Wawasee Girls Fall To Columbia City
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
In the Lady Warriors’ (6-7) latest loss, a 47-46 defeat at home against the Columbia City Lady Eagles (5-12) Tuesday, Zolman threw a dry-erase board during the game and was somber afterwards.
“By this time, you’d think we’d execute some things,” he said. “We’re just not executing at the end. That falls directly on my shoulders. That’s my fault that we’re not able to get the kids to execute the way they need to execute.”
The loss is Wawasee’s seventh-straight, which comes after the team started the season at 6-0.
In their latest setback, the Lady Warriors fell behind 24-11 midway through the second quarter, putting them in an uphill battle all night.
Chipping away, Wawasee senior KiLee Knafel tied the game at 36-36 with 2:01 remaining in the third quarter, but the squad didn’t get the lead until she hit two free throws with 17.2 seconds left in the game, giving her team a 46-45 advantage.
As soon as Wawasee grabbed the lead, Columbia City sophomore Aubrey Wright was fouled with 10.9 seconds remaining, sending her to the line for the double-bonus.
Despite missing the first of her previous two one-and-one opportunities, with 26 and 22 seconds remaining, Wright nailed both, putting the Lady Eagles in front 47-46.
“She’s our best free throw shooter,” Columbia City coach Amy Shearer said of Wright. “To miss two one-and-ones right in a row killed me. When she had to step up and knock them down, she stepped up and knocked them down. That’s big for her.”
Following a timeout, the ball was put in Knafel’s hands, and she cut left and drove the length of the court.
Racing toward the basket, Knafel’s long layup attempt was off the mark, extending the team’s losing streak.
“You have to know if the ball is in KiLee’s hands, it’s going to go to the hole,” Zolman said. “That was as good a look as we were going to get.”
Averaging 25.8 points going into the game, the weight was once again placed on Knafel’s shoulders and she responded with 23 points, seven rebounds, six steals, three assists and a blocked shot.
However, the effort was for naught.
“We just need other people to step up and be players for us a little bit,” Zolman said. “Right now, that’s not happening.”
The most well-rounded team effort was in the third, when Wawasee outscored Columbia City 14-9, with Knafel scoring six and assisting on the other three goals.
“We have to do that on a consistent basis,” Zolman said. “You can’t just do it for a few minutes and be happy with that. Right now, that’s what this team is happy with – to play a couple quarters.”
Wawasee’s second-leading scorer was freshman Kylee Rostochak, who netted eight points, followed by five each from senior Cassie Martinez and freshman Erin Wiktorowski.
Columbia City knows about losing skids, dropping nine straight before embarking on its current three-game winning streak.
“We just continue to talk everyday about teamwork – playing for your team,” Shearer said. “We have plenty of doubters that think we’re absolutely terrible. We don’t have a whole lot of experience. We have youth and inexperience. It’s a learning process and we knew it was going to take a little time.”
Wright led the Lady Eagles with 15 points, followed by nine from senior Hannah Schnorr and eight out of junior Emily Whiteleather, who also posted 13 boards.
“Columbia City played hard,” Zolman said. “I’m not sure we played hard the whole four quarters. You have to give it to them for pulling it out at the end and making those free throws.”
The latest loss was a tough one for Wawasee, but the Lady Warriors don’t have time to sulk, as Elkhart Memorial comes to town Saturday for a Northern Lakes Conference game.
COLUMBIA CITY 47, WAWASEE 46
C 16 14 9 8 – 47
W 6 16 14 10 – 46
CC – Aubrey Wright 5-10 4-6 15, Megan Deutsch 2-7 0-1 4, Macie Hinen 2-9 1-2 5, Hannah Schnorr 3-5 3-3 9, Emily Whiteleather 4-10 0-3 8, Brittney Renninger 0-1 0-0 0, Alyssa Hansen 2-4 0-0 6, Baily Rentschler 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-46 8-15 47.
Wawasee – Elizabeth Jackson 0-1 1-2 1, Alexis Blunk 0-2 0-0 0, Cassie Martinez 2-8 0-0 5, KiLee Knafel 8-18 6-6 23, Kylee Rostochak 2-7 4-6 8, Ashlynn Fisher 2-6 0-0 4, Erin Wiktorowski 2-4 0-0 5, Katlyn Kennedy 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-46 11-14 46.
Three-point goals – CC 3-7 (Hansen 2, Wright), Wawasee 3-7 (Knafel, Martinez, Wiktorowski); Team Fouls (fouled out) – CC 17 (Hinen, Whiteleather), Wawasee 17; Turnovers – CC 18, Wawasee 17; Rebounds – CC 32 (Whiteleather 13), Wawasee 27 (Knafel 7); Assists – CC 9 (Schnorr 3), Wawasee 5 (Knafel 3); Steals – CC 9 (Wright 3, Schnorr 3), Wawasee 10 (Knafel 6); Blocks – CC 0, Wawasee 1; Records: CC 5-12, Wawasee 6-7
JV – CC 21, Wawasee 16
Wawasee – Allissa Flores 6, Natalie Jones 4, Kennedy 4, Savannah Schwartz 2
Wawasee JV Record: 2-9[[In-content Ad]]
In the Lady Warriors’ (6-7) latest loss, a 47-46 defeat at home against the Columbia City Lady Eagles (5-12) Tuesday, Zolman threw a dry-erase board during the game and was somber afterwards.
“By this time, you’d think we’d execute some things,” he said. “We’re just not executing at the end. That falls directly on my shoulders. That’s my fault that we’re not able to get the kids to execute the way they need to execute.”
The loss is Wawasee’s seventh-straight, which comes after the team started the season at 6-0.
In their latest setback, the Lady Warriors fell behind 24-11 midway through the second quarter, putting them in an uphill battle all night.
Chipping away, Wawasee senior KiLee Knafel tied the game at 36-36 with 2:01 remaining in the third quarter, but the squad didn’t get the lead until she hit two free throws with 17.2 seconds left in the game, giving her team a 46-45 advantage.
As soon as Wawasee grabbed the lead, Columbia City sophomore Aubrey Wright was fouled with 10.9 seconds remaining, sending her to the line for the double-bonus.
Despite missing the first of her previous two one-and-one opportunities, with 26 and 22 seconds remaining, Wright nailed both, putting the Lady Eagles in front 47-46.
“She’s our best free throw shooter,” Columbia City coach Amy Shearer said of Wright. “To miss two one-and-ones right in a row killed me. When she had to step up and knock them down, she stepped up and knocked them down. That’s big for her.”
Following a timeout, the ball was put in Knafel’s hands, and she cut left and drove the length of the court.
Racing toward the basket, Knafel’s long layup attempt was off the mark, extending the team’s losing streak.
“You have to know if the ball is in KiLee’s hands, it’s going to go to the hole,” Zolman said. “That was as good a look as we were going to get.”
Averaging 25.8 points going into the game, the weight was once again placed on Knafel’s shoulders and she responded with 23 points, seven rebounds, six steals, three assists and a blocked shot.
However, the effort was for naught.
“We just need other people to step up and be players for us a little bit,” Zolman said. “Right now, that’s not happening.”
The most well-rounded team effort was in the third, when Wawasee outscored Columbia City 14-9, with Knafel scoring six and assisting on the other three goals.
“We have to do that on a consistent basis,” Zolman said. “You can’t just do it for a few minutes and be happy with that. Right now, that’s what this team is happy with – to play a couple quarters.”
Wawasee’s second-leading scorer was freshman Kylee Rostochak, who netted eight points, followed by five each from senior Cassie Martinez and freshman Erin Wiktorowski.
Columbia City knows about losing skids, dropping nine straight before embarking on its current three-game winning streak.
“We just continue to talk everyday about teamwork – playing for your team,” Shearer said. “We have plenty of doubters that think we’re absolutely terrible. We don’t have a whole lot of experience. We have youth and inexperience. It’s a learning process and we knew it was going to take a little time.”
Wright led the Lady Eagles with 15 points, followed by nine from senior Hannah Schnorr and eight out of junior Emily Whiteleather, who also posted 13 boards.
“Columbia City played hard,” Zolman said. “I’m not sure we played hard the whole four quarters. You have to give it to them for pulling it out at the end and making those free throws.”
The latest loss was a tough one for Wawasee, but the Lady Warriors don’t have time to sulk, as Elkhart Memorial comes to town Saturday for a Northern Lakes Conference game.
COLUMBIA CITY 47, WAWASEE 46
C 16 14 9 8 – 47
W 6 16 14 10 – 46
CC – Aubrey Wright 5-10 4-6 15, Megan Deutsch 2-7 0-1 4, Macie Hinen 2-9 1-2 5, Hannah Schnorr 3-5 3-3 9, Emily Whiteleather 4-10 0-3 8, Brittney Renninger 0-1 0-0 0, Alyssa Hansen 2-4 0-0 6, Baily Rentschler 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-46 8-15 47.
Wawasee – Elizabeth Jackson 0-1 1-2 1, Alexis Blunk 0-2 0-0 0, Cassie Martinez 2-8 0-0 5, KiLee Knafel 8-18 6-6 23, Kylee Rostochak 2-7 4-6 8, Ashlynn Fisher 2-6 0-0 4, Erin Wiktorowski 2-4 0-0 5, Katlyn Kennedy 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-46 11-14 46.
Three-point goals – CC 3-7 (Hansen 2, Wright), Wawasee 3-7 (Knafel, Martinez, Wiktorowski); Team Fouls (fouled out) – CC 17 (Hinen, Whiteleather), Wawasee 17; Turnovers – CC 18, Wawasee 17; Rebounds – CC 32 (Whiteleather 13), Wawasee 27 (Knafel 7); Assists – CC 9 (Schnorr 3), Wawasee 5 (Knafel 3); Steals – CC 9 (Wright 3, Schnorr 3), Wawasee 10 (Knafel 6); Blocks – CC 0, Wawasee 1; Records: CC 5-12, Wawasee 6-7
JV – CC 21, Wawasee 16
Wawasee – Allissa Flores 6, Natalie Jones 4, Kennedy 4, Savannah Schwartz 2
Wawasee JV Record: 2-9[[In-content Ad]]
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