Stidham Hits 1,000 Career Points as Hamilton Southeastern Repeats Sectional 8

Hamilton Southeastern senior Kayla Stidham crossed the 1,000-career-point mark and the Royals rolled to a 50-34 win over rival Carmel to repeat as Sectional 8 champions inside the Eric Clark Activity Center. Kennedy "KK" Holman led the way with a game-high 22 points while Stidham finished with 15, breaking the milestone in the second quarter as Hamilton Southeastern completed a successful title defense.

The Royals relied on a first-half spark from Holman and Stidham and a signature defensive effort to build and protect a lead. Holman, a 2026 Indiana Miss Basketball candidate who was limited to two points in the semifinal the night before, bounced back in a big way, providing scoring and momentum that set the tone early. The win improved Hamilton Southeastern to 20-4 and preserved its standing as a Class 4A seventh-ranked program; Carmel falls to 10-14.

There was a clear narrative arc behind the scoreboard. A team that some doubted after the graduation of 2025 Indiana Miss Basketball Maya Makalusky responded to expectations and pressure by closing the season on a high note in Sectional 8. Marking the program’s first sectional repeat since 2006 and 2007, the title was HSE’s sixth all-time and third since 2019. It was a finish shaped by "grit, trust, a first-half spark provided by Holman and Stidham and most importantly, some hallmark HSE defense."

The win carried emotional weight for seniors and fans. “Three years ago, when we lost at home (to Noblesville in the final), I think that really hit hard for us, so I’m glad we came back and were able to win sectional two years in a row,” HSE senior Antonette Green said. Teammates and parents celebrated with a surprise reveal after the final horn. “There were freshly-printed, commemorative championship t-shirts tucked away out of sight, along with a 1,000-point milestone banner with senior Kayla Stidham’s name on it, but none of the Hamilton Southeastern Royals knew about them. Not until the final horn sounded on Saturday night inside the Eric Clark Activity Center.” The shirts, printed by parents and emblazoned with back-to-back championship wording in bold blue lettering, underscored the communal nature of the moment.

Hamilton Southeastern’s repeat cements this senior class’s legacy and restores a clear identity for a program navigating turnover at the top. For Holman, the performance was a timely reminder of her scoring ceiling after a quiet semifinal, and for Stidham the milestone banner offers a tangible symbol of career achievement. The Royals leave Sectional 8 as back-to-back champions and a team to watch as postseason play approaches, carrying momentum, experience, and renewed expectations into the next phase.