It’s been more than 20 years since Rossville claimed its last Regional title in boys basketball. The Hornets can change that Saturday against North Vermillion.
Rossville won Sectional 54 last week, marking its 21st Sectional Championship in program history.
After beating Carroll in the Semifinal, Rossville defeated Bethesda Christian 67-51 in the championship game to cut down the nets.
With the two wins in Sectionals, the Hornets have moved to 20-5 on the season. Rossville’s 20 wins are the most in a season since their State Championship team in 2002.
The Hornets’ offense has been hot all year. Rossville ranks third in 1A in scoring at 67.8 points per game. And their average margin of victory, 16.8, is fifth among 1A teams.
It starts, and most often ends, with Brayden Thiele-Hahn offensively for Rossville. After averaging 18 points per game as a sophomore, Thiele-Hahn has taken another step this season. The junior is averaging 22.2 points and a career high 6.8 rebounds per game.
Thiele-Hahn is not the only one responsible for the offensive leap the Hornets have taken. Transfer Aiden Schaumburg has solidified himself as a reliable scoring option, averaging 13 points per game.
Coaching has been another key for the Hornets. In twelve seasons at Rossville, Cory Dunn has compiled a 179-116 record and four Sectional Championships.
Rossville will take on a surging North Vermillion team. The Falcons started the season 3-6, but went 12-5 down the stretch and dominated their way through Sectional 53, beating Lafayette Central Catholic 69-53 in the Championship game.
Led by sophomore Teagan Leonard, the son of coach Phil Leonard, the Falcons have found success. Leonard is averaging a team-high 18 points per game while also dishing out 3.6 assists.
But it’s the Falcons’ defense that has been their calling card. North Vermillion holds teams to an average of 47.7 points per game, which ranks inside the top 20 in Class 1A.
North Vermillion has won just one Regional, which came back in 1969.
This will be the third matchup between the Falcons and Hornets in tournament history, with Rossville getting the edge in the 1969 Semistate, and North Vermillion taking down the Hornets in 2024’s Sectional Championship.
Tip-off is set for 1:00 at Frankfort’s historic Case Arena. Two of the Hornets’ five Regional Championships have come at Case.
The game will be available to listen to on WILO. Listen on the radio by tuning to 96.9, AM 1570 WILO, or Boone 102.7. Listen online by going to ClintonCountyDailyNews.com and hitting the listen live link or by downloading the WILO app.
Pregame coverage begins at 12:30
The broadcast of the Regional game is brought to you by:
The Farmers Bank
Milner Community Healthcare
Wampler’s Services, Inc.
Rossville Consolidated School Corp.
Extreme Outdoor Solutions
Skiles Electric