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The 2021-22 high school sports season is completed. Here are 12 of its finest moments

justin frommer, south bend tribune
·6 min read

Another high school sports calendar has been completed. And this year, South Bend area teams showed up.

Three Northern Indiana Conference teams won Indiana High School Athletic Association team titles. two others, and one Northern Lakes Conference team, were state finalists, and a trio of female athletes took home individual state titles.

There was also one Michigan High School Athletics Association baseball champion.

The area also produced a boys hockey state finalist and a boys lacrosse championship.

Here are the 12 best moments from this year's high school sports seasons

12. Edwardsburg girls hoops win first-ever regional

Edwardsburg's Macey Laubach, shown Jan. 21, scored 24 points to lead the Eddies to a district title Friday night.
Edwardsburg's Macey Laubach, shown Jan. 21, scored 24 points to lead the Eddies to a district title Friday night.

Edwardsburg girls basketball won the first regional title in school history, finishing 24-1, losing to Grand Rapids West Catholic in the quarterfinals. The Eddies were led by four-sport standout Macey Laubach.

►More: Edwardsburg wins first regional in program history by holding off Wayland

11. South Bend Riley hockey are 2A state runners up

Riley players celebrate scoring during the Riley vs. Fort Wayne Carroll 2A state championship hockey game Satrurday, March 5, 2022 at the Ice Box in South Bend.
Riley players celebrate scoring during the Riley vs. Fort Wayne Carroll 2A state championship hockey game Satrurday, March 5, 2022 at the Ice Box in South Bend.

South Bend Riley's magical postseason run came to an end in the 2A state title game against Fort Wayne Carroll. The Wildcats overcame a 2-0 deficit with goals from Grady Boardman and Sam Bull before Carroll's Broderik Burge won his team the title in the extra period.

► Band of Brothers: How South Bend Riley advanced to Saturday's state 2A hockey title game

► More: Carroll's overtime breakaway leads to heartbreak for Riley hockey in 2A state final

10. Mishawaka Marian girls soccer falls just short of 2A title

Marian’s Daisy Moody (48) in action in the second half of the class 2A semi-state match Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, in South Bend. Marian won 1-0.
Marian’s Daisy Moody (48) in action in the second half of the class 2A semi-state match Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, in South Bend. Marian won 1-0.

The No. 4-ranked Marian Knights saw their season end in heartbreaking fashion  against No. 3 Evansville Memorial in this year's Class 2A state title match in Indianapolis. Evansville's Ella Hamner scored a header goal with 1:19 to play in the second overtime period, lifting her team to a state title.

► More: Memory-making season for Marian soccer

9. South Bend Saint Joseph tennis sisters win doubles championship

South Bend Saint Joseph's Anni Amalnathan makes a return in the state team semifinals against Carmel June 4. Amalnathan and her sister, Ashi, won the Indiana state doubles championship Saturday in Indianapolis.
South Bend Saint Joseph's Anni Amalnathan makes a return in the state team semifinals against Carmel June 4. Amalnathan and her sister, Ashi, won the Indiana state doubles championship Saturday in Indianapolis.

Ashi and Anni Amalnathan won the doubles individual state championship in impressive fashion by defeating Floyd Central's Amelia Meunier and Elizabeth Banet, 6-3, 6-4. The state title capped the sisters' perfect 18-0 season, which also included a 9-0 postseason run.

► More: Another state tennis title at South Bend Saint Joseph as Amalnathan sisters claim doubles crown

8. Saint Joseph boys lacrosse claims first state title

Saint Joe lacrosse won their first state title in program history. [COURTESY OF SOUTH BEND SAINT JOSEPH ATHLETICS].
Saint Joe lacrosse won their first state title in program history. [COURTESY OF SOUTH BEND SAINT JOSEPH ATHLETICS].

In their fifth state championship appearance, the South Bend Saint Joseph boys lacrosse team finally broke through, beating Guerin Catholic, 8-7 and winning their first title in program history. The Indians held Guerin to one goal in the second half (none in the fourth quarter) and scored the final four goals of the game from, Joe Saratore, Antonio Morrell, Flynn Leonard and Jack Tobolski with 55 seconds left to seal the game.

► 'Poetic': South Bend Saint Joseph lacrosse gets revenge in winning 1A state title

7. Lilian Christianson sets record at state swim meet

Penn High School’s Lilian Christianson reacts after competing in the 100 Yard Freestyle event during the 2022 Girls’ Swimming & Diving State Tournament, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, at Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis.
Penn High School’s Lilian Christianson reacts after competing in the 100 Yard Freestyle event during the 2022 Girls’ Swimming & Diving State Tournament, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, at Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis.

Lilian Christianson won her second consecutive state title in 50-yard freestyle, setting an Indiana state record. Her time, 22.14, beat the previous record set by Carmel's Amy Bilquist in 2014-15 by one-tenth of a second (22.15), and was good for the 6th fastest time in national high school swim history.

► More: Penn's Lilian Christianson sets state record in repeating as 50-free champion

6. Northridge football advances to first state title game

Northridge players celebrate with the trophy after winning the New Prairie vs. Northridge 4A semistate championship game Friday, Nov. 19, 2021at New Prairie High School.
Northridge players celebrate with the trophy after winning the New Prairie vs. Northridge 4A semistate championship game Friday, Nov. 19, 2021at New Prairie High School.

Nobody predicted Northridge would reach Lucas Oil Stadium after a 5-4 regular season, but the Raiders got hot at the right team, reaching their first state championship in school history, before losing 45-14 to Mt. Vernon. Northridge beat NorthWood, Columbia City, Leo, Mississinewa and New Prairie to reach the 4A title.

► '100% behind them': Middlebury rallies behind Northridge football team ahead of state title game

► More: Northridge runs out of answers in 4A title game, but loss doesn't diminish magical run

5. Mishawaka Marian boys basketball plays in first state title game

Marian players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Marian vs. Leo semistate championship boys basketball game Saturday, March 19, 2022 at Northside Gym in Elkhart.
Marian players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Marian vs. Leo semistate championship boys basketball game Saturday, March 19, 2022 at Northside Gym in Elkhart.

'Came up 5 minutes short':Marian's dream run ends as Beech Grove wins Indiana 3A title

'Couldn't be more proud': Behind the scenes of Marian basketball's first state finals

trip

Marian's impressive run to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the first time in program history fell one game short of a 3A state title. The Knights, led by senior breakout star Richard Brooks, emerged from a talented NIC, beat Glenn in a No. 1 vs No. 2 sectional championship, then beat Lighthouse CPA, Culver Academies and Leo before falling to Beech Grove in Indianapolis.                                                                                           

4. Buchanan wins first baseball state title since 1985

Members of the Buchanan baseball team lift the Division 3 Baseball State Championship trophy after their 3-1 win over Detroit Edison Saturday, June 18, 2022 at McClane Stadium on the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing. KEVIN W. FOWLER PHOTO
Members of the Buchanan baseball team lift the Division 3 Baseball State Championship trophy after their 3-1 win over Detroit Edison Saturday, June 18, 2022 at McClane Stadium on the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing. KEVIN W. FOWLER PHOTO

The Bucks finished 30-4, had four first-team Division 3 All-Staters in pitcher Matthew Hoover, catcher Murphy Wegner, outfielder Macoy West and shortstop Cade Preissing. Buchanan ended a two-year run with a 64-7 record. The highlight game of the tourney run was the semifinal victory over Standish-Sterling. Buchanan trailed 1-0 in the seventh, but tied the game and scored five in the eighth to win 6-1 and advance to the state finals.

► More: Buchanan takes Michigan Division 3 baseball championship with 3-1 win over Detroit Edison

3. Penn baseball wins fifth state championship

The Penn Kingsman celebrate their win over the Cathedral Irish in the state championship baseball game Saturday, June 18, 2022 at Victory Field in Indianapolis.
The Penn Kingsman celebrate their win over the Cathedral Irish in the state championship baseball game Saturday, June 18, 2022 at Victory Field in Indianapolis.

Five years after falling to Cathedral (Indianapolis) in the 2017 4A state championship, the Kingsmen got their revenge. On the back of Ben Gregory's three-hit complete game, as Penn beat the Irish, 3-0. To get to Indianapolis, the Kingsmen beat Elkhart, Warsaw, Northridge, South Bend Adams, Lake Central and Zionsville.

► State champs!: Behind flawless pitching by Ben Gregory, Penn claims its 5th baseball crown

2. Saint Joseph softball are 3A champions for first time

The Saint Joseph Indians celebrate their win over Tri-West Hendricks in the state championship softball game Friday, June 10, 2022 at Bittinger Stadium in West Lafayette.
The Saint Joseph Indians celebrate their win over Tri-West Hendricks in the state championship softball game Friday, June 10, 2022 at Bittinger Stadium in West Lafayette.

Saint Joe softball's run to the first state championship in program history saw some of the best individual performances of the sports calendar. Freshman pitcher Berkley Zache put herself on the map throwing a no-hitter and 21-strikeout game in semistates, then striking out 20 and hitting a game-winning ninth-inning single in the state championship to help the Indians beat No. 1 Tri-West Hendricks 1-0 in the 3A title game.

► A new reign: In epic 3A title game, Zache, South Bend Saint Joe outlast Tri-West Hendricks

► More: Berkley Zache's semistate heroics still celebrated with Saint Joseph

1. South Bend Washington girls basketball completes historic season

Washington's Kira Reynolds (11), Monique Mitchell (35) and Ryiah Wilson (3) celebrate after winning the Washington vs. Silver Creek girls state championship basketball game Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Washington's Kira Reynolds (11), Monique Mitchell (35) and Ryiah Wilson (3) celebrate after winning the Washington vs. Silver Creek girls state championship basketball game Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The Panthers were the most dominant 3A team from start to finish and showed it during the impressive championship run, beating Silver Creek at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and winning the program's second state championship. South Bend Washington set numerous state title game records in its 58-point drubbing, including freshman Kira Reynolds (one of three daughters of head coach Steve Reynolds on the team) grabbing 24 rebounds.

► Behind the scenes:What led to South Bend Washington's state title. 'We got the job done.'

► 'Dream come true': South Bend Washington hangs state record 93 on Silver Creek for 3A title'

The Panthers also set a Class 3A record with their 93 points. The total, which featured a 32-point second stanza, just missed the overall points record of 99 set by Ben Davis in winning a Class 4A state title in 2010. The 93 points obliterated the previous record for a Class 3A final, which was 72 by NorthWood in 1999 and by Princeton in 2015.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: South Bend high school sports' top 12 moments from 2021-2022