Center Grove’s Riley Janda dives for the ball as Jazi Cangany looks on during a game against Whiteland at the beginning of the season.
Daily Journal file photo
Three teams ranked in the top 10 make the Class 4A softball sectional at Mooresville one of the state’s more balanced sites.
No need telling Whiteland coach Katie Mitchell.
She, like the other coaches taking squads to Morgan County later this month, took great interest in Sunday night’s sectional draw.
Mitchell’s Warriors, ranked fifth, drew a bye and will face the Greenwood-Franklin winner in the semifinal round. The opener at Mooresville on May 23 is a doozy with the No. 4 host Pioneers taking sharing the diamond with 10th-ranked and seven-time state champion Center Grove.
“It’s always good to get a bye, but everyone in our sectional is tough,” said Mitchell, now in her eighth season. “Our motivation is now, and the motivation is each other. These girls, their team chemistry is phenomenal, and they’re selfless.
“They’ve had their eyes on being great for a long time. Everything that’s happening right now, they’ve earned.”
Whiteland looks to secure its fourth sectional title and first since 2007.
The Warriors have played and defeated four of the other teams in the sectional, beginning with their 7-6 decision over Center Grove in a March 29 season opener. Whiteland has yet to play Mooresville, with those squads to play a home-and-home on May 17-18 to close the regular season.
Center Grove will also see the Pioneers in the regular season, hosting them on May 12.
Elsewhere, Indian Creek, the county’s lone 3A team, takes part in a sectional at Owen Valley. The Braves play their first-round game against Northview, with the winner to face Brown County in a semifinal.
In the Class A Indianapolis Lutheran Sectional, the host Saints face Edinburgh in the first round with the winner to play Waldron in a semifinal. Greenwood Christian drew a bye into the other semifinal and will go up against Morristown.
The annual baseball sectional draw took place Sunday evening as well.
Center Grove, the state’s No. 1-ranked club in 4A, will serve as host when play begins May 25. The Trojans have their work cut out considering No. 8 Mooresville and a talented Franklin team are capable of advancing to regional.
The Pioneers will play in the first first-round game, followed by Center Grove against Greenwood.
“Mooresville is a great team. They bring out the best in us and we bring out the best in them,” Grizzly Cubs coach Ryan Feyerabend said. “It’s virtually the same draw as last year, only Center Grove beat Martinsville and we beat Mooresville.
“We’re super excited to get to that point. We’re slowly getting a little more healthy, and I like where we’re at.”
Indian Creek’s road in the Class 3A Edgewood Sectional begins with a first-round game against Sullivan. Should the Braves prevail, they’ll face the Brown County-Edgewood winner in a semifinal.
In Class A, Greenwood Christian and host Morristown play the opener with the winning squad going up against the Southwestern-Indy Lutheran winner in a semifinal. Edinburgh drew a bye and faces Waldron in the other semifinal.
