There were so many big time scorers in Northeast Indiana this season. It made many games, as predictions of those games come down to who really had the advantage in scoring depth.
In the spirit of that, and although all of their seasons are over, we wanted to look back and five of those scoring duos that we probably didn’t pay enough attention to during their seasons.
CAEDMON BONTRAGER & JOSH PIKE, LAKEWOOD PARK
Although Lakewood Park fell short of winning a Sectional title, this team was a lot of fun to watch throughout a tough schedule. At the head of that was senior Josh Pike and sophomore Caedmon Bontrager. Pike was a pace pusher, ready to get out and run with any opponent of any stature, including SAC champion Bishop Luers. Pike’s pacing led to many a fast break alley oop to Bontrager, who spent the season showing off as one of the best above the rim performers in the area. By season’s end, Bontrager was pacing as one of the best overall scorers in the area and Pike was facilitating that either with his assists or by opening up Bontrager on the inside with his wing shooting.
MOLLY REAM & CARISSA WIEGMAN, BISHOP DWENGER
Bishop Dwenger’s girls started hot and struggled down the stretch, but a couple of their more experienced returners were at the forefront of the runs they made. While, by end of season, the masses weren’t talking about the Saints as much as they were early, Molly Ream and Carissa Wiegman’s production held sturdy. Ream was still one of the very best guards in the area and took off with reckless abandon. Wiegman, on the other hand, worked methodically in and around the post this season.
CALEB WRIGHT & JAKE LOCK, BENTON BUCKS
It can be said with ease that not enough people in the area took in the Elkhart County based homeschool duo. Their season came to an abrupt end with the cancellation of their Nationals tournament this past week. The Bucks were set to be a #1 seed in the tournament for the first time ever and the eighth overall seed. At the top of their powerful, 33-9 lineup were the senior Jake Lock (17.4 ppg) and sophomore Caleb Wright (18.4 ppg). You will get the chance to see Wright again with Benton and Lock in college, but missing them this year is certainly a shame. Wright scored 40 against Noble-Whitley on 13-of-20 shooting and hit 71 percent of his shots inside the arc all season. For Lock, who Outside the Huddle has talked about these past two seasons, he found a comfort role hitting 50% of all of his shots. Lock scored in single digits just three times, scoring a season best 33 against Trinity (South Bend).
LILLY MAST & JAZMYN SMITH, WEST NOBLE
With the Chargers’ up and down season, there wasn’t much talk about West Noble and their duo that both return next season. Mast averaged 13.4 points and Smith was at 10.4, but when rolling together, the duo looked nearly as good as any other scoring pair in a middle heavy NECC. It was also about 2/3 of the West Noble scoring this season. Both shot above the team’s field goal percentage averaging with Smith actually hitting 41% of her shots. They combined to shoot 224 free throws, played into with their ability to get to the rim and fight into contact, with Mast hitting 74% from the stripe.
CALEB NIXON & CONNOR PENROD, DEKALB
Both recently named to the All-NE8 Second Team, this was another fantastic inside-out duo. Nixon’s speed and skill on the perimeter was something that was well known coming into the season, but it is easy to say he flourished in having a post to work off. Penrod really broke out this season as a double double machine, getting more comfortable with his frame and scoring strong at the rim. While DeKalb ended up at the bottom end of the NE8, it wasn’t for the lack of scoring and aggression from this duo.
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