11-24-2001
Though students at Warsaw Community High School were out of class in observance of Thanksgiving, its varsity girls basketball team passed its biggest test of the year Friday.
Aided by a 29-of-35 performance at the free throw line, the Tigers upended visiting Crown Point 66-55 to remain unbeaten at 4-0. Crown Point falls to 3-1.
“We passed a big test tonight,” veteran Warsaw coach Will Wienhorst said. “First of all, Crown Point is a great basketball team. They beat us soundly last year. We had three goals coming into tonight. First, we wanted to stop 45 (Carissa Triplett). Secondly, we wanted to recognize changing defenses. And then, we wanted to rebound. The third was a big key to this win.”
To go with its 83 percent effort at the charity stripe, Warsaw outrebounded the Bulldogs 35-25 and shot 39 percent overall from the field. Crown Point finished the game shooting 31 percent from the field and 11 of 19 (58 percent) from the free throw stripe.
Trailing 18-14 after the first quarter of play, the Tigers knotted the game at 20 when senior sharpshooter Hilary O’Connell drained a three-pointer with 7:05 remaining in the first half.
Warsaw then took its first lead of the game when senior Stephanie DeRenzo made good on two free throw attempts to make it 22-20.
“Crown Point played hard and had some early success,” said Wienhorst, who won his 359th career game. “We took the ball to the hole tonight. I just can’t say enough about our bench. I’m on them a lot, but they gave us some great minutes. All the little things are important.”
Crown Point sophomore Blayre Reeves connected on a field goal attempt at the 5:20 mark of the fourth quarter that cut the Tiger lead to 48-46, but the Bulldogs never got closer than four the rest of the way.
Warsaw came back with baskets from starter Ashley Wyatt and reserve Natalie Chabot to push the lead to six before Crown Point called a full timeout with 3:14 left in regulation.
The remainder of the game, Warsaw was 9 of 10 at the charity stripe, winning its fourth game in seven days.
O’Connell led all scorers with 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including 3 of 5 beyond the arc and 6 of 8 at the free throw line. The 5-foot-8 guard also had six rebounds, five assists and two steals.
Teammate Jaclyn Leininger finished the game with 14 points and seven rebounds. The 5-10 sophomore starter went 12 of 12 at the line, leaving her one short of Linda Shultz’s near 20-year-old school record for free throws made in a game. Janna Knisely added 11 points and five rebounds in the win, while Wyatt and DeRenzo chipped in with seven and six points, respectively.
Reeves led the Bulldogs with 12 points, while Alex Webster and Jenel Heneghan scored nine each and Triplett eight.
The Tigers will be in action again Wednesday when they host Fort Wayne Northrop.
WARSAW 66, CROWN POINT 55
Crown Point (3-1) 18 12 10 15 – 55
Warsaw (4-0) 14 20 8 24 – 66
Crown Point FG FT R A S Pts.
* Plumley 2-7 0-0 3 0 1 6
* Webster 3-11 2-2 5 2 2 9
* Reeves 5-7 2-6 4 2 2 12
* Heneghan 3-9 3-4 3 0 2 9
* Triplett 4-7 0-0 3 3 2 8
Pruzin 1-3 0-2 3 6 0 3
Brueck 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0
Zondor 0-1 0-0 2 0 0 0
Swanson 0-2 2-2 0 1 0 2
Isailovich 0-1 0-0 0 1 0 0
Cuculich 1-1 0-1 0 0 0 2
Fredericks 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Weiand 1-1 2-2 1 0 0 4
Rhodes 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0
Team 0-0 0-0 1 0 0 0
Totals 20-52 11-19 25 15 9 55
Warsaw FG FT R A S Pts.
* Wyatt 2-7 2-2 3 4 0 7
* O’Connell 6-10 6-8 6 5 2 21
* Leininger 1-6 12-12 7 1 0 14
* DeGeeter 2-2 0-0 7 0 1 4
* Knisely 3-8 4-5 5 2 2 11
DeRenzo 1-1 4-6 3 1 1 6
Franklin 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
McGriff 0-1 1-2 2 0 0 1
Chabot 1-2 0-0 1 0 0 2
Team 0-0 0-0 1 0 0 0
Totals 16-37 29-35 35 13 6 66
Three-point goals – Crown Point 4-13 (Plumley 2-5, Webster 1-4, Pruzin 1-1, Brueck 0-1, Swanson 0-1, Isailovich 0-1), Warsaw 5-13 (O’Connell 3-5, Wyatt 1-4, Knisely 1-3, Leininger 0-1). Turnovers – Crown Point 11, Warsaw 19. Fouls – Crown Point 29, Warsaw 17. Fouled out – Webster.
JV – Crown Point 34, Warsaw 33
Warsaw scoring – Mallory Hepler 15, Rebekah Reichard 6, Rachel Braddock 6, Jessica Davis 3, Tracy Stump 2, Camerin Carboneau 1
Wawasee Wins Ugly Over East Noble
By Mike Madison, Times-Union Sports Correspondent
SYRACUSE –Ê“It wasn’t a pretty game, that’s for sure,” said Wawasee girl’s basketball coach Kem Zolman just minutes after Friday night’s game against East Noble.
The Warriors came away with a 61-38 win behind Zolman’s daughter Shanna’s 36 points.
“It got kind of ugly looking,” said Shanna. “We are glad it’s over and happy to have the win.”
Wawasee jumped out to a 7-0 lead before East Noble found the scoring column.
The Warriors maintained command with defensive intensity and 25 first-half points from their all-American.
Shanna Zolman put on a first-half clinic, scoring from both inside and outside.
Wawasee went into halftime with a 37-10 lead but it was the Warriors’ defense that pleased their coach.
“The first half was as good as we have played defensively in a long time I think,” said Kem Zolman. “They had 10 points with six of those coming from the free throw line. They had two field goals the first halfÉthat’s pretty good defense.”
However, the second half was a different story, as it got ugly early.
It appeared that East Noble was determined not to let Shanna go for another 25 points and the Knights were prepared to do anything to prevent it.
“It got out of hand,” said Kem Zolman. “It got way too physical, and when you leave things go like that it’s difficult to get in a flow.”
Zolman finished with just 11 points in the second half, and Wawasee’s 61 total points was its lowest point total of the season.
“Offensively we just weren’t in the flow in the second half,” said coach Zolman. “It was so hot in the gym and I think both teams expended a lot of energy.
“The kids not only struggled with the heat but they also struggled mentally to stay in the thing.
“We just got tired. Jocelyn (Higginbotham) played tired all evening, she was sick all week and hadn’t practiced. We just didn’t do a very good job in second half.”
Foul trouble also hurt the Warriors, as Higginbotham spent quite a bit of the second half on the bench with four fouls.
Wawasee’s defensive spark plug, Crystal Fawley, fouled out midway through the second.
For the evening, Shanna had 10 rebounds to go with her 36 points.
Junior Meagan Wallen added 10 points to go along with an impressive 13 boards. Higginbotham added six points.
Friday night’s game also marked the second game in a row where junior post player Jessica Leach got in the game for no more than two minutes before being helped off the court with an injured her knee.
Leach, who tore her ACL in Wawasee’s opening season scrimmage, consulted with specialists and decided to try to play this season, opting for surgery after the season concludes.
Leach made her first appearance on the court at Fairfield last Saturday, but was helped off just minutes later.
The same thing happened Friday night after an even shorter appearance. Her status this season remains uncertain.
The Warriors will take their 4-0 record to West Noble Tuesday night where they will face all-state candidate Jessica Ramey.
Squires Open Season With Win
Times-Union Staff Report
NORTH MANCHESTER –ÊThe Manchester boys basketball team opened the season Wednesday with a 70-47 win over Mississinewa.
The game was close through halftime, but Manchester went on an 8-0 run in the third quarter to take a commanding lead.
The Squires saw four players score in double figures with Dustin Simcoe scoring 17 to lead the pack. Barry Hicks added 13 points, and Anthony Sorg and Brent Westendorf chipped in 11 each.
Sorg also dished out nine assists, grabbed four steals and pulled down four rebounds in the win. Simcoe and Blake Harper pulled down six caroms each.
Manchester is 1-0 and hosts Wabash tonight following a 6 p.m. varsity girls game. The JV squad does not play tonight.
MANCHESTER 70, MISSISSINEWA 47
Mississinewa 15 11 10 11 – 47
Manchester 12 14 23 21 – 70
Mississinewa –ÊMcPherson 0-0 1-2 1, Elliott 0-2 0-2 0, Woodcox 0-4 5-6 5, Pattison 6-9 2-9 20, Dickason 1-1 0-0 2, Strong 0-0 0-0 0, Goins 1-1 0-0 2, Linn 6-11 0-2 12, Dailey 1-1 0-0 2, Jeffries 0-0 0-0 3. Totals – 15-29 8-21 47.
Manchester –ÊHicks 2-5 6-8 13, A. Sorg 3-5 5-6 11, Garber 0-0 0-0 0, Carandante 1-5 0-0 2, Stoops 3-7 2-2 8, Simcoe 6-14, 2-3 17, Westendorf 4-5 3-3 11, Harper 1-4 6-8 8. Totals – 20-45 24-30 70.
Three-point goals –ÊMississinewa 3-12 (Woodcox 0-2, Pattison 2-7, Dickason 0-2, Jeffries 1-1), Manchester 2-8 (Hicks 1-2, A. Sorg 0-4, Carandante 0-1, Simcoe 1-1). Rebounds – Mississinewa 19, Manchester 24 (Simcoe 6, Harper 6). Assists –ÊMississinewa 15, Manchester 19 (A. Sorg 9). Steals –ÊMississinewa 3, Manchester 11 (A. Sorg 4). Fouls –ÊMississinewa 25, Manchester 23. Fouled out –ÊWoodcox, Dailey, Carandante.
JV Score –ÊMississinewa 48, Manchester 43