Delta’s final four run to begin with tested, tall challenger following shocker

For the second time since David Heeb took over as head coach, and for the sixth time in program history, the Delta Ladycats will lace up their sneakers on the final four floor.

Making the trip up Tuesday, they prepare for a three-day stint in Columbia, Missouri, looking for the program’s – and school’s – first-ever gold medal.

With their Wednesday game against Northeast High School out of Cairo, Missouri, they’ll officially tip off their fifth final four trip of the new millennium.

Instead of spending oodles of time admiring and taking part in the moment, however, the Ladycats are dead set on making sure they’re prepared for the state tournament.

Heeb notes that it isn’t new at all; it’s been their M.O. all season long.

“These kids, from the end of last season up until now, have been the most focused group that I've ever coached,” Heeb said.

“I mean, they’re just laser-focused. ‘Tell us who's next coach, tell us what we’ve got to do.’ I'm expecting that out of them this week, because that's who they've been all year.”

The question of ‘Who’s next’ is a hot topic this time around, because it wasn’t until a shocking result out of North Missouri last weekend that Delta found out who it’d face on Wednesday.

Initially, it seemed as if a Meadville versus Delta was a shoo-in semifinal matchup, with the two top-ranked teams combining for just one loss through the entire regular season.

That was until Steve Carvajal’s Eagles went to the wayside after Northeast stomped them out, marking the first loss for Meadville since early 2022 and predating the hiring of Carvajal.

Throw away the billing, the graphics, the expected headlines and the preconceived stories. Northeast is taking Meadville’s spot, and all of that planning has gone by the wayside.

After taking down Class 1 No. 1, the Bearcats (25-5) are on a roll and seemingly ready for just about any task that you could possibly throw at them.

Northeast has won 12 consecutive games entering the matchup, bouncing back from a stretch in which it lost five games spanning 41 days between Dec. 16, 2023, and Jan. 25, 2024.

Most recently dropping a blowout loss to Mid-Missouri powerhouse Helias Catholic, Northeast has seemingly turned a sharp corner, and it’s largely been attributed to a combination of factors.

Against a swift, disciplined, press-heavy and tempo-centric Meadville team, Northeast went on the road and simply outclassed the Eagles to grab an unbelievable upset win.

So unbelievable, in fact, that Northeast coach Brian Winkler stood on the sideline with his hands clasped above his head as he took in the moment.

Yes, Northeast has a phenomenal team. Yes, Meadville lost the game. But after dominating teams for the past 16 months, next to nobody expected to see the Bearcats in the final four.

Thankfully, that’s why we play the games. Now, Delta gets to meet one of the top surprise stories of the tournament so far, and it’ll certainly be a tough task for the ‘Cats.

“The reason they were off everybody's radar – they were Class 2 last year,” Heeb said. “They were 26-4 last year but got beat in the quarterfinals by Tipton, who won the state title.

“They were an outstanding team last year and brought everybody back but one kid.”

One of the first things that’ll jump out about Northeast is its height; the Bearcats tower over other Class 1 competition.

Physicality and length are two great qualities to have at this level, and it’s shown as Northeast continues to steamroll lower-class opponents.

“As far as physical ability and talent,” Heeb said. “They have the most size, the most athletes and they're probably the deepest team of anybody that’s at the final four this weekend.

“You could argue that they're the favorites.”

Standing at an impressive 6-foot-2, Macie Harman is a force to be reckoned with in the post for Northeast.

Many have pointed out the height that Delta will be matching up with in the game, and Harman is a big part of that daunting physical presence.

Her long wingspan allows her to be a dominant interrupter defensively, and she’s shown that she has a tough offensive game to boot.

If the Ladycats want to key in on a matchup, it’ll be that of senior post Mya Gillespie and how she can keep Harman from having her way on the glass.

Delta’s connection to Meadville is that both teams play in a similar manner.

They like to dominate through athleticism and conditioning, but Northeast didn’t succumb as Meadville had wished.

Just like the Eagles, Delta’s strength is not in its size. Nor is Delta at the benefit of a deep rotation, as the team typically rolls at about seven players deep.

With this depth, and this disadvantage on the glass, many expect this to be an arduous task for Delta to step up to.

It’ll take a heck of a game plan to keep Northeast from putting its stamp on the game, but the ‘Cats will try to do just that in a battle of feisty final four squads.

Outside of pregame planning, the stage is just about set for Delta to return to the big stage after two years to mull over the results of 2022.

There’s a feeling of sharp anticipation in the air, with Delta fans all eager to get the ball rolling on a sixth final four appearance, looking to finally take home a state championship trophy.

The story is just beginning to unfold for all sides, and Heeb is excited to dictate how the tale goes as he returns to an all-too-familiar stage.

“We're just excited to go,” Heeb said.

“This time of year, if you don't play well, you don't deserve to move on. That's just always been my philosophy.

“We're going to go up here and just try to paint our masterpiece in these last two games.”