Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Though fans gave him a standing ovation, the student section chanted his name and his statistiscians heralded him No. 1 on a poster using a mathematic equation, it was business as usual for Al Rhodes Thursday night.
The Warsaw JV team started the evening with a win, it's 95th in the last 97 games, and then Rhodes walked the sideline barking out calls much the way he has since 1980.
Utilizing a balanced offensive attack, Warsaw's varsity team used a third-quarter run to open up a game that was close in the first half, topping Northern Lakes Conference rival Plymouth 59-44 and getting Rhodes his 400th career win. The loss kept Plymouth coach Jack Edison from getting career win No. 450. Edison is now 449-216 in 29 years.
In his 22nd year with the Tigers, Rhodes owns a 400-132 (75.2 percent) record.
"There's been an awful lot of coaches, players and managers over the years that did a lot for us to do this," Rhodes said. "It's a program thing, a community thing. The community supports Tiger basketball and I guess this was a way to thank them."
The 15-point win improved No. 8 (4A) Warsaw to 16-2 overall and 6-1 in the NLC, while Plymouth falls to 8-8 and 4-3.
Warsaw went to the locker room clinging to a 24-21 lead, but after Pilgrim junior Dan Chamberlin knotted the game at 24 with a three-pointer to start the second half Warsaw went on an 11-0 run capped off by a steal and basket by senior Jerad Shaw at the 4:42 mark.
"In the first half we put them at the free throw line too many times," Rhodes said. "We tried to chase hard to stop their three-point shooting and they were able to drive to the basket too easy. Once they got the ball inside we fouled too much."
The Tigers were whistled for 10 first-half fouls, sending the Pilgrims to the charity stripe where they cashed in on 9 of 13 free throws. For the game Plymouth was 22 of 32 at the free throw line as Warsaw was called for 24 fouls.
Trailing by double-digits much of the third quarter, the Pilgrims did cut the lead to six, 39-33, when senior Kyle Davis hit two free throws with 1:15 remaining in the quarter.
The Tigers quickly jumped back out to a nine-point lead 13 second later when reserve William Knepper converted on a three-point play, giving the Tigers a 42-33 lead heading into the final frame.
Warsaw kept the lead above 10 the majority of the fourth quarter, leading by as many as 17 (59-42).
"Our second-half defense was much better, we made them earn their points," Rhodes said. "Once we got control we slowed things up and executed our offense."
Senior Greg Clay led the Tigers in scoring with a game-high 18 points, while Shaw and junior Ryan DeGeeter added 10 each. Knepper came off the bench and contributed nine points and six rebounds.
Davis paced the Pilgrims with 14, while freshman Kyle Benge added eight, Chamberlin seven and junior Ryan Clinton six.
Warsaw will be in action again next Friday at home against Huntington North.
NO. 8 (4A) WARSAW 59
PLYMOUTH 44
Plymouth (8-8, 4-3) 12 9 12 11 - 44
Warsaw (16-2, 6-1) 12 12 18 17 - 59
Plymouth FG FT R S Pts.
Davis (F) 1-2 12-13 1 1 14
Snyder (G) 0-11 4-6 2 0 4
Chamberlin (F) 3-7 0-2 1 1 7
Wallace (G) 0-1 0-0 3 2 0
Scott (F) 1-1 0-0 2 2 2
Delp 0-2 2-4 3 0 2
Clinton 3-5 0-0 2 0 6
Lawson 0-0 1-2 0 0 1
Benge 2-6 3-5 2 0 8
Totals 10-35 22-32 16 6 44
Warsaw FG FT R S Pts.
Seiss (G) 1-1 2-2 1 1 4
G. Clay (G) 7-11 3-4 7 0 18
C. Clay (F) 1-3 2-2 2 0 4
Shaw (F) 4-8 2-2 6 1 10
DeGeeter (C) 5-8 0-0 3 1 10
Walmer 1-1 0-0 0 0 2
Kindig 0-1 0-2 0 0 0
Datta 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Moore 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Fussle 1-1 0-0 3 0 2
Scott 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Knepper 3-4 3-3 5 0 9
Totals 23-38 12-15 27 3 59
Three-point goals - Plymouth 2-15 (Chamberlin 1-3, Benge 1-3, Snyder 0-6, Wallace 0-1, Delp 0-1, Clinton 0-1), Warsaw 1-4 (G. Clay 1-1, Shaw 0-1, Clay 0-2). Fouls - Plymouth 20, Warsaw 24. Fouled out - Davis.
JV - Warsaw 59, Plymouth 44
Warsaw scoring - Michael Weinhorst 14, Adam Griggs 9, Michael Moore 6, Dan Gensinger 3, Thomas Burnworth 2, Todd Braddock 2
Eaton Scores 1,000th Career Point As Valley Clinches TRC Title
By Jen Gibson, Times-Union Sports Editor
AKRON -ÊA sign at the end of the Tippecanoe Valley's gym Thursday night said,Ê"Tonight Our Guys Will Claim It."
And when the Vikings stepped on the floor, they laid claim to the Three Rivers Conference title by defeating North Miami 73-52.
But that was not the only important event in Akron last night.
At the 6:14 mark in the fourth quarter, junior Trey Eaton netted a basket and notched his 1,000th career point. He finished the night with 29 points.
"Trey has played well all season," said Valley coach Bill Patrick. "It's tough to score a thousand points in four years, let alone three. He is an outstanding basketball player."
However, Eaton was not the only Viking to have a standout night. Alex Frantz, Ross Stutzman and Andrew Kramer each scored in double figures for the Vikings.
Frantz scored 19 points, pulled down six rebounds and grabbed two steals for the Valley squad.
"This was Alex's best game of the year," said Patrick. "He played well defensively. He rebounded well. He had some good assists. He did a really nice job."
The Vikings got off to a good start in the first as Stutzman scored the first basket of the game.
The Vikings and Warriors battled back and forth until the 4:27 mark of the first frame when Eaton sank a basket that started an 8-1 Viking run to make the score 12-5 in Valley's favor.
After North Miami's Adam Welsh sank two free throws, Brandon Harmon and Frantz ended the stanza with two straight baskets to make the score 16-9 going into the second quarter.
Eaton came alive in the second quarter, hitting 3 of 5 three-point baskets and two free throws to help the Vikings increase their lead to 10, 29-19, at the half.
Valley continued its assault in the third as Frantz poured in nine points on 3-of-3 shooting from the field and 3-of-3 shooting from the charity stripe. Stutzman and Eaton added five and four points respectively as the Vikings outscored the Warriors 18-12 in the quarter.
Eaton nailed a trey at the 6:48 mark in the fourth to put him just two points shy of the 1,000 mark. Then at 6:14 Eaton hit a basket to put him right at 1,000 career points.
Those two Eaton baskets started an 8-2 Valley run to add to the Vikings lead.
Eaton scored three more points in the fourth quarter as Valley outscored North Miami 26-21 to pick up the 73-52 victory.
In all, Eaton scored 29 points and pulled down 11 rebounds, while Frants had 19 points and six rebounds. Stutzman chipped in 11 points while Kramer netted 10 points.
Six-foot-7 Welsh led the Warriors with 18 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and an 8-of-8 performance from the charity stripe.
"I've watched North Miami play at least five different times," said Patrick. "They are a good team. We had three good practices this week, and this was a big game for us."
The win makes the Vikings 14-3 on the season and 6-1 in the TRC. North Miami is 12-5 and 5-2 in TRC action.
TIPPECANOE VALLEY 73, NORTH MIAMI 52
N. Miami FG FT R S Pts.
Linn 1-11 0-1 2 3 8
Z. Hostetler 0-6 1-2 2 2 1
Haynes 1-4 0-0 2 0 2
Bowers 2-5 1-2 4 0 5
Welsh 5-6 8-8 4 0 18
Kinzie 2-10 4-4 1 1 9
Mavrick 2-4 1-3 1 0 5
Schrock 2-2 0-0 1 0 4
Deardorff 0-1 0-0 1 0 0
Grant 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 17-49 15-20 18 6 52
Valley FG FT R S Pts.
Eaton 5-17 4-4 11 1 29
Frantz 8-9 3-3 6 2 19
Stutzman 5-7 1-3 4 1 11
Wise 1-2 0-1 3 0 2
Kramer 2-4 6-6 4 1 10
Beyers 0-1 0-0 0 0 0
Harmon 1-2 0-0 0 0 0
Hartzler 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Sterk 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Cody 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Vanlaningham 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Parker 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 27-42 14-17 30 5 73
Three-point goals -ÊNorth Miami 5-15 (Linn 3-8, Haynes 0-1, Kinzie 2-6), Valley 5-16 (Eaton 5-11, Frantz 0-1, Stutzman 0-1, Kramer 0-1, Beyers 0-1, Harmon 0-1). Fouls -ÊNorth Miami 17, Valley 17. Turnovers -ÊNorth Miami 9, Tippecanoe Valley 9.
Warsaw Relay Team Swims To State Meet
By Jen Gibson, Times-Union Sports Writer
Going into last Saturday's sectional finals, Warsaw's 200 freestyle relay team of Laura Noggle, Claire Beckett, Aislinn Ummell and Andrea Heyde were seeded third.
Once all was said and done, the Tigers had broken a school record and placed first in the race to earn a berth at the state finals at the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Natatorium today.
"We broke the record last year with three of the same swimmers," said Warsaw girls swim coach Terry Aukeman. "Jaci Thallemer graduated was on the team that set the 1:46.48 time. Andrea Heyde joined the relay team this year and they set a new record of 1:46.39 at the sectional."
But the Tigers do have their work cut out for them at the state meet. The Warsaw quartet is seeded No. 32 of 32 teams.
"We are seeded 32nd out of 32 teams, but I think we have the possibility of moving up," said Aukeman. "I hope we can get below 1:45. If each of the girls can reduce her time by half a second, we could reach that."
The Tiger squad will also have to overcome different swimming conditions in the state meet.
"At the state meet they put a wall in the pool called a bulk head," said Aukeman. "That makes the turns different.
"The pool at the state meet in 50 meters long, and they split it in half with the bulk head. One side is the race pool, and the other side is the practice pool."
Warsaw headed for Bloomington in half with the bulk head. One side is the race pool, and the other side is the practice pool."
The Warsaw relay team headed for Indianapolis this morning. They planned to get to the Circle City in time to get about an hour of practice in the pool before they swim in the first heat of the state preliminaries this evening.
In order to advance to tomorrow's finals, the Tigers would have to place 16th or higher. In order to do that, Warsaw would have to shave four full seconds off its current time.
"Each girl would have to take a full second off her time to make it into the finals tomorrow," said Aukeman. "I don't see that happening, but I could see moving up from 32nd."
Whitko Tops Manchester In TRC Matchup
By Mike Madison, Times-Union Sports Correspondent
NORTH MANCHESTER -ÊThe Whitko Wildcats traveled to North Manchester Thursday night for a Three Rivers Conference battle and went home with a 43-35 win.
It was a battle of two teams looking for some consistency as both have had ups and down this season.
It was obvious in the first few minutes that this game would be won on the free throw line as the whistles blew early and often on both ends of the court.
The free throw battle, and the game, went to Whitko as it made 17 of 20 second-half free throws to take the game 43-35. That free throw total included 11-for-12 shooting in the fourth quarter.
Whitko only attempted 11 field goals in the second half and made four of them.
"We talked to our kids at halftime," said Whitko coach Dan Zawlocki. "We told them they needed to dribble penetrate and get the ball inside to Woods and Garber and try to draw some fouls. Manchester had three or four players with at least three fouls and you have to take advantage of that situation and attack them. We wanted to draw some fouls and get to the line."
Nothing seemed to go right for the Squires. Cold shooting, too many turnovers and watching Whitko spend most of the night at the free throw line was not a good recipe for a win. Manchester finished the night 0 of 15 from three-point range and just 12 of 39 overall.
Manchester did manage to get to the line 14 times on the night and made a respectable 11 of those for 78 percent shooting but watched Whitko get to the line 30 times and finishing on 23 of those attempts.
A key for Whitko was the job it did defensively on Manchester's Dustin Simcoe.
The Manchester big man only scored five points for the evening.
"Ben Garber is our best defensive player," said Zawlocki. "We put him on Simcoe and told him to just guard him. He had no help responsibilities. We felt Simcoe was a key for them and we wanted to stop him and force the rest of the team to shoot jump shots. I thought Ben did a good job on him."
The score see-sawed back and forth until midway through the fourth quarter when Whitko started pulling ahead.
Todd Dale hit two free throws for Manchester with under two minutes remaining to bring the Squires to within three, 35-38.
Manchester got the ball back on the ensuing throw-in as a Whitko turnover led to a foul putting Manchester at the line.
Unfortunately for the Squires, they missed the front end of a one-and-one and were forced to foul on the resulting rebound.
Whitko's John Woods hit the first to make it 39-35 in favor of the Wildcats.
Manchester could not find the basket and was forced to send Whitko's Brad Walpole to line. With 22 seconds remaining Walpole calmly made both for a 41-35 lead. The final was 43-35 as Alan Robbins made Whitko's last two points from the line.
For Whitko; Woods finished with 11 points, Garber had 9, Robbins 7, and Walpole 6, while Drew Spangle contributed 5. Todd Dale led the Squires with 12, Matt Stoops had 8 and Simcoe was held to 5.
Zawlocki praised his team's effort, "I thought our kids did a nice job defensively and we did a real nice job on the defensive boards in the fourth quarter. We got a bit careless at the end of the ballgame but I was really proud of them. They got down two and three points late in the game but they never took a quick shot and they worked their way back in the ballgame."
Whitko's record now stands at 7-10 overall and 4-3 in the conference.
WHITKO 43
MANCHESTER 35
Whitko 5 13 10 15 - 43
Manchester 6 11 12 6 - 35
Whitko - Walter 1 1-2 3, Lopshire 1 0-0 2, Robbins 1 5-6 7, Walpole 1 4-4 6, Spangle 1 3-4 5, Garber 1 7-8 9, Woods 4 3-6 11. Totals 10 23-30 43.
Manchester - Hicks 0 0-0 0, M. Sorg 1 2-2 4, A. Sorg 1 2-4 4, Garber 0 0-0 0, Dale 4 4-4 12, Carandante 1 0-0 2, Stoops 4 0-0 8, Simcoe 1 3-4 5, Westendorf 0 0-0 0, Harper 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 11-14 35.
Three-point goals - Manchester 0, Whitko 0. Fouls - Manchester 23, Whitko 19. Fouled out - none.
