Crothersville’s Ella Plasse drives to the key against Trinity’s Bailey Tabeling during the game played at Crothersville on Nov. 20. Those two teams will meet again in the sectional semifinal tonight.
Greg Jones | For The Tribune
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and it has nothing to do with the snowfall that just blanketed Jackson County on Thursday.
It’s because it is the postseason for basketball, and the girls sectional slate is ramping up this weekend.
Seymour and Brownstown Central already began its sectional play earlier this week, but Trinity Lutheran and Crothersville have yet to play a postseason game. That changes Saturday as the Cougars and Tigers are set to square off against one another in the sectional semifinal at West Washington at 6 p.m.
Trinity comes in with a with a 14-8 record, and more importantly, the team is as healthy as it has been in awhile.
“I think the key thing for us is the past five games, we’ve come back and been healthy,” head coach Mike Lang said. “We had a good road win at Floyd Central, we got roughed up a bit by Jennings County and Madison, but I think the one thing that gives us an advantage going into sectional is just the strength of schedule we’ve had compared to the other teams.
“For a 1A school, we have a really tough schedule, and we design it that way to get ready for tournament time.”
Trinity is led by Bailey Tabeling, who is averaging 20.8 points per game. Liza Froedge is the other double-digit scorer in the lineup, averaging 10.8 points per game.
“You can go up and down our starting five and each one gives us something different,” Lang said. “I consider Madison (Keith) our energy girl. She plays with tough passion and energy all the time. She crashes the boards so hard we never have to question her effort. Kailene (Cockerham) runs the offense really well. Liza can get to the basket some more with the best of them. The one kid that no one really talks about is Emma Schepman because she does so many little things that don’t show up in the stat line.”
As for Crothersville, the Tigers are 3-13 on the season, picking up wins over Columbus Christian, Cannelton and Dugger Union.
They are led in scoring by Kennadi Lakins, who is averaging 17.7 per game, but Lakins has been out with a concussion since December and is unlikely to play for the remainder of the season. The next leading scorer is Zoe Spangler, who averages 11.2.
It has been tough sledding for the Tigers ever since they lost Lakins, but senior Ella Plasse has stepped up to take over Lakins’ ball-handling duties and she has been leading the charge for Crothersville over its last few games. Plasse scored 15 points in the Tigers’ last game against New Washington.
Late-season addition Kendall Berry has also consistently gotten in the scorebook for the Tigers down the stretch.
Trinity and Crothersville played once already this season, and the Cougars came away with a 55-25 victory. Froedge and Cockerham both scored 12 points in the game, while Spangler led Crothersville with 10.
“We want to get out and play out in transition, really take away offensive rebounds from other teams. I know we can score the points, but it always comes down to getting stops, as well,” Lang said.
Trinity has won the sectional championship two years in a row and three of the last four. Each final game has come against host team West Washington. West Washington is playing Shawe Memorial in the second game Saturday, and the winner of both games will meet in the sectional championship on Saturday.
Every single starter for Trinity, aside from Keith since she’s a freshman, has played in a sectional championship and played in a regional game.
“This isn’t going to be anything uncommon for them,” Lang said. “You look at my seniors, they’ve played in four sectional championships. They’ve all been there. Bailey and Madison have also played in a state volleyball match. Our kids have good experience up and down. It’s just a matter of we’ve got to put our best games together at the right time.”