Warriors' Iron Seven Hold Off Goshen
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE - After a 49-41 win over Goshen in the first round of the Northern Lakes Conference Tournament, Wawasee girls head basketball coach Kem Zolman talked about his "Iron 7," the seven-player rotation he uses. Led by the balanced scoring of Jessie Wolf, Megan Walker, Tiffany Fick and Kayln Lantz, the Warriors avoided a second half letdown that saw Goshen cut a 20-point lead to four points.
Rachel Canen, Shawn Knafel and Casey Short rounded out the scoring for Wawasee.
The Redskins' Kate Syznal nailed two free throws with 2:09 left in the contest to draw Goshen to within four points at 43-39. Wawasee's Rachel Canen gave the ball back to the Redskins after being called for a charge following the Warriors' timeout. Canen finished the night with six points and five rebounds for Wawasee.
Goshen, as was the story all night, struggled offensively and was unable to take advantage of Wawasee's turnover.
The Warriors outscored Goshen 6-2 in the final 1:22 to preserve the win. Lantz hit four straight free throws and scored all seven of her points from the charity stripe.
Wolf wasn't sheepish from the field or on the boards. The 5-foot-11 sophomore led Wawasee with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Wawasee looked to be headed for an easy win after two quarters. The Warriors jumped out to a 27-9 halftime lead and held a 21-point lead early in the third quarter. A lack of aggressiveness on offense and defense allowed Goshen back in the game.
"I thought as good as we played in the first half, is as bad as we played in the second half," said Zolman. "(Goshen) came out much more aggressive than we did in the third quarter."
The Redskins went on an 11-0 run that saw Wawasee go scoreless for the last five minutes of the third quarter and the start of the fourth.
Wolf ended the run with a free throw at the 7:35 mark of the fourth quarter.
With the win, Wawasee moves to the semifinal round of the NLC tournament against Warsaw. It will be the second time the two teams play in 11 days. The Tigers won the first contest 52-36 in Warsaw. The Warriors held strong until late and look for a strong effort by the "Iron 7" to win their second game in as many days.
The tournament, in its fifth and final year, provides a playoff-type atmosphere, and that will test Wawasee's depth.
"We're treating this like a sectional week," said Zolman. "We're going to find out how much of an 'Iron 7' we really have."
Tonight's tip-off between Warsaw and Wawasee is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Northridge High School in Middlebury.
WAWASEE 49, GOSHEN 41
Goshen 4 5 14 18 - 41
Wawasee 11 16 7 15 - 49
Goshen - Rozelle 1-4 1-3 3, Guilfoos 0-0 3-4 3, Szynal 1-6 8-10 10, Sherry 5-12 3-6 13, Herschberger 1-4 2-4 4, Eaton 0-4 0-0 0, Falcon 0-1 0-0 0, Borden 3-8 0-0 8, Woodford 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 11-46 15-27.
Wawasee - Lantz 0-4 7-8 7, Walker 4-10 0-0 11, Canen 2-5 2-2 6, Wolf 5-14 3-9 13, Fick 3-7 2-5 8, Knafel 1-1 0-0 2, Short 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 16-43 14-24 49.
Three-point goals - Goshen 2-13 (Borden 2-5), Wawasee 3-7 (Walker 3-3). Rebounds - Goshen 27 (Szynal 10), Wawasee 35 (Wolf 12). Total fouls - Goshen 17, Wawasee 19 [[In-content Ad]]
SYRACUSE - After a 49-41 win over Goshen in the first round of the Northern Lakes Conference Tournament, Wawasee girls head basketball coach Kem Zolman talked about his "Iron 7," the seven-player rotation he uses. Led by the balanced scoring of Jessie Wolf, Megan Walker, Tiffany Fick and Kayln Lantz, the Warriors avoided a second half letdown that saw Goshen cut a 20-point lead to four points.
Rachel Canen, Shawn Knafel and Casey Short rounded out the scoring for Wawasee.
The Redskins' Kate Syznal nailed two free throws with 2:09 left in the contest to draw Goshen to within four points at 43-39. Wawasee's Rachel Canen gave the ball back to the Redskins after being called for a charge following the Warriors' timeout. Canen finished the night with six points and five rebounds for Wawasee.
Goshen, as was the story all night, struggled offensively and was unable to take advantage of Wawasee's turnover.
The Warriors outscored Goshen 6-2 in the final 1:22 to preserve the win. Lantz hit four straight free throws and scored all seven of her points from the charity stripe.
Wolf wasn't sheepish from the field or on the boards. The 5-foot-11 sophomore led Wawasee with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Wawasee looked to be headed for an easy win after two quarters. The Warriors jumped out to a 27-9 halftime lead and held a 21-point lead early in the third quarter. A lack of aggressiveness on offense and defense allowed Goshen back in the game.
"I thought as good as we played in the first half, is as bad as we played in the second half," said Zolman. "(Goshen) came out much more aggressive than we did in the third quarter."
The Redskins went on an 11-0 run that saw Wawasee go scoreless for the last five minutes of the third quarter and the start of the fourth.
Wolf ended the run with a free throw at the 7:35 mark of the fourth quarter.
With the win, Wawasee moves to the semifinal round of the NLC tournament against Warsaw. It will be the second time the two teams play in 11 days. The Tigers won the first contest 52-36 in Warsaw. The Warriors held strong until late and look for a strong effort by the "Iron 7" to win their second game in as many days.
The tournament, in its fifth and final year, provides a playoff-type atmosphere, and that will test Wawasee's depth.
"We're treating this like a sectional week," said Zolman. "We're going to find out how much of an 'Iron 7' we really have."
Tonight's tip-off between Warsaw and Wawasee is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Northridge High School in Middlebury.
WAWASEE 49, GOSHEN 41
Goshen 4 5 14 18 - 41
Wawasee 11 16 7 15 - 49
Goshen - Rozelle 1-4 1-3 3, Guilfoos 0-0 3-4 3, Szynal 1-6 8-10 10, Sherry 5-12 3-6 13, Herschberger 1-4 2-4 4, Eaton 0-4 0-0 0, Falcon 0-1 0-0 0, Borden 3-8 0-0 8, Woodford 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 11-46 15-27.
Wawasee - Lantz 0-4 7-8 7, Walker 4-10 0-0 11, Canen 2-5 2-2 6, Wolf 5-14 3-9 13, Fick 3-7 2-5 8, Knafel 1-1 0-0 2, Short 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 16-43 14-24 49.
Three-point goals - Goshen 2-13 (Borden 2-5), Wawasee 3-7 (Walker 3-3). Rebounds - Goshen 27 (Szynal 10), Wawasee 35 (Wolf 12). Total fouls - Goshen 17, Wawasee 19 [[In-content Ad]]