Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE -ÊIn a scene more reminiscent of a rock concert than a basketball game, a couple hundred were lined up outside Wawasee's hardwood teepee, waiting for the doors to open at 5 p.m. for another episode of Hoosier Hysteria, girl's style. These fans came to watch their hometown favorites, Shanna Zolman and the Wawasee Warriors take on Carol Duncan and the NorthWood Panthers.
There is no questioning the popularity of high school basketball in Indiana but there aren't too many communities that can relate to 3,000 fans pouring in a gym, a half-hour before game time in order to watch a girl's game.
Yes, a girl's game.
Even though the boys matched up in the second game of the doubleheader on this evening, the majority of these fans came out to see the girls play.
And if there is anyplace that can relate to that kind of enthusiasm for girl's basketball it is certainly Nappanee and the NorthWood Panthers, for their fans hold that same passion. They brought it en masse to Syracuse on Tuesday evening.
On this night though, it was the Wawasee fans that left all smiles as the host Warriors dominated play from beginning to end, and finished with a 64-30 win.
From the opening tip it seemed to be a clinic, and the Warrior's Shanna Zolman was putting it on.
She started early as she lit the nets for 12 first-quarter points to spot her team to a 16-4 lead, and the Warriors just stretched that lead as the evening went on.
Wawasee's aggressive defense kept the Panthers under 10 points in each of the first three quarters.
"We got off to a good start and we had pretty good focus on what we had to do," said Wawasee coach Kem Zolman. "Defensively I felt we did a really nice job with our man-to-man and the pressure we put on their perimeter people, that was a key. I think defense is a key in this league and we did a nice job.
"We can score from many positions. I think that is what is making us a better team this year and making us harder to play against."
While the Warriors got good play from most everyone they put on the floor, make no doubt that Tuesday belonged to the future Tennessee Volunteer. Shanna finished the night with 36 points on 12-of-18 shooting which included 4 of 5 from three-point range. Add to that four rebounds, five With the win the Warriors have taken the first step in their quest for a repeat of the NLC tourney championship title they won last year. The Warriors will have to take on Warsaw in the second game of the semifinals on Thursday evening at Plymouth. That means Wawasee and Warsaw will meet for the second time in five days. The Warriors defeated Warsaw last Saturday night by a score of 61-57 in a game played at Wawasee. The Warriors' record now stands at 11-0.
The 6 p.m. game in the winners semifinal at Plymouth will feature Plymouth and the Goshen Redskins. The winners from Thursday's winners bracket will advance to Saturday night's championship game
NorthWood, on the other hand, will move to the losers bracket and take on Northridge in the second game, also on Thursday evening. That game will be played at Elkhart Memorial. The first game in that bracket will feature Elkhart Memorial and Concord.
