NORTH MANCHESTER – The Manchester girls basketball team secured a spot in the Wabash County Tournament championship game. 

Kennedy Fierstos scored 20 points to lead Manchester to a 40-35 home victory over Southwood Friday.

The Lady Squires (9-5, 4-0 TRC) trailed 14-9 after the first quarter and 19-11 at halftime, but outscored Southwood 14-7 in the third quarter to trail by one heading into the fourth.

In the final quarter, Manchester scored 15 points to Southwood’s nine for the five-point win. 

“We ended the game doing everything we need to do to put the game away,” said Manchester coach Jake Everett. “Southwood was well prepared and came in with a well-designed game plan. I am so proud of the fight our team showed again tonight.”

Kennidy Lauer added 10 points for the Lady Squires, while Eva Bazzoni added seven points and seven steals. 

Manchester will play Northfield in the championship game at 6:30 p.m. 



Lady Cougars Take Tournament Title 

WINONA LAKE – The Lakeland Christian girls basketball team won its own tournament Friday at Grace College.

The Lady Cougars (10-7) overcame an early deficit to take a 14-10 halftime lead, and allowed Covenant Christian just five third-quarter points to extend their lead to double digits heading into the fourth quarter.

From there, LCA rode its lead to an 11-point victory.

Anna Reimink led the Lady Cougars with 14 points, while Tori Calizo had 11 points and Jessi Calizo pulled down six rebounds. 

Lakeland Christian will host Argos Jan. 5. 

Wawasee Places Second At Own Invite

SYRACUSE – The Wawasee boys basketball team earned runner-up status Friday in its own tournament.

Wawasee lost 58-53 to Hanover Central in an overtime thriller in the tournament title game.

The Warriors led by two points at halftime and trailed by three after the third quarter.

They tied the score by the end of regulation before being outscored by five points in overtime. 

Bennett Hoffert and Aaron Evans scored 17 points each for the Warriors (3-7), while Dominic Lucido scored a game-high 30 points for Hanover Central. 

Wawasee advanced to the championship game with a 63-51 win over Garrett. Austin Miller led the Warriors with 25 points. 

Wawasee will play Friday at NorthWood. 



WAWASEE 63, GARRETT 51

G 10 9 15 17 – 51

W 17 15 19 12 – 63

Garrett – Bryce Wilson 3-4 0-0 7, Jarrett Bailey 0-2 0-0 0, Jason Bailey 0-0 0-0 0, Sam Farney 4-5 1-2 9, Warren Joseph 1-2 0-0 2, Paxton Hefty 2-9 1-2 6, Kobe Lucarelli 11-12 1-1 23, Logan Gard 1-1 0-0 2, Jayden Broadnax 0-0 0-0 0, Korbyn Yarian 1-3 0-0 2, Caleb Tolson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-48 3-5 51. 

Wawasee – Kameron Salazar 0-1 1-3 1, Bennett Hoffert 3-5 0-0 6, Ethan Carey 0-0 0-0 0, Austin Miller 9-14 2-3 25, Jaydon Boyer 0-0 0-0 0, Aaron Evans 7-14 0-2 17, Josh Slabaugh 2-5 0-1 4, Michael Hammer 0-0 2-2 2, Ethan Hardy 2-5 2-2 8. Totals 23-44 7-13 63. 

Three-pointers – Garrett 2 (Wilson 1, Hefty 1), Wawasee 10 (Miller 5, Evans 3, Hardy 2); Rebounding – Garrett 25 (Farney 8), Wawasee 25 (Hardy 8); Turnovers – Garrett 13, Wawasee 12; Fouls – Garrett 18, Wawasee 9; Fouled out – none; Records: Garrett 2-6, Wawasee 3-6.



HANOVER CENTRAL 58, 

WAWASEE 53

HC 17 8 12 8 13 – 58

W 17 10 7 11 8 – 53

Hanover Central – Kameron Ludwig 1-1 2-4 4, Kole Popko 2-5 0-0 4, Chris Roop 1-2 0-0 2, Joey Glidewell 3-5 0-0 6, Brenden Bonner 0-0 0-0 0, Ryan Raczkowski 0-1 0-0 0, Dillon Koontz 1-3 1-3 4, Dominic Lucido 11-16 4-4 30, Luke Barach 1-5 4-6 6, Keith Koontz 0-2 2-2 2, Totals 20-40 13-19 58.

Wawasee – Kameron Salazar 2-7 1-2 7, Ben Hoffert 6-11 0-0 17, Ethan Carey 0-0 0-0 0, Austin Miler 3-11 0-0 7, Jaydon Boyer 0-0 0-0 0, Aaron Evans 7-14 1-2 17, Josh Slabaugh 1-3 0-0 2, Michael Hammer 0-0 0-0 0, Ethan Hardy 1-1 0-0 3, Totals 20-47 2-4 53. 

Three-pointers – Hanover Central 5 (Lucido 4, Koontz 1), Wawasee 11 (Hoffert 5, Salazar 2, Evans 1, Miller 1, Hardy 1); Rebounding – Hanover Central 28 (Glidewell 4), Wawasee 22 (Hardy 5); Turnovers – Hanover Central 13, Wawasee 15; Fouls – Hanover Central 10, Wawasee 17; Fouled out – none; Records: Hanover Central 7-3, Wawasee 3-7. 



Whitko’s Sickafoose Soars At Plymouth Tournament

PLYMOUTH – Brett Sickafoose scored a combined 49 points in two games as Whitko went 1-1 at Friday’s Plymouth Tournament.

Whitko began the day with a 54-50 loss to Plymouth. Sickafoose scored 25 points, while Spencer Sroufe had 10 points and Drake Lewis added nine points.

The Wildcats (3-7) rebounded with a 69-67 victory over Knox in which Sickafoose scored 24 points, Sroufe had 21 and Clayton Ebbinghouse recorded 12 points. 

Whitko will play Rochester Friday.  



LCA Finishes 4th At Own Tourney

WINONA LAKE – Landon Paris scored nine points as the Lakeland Christian boys basketball team lost 52-29 to Trinity-at-Greenlawn Friday  in the third-place LCA Tournament game at Grace College.

The Cougars (3-10) led 10-8 after the first quarter, but were held to just two points in the second to trail 23-12 at halftime. 

Trinity expanded its lead to double digits in the third quarter and rode a comfortable advantage to victory in the fourth. 

Braxton Keller scored seven points for the Cougars, who finished fourth in the tournament. 

Lakeland Christian will play at Trinity-at-Greenlawn Jan. 12. 



TRINITY-AT-GREENLAWN 52,

LAKELAND CHRISTIAN 29

TG 8 15 13 16 – 52

LC 10 2 9 8 – 29

Trinity-at-Greenlawn – Dave Loughran 3 0-0 6, Dan Mattimore 5 3-3 13, Sean Pingel 0 1-4 3, Peter Rossi 3 0-0 6, Gabe Kottkamp 4 0-0 8, Ian Pingel 1 0-0 2, Mike Florin 6 1-2 14, Joe Miller 0 0-0 0, Totals 22 5-9 52.

Lakeland Christian – Braxton Keller 3 0-0 7, Jake Harmon 2 0-0 5, Landon Paris 3 0-0 9, Cameron Shepherd 0 0-0 0, Landon Twombly 0 0-0 0, Matthew Helton 1 0-0 2, Trenton Parker 3 0-0 6, Totals 12 0-0 29. 

Three-pointers – Trinity-at-Greenlawn 1 (Florin 1), Lakeland Christian (Paris 3, Harmon 1, Keller 1); Records: Trinity-at-Greenlawn 7-4, Lakeland Christian 7-4.