PREP SPORTS: Changes coming to area's fall and winter sectional groupings
May 1—The IHSAA has released its sectional assignments for fall and winter class sports with all lasting through the upcoming 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons.
The Goshen News area in particular was on the receiving end of several changes. A look into some of the more notable changes is included below.
FOOTBALL
When enrollment figures and class assignments rolled out this past March, one of the largest storylines was on two teams outside the TGN area but inside most sectional groupings for our area teams.
Mishawaka's move to 4A and Warsaw's move to 5A has stirred the pot for football sectional matchups. Warsaw falls from 6A and will join Fort Wayne North Side as well as Goshen and Concord in the 5A Sectional 4.
The Cavemen are defending Sectional 4 champs but take the drop to 4A where a gauntlet of teams await them. Mishawaka joins Northridge, NorthWood and Wawasee in 4A along with a trio of South Bend schools and Plymouth.
Fairfield's path to a 3A sectional title also took a drastic paint job. The Falcons are now grouped with Angola, Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran, Tippecanoe Valley and Woodlan among returners in Garrett, Lakeland and West Noble.
BOYS SOCCER
Last fall, Concord won a thrilling sectional final over Northridge before knocking off Penn in the regional semifinals. This year, that process speeds up with the Kingsmen joining Sectional 4 in Class 3A. That grouping drops East Noble and Plymouth, adding Penn to the party which includes Concord, Northridge, Goshen, Elkhart and Mishawaka.
NorthWood and Wawasee will jump to a more competitive Class 2A grouping. New opponents include Bremen, Culver Academies, John Glenn, New Prairie and South Bend St. Joseph.
Bethany Christian and Westview remain separated for the sectional round in 1A. Elkhart Christian sticks with the Bruins who also add Marquette Catholic to the mix. Westview's grouping includes Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian and NECC foe Central Noble.
GIRLS SOCCER
Girls soccer takes a different route than their male counterparts. Sectional 4 Class 3A teams finds itself hosting Goshen, Elkhart, Northridge, Concord and Warsaw.
Class 2A holds just five teams as well. NorthWood and Wawasee will face Culver Academies, Plymouth and Tippecanoe Valley.
Bethany Christian and Westview stay in the same sectional grouping, keeping within Sectional 35 with Bremen, Central Noble, Elkhart Christian, Lakewood Park Christian and Trinity Greenlawn.
VOLLEYBALL
In the final class sport for the fall, Not much changes for our volleyball teams.
Class 4A Sectional 4 remains the same as last year with the absence of Penn helping the cause.
Class 3A action continues to hold Fairfield, NorthWood and Wawasee. The Panthers have won five straight sectionals and two straight regionals. For now, the path for Sectional 20 continues to run through Nappanee as Columbia City and Tippecanoe Valley joins the mix.
Class 2A keeps Westview in Sectional 35 and Class 1A finds Bethany Christian joining a large collection of eastern schools in the mix, also separating from Elkhart Christian.
BOYS & GIRLS BASKETBALL
The changes in winter time for basketball remains the most similar across the sexes. Class 4A, 3A and 2A for our area schools are all the same with 1A bringing the lone difference between the boys and girls.
Class 4A receives the smallest changes. Concord, Elkhart, Goshen, Northridge and Warsaw will take up Sectional 4 with the only loss being Penn.
Sectional 20 in Class 3A sees a large shift. Fairfield, NorthWood, Wawasee and West Noble remain but no longer will include Lakeland in the mix. Instead, with the Lakers moving to 2A, Columbia City and Tippecanoe Valley will enter the scene.
Westview stays in Sectional 35 for Class 2A. They'll be joined by an all-NECC cast including Central Noble, Churubusco, Eastside, Lakeland and Prairie Heights.
Class 1A continues to house Bethany Christian. Neither the boys or girls will include Elkhart Christian in the mix. Instead, the Bruins will face continue to play Fremont, Hamilton, Lakewood Park Christian and Lakeland Christian on both sides.
The difference includes the boys including Smith Academy and the girls on the receiving end of Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian. Both sides will also have to go through Fort Wayne Canterbury.
All sectional groups involving area schools are listed below. Postseason sites will be determined by sectional coaches and released on a later date.
To see full sectional groupings for schools outside The Goshen News area, you can find them at ihsaa.com.
FOOTBALL
* Class 5A, Sectional 11: Concord, Fort Wayne North Side, Goshen, Warsaw Community
* Class 4A, Sectional 18: Mishawaka, Northridge, NorthWood, Plymouth, South Bend Riley, South Bend St. Joseph, South Bend Washington, Wawasee
* Class 3A, Sectional 26: Angola, Fairfield, Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran, Garrett, Lakeland, Tippecanoe Valley, West Noble, Woodlan
BOYS BASKETBALL
* Class 4A, Sectional 4: Concord, Elkhart, Goshen, Northridge, Warsaw Community
* Class 3A, Sectional 20: Columbia City, Fairfield, NorthWood, Tippecanoe Valley, Wawasee, West Noble
* Class 2A, Sectional 35: Central Noble, Churubusco, Eastside, Lakeland, Prairie Heights, Westview
* Class 1A: Sectional 52: Bethany Christian, Fort Wayne Canterbury, Fremont, Hamilton, Lakeland Christian Academy, Lakewood Park Christian, Smith Academy for Excellence
GIRLS BASKETBALL
* Class 4A, Sectional 4: Concord, Elkhart, Goshen, Northridge, Warsaw Community
* Class 3A, Sectional 20: Columbia City, Fairfield, NorthWood, Tippecanoe Valley, Wawasee, West Noble
* Class 2A, Sectional 35: Central Noble, Churubusco, Eastside, Lakeland, Prairie Heights, Westview
* Class 1A, Sectional 52: Bethany Christian, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian, Fort Wayne Canterbury, Fremont, Hamilton, Lakeland Christian Academy, Lakewood Park Christian
BOYS SOCCER
* Class 3A, Sectional 4: Concord, Elkhart, Goshen, Mishawaka, Northridge, Penn
* Class 2A, Sectional 18: Bremen, Culver Academies, John Glenn, New Prairie, NorthWood, South Bend St. Joseph, Wawasee
* Class 1A, Sectional 34: Bethany Christian, Elkhart Christian Academy, LaVille, Marquette Catholic, Oregon-Davis, Trinity Greenlawn, Westville
* Class 1, Sectional 35: Central Noble, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian, Fort Wayne Canterbury, Lakewood Park Christian, Prairie Heights, Westview
GIRLS SOCCER
* Class 3A, Sectional 4: Concord, Elkhart, Goshen, Northridge, Warsaw Community
* Class 2A, Sectional 21: Culver Academies, NorthWood, Plymouth, Tippecanoe Valley, Wawasee
* Class 1A, Sectional 35: Bethany Christian, Bremen, Central Noble, Elkhart Christian Academy, Lakewood Park Christian, Trinity Greenlawn, Westview
VOLLEYBALL
* Class 4A, Sectional 4: Concord, Elkhart, Goshen, Northridge, Warsaw Community
* Class 3A, Sectional 20: Columbia City, Fairfield, NorthWood, Tippecanoe Valley, Wawasee, West Noble
* Class 2A, Sectional 35: Central Noble, Churubusco, Eastside, Lakeland, Prairie Heights, Westview
* Class 1A: Sectional 52: Bethany Christian, Fort Wayne Canterbury, Fremont, Hamilton, Lakeland Christian Academy, Lakewood Park Christian
Reach Matt Lucas at 574-533-2151, ext. 240325, or at matt.lucas@goshennews.com.
