Wawasee sophomore Myles Everingham squares up to the basket for a shot during the second quarter of Tuesday night's home game against Fairfield. Photos by Gary Nieter
Wawasee sophomore Myles Everingham squares up to the basket for a shot during the second quarter of Tuesday night's home game against Fairfield. Photos by Gary Nieter
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SYRACUSE — Fairfield seized momentum in the second half and beat Wawasee in 74-65 Tuesday, Nov. 22 in season-opening non-conference boys basketball at the Hardwood Teepee.

The Falcons took a three-point lead into halftime, lengthened it to 14 in the third quarter and did not let the Warriors get closer than eight in the fourth quarter.

Wawasee led 21-15 at the close of the first quarter, trailed 31-28 at intermission and 50-38 after three periods.

“(Fairfield) came out and did a good job of playing physical,” said Warriors coach Jon Everingham. “We came out a little flat in the third quarter.”

Falcons coach Derek Hinen explained what his team did in the second half.

“We just continued to make adjustments and our guys continued to play out those adjustments,” said Hinen. “They responded and got the job done (on defense). We were able to get out on some shooters a little bit better and contest some shots.”

The Falcons were led offensively by senior Seth Yoder (18 points — nine in the first quarter), junior Noah Mast (17 — six in the fourth quarter), junior Alex Hofer (15 — eight in the third quarter), junior Tyson Frey (12 — eight in the first half) and junior Mitchell Miller (12 — six in the fourth quarter).

Fairfield made 10-of-16 from behind the 3-point arc, led by Yoder (6), Hofer (2) and Miller (2).

Wawasee outscored the Falcons 27-24 in the fourth quarter. Fairfield made 18 of 20 free throws during that period and 22 of 27 for the game.

The visitors went 21-of-40 on all floor shots and the Warriors 24-of-55.

Wawasee was guided by sophomore Myles Everingham (19 points — eight in the first quarter), junior Collin Ziebarth (15 — 11 in the first quarter), sophomore Maddux Everingham (14 — nine in the fourth quarter), junior Carson Smith (7 — five in the second half) and senior Collin Roberson (6 — four in the second half).

Led by Ziebarth (3), Maddux Everingham (3), Myles Everingham (2), and Smith (1), Wawasee knocked down 9-of-25 3-point attempts.

Wawasee connected on 8-of-10 from the foul stripe.

Fairfield committed nine turnovers and Wawasee just four.

“Clearly we have the firepower to win basketball games, but they did a good job of defending us,” said Jon Everingham. “They weren’t going to let Maddux get loose from 3-point range.

“The X-Factor for us was Ziebarth because they didn’t know him really well.”

Ziebarth, who played at Whitko in 2021-22, scored first points of Wawasee’s 2022-23 season with a 3-pointer at the 7:31 mark of the first quarter.

Bolsted by Frey and Mast with eight each, Fairfield held 29-25 rebound edge (11-8 on the offensive glass). Roberson and Smith grabbed six rebounds each for the Warriors.

The Everingham twins both pushed their career point totals over 200. Maddux is now at 211 and Myles 204.

The Warriors and Falcons could see each other again in the postseason since Wawasee and Fairfield are both in the IHSAA Class 3A NorthWood Sectional along with West Noble (Dec. 3), Lakeland (Jan. 28) and NorthWood (Jan. 6).

In Tuesday’s junior varsity contest, Fairfield beat Wawasee 45-29 in the junior varsity contest. Leading scorers were freshman Grady Garber (13 points with three 3-pointers), freshman Cole Knight (9) and sophomore Eli Miller (8) for the JV Falcons and freshman Nolan Holzwart (10) and sophomore Brayden Miller (9) for the JV Warriors. Fairfield led 20-10 at halftime.

Goshen goes to Fairfield and Wawasee visits Angola Saturday, Nov. 26.