May 15, 2008

2008 BASEBALL STATE TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS ANNOUNCED

The field for the 42nd Annual IHSAA Baseball State Tournament Series was set this morning at the IHSAA Office in Indianapolis. This year’s state tournament consists of 383 teams and begins with sectional play 11 days from now.

Competition begins with 64 sectionals conducted in four different classes on Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day), and continues through Saturday, May 31. Daily schedules for each tournament site will be listed on the IHSAA website as they become available from the host schools. Because of possible weather postponements and other conflicts, it is advised to check with the host school for precise day and time schedules.

Each of the sectional champions will advance to a one-game regional contest to be played Tuesday, June 3, on the home field of the odd-numbered sectional champion (see pairings).

The 32 regional champions – eight in each class – will advance to one of eight semi-state sites on Saturday, June 7. Two semifinal games will be played early in the day at each site with the two winners returning for a championship game with a berth in the state finals on the line.

This year’s state finals, scheduled for Friday, June 13, and Saturday, June 14, will be played at Victory Field in Indianapolis.

Among the top-ranked teams in this week’s poll from the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association, 4A No. 1 Penn begins its tournament run against Mishawaka in the opening game of Sectional 3 at South Bend Clay. In Class 3A, No. 1 Andrean drew Kankakee Valley in Sectional 18 at Griffith; Class 2A’s top-ranked Wapahani will meet Lapel in Sectional 41 at Frankton and; Class A No. 1 Frontier will face Clinton Prairie in the Sectional 53 opener at Lafayette Central Catholic.

Pairings for the defending state champions include: Indianapolis Cathedral (Class 4A) meets Lawrence Central in Sectional 10 at Warren Central; Norwell (Class 3A) takes on Maconaquah in the Sectional 22 bye game at Peru; South Spencer (Class 2A) will host Forest Park in Sectional 48 and; Lafayette Central Catholic (Class A) will host Rossville in Sectional 53.

>> State Tournament Pairings

>> State Coaches Poll

Notables

Defending Sectional Champions

4A: Anderson Highland, Bloomington North, Castle, Columbia City, Crown Point, Homestead, Indianapolis Cathedral, Jeffersonville, Kokomo, Lake Central, Noblesville, Penn, Perry Meridian, South Bend Clay, Terre Haute South, Zionsville.

3A: Andrean, Crawfordsville, Edgewood, Evansville Mater Dei, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Griffith, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, Jay County, North Harrison, NorthWood, Norwell, South Bend St. Joseph’s, South Dearborn, Vincennes Lincoln, Western, Yorktown.

2A: Boone Grove, Churubusco, Fountain Central, Hagerstown, Heritage, Jimtown, North Putnam, Northfield, Northwestern, Providence, Rochester, South Knox, South Ripley, South Spencer, Triton Central, Wapahani.

A: Covington, Daleville, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian, Hauser, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter, Jac-Cen-Del, Lafayette Central Catholic, Loogootee, Marquette Catholic, Northeast Dubois, Shakamak, South Central (Elizabeth), Tecumseh, Tri, Tri-County, Washington Township.

Most Consecutive Sectional Championships

21 by Logansport, 1973-1993.

Active Sectional Championship Streaks (Three or more years)

7: Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian, Penn.

6: Andrean, Shakamak.

5: Norwell.

4: Hauser.

3: Crown Point, Edgewood, Indianapolis Cathedral.

Most Sectional Championships Last 10 Years

9: Penn.

8: Shakamak.

7: Andrean, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian, Indianapolis Cathedral, Jasper, Madison, Tecumseh, Wapahani.

6: Boone Grove, Center Grove, Lafayette Central Catholic, LaPorte, Plymouth, Providence, West Vigo.

5: Daleville, Evansville Mater Dei, Evansville Memorial, Griffith, Henryville, Lake Central, Lawrenceburg, Norwell, Riverton Parke, Springs Valley, Terre Haute South, Zionsville.

Top 10 All-Time Sectional Championships

34: LaPorte.

30: Jasper.

28: Logansport, Richmond.

24: Evansville Memorial.

23: Plymouth.

22: Benton Central.

21: Madison.

20: Marion.

19: DeKalb, Hammond Bishop Noll, Jeffersonville, Valparaiso.

IHSAA 07-08/39