Week-14 of the IBCA/Franciscan Health Player of the Week Awards

Week-14 of the IBCA/Franciscan Health Player of the Week Awards Headlined by Girls’ Sectional Play

With the girls having completed Sectional play and looking ahead to this weekend’s Regional rounds, three young ladies who helped their respective teams to titles Saturday night are honored below as the Week-14 girls’ winners. Add to that three boys who put together outstanding weeks, and six total players have been selected as the IBCA/Franciscan Health Players of the Week for Week-14.

Lakeland Senior Bailey Hartsough, Noblesville Sophomore Ashlynn Shade, Brownstown Central Senior Katherine Benter, Rensselaer Central Senior Joshua Fleming, McCutcheon Senior Leyton McGovern, and South Decatur Senior Lane Lauderbaugh are the recipients for Feb. 1-Feb. 6 in the recognition program coordinated by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. Hartsough is the girls’ winner, and Fleming is the boys’ winner in District-1. Shade and McGovern are the girls’ and boys’ recipients, respectively, in District-2. Benter is the girls’ honoree, while Lauderbaugh is the boys’ honoree in District-3.

With a 46-33 win over 2020 Class 3A State Champion NorthWood Saturday evening, Lakeland won its first Sectional title in 24 years. Senior Bailey Hartsough was huge for the Lakers throughout the week, performing at a high level each night. In a 62-56 win Tuesday against Central Noble, the 5-10 wing was 7-12 from the field and 14-19 from the free throw line, scoring 28 points in total. Additionally, Hartsough grabbed an impressive 19 rebounds, plus she handed out three assists and collected five steals in the triumph.

Friday, in the Semifinals, Hartsough helped Lakeland to a hard-fought, 49-47 victory over West Noble. The Senior wing scored 19 points, snagged eight rebounds, plus she added a pair of assists, a pair of steals, and a pair of blocked shots in the close contest. Saturday, in the title game against NorthWood, Hartsough scored 14 points, grabbed six caroms, handed out a team-high seven assists, and collected two steals. The multisport star is headed to Western Carolina University next year to play volleyball.

Rensselaer Central Senior Joshua Fleming helped the Bombers even out their record last week with a pair of nice outings. Thursday, the Bombers headed to Faith Christian, escaping with a narrow 65-62 win. The 6-0 guard was everywhere, scoring 32 points, grabbing a dozen rebounds, and handing out seven assists in the victory. Fleming made 12-23 shots from the floor, 7-10 from the line, plus he knocked down a 3-pointer.

Saturday, Rensselaer Central headed to Delphi and had a much easier time, knocking off the Oracles 65-41. In this win, Fleming again put together a balanced attack, affecting the game at both ends of the floor. He scored 24 points, grabbed six rebounds, handed out five assists, and collected four steals. The Senior guard has scored 20 or more points nine times already this season.

Noblesville Sophomore Ashlynn Shade has made quite an imprint on the program during her first two seasons, and Saturday night she helped deliver the Millers’ first Sectional crown since 2015. Shade started her week Tuesday, leading the Millers to a 57-48 win against Hamilton Southeastern. In that contest, the 5-11 guard was a stellar 8-10 from the field, 3-4 from deep, while also making five free throws, scoring a total of 24 points. Shade posted a double-double with her 12 rebounds, plus she dished out four assists and nabbed four steals in the opening night win. She also scored her 1000^th point in the game.

In Friday’s Semifinal, Shade was equal to the task, as she posted another double-double in Noblesville’s 72-62 victory over the Zionsville Eagles. Shade scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the contest, plus she handed out three assists and collected six big thefts. The next night was a dogfight, as the Millers had to battle the Carmel Greyhounds, escaping with a 68-62 success to win the title. The Sophomore guard stepped up big-time, scoring 36 points on 10-17 shooting, with 4-8 shots coming from downtown, plus she was also a near-perfect 12-13 from the charity stripe. Shade also managed to grab five rebounds, hand out four assists, and collect three steals in the big win.

McCutcheon Senior Leyton McGovern helped the Mavericks to a pair of big wins last week in a couple of different fashions. Thursday, they hosted the previously Top-10 ranked Lafayette Jefferson Bronchos, winning 79-71. McGovern did a little of everything in that contest, scoring 24 points, grabbing 11 rebounds for the double-double, plus he managed to hand out eight assists and steal the ball twice.

Saturday, the Mavericks had another tough North Central Conference battle, this time at Richmond. The Red Devils were game, extending the contest to two overtimes, before McCutcheon finally won, 68-66. McGovern, a 6-3 Senior guard, did it inside and out, knocking down five 3-pointers, while also collecting an impressive 19 rebounds in the 40-minute win. He scored 32 of their 68 points, plus he found teammates for scores on four other occasions.

Brownstown Central Senior Katherine Benter was on point all week, leading the Lady Braves to their second consecutive Sectional title, with each victory coming by double-figures. Brownstown took on Owen Valley Wednesday to open their postseason play, winning by a 62-38 margin. Benter, a 5-9 do-everything wing, scored half of the Braves’ points (31), while also collecting five rebounds, hitting teammates for three more baskets, and picking off six steals.

In Friday’s Sectional Semifinal, Benter was huge offensively, as the Lady Braves had a tough time putting away the host Edgewood Mustangs, finally winning 43-32. The Senior scored an impressive 31 of their 43 points this time, plus she found seven caroms along the way. Saturday in the Finals, the Braves took on a worthy Brown County team, yet they still managed a comfortable 59-35 outcome. Benter scored 14 points in the triumph, plus she grabbed another eight rebounds, and handed out four more assists.

While it’s extremely rare to chose the same winner in consecutive weeks, South Decatur Senior Lane Lauderbaugh has put together a six-game stretch over these last two weeks that has simply been remarkable. Wednesday was probably his toughest night last week, as the Cougars travelled to Columbus North, falling 82-50. Still, Lauderbaugh managed 23 points, eight rebounds, and a pair of assists in the tough loss.

Thursday was a nice bounce-back game for Lauderbaugh and the Cougars, as they travelled to Columbus East this time, knocking off the Olympians, 92-66. The 6-7 Senior forward was spectacular, making 18 shots from the field, seven from deep, plus he was a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line for 49 points. He set a new career-high, passing the 41 he scored the previous week. Lauderbaugh also grabbed nine rebounds and picked up three steals in the win. Saturday, the Cougars played rival North Decatur for the second time in 11 days. After scoring the 41 points against them in the first matchup, the Senior forward scored 40 points this time, as South Decatur won easily, 73-49. Lauderbaugh posted a double-double with his 14 rebounds, plus he grabbed three more steals and blocked a pair of shots in the effort.

This is the 13^th season for the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Week program, but the first season it is presented by Franciscan Health, a corporate sponsor of the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.

Player of the Week winners are chosen each week from each of the IHSAA’s three districts. Girls winners will be chosen through the Monday following the IHSAA Girls State Finals. Boys winners will be chosen through the Monday following the IHSAA Boys State Finals.

Other Top Nominees for Week-14 (2020-21)

District-1 Boys: Austin Cripe, West Noble; Luke Goode, Homestead; Tyvon Henry, South Bend Career Academy; James Hernandez, Washington Township; Christopher Mantis, Lowell; Willie Miller, Lake Station Edison; Hayden Nern, Bluffton; Joe Reidy, Woodlan; Luke Saylor, Heritage; Sam Smith, Northridge.

District-1 Girls: Eva Bazzoni, Manchester; Courtney Blakely, Hammond Noll; Allison Capouch, Kouts; Jessica Carrothers, Crown Point; Kaitlyn Costner, Penn; Hailey Cripe, Pioneer; Joh’nea Donahue, Fort Wayne Snider; Aleena Mongerie, Munster; Emma O’Brien, Morgan Township; Maiah Shelton, Norwell.

District-2 Boys: Brooks Barnhizer, Lafayette Jefferson; Luke Brown, Blackford; Gus Etchison, Hamilton Heights; Brevin Hallatt, Blue River Valley; Brady Hunt, Delta; Grant Jones, Muncie Burris; Billy Smith, Brebeuf Jesuit; Jayden Taylor, Perry Meridian; Pierce Thomas, Brownsburg; Brody Whitaker, Greencastle.

District-2 Girls: Madelyn Bischoff, Roncalli; Kelsey DuBois, University; Kenadie Fernung, Tri-Central; Kenzie Fulks, Bethesda Christian; Isabella Gizzi, New Palestine; McKenna Layden, Northwestern; Teresa Maggio, McCutcheon; Zakia Rasheed, Bishop Chatard; Chloee Thomas, Frankton; Ariana Wiggins, Heritage Christian.

District-3 Boys: Bo Giltner, New Washington; Noah Gordon, Mount Vernon (Posey); Curt Hopf, Barr-Reeve; Trey Kaufman, Silver Creek; Styles McCorkle, Greenwood Christian; Miles McGowen, Mooresville; Logan Rohrbacher, East Central; Cody Samples, South Ripley; Coleman Sater, Edgewood; Lane Sparks, Greensburg.

District-3 Girls: Gracie Adams, Lanesville; Kuryn Brunson, Franklin Community; Jaidn Green, Evansville North; Kencia Levasseur, Washington; Natalie Niehaus, Castle; Kaybree Oxley, Tecumseh; Isabella Reed, Greenwood Christian; Vanessa Shafford, Linton-Stockton; Josie Trabel, East Central; Juliann Woodard, Jennings County.

2020-21 Weekly Winners

Nov. 2-Nov. 7: District-1 girls: Courtney Blakely, Hammond Bishop Noll. District-2 girls: Olivia Nickerson, Twin Lakes. District–3 girls: Hope Fox, East Central.

Nov. 9-Nov. 14: District-1 girls: Mariah Wyatt, Wabash. District-2 girls: Tyra Ford, Anderson, and McKenna Layden, Northwestern. District-3 girls: Rebekah Gordon, Heritage Hills.

Nov. 16-Nov. 21: District-1 girls: De’Mour Watson, Elkhart. District-2 girls: Erikka Hill, Shenandoah. District-3 girls: Gracie Adams, Lanesville.

Nov. 23-Nov. 28: District-1 boys: Cole Wireman, Kouts. District-1 girls: Jessica Carrothers, Crown Point. District-2 boys: Brooks Barnhizer, Lafayette Jefferson, and Gus Etchison, Hamilton Heights. District-2 girls: Jayla Smith, Lawrence North. District-3 boys: Kooper Jacobi, Silver Creek. District-3 girls: Sydney Jaynes, Trinity Lutheran.

Nov. 30-Dec. 5: District-1 boys: J.R. Konieczny, South Bend St. Joseph. District-1 girls: Olivia Smith, Fort Wayne South Side. District-2 boys: Ian Scott, Plainfield. District-2 girls: Skylie Lutz, Union City. District-3 boys: Julian Norris, Evansville Bosse. District-3 girls: Kylee Edwards, Shelbyville.

Dec. 7-Dec. 12: District-1 boys: Caleb Furst, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian. District-1 girls: Ellia Foster, Bremen. District-2 boys: Brody Whitaker, Greencastle. District-2 girls: Ariana Wiggins, Heritage Christian. District-3 boys: Logan Rohrbacher, East Central. District-3 girls: Abby Fleetwood, Brown County.

Dec. 14-Dec. 19: District-1 boys: Christopher Mantis, Lowell. District-1 girls: Courtney Blakely, Hammond Bishop Noll. District-2 boys: Luke Brown, Blackford. District-2 girls: Alli Harness, Carroll (Flora). District-3 boys: Lane Sparks, Greensburg. District-3 girls: Isabella Reed, Greenwood Christian.

Dec. 21-Dec. 26: District-1 boys: Luke Goode, Homestead. District-1 girls: Jessica Carrothers, Crown Point. District-2 boys: Brooks Barnhizer, Lafayette Jefferson. District-2 girls: Katie Burton, Fishers. District-3 boys: Curt Hopf, Barr-Reeve. District-3 girls: Juliann Woodard, Jennings County.

Dec. 28-Jan. 2: District-1 boys: Fletcher Loyer, Homestead. District-1 girls: Courtney Blakely, Hammond Bishop Noll. District-2 boys: Trey Flatt, Covenant Christian (Indianapolis). District-2 girls: Ashlynn Shade, Noblesville. District-3 boys: Stephen Atkinson, Owen Valley. District-3 girls: Ali Saunders, North Harrison.

Jan. 4-Jan. 9: District-1 boys: Jackson Paul, Churubusco. District-1 girls: Lilliann Frasure, North Judson-San Pierre. District-2 boys: Gus Etchison, Hamilton Heights. District-2 girls: McKenna Layden, Northwestern. District-3 boys: Trey Kaufman, Silver Creek. District-3 girls: Vanessa Shafford, Linton-Stockton.

Jan. 11-Jan. 16: District-1 boys: Connor Essegian, Central Noble. District-1 girls: Jessica Carrothers, Crown Point. District-2 boys: Kobe Ward, Danville. District-2 girls: Zakia Rasheed, Bishop Chatard. District-3 boys: Owen Dease, Evansville Reitz. District-3 girls: Koryn Greiwe, Columbus East.

Jan. 18-Jan. 23: District-1 boys: Cole Wireman, Kouts. District-1 girls: Lilliann Frasure, North Judson-San Pierre. District-2 boys: Brody Whitaker, Greencastle. District-2 girls: Ashlynn Shade, Noblesville. District-3 boys: Lincoln Hale, Linton-Stockton. District-3 girls: Diana Burgher, North Harrison.

Jan. 25-Jan. 30: District-1 boys: Jalen Jackson, Carroll (Fort Wayne). District-1 girls: Ayanna Patterson, Homestead. District-2 boys: Luke Brown, Blackford. District-2 girls: Madelyn Bischoff, Roncalli. District-3 boys: Lane Lauderbaugh, South Decatur. District-3 girls: Gracie Adams, Lanesville.

Feb. 1-Feb. 6: District-1 boys: Joshua Fleming, Rensselaer Central. District-1 girls: Bailey Hartsough, Lakeland. District-2 boys: Leyton McGovern, McCutcheon. District-2 girls: Ashlynn Shade, Noblesville. District-3 boys: Lane Lauderbaugh, South Decatur. District-3 girls: Katherine Benter, Brownstown Central.