<p><em>"I broke my heart for every gain/</em></p><p><em>To taste the sweet, I faced the pain"</em></p><p><p><strong>— Whitney Houston, "One Moment in Time"</strong></p><p>Dream-shattering injuries. Excruciating losing streaks. If the School of Hard Knocks were an actual academic institution, Kyra Baker would have earned her doctorate by now.</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]<p>Franklin’s senior point guard has experienced more than her share of highs and lows over the course of her high school basketball career. She lost her sophomore season to a knee injury, and seldom had a fully healthy cast of teammates around her when she was healthy. And then there was the whole pandemic thing.</p><p>But Baker, along with classmates Lauren Sandrock and Megan Thompson, maintained their poise through years of off-and-on turmoil and helped lay a foundation for success. Now, in their senior season, they’ve finally been able to enjoy the fruits of their labor.</p><p>Throughout an incredible 17-2 season, which has seen the Grizzly Cubs become the top 3-point shooting team in the country, junior guard Kuryn Brunson and a precocious freshman class have gotten most of the headlines. But head coach Josh Sabol is quick to point out that without the work put in by Baker, Sandrock and Thompson, this breakout campaign wouldn’t have been possible.</p><p>"For four years, all of those girls have been amazing," Sabol said. "They’ve really established a culture here, something they can be proud of. So when they do graduate, they can look back and say, ‘Hey, I was a part of something; I helped get Franklin basketball back to where it needs to be.’"</p><p>It’s been quite some time since the Grizzly Cubs were there. Heading into this season, they hadn’t posted a winning record since going 12-10 in 2011-12, and they hadn’t won a sectional title since 2008. Over the past three years, the team has won eight, 12 and nine games — but Baker was out two years ago and Brunson missed much of last season with a knee injury of her own.</p><p>Franklin’s roster wasn’t truly whole, and so it became difficult to make any tangible progress. But all the while, the players kept grinding, continuing to build brick by brick even if the results weren’t easily visible.</p><p>"We started with nothing and each year we kept getting a little bit better," Baker said. "Our records may not show it, but in team and individual improvement we’ve gotten better each year."</p><p>This winter offered a chance to finally make the big leap forward. Not only were all of the veterans finally healthy and together for the first time, but a deep and talented group of freshmen that had been frighteningly dominant at the lower levels was arriving.</p><p>The seniors were aware that the newcomers might eat into their statistics and playing time. Nevertheless, they made early efforts to reach out and welcome them into the fold, often driving over to the middle school last season to play with and against the Class of 2024.</p><p>Three members of that rookie class — Scarlett Kimbrell, Lauren Klem and Erica Buening — are now primary cogs in Franklin’s rotation. Thompson, and sometimes Sandrock, now come off the bench. But the seniors were willing to accept less glamorous roles for the greater good.</p><p>"It was a little difficult at the beginning, because it’s our senior season," Thompson said, "but I was expecting it, and I knew that it would happen. Maybe not at the beginning of the season, but eventually, because they’re good players.</p><p>"I don’t think there’s any bitterness there. Lauren, Scarlett and Erica, all of the freshmen, they’re great, and they’re a really big asset to our team. And honestly, this year, we just wanted to win, and they help us do that."</p><p>The seniors are still doing their part as well. Baker has been her usual solid self in the backcourt, averaging 9.8 points, 2.8 assists and 2.1 steals per game. Sandrock has been an asset with her tenacity in the paint at both ends, never more so than when she grabbed 15 rebounds — including 11 offensive — in a win over Franklin Central. And Thompson has emerged as a wing threat who can make teams pay for devoting too much attention to the more well-known freshman shooters; she poured in 20 points against Decatur Central and helped keep the Grizzly Cubs in last week’s game against Martinsville with a team-best 17, hitting five 3-pointers.</p><p>Their next mission, ending that 13-year sectional drought, begins tonight at home against Shelbyville. The Grizzly Cubs, while making sure not to get too far ahead of themselves, have hopes of making a deep tournament run this month — one that could well be just the beginning of a bountiful four-year stretch for Franklin girls basketball.</p><p>Baker, Sandrock and Thompson won’t be around for whatever may come in 2021-22 and beyond, but they’ll take pride in knowing that they helped set the stage for it.</p><p>"They’ll probably continue to have success," Thompson said, "but I know that we want to be the ones like, ‘We started this,’ and we just want to set that tone for next year and the years coming up."</p>[sc:pullout-title pullout-title="This week’s schedule" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p><strong>Class 4A Franklin Sectional</strong></p><p>Today</p><p>Center Grove vs. Whiteland, 6 p.m.</p><p>Franklin vs. Shelbyville, 7:30 p.m.</p><p>Friday</p><p>Franklin Central vs. Center Grove/Whiteland winner, 6 p.m.</p><p>Greenwood vs. Franklin/Shelbyville winner, 7:30 p.m.</p><p>Saturday</p><p>Championship, 7:30 p.m.</p><p><strong>Class 3A Speedway Sectional</strong></p><p>Today</p><p>Indian Creek vs. Cardinal Ritter, 6 p.m.</p><p>Indianapolis Washington vs. Herron, 7:30 p.m.</p><p>Friday</p><p>Speedway vs. Indian Creek/Ritter winner, 6 p.m.</p><p>Beech Grove vs. Washington/Herron winner, 7:30 p.m.</p><p>Saturday</p><p>Championship, 7 p.m.</p><p><strong>Class A Indianapolis Lutheran Sectional</strong></p><p>Today</p><p>Greenwood Christian vs. Tindley, 6 p.m.</p><p>Indianapolis Lutheran vs. Central Christian, 7:30 p.m.</p><p>Friday</p><p>Providence Cristo Rey vs. GCA/Tindley winner, 6 p.m.</p><p>Christel House Academy vs. Lutheran/Central Christian winner, 7:30 p.m.</p><p>Saturday</p><p>Championship, 7:30 p.m.</p><p><strong>Class A Edinburgh Sectional</strong></p><p>Today</p><p>Edinburgh vs. West Washington, 7 p.m.</p><p>Friday</p><p>Shawe Memorial vs. Trinity Lutheran, 6 p.m.</p><p>Crothersville vs. Edinburgh/West Washington winner, 7:30 p.m.</p><p>Saturday</p><p>Championship, 7 p.m.</p>[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title="Scouting the sectionals" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p><strong>Class 4A Franklin Sectional</strong></p><p>Players to watch: Center Grove — Aubrie Booker, Ella Hobson, Mary Wilson; Franklin — Kyra Baker, Kuryn Brunson, Scarlett Kimbrell, Lauren Klem; Franklin Central — Olivia Faust, Rayah Kincer, Madison Weaver; Greenwood — Brooklyn Bell, Quinn Kelly, Jenna Sawyer; Shelbyville — Kylee Edwards, Madison Phares, Jaidyn Tackett; Whiteland — Braylyn Clendenen, Kylee Marlin, Gracie Taylor</p><p>Sagarin ratings: Franklin 94.31 (11th in Class 4A, 13th in Indiana), Center Grove 85.54 (27th/34th), Franklin Central 70.68 (52nd/111th), Shelbyville 60.74 (67th/172nd), Whiteland 59.18 (71st/184th), Greenwood 53.96 (79th/220th)</p><p>Outlook: Barring an upset — and those do happen, as Center Grove found out against Franklin Central in last year’s final — this should come down to the Grizzly Cubs and Trojans, who engaged in a 30-29 battle four weeks ago. Center Grove has proven that it’s strong enough defensively to keep the nation’s most potent 3-point shooting offense in check, but can it produce enough points at the other end? Either way, it’ll be an entertaining style clash if it happens. Franklin Central’s Kincer, who scored 29 in a December loss to Franklin, could upset the apple cart if she gets hot.</p><p><strong>Class 3A Speedway Sectional</strong></p><p>Players to watch: Beech Grove — Malone Moore, Tia O’Connor; Cardinal Ritter — Emma Litzelman, Kelsey Waggoner; Indian Creek — Lauren Foster, Emily Todor, Kurstin Thompson, Faith Wiseman; Indianapolis Washington — Malayasia Flanagan, Aiyana Ross; Speedway — Maddie Barnes, Madi Golden, Brooke Hartman</p><p>Sagarin ratings: Indian Creek 66.13 (42nd in Class 3A/136nd in Indiana), Cardinal Ritter 63.78 (47th/151st) Speedway 63.14 (50th/157th), Beech Grove 35.71 (84th/314th), Herron 17.18 (98th/374th), Washington 1.79 (102nd/394th)</p><p>Outlook: The Braves got about as tough a road as they could have, drawing the only two other competitive teams in the bracket as their first two opponents. The host Sparkplugs have an edge because of the bye, but if Indian Creek can get some momentum with a win tonight, that could help carry them through to the final, which would be an almost certain win for whichever team comes out of that top half of the draw. If the rookie duo of Foster and Wiseman is ready for prime time, the Braves could win their first sectional in five years.</p><p><strong>Class A Indianapolis Lutheran Sectional</strong></p><p>Players to watch: Central Christian — Trinity Foerster, Chanya Lambert; Christel House — Bri Lazo, Keira Noe; Greenwood Christian — Ellie Bigelow, Savvanah Frye, Izzy Reed, Brooklyn Stubblefield; Indianapolis Lutheran — Anna Caster, Katelyn Newport; Tindley — Darryn Hood, Aniya Washington</p><p>Sagarin ratings: Greenwood Christian 76.21 (fifth in Class A, 73rd in Indiana), Tindley 51.42 (31st/238th), Indianapolis Lutheran 37.07 (54th/310th), Central Christian 5.71 (85th/389th), Providence Cristo Rey minus-4.79 (90th/397th), Christel House minus-4.94 (91st/398th)</p><p>Outlook: The Cougars won their three sectional games by an average of 43.3 points last winter; they might have an even easier time this week — especially considering the edge they’ll be playing with after a quarantine wiped out the last two weeks of the regular season. The only real drama here will be milestone watching. Reed comes into tonight needing 34 points to reach 2,000 for her career and 94 to surpass GCA alum Kyle Stidom as the county’s all-time points leader, male or female. She also has 1,283 career rebounds, 25 shy of matching Ta’Shia Phillips’ state record.</p><p><strong>Class A Edinburgh Sectional</strong></p><p>Players to watch: Crothersville — Addy Cole, Kennadi Lakins, Zoe Spangler; Edinburgh — Gracie Crawhorn, Callie Hancock, Annelise Lollar; Shawe Memorial — Phoebe Grote, Abigail Hill; Trinity Lutheran — Liza Froedge, Sydney Jaynes, Bailey Tabeling; West Washington — Mackenzie Brown, Madison Brown, Lexi Griffitts</p><p>Sagarin ratings: Trinity Lutheran 75.46 (sixth in Class A, 78th in Indiana), West Washington 44.07 (43rd/274th), Edinburgh 43.11 (45th/281st), Crothersville 36.15 (56th/313th), Shawe 20.01 (74th/366th)</p><p>Outlook: Edinburgh’s best season ever ended last year against Trinity when Tabeling hit a last-second 3 to win. The Cougars, ranked third in Class A, are a much bigger favorite this time around, but the Lancers still have a chance to earn a rematch. To get it, they’ll have to get past a West Washington team that is stronger than its 5-14<strong> </strong>record suggests and win for a second time against Crothersville (Edinburgh won the first meeting, 67-50, in November).</p>[sc:pullout-text-end]
