Warsaw Ruins Memorial Plan
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
GOSHEN - Elkhart Memorial girls basketball coach Scott Geist had an uneasy feeling as early as his pregame chat with Will Wienhorst.
"We wanted to shut Hilary O'Connell down," Geist said. "Before the game Will and I were talking, and I said if we do that, I told him [Amie Poling] would probably step up. She did."
Poling hit four three-pointers in the first quarter as the Tigers ran over Elkhart Memorial 79-44 in their Friday Goshen 4A Sectional semifinal game. Warsaw, 16-6, plays 9-12 East Noble in the championship at 7:30 p.m. today. East Noble beat 4-19 Goshen 72-48.
In a classic example of taking what the defense gives you, girls who normally don't pile up the points for Warsaw played key roles in the first half.
Memorial played a diamond- and-two defense designed to contain Warsaw's starting backcourt of junior Hilary O'Connell and senior Kara Kesler, the Tigers' top scorers at 17.9 and 10.9 points per game, respectively.
Kesler and O'Connell combined for eight first-half points. Kesler had two field goals and four free throws for all eight.
Still the Tigers were OK, because other players were scoring. Poling, a starting senior forward, scored 12 on four three-pointers from the wing as Warsaw built a 24-10 first-quarter lead.
"That's one of my favorite spots where I hit the most," Poling said. "I like that spot."
In the second quarter, reserve junior guard Ashley Wyatt picked up where Poling left off, hitting two three-pointers and racking up eight points as Warsaw took a 46-23 halftime lead.
Poling, who averages 7.6 ppg, and Wyatt, who adds 5.1 ppg, shot holes into Geist's defensive scheme. That Poling burned Geist on his gamble shouldn't be surprising as she set a school record by hitting six three-pointers in a game earlier this season.
"They were playing man-to-man on Hillary and Kara and playing a rover in the middle," Poling said. "That left a guard open out top. We knew they would play that defense, and we practiced for it. I didn't know I'd be open like that during the game."
O'Connell turned in a strong second half to finish with a game-high 16 points. Poling added 14 points, six assists and three steals. Wyatt had 10 points, four assists and three steals, and Kesler had eight points, eight assists, five rebounds and three steals. Kesler spearheads the offense as she's averaging nearly 10 assists per game in the postseason, and she fed Poling on this night.
"Poling hit the big shots and broke the ice for us," Wienhorst said. "I can't say enough about Kara Kesler getting the ball where it needs to go. When she's getting it there, our team functions well."
Warsaw passed the ball well and shot the ball well for the second sectional game in a row. After hitting 39 of 78 field goals (50 percent) and posting 23 assists in their 97-29 first-round win over Elkhart Central, the Tigers followed by hitting 28 of 62 field goals (45 percent) against Elkhart Memorial. They assisted on 20 of the 28 field goals.
While the Tiger wins came against 2-19 Elkhart Central and 6-16 Elkhart Memorial, they are averaging an impressive 88 points per game in the tournament. Memorial's defense couldn't slow Warsaw, and there was no way its offense could play catch-up against a superior Warsaw offense. Memorial hit just 17 of 56 field goals (30 percent).
It was not the same Warsaw team Geist saw on Feb. 3, when the Tigers beat Memorial 55-42 despite shooting 30 percent (19 of 64) from the field. Poling hit 1 of 8 field goals in that game.
"The last time we played," a forlorn Geist said, "Warsaw shot atrociously."
That was then. This is the postseason.
"I feel we've played a lot of great competition this year," Wienhorst said, "and all year long we had these shots. We've had open shots all year. Now we're hitting those shots."
WARSAW 79
ELKHART MEMORIAL 44
Warsaw (16-6) 24 22 18 15 - 79
E. Memorial (6-16) 10 13 10 11 - 44
Memorial FG FT A S R Pts.
Hackworth (G) 6-11 0-0 2 4 1 13
Lovelady (G) 5-14 0-2 0 2 6 10
Lewis (C) 3-8 4-7 0 3 14 10
Heitzman (F) 0-5 1-2 1 0 0 1
Cook (F) 0-3 0-0 0 1 2 0
Kelsey 1-5 1-2 0 1 5 4
Cockerham 1-1 0-0 0 0 1 2
Lundberg 0-4 2-4 1 1 3 2
Fields 1-5 0-0 0 1 4 2
Jones 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Boling 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Johnson 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Team 2
Totals 17-56 8-17 4 13 38 44
Warsaw FG FT A S R Pts.
O'Connell (G) 7-12 0-0 2 3 2 16
Poling (F) 5-9 0-3 6 3 5 14
Kesler (G) 2-9 4-4 8 3 5 8
DeGeeter (C) 2-3 4-4 0 0 4 8
Knisely (F) 2-4 4-4 0 1 4 8
DeRenzo 1-3 0-1 0 2 3 2
Wyatt 4-12 0-0 4 3 2 10
Leininger 3-6 1-2 0 0 10 7
Chabot 2-3 0-0 0 0 4 4
Davis 0-0 2-2 0 0 0 2
McGriff 0-1 0-0 0 0 1 0
Franklin 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 0
Team 3
Totals 28-62 15-20 20 15 44 79
EAST NOBLE 72, GOSHEN 48
East Noble (9-12) 18 22 21 11 - 72
Goshen (4-17) 9 9 17 13 - 48
Goshen -ÊJenny Stults 4-7 1-1 9, Brooke Weldy 2-3 2-2 6, Mollie Kercher 1-1 0-0 2, Jenni Headings 2-8 0-0 5, Shanna Hoogenboom 8-18 1-2 20, Trisha Leeper 1-2 0-0 2, Josie Caton 1-1 0-0 2, Alli Faulkner 0-0 0-0 0, Heidi Shenk 1-1 0-0 2, Gretchen Mast 0-1 0-1 0, Brittany Barkes 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-42 4-6 48.
East Noble -ÊNicole Freiburger 6-10 0-0 17, Kara Taylor 2-3 1-2 6, Amber Peterink 4-7 0-0 8, Ashley Powell 6-11 4-4 19, Sarah Sparks 4-8 0-0 9, Laura Thiem 1-2 1-2 3, Jen Barkley 2-3 0-0 4, Janelle Taulbee 0-1 0-0 0, Lacey Hawkins 2-2 0-0 4, Audrey Cochard 0-0 0-0 0, Stefanie Reynolds 0-2 0-0 0, Katie Sparks 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-49 6-8 72.
Three-point goals - East Noble 10 (Freiburger 5, Powell 3, Taylor, Sparks), Goshen 4 (Hoogenboom 3, Headings). Rebounds -ÊEast Noble 20 (Powell 6, Peterink 5), Goshen 19 (Stults 5). Assists -ÊEast Noble 14 (Powell 5), Goshen 8 (Hoogenboom 2, Headings 2, Kercher 2). Steals -ÊEast Noble 16 (Powell 4, Reynolds 4, Taylor 3), Goshen 6 (Stults 3). Turnovers -ÊEast Noble 16, Goshen 21. Fouled out - none. Total fouls -ÊGoshen 12, East Noble 13.
Goshen 4A Sectional
Tuesday games
Warsaw 97, Elkhart Central 27
Elkhart Memorial 52, Concord 49
Friday games
Warsaw 79, Elkhart Memorial 44
East Noble 72, Goshen 48
Saturday
7:30 p.m. championship - Warsaw (16-6) vs. East Noble (9-12) [[In-content Ad]]
GOSHEN - Elkhart Memorial girls basketball coach Scott Geist had an uneasy feeling as early as his pregame chat with Will Wienhorst.
"We wanted to shut Hilary O'Connell down," Geist said. "Before the game Will and I were talking, and I said if we do that, I told him [Amie Poling] would probably step up. She did."
Poling hit four three-pointers in the first quarter as the Tigers ran over Elkhart Memorial 79-44 in their Friday Goshen 4A Sectional semifinal game. Warsaw, 16-6, plays 9-12 East Noble in the championship at 7:30 p.m. today. East Noble beat 4-19 Goshen 72-48.
In a classic example of taking what the defense gives you, girls who normally don't pile up the points for Warsaw played key roles in the first half.
Memorial played a diamond- and-two defense designed to contain Warsaw's starting backcourt of junior Hilary O'Connell and senior Kara Kesler, the Tigers' top scorers at 17.9 and 10.9 points per game, respectively.
Kesler and O'Connell combined for eight first-half points. Kesler had two field goals and four free throws for all eight.
Still the Tigers were OK, because other players were scoring. Poling, a starting senior forward, scored 12 on four three-pointers from the wing as Warsaw built a 24-10 first-quarter lead.
"That's one of my favorite spots where I hit the most," Poling said. "I like that spot."
In the second quarter, reserve junior guard Ashley Wyatt picked up where Poling left off, hitting two three-pointers and racking up eight points as Warsaw took a 46-23 halftime lead.
Poling, who averages 7.6 ppg, and Wyatt, who adds 5.1 ppg, shot holes into Geist's defensive scheme. That Poling burned Geist on his gamble shouldn't be surprising as she set a school record by hitting six three-pointers in a game earlier this season.
"They were playing man-to-man on Hillary and Kara and playing a rover in the middle," Poling said. "That left a guard open out top. We knew they would play that defense, and we practiced for it. I didn't know I'd be open like that during the game."
O'Connell turned in a strong second half to finish with a game-high 16 points. Poling added 14 points, six assists and three steals. Wyatt had 10 points, four assists and three steals, and Kesler had eight points, eight assists, five rebounds and three steals. Kesler spearheads the offense as she's averaging nearly 10 assists per game in the postseason, and she fed Poling on this night.
"Poling hit the big shots and broke the ice for us," Wienhorst said. "I can't say enough about Kara Kesler getting the ball where it needs to go. When she's getting it there, our team functions well."
Warsaw passed the ball well and shot the ball well for the second sectional game in a row. After hitting 39 of 78 field goals (50 percent) and posting 23 assists in their 97-29 first-round win over Elkhart Central, the Tigers followed by hitting 28 of 62 field goals (45 percent) against Elkhart Memorial. They assisted on 20 of the 28 field goals.
While the Tiger wins came against 2-19 Elkhart Central and 6-16 Elkhart Memorial, they are averaging an impressive 88 points per game in the tournament. Memorial's defense couldn't slow Warsaw, and there was no way its offense could play catch-up against a superior Warsaw offense. Memorial hit just 17 of 56 field goals (30 percent).
It was not the same Warsaw team Geist saw on Feb. 3, when the Tigers beat Memorial 55-42 despite shooting 30 percent (19 of 64) from the field. Poling hit 1 of 8 field goals in that game.
"The last time we played," a forlorn Geist said, "Warsaw shot atrociously."
That was then. This is the postseason.
"I feel we've played a lot of great competition this year," Wienhorst said, "and all year long we had these shots. We've had open shots all year. Now we're hitting those shots."
WARSAW 79
ELKHART MEMORIAL 44
Warsaw (16-6) 24 22 18 15 - 79
E. Memorial (6-16) 10 13 10 11 - 44
Memorial FG FT A S R Pts.
Hackworth (G) 6-11 0-0 2 4 1 13
Lovelady (G) 5-14 0-2 0 2 6 10
Lewis (C) 3-8 4-7 0 3 14 10
Heitzman (F) 0-5 1-2 1 0 0 1
Cook (F) 0-3 0-0 0 1 2 0
Kelsey 1-5 1-2 0 1 5 4
Cockerham 1-1 0-0 0 0 1 2
Lundberg 0-4 2-4 1 1 3 2
Fields 1-5 0-0 0 1 4 2
Jones 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Boling 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Johnson 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Team 2
Totals 17-56 8-17 4 13 38 44
Warsaw FG FT A S R Pts.
O'Connell (G) 7-12 0-0 2 3 2 16
Poling (F) 5-9 0-3 6 3 5 14
Kesler (G) 2-9 4-4 8 3 5 8
DeGeeter (C) 2-3 4-4 0 0 4 8
Knisely (F) 2-4 4-4 0 1 4 8
DeRenzo 1-3 0-1 0 2 3 2
Wyatt 4-12 0-0 4 3 2 10
Leininger 3-6 1-2 0 0 10 7
Chabot 2-3 0-0 0 0 4 4
Davis 0-0 2-2 0 0 0 2
McGriff 0-1 0-0 0 0 1 0
Franklin 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 0
Team 3
Totals 28-62 15-20 20 15 44 79
EAST NOBLE 72, GOSHEN 48
East Noble (9-12) 18 22 21 11 - 72
Goshen (4-17) 9 9 17 13 - 48
Goshen -ÊJenny Stults 4-7 1-1 9, Brooke Weldy 2-3 2-2 6, Mollie Kercher 1-1 0-0 2, Jenni Headings 2-8 0-0 5, Shanna Hoogenboom 8-18 1-2 20, Trisha Leeper 1-2 0-0 2, Josie Caton 1-1 0-0 2, Alli Faulkner 0-0 0-0 0, Heidi Shenk 1-1 0-0 2, Gretchen Mast 0-1 0-1 0, Brittany Barkes 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-42 4-6 48.
East Noble -ÊNicole Freiburger 6-10 0-0 17, Kara Taylor 2-3 1-2 6, Amber Peterink 4-7 0-0 8, Ashley Powell 6-11 4-4 19, Sarah Sparks 4-8 0-0 9, Laura Thiem 1-2 1-2 3, Jen Barkley 2-3 0-0 4, Janelle Taulbee 0-1 0-0 0, Lacey Hawkins 2-2 0-0 4, Audrey Cochard 0-0 0-0 0, Stefanie Reynolds 0-2 0-0 0, Katie Sparks 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-49 6-8 72.
Three-point goals - East Noble 10 (Freiburger 5, Powell 3, Taylor, Sparks), Goshen 4 (Hoogenboom 3, Headings). Rebounds -ÊEast Noble 20 (Powell 6, Peterink 5), Goshen 19 (Stults 5). Assists -ÊEast Noble 14 (Powell 5), Goshen 8 (Hoogenboom 2, Headings 2, Kercher 2). Steals -ÊEast Noble 16 (Powell 4, Reynolds 4, Taylor 3), Goshen 6 (Stults 3). Turnovers -ÊEast Noble 16, Goshen 21. Fouled out - none. Total fouls -ÊGoshen 12, East Noble 13.
Goshen 4A Sectional
Tuesday games
Warsaw 97, Elkhart Central 27
Elkhart Memorial 52, Concord 49
Friday games
Warsaw 79, Elkhart Memorial 44
East Noble 72, Goshen 48
Saturday
7:30 p.m. championship - Warsaw (16-6) vs. East Noble (9-12) [[In-content Ad]]