HIGH SCHOOL

10 key changes in IHSAA classifications

Kyle Neddenriep
Warren Central player Davonte Guthrie and his teammates rush the field in celebration after beating Carmel in the IHSAA Class 6A State Football Finals held at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, November 30, 2013. Warren Central beat Carmel 7-6.

It's not quite the equivalent of Christmas morning, but Monday's announcement by the Indiana High School Athletic Association of the sectional groupings for the next two-year cycle was eagerly anticipated by high school teams around the state.

Here are 10 major storylines involving area schools in the new classifications:

• Cathedral and Warren Central are in different football sectionals: I was curious to see where Cathedral was slotted as it moved up from Class 5A to 6A under the IHSAA's tournament success factor. I thought it could end up with Warren Central. Instead, Cathedral's arrival in Sectional 6 with Lawrence Central, Lawrence North and North Central bumped Warren Central to Sectional 7 with Franklin Central, Perry Meridian and Southport. That's a tough break for Southport, a two-time defending sectional champ which now has to deal with perennial power Warren Central. Looking down the road a bit, Warren Central could meet Center Grove in the regional round.

• While it didn't seem possible to make Class 4A Sectional 10 in boys basketball any tougher than it already was, the new classification did just that. North Central moves in from Sectional 8 to replace Roncalli, which goes to Sectional 11 with Ben Davis, Decatur Central, Perry Meridian, Pike and Southport. Roncalli will likely be rebuilding a bit next season while North Central, led by junior-to-be Kris Wilkes, should be very good. The Panthers join one of the state's most balanced and competitive sectionals with Tech, Cathedral, Lawrence North, Lawrence Central and Warren Central.

• The Heritage Christian girls basketball team moves up to Class 3A under the tournament success factor and into a Sectional 24 field that covers a lot of ground. Heritage Christian is in with Delta, Guerin Catholic, Hamilton Heights, Marion, Tipton and Yorktown. Marion is a new 3A program, moving down a class due to enrollment.

• The toughest football sectional? How about Class 3A Sectional 29? After two years in Class 4A, Bishop Chatard moves back down and joins Guerin Catholic, Brebeuf Jesuit and Tri-West — all strong programs. Chatard owns a record 12 state championships (tied with Cathedral) and Tri-West has four, including last season. Tri-West knocked off Brebeuf (in the sectional) and Guerin (in the regional) last year on its way to the title.

• How does Park Tudor's path look now that it's moved up to 3A in boys basketball? The Panthers had one of the toughest sectionals in 2A, with Howe and Scecina in the mix. Now, Park Tudor is in Class 3A Sectional 28 with Beech Grove, Danville, Indian Creek, Cardinal Ritter, Washington and Northwest. At first glance, and even with several key seniors gone to graduation, I like Park Tudor's chance to get through the regional.

• Last November, New Palestine and Columbus East played an epic football game in the Class 4A semistate (won by New Pal). Now the programs — both moved up by the tournament success factor – are in the same Sectional 14 in Class 5A, along with Franklin, Martinsville and Whiteland.

• The Anderson boys basketball coaching job is open. How enticing now that Anderson is moving to Sectional 8 with Carmel, Fishers, Guerin Catholic (moving up from 3A), Hamilton Southeastern, Noblesville and Westfield? Good luck.

• I think the Martinsville boys basketball team will be one to watch next year and the Artesians will probably benefit from a move to Sectional 13, where it will be grouped with Center Grove, Franklin Central, Franklin, Greenwood and Whiteland. Franklin Central has dominated that sectional in recent years.

• Roncalli won't have to contend with either Cathedral or Bishop Chatard in its football sectional the next two years. The Rebels are grouped in Class 4A Sectional 21 with Beech Grove Frankfort, Greenwood, Lebanon, Mooresville, Northview and Western.

• Southport should again be one of the best boys basketball programs in the state next season. Can the Cardinals win their first sectional since 2000? Southport may have to deal with nemesis Pike, which remains in Southport's Sectional 11 along with Ben Davis, Decatur Central, Perry Meridian and Roncalli.

Here is a look locally at some of the major changes:

Football

*Cathedral, which moves up to Class 6A this year due to the tournament success factor, will play in Sectional 6 with Lawrence Central, Lawrence North and North Central.

*Warren Central bumps to Sectional 7, where it is grouped with Franklin Central, Perry Meridian and Southport.

*Sectional 4 (Carmel, Fishers, Hamilton Southeastern and Noblesville) and Sectional 5 (Avon, Ben Davis, Brownsburg and Pike) are unchanged.

*Tech, which drops to Class 5A, is grouped with Decatur Central, Plainfield and Zionsville in Sectional 13.

*New Palestine, which moves up to 5A due to the tournament success factor, is included in Sectional 14 with Columbus East, Franklin, Martinsville and Whiteland.

*Roncalli is in Sectional 21 in Class 4A with Beech Grove, Frankfort, Greenwood, Lebanon, Mooresville, Northview and Western.

*Bishop Chatard drops back down to Class 3A and is in Sectional 29 with Brebeuf Jesuit, Danville, Greencastle, Guerin Catholic, Northwest, Tri-West and West Vigo.

Boys basketball

*Class 4A Sectional 8 has a new look with Anderson, Carmel, Fishers, Guerin Catholic (moving up from 3A), Hamilton Southeastern, Noblesville and Westfield.

*North Central, which had been in Sectional 8, moves to Sectional 10 with Tech, Cathedral, Lawrence Central, Lawrence North and Warren Central.

*Roncalli moves down to Sectional 11 with Ben Davis, Decatur Central, Perry Meridian, Pike and Southport.

*Zionsville moves out of Sectional 8 and into Sectional 7 with West Lafayette Harrison, Kokomo, Lafayette Jeff, Logansport and McCutcheon.

*In Class 3A, Park Tudor moves up and is grouped with Beech Grove, Danville, Indian Creek, Cardinal Ritter, Washington and Northwest in Sectional 28.

*In Sectional 27, Brebeuf Jesuit, Herron, Bishop Chatard, Crispus Attucks, Manual, Marshall and New Palestine are together.

*In Class 2A, Howe is now with Eastern Hancock, Irvington, Knightstown, Shenandoah and Triton Central in Sectional 42. Sectional 43 is Covenant Christian, Heritage Christian, Broad Ripple, Scecina, Shortridge and Speedway.

Here's a look at the IHSAA sectional groupings in all sports.

After taking a closer look at the changes, a few thoughts (first on basketball):

*I'm not sure that open boys basketball coaching job at Anderson is quite as appealing now that it is moving to Sectional 8 for the next two years, although North Central is moving out and Carmel and Guerin Catholic have major pieces to replace. That will still be one of the toughest sectionals in the state.

*Out with Roncalli and in with North Central in Sectional 10, which is annually the most balanced and exciting sectionals around. That shouldn't change for the next two-year period with a Kris Wilkes-led North Central team.

*Roncalli didn't catch a break as it moves from one tough sectional to another (Sectional 11). Southport will still have to get through nemesis Pike to end its sectional drought that goes back to 2000.

*Brebeuf Jesuit may benefit from Guerin Catholic's move to 4A, but Sectional 27 won't be a cakewalk either. Crispus Attucks, Manual and New Palestine join Brebeuf, Herron, Bishop Chatard and Marshall.

*Will Class 3A be any tougher for Park Tudor than 2A? Danville, grouped with the Panthers in Sectional 28, has been a good 3A program in recent years.

And in football:

*I was curious to see if Cathedral and Warren Central would end up in the same sectional. Didn't happen. Cathedral's move to 6A (into Sectional 6) bumps Warren Central down to Sectional 7. Looking down the road, that means Center Grove and Warren Central could meet in the regional. Cathedral and Lawrence Central, which could meet in the sectional, play in the Aug. 21 season opener. Tough break for Southport, which coming off back-to-back sectional titles now has to contend with Warren Central.

*Interesting that New Palestine and Columbus East - both moving up to Class 5A under the tournament success factor - end up in the same Sectional 14 with Franklin, Martinsville and Whiteland. New Pal beat Columbus East in a classic Class 4A semistate last year on its way to a state title. Columbus East won Class 4A the previous year.