Chargers Top Tigers On Senior Night

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By Anthony [email protected]

The night began with the Warsaw Tigers celebrating senior night, but ended with the Elkhart Memorial Crimson Chargers celebrating a Northern Lakes Conference championship.

Memorial swept through the NLC this season with a 7-0 mark, punctuated with a 46-33 win at the Tiger Den Thursday. The title is the first for the Crimson Chargers since joining the conference in 2000.[[In-content Ad]]"We're excited," Memorial coach Larry Fielstra said. "We felt like we earned it. We had to come in and beat a good team."

"We're thrilled to finally get that monkey off our back," he added about winning the NLC after two-straight second place finishes.

For Warsaw, the loss put a damper on a night which began with seniors Kate Denlinger, Courtney Ogle, Carlye Snider, Allison Reichard and Megan Davis being recognized, but coach John Snyder wouldn't let them go unnoticed.

"They've given an awful lot to their school and to their community," Snyder said. "They represent Warsaw, Ind. very well in community service, in academics, church activities - you name it."

In senior night tradition, the five seniors got the start against Memorial, a task which would have been tough for any five girls.

"We had the emotion of senior night and had a couple groups out there that aren't used to working with one another," Snyder said. "The combination of that with the fact that Memorial's a good team, I think cost us at times."

With the new starting five on the court, Memorial took advantage, jumping out to an 11-0 lead before Snyder went to his bench with 3:14 left in the opening quarter. With his regulars back in, Snyder's team held Memorial scoreless for 5:30 between the first and second quarters, with Warsaw sophomore Kelci Freds netting seven points in that time period. With Freds finding her groove, Warsaw had the lead cut to 11-7 with 7:41 left in the second quarter. Those initial seven points helped Freds finish with a team-high 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting.

"I thought Kelci came in ready to play," Snyder said. "She kept us in the game, really, there in the first quarter."

However, after all the effort Warsaw put into climbing back into the game, Memorial scored five unanswered points in a 33-second span. That five-point spurt turned into a 20-2 run that lasted until six minutes remained in the third quarter. The offensive outburst left Memorial with a 31-9 lead.

"They're a very explosive team," Snyder said of Memorial, which shot 5 of 5 in the second quarter. "When you have the talent they have, that's definitely something you're weary of, when you're the other coach."

And Fielstra knows the talent he has.

"If we're focused and intense, then we have some kids that can play," he said.

Among those kids that can play is freshman Akyah Taylor who finished with 12 points, five rebounds, three steals and two blocks and 6-foot-2 junior center Jasmine Watson, who led all scorers with 19 pts and nine rebounds.

"She's 6-2, and she's quick," Fielstra said of Watson. "She's just a tough matchup and she gives us an inside presence too. She's a real good player, and has had a great year for us."

While the game offered Memorial a chance at an NLC title, the 11-9 Tigers were focusing on preparing for the Goshen Sectional. With a first round bye, the Tigers will face the Goshen Redskins at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

"Right now, my focus is on Goshen," Snyder said, referring to the fact that with a win over Goshen, the Tigers would likely play Memorial in Feb. 9's sectional championship. "We're not thinking about a sectional championship. You don't win tournaments that way. We need to get better next week, so we can beat Goshen. Then, hopefully, we can be prepared to play whoever we'd face Saturday."

ELKHART MEMORIAL 46, WARSAW 33

EM 11 12 17 6 - 46

W 5 4 12 12 - 33

Memorial - Desimone 2-6 0-0 5, Dues 0-2 0-0 0, Taylor 6-8 0-0 12, Buggs 3-9 4-6 10, Watson 9-14 1-3 19, King 0-0 0-0 0, Glaze 0-0 0-0 0, Ruff 0-0 0-0 0, Cave 0-0 0-0 0, Garman 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-40 5-9 46.

Warsaw - Denlinger 0-1 2-2 2, Reichard 1-3 0-0 2, Snider 0-2 0-0 0, Co. Ogle 0-1 0-0 0, Davis 0-3 0-0 0, Freds 7-13 0-0 15, Tat 2-7 0-0 4, Ce. Ogle 0-3 0-0 0, Plummer 0-0 0-0 0, Glenn 1-3 2-2 4, Stout 1-1 2-2 4, Shilling 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 13-38 6-6 33.

3-point goals - Memorial 1-6 (Desimone), Warsaw 1-13 (Freds). Team Fouls - Memorial 10, Warsaw 10. Turnovers - Memorial 16, Warsaw 19. Rebounds - Memorial 25 (Watson 9, Taylor 5), Warsaw 16 (Denlinger 6). Steals - Memorial 8 (Taylor 3, Desimone 2), Warsaw 6 (Freds 3). Blocks - Memorial 2 (Taylor 2), Warsaw 0. Assists - Memorial 6 (Buggs 2), Warsaw 5 (Denlinger 2). Records - Memorial 18-4 (7-0 NLC), Warsaw 11-9 (3-4 NLC).

JV - Warsaw 34, Memorial 26

JV Records - Warsaw 17-3 (6-1 NLC), Memorial 9-9 (2-4 NLC).

The night began with the Warsaw Tigers celebrating senior night, but ended with the Elkhart Memorial Crimson Chargers celebrating a Northern Lakes Conference championship.

Memorial swept through the NLC this season with a 7-0 mark, punctuated with a 46-33 win at the Tiger Den Thursday. The title is the first for the Crimson Chargers since joining the conference in 2000.[[In-content Ad]]"We're excited," Memorial coach Larry Fielstra said. "We felt like we earned it. We had to come in and beat a good team."

"We're thrilled to finally get that monkey off our back," he added about winning the NLC after two-straight second place finishes.

For Warsaw, the loss put a damper on a night which began with seniors Kate Denlinger, Courtney Ogle, Carlye Snider, Allison Reichard and Megan Davis being recognized, but coach John Snyder wouldn't let them go unnoticed.

"They've given an awful lot to their school and to their community," Snyder said. "They represent Warsaw, Ind. very well in community service, in academics, church activities - you name it."

In senior night tradition, the five seniors got the start against Memorial, a task which would have been tough for any five girls.

"We had the emotion of senior night and had a couple groups out there that aren't used to working with one another," Snyder said. "The combination of that with the fact that Memorial's a good team, I think cost us at times."

With the new starting five on the court, Memorial took advantage, jumping out to an 11-0 lead before Snyder went to his bench with 3:14 left in the opening quarter. With his regulars back in, Snyder's team held Memorial scoreless for 5:30 between the first and second quarters, with Warsaw sophomore Kelci Freds netting seven points in that time period. With Freds finding her groove, Warsaw had the lead cut to 11-7 with 7:41 left in the second quarter. Those initial seven points helped Freds finish with a team-high 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting.

"I thought Kelci came in ready to play," Snyder said. "She kept us in the game, really, there in the first quarter."

However, after all the effort Warsaw put into climbing back into the game, Memorial scored five unanswered points in a 33-second span. That five-point spurt turned into a 20-2 run that lasted until six minutes remained in the third quarter. The offensive outburst left Memorial with a 31-9 lead.

"They're a very explosive team," Snyder said of Memorial, which shot 5 of 5 in the second quarter. "When you have the talent they have, that's definitely something you're weary of, when you're the other coach."

And Fielstra knows the talent he has.

"If we're focused and intense, then we have some kids that can play," he said.

Among those kids that can play is freshman Akyah Taylor who finished with 12 points, five rebounds, three steals and two blocks and 6-foot-2 junior center Jasmine Watson, who led all scorers with 19 pts and nine rebounds.

"She's 6-2, and she's quick," Fielstra said of Watson. "She's just a tough matchup and she gives us an inside presence too. She's a real good player, and has had a great year for us."

While the game offered Memorial a chance at an NLC title, the 11-9 Tigers were focusing on preparing for the Goshen Sectional. With a first round bye, the Tigers will face the Goshen Redskins at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

"Right now, my focus is on Goshen," Snyder said, referring to the fact that with a win over Goshen, the Tigers would likely play Memorial in Feb. 9's sectional championship. "We're not thinking about a sectional championship. You don't win tournaments that way. We need to get better next week, so we can beat Goshen. Then, hopefully, we can be prepared to play whoever we'd face Saturday."

ELKHART MEMORIAL 46, WARSAW 33

EM 11 12 17 6 - 46

W 5 4 12 12 - 33

Memorial - Desimone 2-6 0-0 5, Dues 0-2 0-0 0, Taylor 6-8 0-0 12, Buggs 3-9 4-6 10, Watson 9-14 1-3 19, King 0-0 0-0 0, Glaze 0-0 0-0 0, Ruff 0-0 0-0 0, Cave 0-0 0-0 0, Garman 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-40 5-9 46.

Warsaw - Denlinger 0-1 2-2 2, Reichard 1-3 0-0 2, Snider 0-2 0-0 0, Co. Ogle 0-1 0-0 0, Davis 0-3 0-0 0, Freds 7-13 0-0 15, Tat 2-7 0-0 4, Ce. Ogle 0-3 0-0 0, Plummer 0-0 0-0 0, Glenn 1-3 2-2 4, Stout 1-1 2-2 4, Shilling 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 13-38 6-6 33.

3-point goals - Memorial 1-6 (Desimone), Warsaw 1-13 (Freds). Team Fouls - Memorial 10, Warsaw 10. Turnovers - Memorial 16, Warsaw 19. Rebounds - Memorial 25 (Watson 9, Taylor 5), Warsaw 16 (Denlinger 6). Steals - Memorial 8 (Taylor 3, Desimone 2), Warsaw 6 (Freds 3). Blocks - Memorial 2 (Taylor 2), Warsaw 0. Assists - Memorial 6 (Buggs 2), Warsaw 5 (Denlinger 2). Records - Memorial 18-4 (7-0 NLC), Warsaw 11-9 (3-4 NLC).

JV - Warsaw 34, Memorial 26

JV Records - Warsaw 17-3 (6-1 NLC), Memorial 9-9 (2-4 NLC).
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