By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – During their decorated high school careers, every player on the Bedford North Lawrence roster has celebrated postseason success. The prizes of sectional nets and that coveted trophy have come with the uniform. Sectional championships are not guaranteed in perpetuity, but after a remarkable 13 in row, it seems that way.
That streak, the longest active one in the state, has been motivation for predecessors in the program. It has grown heavier as it has aged, and these Stars have felt the burden. It’s also a source of extreme pride. BNL will be counting on that boost, and its experience advantage, when it begins the multi-layered defense of its title on Friday night.
The Stars (6-15) will tangle with New Albany (6-17) in the first Class 4A Sectional 15 semifinal at Seymour. Powerful sectional favorite Floyd Central (21-4) will face resurgent Seymour (10-12) in the second semifinal, with the winners returning for the championship clash on Saturday night.
During the previous 13 seasons, no program in Indiana won more games. That includes 39 consecutive sectional contests. Time and change finally caught up with BNL. This season has been a struggle, with unfair comparisons to the past. That could be erased and rewritten with two wins.
“We know we have to fight extra hard to get what we want,” BNL senior Tori Nikirk said. “That’s what is pushing us. We’re trying to continue the streak, keep it going, so we have to fight really hard.”
The Sagarin ratings give a glimpse to BNL’s challenge. The Stars are rated fifth among the five sectional teams in the shrunken field (with the shift of Jennings County to Class 3A), and the computer gave BNL only a 10 percent chance to repeat. That’s because of a favorable draw.
BNL already owns a regular-season win over the Bulldogs. On Dec. 7 at BNL, the Stars came out hot, hitting their first five treys while blasting to a 17-2 lead. That led to a 57-29 victory as BNL extended its series streak over New Albany to 11 in a row.
That sizzling start has proven to be a statistical anomaly. BNL has shot only 24 percent from long range this season (while launching 47 percent of its shots from that line). The Bulldogs will probably take their chances, eager to see if BNL can repeat that performance.
“You can’t rely on the ball to go in like it did to start that game,” BNL coach Greg Burton said. “We have to be able to execute and defend, do all the little things. We have to play well on both ends.”
Miley Sherrill paced the Stars that night with 17 points and Trinidy Bailey added 9. Sherrill leads BNL (which has averaged only 40.5 points per game) in scoring at 10.0, along with contributions from Nikirk (6.4) and Katie Godlevske (5.7). Those three have sectional experience.
“I think that goes a long way,” Burton said. “It’s the first game of the sectional for both teams, so that matters. There are expectations that come with it. These girls have lived with it their entire life. There’s a pride to wearing BNL across the chest, and they own that. We’re excited.“
New Albany was mired in what would become an 11-game losing streak when it faced BNL the first time. The Bulldogs have been bolstered by the return of freshman Gracie Matheny (who missed the first BNL game with an injury), and they caused quite a stir among the Stars when they conquered Evansville North 55-43 on Jan. 25. The Huskies smacked BNL 51-36 on Jan. 4, if there’s any credibility to score comparisons.
“That opened some eyes,” Burton said. “We knew they were talented, we know they are capable, and Matheny being back is big for them. So we have to have our ears perked up and be ready to go. It’s the sectional, anything can happen.”
New Albany will have to cut down on its turnovers to earn a revenge win. The Bulldogs were guilty of 24 during the first encounter. BNL has won its 11 straight games in the series by an average of 34.2 points.
“Even though we beat them, you never know,” Sherrill said. “They’ll come out ready to take our heads off. It’s sectional time, you never know what can happen. Last year we turned around and beat Jennings, and we’re very capable of doing that this year. The streak is more pressure, but it makes us want to work hard.”
“There’s a lot of pressure,” Godlevske said. “We have to play our best if we want to keep it going.”
Floyd Central at Seymour: The sectional’s two hottest teams, including the obvious favorite, will collide in the second semifinal.
The Highlanders, coming off a first-round victory over Jeffersonville, have won six straight games, while the surging Owls have won eight of their last nine games since a dramatic turnaround during the holiday tournament at Scottsburg. Seymour had lost 10 straight games before recovering.
“I think that we have played defense at a different level and have become more patient offensively,” Seymour coach Jason Longmeier said. “The first half of the season, we weren’t letting the offense work. We were taking the first shot we got, rather than working to get a great shot. We’ve been a lot more patient, and we have allowed the offense to come along.
“We’ve also grown into our roles. We had to have a lot of players step into more advanced roles this year, and that took a little time.”
Sophie Skidmore leads the Owls in scoring at 11.1 while Emmy Munson adds 8.4. Seymour will be seeking to reverse a regular-season loss to Floyd. The Highlanders cruised to a 52-30 home triumph on Dec. 19. Brinley Clark paced Floyd with 20 points while Elise Coleman added 13.
“That’s the great thing about Indiana basketball,” Longmeier said. “In a lot of states, a 2-11 start would eliminate you from tournament play. Now we are a confident group.”
Floyd’s strength has been its defense. With its length and zone traps, the Highlanders are allowing only 35.2 points per game (second best in Class 4A), and only six opponents have topped 40 points.
The sectional champion will advance to the one-game regional, against the winner from the sectional at Evansville, on Feb. 15. BNL will be a regional host for two classes.
CLASS 4A SECTIONAL 15
Semifinal round at Seymour
BNL vs. NEW ALBANY
When: Friday, 6 p.m.
Records: BNL 6-15; New Albany 6-17
Sagarin ratings: BNL 63.57; New Albany 65.04
Last meeting: On Dec. 7 at BNL, the Stars exploded early for a 57-29 victory. Miley Sherrill had 17 points and Trinidy Bailey added 9, and BNL hit its first five treys while rolling to a 17-2 lead. The Bulldogs had 24 turnovers. Rylan Byars had 11 points for New Albany.
Previous game story: Stars go crazy with Yahtzee
Game notes: BNL is seeking its 14th consecutive sectional title, the longest active streak in the state. Rushville holds the state record with 18 straight sectional championships. The Stars have won 39 straight sectional games. New Albany’s last sectional title came in 2002 and its last sectional win came in 2019. BNL has won 11 straight in the series with New Albany by an average of 34.2 points.
Starting lineups
Bedford NL Stars
F – Miley Sherrill 5-9 So.
F – Makaya Jackson 5-8 Sr.
G – Trinidy Bailey 5-7 Jr.
G – Tori NIkirk 5-6 Sr.
G – Jordynn Blann 5-2 So.
New Albany Bulldogs
F – Sophia Corley 5-7 Sr.
F – Emily Spainhour 5-9 So.
C – Jaelynn Huggins 6-0 Fr.
G – Rylan Byars 5-9 Sr.
G – Gracie Matheny 5-6 Fr.
FLOYD CENTRAL at SEYMOUR
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Records: Floyd Central 21-4; Seymour 10-12
Sagarin ratings: Floyd Central 89.24; Seymour 74.43
Last meeting: On Dec. 19 at Floyd Central, the Highlanders cruised to a 52-30 win. Brinley Clark had 20 points and Elise Coleman added 13 for Floyd. Sophie Skidmore had 12 points for Seymour.
Game notes: Floyd Central is seeking its first sectional title since 2010. Seymour won its last sectional title in 2008. First-year Floyd coach Jerry Hickey guided Salem to four sectional titles during his tenure at Salem. Floyd’s first-round win over Jeffersonville was its first postseason victory since 2013.
Starting lineups
Floyd Central Highlanders
F – Brinley Clark 5-10 Jr.
C – Nora Gibson 6-0 Jr.
G – Elise Coleman 6-0 Jr.
G – Samara Miller 5-7 Sr.
G – Ava Hausz 5-4 Sr.
Seymour Owls
F – Sophie Skidmore 5-8 Jr.
F – Emmy Munson 5-8 Jr.
G – Claire Skaggs 5-3 Jr.
G – Greer Henry 5-7 Sr.
G – Abby Otte 5-6 Jr.
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