TERRE HAUTE — Go ahead. Try to make some sense of the boys high school basketball sectionals that begin today around the Wabash Valley.
Yes, there’s a strong possibility that Vigo County fans might make three round trips to Plainfield before a Terre Haute North-Terre Haute South finale — don’t those two always play each other when Class 4A Sectional 13 is at one of its eastern schools? — although Northview might have something to say about that. But among six sectionals, there are only three top-10 teams — Sullivan at the Class 3A Owen Valley Sectional, White River Valley at its own Class A tournament and Attica at the Class A North Vermillion Sectional — and none has established dominance over its neighbors, although the Golden Arrows do seem to specialize in winning close games.
And if you put all 37 coaches involved in a room and described to them a team fully capable of beating the best team on its schedule or losing to the worst, probably more than a dozen of them would be up waving their hands saying, “That’s us all right.”
Even if form holds true at Plainfield for two nights, there’s no history of predictability in the North-South rivalry either — although Todd Woelfle would be happy if there were this week.
“North is the clear favorite [at Plainfield],” said coach Mike Saylor of South, but with a quick qualifier.
“I feel like we’re a dangerous club,” added Saylor, whose Braves have won three of four, the only loss in that span a close Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference game on the road. “We’ve had four real high-quality games in a row going into the tournament … due to working so diligently for so long, and getting people on the same page.”
“I feel like we had a really good regular season,” said Woelfle, “and we’re excited about the postseason.
“Plainfield [North’s opening opponent today] is very active, and they have a couple of players who can score a lot of points,” the Patriot coach continued. “We need to stay disciplined, work for good shots and defend like we have all season.” North ranks ninth in the state in fewest points allowed.
Northview, after a 1-11 start, is the sleeper there. The Knights have won six of nine and have played South, their possible first opponent, tough.
One of the coaches waving his hand a few paragraphs ago was undoubtedly Joe Boehler of West Vigo, whose team enters tournament play with an 11-11 record that would be 20-2 had the Vikings scored six more points in every game.
“I wish I had the magic formula [for consistency],” said Boehler, whose team lost three of its last four, two in unexpected fashion. “All we can do is cross our fingers and hope we play well.”
West Vigo plays Brown County tonight in a single game at Owen Valley. Wednesday’s doubleheader there might be the toughest ticket of Valley sectional play, with the host Patriots meeting in the opener and Sullivan and South Vermillion tangling for the third time — and second time in six days — in the nightcap.
“There’s not a whole lot we don’t know about each other,” coach Jeff Moore of Sullivan said after Friday night’s Western Indiana Conference-clinching win over the Wildcats, a one-possession game until the final seven seconds. “It’ll be another dogfight.”
Most games at Owen Valley could be, considering that the Golden Arrows needed one of their miracle endings to beat Greencastle — with the worst record in the sectional field — in overtime during the regular season and won five other games against teams in the field by five points or less.
Other near-certain dogfights will take place in the two Class A tournaments, both featuring nothing but conference rivalries.
At North Vermillion, each Wabash River Conference team has beaten or lost to at least one of its rivals. Three teams in the field have winning records but the hottest team is one that’s below .500 — the completely rebuilt defending champs from Rockville.
Among the SouthWestern Indiana Athletic Conference teams at White River Valley, no one is entering the tournament on a hot streak — unless you count Clay City, which won its last two games after losing 14 straight.
In Class 2A sectionals, Eastern Greene has the best record and South Knox the best regular-season finish at North Knox, while Covenant Christian is slightly hotter at South Putnam than either Tri-West or Speedway; Cloverdale, now that the Clovers finally earned coach Pat Rady’s 700th win, might relax and be a spoiler there.
Indiana boys basketball sectionals
Class 4A
At Plainfield
Today — Terre Haute North (16-6) vs. Plainfield (7-14), 6 p.m., followed by Mooresville (3-17) vs. Terre Haute South (12-10)
Friday — Martinsville (4-16) vs. winner game 1, 6 p.m., followed by Northview (7-14) vs. winner game 2
Class 3A
At Owen Valley
Today — West Vigo (11-11) vs. Brown County (12-7), 7 p.m.
Wednesday — Greencastle (6-13) vs. Owen Valley (8-13), 6 p.m., followed by Sullivan (20-2) vs. South Vermillion (13-9)
Friday — Edgewood (14-6) vs. winner game 1, 6 p.m., followed by winner game 2 vs. winner game 3
Class 2A
At North Knox
Today — North Knox (5-17) vs. Linton (3-17), 7 p.m.
Friday — Eastern Greene (13-8) vs. Bloomfield (6-15), 6 p.m., followed by South Knox (11-10) vs. winner game 1
At South Putnam
Today — Cloverdale (11-10) vs. Monrovia (14-6), 6 p.m., followed by Tri-West (14-5) vs. North Putnam (4-16)
Wednesday — Speedway (14-6) vs. Cascade (3-17), 6 p.m., followed by Covenant Christian (12-7) vs. South Putnam (3-17)
Friday — Today’s winners, 6 p.m., followed by Wednesday’s winners
Class A
At North Vermillion
Today — North Vermillion (9-11) vs. Covington (14-6), 6 p.m., followed by Attica (15-5) vs. Turkey Run (12-9)
Friday — Rockville (10-11) vs. winner game 1, 6 p.m., followed by Riverton Parke (2-19) vs. winner game 2
At White River Valley
Today — Union (2-18) vs. Shakamak (15-7), 7 p.m.
Friday — Clay City (5-15) vs. North Central (11-9), 6 p.m., followed by White River Valley (15-6) vs. winner game 1
All championship games March 6
High School
Indiana sectionals tip off today
North could battle South in Plainfield on Saturday
- High School
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Davis hits layup in double overtime to lift Terre Haute North at Bloomington North
Playing without their two leading scorers against a team that — most of the time — seemed more determined to win than they did, Terre Haute North's Patriots got a driving layup from Steven Davis with 2.8 seconds left in the second overtime to escape Bloomington North with a 54-52 win in high school basketball Thursday night.
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Sullivan stays on top of WIC for third straight year
Western Indiana Conference boys basketball teams have been trying to storm the Sullivan castle for three years now. The Golden Arrows have endured nearly every kind of strategy in the effort to breech their wall. West Vigo tried a few more on Thursday in a showdown for the WIC championship.
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South girls looking for solid performances at swimming state finals
One individual and one relay team, which includes that same individual, will represent Terre Haute South in the IHSAA girls swimming state finals today and possibly Saturday at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis.
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PREP ROUNDUP: Cesinger, Jones each score 24 in Clay City win
Blake Cesinger and Brylan Jones poured in 24 points apiece to lead visiting Clay City over North Central 67-53 in SouthWestern Indiana Athletic Conference boys high school basketball Thursday night.
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Teutopolis knocks off record-setting Marshall girls in regional championship
Marshall jumped ahead 4-0 only to watch Teutopolis score the next 11 points Thursday in the championship game of the Class 2A Teutopolis Regional.
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Sullivan wins battle in low post
Sullivan dominated the low block at both ends of the court Wednesday to defeat South Knox 43-30.
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State wrestling berths won't come easily
If high school wrestlers thought regional competition was tough last weekend, they can expect the competition, as Keegan Michael Key used to say on MADtv, taken to “a whole notha level” on Saturday.
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South pulls upset
Plainfield’s 16-5 record made the Quakers the team to beat in the Class 4A Terre Haute North Sectional.
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Vikings break long sectional drought
You’ll have to forgive West Vigo for celebrating just a wee bit prior to the postgame handshake with South Vermillion, but its first victory in a sectional game in 11 years was worthy of celebrating.
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PREP ROUNDUP: RP rolls past Attica
Riverton Parke jumped to a 20-point halftime lead and easily defeated Attica 59-34 in the Class A North Vermillion girls basketball sectional on Tuesday.
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They’re the pride of Marshall
With a 24-1 record, coach Kathy Miller’s Marshall team earned the top seed in the Class 2A Teutopolis Regional.
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Union season more fun with Talpas around
The Union boys basketball team has had its share of fun moments in the past, arguably the most fun being its Class A state runner-up in 2000.
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Injury bug follows girls into postseason
Who’s healthy is the question at least three of the four teams will be asking tonight when Class 4A girls high school basketball sectional play begins at Terre Haute North.
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Rockville needs late run to stop West Vigo
It was a game of fits and starts, but host Rockville finally overcame a stiff challenge from visiting West Vigo in a 53-46 victory in boys high basketball action on Saturday.
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Northview holds off Plainfield
Northview got its sixth victory in boys high school basketball action Saturday night, defeating Plainfield 59-56.
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PREP ROUNDUP: Cloverdale helps Rady to career win No. 714
Brandon Dorman and Joe Fidler combined for 37 points and six 3-pointers Saturday night as visiting Cloverdale defeated Turkey Run 63-45 in boys high school basketball.
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North seniors enjoy hot start
The appearance of balanced scoring in the Terre Haute North High School basketball lineup Saturday night was a little bit deceiving as the Patriots held on to defeat visiting Evansville Reitz 62-48 in North’s Senior Night contest.
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Ben Davis Giants top South Braves
Visiting Ben Davis nearly went to sleep on a sizeable lead against Terre Haute South in Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference high school basketball Friday night.
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No. 3 Panthers too much for Patriots
After trailing by 15 at halftime, Terre Haute North’s boys basketball team got off to a nice start in the second half and cut its deficit to seven against Class 4A No. 3 Indianapolis North Central.
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Clay City gives Shakamak first SWIAC loss
Clay City shook up the top echelon of the SouthWestern Indiana Athletic Conference with a solid 52-41 victory Friday over visiting Shakamak in a boys high school basketball game at the Eel Dome.
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Regional wrestlers know importance of opening-round matches
Eight in each weight class. Four of those advance to the semistate. No byes.
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PREP ROUNDUP: Mahurin leads Rox to victory
Lane Mahurin tallied 10 of his game-high 29 points in the fourth quarter to help Rockville hold off Wabash River Conference foe Fountain Central 80-72 in boys high school basketball Friday night.
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Robinson rolls past Paris
Whenever Paris strung a few plays together, Robinson had an answer Friday night in an Apollo Conference boys basketball game. The host Maroons held on for a 52-36 victory to go to 15-7 overall and 6-4 in the conference.
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Sullivan girls focused only on team success
If you’re looking for a good omen for the postseason hopes of the Sullivan High School girls basketball team, you might want to consider how the Golden Arrows handled the ceremonies and hoopla surrounding Rhagen Smith’s 1,000th point recently.
There wasn’t any — no ceremony, no hoopla. In fact Smith, her family, her coaches and her teammates weren’t exactly sure when the 1,000th point happened (it was actually Jan. 12) — and that seems perfectly fine with everyone. -
PREP ROUNDUP: South falls at Carmel, West Vigo girls win
Tasia Brewer had 18 points and 10 rebounds but visiting Terre Haute South lost its regular-season girls high school basketball finale to Carmel by a 78-47 score Thursday night in Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference play.
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Sullivan's Cox eyeing wrestling state finals
Back in the day, Jed Cox’s father and older brother were considered good wrestlers around Sullivan County.
Troy Cox, his father, qualified for the regional and brother Justin got to the semistate.
A good wrestler himself, Jed Cox hopes to go where no family member has gone before — the IHSAA state finals in Indianapolis. -
PREP ROUNDUP: Swimming sectionals begin today
Three Vigo County schools will join eight other schools in the IHSAA girls swimming and diving sectional at Plainfield starting tonight and concluding on Saturday.
- Wabash Valley verbal commitments
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Hughes follows in Weatherford's footsteps
Terre Haute North senior A.J. Hughes made a verbal commitment last week to punt for coach Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech next season, and Hughes hopes to be the starter for the perennially ranked BCS program.
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College plans health awareness event Feb. 8
To call attention to the importance of personal health and safety, Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Ill., will host a free Health Awareness Day for the public from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 8 in Williams Hall.
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