Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 127, Number 46, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 11 November 2004 — Page 6

Page 6

Advance News • Thursday. November 11. 2004

Panthers season comes to close in 14-11 Sectional loss

By Kam Bough Correspondent WA-NEE - The NonhWvxxi Panthers were defeated in the championship game of the football-"sec-tional last Friday at Andrew s'Field. 14-11 hy the New Prairie Cougars. The Panthers finish the season w ith a 10-2 record. New Prairie is now 11 -1 and takes an 11-game w inning streak into their regional game w ith Norwell. New Prairie head coach Bart Curtis is a I*4Bl graduate of North Wood. He has led the Cougars to the first football sectional championship in school history . Panther coach Rich Dodson credited his players with “playing hard" but pointed out that “we did not take advantage of some things.” Cougar coach Curtis thought that “our defense played their tails off tonight. To hold North Wood to a touchdown and a field goal is huge.” As so often happens in a championship game between two quality football teams, missed opportunities, defense and key plays determined the winner. North Wood opened the game

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A . ' (North Wood girls’ volleyball finishes campaign with 23-11 mark

By Kern Bough Correspondent i WA-NEE - North Wood High School's volleyball team finished the 2004 season with a 23-11 record. The Panthers have now won 20 matches in 12 of the past 14 years that Peg Bough has been the

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with a nine-play. 65-yard drive but had to settle for a 3b-yard field goal by Ryan Burkhart The Panthers would regain pov of the ball after five Cougai play s when they recovered a fumble at the New Prairie 47. However the Cougar defense would not allow the Panthers another first dow n in the first half, and loived the Panther, into three straight thive-and-out possessions ending in punts New Prairie followed the Panther field goal with an eight play. 70-yard drive ending in a 17-yard uxtchdovvn pass from quarterback Jacob Findley to Joe Sosinski. The Cougars would take this 7-3 lead to the locker-room at halftime. The key play of the game came at the end of the first possession of the second half. After taking the kickoff. New Prairie was forced to punt after the Panthers held them to a ihree-and-out and a punt. Panther star Jason Hochstetler fumbled the windblown punt and the Cougars recovered on tire Panther 16-yard line. Five plays later quarterback Findley scored on a one-yard inn. The PAT by Katlyn Reyes put

head coach. The Red Slam had a "very up and down year" according to coach Bough. The Panthers struggled early in the season with consistency, but managed to gain a 7-4 record after 11 matches. The Panthers regrouped and

tk' Cougars up 14-3. The Panthers scored at 10:55 of the fourth quarter when Michael Ramirez powered his way into the end zone from the one yard line. A two point conversion by Ramirez would make tk- score 14-11. The Punik'iN would have one more chance to vv in this game. After tire Cougars consumed over six minutes on their next drive, they were forced to punt. l ire Panthers would start their final dt iv eof the season at 4:10 from their ow n 20-yatvl line, After moving the kill to the New Prairie 47. the Panthers were caught in a fourth and seven situation with 3*) seconds to play. A six-yard reception by senior Andrew Huber would leave the Panthers one yard short and would give ik kill, and the sectional championship. to the Cougars. Jason Hochstetler and Matt Myers led the Panther defense in their final North Wood game with 10 tackles each. Senior Landon Martin and Kyle Martin added six.

went on a tear, winning 13 of their next 16 matches, including a 10match winning streak. The final matches of the year, including sectional play at NorthWood. saw the Panthers drop four of seven matches in the inconsistent and uninspired manner that marked their play earlier in the season. Head Coach Peg Bough was frustrated the way the team finished the season. "It was very difficult for me to

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DAT PHOTOS LEFT - Casey Bough (4) sets up a volley. Bough received the North Wood award for best serving percentage at <77 percent, as well as the outstanding setter award. RIGHT Erika Stouder (6) attacks the net during this year's sectionals held at North Wood. Stouder was co-MVP of the team.

Sports

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DAT PHOTO ABOVE Landon Martin (82) goes In for the defensive play during NorthWood's loss to New Prairie, last Friday. Martin also had one fumble recovery for the night. LEFT Corey Emery (88) looks on anxiously as North Wood goes for a first down with 33 seconds remaining In the game. The Panthers charge was short by one yard and the game was lost 14-11. RIGHT Michael Ramirez (28) scored the only touchdown for the Panthers, and a 4wo-polnt conversion, In the fourth quarter of the game to bring the team within one field goal of the Cougars.

finish the season in such a lackluster way," she said. "We seemed to lose our focus and did not play with much enthusiasm. “It almost seemed that we were just going through the motions," she added. “After the improvement we made during our 10-match winning streak, I really felt that we were ready to contend for the sectional championship, but there were just times we did not show up to play." Help may not be to far away. The

Panther JV team, under first year coach Megan Godfrey, had an outstanding year and finished the season with an impressive 22-4 record. A strength of the JV team was their depth with several players contributing on a regular basis. The members of the JV team were Steph Steiner. Kayla Graber. Bethany Ramer, Anna Kitson, Erin Hoffer, Brittany Pruitt, Calley Tucker and Kailey Thornburg. Several of these girls will play significant roles on

next year’s varsity team. The Panthers lose four players. Audrey Duncan, Anne Hochstetler, Mindy Blosser, and April Carlisle will graduate. The Panthers will return Joslynn Focht, Erika Stouder, Amanda Sumpter. Heather Stutzman, Bethany Slabaugh, and Casey Bough. The following award winners were announced by coach Bough: •CO-MVP Audrey Duncan, Erika Stouder •Mental Attitude April Carlisle •Most Improved Heather Stutzman •Best Serving Percent Casey Bough, 97% •Defensive Award Joslynn Focht, 282 digs •Offensive Award Audrey Duncan, 478 kills •Outstanding Setter Casey Bough, 872 assists

North Wood students gain postseason honors

WA-NEE North Wood High School senior, Audrey Duncan was named Northern Lakes All-Con-ference for volleyball. Junior Erika Stouder was named Honorable Mention All-Conference for volleyball. The North Wood volleyball team tied for fourth in the NLC. Senior Michael Ramirez, senior Andrew Huber, senior Aaron Hahn, senior Jason Hochstetler. senior Trevor Shields, senior Landon Martin and junior Ryan Burkhart were named All-Conference for football. Junior Kodi Diemer, junior Darren Lengacher and senior Kirk Mast were named Honorable Mention All-Conference for football. The North Wood football team tied for first with Concord and Wawasee in the NLC.