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NorthWood Advances To State Finals

PERU - Take nothing away from the NorthWood girls basketball team, but in some ways they are like the National Football League's Buffalo Bills. The Bills were known for making it to the Super Bowl and then losing.They did this four consecutive years.NorthWood had made it to the semistate level of the state tournament five consecutive years prior to this season; they advanced just one time: the 1996-97 season. "That (going to state) is what you work for," said NorthWood senior Amy Zercher."If you don't make it, it's a waste.I'll say it, it would've been a waste." Would have. With a 56-47 win over Westfield (23-3), NorthWood (23-3) is going to the 3A state championship.
DALE HUBLER, Times-Union Sports Writer- | July 28, 2016

NorthWood A Big Favorite

NAPPANEE - A mismatch? Maybe so. When unranked 13-10 Carroll (Allen) meets No.2 NorthWood (22-1) on Saturday in the first round of the Warsaw Girls Basketball 3A Semistate, the Panthers will hold all the trump cards. Semistate experience? NorthWood has that.The Panthers played in the semistate last year, while Carroll won its first regional this year.What's more, the Chargers won their first sectional ever this year.Carroll's 13-10 record is the best in school history. Court experience? NorthWood and Warsaw both play in the Northern Lakes Conference so the Panthers play in the Tiger Den often.Meanwhile, Carroll has never played at Warsaw and will be moving into unfamiliar territory. Firepower? Another edge to NorthWood.NorthWood has six players averaging at least five points a game and three in double digits.Carroll, on the other hand, has just three players above five points per game: Kate Rolf, Sally Hilger and Andrea Krouse.
Jason Knavel, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Manchester Baseball Team Belts Wawasee 12-2

NORTH MANCHESTER -ÊManchester baseball coach Jack Rupley thought his team started the season on the right foot. The Squires won their home opener over Wawasee Thursday night in five innings, 12-2. "I think we did OK," said Rupley."We made a few mistakes, first-game jitters.But I thought we put the bat on the ball pretty well." After holding Wawasee scoreless the in the top of the first, Manchester's offense went to work. Wawasee walked Manchester's first three batters, Anthony Sorg, Drew Walters and Klint Rupley, to load the bases.Then an error on a ball hit by Jon Gratz sent all three home. Manchester held the Warriors scoreless again in the top of the second inning and continued the offensive assault in the bottom of the inning.
Jen Gibson, Times-Union Sports Writer- | July 28, 2016

Squires Stop Henson, Wildcats

Every year all Manchester basketball players visit their favorite barber the week of the sectional and walk away with buzzcuts.No exception.Everyone gets his head shaved.It's a team unity thing. It's also tradition, they told their first-year coach. Goshert's team just won a conference title last Friday.Coaches are often creatures of habit, and Goshert is no exception. "My first response was, 'Gee, things are going pretty well right now.I'd hate to change anything,'" he said. Goshert was smart enough to know he was fighting a losing battle.Those boys weren't about to end their ritual.The hair got buzzed. Turns out the hair didn't affect their play on the court much anyway.The Squires beat the school they most love to beat, Whitko, 48-46.They opened Tuesday's Columbia City Sectional with the win. Manchester, 13-8, meets Columbia City on Thursday.Whitko finished 10-11, the first losing season in school history.
Jeff Holsinger, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Wawasee Boys Sink Lakers

NAPPANEE - Because he knew it was what his team was up against, Wawasee High School boys basketball coach Phil Mishler told his team to play like seniors. The Class 3A No.6 Warriors, with four underclassmen in the starting lineup and just two seniors on the roster, did. The end result was a 54-39 win over Lakeland, a team with four senior starters and six seniors overall, in Tuesday's opening round of the NorthWood Sectional.
Dale Hubler, Times-Union Sports Editor- | July 28, 2016

Viking Girls Refuse To Lose - So They Don't

BOURBON -ÊTuesday night's eighth-grade girls basketball game was a little bit different than many others this year. With a television camera, a newpaper reporter, the high school coach and an unusually large crowd in attendance, the Tippecanoe Valley eighth grade girls basketball team made history by winning its 49th straight game. The five core players, Abby Shafer, Rebekah Parker, Caty Patterson, Beth Leckrone and Carli Anglin, have been hitting the court together for several years.The girls have not lost a game since their first official matchup in the sixth grade.
Jen Gibson, Times-Union Sports Writer- | July 28, 2016

Talented Tigers Face High Expectation

What a difference a few years can make. When Craig Helfrich signed on as the softball coach at Warsaw two years ago, the team was not exactly what you would call a dominant force. "When I took over the program, there was not much enthusiasm here," said Helfrich."The winning attitude was not there." But last year, Helfrich led his Tigers to a spot few people thought they would be: The regional championship game. "Our team was 21-12 last year.We won our first sectional since 1995, and we lost the regional championship by one run to Lafayette Jefferson, 3-2," said Helfrich."No one expected us to do anything, and we were just one batter from the state game." Which leads many folks to believe that Warsaw will have a strong season this year. "A lot of successful coaches around the state are talking about this Warsaw team," said Helfrich."They say we are going to be tough this year.
Jen Gibson, Times-Union Sports Writer- | July 28, 2016

Tigers Stumble But Walk Away With Win

HUNTINGTON - Warsaw's boys basketball team may have taken a step backward Friday evening, but it was a step forward that allowed the Tigers to walk out of Huntington with a win. Though host Huntington North cut a 17-point lead to two in the fourth quarter, the Tigers came away with a 52-46 victory, thanks in large part to a strong first half from sophomore Michael Moore and a 14-of-18 effort at the charity stripe in the final frame. Warsaw led 34-17 with 5:17 left in the third, but a critical 17-2 run ignited an othewise dormant Huntington North crowd, cutting the Tigers' advantage to 36-34 with 4:41 remaining in the game. Warsaw, which let a 14-point third-quarter lead slip away at South Bend Washington Tuesday in a seven-point loss, responded with a pair of Moore free throws and a key baseline jumper from junior Adam Griggs.
DALE HUBLER, Times-Union Sports Writer- | July 28, 2016

Tigers Pierce Archers, Win Regional

FORT WAYNE - In the end, all the talk of moving the Fort Wayne South Side 4A Regional to a bigger gym in Fort Wayne was just that, talk. The reason for the talk, a gym that some from Warsaw felt that at 2,100 capacity was too small for a 4A regional, still had empty seats.And Warsaw, making the road trip, marched into Fort Wayne South Side and upset the No.10 Archers 45-44 in their house in Tuesday's boys basketball regional.The Tigers beat a South Side team that played eight players, all seniors. The Archers end the season 20-4, while 19-4 Warsaw survives and advances.The Tigers play No.4 Merrillville (21-2) in Saturday's Lafayette Semistate.Merrillville moved on with a 73-56 Tuesday win over Munster (18-5) in the Merrillville 4A Regional.
Jeff Holsinger, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Neff Drives NorthWood To Victory

INDIANAPOLIS -ÊCoach Steve Neff will have stories for years to come about the 1999 girls basketball state finals. He will have the story about being an underdog for the first time in years. He will have the story about the bus ride to Indianapolis. And he will have the story of the 72-71 win over the No.1 Indianapolis Cathedral Irish to become the first person in NorthWood history to coach a team to a state title. After a mixup at the chartered bus company, Steve Neff frantically searched for a bus to take his team to Indianapolis.He found a bus, but no driver, so Neff, who has his commercial driver's license from teaching summer biology, took the wheel and got his team to Market Square Arena himself.
Jen Gibson, Times-Union Sports Writer- | July 28, 2016

Valley Boys Win Sectional Championship

SOUTH WHITLEY - In those awful commercials for a certain credit card company, formerly funny David Spade denies customers in increasingly ridiculous ways. In the 3A sectional 23 final, No.5 (3A) Tippecanoe Valley found new ways to deny Peru points to the point of absurdity en route to a 55-39 at Whitko High School Saturday night. While Peru decided to make it a low-possession game and missed some close-range shots, Valley extended its defense out on the Tigers to keep Peru off the board for more than 10 minutes. After Valley's Michael Domenico opened the game with a three-pointer in the opening seconds of the contest, Peru seemed content to take the air out of the ball as the Tigers' Angelo King held the ball for over a minute near half court. The stall-ball technique worked as the first quarter produced just eight points.Unfortunately for the Peru faithful, the Vikings scored all eight points.
DANIEL RIORDAN, Times-Union Sports Writer- | July 28, 2016

Triton Keeps Rochester Down

In Triton's case Tuesday, first would not have been best. First would have meant Rochester's first win of the season.The Zebras, winless during the regular season, were looking to join their female counterparts who also went winless during the regular part of the schedule, only to win their first in the tournament. But it wasn't meant to be for Rochester as Triton improved to a 16-5 on the season by pulling away from the Zebras in the second half for a 73-54 win in the second game of the Warsaw Sectional.
Greg Jones, Times-Union Sports Editor- | July 28, 2016

For Tigers, 20 Is Magic Number

After graduating six seniors - including the entire outfield -Êand having one player not out for the team from last year's 18-11-1 sectional runner-up team, Warsaw baseball coach Will Shepherd said he thinks winning 20 games this season is in the realm of possibilty. "I think if everything goes right and we play at a high level like we can, this is a 20-win season," said Shepherd, who owns a 69-48-1 record going into his fifth year as the skipper of the Tigers."We scheduled 28 games.We have to play good baseball, but I think 20 wins this season is makeable." Warsaw begins its season Saturday at home by hosting Lafayette Jeff in a double-header.The first game starts at noon. Graduated from last year's team are Pat Riley (center field), Jason Barrette (right field), Don Kennedy (left field), Joe Stanley (third base), Adam Grimm (pitcher) and Jeff Sherman (pitcher/second base).Current senior Jon Leininger decided not to return to the team.
DALE HUBLER, Times-Union Sports Writer- | July 28, 2016

Breaking Down The Regional

Last week, a new tradition was started here at the Times-Union.We predicted the results of the Warsaw and Columbia City sectionals. This week, in the first edition of Court Side Seat, I will take it one step further.After last week's results, maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment, but, for some reason, I feel the need to predict the Huntington North Regional.This regional pits two of our area teams, Tippecanoe Valley and Warsaw.The Times-Union sports writers went 4-for-6 in the sectionals.All three of us correctly predicted the Tigers seventh sectional title in eight years with the 48-45 victory over Culver Military Academy.
Jason Knavel, Sports Writer- | July 28, 2016

Area All-Star boys fall; Krizmanich named MVP

SOUTH BEND - The media named Warsaw 6-foot-4 senior Tom Krizmanich the All-Area MVP in Thursday's South Bend Tribune All-Star basketball game. He scored 17 points on 8-of-13 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds. But something was missing, he said. A win. "It's a nice honor," Krizmanich said."Then again, I would have rather won.When you step between the lines, you're there to win." South Bend's All-Metro team ran past the All-Area team 119-93 at the Notre Dame Joyce Center.Eleven boys selected from 60 schools outside of South Bend comprised the All-Area team. Area coach Kevin O'Rourke knew this one would be played, to quote Clark Kellogg, on "rollerblades."That means a helter-skelter, run-and-gun basketball game.Pressed for a prediction before the game, O'Rourke said 172 combined points would be scored in the game. He was too low.The two teams combined for 212 points in the two 20-minute halves.
Jeff Holsinger, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Whitehead leads Area girls' All-Stars to win

SOUTH BEND - The All-Area girls basketball team blistered South Bend's All-Metro team 86-58 Thursday night. The South Bend Tribune All-Star basketball game was held at the Notre Dame Joyce Center.The Area team comprised 13 girls from 60 schools outside of South Bend. A 16-0 run midway through the first half - it was a 20-minute half - sent the Area team on its way to the win.The lead went from 14-10 to 30-10 as the Area team dominated inside.Twelve of the 16 points came in the paint. NorthWood 5-foot-11 senior forward A.J.Whitehead, selected the Area MVP for the game, scored six during the run.Valparaiso 6-0 senior forward Megan Parker also added six. Whitehead finished with 21 points and nine rebounds, and Parker tallied 15 points and 13 rebounds. But arguably no one had as much fun as Carly Beer.The 5-foot-4 Wawasee senior guard finished with two points, three assists, three rebounds.
Jeff Holsinger, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Stubborn Bucks Have Pacers Reeling

After the Milwaukee Bucks trounced the Indiana Pacers 104-91 in Game 2, a Milwaukee columnist wrote that the Bucks would win the series in four games. When Indiana ruined that prediction with a 109-96 Game 3 win, Indiana guard Reggie Miller sought out the beleaguered columnist.Undeterred by the Bucks' loss and by Miller's mouth, the columnist wrote the Bucks would win the series in five games. You may think he's an idiot, but you gotta admit, he has guts, especially after dealing with the wrath of Reggie. The columnist is also back on track after the Bucks drilled the Pacers 100-87 in Game 4. Still, with the series returning to Conseco Fieldhouse, any chances of the Bucks winning the series appear bleak. At the same time, who thought the Bucks would win one, let alone two, games? The sports section in more than one major daily predicted "Pacers in three." Only one word describes this series: bizarre.
Jeff Holsinger, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Warsaw Netters Open Year With Win

If the Warsaw girls tennis team plays Rochester 10 times, the Tigers would probably beat the Zebras at least nine. Traditionally, Warsaw's tennis team handles Rochester fairly easily.First-year coach Jeannie Glunt knew this, and she figured her girls probably expected to win. But Warsaw was just coming off spring break.Some of the girls on the tennis team were gone a week to two weeks.Uniforms were passed out Monday, one day before the 1997 season opener with Rochester. Glunt wondered how focused her players would be.She made sure she talked to them about that before Tuesday's match. "I didn't want them to worry about the fact that yeah, we're supposed to beat them," she said."Historically, yes, we should have won this match.
Jeff Holsinger, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Having The 'Golden' Touch

In a time when many of the headlines in the boxing world have nothing to do with in-ring action, the sport may be flourishing at the grassroots level.Despite earbiting and professional wrestling appearances by the sports' most recognized figure, Mike Tyson, boxing is only gaining in popularity, especially locally. As evidence is a newer club, the Warsaw Fighting Tigers.This group is participating in the Indiana Golden Gloves competition, which began on March 26.It takes place for five Thursdays in Indianapolis and will conclude on April 23, when the champions in each class will be decided.Five boxers from the local club will represent Warsaw for the first time. For one of those five boxers, this state event could become even bigger.
Jason Knavel, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

NorthWood Sprinters Gun Down Warriors On The Track

SYRACUSE - The balance of power in girls track in the Northern Lakes Conference appears to be shifting. In recent years, Wawasee has been the dominant team, finishing either first or second.But Wawasee, after losing the likes of state finalists Alysha Aalbregtse and Mandy McGuire, could find the route to the top in the conference tougher this year. Especially if Wednesday is any indication. Wawasee opened its 1998 NLC season yesterday by hosting and losing to NorthWood 76-47.NorthWood moved to 5-0 overall and 1-0 in the NLC.Wawasee fell to 4-1 overall and 0-1 in the NLC. Plain and simple, the NorthWood sprinters ran the Warriors right off their home track.The Panthers ruled the 100-meter dash, 200 and 100 hurdles. NorthWood's Kelli Andrews and Lindsay Carlin finished first and second in the 100.Andrews, Carlin and Pam Hyde took first, second and third in the 200.Grace Bonewitz, Jen Anderson and Tina Cerame placed first, second and third in the 110 hurdles.
Jeff Holsinger, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016
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