Wawasee Ends Sectional Drought
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
NAPPANEE - For the Wawasee faithful, the long wait is finally over.
After a 10-year waiting period, the Warriors won their first sectional title since 1995 in one of the most exciting games in school history - a 58-53 win over the Lakeland Lakers Saturday night at the NorthWood Panther Pit.
It almost didn't happen for the Warriors as two final minute turnovers could have turned a close lead to disaster.
With 1:43 left on the clock and a five-point lead in hand, all Wawasee needed to do was bring the ball down the court and wait for the ensuing game-lengthening fouls that always seem to come.
But twice senior Austin Kaiser was charged with traveling. After the first turnover, the Lakers came down and brought the game to within three on a Tom Pechins' jumper.
It was the second turnover, however, that was the costliest.
Iowa prospect Jon Workman spotted up for a three to tie the game but was fouled by 6-foot-2 senior Austin Gerber, giving him three free throws and an opportunity to tie the game. He nailed them all and the score was knotted at 52-52 with only 53 seconds left on the clock.
Kaiser brought the ball all the way down the court and made up for his two previous mistakes with a finger roll layup to put his Warriors back in command. Then it got really interesting. After being hacked while making an offensive rebound, Lakeland's Dan Fox made only one of his two free throws and madness ensued. On the scrum for the rebound, Wawasee's Kory Lantz was injured and Lakeland's Matt Sherck was called for an intentional foul after hacking Kaiser after he had passed away the ball. This was the final break the Warriors needed and Kaiser capitalized, hitting both free throws and putting the game out of reach for the Lakers.
Wawasee continued the incredible defensive play it had shown all tournament long, holding Lakeland's top player, Workman, in check.
Workman, a 6-8 banger who towered over every Wawasee player, scored 15 points with six coming in the form of free throws. His only field goals were three three-pointers and he had no points in the paint.
"We made a lot of mistakes and did a lot of things right," Wawasee head coach Phil Mishler said of his team's performance following the game.
While Wawasee did hold Workman in check, the Warriors couldn't stop Sherck, who finished with a team-high 18 points and seven rebounds.
The Warriors looked to avoid the late-game dramatics with a solid start. The dynamic senior duo of Kaiser and Lantz hit two three-pointers back to back to give Wawasee an early 6-0 lead. Mishler's squad jumped out to an 11-2 advantage before the Lakers started clawing back.
Lakeland outscored Wawasee 20-17 in the second quarter as the Warriors clung to a 30-29 halftime lead.
The Lakers grabbed a one-point lead of their own at 43-42 heading into the final quarter.
Wawasee was held scoreless for the final 2:21 of the third quarter.
Junior guard Michael Conrad gave Wawasee the lead at the 7:38 mark of the final period as both teams went back and forth in a seesaw affair.
"Someone has to go home with the loss and we're just happy to be there," said Mishler of his team's win and its upcoming regional tilt.
Wawasee will play Saturday against Tippecanoe Valley in the second game of the regional at NorthWood High School. Bellmont faces Delta in the day's first game with Wawasee and Valley set for a noon tipoff.
WAWASEE 58, LAKELAND 53
Wawasee 13 17 12 18 - 58
Lakeland 9 20 14 10 - 53
Wawasee FG FT R S Pts.
*Lantz 6-12 0-0 2 3 16
*Kaiser 8-16 2-6 7 1 21
*Gerber 0-1 2-2 2 1 2
*Conrad 3-5 0-0 3 0 8
*Kauchak 2-6 3-4 7 4 7
Mock 0-3 0-0 0 0 0
Leach 1-2 0-0 2 0 2
Zmmrman 0-1 2-2 3 0 2
Totals 20-46 9-14 26 9 58
Lakeland FG FT R S Pts.
*Sherck 5-10 7-8 7 3 18
*Pechin 2-5 2-2 5 0 7
*Fox 2-7 1-2 3 0 5
*Workman 3-7 6-7 8 1 15
*Feller 3-5 0-0 4 0 6
Lower 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
K. Witham 0-1 2-2 1 0 2
Heal 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
J. Witham 0-1 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 15-36 18-21 28 4 53
Three-point goals - Wawasee 9-22 (Lantz 4-8, Kaiser 3-7, Conrad 2-4, Mock 0-2, Gerber 0-1), Lakeland 5-12 (Workman 3-6, Sherck 1-2, Pechin 1-3, Feller 0-1). Turnovers - Wawasee 8, Lakeland 14. Team Fouls - Wawasee 17, Lakeland 16. Fouled out - Feller (Lakeland). [[In-content Ad]]
NAPPANEE - For the Wawasee faithful, the long wait is finally over.
After a 10-year waiting period, the Warriors won their first sectional title since 1995 in one of the most exciting games in school history - a 58-53 win over the Lakeland Lakers Saturday night at the NorthWood Panther Pit.
It almost didn't happen for the Warriors as two final minute turnovers could have turned a close lead to disaster.
With 1:43 left on the clock and a five-point lead in hand, all Wawasee needed to do was bring the ball down the court and wait for the ensuing game-lengthening fouls that always seem to come.
But twice senior Austin Kaiser was charged with traveling. After the first turnover, the Lakers came down and brought the game to within three on a Tom Pechins' jumper.
It was the second turnover, however, that was the costliest.
Iowa prospect Jon Workman spotted up for a three to tie the game but was fouled by 6-foot-2 senior Austin Gerber, giving him three free throws and an opportunity to tie the game. He nailed them all and the score was knotted at 52-52 with only 53 seconds left on the clock.
Kaiser brought the ball all the way down the court and made up for his two previous mistakes with a finger roll layup to put his Warriors back in command. Then it got really interesting. After being hacked while making an offensive rebound, Lakeland's Dan Fox made only one of his two free throws and madness ensued. On the scrum for the rebound, Wawasee's Kory Lantz was injured and Lakeland's Matt Sherck was called for an intentional foul after hacking Kaiser after he had passed away the ball. This was the final break the Warriors needed and Kaiser capitalized, hitting both free throws and putting the game out of reach for the Lakers.
Wawasee continued the incredible defensive play it had shown all tournament long, holding Lakeland's top player, Workman, in check.
Workman, a 6-8 banger who towered over every Wawasee player, scored 15 points with six coming in the form of free throws. His only field goals were three three-pointers and he had no points in the paint.
"We made a lot of mistakes and did a lot of things right," Wawasee head coach Phil Mishler said of his team's performance following the game.
While Wawasee did hold Workman in check, the Warriors couldn't stop Sherck, who finished with a team-high 18 points and seven rebounds.
The Warriors looked to avoid the late-game dramatics with a solid start. The dynamic senior duo of Kaiser and Lantz hit two three-pointers back to back to give Wawasee an early 6-0 lead. Mishler's squad jumped out to an 11-2 advantage before the Lakers started clawing back.
Lakeland outscored Wawasee 20-17 in the second quarter as the Warriors clung to a 30-29 halftime lead.
The Lakers grabbed a one-point lead of their own at 43-42 heading into the final quarter.
Wawasee was held scoreless for the final 2:21 of the third quarter.
Junior guard Michael Conrad gave Wawasee the lead at the 7:38 mark of the final period as both teams went back and forth in a seesaw affair.
"Someone has to go home with the loss and we're just happy to be there," said Mishler of his team's win and its upcoming regional tilt.
Wawasee will play Saturday against Tippecanoe Valley in the second game of the regional at NorthWood High School. Bellmont faces Delta in the day's first game with Wawasee and Valley set for a noon tipoff.
WAWASEE 58, LAKELAND 53
Wawasee 13 17 12 18 - 58
Lakeland 9 20 14 10 - 53
Wawasee FG FT R S Pts.
*Lantz 6-12 0-0 2 3 16
*Kaiser 8-16 2-6 7 1 21
*Gerber 0-1 2-2 2 1 2
*Conrad 3-5 0-0 3 0 8
*Kauchak 2-6 3-4 7 4 7
Mock 0-3 0-0 0 0 0
Leach 1-2 0-0 2 0 2
Zmmrman 0-1 2-2 3 0 2
Totals 20-46 9-14 26 9 58
Lakeland FG FT R S Pts.
*Sherck 5-10 7-8 7 3 18
*Pechin 2-5 2-2 5 0 7
*Fox 2-7 1-2 3 0 5
*Workman 3-7 6-7 8 1 15
*Feller 3-5 0-0 4 0 6
Lower 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
K. Witham 0-1 2-2 1 0 2
Heal 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
J. Witham 0-1 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 15-36 18-21 28 4 53
Three-point goals - Wawasee 9-22 (Lantz 4-8, Kaiser 3-7, Conrad 2-4, Mock 0-2, Gerber 0-1), Lakeland 5-12 (Workman 3-6, Sherck 1-2, Pechin 1-3, Feller 0-1). Turnovers - Wawasee 8, Lakeland 14. Team Fouls - Wawasee 17, Lakeland 16. Fouled out - Feller (Lakeland). [[In-content Ad]]