The Mail-Journal, Volume 26, Number 2, Milford, Kosciusko County, 25 February 1987 — Page 8

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THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., February 25,1987

Sports

Wawasee

J By MARK WEINSTEIN Sports Editor ELKHART — The Northern Lakes Conference displayed its strength during Saturday’s Elkhart Sectional swim meet. Twenty-one NLC swimmers from three schools qualified for this weekend’s state meet in Indianapolis. For Wawasee, the two-day sectional meet was spectacular. Eight Warriors —a school record — qualified for the elite swimming meet in high school athletics. Warsaw will also send eight swimmers, while Concord has five going to the state meet. Although both Warsaw and Wawasee each advanced eight swimmers, the Tigers walked

fSR.. ’ A MOREL VICTORY? — Wawasee’s Paul Morel swims the backstroke in the championship race £ of the 200 medley relay at the Elkhart Sectional. The Warriors narrowly placed second, but stjll advanced to next weekend’s state finals. (Photo by Mark Weinstein)

Welborn, Traviolia place at state match

INDIANAPOLIS — Wawasee’s Brett Traviolia finished his high school wrestling career Saturday on an impressive note. The 138pounder senior waltzed through the state finals before dropping a 8-3 decision in the title bout. Meanwhile, teammate Jeff Welborn finished fourth in the final round. Traviolia finished his season with a 26-9 record, while Welborn Closed his career with a 37-3 slate. Traviolia had little trouble in advancing throughout the tournament. After defeating Southport’s Doug Jackson 15-3, Traviolia whipped Dan Belser of Valparaiso, 11-5. Traviolia continued his dominance of his weight class by disposing of Darrell Box of Jennings County, 11-3, before falling in the championship. Shawn Garing (Floyd Central) defeated Traviolia 8-3 for the title. Welborn wasn’t as lucky as Traviolia. After winning the first two matches, Welborn suffered a 5-2 loss in the semifinals. In the losers bracket, Welborn lost 9-2, and placed fourth.

Recognition ceremony planned for 1977 WHS sectional champs

Major League baseball is starting to grab more and more headlines these days. You certainly can tell that the season is not too far down the road. Free Agency continues to be the, big attention-getter, but with Dick Howser’s resignation a couple of daVs ago, I m sure that will get more than ample ink. . You have to feel sorry for Howser, a gentleman who dearly loved the game of baseball. It was his life — now he is fighting for it. It had to take a lot of courage for Howser to admit that he is finished with baseball (on a full-time basis). For that, I respect him. Tickets for the Triton boys’ basketball Sectional will go on sale at the Wawasee High School athletic office Friday, Feb. 27, and Monday, March 2. Tickets will be available for parents, immediate family members, and faculty members beginning at 8a m. Friday. At 10 am., Green and Gold ticket holders may purchase their tickets. At 12 noon, season ticket holders and students may purchase their tickets. And one hour later, corporation residents may purchase their tickets. Corporation residents may also purchase their tickets prior to the Warriors’ game with Bremen. _ On Monday, tickets will go on sale at 8 a m. for corporation residents. At 10 am., all available tickets will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. At 2 p.m., all unsold tickets will be on sale for anyone desiring a ticket. Wawasee High School will return all unsold tickets to the tournament hosts at 4 p.m. Unlike in previous years, nophone orders will be accepted. Grace College opens its post-season basketball play Thursday evening when it hosts the winner of the Marion-Bethel contest. The Lancers, rated atop the NAIA District 21 poll, defeated the Pilots twice this season, but could only best Marion once. Should the Lancers win their first-round contest, they will play Monday, March 2, at home. They will face the winner of the Franklin-IUSB game, orSt. Francis. The NAIA District 21 championship game is scheduled for Wednesday, March 4, at the top seeded teams home court. Former Wawasee basketball star Mark Simpson is doing well for Caen in the France Professional Basketball League. The former draft pick of the NBA s Denver Nuggets (1984) is averaging 28.4 points a game for Caen.

away with the sectional title with 289 points. The Warriors placed second with 230 points, 91 better than a previous sectional high. Elkhart Central was third with 168 points, while Concord, and North Wood rounded out the top five places. Wrapping up the scoring were Goshen, Elkhart Memorial, East Noble, Tippecanoe Valley, and Bremen. “We swam our hearts out Saturday,” insisted Caldwell. “Saturday was the only day to qualify for state — and Saturday was the day we performed.” Performing to state competition levels Saturday were the Warriors’ two relay teams, Skip Winnebald, and David Keener. The initial event of the day — 200 medley relay — set the tone

1A L TOP FINISHERS — Wawasee’s Brett Traviolia, left, and Jeff Welborn, right, display their cards of the IHSAA state wrestling finals in Indianapolis. Traviolia placed second, while Welborn finished fourth. (Photo by Jim Jones)

sends eight to state swim meet

for the rest of the day. Warsaw’s team, consisting of Shane Diffendarfer, Kenton Hoppas, Rod Mohler, and Chad Twombly raced to the championship. There was no surprise there. But the way the event ended was a surprise. The Warriors used a strong finish in the final leg of the event to shade Cohcord. Still, both Wawasee and Concord advanced to state by bettering the state cut time. “The first event really juiced up everyone,” admitted Caldwell. “The kids were really electrified after the 200 medley relay.” Skip Winnebald was certainly electrified in the 50 freestyle. Winnebald smashed a school

Simpson was selected the league’s Man of the Month for November as he moved into fourth position in the league’s scoring chart. His best performance as a professional came in Caen’s November 22 game with Grenoble. Simpson finished the game with 45 points, but the way he accomplished the feat was incredible. He scored the team’s first 17 An The IVIA rl< points and 23 of Caen’s 27 points I »8 IVIdIK Simpson finished by connec- » ting on 11-of-18 shots from threepoint range. A special ceremony honoring MARK A W the 1977 Wawasee boys’ basket- VVEINSTEIN WlFf ball team is being planned by Wawasee athletic director Hal , S Traviolia. All players, managers and coaches will be honored at W3* IWB halftime of the Warriors’ Friday, Feb. 27 game with Bremen. The 1977 team was the first unit in Wawasee history to win a sectional championship. - A Wawasee’s Amy Barton put her name in the Wawasee girls basketball varsity record books this season by scoring 107 points in her freshman seaspn. The former record was held by Grace Stichter (1979-80) with 73 points. . Stichter also holds the sophomore record, 211 points, which Barton will be shooting to smash next season. Senior Kelly Brooks set a new record for blocked shots — 50 — this season. Prior to this season, blocked shots were not kept in the record book. Sturonjac used Brooks Koble’s 35 points Monday evening to cap ture the Wawasee Adult Basketball league tournament, 75-67 over North American Wire Dye. Rob McCoy led the losers with 20 points. Just a reminder from some of Wawasee’s most faithful athletic fans — the Solid Ones are coming soon. Stay tuned for further information in this publication.

record while breezing to the sectional championship. His 22.74 effort shaded teammate Mark Rich’s 22.78 clocking. David Keener kept the Warriors’ moving in the right direction when he placed third in diving. The finish automatically advanced Keener into the state championships. Doug Rice of Elkhart Central won the competition with 4699.30 points. Goshen’s Jason Pyles, the Northern Lakes Conference champion, finished second, while Keener was third. Wawasee’s 400 freestyle relay team rounded out the Warriors’ champions and state qualifiers. Mark Rich, Steve Rozow, Brad Smith, and Matt Fryback went 3:20.10 to win the event. “We swam really well, but we still have to drop our times,” said Caldwell, in preparation for the state meet. “We’re down to one meet.” Other top Wawasee finishers included Smith’s second place in the 100 butterfly. Fryback placed third in the event.

Warriors move to 10-1 with win

SYRACUSE — Wawasee’s girls gymnastics team improved its record to 10-1 on the season with an easy 89.75-78.5 victory over Plymouth Tuesday evening. A balanced effort keyed Wawasee victory. The Warriors, in the meet, took four first place efforts en route to the win. Anne Pohl paced the winning effort with a pair of first places. She captured top honors on the vault — along with Julie Schmahl — and won, outright, the floor exercise. Other Wawasee champions were Schmahl, with Pohl on the

INDIANAPOLIS — Summaries of Saturday's final matches In the 49th Indiana High School Athletic Assocla tion state wrestling tournament of Market Square Arena: 98 pounds — Geoff Glogas, Jay Co., def. Dennis Seramur, Valparaiso, 20 4. 105 — David Ferguson, Jay Co., def. Scott Shultz, Chesteron, 16 10. 112 — Lance Ellis, indpls. Cathedral, def. John Faurote, Bell mont, 3-1. 119 — Keith Huddleston, Avon, def. Adam Condo, Portage, 12 3. 126 — Hugh Waddington, Lawrence North, def. Brian Johnson, Beech Grove, 5-4. 132 — Jeff Tuttle, Delta, def. Paul Baker, Bellmont, 9-8. 138 — Shaun Garing, Floyd Central, def. Brett Traviolia, Wawasee, 8-3. 145 — Bret Schnur, Evansville Mater Dei, def. Tom Horan, Greensburg, 3-2. 155 — Paul Voigt, Carroll (Allen), def. Bobby Johnson, Wes-Dei, 8-6. 167 — Tom Uhrick, Ft. Wayne Elmhurst, def. Richard Bacan, Warren Central, 10-7. 177— Ron Coffel, Bremen, def. John Kintz, Bellmont, 5-1. 185 — Jeff Beaton, Indpls. Scecina, def. Jeff Redford, Beech Grove, 9-4. Heavyweight — Mike Fross, Lake Central, def. Mike Faulkner, Mishawaka, 5-1,

Elkhart Sectional Team Scores — Warsaw 289, Wawasee 230, Elkhart Central 168, Concord 144, North Wood 88, Goshen 80, Elkhart memorial 78, East NOble 52, Tippecanoe Valley 49, Bremen 14. 200 medley Relay — Warsaw (Shane Diffendarfer, Kenton Hoppas, Rod ~Mohler, Chad Twombly) 1:41.60; Wawasee; Concord; Central; Goshen; East Noble. 200 Freestyle — Steve Hoppas (War saw) 1:48.85; ,Rory Callaghan (War saw); Jason Landrum (Central); Dan Stauffer (Concord); Shane Maust (North Wood Peter Dyba (Warsaw). 200 Individual Medley — Rod Mohler (Warsaw) 2:02.25; Kenton Hoppas (Warsaw); Matt Fryback (Wawasee); Scott Berry (Tippecanoe Valley); Jeremy Houchens (Concord); Bob Kruse (East Noble). 50 Freestyle — Skip Winnebald (Wawasee) 22.74; Mark Rich (Wawasee); Chad Twombly (Warsaw); Dan Burns (Central); Scott Anderson (Memorial); Tim Mitchell (GoShen). Diving — Doug Rice (Central) 469.30; Jason Pyles (Goshen); David Keener (Wawasee); Todd Waikel (Warsaw); Bill Grossmart’(Concord); Tim Grossman (Concord).

vault, and Shelly Daniels on the bars. Schmahl and Pohl scored 8.1 on the vault, while Shelly Daniels finished with a 7.20 score. Still, the gained them the remaining points. Sherry Daniels find Saby Vale • tied for third on the vault, and Sherry Daniels was second to her sister on the bars. Pohl placed second on the beam with a 7.65 score, and Tressa Littleton and Schmahl placed second and third — behind Pohl — in the floor exercise, “Even though we are falling apart — because of injuries — I

Dickerson stays at WHS

SYRACUSE — To everyone’s surprise, Myron Dickerson has removed his letter of resignation from Wawasee High School and will remain as the school’s head football coach and dean of students. Dickerson made the announcement Wednesday morning from his office after discussing the matter with Dr. Roger Thornton, superintendent of the Wawasee Community School Corporation. “I’ve seriously considered several options of leaving, but feel the best thing for me is to stay at Wawasee,” Dickerson said, adding, “One needs to make a commitment for a year and I’ve made mine to Wawasee High School — my future is here.” Dickerson came to Wawasee seven years ago. At that time, the Warriors’ football program was virtually non-existent. Since then, however, Dickerson has guided Wawasee to the Class 3A state championship game in % 1985, and to an unbeaten regular season last year. Wawasee continued last season where it left off in the 1985 season. The Warriors finished 8-0, in-

Kim Zurcher had a nice evening last Thursday at Indiana. The former Wawasee standout scored 11 points, dished out six assists, and had three rebounds. But Minnesota still fell to the Hoosiers, 72-70. For the season, Zurcher is averaging 9.2 points a game (overall) and 8.8 in the Big Ten. Zurcher’s field goal shooting is below par for the former Warrior (41%), however, Zurcher has canned 92% of his free throws — best on the team among the regular players. Zurcher’s scoring high this season (21 points) came in the Golden Gophers’ 78-57 loss to lowa. He’s led the team in scoring on four different occasions. The latest was against Purdue (16 points). He has led the team in rebounding once this season — 6 rebounds against Ohio State. Wawasee’s freshman boys’ basketball team closed out its season ’ Saturday, Feb. 14, with the best freshman record in recent memory, 8-10. However, the Warriors placed second in the Northern Lakes Conference tournament by dropping a 47-40 decision to Concord. The Warriors earned the right to play for the title with a 39-37 semi-final win over Bremen. Chris Conkling scored 16 points to lead WdWflS€€. In the finale, however, Concord was just a little better than Wawasee. Both teams traded baskets most of the game, and the game was in doubt until 1:34 remained in the game. At that time, Wawasee’s Randy Cesco fouled out, and the Minutemen cruised to the victory. Conkling was Wawasee’s top scorer in the championship contest. He finished with 22 points. The Warriors’ first game of the tournament, Thursday, was a relatively easy game for Wawasee. The Warriors defeated the Zebras 43-35. An all-state pamphlet crossed my desk this week, and usually, I just throw them in the file — 13 of course. But on this day, when my work load was minimaLand bordering on boredom, I thought I would read about this great basketball player. I was amazed. The pamphlet praised the play of Brian Bippus, a 6-5 senior from Marion County 's School for the Deaf. This story proves that people are people — there’s no person better than another. Anyway, Bippus has great statistics. He averaged 16.2 points a game this season, including a triple double (28 points, 20 rebounds, and 12 assists). He has scored and re-

100 Butterfly — Chad Twombly IWarsaw) 54.32; Brad Smith (Wawasee); Matt Fryback (Wawasee); Mike Jansen (Concord); Eric Mohler (Warsaw); Bob Kruse (East Noble). 100 Freestyle — Jason Landrum (Central) 48.88; Steve Hoppas (Wawasee); Scott Anderson (Memorial); Paul Deming (Warsaw); Carl Winnebald (Wawasee). 500 Freestyle — Rory Callaghan (Warsaw) 4:53.10; Dan Stauffer (Concord); Peter Dyba (Warsaw); Shane Maust (North Wood tony Doyle (Warsaw); Keith Bush (North Wood 100 Backstroke — Kenton Hoppas (Warsaw) 56:36; Randy Stauffer (Concord); Scott Berry (Tippecanoe Valley); Paul Morel (Wawasee); Devin Keim (Wawasee); Tim Mitchell (Goshen). 100 Breastrokp — Rod Mohler (Warsaw) l-OHJ; Shane Diffendarfer (Warsaw); Jeff Unger (Goshen); Dan Burns (Central); Glenn Guimond (Wawasee); Craig Searcy (Central). 400 Freestyle Relay — Wawasee (Mike Rich, Steve Rozow, Brad Smith, Matt Fryback) 3:20.10; Concord; Warsaw; Central; North Wood; Tippecanoe Valley.

though we came up with a very respectable score,” insisted Wawasee coach Tracy Sumpter. “The girls are pulling together as a team.” In junior varsity competition, Littleton won the vault competition with a 7.75 score. Other Warrior winners were Julie Gunn on the beam (6.4), and floor exercise (6.25). The Warriors will close out the regular season Saturday, March 7, with a triangular meet with East Noble and Homestead. It was originally scheduled as an away meet.

gm MYRON DICKERSON eluding five shutouts, and were ranked No. 1. In Dickerson’s seven seasons at Wawasee, he has compiled a 38-36 record. The three seasons prior to Dickerson’s reign, Wawasee compiled a 4-16 mark. Before coming to Wawasee, Dickerson served four years as head coach at Fort Wayne North, compiling a 26-11 record. He resigned following North’s perfect 1979 season which included a No. 5 final ranking.

IB I A I 'WHBB ■ j 3 I II BBb Bl CELEBRATION — Wawasee’s Skip Winnebald celebrates his sectional victory in the 50 freestyle Saturday afternoon at Elkhart Central High School. Winnebald’s time, 22.74, is a new Wawasee record. (Photo by Mark Weinstein)

Boys' basketball pairings Triton Triton Friday,4:3op.m. _____ Tippe. Valley Saturday, 7:30 p.m. bum Rochester Wednesday, 7:30p.m. Warsaw _ _ OFFICIALS: Tom Schenkel, Huntington, Jerry Christie, Kokomo; David Trietsch, Fort Wayne; Dale Blosser, Elkhart.

bounded in double digits 95% of his games since junior high. For the season, he shot 60% from the field and 70% from the charity stripe. . Academically, he holds a 3.6 grade point average (third in his class). He hopes to attend Purdue University or Gallaudet. Serving as the guest panelist this week is Richard Rhodes. Rhodes has improved since his return two weeks ago that I thought I would give him one final week of predicting. Next week s guest will be Tim Caldwell. It is expected to be the last week of predicl,lDerk Kuhn proved that his age is not affecting his predictions. The basketball statistician missed one of the eight games, thus moving one-game behind Mark Weinstein for the lead. With two weeks remaining, it should go down to the wire for the championship. . , „ Heading the prep list is Wawasee’s contest with Bremen. With the win, the Warriors will finish second in the Northern Lakes Conference. Other games include Plymouth at SB LaSalle, Warsaw at Elkhart Central, Rochester at Logansport, Goshen at Mishawaka, Westview at Concord, North Wood at Fairfield, and Prairie Heights at Northridge. Topping the college games are Indiana at Purdue, and Michigan at lowa. MARK WEINSTEIN <.792) — Wawasee. LaSalle, Warsaw. . Logansport, Mishawaka, Concord, North Wood, Northridge, Purdue, and lowa. z . DERK KUHN 1.783) —Wawasee, LaSalle, Central, Logansport. Mishawaka, Cone Wood. Northridge, Purdue, and lowa. MARK HUFFMAN 77^64ll—Wawasee, LaSalle, Warsaw, Rochester, Mishawaka, Concord? Fairfield, Northridge, Indiana, and lowa. ® HOMER MILLER (.725) —Wawasee, LaSalle. Warsaw. Logansport, Mishawaka, Concord, Fairfield, Northridge. Indiana, and lowa. •RICHARD RHODES (.725) —Wawasee, LaSalle. Elkhart Central, Logansport, Goshen, Concord, North Wood, Northridge, Indiana, and lowa. •Denotes Guest Panelist