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Class 3A State Championship Preview

Mike Beas, Special to IHSAA.org
Posted: February 26, 2026
Roncalli vs Bellmont

If it seems Reagan Turk has been here before, it’s because Roncalli’s senior guard recently was.

Some of the striping was different, and the point of emphasis was one net rather than two, but it was, indeed, the same Gainbridge Fieldhouse court.

Nearly four months after helping lead the Royals’ volleyball team to a Class 3A state title – and being named the Mental Attitude Award recipient – Turk goes for the rarest of doubles now that her school’s girls’ basketball team has qualified for its first State Finals in 40 years.

Roncalli (27-3), riding a 17-game win streak, faces Bellmont (24-3) in Saturday’s 3A final starting at 6 p.m.

“My teammates in volleyball, they’re special, but I’m happy to do it with my basketball team because these girls put so much work in,” said Turk, who averages 6.6 points a game. “I’m glad to see everything pay off.”

Talk to those close to both the Roncalli and Bellmont programs and they’ll tell you how similar the teams are.

Roncalli is led by 5-9 junior guard Elliot Leffler, whose 18.8 scoring average is more than double her team’s next-best point producer in senior guard Brennah Cerny (9.3). Then it’s senior guard Catie Rosko (7.0), Turk and 6-2 senior center Lydia Stahley (5.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg).

“From the start, we were always, like, we’re going to make it. We’re going to put all of our heart and soul into it, even if we’re so sore. And that’s what we did,” said the 5-6 Cerny. “This is very special. We always have fun no matter what. It’s just knowing we are here, and it’s what we all dreamed of. It’s just very, very exciting for us.”

The Braves feature a pair of double-digit scorers in sophomore twin sisters Ashley and Mary Bleke (pronounced Blakey). Ashley, a 5-9 guard, averages 13.5 points per game, while Mary, a 5-11 center, is close behind at 13.3.

Junior guard Lanie French produces 8.9 points a contest, while soph guards Oni Krueckeberg and Kaitlyn Barton sport norms of 7.8 and 6.3, respectively.

There is only one senior on the 12-player Bellmont roster, which might just make this postseason run as surprising as it is rewarding.

“I feel like we just knew we had experience from the year before, so I think we knew it was possible this year,” Krueckeberg said. “This is unreal. I’m so grateful for this opportunity, but you never know what’s going to happen.

“We had to take advantage of winning this year, hopefully, and then next year, as well.”

 

The Class 3A State Championship featuring Roncalli (27-3) and Bellmont (24-3) will stream via PPV on IHSAAtv.org this Saturday at 6 pm ET / 5 pm CT!

 

The Braves average 58.7 points a game compared to Roncalli’s 59.1. Also close to identical are Bellmont’s averages in rebounds (28.7) and assists (12.8) compared to the Royals (28.5 and 12.1). One noticeable discrepancy is Bellmont’s accuracy behind the 3-point stripe (.325) to that of Roncalli (.250).

While the Braves are making their State Finals debut, the Royals’ lone trip came at the end of the 1985-1986 season during the single-class era. Roncalli, coached by the late Bob Kirkhoff, came up short against Fort Wayne Northrop, 50-36, in a semifinal at Market Square Arena.

Bellmont had been to three single-class semistates (1979, 1992 and 1992) before breaking through this season.

“Over the last few years, just think it’s been our defense, in general,” said 15th-year coach Andy Heim. “A handful of years ago, we were mostly a 2-3 sort of matchup zone, and this year we’re basically man, and we pick you up full-court.

“I think what’s changed, really, with this team is we just have more offensive firepower than we had in the past. A bunch of scorers who can score from anywhere to back up with a good defense makes us dangerous.”

The rise of the Bellmont program under Heim is noteworthy.

In his first five seasons in charge, the Braves were 21-88, which included a 0-21 mark in 2013-2014. Compare that to the past decade that has seen Bellmont go 189-55.

Now, 124 postseason games in, the Braves are playing for a state championship.

“It takes a lot to get here,” said Heim. “When we played Homestead early in the year, while we ended getting beat by 20, we were leading after the first quarter and we were close at half. It was a game, and you sort of walk away thinking if we’re going to be able to play with that many Division I people, we’re going to be alright.

“Playing (4A finalist) Norwell, we ended up getting beat by 10, but we understand Norwell’s pedigree. And then it was probably against Warsaw where it finally clicked where we had Warsaw down by 12 at one point in time. Everybody was, like, ok, this could be a team that can do something.”

Turns out it is.