Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
PLYMOUTH -ÊThe Tippecanoe Valley girls basketball team took one step closer to meeting its goal of becoming the Plymouth Sectional champion by defeating Whitko 65-22 Friday night.
"We want to keep the streak alive," said Valley coach Gary Teel. "We want to be the sectional champions."
Although the Vikings were listed as the visitors on the scoreboard, they made themselves at home in Plymouth's gym. Valley jumped out to an early lead as Rebekah Parker, Sherise Denny and Kara Kramer combined for the first 10 points of the game.
But the Vikings did not stop there.
Abby Shafer scored baskets at the 1:55 mark and the 1:28 mark to put the Vikings up 14-0 going into the second frame.
Valley's Holly Green, Kramer and Denny continued the assault early in the second quarter of play, building a 23-0 lead.
Whitko's first score of the game came at the hands of Dana Sellers. She hit a basket with 5:21 left in the second frame to make the score 23-2.
Kathy Prater answered with a basket of her own, and then Whitko's Jana Rowland netted another Wildcat basket, making the score 25-4.
A three-point play by Parker followed by a Sellers basket made the score 28-6.
By the end of the half, Valley held a secure 33-8 advantage over the Wildcats.
Prater and Parker combined for the first six points of the third frame before Sellers broke the Valley scoring streak by hitting a free throw.
But the Vikings were not about to let the game slip out of their hands. In the last 5:59 of the third frame, Valley outscored Whitko 14-4 to take a 54-13 lead into the final quarter of play.
But the fight was not gone from the Wildcats.
Angie Juricak hit a basket to open the fourth frame and then netted the ensuing free throw to convert the three-point play and make the score 54-15.
However, Valley's Beth Leckrone caught fire and scored three straight Viking baskets. Leckrone's run plus a free throw by Caty Patterson made the score 61-15.
Then Wildcat Amanda Busz hit back-to-back baskets, cutting the difference to 61-19.
Busz netted one more basket, a three-pointer, with just 35 ticks left on the clock, but the Wildcats ended the season with the 65-22 loss.
"I felt like our kids came out intimidated," said Whitko coach Ryan Cunningham. "Valley is a very good basketball team. They do a lot of things right, and it shows. We came out here and played scared tonight. We just could not match their intensity tonight."
Parker led all scorers with 14 points. She was the only player in double figures. Abby Shafer added nine points for the Vikings, while Denny, Kramer and Leckrone finished with eight points each.
"I am happy that we could get a lot of kids in to get some playing time," said Teel. "It's good for us to get those kids on the floor, especially in the sectional atmosphere, because it's good experience for them."
Sellers and Busz each scored seven points each, while Jurcak added four.
Whitko finishes the season 3-19, while Valley improves to 20-2 overall. The Vikings will play Plymouth in the sectional final tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Plymouth.
TIPPECANOE VALLEY 65, WHITKO 22
Valley 14 19 21 11 - 65
Whitko 0 8 5 9 - 22
Valley FG FT R S Pts.
Parker 6-9 2-3 3 3 14
Prater 3-5 0-0 3 2 6
Denny 3-8 0-0 3 1 8
Shafer 4-8 0-1 0 2 9
Kramer 4-8 0-0 2 0 8
Green 1-4 0-2 1 3 2
Leckrone 4-8 0-0 2 0 8
Patterson 1-3 1-2 1 1 3
Anglin 2-5 0-1 3 3 5
Jackson 0-2 0-0 2 1 0
Rathbun 1-1 0-0 2 0 2
Moore 0-1 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 29-62 3-9 22 16 65
Whitko FG FT R S Pts.
Sellers 3-11 1-3 6 1 7
Wendel 0-2 0-0 1 0 0
Rowland 1-4 0-0 1 0 2
Busz 3-5 0-0 3 0 7
Jo. Begley 0-2 0-1 0 0 0
Reed 0-1 0-0 2 0 0
Jeffrey 0-1 0-0 5 0 0
Ja. Begley 1-2 0-0 3 0 2
Juricak 2-6 0-1 1 0 4
Wilkinson 0-2 0-0 1 2 0
Badskey 0-0 0-0 1 0 0
Fulk 0-1 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 10-37 1-5 24 3 22
Three-point goals - Valley 4-17 (Parker 0-2, Denny 2-7, Shafer 1-3, Kramer 0-1, Green 0-1, Anglin 1-2, Moore 0-1), Whitko 1-7 (Sellers 0-2, Wendel 0-1, Rowland 0-1, Busz 1-1, Juricak 0-2). Turnovers - Valley 10, Whitko 25. Fouls - Valley 10, Whitko 12. Fouled out - None.
