After falling short of winning sectional titles the past two years, the Columbus North girls basketball program is looking to return to the heights of the previous three seasons.
From 2015-17, the Bull Dogs went to the final four in Class 4A all three years and had a state championship and a state runner-up finish. The three consecutive regional titles capped a run of six straight sectional crowns.
North took a step toward making that return during the June period in which coaches are permitted to work with their players in practice and game situations. The Bull Dogs finished the summer with a 24-3 record.
North won its first 10 games in June, going 4-0 at a shootout in Lafayette, 3-0 at the Indiana University/Teri Moren Team Camp and 3-0 at the Corydon Central Shootout.
Last week, Bull Dogs then split a pair of games as a fill-in team in the Lady Mac League at Warren Central, falling to Salem 43-38. Then over the weekend, North went 13-2 in the D-One Team Camp in Fort Wayne, with both losses coming to Toledo Notre Dame Academy, including a two-point overtime defeat in the semifinals.
Four starters return for the Bull Dogs and played major roles this summer. Incoming junior point guard Alexa McKinley led North in scoring, assists and steals; and is joined by incoming seniors Sierra Norman, Annie Anderson and Tessa Lomax.
Incoming sophomore Kylah Lawson, who was a starter at the beginning of last season, and incoming junior Madison White, shared the fifth starting spot this summer. In all, 11 girls played varsity in June, including incoming freshmen Lauren Barker and Emma Long.
Incoming junior Kanon Matsuno and incoming senior Riley Eder are returning letterwinners. Incoming junior Emily Herndon is moving up to the varsity.
Meanwhile, the Bull Dogs’ JV team also had a sizzling summer, going 27-0, including 4-0 against varsity teams. North’s team of entering freshmen went 7-8, with 13 of its 15 games being against JV teams.
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This is the third of six stories this week on how the summer basketball seasons went for Bartholomew County schools.
Monday: Hauser girls
Tuesday: Columbus East girls
Today: Columbus North girls
Thursday: Hauser boys
Friday: Columbus East boys
Saturday: Columbus North boys
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