Columbus North’s Ava Wilson, left, and Miley McClellan, right, defend against Columbus East’s Hayden Meek Dec. 18 at Columbus North High School.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Three Bartholomew County girls basketball teams looking to break long sectional droughts learned their first-round sectional opponents Sunday evening when the IHSAA conducted its tournament draw.
Columbus East will host the local Class 4A sectional and will play on the opening night against East Central at 7 p.m. Feb. 3. The Trjoans (18-3) beat the Olympians (5-16) 55-27 Nov. 19
Columbus North (16-5) will play Whiteland (5-15) in the semifinals at 6 p.m. Feb. 6. The Bull Dogs beat the Warriors 53-25 Jan. 6
“I always feel like it’s only a good draw if you end up winning,” North coach Brett White said. “But it’s always an advantage to only have to play two games instead of three.”
The East-East Central winner will face Franklin (13-8) in the second semifinal at around 7:45 p.m. Feb. 6. The sectional final is at 7 p.m. Feb. 7.
North edged Franklin 58-55 in the season opener and split a pair of games with East Central.
“Definitely on paper, us and Franklin and East Central would be the favorites,” White said. “But as usual, you just never know at tournament time. We’re going to focus on Whiteland and go from there if we do have another game.”
Hauser’s Leah Manley (32) passes to June Berkenstock (2) against Morristown Thursday at Hauser High School.
Nicholas Shaw | For the Republic
Meanwhile, in Class A, Hauser drew a favorable first-round matchup in the Oldenburg Academy Sectional, but would face one of the sectional co-favorites in the semifinals. The Jets (11-9) play Crothersville (0-16), a team they beat 54-15 Dec. 6, at 6 p.m. Feb. 4.
The winner will meet Class A No. 6 Trinity Lutheran (17-4) or Class A No. 7 Oldenburg Academy (17-3), who meet in the second game Feb. 4, in the semifinals at around 7:45 p.m. Feb. 6.
“In the tournament, you have to take one game at a time,” Hauser coach Kyle Shipp said. “If you’re trying to make a run in the tournament, you have to win and advance and hope the other team is coming off a tough battle and maybe overlook you. “
The Oldenburg sectional begins Feb. 3 with Rising Sun (7-12) playing Milan (3-17) at 6 p.m., followed by Shawe Memorial (14-6) and Jac-Cen-Del (6-14) at around 7:45 p.m.
Also in Class A, Edinburgh (11-9) will play Southwestern (Shelby) (3-17) at 6 p.m. Feb. 3 in the first round at Waldron. Morristown (10-9) and Knightstown (13-6) will meet in the second semifinal that night.
Defending sectional champion South Decatur (9-12) will face North Decatur (9-11) in the first round Feb. 4. Tri (14-5) and Waldron (6-10) will play in the second game that night.
Class 3A No. 9 Jennings County (16-5) drew a first-round bye in the Franklin County Sectional and will play at 6 p.m. Feb. 6 against the winner of the Feb. 3 first-round game between Franklin County (8-12) and Lawrenceburg (12-7). Class 3A No. 3 Greensburg (17-6) got the other first-round bye and will play in the second semifinal against Batesville (11-12) or South Dearborn (1-22).
In Class 2A, Brown County (2-19) will play Switzerland County in the first round at around 7:45 p.m. Feb. 3 at Austin. The winner will meet 2A No. 10 Austin (14-9) in the semifinals at around 7:45 p.m. Feb. 6.
South Ripley (15-7) and Brownstown Central (16-6) will play in the other first-round game at 6 p.m. Feb. 3. The winner will face Southwestern (Hanover) (15-6) at 6 p.m. Feb. 6.
All sectional finals will be the evening of Feb. 7. The regional round will be played Feb. 14 at sites to be determined after the sectional. The semistate round is Feb. 21, and the state finals are Feb. 28 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
