Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
WABASH - The Whitko Wildcats were only 5-13 this season, but they have gone as far as last year's 13-7 team.
Like last year, Whitko played in the bye game against Wabash. Like last year, Whitko beat Wabash to advance to the sectional finals. Whitko lost to Huntington North 65-28 in last year's Northfield Sectional championship game.
The Wildcats, who have only three seniors on their roster, actually had it easier this time against Wabash. Last year's veteran Whitko team escaped with a 46-43 win against the Apaches. This young Whitko team, with three sophomore and one freshman starter, scored a season-high 69 points and beat Wabash 69-56.
"What helped us was playing the sophomores and freshman all year long," Whitko coach Ray Davis said. "This wasn't anything new to them. Last year's team was tight coming over here. This year's team was loose and listening to their music."
The Wildcats won without 5-foot-11 sophomore BrieAnn Starkweather. Starkweather, a sophomore starter averaging 8.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, was injured in a car wreck Wednesday.
The Wildcats needed no extra motivation for this one. A 42-41 embarrassing home loss to Wabash in early January - one of Wabash's three wins this season - was enough motivation.
Before the season started, Davis predicted shooting would be a strength on this team. Well, the Wildcats made only 15 percent of their three-pointers all year.
The shooters showed up against Wabash. The Wildcats fired away in the first quarter, attempting 20 shots. They hit nine, and seven of them were perimeter shots. Sophomore point guard Kelly Osborn scored seven, and sophomore shooting guard Trisha Peters hit two three-pointers and scored six.
Whitko led 21-11 after the first quarter. Then things nearly unraveled in the second quarter.
Six-foot senior center Melissa Sands picked up her second foul one minute into the second quarter. She left and didn't return until the second half.
Wabash went to work inside with Sands out. The Apaches grabbed four offensive rebounds in the second quarter and scored 14 points in the paint. They trimmed the Whitko lead to 33-29 at halftime.
The Wildcats tried to pull away in the third quarter. A Heidi Hull steal, layup and free throw pushed Whitko ahead 45-33 with 3:54 left in the third.
But Sands had picked up her third foul and left midway through the third quarter. Wabash again took advantage, outscoring Whitko 12-6 after Hull's three-point play. Whitko's lead dropped to 51-45 after three quarters.
Sands entered in the fourth and quickly made an impact. Twelve seconds into the quarter, she scored. Her basket triggered an 11-0 run that gave Whitko its biggest lead of the night, 62-45.
Peters hit four three-pointers and led Whitko with 17 points. Sophomore Stephanie Warner added 14, Osborn 13 and Sands 10.
"Peters hit four three-pointers, and she broke a school record for three-pointers in a game and three-pointers in a season," Davis said. "We had to work on their confidence this season. We know we are good shooters."
Wabash ends the season 3-16.
Whitko faces 16-5 Huntington North in the championship game.
