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The combatants in Saturday’s Class 4A state championship game have long believed a berth in the title game was in their destiny. 

Yet, for both Warsaw and Lawrence North, it took wins over their archrivals to make it happen. 

The fifth-ranked and 26-1 Tigers are looking for a full-circle moment in the 50th-annual championship game as Warsaw won the very first girls state championship back in 1976 and will make their fifth appearance all-time in the title game. Warsaw won again in 1978, then finished as runner-up in 1991 and 2004. 

“It’s very special for our community that we are circling back 50 years later,” Warsaw coach Lenny Krebs said. “If we are going to come full circle, we’re going to have to take care of the ball and hit our shots on a stage where the lights are the brightest.” 

Standing in Warsaw’s way is coach Stephen Thomas’ Lawrence North squad, which is seeking to return to the top of the mountain for the first time since 2020. Thomas, an assistant coach with that squad, has guided the 18-8 Wildcats through a bit of a bumpy ride. 

The Wildcats stood at 10-8 after a loss to Big Walnut (Ohio) on Jan. 20 that stretched LN’s losing streak to four at that time. The season turned at that point. 

“We came back from Ohio a much different team,” Thomas said. “Our seniors really took charge and became leaders by example.” 

The Wildcats have won eight straight since that loss in Ohio with the biggest coming in the sectional 10 championship game, a 47-42 triumph over defending state champ Lawrence Central. 

“It was not only a rivalry game, but a township game for the girls and finally beating LC gave us a chance to breathe,” Thomas said. 

“Beating LC was a huge confidence boost for us,” 6-1 senior Jamaya Thomas said. “We had been trying to beat them for two years.” 

The Wildcats then took out Pendleton Heights in the regional, then beat Gibson Southern and Metropolitan Conference-rival Pike, 45-44, for the semi-state championship to earn its title shot. 

Lawrence North has a trio of double-digit scorers, led by junior Keadriah Butler (13.7 ppg), Kya Hurt (13 ppg) and Thomas (12.3). 

The Class 4A State Championship featuring Warsaw Community (26-1) and Lawrence North (18-8) will stream via PPV on IHSAAtv.org this Saturday at approx. 8:15 pm ET / 7:15 pm CT!

Warsaw also had a hurdle to clear in the form of Northern Lakes Conference-rival Northridge. The Tigers were ousted in last year’s sectional by the Raiders, but turned the tables this season by thumping No. 9 Northridge twice, including a 71-54 win in the sectional final. 

Since then, Warsaw beat highly-regarded South Bend Washington in the regional then took out McCutcheon and top-ranked Hamilton Southeastern, 67-61, in the semi-state final. 

“All summer and all fall, we talked about how we didn’t want to experience that feeling we had when we lost to Northridge again,” Krebs said. “The girls realized they had to connect and be selfless and that selfless devotion has been a big key for us.” 

Krebs said that shined through during last week’s semi-state final against HSE. 

“They had a 16-0 run on us and went from down eight points to up eight,” Krebs pointed out. “We called timeout and didn’t go over x’s and o’s; we talked about how we have to be connected and bring out the love we have for each other.” 

Joslyn Bricker leads the Tigers in scoring with 19.2 ppg, while Brooke Zartman averaged 18.0 and leads the state in 3-point shooting with 106 made this year. 

Although the two teams have never met, they aren’t unfamiliar with each other. The two teams participated in a summer showcase in Warsaw. 

“We got to watch them and they were a team we kept tabs on,” LN coach Thomas said. “They were on our radar back then and I assume we’ve been on their’s.” 

“We couldn’t have known back last summer we’d both be here,” Krebs said, “but we saw back then they were athletic, quick, disciplined and executed a system very well. They will present plenty of problems for us.” 

“It’s going to be a great game,” Thomas said.