Indiana
IHSAA football sectional pairings takeaways: Early showdowns, tough draws, new champs
The path to Lucas Oil Stadium is set.
The Indiana High School Athletic Association unveiled the football sectional draw Sunday night for the 52nd annual tournament presented by the Indianapolis Colts. The first round sectional games for Class 4A through Class A are set for Oct. 25, with 5A and 6A to begin the following week. The state finals for all six classes will be played Nov. 29 and 30 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
IHSAA football sectional draw: Check out the 2024 tournament pairings
What we learned from Week 8: On Lawrence North, Cascade, surprises
Here are 10 takeaways from the sectional draw:
Big-time matchups in 6A
There might not be the major league showdown last year like there was last year when Brownsburg played Ben Davis in the first round, but there are some good ones. Three of the best:
∎ Franklin Central at Columbus North, Sectional 8: Franklin Central (5-2) has been one of the hottest teams in the class with wins the past two weeks over Fishers and Hamilton Southeastern and a four-game winning streak overall. Coach Jayson West’s Flashes are guaranteed of having a winning season for the first time since joining the Hoosier Crossroads Conference in 2018. Can Franklin Central get through No. 9 Columbus North (7-1) and get a shot at No. 7 Center Grove (5-3)?
∎ Lawrence North at Lawrence Central, Sectional 6: Beating a rival twice is always tough. Class 6A fourth-ranked Lawrence North (8-0) has proved itself against the toughest teams on its schedule with decisive wins over Ben Davis, Warren Central and Center Grove the past three weeks. But the Wildcats had to hold on in Week 1 for a 33-26 win over Lawrence Central. The Bears (3-5) are capable of making it tough for the Wildcats.
∎ Carmel at Zionsville, Sectional 3: Hard to believe but Carmel (3-5) has not won a sectional since 2020. Zionsville (3-5) won one sectional title in 6A in 2019 with wins over Pike and Brownsburg. Carmel has been struggling in recent weeks, losing four of five. Zionsville has dropped three in a row after a promising start. These programs have never met in tournament play. Third-ranked Westfield (7-1) will likely be waiting on the other side of the bracket.
Sectional 5 could still go through Ben Davis
If top-ranked Brownsburg (8-0) can win at Avon (2-6) in the first round of Sectional 5, the Bulldogs could be headed back to defending 6A champion Ben Davis for the sectional championship game.
Ben Davis (3-5) will have to win at an improved Pike (5-3) in the first round. After a 1-5 start, Ben Davis has won two in a row over Carmel and Lawrence Central by a combined 48 points. The Giants rallied last year from an 18-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Brownsburg 28-25 in the first round of the sectional, then go on to win the state title.
Ben Davis and Brownsburg did not meet during the regular season. The Giants lost to Avon in overtime, but beat Pike 38-14. Brownsburg handled Avon 45-15 after a slow start.
A wide-open Sectional 4
Hamilton Southeastern (5-3), the two-time defending sectional champion, might still be the team to beat in Sectional 4. But it seems like a smaller margin than it has been. Despite its record, Noblesville (2-6) could be a sleeper pick. The Millers battled top-ranked Brownsburg into the fourth quarter on Friday before losing 22-18 and have lost five games by a touchdown or less, including a 28-21 loss to HSE in Week 7. Fishers (4-4) beat HSE 37-35 in Week 4.
Fishers plays at Noblesville and HSE is at Homestead (4-4).
A showdown in Class 4A
Bishop Chatard, the 3A state champion in 2022 and ’23, will attempt to win its first state title in 4A this season. The 4A third-ranked Trojans (6-1) will start with Crispus Attucks (5-1) in Sectional 22 and then play the winner of Mooresville (3-5) and Shortridge (2-5).
More of the intrigue in Sectional 22 will be on the bottom half of the bracket, where high-scoring No. 8 Brebeuf Jesuit (6-2) will host Danville (7-1) and Roncalli (3-4) hosts Northview (7-1). Chatard beat Brebeuf 58-35 in the opener and defeated Roncalli 9-3 in Week 3.
The Danville-Brebeuf game should be fun. Danville’s only loss came in Week 1 to 3A state-ranked Gibson Southern. Brebeuf, averaging more than 48 points per game, is putting up video game numbers every (non-hurricane weather) week.
A loaded local 5A sectional
The two teams to make it to the state finals the past two years from the bottom half of the 5A bracket will meet in the first round of Sectional 13.
Whiteland (3-4) is at fourth-ranked Decatur Central (5-2) in a rematch of a game the Hawks won 42-29 in Week 3. Decatur Central reached the state finals last year, losing to Fort Wayne Snider. Whiteland was the 5A entry two years ago, falling to Valparaiso.
Sitting on the other side of the four-team sectional is No. 5 Plainfield (7-1), which will play winless Anderson.
A great route for Martinsville
One of the stories of the season has been 4A second-ranked Martinsville (8-0), which ran into the freight train of East Central in the sectional each of the past three seasons. But East Central is now playing up in 5A and Martinsville has a much more favorable sectional this season in Sectional 23.
The Artesians will open at home against Charlestown (1-7) and then play the winner of Silver Creek (3-5) and Connersville (2-6) in the semifinal. The next-best team in the eight-team field is probably Greenwood (2-6). This is a good year for Martinsville to break a sectional title drought that dates to 1996. The Artesians can really sling with quarterback A.J. Reynolds and receiver Hunter Stroud.
I like Martinsville to make the semistate.
A murderer’s row in 3A sectional
How about Class 3A Sectional 32. Wow.
No matter how you slice it, Sectional 32 was going have some heavyweight matchups in the first round with four top-10 teams in the field. No. 1 Evansville Memorial (8-0) will play at seventh-ranked Evansville Mater Dei (7-1) in a rematch of a game Memorial won 41-13 in Week 4. Also, No. 2 Heritage Hills (7-1) will play at No. 6 Gibson Southern (6-2) in the bottom half of the bracket.
Southridge (6-2) is another team to watch in the sectional.
The path for Lutheran
Coach Dave Pasch’s Lutheran team, the three-time defending champion in Class A, is playing in Class 2A for the first time and will be one of the favorites to compete for a state championship. The 7-1 Saints, who saw their 45-game winning streak snapped by Triton Central earlier this season, will host sixth-ranked Heritage Christian (6-2), arguably the next-best team in the seven-team sectional, in the first round of Sectional 37.
The other top contender in Sectional 37 is Monrovia (6-2), which is hosting Scecina (3-5) on the top half of the bracket. Lutheran is 4-0 against the sectional field, including a 49-14 win over Monrovia. The Saints have not played Heritage Christian.
Tough draw for Western Boone
Western Boone, the Class 2A state champion three consecutive years from 2018 to 2020, is playing in 2A again after three years of playing up in 3A. The fourth-ranked Stars (7-1) are a contender to make a deep run but did not receive a favorable draw in Sectional 34. The first-round matchup is against North Putnam (7-1) with top-ranked Lafayette Central Catholic (7-1) awaiting in the sectional semifinal.
Lafayette Central Catholic, an eight-time state champion in Class A, won a regional for the first time last year in 2A before falling to Fort Wayne Luers in the semistate. This is a sectional with not a lot of familiarity; LCC, Western Boone and North Putnam have not played one another.
Odds and ends
There are guaranteed to be at least five new state champions this season with Fort Wayne Snider (moving up from 5A to 6A), East Central (4A to 5A), Bishop Chatard (3A to 4A), Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (2A to 3A) and Lutheran (A to 2A) all moving up after winning state championships via the tournament success factor. … There are 312 teams entered in the tournament. … Chatard has the most state championships in tournament history with 17, followed by Cathedral (14) and Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (12). … In addition to the five teams listed above playing up through the tourney success factor, Adams Central (2A), Cathedral (6A) and Lafayette Central Catholic (2A) are also playing up. … Lutheran has the longest active tournament winning streak with 17. … No. 1 New Palestine (7-0) will open Class 4A Sectional 21 at home against Mt. Vernon (4-4). Greenfield-Central (6-2) is on the other side of the bracket.
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
The Indiana Fever were in a much better position than many other teams going into this offseason since two of their three best players were still under contract.
Nevertheless, the Fever made some significant moves in free agency to build a potential contender around Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston. None of them were necessarily bad moves, but some are more impactful than others.
Re-signing Kelsey Mitchell: A+
The Fever signed Kelsey Mitchell to a one-year supermax deal, and it’s worth every cent. Mitchell endured years of losing and still stayed loyal to the franchise. Last season, she was the driving force behind the Fever’s surprise run to the semifinals and a legitimate MVP candidate.
Re-signing Lexie Hull: A
When you have a star trio of Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, and Caitlin Clark, you need strong defense and 3-point shooting around them. So, re-signing Lexie Hull was a no-brainer. She is the perfect role player next to the big three.
Re-signing Sophie Cunningham: A
Cunningham’s first season with the Fever was cut short by an injury, but her versatility was on full display. She played the four and three, but also stepped into the point guard role when Clark, Sydney Colson, and Aari McDonald all suffered injuries. Keeping her around adds defense, 3-point shooting, and positional versatility that will come in handy for a team hoping to go on a deep playoff run.
Signing Monique Billings: B+
Monique Billings may not be the free agency get that Azurá Stevens would have been, but she should still fit in well with the Fever’s core. She can provide inside scoring and rebounding alongside and behind Aliyah Boston, she runs the floor well in transition, and she should be a great pick-and-roll partner for Clark.
Signing Tyasha Harris: B
Signing Ty Harris as the backup guard behind Clark is an upgrade over Sydney Colson. She was also the starting point guard for Stephanie White’s Connecticut Sun team that finished the 2024 season with the league’s best defensive rating and the third-best record. Signing her is just a super solid get.
Signing Myisha Hines-Allen: B
Hines-Allen is another solid addition to the frontcourt. She rebounds well and finishes rather efficiently around the rim. When the Lynx added her ahead of the 2024 trade deadline, she emerged as an immediate contributor for a finals team. Hopefully, she can be the same for the Fever.
Re-signing Damiris Dantas: C
Holding on to Dantas is a fine move, but not one that will make or break the season. She can provide center depth off the bench and has experience playing with the core, but since the Fever signed Billings, she likely won’t get a chance to make much of an impact.
Signing Shatori Walker-Kimbrough to a training camp deal: C-
Walker-Kimbrough adds a veteran presence and some guard depth, but doesn’t promise much production. She was in a similar position with the Atlanta Dream last season and averaged 1.7 points in about 8 minutes per game. If injuries pushed her into a bigger role, she could still contribute more, though. There just won’t be a lot of opportunities on a healthy Fever team, and she definitely wouldn’t be the kind of difference-maker Odyssey Sims was last season.
Signing Megan McConnell to a training camp contract: B
Megan McConnell only got to play one game in her rookie season before she suffered an injury. After that, she had a productive offseason in the WNBL, and her brother TJ McConnell plays for the Indiana Pacers, which makes her getting a shot with the Fever a great story. Giving her a chance to claim a roster spot in training camp, even if it’s one of the two developmental spots, is not a game-changing move, but a promising one.
Signing Kayana Traylor to a training camp contract: B-
As a second-round pick in 2023, Traylor fell victim to the limited number of roster spots in the W, and she has played overseas and in AU since. She won’t move the needle, but seeing if they can develop her into a future contributor certainly can’t hurt.
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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Businesses could face fines for knowingly hiring workers living in the country without legal permission under an Indiana law taking effect soon.
That was the message from Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita at a Thursday news conference.
Enforcement of Senate Enrolled Act 76, called the Fairness Act by Republicans, is set to begin July 1. The law will mark the first time in the state’s history that businesses will be financially penalized for employing workers in the country without legal permission.
Rokita said, “We do expect whatever operation you run to have it run fairly, and that means you hire Hoosiers and you at least hire U.S. citizens, and you do not try to exploit cheap labor from people who shouldn’t be here in the first place.”
The Republican attorney general said the goal of the law was to crack down on what he calls “underground economies” and “labor trafficking” in the construction industry.
A Central Midwest Carpenters’ Union representative said both union and nonunion companies are being undercut by competitors who take advantage of low-wage workers living in the country without legal permission. Kyle Gresham said, “There is a right way and a wrong way to do things. This is not a union and nonunion issue. This is about workers. This is about doing what’s right. This is about paying their fair share.”
“I’ve seen workers hanging drywall for as little as 15 cents a square foot, and if you do the math, that’s not a lot. There’s no overtime, no insurance, no workers’ comp insurance. These workers are in a completely exploitive business model.”
Construction workers that News 8 spoke to said they fear losing more coworkers and taking on additional responsibilities.
Senate Enrolled Act 76 goes beyond construction sites. It also requires schools, government agencies, and law enforcement to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Critics say the law could lead to racial profiling, but Rokita said, “I’m not going to worry a thing about that. We’re going where the facts lead. If there’s a certain demographic that’s being trafficked more than others, do you think they care? That we’re profiling them? We wouldn’t be doing that. We wouldn’t be profiling anything, because it’s labor trafficking.”
The attorney general said his office will rely on tips and referrals from the public to begin any investigations.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis will be included in the inaugural American Great Lakes Michelin Guide, a move expected to elevate the city’s culinary scene.
The partnership with Michelin will bring inspectors to Indianapolis restaurants, with results of evaluations expected in approximately one year.
The French tire company says restaurants in Indianapolis and five other cities will be featured. On Thursday, Morgan Snyder, Visit Indy’s vice president of communications and community relations, joined Daybreak to discuss what this means for the city.
She says Michelin inspectors are currently evaluating restaurants in Indianapolis after determining the city was a strong contender for recognition.
The evaluation process reportedly began without the city’s prior knowledge. “So unbeknownst to us, Michelin came into the market and was scouring our culinary scene,” Snyder said. “And then they decided Indianapolis is a strong contender and could put forth some Michelin restaurants.”
Indianapolis was invited to participate alongside five other Midwestern cities in this guide expansion.
“Not every city in the Midwest was invited,” Snyder said. “So, we should be excited about that opportunity that we have a seat at the table.”
Michelin recognition includes categories such as one, two, or three stars, Bib Gourmand distinctions, and Green Stars.
Michelin established a restaurant rating system in 1900, ranking the best with from one to three stars based on anonymous inspections evaluating ingredients, techniques, flavor, chef personalities, and consistency. The company created the guide to encourage more driving — and thus wear out more tires — by providing drivers with maps, hotel information, and dining recommendations.
“We’re humble Hoosiers often, and we don’t brag about our restaurants as much as we should, but there are so many incredible restaurants in our city,” Snyder said.
Aligning with the globally recognized Michelin brand, Snyder said this could enhance the perception of Indianapolis as a culinary destination and boost tourism. Michelin recognition also historically increases revenues for recognized chefs.
“There’s data that proves the (Michelin brand) increases tourism; there’s data that proves that Michelin-recognized chefs see an increase in their revenues if they’re Michelin-recognized.” She added, “So the proof is there that aligning with a Michelin brand can really move the needle in raising the game for an entire destination.”
The inaugural restaurant selection for the Great Lakes region — Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and Pittsburgh — will be revealed in 2027.
The Michelin Guide has expanded across North America over several years. Its first North American Guide was for New York in 2005.
This story was formatted for WISHTV.com using AI-assisted tools. Our editorial team reviews and
edits all content published to ensure it meets our journalistic standards for accuracy and fairness.
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