Jodi Howell currently sits atop the scoring leader board with an average of 28.7 points per game and a comfortable 2.6 points per game cushion over the No. 2 scorer, Megan King. However, she also sits on the sideline while three of the top five scorers in the state are still alive in the state tournament, and at least have a remote shot at knocking her off that mountain.

At No. 2 is Fort Wayne Canturbury's Megan King at 26.1 points per game. Tied with King at 26.1, but done for the season, is Owen Valley's Samantha Stall. At No. 4 and No. 5 and still alive is Rushville's Amanda Stull (24.0) and Fort Wayne Luers' Stefanie Gerardot (23.9).

Assuming each of the remaining players has an equal shot at playing four more games, the only player with a realistic shot at Howell is King. King would have to average 42 points per game over the next four games to surpass Howell. Considering King's season high is 40 points, it would take an extraordinary effort scoring-wise and a state championship to accomplish the task.

It is a much tighter race in the quest for the state rebounding title. Four players are averaging 13 rebounds or more per game this year, and two are still alive.

Atop the list is Union (Dugger) junior Kelsie Manuel at 13.4. Both her and No. 2 rebounder Maria Roller (13.1) are done for the season. The pressure comes from the two players still alive and tied at No. 3 with an average of 13.0 rebounds per game. South Central's Anna Kammrath and Brebeuf's Ta'Shia Phillips are locked in the third spot. Yet Phillips is at a statistical disadvantage as her 13.0 rebounds per game are spread over 23 games, while Kammrath has played just 19. To take over the top spot, Phillips needs 23 rebounds in her next game, an average of 18.0 rebounds over her next two games, an average of 16.7 rebounds in her next three games, or an average of 15.8 rebounds over the next four games if Brebeuf wins another state championship. For Kammrath to take over the top spot, she will need to get 21 rebounds in her next game, average 17.5 rebounds over her next two games, average 16.0 rebounds in her next three games, or average of 15.5 rebounds over the next four games if South Central goes all the way. Since the last time Ta'Shia stepped on the court she grabbed 27 rebounds, the rebounding title is far from secure for Manuel.

Joy Cheek to choose from list of four

According to the Charlotte Observer, 6-foot-1 junior forward Joy Cheek has declared she will choose from a list that includes Duke, Maryland, Notre Dame and Vanderbilt by summer. It is still unclear how serious the staff is about signing anything other than a slashing guard for the class of 2006. Not only did the fall commitments of Helgeson and Campbell add size to the Boilers, the emergence of freshman Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton as a big time talent at forward also firmed up Curry's forward corp.

Myia McCurdy on the sideline again

Myia McCurdy has been out since the beginning of January with a stress fracture and calf strain, and now will not return until at least February 28th. That will put her on the bench for the next two games, but may get her back for the beginning of the Ohio Division I Sweet 16.

Ramblings

"She's a young lady who it's tough to (double-team) because she handles the ball so well and she's so quick to the basket."

Carmel head coach Scott Bowen on trying to defend Amber Harris. Harris led North Central to a sectional victory over Carmel, scoring 27 points, and adding nine rebounds and seven blocked shots.