Reitz Girls Edge Castle 46-45 to Win First Sectional Since 1990

Reitz Panthers held off a furious Castle Knights rally to win the IHSAA Class 4A sectional championship 46-45 in a dramatic finish. The victory, played Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, gave Reitz its first sectional or postseason crown since 1990 and capped a tense rematch that tightened dramatically in the second half.

Reitz built control early, running out to a 27-14 lead at halftime. Castle mounted a second-half comeback that whittled that margin down to a single possession, turning the final minutes into a pressure-packed sequence. Despite the Knights’ push, Reitz closed out the one-point win to claim the sectional title.

The outcome carries immediate historical weight for Reitz. The Panthers captured their first postseason title since 1990, a 36-year gap that reshapes the program’s recent narrative. Local accounts also noted the win “broke two big droughts,” including Reitz’s first victory over Castle since 1992, a rare double milestone for players and fans alike.

Game-level reporting available after the final contains the key team numbers - a 27-14 halftime edge and the 46-45 final - but did not include individual scoring lines, coaching remarks, or a play-by-play account of the final possession. Those box-score details remain to be reported, but the macro arc is clear: Reitz controlled the first half and survived a late surge by Castle.

Beyond the scoreboard, the win matters for the broader Reitz community and for girls basketball in the region. Ending a three-decade title drought can energize school spirit, boost youth participation in the program, and strengthen fundraising and booster efforts that underpin travel, facilities, and scheduling. For Castle, the comeback effort underscores resilience and suggests the Knights remain a force in sectional competition despite the narrow loss.

At the program level, coaches and athletic directors typically leverage sectional championships for recruiting conversations and community outreach; while individual awards and statistical leaders were not listed in initial accounts, this sectional crown will be a focal point for Reitz’s offseason narrative and for the seniors on the roster.

The win restores the Reitz Panthers to the sectional trophy case and rewrites a chunk of local bragging rights against a familiar rival. With the historical droughts ended, attention in Evansville-area hoops will turn to filling in the box score, collecting postgame reaction, and watching how this result shapes postseason momentum for both Reitz and Castle in the weeks ahead.