By GREG MENGELT
Four Mid-Southern Conference teams and Lanesville merited preseason rankings, according to the Indiana’s girls’ basketball coaches.
Defending state champion Silver Creek will start the 2021-22 season ranked No. 2 in the Class 3A ICGSA poll. The Dragons are behind only South Bend Washington, which the Dragons defeated 54-48 in last year’s Class 3A state championship game on Feb. 27.
The Dragons went 25-3 and won their first state championship in program history under 12-year veteran coach Scott Schoen.
Three other MSC teams received votes from the coaches.
Salem, which was the two-time defending regional champion before falling to Silver Creek in last February’s sectional championship, begins the campaign tied for 6th with Evansville Memorial in the 3A poll. The Lions went 20-3 last year, their fourth consecutive 20-win season.
Charlestown, which went 8-11 last season, is tied for 14th with West Lafayette in the 3A poll. The Pirates are seeking their first sectional title since 2010 and their 11th overall.
Coming off a 14-10 season, Eastern Pekin opens the year at No. 11 in the Class 2A poll. The Musketeers have won sectional titles four of the last five years, including a state championship in 2017 under coach Michael McBride.
Three-time defending Class A sectional champion Lanesville, of the Southern Athletic Conference, is No. 2 to open the season. The Eagles are behind only Tecumseh in the Class A poll. Lanesville went 21-4 last season before falling 63-60 to Tecumseh in the regional. The Eagles are 62-15 in three season under coach Angie Hinton.
Defending champion Pioneer moved up to Class 2A, where is starts the season ranked No. 14.
Defending champion Crown Point earned the top spot in the Class 4A poll. Locally, Bedford North Lawrence is fourth and Columbus East 11th.
Tipton begins the season at No. 1 in Class 2A. Defending champion Linton-Stockton starts the season at No. 5. Paoli is tied for 12th.
ICGSA POLLS
CLASS 4A
1. Crown Point, 2. Noblesville, 3. North Central, 4. Bedford North Lawrence, 5. Franklin, 6. Penn, 7. Carmel, 8. Homestead, 9. Westfield, 10. Zionsville, 11. Columbus East, 12. Center Grove, 13t. Brownsburg, 13t. East Central, 13t. Lawrence North, 16. Fishers, 17. Hamilton Southeastern, 18. Fort Wayne Carroll, 19t. Ben Davis, 19t. Martinsville, 19t. Fort Wayne South Side, 19t. Fort Wayne Snider.
CLASS 3A
1. South Bend Washington, 2. Silver Creek. 3t. Mishawaka Marian, 3t. Washington, 5. Norwell, 6t. Salem, 6t. Evansville Memorial, 8. Garrett, 9. Benton Central, 10. Jay County, 11. Hamilton Heights, 12t. Rushville, 12t. Tri-West, 14t. Charlestown, 14t. West Lafayette, 16t. Greensburg, 16t. Angola, 18. Fort Wayne Concordia.
CLASS 2A
1. Tipton, 2. Triton Central, 3. Andrean, 4. University, 5. Linton-Stockton, 6. Northeastern, 7. Forest Park, 8. Frankton, 9. Carroll, 10. Cinton Prairie, 11. Eastern Pekin, 12t. Winchester, 12t. Paoli, 14. Pioneer, 15. North Knox, 16t. North Judson, 16t. South Ripley, 18. Shenandoah, 19. Evansville Mater Dei, 20t. Alexandria, 20t. South Knox, 20t. Mitchell, 23t. Rochester, 23t. Cascade.
CLASS A
1. Tecumseh, 2. Lanesville, 3. Trinity Lutheran, 4. Jac-Cen-Del, 5. Blue River, 6. Waldron, 7t. Vincennes Rivet, 7t. Kouts, 9. Greenwood Christian, 10. Bethesda Christian, 11t. Lafayette Central Catholic, 11t. Morgan Township, 13t. FW Blackhawk, 13t. Northfield, 15. Northeast Dubois, 16. Southwestern (Shelbyville), 17t. Orleans, 17t. Bethany Christian, 19. Union City.
