AKRON – By his own admission, Tippecanoe Valley girls basketball coach Chris Kindig puts “zero percent mental energy” into the sectional draw. The draw, afterall, is completely random, and Kindig is focused more on what he can control, and that is making sure the 9th-ranked Lady Vikings are ready mentally and physically for this week’s seven-team tournament at Wawasee High School. “I can tell you that I put zero percent mental energy into the draw,” said Kindig, whose Vikings are looking for their first sectional championship since 2007. “We have to win three games to win the sectional, but I’d rather be playing than sitting around. You have to be ready to play every night, no matter who you’re playing, or you’re going home early.” Valley and Fairfield open play Tuesday at 7 p.m. On Wednesday, West Noble and Whitko square off at 6 p.m., followed by Wawasee and Lakeland. Friday’s first semifinal game pits NorthWood against either Valley or Fairfield, while Wednesday’s winners will meet in Friday’s second semifinal. The championship game is scheduled for Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with the winner advancing to the Bellmont Regional. The seven-team sectional field features five teams that have won at least 13 games. The Lady Vikings enter the postseason with a record of 19-2. Valley is 4-1 against the rest of the sectional field, a mark that includes double-digit wins over Lakeland, Wawasee and West Noble, and a four-point win over Whitko. The Lady Vikings lost 61-55 to NorthWood on Jan. 13 in a game played in Akron. “Our ultimate goal is to make a run in the tournament,” said Kindig. “We know we’re capable of beating anybody in the sectional, but we have to come out and play our style.” To make a run in the tournament, the Lady Vikings must start by winning Tuesday’s game against Fairfield. The Lady Vikings opened last year’s sectional with a win over Fairfield. The teams did not square off in the regular season, though Kindig is familiar with them, as Valley played Fairfield in a summer tournament. “Fairfield is a quality team,” said Kindig. “We’re definitely going to have to play well, or we’re going home early. We played them in the summer ... they don’t have a lot of size, but they’ve got plenty of decent outside shooters.” Fairfield averages 46 points per game, while Valley, which has prided itself this season on defense, gives up just 39 points per game. The Fairfield defense will have the task of slowing a Valley team that averages 55 points per game, and wins by an average of 16 points per game. Sophomore Anne Secrest leads the Lady Vikings with 16.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. A 6-foot center, she also leads Valley in assists, blocks and steals. Sophomore Meredith Brouyette averages nine points per game, while seniors Caylie Teel and Taylor Trippiedi score just under eight and seven points, respectively.
