Each Sunday, yours truly will take a look at some of the bigger stories and important notes of the week with a wrap up column.
This week, we will focus on girls only for the final time as boys basketball scrimmages took place this week with games opening up next week on the boys side.
TUESDAY NIGHT POWER BATTLES
How many Tuesday nights are we going to get this season as good as what we had this week?
Columbia City topped Snider in what has become one of the best games in Northeast Indiana in recent years. Although both teams lost a lot to graduation, the game was still a really tough one with the Eagles pulling out the road win thanks to 23 points and eight rebounds from Addison Baxter. While Baxter was expected to be the best player on the court, Janaya Copper continued to show her strength as a Snider freshman with 15 points. The win marked Columbia City coach Amy Shearer‘s 200th career victory.
Warsaw and Valparaiso was a heavyweight caliber showdown with the Tigers squeaking out a 73-71 overtime win. Valpo’s 19-5 first quarter had it looked like Warsaw could be doomed in this one, but the Tigers rallied to outscore Valpo 45-30 in the next two periods to even the game up. In overtime, Warsaw held an 8-6 advantage. Joslyn Bricker scored a game high 30 points for Warsaw while going 12-of-16 from the field; and yes Brooke Zartman, Brooke Winchester and Alexis Neely were all in double figures scoring as well.
And every time they square off we know we are getting a good one out of Norwell and Homestead. This year, the Spartans came out 76-66 winners with the strength of their shooting on full display. Gabby Helsom hit 7 of 8 three pointers on her way to a career high 34 points and there really wasn’t much that Norwell could do to stop her on the night as she was 13 of 14 from the field in total and scored 19 in the second half. Vanessa Rosswurm led Norwell with 18 points and the Knights trailed by just one at halftime. Homestead closed out the game in the second half, outscoring Norwell 17-13 and 21-16 in the final two quarters including a 17-8 run to finish the third.
WHAT TO THINK OF CONCORDIA
The Cadets pulled off their second upset in a row on Tuesday, topping East Noble after being such a force rebounding the ball. Nysia Walker secured eight offensive rebounds and those second chance opportunities were huge for Concordia to beat the NE8 foe. Alivia Bolinger led the way with 12 points but the Cadets were extremely balanced scoring.
It was the second half that Concordia pulled away and again showed their strength in closing close games, much like their win over Northrop last week.
Even though the win over East Noble only put Concordia at 3-2 at that point, the reality is they have established themselves as a very dangerous group. Blowout losses to Eastside and Bellmont, and then on Friday at Homestead, would make a lot of people think that the Cadets are far off the course. But a team that can win close games over what are considered superior opponents makes Concordia must watch basketball to me.
We talked last week about how the Cadets’ win over Northrop opens up the SAC, but their win over East Noble makes us wonder how much they can alter opponents’ track through the season. Sure, the losses to Eastside (NECC favorite), Bellmont (NE8 frontrunner) and Homestead (SAC favorites) may show that Concordia isn’t with the cream of the crop right now, but if you aren’t a top team it is looking like the Cadets could be that team this season that is dangerous any given night.
OTHER NOTES
Despite a loss, Mackenzie Collins scored 17 points for Leo Tuesday against Eastside….Mykayla Mast had her best game so far as a Fairfield Falcon Tuesday with 21 points in a loss to Northridge….Carroll freshman Cala Haffner continued to break out with 26 points Tuesday in a win over Huntington North and 20 in a loss to Northrop on Friday….Cara Schackow continued to climb Lakeland‘s all-time blocks list Tuesday with two blocks to push her into 4th all-time….Saturday, Bellmont beat Heritage 78-18, marking the most points scored under coach Andy Heim now in his 14th season; the closest was 77 against Mississinewa in 2017….In Saturday’s win over Whitko, Northrop got 31 points from Swynn Jackson and 26 from Khala Williams-Thomas….Columbia City‘s Torah Holler scored a career high 20 points Saturday in a win over Valparaiso….In Saturday’s win over North Side, East Noble got scoring from 10 different players, led by 18 from Addison Deming….Brookelyn Buzzard scored her 1,000th career point Saturday as she scored 29 in a Wabash win over Logansport….Brooke Zartman of Warsaw became the program’s record holder for most three pointers in a career Saturday; she hit 14 threes in two games over the day….Southern Wells in 5-1 for the first time since starting 8-0 in 2012.
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