Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Eleven girls have been named to the All-Area team in Thursday's South Bend All-Star girls basketball game.
Five of the 11 come from local teams.
NorthWood's Natalie Will and Amy Zercher, Tippecanoe Valley's Rhonda Doud, Warsaw's Katie Elliott and Wawasee's Shanna Zolman are the five local players who have been named to the area team.
The game takes place at 7 p.m. at the Wiekamp Center at Bethel College in Mishawaka. The All-Area team meets the All-Metro team, comprising girls from South Bend and Elkhart schools.
NorthWood's Steve Neff, who led the Panthers to a class 3A state title, was named the All-Area coach for the fourth time. Neff boasts a career record of 384-92 (.806) in 22 seasons at NorthWood. NorthWood went 25-4 this season.
Penn's Dominic Ball was named the All-Metro coach. Penn finished the season 21-4, winning sectional and regional titles.
Will was chosen Area Player of the Year, while South Bend Washington's Jacqueline Batteast was chosen Metro Player of the Year. Because she is a sophomore, Batteast may not play in this game. Only seniors are eligible.
Will averaged 18.5 points, 7.0 assists, 6.3 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game. Zercher averaged 17.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
Doud averaged 19.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 2.3 assists per game for 11-10 Valley. Elliott turned in a double-double for 14-7 Warsaw with 17.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Zolman, a freshman, led the state in scoring with 31.4 points per game. She also worked in 7.2 rebounds, 4.5 steals and 4.0 assists per game and shot 56 percent from the field and 92 percent from the free-throw line. Wawasee finished the season 14-7.
Other players picked for the area team include Jamie Sturgell (North Judson), Janice Belsowski (New Prairie), Erin Cox (Plymouth), Tai Duncan (Plymouth), Jeanette Gray (Valparaiso) and Tiffany Kyser (Culver Girls Academy).
Girls on the metro team include Chakiea Jackson (Elkhart Memorial), LaTasha Wolfe (Elkhart Memorial), Amy Saal (Elkhart Central), Stacy Handschu (Penn), Jenni Szabo (Penn), Mary Kate Cressy (South Bend St. Joseph's), Erin Miller (South Bend Riley), Briana Hensley (South Bend LaSalle), Kristi Kaniewski (Mishawaka) and Alisa Zornig (Mishawaka).
Besides Batteast, other underclassmen picked on the metro team include St. Joseph's Bridget Pluta and Washington's Kenisha Gunn.
Zolman was the lone underclassmen selected to the area team.
Tickets cost $3.
The boys All-Star game will be played at 7 p.m. April 8 at Wiekamp Center.
South Bend All-Star Girls Basketball Game
7 p.m. Thursday at Wiekamp Center, Bethel College
Players and coaches were picked by coaches
All-Area Team
Coach: Steve Neff (NorthWood)
Amy Zercher (NorthWood)
Natalie Will (NorthWood)
Katie Elliott (Warsaw)
Rhonda Doud (Tippecanoe Valley)
Jamie Sturgell (North Judson)
Janice Belzowski (New Prairie)
Erin Cox (Plymouth)
Tai Duncan (Plymouth)
Jeanette Gray (Valparaiso)
Tiffany Kyser (Culver Girls Academy)
*Shanna Zolman (Wawasee)
Area Player of the Year: Will
All-Metro Team
Coach: Dominic Ball (Penn)
Mary Kate Cressy (SB St. Joseph's)
Erin Miller (SB Riley)
Amy Saal (Elkhart Central)
Chakiea Jackson (Elkhart Memorial)
LaTasha Wolfe (Elkhart Memorial)
Briana Hensley (SB LaSalle)
Kristi Kaniewski (Mishawaka)
Alisa Zornig (Mishawaka)
Stacy Handschu (Penn)
Jenni Szabo (Penn)
*Jacqueline Batteast (SB Washington)
*Bridget Pluta (SB St. Joseph's)
*Kenisha Gunn (SB Washington)
Metro Player of the Year: Batteast
Liebsch Goes Distance For Grace
By Jason Knavel, Sports Correspondent
WINONA LAKE - Nothing could stop Rachel Liebsch Tuesday at Miller Field. Not even a sprained ankle that forced her to walk around on crutches since she hurt it during spring break.
Liebsch threw 14 shutout innings Tuesday, baffling St. Francis batters as the Grace College softball team got off to a strong Mid-Central Conference start with a pair of wins.
The Lancers defeated the Cougars 3-0 and 8-0 as Liebsch struck out eight batters in the two games and played through the ankle sprain.
In the opener, Tami Romagnoli hit a lead-off double in the second inning and scored on a single from Kelly Milbrandt that gave the Lancers a 1-0 lead, the only scoring they would need.
But Grace added another run in the third on a lead-off triple from Kelli Irish and a single by Christina Clark.
Grace scored one last run in the fifth to finish the scoring.
In game two, St. Francis was hurt early by walks as Shannon Haskins and Romagnoli were both walked and scored after a double from Elicia Defreez.
The Lancers added one more in the second and three in the third to put the game away.
Clark ended the day with three hits and two runs scored, and Romagnoli had four hits and scored three times.
Grace improves to 7-6 on the season and will host MCC foe Goshen at 3 p.m. Thursday to try to remain undefeated in conference play. The team will then host a round-robin tournament Saturday.
GRACE 3, ST. FRANCIS 0
St. Francis 000 000 0 - 0 3 3
Grace 011 010 X - 3 8 3
WP - Liebsch
Grace batters - Irish 1-3, 3B, R; Clark 2-3, R; Romagnoli 2-3, 2B, R;
Liebsch 1-3, 2B
GRACE 7, ST. FRANCIS 0
St. Francis 000 000 0 - 0 4 4
Grace 213 101 X - 7 12 1
WP - Liebsch
Grace batters - Clark 2-4, R; Romagnoli 2-2, 2B, 2 R; Defreez 3-3,
2B, R
