One Step Gives Warsaw Win

GOSHEN -ÊThe course was four kilometers long and wound through a park and a woods, but one step decided this cross country race. The deciding step occurred at the finish line.Goshen's No.5 runner, Kristen Miller, and Warsaw No.5 runner Melonie Albert were side by side down the home stretch, but Albert beat Miller to the finish line by a step to give the Tigers the one-point win in Tuesday's cross country meet at Shanklin Park. Albert finished the race in 17:15 and Miller in 17:16.Goshen and Warsaw each placed four runners in the top 10.Albert finished 11th and Miller 12th. "It came down to one person deciding the meet," Warsaw coach Paul Sibray said."You don't see that very often." Warsaw beat Goshen 27-28 and beat NorthWood 18-40.Goshen beat NorthWood 18-39.

Valley Spikers Set School Record

FULTON - Tippecanoe Valley's volleyball team set two school records with a 15-11, 15-9 Tuesday win over Caston. The win upped Valley's record to 11-10.The 11 wins are the most in school history.The win was also the fifth in a row, also a school record. Rhonda Doud delivered 19 assists and six points, and Andria Parker had 12 points and seven kills.Brandi Fisher chipped in seven kills and one block, while Jennifer Studebaker had two kills and eight blocks.Brooke Fisher had two kills and two blocks. "I'm thrilled to death with how our team has come together," Valley coach Jon Parker said."We're playing like a team now.Our first few matches, we didn't play very well.Then we would play well one game.Now we're playing well all the time. "Our schedule has helped.We've played some tough teams in Saturday tournaments, and that's made us better." Valley's junior varsity team (9-5) beat Caston 15-1, 15-9.

Tiger Defense Shines Under Dark Skies In Goshen

GOSHEN - On a rain soaked field under dark skies, Warsaw's defense shined and left Northern Lakes Conference rival Goshen in a drought Friday. An evening that saw two 50-minute weather delays for heavy rains and lightning, the skies weren't the only thing filled with electricity as the Tigers made their lenghty stay in the Maple City a sweet one, pancaking the host Redskins 35-0. "Several times we thought we were gonna play tommorrow," said Tiger assistant coach Tony Boley, filling in for head coach Phil Jensen who left immediately after the game to be with family following the death of his uncle."Number one was the safety of the kids.We were about ready to get on the bus, we waited long enough and I'm glad we got it in." So were the few Warsaw fans in attendance, who were treated to a defensive gem. A unit that Boley described as making a name for itself, the Tiger defense became well known Friday, making itself right at home and dominating Goshen's homecoming.

College Roundup

WINONA LAKE - Just three days after being swept in three games by Indiana Wesleyan in the NCCAA Regional Championship, Grace College's volleyball team hosted and defeated the Wildcats 15-12, 5-15, 15-13, 9-15, 15-9 Tuesday. Indiana Wesleyan, now 26-2 overall and 4-2 in the MCC, entered last night's contest ranked No.1 in NCCAA and No.16 in the NAIA. Grace fell behind 11-6 in the first game but scored nine of the final 10 points for the 15-12 win. After Indiana Wesleyan dominated the second game, Grace won a see-saw third game.Grace trailed much of the fourth game and fell 9-15. In the fifth and deciding game, the Lancers trailed 6-5 but rallied for nine straight points and a 14-6 lead.Indiana Wesleyan added three points, but after a side-out, the Lancers finished off the game and the Wildcats. Kate Millen led Grace with 22 kills, while Jessica Zaugg, a Warsaw Community High School graduate, added 65 assists.

No Trouble For Triton

HAMLET - No.9 (A) Triton had just finished beating Westville in impressive fashion on Thursday, but head coach Gayle Perry was not thinking about her team's 15-3, 15-3 win.She was already looking ahead to Saturday's matchup with South Central and the possible sectional championship match against No.2 Michigan City Marquette. After all, Saturday is the day that Perry and her team have had circled on the calendar since the beginning of the season.Sure, it was nice to beat Westville and move on to the second round, but the goal is now in sight for the Trojans - the goal of winning a sectional title and maybe more.

Whitko Faces Harding In Re-Match

With one second left, Shamane Jamison hauled in a Corey Moore pass for a touchdown.The score shocked Whitko as it broke a 15-15 tie and gave Harding the 23-15 win. That happened last year in the sectional championship game. Whitko and Harding meet again this year on Friday, but this is just for the right to play in the sectional championship, which would take place Nov.8. Whitko and Harding enter the game with identical 7-2 records.If the Wildcats win this game, they would play for their first sectional title since 1986. Whitko looked impressive in a 43-6 first-round win over Blackford, rolling up 511 yards of offense.The Whitko starters rested most of the second half.

Warsaw VB Team Wraps Up Season With Win

On an evening when seven volleyball players were honored, Warsaw made Senior Night special by defeating Lakeland 15-12, 15-4. In game one, Warsaw took an early 2-0 lead before Lakeland's Jennifer Calhoun served up four straight points.Then senior Andrea Saldivar stepped to the serving line and tied the score at 4-all. After seven possession changes, Lakeland went on a five-point run and took a 9-4 lead. "It wasn't our normal lineup tonight," said Warsaw coach Tanya Coon."We were trying to get all the seniors in the lineup.The girls were playing positions they do not normally play.That was probably part of it (falling behind).It was also very emotional because it was Senior Night." Then Warsaw sophomore Nicole DeFord, and seniors Lindsay Woods and Kara Kesler combined to tie the score at 9-all. Senior Amie Poling stepped to the line next and served one point to give the Tigers their first lead since the beginning of the game, 10-9.

Minutemen Prove To Be Too Much For Warsaw

Friday night's football matchup between the Concord Minutemen and the Warsaw Tigers was a matchup of two very similar teams. Both teams came into the contest with records of 4-4 and 2-3 in the NLC. Besides having identical records, both teams have dangerous running backs.Concord's Rickey McKenzie and the Tiger's Jose Esquivel are both all-NLC material. McKenzie had the better night rushing with 217 yards as he led his Minutemen to a 31-17 win at Fisher Field. Early in the game it was Concord QB Russ Mann's arm, not McKenzie's legs, doing the damage.After McKenzie rushed the ball two straight times on Concord's first possession for no yards, Mann air-mailed a pass to senior wideout Matt Myers for 20 yards that placed the Minutemen on the Warsaw 26- yard line. Four plays later, Mann capped off the eight-play, 46- yard drive by hitting fullback Josh Staley from nine yards out.

Whitko Survives Trip Into Death Valley

Whitko traveled to Tippecanoe's Death Valley expecting a tough football game against the Vikings. Sometimes you get what you expect. In a game that was not over until the final seconds had ticked away, Whitko pulled out a 29-28 win in the last minute. Going into this TRC matchup, Valley and Whitko had identical records (4-4 overall and 3-3 TRC). Coming out of the game, Whitko had taken the upper hand in the TRC race and gained momentum for its sectional game in two weeks, while Valley contemplated the strategy for its next game. Whitko had first possession, but fumbled after only three plays, and Derek Domenico recovered for Valley. Valley capitalized on Whitko's early mistake, moving the football 51 yards to score the first touchdown of the game and take a 7-0 lead. After Valley's defense shut down Whitko's offense, the Vikings had the ball at their own 49-yard line.

On The Gridiron]

Loss Drops Whitko Tennis To 1-14

SOUTH WHITLEY -ÊThe Whitko boys tennis team will probably rack this year up to life experience. After being defeated by Prairie Heights 5-0, the Wildcats' record stands at 1-14. "We have a young team, very young," said Whitko coach Fred Lucas."The best thing about our team is that we have six young players who will be able to play if they stick with it." With sectionals coming in just a few days, Whitko is preparing the same way they normally do. "Practice like always," said Lucas."When you're 1-14, you just practice." In singles action, No.1 Justin Roman fell to Shane Potts and No.2 Nick Hamill was defeated by Scott Rose with the identical scores of 6-3, 6-1.At No.3, James Hoffman was defeated by Brent Tubbs 6-3, 6-2. In doubles action, Whitko's No.1 team of Nathan Haywood and Jordan Schrader fell to Greg Kocker and Reid Culler 6-0, 6-2.At No.2, Jarrad Jagger and Shawn Dorgan were defeated by Derrick Rinard and Jeb Thomas 6-2, 6-4.

Familiar Foes Concord, Wawasee Clash

SYRACUSE -ÊWawasee coach Joe Rietveld may know Concord well as any opponent, and Concord coach Tim Dawson may know Wawasee as well as any opponent. Friday's sectional football game will mark the fourth time in 18 games the two teams have met since Sept.1999. Concord is 3-0 during that stretch, beating Wawasee 49-21, 43-13 and 27-14.The 49-21 win came at Wawasee during the 1999 regular season, while the 43-13 win came at Concord during the first round of the 1999 sectional.Concord hosted and beat Wawasee 27-14 this year during the regular season. "We know what they will do, and they know what we will do," Wawasee coach Joe Rietveld said."It's a matter of going out there and executing better.We probably prefer to face someone we have not faced because our offense can present teams problems." Wawasee's last win over Concord came in 1997, when the Warriors won 26-10 under former coach Gene Mitz. The two teams are similar in 2000.

Vikes Strike Quick In 35-21 Win

RUSSIAVILLE - Tippecanoe Valley and Western owned identical 5-4 records entering Friday's Class 3A sectional football game, but the Vikings took control early with a 28-0 lead before halftime and went on to win 35-21. Valley, 6-4, hosts No.4 Norwell Friday.Norwell, 9-1, beat No.6 Rochester (8-2) 17-14. Valley scored on its first four possessions of the game. The Vikings opened the game with a 14-play, 66-yard drive that ended on a 5-yard touchdown run by Nathan Patterson.The Vikings established control at the line of scrimmage early, converting two fourth-down, short-yardage situations on running plays on the opening drive.Valley ran the ball six straight times for an average of six yards during the drive. "We gambled a little bit there," Valley coach Scott Bibler said of the fourth-down plays.

Warsaw Wrestlers Tie For First In Tournament

Saturday, the Warsaw wrestlers hosted five teams in the Tiger Classic Wrestling Invitational.The format was five successive dual matches, and at the end of the day the Tigers came away with a team record of 4-1, losing only to LaVille, 36-34. Warsaw's Tom Lowe (171 pounds) was named outstanding wrestler for the event, having defeated all of his opponents by fall.Lowe was among six Tigers who went undefeated on the day, including Justin Brooks (103), Adam Keener (135), Matt Elvidge (140), Andy Keener (145), and Evan Readle (215). The Tigers opened up the day by trouncing Eastside by a score of 57-24.Nick Missos (130) won by fall, as did Adam Keener (135), Elvidge (140), Blake Deaton (160), Tom Lowe (171), and Readle (215).

OSSIAN -ÊFolks from all around the area showed up to see the 3A regional matchup between the No. 4 Norwell Knights and the No. 5 NorthWood Panthers.

The game was scoreless until just 1:16 was left in the first quarter.Matt Hanselman took the snap and tossed the ball back to Brad Schortgen for the flea-flicker.Schortgen then completed a 29-yard touchdown pass to Landon Heyerly to give the Knights a 7-0 lead. NorthWood then moved the ball down the field, and Charlie Roeder connected with Chaz Scherer on a 1-yard pass to put the Panthers on the board.After Andy Mitschelen's kick sailed through the uprights, the score was tied at seven. The game would remain tied for only six minutes.On the next Norwell drive, the Knights moved the ball 58 yards on 12 plays and scored another touchdown.With 3:07 left in the half, Norwell held a 14-7 advantage. NorthWood drove down to the 9-yard line on the next drive, but Norwell's Matthew Beste intercepted a Roeder pass to squelch the Panther rally.

21-Year-Old Durbin Makes Jump To Majors

So sudden was Chad Durbin's callup to the major leagues last Thursday that he had only a number - 33 - but no last name on the back of his Kansas City Royals jersey. And unlike the Yankees, the Royals put last names on jerseys.The Kansas City equipment manager didn't have time to sew Durbin's name onto the uniform.Durbin did not make it into the game. The name Chad Durbin may not mean anything to you. It will. Durbin had some special guests watching his debut, which came Sunday in Detroit against the Tigers - Warsaw's Max and Debbie Hebel, his stepfather and mother. "We couldn't ask for more," Debbie said. Durbin, a 21-year-old right-hander, pitched 2-1/3 innings, striking out three.He allowed one hit and walked one.He gave up no runs. He entered with two outs in the third inning.He struck out the first batter he faced, veteran Luis Polonia, he of the left-handed stance and .311 batting average.

Tigers Find Running Game, Enter Tournament With Momentum

When drawn on a chalkboard, seventh-year Warsaw football coach Phil Jensen says his plays always work. Friday night against visiting Northern Lakes Conference foe Concord they worked on the field, as the Tigers found their running game and downed the Minutemen 28-23 in the regular season finale. A team that has survived much of the year via senior Ryan DeGeeter's passing arm, the host Tigers, whom Jensen described earlier in the week as an offense searching for identity, rushed the ball 48 times for 211 yards.Warsaw entered Friday night averaging just over 130 rushing yards per contest.

Henson, Whitko More Comfortable

SOUTH WHITLEY - When Whitko named Dave Henson as the basketball coach last year, the season began any way but normal. Practices had already begun before Henson arrived.Coach had to learn about the players on the fly.The players had to adapt to a new coach on the run. All the Wildcats managed to do was go 17-6 and win the sectional. Imagine what coach and players can do now that this season is actually a normal season. "I came in here a year ago today," Henson said on Nov.11."I feel like we're ahead of the game." Henson is in place.His players are in place.Now Henson's game plan is also in place, moreso than last year.

Bell Trying To Add Stability At Whitko

SOUTH WHITLEY - Just as the school structure itself is under construction, the Whitko High School girls basketball program also is in another renovation stage. The Wildcats, who finished last season with a 5-16 record overall, a 2-5 mark in the Three Rivers Conference and a one-point loss to Peru in the first round of the sectional, open the 2006-2007 campaign tonight when they host Central Noble. Whitko enters the season with a new head coach in Rob Bell, the Wildcats' third head coach in six years. Bell, who spent the past four years as an assistant at Columbia City for Hall of Fame coach Wayne Krieger, was hired in June to take over for Ryan Cunningham, who resigned after years at the helm of the Whitko program. In Cunningham's four-year tenure, the Wildcats won a total of 17 games and were 6-22 in the TRC.

No. 17 Tigers Survive 29 Turnovers

ELKHART - Playing at the end of the regular season, Warsaw and Elkhart Central usually learn a lot about their own teams heading into the tournament after matching up against each other. Even though the game was moved to the start of the season this year, both teams still were able to learn a lot about each other.This time, though, it will help for the rest of the campaign. And both teams will have plenty to work on in practice after combining for 53 turnovers in the Tigers' 63-59 overtime win over the Blue Blazers Saturday. "It is a great learning experience for us," Warsaw coach Al Rhodes said."What we can take from this game is tremendous.You usually can't take as much from wins." Warsaw won despite committing 29 turnovers, including 6 in the overtime session.