Roundup: Inspired South Bend Washington rolls to 4A sectional crown in Plymouth
An inspired Washington girls basketball team rolled to its third straight sectional championship Saturday night.
The Class 4A top-ranked Panthers capped a dominating week of postseason play in emphatic fashion by downing host Plymouth 65-30.
Washington, now 26-0 and winners of 33 straight games dating back to last year's run to the Class 3A state title, advances to play Valparaiso (23-2) in the first game of the LaPorte Regional next Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.
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Rising sophomore star Monique Mitchell led Washington with 18 points. Senior guard Rashunda Jones added 13 and sophomore Kira Reynolds 12.
Taylor Delp scored eight points and Alana Allen six to pace Plymouth. The Pilgrims, who did not play Washington during the regular season, finishes at 11-14.
Washington, ranked in the top 10 nationally, wasted no time Saturday night. Coach Steve Reynolds' mega-talented squad raced to a 27-4 lead after the opening period. The Panthers led 43-17 at halftime.
"We were focused on being focused tonight," said coach Reynolds by phone Saturday night following the 12th sectional title in program history. "The girls came out tonight and were just great. They were inspired and motivated and they played like it."
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The Panthers, who were Class 3A state runner-up in 2021, played without star senior Amiyah Reynolds. The 6-0 guard and Maryland recruit is sidelined for the rest of the postseason. Reynolds, a Miss Basketball candidate, suffered torn ligaments in her left foot in the regular-season finale at LaLumiere last Saturday. She did not play in the three sectional wins, in which Washington blitzed Mishawaka, Adams and Plymouth.
Coach Reynolds praised the work of his entire team, including daughter Amiyah, for inspiring him. He told the team at practice Saturday morning that the star guard was done for her prep career.
"One of the hardest things I've had to do in my 11-year coaching career was to coach with a broken heart," Reynolds said of seeing his daughter's senior year cut short. "But these girls and Amiyah with her strength revived me and inspired me."
Amiyah Reynolds was averaging 15 points, eight rebounds, over six assists and three steals per game. She finishes her prep career with 1,122 points and 564 assists. Sophomore Zion Belcher-Arill, a first-year player in the program who transferred in from Michigan, has taken Reynolds' spot in the starting lineup, which now features four sophomores along with one senior in star guard, Miss Basketball candidate and Purdue recruit Rashunda Jones.
Coach Reynolds believes his team is still the one to beat in the quest for four more wins and a state title.
"Absolutely we are still the team to beat," Reynolds said without hesitation. "Amiyah was extremely important to what we do, but we'll be fine. We have great talent and great kids on this team. We've had someone step up all season when we needed it when we had injuries.
"I never want to take this for granted. For five of our kids this was their first sectional. We enjoyed it. We passed out party hats and glasses to the kids."
Coach Reynolds also made sure that his team, despite being the overwhelming sectional favorite, took time to savor the moment.
"I never want to take this for granted," said coach Reynolds of the sectional title. "For five of our kids this was their first sectional. We enjoyed it. We passed out party hats and glasses to the kids."
Reynolds also saluted the Panther fans who showed up in Plymouth, many with signs to support Amiyah.
"That's the beauty of basketball," he said. "Our kids know that it's bigger than just the game."
CLASS 4A at Concord
Northridge 56, Elkhart 53
The Raiders used a late push to sideline the Lions in a closely contested finale. Northridge outscored Elkhart 23-14 in the final period to earn their first sectional crown since 2017.
The Raiders, who beat Elkhart 63-44 during the regular season, advance to play Lake Central (21-5) in the second game of the LaPorte Regional Saturday at 5 p.m. ET. The game was tied at 50-50 with less than two minutes to play before the Raiders eked out the win. Northridge led 13-12 after the opening period and 24-22 at halftime.
Eva Fisher led Northridge with 17 points and Gaby Gates had 16. Samiyah Stout scored 22 points, Shaniyah Hughes nine and Shaniyah Stout eight to pace Elkhart. Northridge moves on at 22-5, while Elkhart finishes at 14-10.
CLASS 3A at Bremen
Tippecanoe Valley 44, Glenn 38
The Vikings earned their first sectional crown since 2017. Valley, now 21-3, advances to play Marian (22-5) in the Jimtown Regional opener at 1 p.m. Saturday. Kaydence Mellott scored 12 points and Millie Scorsone added 10 for the Vikings.
Sophia Romer scored 13 points and Kennedy Hayden added 10 to lead the Falcons. Glenn, which lost 48-31 to Valley during the season, finishes at 10-15.
At Fairfield
Fairfield 64, Lakeland 40
The No. 7 Falcons rolled to a third straight sectional title on their home hardwood. Fairfield led 16-4 after the opening period en route to the win. The Falcons, who lost in the Class 2A semistate last year, improved to 24-2.
Bailey Willard and Morgan Gawthrop each scored 17 points and Brea Garber had 16 to lead the veteran Falcons. Peyton Hartsough paced Lakeland, which finished at 13-11, with 15 points. Fairfield advances to play Highland (17-6) in the second game of the Jimtown Regional next Saturday at 4 p.m.
CLASS 2A at North Judson
South Central 52, LaVille 40
The Satellites closed with a big final period to down the Lancers. South Central, which lost to LaVille 42-39 early in the season, used a 24-15 edge in the final period to pull away to the title.
Now 23-3, The Satellites advance to play Central Noble (24-2) in the Winamac Regional Saturday at 1 p.m. South Central led 12-7 after the opening period, 18-15 at halftime and 28-25 following the third period.
Olivia Marks scored 16 points and Hope Welsh 14 to lead the champions. Heaylyn Kwiatkowski led LaVille with 13 points. Lily Smith scored 12 points and Lucy Sherk seven for the Lancers.
LaVille, which was shooting for its first sectional title in 20 years, finishes at 19-7 under first-year coach Nick Amor. The Lancers won 10 games a season ago.
CLASS 1A at Culver
Argos 53, Triton 49 (OT)
The Dragons avenged a regular season loss by outlasting the Trojans. Argos led 39-29 after the third period before the Trojans rallied with a 15-5 edge in the final frame to force overtime. Argos hit seven treys in the win and had a key 10-3 edge in points from the free throw line. Samantha Redinger had 23 points and Emma Dunlap 10 for the champions.
Addyson Viers had 24 points and eight rebounds and Jenna Bules 10 points and 13 rebounds to lead Triton, which finishes at 15-9. Argos, which lost 40-36 to Triton during the season, improved to 13-12. The Dragons advance to the Caston Regional next Saturday to play Washington Township (19-6) at 4 p.m.
At Fort Wayne Blackhawk
Bethany Christian 56, Lakewood Park Christian 37
The stellar season for the No. 7 Bruins rolled on in Fort Wayne. Bethany improved to 21-3 with a dominating win in the finale. The Bruins, who beat LPC 50-27 during the season, claim the third sectional crown in program history.
Star junior Zoe Willems poured in 24 points to lead the champions. Mariah Stoltzfus added 11 points for the Bruins. Ava McGrade led LPC with 20 points. Bethany (21-3) advances to play Tri-County (14-11) in the Caston Regional next Saturday at 1 p.m. LPC finishes at 10-14.
REGIONAL PAIRINGS
All times EST
CLASS 4A
At LaPorte
2 p.m.: No. 1 South Bend Washington (26-0) vs. Valparaiso (23-2)
5 p.m.: Northridge (22-5) vs. Lake Central (21-5)
CLASS 3A
At Jimtown
1 p.m.: No. 8 Mishawaka Marian vs. Tippecanoe Valley (21-3)
4 p.m.: No. 6 Fairfield vs. Highland (17-6)
CLASS 2A
At Winamac
1 p.m.: No. 3 Central Noble (24-2) vs. South Central (23-3)
CLASS 1A
At Caston
1 p.m.: Tri-County (14-11) vs. No. 7 Bethany Christian (21-3)
4 p.m.: No. 6 Washington Township (19-6) vs. Argos (13-12)
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: IHSAA girls basketball sectional roundup of final games
