By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Bedford North Lawrence can see the light at the end of the tunnel. And for the first time, it’s not the oncoming train of a powerful postseason express.
Shifted to Class 3A when the new enrollment figures were released earlier this year, BNL was plucked from the darkness of a brutally difficult 4A sectional and pointed a new direction. These tracks could lead to the first sectional title since the program’s lone trophy was claimed in 1982.
The Stars will now compete in a sectional that includes Edgewood, Indian Creek, Northview and Owen Valley. Without disrespecting anyone among that group, that doesn’t have the same collective fearsome reputation as Providence (five state titles) and Floyd Central (24 sectional titles, including five straight). There’s a path forward for BNL.
“You believe it every year, but it feels good to have a different look at the sectional,” said BNL coach Aaron Wagoner, starting his third year at the helm. “It’s attainable, and we’re excited about that.”
Returning talent is another reason for renewed optimism. While the Stars lost four seniors from last year’s 15-15 squad, including frontline smasher Sammie Gratzer (All-Hoosier Hills Conference and now playing college volleyball) and versatile Trinidy Bailey, they will build around experienced personnel with athleticism and court knowledge.
Jenna Allen and Ellie Nubbie are the lone seniors on the roster, while the veteran junior class will feature Izzy Root, Adalynn Bailey and Lily Mishler in key roles. And sophomore Lexie Ritter will find a spot in the lineup.
“We have a younger team, but we have experience at the club level,” Allen said. “So I’m ready for them to show off their skills, make it a different season. We have higher hopes. We have the mentality that we can win.”
BNL will lack front-line size, but there are ways to work around that shortcoming. The ability to make accurate passes to a setter for the attack has always separated the best from the rest.
“If you can’t control the ball, you can’t set up an offense, a multi-dimensional offense to keep them guessing where it will go,” Wagoner said. “That doesn’t bode well for winning games. So ball control is really important, we’re working a ton on that.
“We lost a versatile group with different gifts. Sammie could swing it, and she was also six-feet tall, which was a blessing. We don’t have that this year, and they’re hard to come by. We do have more experience, and we’re excited about that. We have a lot of weapons.”
BNL will still compete in the HHC (the Stars went 2-4 in the league last year), but the focal point has become the postseason. There’s hope rather than resignation. The new route also creates added pressure to succeed. Northview (16 titles overall) is the four-time defending sectional champion. The others have not tasted success in more than a decade. Edgewood won the last of its 10 in 2012, Indian Creek has not advanced since 1997, Owen Valley won its last trophy in 2008. That leaves the door open for a newcomer.
“With the skill we have on the team, we really want it,” Nubbie said. “We’re working hard to do well.”
The Stars will open the season at Trinity Lutheran on Aug. 20.
