Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Noteworthies are a wrapup of some of the best individual and team performances of the week, which run from Friday through the following Thursday.
Male athlete of the week
Tim Mason, Whitko track - Mason had it kicked in this week as he won his trifecta twice in big events. At the Three Rivers Conference Championships Friday, Mason won the 100 (:11.04), 200 (:22.4) and long jump (21-8.5) to prepare for the sectional. At the Plymouth Sectional Thursday, Mason did it again, winning the 100 (:11.05), the 200 (:22.6) and the long jump (22-3).
Female athlete of the week
Shannon Barger, Warsaw softball - Barger led Warsaw to a 4-2 record on the week by posting big numbers at the plate. In a 4-3 win over Concord Monday, Barger's 2-for-4 performance gave her the school record in career hits. On the week, she had 14 hits, including a 3-for-3 outing against Kokomo and a 4-for-4 game against Goshen.
Team of the week
Wawasee golf - Monday, the Warriors handed Columbia City its first loss of the year with an easy 153-170 win. Wawasee followed that up Tuesday with a pair of Northern Lakes Conference wins by shooting a 151. Concord shot a 155 and Plymouth a 159.
Other Noteworthy performers
Andy Holst, Warsaw baseball - Holst improved to 4-0 on the season Monday with a solid performance on the mound and an even better one at the plate. In a 14-6 win over Concord, Holst had a single, a double, a homer and four RBIs.
R.J. Hutchison, Valley baseball - Twice this week, Hutchison threw complete games, striking out 10 batters in each outing. In a 13-3 win over Whitko Friday, not only did he get the win, but he was also 3-for-4 with two RBIs.
Derek Ring, Manchester baseball - Monday, Ring threw a two-hitter in a 10-0 win over Valley for the top local pitching performance of the week. In a 14-7 win Friday over Southwood, he also did well at the plate with two hits and two RBIs.
Justin Howell, Warsaw golf - After setting the school record by hitting nine greens in regulation last week, Howell did it again Tuesday. Howell shot a 2-under par 34 that day for medalist honors.
Scott White, Wawasee golf - White took medalist honors twice this week by shooting a 36 in a win over Columbia City Monday and a 35 in wins over Concord and Plymouth Tuesday.
Jon Hill, Warsaw track - At the Goshen Sectional Thursday, Hill won the 400 in a time of :50.43 and ended second in the 200 to advance to the regionals in both events.
Justin Bellamy, Warsaw track - In just his first varsity track meet, Bellamy won the sectional championship in the high jump by leaping 6-feet-4. He competed in just one event previously, a freshman-sophomore invite, in which he jumped 6-feet-5.
Nick Iden, Manchester track - The hurdling specialist won the 100 hurdles (:14.75) and the 300 hurdles (:39.36) at the conference meet Friday. He followed that up by winning them both again at the sectional championships Thursday. He ran the 100 hurdles in :14.9 and the 300 hurdles in :39.71.
Bo Mullins, Whitko track - Mullins, who has some of the best tosses among local athletes in the discus this year, threw 154 feet for the TRC title Friday. He then outdid that by throwing 161-8 in the sectional Thursday for first place and ended third in the shot put (46-2.5).
Amie Poling, Warsaw softball - In a 7-6 win over South Bend Washington Saturday, Poling had a pair of hits and drove in three runs. She also had two 2-for-3 games Monday as the Tigers split a pair of games with Concord.
Megan King, Wawasee softball - In a 13-0 win over Goshen Monday, King threw the shutout, striking out three batters. In the second game of that doubleheader, she doubled and tripled as the Warriors won 7-6. In a 4-3 loss to Concord Wednesday that lasted 11 innings, King went 2-for-5.
Mandy Perzanowski, Wawasee tennis - Perzanowski, playing in the No. 1 singles spot for the Warriors, led Wawasee to a 2-0 week with a pair of wins. She beat Whitko's Stephanie Moore 6-2, 6-0, then beat Manchester's Keziah DeFusco in the first round of the girls sectional Thursday 7-5, 6-0.
Bonnie Bickel and Carissa Parker, Valley tennis - Valley's No. 1 doubles team won three of the Vikings' eight wins this week. They beat Ashley Warner and Alissa Troutman of Rochester 6-3, 7-5, Brandy Smith and Rachel Dyson of Northfield 6-1, 6-0 and Joanna Blackmer and Reanna Dugard of Triton 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.
Tiffany Cunningham and Wendy Tilden, Valley tennis - Cunningham and Tilden won three times this week by defeating Rochester's Greta Notz and Lori Fellers 6-4, 6-0 and Northfield's Amy Hoppes and Marcy Dale 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 6-2. Finally, they beat Triton's Mariana Hochletner and Gwen Roberts 6-2, 6-1.
Jenny Day, Valley track - Day, specializing in the 3200, won the distance event at the conference meet in a time of 12:34.95. Then, at the sectional Tuesday, she shattered her personal best by running 12:16.07 to finish second.
Heidi Hull, Whitko track - At the TRC Championships Friday, Hull won the shot put (39-2), the 300 hurdles (:49.96) and ended second in the 100 hurdles to her own teammate Loranna Sparks. Then, at the sectional Tuesday, she won the 300 hurdles (:49.73) and the shot put (36-5.5) and finished fourth in the 100 hurdles (:16.84).
Shelly Miller, Triton track - At the sectional Tuesday, Miller placed well in the distance events, winning the 3200 (12:09.83) and placing second in the 1600 (5:41.05).
Kelli Andrews, NorthWood track - Andrews won the sprint events at the Warsaw Sectional Wednesday, placing first in the 100 (:12.98) and the 200 (:27.26).
