Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 135, Number 51, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 22 December 2016 — Page 6

Page A6

Advance News * Thursday, December 22, 2016

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Football awards Photo submitted On Monday, Dec. 12, the North Wood football program gathered to celebrate its 2016 State Finalist and Northern Lakes Conference Championship season and to hand out

Panthers edge Plymouth in OT thriller

By Steve Sittler Correspondent JIMTOWN/ PLYMOUTH - Vinny Miranda and Luke Zurcher each scored 21 points as the Class 2A No. 2-ranked North Wood Panthers defeated the Plymouth Pilgrims 66-62 in overtime in the Northern Lakes Conference (NLC) opener for both teams. Earlier in the week, the Panthers demolished Jimtown 65-24 behind 26 points from Miranda. The Panthers remain unbeaten at 5-0 heading into a Christmas-week trip to Marion for the Marion Shootout. NORTHWOOD 66, PHS 62, OT Playing their first conference game of the season at the Rock in Plymouth, the Panthers used an inside-outside game in the opening quarter that featured a combined tsix points in the paint from Trey Bilinski and Caleb Lung and two 3-pointers from Luke Zurcher. The Pilgrims countered with three treys from three different players, and ■when the dust had settled after one period, North Wood clung to a 17-15 lead. In the second quarter, some very sloppy ballhandling and lackadaisical defense by the Panthers led to multiple turnovers and easy buckets that boosted Plymouth into the lead. However, a late offensive rebound bucket by Lung and a baseline 3-pointer at the buzzer by Bilinski kept North Wood in 'front at the halftime break at 24-23. Whatever Panther coach Aaron Wolfe said in the locker room worked wonders after 'the half, as Miranda, held to a single basket m the first half, erupted for seven quick points. Combined with: a pair of buckets by Zurcher, North Wood stretched its lead to 40-30 before the Pilgrims clawed their way back behind Garrett Tharp and Cam Dennie. Miranda and Zurcher finished with a combined 14 points in the quarter to make it 42-37 Panthers with eight minutes left in regulation. Both Miranda and Zurcher continued to 'pour it on in the fourth period, but the game 'stayed close thanks to a pair of NBA-length 3s by Plymouth senior Nick Felke. Lung and 'Click both had key buckets down the stretch •“for North Wood, but the game remained tied at 53 at the end of regulation as a contested & by Plymouth fell well short. Bilinski controlled the tip in the overtime

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Photo by James Costello North Wood's Vincent Miranda looks to pass while Plymouth's Garrett Tharp defends during a game in Plymouth last week.

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team awards. Award-winners, from left to right are: Drew Minnich (The Steve Miller, Mr. Black Crunch Player of the Year), Trey Bilinski (Offensive Player of the Year), Ethan Hochstetler (The Rod Bradway Special Teams Player of the Year), Lorenzo Rocha (Most Improved), Garrett Griffin (The Josh Calendar Comeback Player of the Year), Andrew Miller (Lineman of the Year), Caleb Newcomer (The Jim Andrews Panther Pride Award), Bailey Coleman (The Steve Neff - Look Player of the Year).

session, directing the ball to Miranda, who scored on a drive to put the Panthers ahead. It stayed that way for much of the extra period as Zurcher continued to slash his way to the bucket while Miranda bombed another 3. North Wood held a two-possession lead for most of the final two minutes thanks to 4 of 4 free throws by Miranda and Lung, and Zurcher then sealed the win with a charity toss with four seconds remaining. Zurcher and Miranda led all scorers with 21 points apiece, while Lung added 12 points and six rebounds in his best game of the season to date. Plymouth was paced by 15 points from Felke, 14 from Tharp, and 13 from Dennie. • NORTHWOOD 66. PLYMOUTH 62. OT Al Plymouth North Wood: 17 24 42 53 66 Plymouth: 15 23 37 53 62 NORTHWOOD (66): Luke Zurcher 7 5-8 21, Vinny Miranda 8 2-2 21, Brad Delio 0 0-0 0, DcAndre Smart 0 0-0 0; Caleb Gliek 2 0-0 5, Caleb Lung 5 2-2 12, Trey Bilinski 2 2-3 7; Totals: 24 11-15 66 PLYMOUTH (62): Clay Hilliard 2 0-0 5, Cam Dennie 5 1-2 13, Ryan Carmichael 1 0-0 3, Nick Felke 60-1 15, Travis Owen I 0-0 2, Kadin McCrammer 3 0-0 8, Cole Filson 0 2-2 2, Garrett Tharp 5 4-4 14; Totals: 23 7-9 62 3-pointers: NorthWbod 7 (Miranda 3, Zurcher 2, Glick, Bilinski); Plymouth 9 (Felke 3, Dennie 2, McCrammer 2, Hilliard, Carmichael) NORTHWOOD 65, JIMTOWN 24 Once again, as was the case in at Fairfield a few days earlier, things got out of hand quickly for the home team as North Wood bolted to a 19-4 advantage after one period behind six points each from Miranda and Caleb Lung. Miranda stayed hot from outside in the second quarter, knocking down three straight 3-pointers while Trey Bilinski handcuffed Jimtown's leading scorer, Sam Pawlak, holding him to just four points in the first half, and North Wood took a 34-8 lead to the locker room. The second half was no better for the Jimmies, as Miranda and Luke Zurcher combined for 17 points in the period before taking a seat for the rest of the night, leaving the Panthers in front 57-19 with eight minutes to play. The reserves took over for both teams for most of the final quarter as North Wood cruised to the easy win. Miranda led all scorers with 26 points in less than three quarters of play and added five rebounds and four assists. Zurcher See Panthers, Page AlO

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