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Top-ranked Hamilton Southeastern opened the fourth quarter with a 13-2 run, then used perfect free throw shooting in the final 2:31 to score a 55-44 win over Lawrence North in a contest featuring two teams making their first-ever appearances in the Class 4A state championship game.

Sydney Parrish scored 30 points and hauled down 10 rebounds to lead the winners. The 6-2 junior hit 7-for-7 from the free throw line in the contest, including all four attempts in the final 1:02 to ice the game.

Coach Chris Huppenthal’s Royals finish the season at 27-1, with their only loss coming to Ryle of Kentucky on Dec. 1, 2018.

The Royals took control early with a 15-2 run spanning the first and second quarters to open up an 18-8 lead. Lawrence North, however, closed the half with a 14-2 spurt to grab a 22-20 halftime advantage. The third quarter featured four lead changes and left LN (22-7) up, 35-34.

In the final quarter, Hamilton Southeastern’s Tayah Irvin converted a three-point play to tie the game at 37-37 before Malea Jackson hit her only field goal of the game, a 3-pointer, a minute later to give HSE the lead for good.

All told, HSE hit 15-of-16 from the line, including 8-for-8 in the final 2:31. The Wildcats hit only 5-of-9 from the free throw line and were outrebounded, 30-17.

Jayla Smith and Katie Davidson each had 15 points to lead coach Chris Giffin’s Wildcats.

Class 4A State Championship Records

Highest Free Throw Percentage: .938 (15-16) by Hamilton Southeastern

Highest Combined Free Throw Percentage: .800 (20-25) by Hamilton Southeastern (15-16) and Lawrence North (5-9)

Madelynn Howe named Mental Attitude Award Winner
Following the game, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee named Madelynn Howe of Lawrence North High School as the winner of the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award in Class 4A Girls Basketball.

The award is presented annually to a senior participant in each classification who was nominated by her principal and coach and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability.

Howe has been an exceptional member of the Varsity basketball team serving as a team captain. She has also received the Wildcat Teammate of the Year Award. She is also a team captain of the softball team. Outside of athletics, Madelynn serves as the Treasurer of the National Honors Society, serves on the Principal’s Advisory Committee, and also volunteers with their Life-Skills program.

Academically, Madelynn is ranked 26th in her class of 679 students. She has been rewarded with Distinguished Honor Roll for seven semesters, has won Wildcat of the Month awarded for achieving excellence, building character and serving others.

She is the daughter of Jeff and Julie Howe of Indianapolis and plans to study Business Analytics at Xavier University.

The Indiana Fever and Indiana Pacers, the presenting sponsor of the IHSAA Girls Basketball State Tournament, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Lawrence North High School in the name of Madelynn Howe. Since 1989, more than $840,000 in college scholarships have been presented to deserving high school athletes in Indiana.

The award is named in honor of the former IHSAA Assistant Commissioner Patricia L. Roy, who oversaw the girls basketball state tournament from its inception in 1976 until her retirement in 1999.