All-Star Sectionals, 3A: Sectional 25 at Brebeuf

We spent yesterday talking about all of the star power in one 4A sectional. Today's edition will talk about one of the toughest sectionals in 3A to get through---sectional 25 at Brebeuf on the north side of Indianapolis. As a seven team sectional, all three dates (October 15, 17, 19) will have some semblance of rock stars playing high-level volleyball, both in the Braves' gym and beyond. Here are all seven teams, with thirteen total players that would make a pretty impressive all-star team for this sectional.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Lebanon (7-14) v 3A #2 Tri-West (25-2), October 15, 6p</h2>   This match will have a solid five players that are not only making waves now (as senior leadership) but also represent the future for both programs. Although Lebanon is quite young, there's a ton of athletic talent coming up through the ranks, starting with [player_tooltip player_id='443871' first='Kinley' last='Young']. Kinley is a big and long middle that has a bright future in her club play, and should continue to have an outstanding career despite the outcome of this match. For the Bruins, however, this might be a trap match, knowing what lies ahead. [player_tooltip player_id='221477' first='Isabelle' last='Masten'] (Pitt commit) and her relentless play should definitely keep this squad in line and focused. [player_tooltip player_id='260995' first='Caroline' last='Ward']'s freakish athleticism is tough to stop, and is our clear choice of top recruit for the class of '27. Senior leadership is definitely on display as well, with [player_tooltip player_id='192090' first='Ryane' last='Spoonemore'] and [player_tooltip player_id='587630' first='Leah' last='Middleton'] being the building blocks of this program's recent success over the past couple of years.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Winner plays 3A #7 Danville (21-3), October 19, 11a</h2>   I cannot stress this enough---I wish the blind draw for the IHSAA didn't exist. Both Danville and TW SHOULD be on opposite sides of this bracket. If Tri-West wins the first match, what should be the sectional final becomes the sectional semifinal, making the last match Saturday night almost a letdown for the fans in attendance. They say you have to beat the best to be the best, so these two programs playing each other is inevitable. That being said, the Warriors have a ton of volleyball talent on their roster, starting with a big and physical middle in [player_tooltip player_id='394127' first='Ella' last='Vandermark']. She can thump from anywhere, both in front of and behind the setter, and is a solid middle recruit for the next level. [player_tooltip player_id='261048' first='Rylee' last='Bumgardner'] keeps defenses from keying in on Ella by hammering away on the left pin while being a primary passer. Setter [player_tooltip player_id='172331' first='Sofia' last='Windmiller'] runs a solid and balanced offense, and will be leaned upon by this band of Warriors to keep defenses guessing.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frankfort (19-8) @ Brebeuf (9-11), October 17, 5:30p</h2>   The Hot Dogs play the host Braves on Thursday evening as the first match of what will be a full night of playoff volleyball. These two haven't played each other this season, so expect the first set to be a bunch of awkward newness as these two figure out how to win. For Frankfort, Lily Rockhold and her four kills per set will pace the Hot Dog offense. I expect that she'll be called upon to hit any and all sets from all spots along the net to keep Brebeuf on their heels early on. Although Lily will see a ton of sets in the middle, she's a pin attacker at the next level. For Brebeuf, the first contact will be key, and the Braves have one of the best in libero [player_tooltip player_id='152936' first='Lexi' last='Gin'], a Penn State commit. Setter [player_tooltip player_id='261046' first='Reese' last='Blanchard'] is the lucky recipient of Lexi's passes, and should run a very well-balanced offense, while adding a little of her aggression, to extend the Braves' season.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Guerin Catholic (13-17) v Crawfordsville (16-11), October 17, approx. 7:30p</h2>   Like the match before them, these two did not see each other in the regular season, so there should be some feeling out in the beginning to find what works. Maddie Fritch, and outside for the Golden Eagles, might be called upon to do a little bit more on the attack to keep the Athenian defense guessing. Crawfordsville setter [player_tooltip player_id='458543' first='Claire' last='Peacock'] is a sophomore that knows nothing but success and winning, as her Boiler Juniors training has made her a starter in high school since her freshman year. Of the four matches listed here today, none have more mystery than this match, as the outcome could go either way. I wouldn't be surprised if the nightcap on Thursday went a full five sets.

We spent yesterday talking about all of the star power in one 4A sectional. Today's edition will talk about one of the toughest sectionals in 3A to get through---sectional 25 at Brebeuf on the north side of Indianapolis. As a seven team sectional, all three dates (October 15, 17, 19) will have some semblance of rock stars playing high-level volleyball, both in the Braves' gym and beyond. Here are all seven teams, with thirteen total players that would make a pretty impressive all-star team for this sectional.