Seniors have Fairfield girls basketball on historic path heading into 3A LaPorte Semistate
The numbers, although impressive, only tell a small part of the huge impact that the Class of 2023 has had on the Fairfield girls basketball program.
Just ask veteran Fairfield coach Brodie Garber.
The senior quartet have the No. 7 Falcons flying high into the Class 3A LaPorte Semistate Saturday. Fairfield, 25-2, meets Tippecanoe Valley (22-3) at 1 p.m. EST in the second semifinal game. The 11 a.m. opener pits No. 1 Twin Lakes (26-0) versus No. 11 Hamilton Heights (20-5) with the semistate title game at 8:30 p.m. with a berth in the State Finals Feb. 25 on the line.
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Seniors Brea Garber, Bailey Willard, Morgan Gawthrop and Delana Geiger have been the heart and soul for the Falcons for four years. The outstanding group is the winningest class in program history with a mark of 78-25 and this year's 25 wins are a single-season record. The Falcons, who were just 6-16 the season before this senior class arrived, lost 35-34 to Frankfort in the Class 2A LaPorte Semistate a year ago.
Veteran coach Garber, himself a former star player at Fairfield, says their value is as big off the court as on it.
"For me, it's the maturity of these seniors on and off the court that is so important to our success," said coach Garber, who scored 1,076 points in his prep career. "They are truly best friends and they are constantly together.
"They do a great job with our underclassmen as far as team chemistry. It just makes it a lot easier to coach. I can focus more on the X's and O's because they take care of everything else.
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"The other thing about these seniors is that they just have a calming effect on everyone. I've had some of our fans tell me that too. They just never get rattled."
Brea Garber, a 6-0 forward, is the star on the hardwood. The Indiana Wesleyan recruit averages 15 points a game and has 1,348 career points, second in program history to her mother Amy (Bechtel) Garber, who scored 1,520.
Brea, the do-it-all daughter of coach Garber, is as unselfish as she is talented, according to Willard.
"Brea puts everyone before herself," said Willard, a 5-4 guard. "She is just so selfless. As long as our team is winning, that's all she cares about."
"The thing about us seniors is that we have always played together and always stuck together. We all know our roles on this team and we all do those well. This does mean a lot to me as a senior going back to the semistate."
Brea Garber leads her team in pretty much every statistical category, including points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocked shots.
"It's been such a fun ride this year," said Brea, who also totaled over 1,000 kills on the volleyball court. "Our seniors have played together since like the third grade. They truly are my best friends. This is everything we've worked so hard for, to go back to the semistate again.
"This is not about one single person. It takes a team to do what we have done this season. It's the best feeling ever to be able to share this with my teammates. They are the best teammates ever and I'm just so grateful for all of them."
Gawthrop, a 5-8 forward averages 11.1 points a contest and Geiger, a 5-4 forward, averages 4.1 rebounds. Other key contributors include juniors Kaylee Dillon, Natalie Whitaker and Jayslynn Hall and freshman Eva Herbert.
Fairfield, which has never won a semistate title, leads the state in defensive average in allowing just 27 points a game. The Falcons, who have won 14 in a row, are also sixth in average margin of victory at 27 points. The Northeast Corner Conference tournament and regular season champions have just losses to 4A teams Columbia City and Fort Wayne Snider.
"We can win semistate," Brea Garber said. "We were so close last year and we want it even more this year. It would mean so much to go to state. We've been thinking and dreaming of that for a long time."
The senior group showed its worth in the regional last Saturday. Fairfield trailed Highland by seven points at 21-14 in the third quarter at Jimtown before rallying for a tough 40-32 victory. Brea Garber had 13 points with Willard and Gawthrop each scoring 10 points.
"Kudos to the four seniors," said coach Garber following the regional win. "They willed us to this victory today."
Coach Garber, now in his 11th season, says that one of his underclassmen said it best about his seniors back on Senior Night.
"We had one of our juniors turn to our assistant coach and say I really don't want them to leave," related coach Garber.
Well said for a quartet whose value is truly immeasurable.
Bethany Christian preparing for first semistate in program history
It will be a historic and long bus ride for the Bethany Christian girls basketball team Saturday.
The Bruins will make the trek to Frankfort, which is south of Lafayette and 116 miles from Bethany's campus just south of Goshen, to compete in their first-ever semistate. Somehow the IHSAA has named Frankfort a North Semistate.
No. 7 Bethany, owners of a 22-3 mark, face No. 6 Washington Township (20-6) at noon in the second semistate contest. No. 2 Tri (25-1) plays Tri-Central 12-13) in the 10 a,m, opener with the title game at 8 p.m.
The Bruins punched their ticket to semistate with a 38-30 win over Tri-County at Winamac last Saturday. It was the third regional appearance for the program. Junior Zoe Willems had 18 points and 11 rebounds, while junior Mariah Stoltzfus scored 11 points and senior Kiersten Todd nine.
Willems, also a soccer standout, leads her team at 17.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per contest. Stoltzfus averages 10 points, Todd 6.4 and senior Julia Moser 5.7.
Coach Krysten Parson's squad, which finished 11-12 last year, has lost to Class 2A Central Noble and 3A teams Highland and Fairfield this season.
IHSAA NORTH SEMISTATE PAIRINGS
Saturday, Feb. 18, all times EST
CLASS 4A
At Huntington North
10 a.m.: Fort Wayne Snider (21-4) vs. No. 3 Fishers (24-2)
12 p.m.: No. 1 South Bend Washington (27-0) vs. No. 11 Lake Central (22-5)
8 p.m.: Championship
CLASS 3A
At LaPorte
11 a.m.: No. 1 Twin Lakes (27-0) vs. No. 11 Hamilton Heights (20-5)
1 p.m.: Tippecanoe Valley (22-3) vs. No. 7 Fairfield (25-2)
8:30 p.m.: Championship
CLASS 2A
At Logansport
10 a.m.: No. 4 Andrean (25-3) vs. Lapel (20-7)
12 p.m.: No. 3 Central Noble (25-2) vs. No. 5 Lafayette Central Catholic (20-6)
8 p.m.: Championship
CLASS 1A
At Frankfort
10 a.m.: No. 1 Tri (25-1) vs. Tri-Central (12-13)
12 p.m.: No. 7 Bethany Christian (22-3) vs. No. 6 Washington Township (20-6)
8 p.m.: Championship
IHSAA SOUTH SEMISTATE PAIRINGS
CLASS 4A
At Southport
10 a.m.: No. 7 Bedford North Lawrence (24-3) vs. No. 9 Center Grove (22-4)
Noon: Lawrence North (18-9) vs. Ben Davis (18-9)
8 p.m.: Championship
CLASS 3A
At Jasper
10:30 a.m.: Gibson Southern (21-4) vs. No. 6 Corydon Central (25-2)
12:30 p.m.: Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (12-13) vs. No. 5 Indian Creek (26-1)
8 p.m.: Championship
CLASS 2A
At Shelbyville
10 a.m.: No. 2 Forest Park (23-3) vs. Greencastle (23-4)
Noon: No. 1 North Knox (27-1) vs. No. 8 Eastern Hancock (23-3)
8 p.m.: Championship
CLASS 1A
At New Albany
10 a.m.: Bloomfield (14-14) vs. No. 14 Jac-Cen-Del (16-11)
Noon: No. 1 Lanesville (25-2) vs. No. 4 Trinity Lutheran (22-6)
8 p.m.: Championship
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: IHSAA girls basketball preview: 3A Fairfield v Tippecanoe Valley
