vs. Tippecanoe Valley (15-3); 7:30 p.m.: Lakeland (7-11) vs. NorthWood (17-1)
Friday, March 7: 6 p.m.: Fairfield (10-8) vs. West Noble-Whitko winner; 7:30 p.m.: Wawasee-Valley winner vs. Lakeland-NorthWood winner
Saturday, March 8: 7:30 p.m.
Class 1-A
At Culver
Tuesday, March 4: 6:30 p.m.: LaCrosse (3-15) vs. Culver (11-6); 8 p.m.: South Central (4-12) vs. Oregon-Davis (6-12)
Friday, March 7: 6:30 p.m.: Triton (11-7) vs. LaCrosse-Culver winner; 8 p.m.: Argos (11-6) vs. South Central-Oregon Davis winner
Saturday, March 8: 7 p.m.
At Hamilton
Tuesday, March 4: 7 p.m.: Lakewood Park (9-9) vs. Lakeland Christian Academy (1-18)
Wednesday, March 5: 6 p.m.: Howe (0-16) vs. Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian (12-8); 7:30 p.m.: Bethany Christian (3-15) vs. Elkhart Christian (15-4)
Friday, March 7: 6 p.m.: Hamilton (5-12) vs. Lakewood Park-LCA winner; 7:30 p.m.: Howe-Blackhawk winner vs. Bethany-Elkhart Christian winner
Saturday, March 8: 7:30 p.m.