Lady Tigers Win Big In Season Opener
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Dale [email protected]
Hosting the Huntington North Lady Vikings, Warsaw’s varsity girls basketball team used an 11-0 run in the first quarter, shot 56 percent from the field for the game, had three players score at least 13 points and cruised to a 64-42 win.
“I was pleased with our effort and how we came out ready to play,” said fifth-year Warsaw coach Michelle Harter, whose team returned a number of players from last season’s 16-5 squad. “We got some good looks. We attacked the basket and got to the line.”
By getting a number of attempts in the paint, the Lady Tigers were 22 of 39 from the field and 15 of 23 at the free throw line.
Huntington North, on the other hand, struggled with Warsaw’s defensive pressure and was 14 of 37 (38 percent) from the field, including a 5-of-15 effort from the arc.
The Lady Tigers, who beat Huntington North 66-44 last year, led 20-9 after the first quarter, 32-18 at halftime and 49-27 at the end of the third frame.
Warsaw’s largest lead of the game was 27 points, as the Lady Tigers opened the second half with a 15-2 run.
“I liked the way we stepped up our intensity on defense in the third quarter,” said Harter. “We made some adjustments, and then we slowed down on offense and pounded the ball inside.”
Warsaw went from shooting 50 percent from the field in the first half to 63 percent in the third and fourth quarters, while Huntington North made 41 percent of its shots in the first half and just 35 percent in the second half.
Senior Jennifer Walker-Crawford led the Lady Tigers with a career-high 21 points and also grabbed seven rebounds.
“We knew she had that in her,” Harter said of Walker-Crawford’s performance. “She relaxed and let the game come to her tonight. Her playing like that helps Lindsay relax, and it opens things for Nikki too. Last year was a big learning experience for Jennifer. This is what she’s capable of doing.”
Senior Lindsay Baker added 14 points, six assists and five rebounds for Warsaw, while junior Nikki Grose chipped in with 13 points and six rebounds.
“Those three really stepped up tonight,” Harter said of her three double-digit scorers.
Senior Allyson Trout led the Lady Vikings with 15 points, while senior Kayla Patrick added 13 points.
No other Huntington North player scored more than six points.
Saturday evening’s contest was part of a tripleheader, and Warsaw swept all three games.
The Lady Tigers won the freshman game 20-19 and the junior varsity game 35-32 in overtime.
“I was a little concerned with the JV game going to overtime, but the nice thing about a veteran team is they were able to refocus and come out strong.”
Warsaw hosts Fort Wayne Luers Tuesday, and then hosts Tippecanoe Valley Friday.
Luers has played in the past three Class 2A state championship games, winning the title in 2011, but are off to an 0-2 start with losses to Angola and Heritage Christian.
“Luers is a great program,” said Harter. “They don’t have the type of team they had last year, but they’re going to put pressure on us.”
WARSAW 64, HUNTINGTON NORTH 42
HN 9 9 9 15 – 42
W 20 12 17 15 – 64
HN – Allyson Trout 5-7 2-2 15, Lindsey Foster 0-5 0-0 0, Paige Coolman 3-6 0-1 6, Kelsey Hollowell 1-7 0-0 3, Kayla Patrick 5-6 2-2 13, Hannah Stoffel 0-1 0-0 0, Maddie Kender 0-4 3-6 3, Caitlyn Shrock 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 14-37 9-13 42.
Warsaw – Sarah Ray 1-2 0-0 3, Melanie Holladay 2-5 0-3 4, Eryn Leek 0-1 0-0 0, Jennifer Walker-Crawford 7-14 6-6 21, Lindsay Baker 4-7 3-4 14, Brooklyn Harrison 1-2 2-3 6, Pam Miller 2-2 2-3 6, Nikki Grose 5-6 3-4 13. Totals 22-39 15-23 64.
3-pointers – H. North 5 (Trout 3, Hollowell, Patrick), Warsaw 5 (Baker 3, Ray, Walker-Crawford); Rebounds – H. North 21 (Hollowell 4), Warsaw 29 (Walker-Crawford 6); Turnovers - H. North 15, Warsaw 14; Records: H. North 0-1, Warsaw 0-1
JV – Warsaw 35, H. North 32 OT
Warsaw – Courtney Farling 15, Megan Kratzsch 6, Vicki Harris 6, Jodie Carlson 6, Pam Miller 2[[In-content Ad]]
Hosting the Huntington North Lady Vikings, Warsaw’s varsity girls basketball team used an 11-0 run in the first quarter, shot 56 percent from the field for the game, had three players score at least 13 points and cruised to a 64-42 win.
“I was pleased with our effort and how we came out ready to play,” said fifth-year Warsaw coach Michelle Harter, whose team returned a number of players from last season’s 16-5 squad. “We got some good looks. We attacked the basket and got to the line.”
By getting a number of attempts in the paint, the Lady Tigers were 22 of 39 from the field and 15 of 23 at the free throw line.
Huntington North, on the other hand, struggled with Warsaw’s defensive pressure and was 14 of 37 (38 percent) from the field, including a 5-of-15 effort from the arc.
The Lady Tigers, who beat Huntington North 66-44 last year, led 20-9 after the first quarter, 32-18 at halftime and 49-27 at the end of the third frame.
Warsaw’s largest lead of the game was 27 points, as the Lady Tigers opened the second half with a 15-2 run.
“I liked the way we stepped up our intensity on defense in the third quarter,” said Harter. “We made some adjustments, and then we slowed down on offense and pounded the ball inside.”
Warsaw went from shooting 50 percent from the field in the first half to 63 percent in the third and fourth quarters, while Huntington North made 41 percent of its shots in the first half and just 35 percent in the second half.
Senior Jennifer Walker-Crawford led the Lady Tigers with a career-high 21 points and also grabbed seven rebounds.
“We knew she had that in her,” Harter said of Walker-Crawford’s performance. “She relaxed and let the game come to her tonight. Her playing like that helps Lindsay relax, and it opens things for Nikki too. Last year was a big learning experience for Jennifer. This is what she’s capable of doing.”
Senior Lindsay Baker added 14 points, six assists and five rebounds for Warsaw, while junior Nikki Grose chipped in with 13 points and six rebounds.
“Those three really stepped up tonight,” Harter said of her three double-digit scorers.
Senior Allyson Trout led the Lady Vikings with 15 points, while senior Kayla Patrick added 13 points.
No other Huntington North player scored more than six points.
Saturday evening’s contest was part of a tripleheader, and Warsaw swept all three games.
The Lady Tigers won the freshman game 20-19 and the junior varsity game 35-32 in overtime.
“I was a little concerned with the JV game going to overtime, but the nice thing about a veteran team is they were able to refocus and come out strong.”
Warsaw hosts Fort Wayne Luers Tuesday, and then hosts Tippecanoe Valley Friday.
Luers has played in the past three Class 2A state championship games, winning the title in 2011, but are off to an 0-2 start with losses to Angola and Heritage Christian.
“Luers is a great program,” said Harter. “They don’t have the type of team they had last year, but they’re going to put pressure on us.”
WARSAW 64, HUNTINGTON NORTH 42
HN 9 9 9 15 – 42
W 20 12 17 15 – 64
HN – Allyson Trout 5-7 2-2 15, Lindsey Foster 0-5 0-0 0, Paige Coolman 3-6 0-1 6, Kelsey Hollowell 1-7 0-0 3, Kayla Patrick 5-6 2-2 13, Hannah Stoffel 0-1 0-0 0, Maddie Kender 0-4 3-6 3, Caitlyn Shrock 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 14-37 9-13 42.
Warsaw – Sarah Ray 1-2 0-0 3, Melanie Holladay 2-5 0-3 4, Eryn Leek 0-1 0-0 0, Jennifer Walker-Crawford 7-14 6-6 21, Lindsay Baker 4-7 3-4 14, Brooklyn Harrison 1-2 2-3 6, Pam Miller 2-2 2-3 6, Nikki Grose 5-6 3-4 13. Totals 22-39 15-23 64.
3-pointers – H. North 5 (Trout 3, Hollowell, Patrick), Warsaw 5 (Baker 3, Ray, Walker-Crawford); Rebounds – H. North 21 (Hollowell 4), Warsaw 29 (Walker-Crawford 6); Turnovers - H. North 15, Warsaw 14; Records: H. North 0-1, Warsaw 0-1
JV – Warsaw 35, H. North 32 OT
Warsaw – Courtney Farling 15, Megan Kratzsch 6, Vicki Harris 6, Jodie Carlson 6, Pam Miller 2[[In-content Ad]]
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