Pressure trapping defense leads Lady Bulldogs to 58-31 win over Highland - 1st Sectional Title since 2001

A USA-365.com Special Report by the USA-365.com team
02-05-2019

Lady Bulldogs' freshman point guard Jessica Carrothers (14) is announced to the crowd as the referee offers her a "fist bump" while Crown Point Cheerleaders form a pyramid in the background during opening sectional tournament ceremonies at Lowell High School on Feb. 4, 2019. (Game photos by Dave Woodworth)
The opening tip-off of the Lowell Sectional Championship game is controlled by CP's 6-foot-3 freshman Lilly Stoddard (13). Facing her is Highland's star senior forward Michaela Schmidt, who battled Stoddard throughout the game inside near the basket, and who finished with a team-high 17 points.  
CP's senior guard Caitlyn Phillips (10) launches a '3' as all eye are on the basket for a possible rebound. Phillips hit three 3-point baskets for a total of 9-points in the game as the Lady Bulldogs' took a quick 18-7 first quarter lead over Highland.
Crown Point's pressure defense made it difficult for the Lady Trojans' Michaela Schmidt (45), who still managed to score all 7 of Highland's first quarter points. Here it's freshman Jessica Carrothers in the path of Schmidt, with CP's Alyna Santiago (22) right behind her and Caitlyn Phillips (10) and Ellie VanDeel (11) ready to respond.
Ellie VanDeel (11) shoots a left-handed shot for the Lady Bulldogs, as Paige Sanborn (25) gets into position for a possible rebound. VanDeel scored seven of her nine points in the first half against Highland.
Indeed, the shot went in for VanDeel!
Coach Chris Siebert talks to his starters and the rest of the Lady Bulldogs gather round during a second half time-out i the Sectional Championship game with Highland at Lowell High School.
Highland's junior forward Danielle Opitz (15) shoots from medium range over CP's senior forward Jasmine Porter (21) in second half action of the sectional title game Feb. 4, 2019.
Players from Highland and Crown Point shake hands immediately after the sectional title game at Lowell High School. Crown Point won 58-31.
The scoreboard at Lowell shows Crown Point's score on the left and Highland was the "Guest" in the sectional title game.
Seniors Ellie VanDeel (11), Jasmine Porter (partially hidden) and Paige Sanborn (25) lift the Sectional Championship trophy on high in celebration of Crown Point's first sectional title since 2001. (Photos by Frank Sprankle)
The Lady Bulldogs greet the seniors carrying the "spoils" of the night's contest, with Caitlin Phillips proudly carrying the game ball.
The 2018-2019 Lady Bulldogs Sectional Championship Team. Pictured L to R, front row: Paige Sanborn, Jasmine Porter, Ellie VanDeel, Caitlyn Phillips. Second row: Alyna Santiago, Sydney Goodman, Abby Stoddard, Lilly Stoddard, Jessica Carrothers, Allie Govert, Grace Tyndall, Gabbie Vania and Alexis Smith. Coaches are Scott Reid and Chris Seibert on left and Amanda Moore and Ashley Parish on the right.
Members of the Crown Point Lady Bulldogs patiently wait for their turn as Ellie VanDeel cuts down a piece of the basketball net for her own personal sectional title keepsake.
4th year head coach Chris Seibert joins the USA-365.com on-air team during the Lady Bulldogs postgame show to share some thoughts about the Lady Bulldogs sectional title. That's assistant varsity coach Scott Reid in the red shirt, enjoying his 29th season as part of the Lady Bulldogs basketball program. Sportscaster Frank Sprankle wearing the headset is to the near left. (Photo by Dave Woodworth)
The four Lady Bulldog seniors pose with their best smiles after the game, with each holding their piece of the sectional championship game net. From left to right: Jasmine Porter, Paige Sanborn, Ellie VanDeel and Caitlyn Phillips. (Photo by Frank Sprankle)
 

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Revised: February 07, 2019 .
Team /Record 1 2 3 4 Final
HIGHLAND (10-13) 7 9 2 13 31
CROWN POINT (26-0) 18 17 16 7 58

Monday, February 4, 2019 (re-scheduled from Feb. 2) - Class 4A Sectional 1 Championship game at LOWELL, IN

HIGHLAND (31) Ariana Flores 0-0-0, Grace Aurand 0-0-0, Andrea Felix 1-0-2, Mackenzie Pickens 0-0-0, Grace Melby 0-0-0, Chloe Churilla 3-3-9, Morgan Rinkema 0-3-3, Olivia Gibson 0-0-0, Amanda Cruse 0-0-0, Breanna Burbridge 0-0-0, Michaela Schmidt 7-3-17. TOTALS: 11, (9-14) 31.

CROWN POINT (58) Caitlyn Phillips 3-0-9, Ellie VanDeel 4-1-9, Sydney Goodman 0-0-0, Lilly Stoddard 5-2-13, Jessica Carrothers 4-4-13, Grace Tyndall 1-0-2, Yasmine Porter 0-0-0, Allie Govert 0-0-0, Alyna Santiago 3-0-9, Paige Sanborn 1-0-3, Alexis Smith 0-0-0, Gabbie Vania 0-0-0. TOTALS: 21, (7-10) 58.

 FREE THROWS: HIGHLAND (9 of 14, 64.3%) Chloe Churilla 3-5, Morgan Rinkema 3-4, Michaela Schmidt 3-5. CROWN POINT (7 of 10, 70.0%); Ellie VanDeel 1-1, Lilly Stoddard 2-4, Jessica Carrothers 4-5.

3-GOALS: HIGHLAND (0); CROWN POINT (9); Caitlyn Phillips 3, Lilly Stoddard 1, Jessica Carrothers 1, Alyna Santiago 3, Paige Sanborn 1.

TURNOVERS: HIGHLAND - 18; CROWN POINT - 10.

FOULED OUT: HIGHLAND - None; CROWN POINT - None.

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LOWELL (02-04-2019) It’s a moment for which Crown Point High School had waited 18 years. But on Monday, Feb. 4, the moment became true for the Crown Point Lady Bulldogs, becoming Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Class 4A, Sectional 1 champions.

They accomplished this feat with a 58-31 win over the Highland Lady Trojan sat Lowell High School.

In addition to the sectional title, Crown Point improves their overall mark at a perfect 26-0, while Highland’s season ends at 10-13.

From the opening tip, the Lady Bulldogs dominated and built big leads throughout the contest.

Led by two freshmen starters, the sectional crowd would not be denied for Crown Point as forward/center Lilly Stoddard and guard Jessica Carrothers had 13 points each.

“To have two freshmen play beyond their years is special,” Lady Bulldogs’ Head Coach Chris Seibert said. “It’s also special for these kids. From day one, we talked about winning a sectional title.”

The Lady Bulldogs managed to hit nine three pointers, as senior guard Caitlyn Phillips and sophomore guard Alyna Santiago contributed with nine points, both going an identical three for three from beyond the arc.

Also, with nine points for the winning squad, senior Ellie VanDeel, had seven of her nine points in the opening half.

Despite the loss for Highland, senior guard/forward Michaela Schmidt ended her high school playing days in style, going out with 17 points.

Schmidt was one of four players to score points for her team.

The win also marks Crown Point’s second this year against Highland, having played in the regular season on Dec. 11, in a 68-24 home victory.

The Lady Bulldogs won their first sectional title in 1979 and until Monday, their previous had been in 2001.

This marks the 18th sectional title claimed by the Lady Bulldogs.

For assistant coach Scott Reid, he has witnessed a good deal of that history made.

Hired in 1984 under former Lady Bulldogs’ head coach and Indiana Basketball Hall of Famer Tom May, Reid has become the link to this team’s accomplishments of the past and present.

“Winning a sectional never gets old,” Reid said, who spent two seasons as Crown Point’s head coach after May’s retirement, from 2007 to 2009. “These kids remind me of some of the kids we had in past years. They work hard.”

Awaiting the Lady Bulldogs: the Kankakee Valley Lady Kougars in the regional round at LaPorte High School.

Kankakee Valley defeated Michigan City ona late basket 61-59 also on Monday at Merrillville High School to claim the Class 4A, Sectional 2 title.

The Lady Bulldogs pulled-out a 61-46 victory over the Lady Kougars on Jan. 15 at home.

Crown Point, rated No. 4 in the latest ICGSA Class 4A Poll (26-0) and No. 13 Kankakee Valley (20-4) will tip-off at 12noon (CST) as one half of the regional semi-final match-ups.

The winner will meet either 4A No. 2 Penn (24-0) or (unranked) Plymouth (20-5) in the championship at 7:30 p.m. (CST). Those two schools will tip-off in the other regional semi-final contest at 10 a.m. (CST).
 

LADY DOG NOTES: In the Class 4A, Sectional 1 Tournament, Crown Point played host Lowell, East Chicago Central and Highland to win the title. They outscored each team by an average margin of 66-30.

Winning the sectional title at Lowell becomes the fourth high school gym that the Lady Bulldogs have accomplished this feat in. They won their first in 1979 at Hanover Central, three at Lake Station and 13 at Merrillville, including until this year, their previous sectional title in 2001.

USA-365.com/Indiana-Sports.com Broadcast Note: The next scheduled Crown Point Lady Bulldogs’ broadcast on USA-365.com/Indiana-Sports.com will be Saturday, Feb. 9 when the Lady Bulldogs face the Sectional 2 Champion Kankakee Valley Lady Kougars in the LaPorte Regional Semifinal at LaPorte High School. The pregame show starts at 11:45 a.m. and the opening tip is scheduled for 12 p.m. CST.

If the Lady Bulldogs win that game, they will face the winner the Penn-Plymouth Regional Semifinal scheduled for 10 a.m. CST. The Regional Championship game will be Saturday, Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m. The live coverage of that game begins with an expanded pregame show at 7 p.m. on USA-365.com.

USA-365.com and Indiana-Sports.com will provide coverage of the Crown Point Lady Bulldogs throughout the IHSAA Tournament.
CLASS SECTIONAL JOHN HARRELL'S INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL RECENT SEASONS
4A 1 COLORS: RED, WHITE MAP TO SCHOOL 26-0
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
CROWN POINT
BULLDOGS
Coach: Chris Seibert, 75-26 in 4th year at school, 134-103 in 10th year overall
DATE OPPONENT CENTRAL TIME OA 65.0, DA 33.3
Nov. 3 at Hanover Central 3A W 64 19    
Nov. 10 at Hammond Morton 4A W 72 8    
Nov. 13 at Andrean 2A W 77 34    
Nov. 17 N Warsaw 4A W 52 39   tournament
Nov. 17 at Northridge 4A W 52 47   tournament
Nov. 20 at East Chicago Central 4A W 61 33    
Nov. 23 at LaPorte 4A © W 71 64    
Nov. 27   Lowell 4A W 85 24    
Nov. 30   Portage 4A © W 67 29    
Dec. 1   Hobart 4A W 86 11    
Dec. 7 at Valparaiso 4A © W 61 18    
Dec. 11   Highland 4A W 68 24    
Dec. 14   Lake Central 4A © W 54 21    
Dec. 27 N North White 1A W 67 21   tournament
Dec. 28 N Mount Vernon (Fortville) 4A W 54 31   tournament
Dec. 28 N Indianapolis Cathedral 4A W 78 48   tournament
Jan. 4   Michigan City 4A © W 51 47    
Jan. 5 at Lafayette Jeff 4A W 72 56    
Jan. 10 at Munster 4A W 60 37    
Jan. 12 at Merrillville 4A © W 58 37    
Jan. 15   Kankakee Valley 4A W 61 46    
Jan. 17 at Chesterton 4A © W 56 22    
Jan. 23 at Hammond Noll 2A W 66 59    
Feb. 1 N Lowell 4A W 77 28   sectional
Feb. 2 N East Chicago Central 4A W 62 32   sectional
Feb. 4 N Highland 4A W 58 31   sectional
Feb. 9 N Kankakee Valley 4A 12 p.m. CST   tournament
© DUNELAND CONFERENCE GAME

CLASS SECTIONAL JOHN HARRELL'S INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL RECENT SEASONS
4A 1 COLORS: BLUE, GOLD MAP TO SCHOOL 10-13
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
HIGHLAND
TROJANS
Coach: Chris Tomcsi, 10-13 in 1st year at school, 52-62 in 5th year overall
DATE OPPONENT CENTRAL TIME OA 44.0, DA 42.0
Nov. 2 at Chesterton 4A L 31 32    
Nov. 6   Hammond Noll 2A L 57 63    
Nov. 10 at Gary West 3A L 88 92 3OT  
Nov. 13 at Hanover Central 3A W 47 28    
Nov. 16 at Kankakee Valley 4A © L 36 54    
Nov. 24 at Lake Central 4A L 37 51    
Nov. 27   Hammond Gavit 3A W 70 37    
Nov. 30   Andrean 2A © L 34 40    
Dec. 1 at Valparaiso 4A L 27 46    
Dec. 6   East Chicago Central 4A L 27 37    
Dec. 11 at Crown Point 4A L 24 68    
Dec. 15   Lowell 4A © W 51 32    
Dec. 17 at Illiana Christian W 45 32    
Dec. 29   Michigan City 4A L 41 62    
Jan. 2   Hammond 3A W 60 23    
Jan. 4 at Hobart 4A © W 44 34    
Jan. 7   Hammond Clark 3A W 63 17    
Jan. 9 at Hammond Morton 4A W 38 23    
Jan. 15   Griffith 3A W 40 24    
Jan. 18 at Munster 4A © L 35 37    
Jan. 19   Lakeland 3A     ccd.
Jan. 22 at Whiting 2A L 44 45    
Feb. 2 N Munster 4A W 41 30   sectional
Feb. 4 N Crown Point 4A L 31 58   sectional
© NORTHWEST CROSSROADS CONFERENCE GAME