The new year is right around the corner, meaning a few of the state’s top senior football talents are already reporting to their collegiate squads for the spring semester, while others have just a few more months until graduation.
As for the underclassmen, the football off-season grind to earn the right to practice on Thanksgiving 2026 has already begun and the basketball season is already nearly halfway complete.
Let’s reflect on 2025 throughout the Hoosier State:
Carmel’s continued dominance
Boasting well over 100 more total state championships than the second-best school, North Central, Carmel adds three more to the tally in the Fall 2025-26 campaign with boys tennis, girls cross country and boys soccer titles.
In boys’ tennis, Carmel went unbeaten, toppling Homestead in a gritty 3-2 victory. In soccer, the Greyhounds went 18-1-3, finishing as the national No. 1 team behind nine goals from senior Troy Enslin.
As for girls’ cross country, Greyhound senior Sadie Foley placed third among individuals in the 5K with a time of 17 minutes, 22.5 seconds. Junior Larkin Taylor slotted in at tenth with a time of 17 minutes, 45.23 seconds.
This is the eighth time in school history that the Greyhounds have won at least three championships in the same season. Noblesville (Fall 2023-24) and Brebeuf Jesuit (Fall 2021-22) are the only other schools to have accomplished such a feat.
Penn makes history
Sanctioned as an emerging sport this season, the IHSAA tallied 78 participating schools in the sport for this year, compared to just eight schools in 2023.
With the goal of over 100 schools for next season, Penn was crowned as the first-ever champs on Oct. 18 in a 35-12 triumph over Lawrence North.
Junior quarterback Quinn Driscoll led an elite offense for the Kingsmen with a 75% completion rate, throwing for 41 touchdowns to just two interceptions on the season.
Congrats to the rest
While Carmel won the most once again, these squads still brought an immense amount of pride and honor to their individual schools:
Winter/Spring 2024-25 Champions:
Girls Wrestling: Columbus East
Girls Swimming & Diving: Carmel
Boys Swimming & Diving: Carmel Boys
Wrestling: Brownsburg
Girls Basketball
4A: Lawrence North
3A: Norwell
2A: South Knox
1A: Borden
Gymnastics: Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger
Boys Basketball
4A: Jeffersonville
3A: South Bend Saint Joseph
2A: Manchester
1A: Orleans
Spring Boys Volleyball: Roncalli
Girls Track & Field: Carmel
Boys Track & Field: Lawrence North
Unified Track & Field: Elkhart
Girls Tennis: Jasper
Softball
4A: Crown Point
3A: Indianapolis Cathedral
2A: Tecumseh
1A: North Newton
Boys Golf: Westfield
Baseball
4A: Valparaiso
3A: Andrean
2A: Boone Grove
1A: Indianapolis Lutheran
Fall 2025-26 Champions:
Fall Girls Golf: Zionsville
Boys Tennis: Carmel
Unified Flag Football: DeKalb
Girls Cross Country: Carmel
Boys Cross Country: Columbus North
Girls Soccer
3A: Hamilton Southeastern
2A: Mishawaka Marian
1A: Heritage Christian
Boys Soccer
3A: Carmel
2A: Guerin Catholic
1A: Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian
Girls Volleyball
4A: Carroll (Fort Wayne)
3A: Roncalli
2A: Barr-Reeve
1A: Trinity Lutheran
Girls Flag: Penn
Football
6A: Brownsburg
5A: New Palestine
4A: Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger
3A: Cascade
2A: Andrean
1A: South Putnam