The Mail-Journal, Volume 27, Number 3, Milford, Kosciusko County, 2 March 1988 — Page 8
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THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., March 2,1988
Sports
Warriors stumble past Lions
BREMEN — Wawasee’s boys’ basketball win Saturday was far from picturesque. The Warriors turned the ball over with regularity and shot poorly, but their performance was irrelevant as they whipped the host Lions, 49-38, in both team’s seasonending games. The win was the Warriors’ sixth straight, moving their mark to 11-9 overall and 3-4 in the Northern Lakes Conference. Bremen fell to 10-10 overall and 2-5 in conference play. “It wasn’t pretty, but it still counts as a win,” said Wawasee head coach Gary Goshert following the triumph. “We never really got into the flow of the game. We were tight, a little nervous and our shooting percentage was poor. To win under those circumstances says a great deal about our kids.” The Warriors’ character was
Streaking Warriors await
SYRACUSE — It is amazing what a positive attitude can do for a basketball team. Wawasee used the positive mental approach — since Christmas — to turn its season completely around. In the midst of winter, Wawasee held a 2-7 record and looked to be sliding backwards. Three months later, however, the Warriors finished the season at 11-9 and appear to be a strong contender in the Triton Sectional. “I wasn’t surprised with the way we started,” admitted Wawasee’s enthusiastic mentor Gary Goshert. “I knew it would take some time for the chemistry to be right. It has happened.” Indeed. Darin Atwood, the Warriors’ leading scorer, was the catalyst on the court during the resurgence. The 6-1 senior picked up much of the scoring load, but never sacrificed his defensive duties. As Atwood shined, so did the Warriors. His play and leadership —by example — seemed to inspire other players to pick up their game a notch. The Warriors responded. Basil Bonner, a reserve player one year ago, has enjoyed a great season in a starting role. Basically a defensive., specialist, Bonner has shown the ability to score with a high percentage. He’s also one of Wawasee’s top rebounders. Other Warriors contributing include Matt Koble and Matt Dick. Koble moved into the starting lineup midway through the season, replacing Dick, and has provided instant scoring potential. The gifted junior is one of the Warriors’ best three-point shooters. Dick, meanwhile, is another talented long-range shooter. The junior comes off Goshert’s bench in a positive way— offensively and defensively. With the pair of long-range shooters, no lead is safe against Wawasee.
Wawasee Lineup
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never questioned in the contest, only their ability to put the ball in the net. They connected on 15 of 41 shots from the field for 37%. Bremen was even colder, hitting just 11 of 42 shots for 26%. “This was our bad game and now we are ready to go into the sectional,” added Goshert. “For us to win tonight after the way we looked it should take some of the pressure off us. We’ll be prepared for the (Warsaw) Tigers.” The Warriors battle Warsaw in the opening round of the Triton Sectional beginning Wednesday at 7:30. After a very sluggish first period, which ended in a 9-all tie, Wawasee took control of the game in the second. Behind seven Basil Bonner points, the Warriors pulled away from the scrappy Lions with a 16-8 scoring surge. The breathing room gained in the second period proved to be all
Perhaps the biggest surprise, so be it a pleasant one, is the Warriors’ inside game. Nonexistent earlier in the season, Wawasee has gained valuable contributions from seniors Brett Harter, Brian Rensberger, John Erasure and Rob Huey. Harter has come on strong since the first of the year, similar to last season. The 6-1 senior for-
TIPOFF: 7:30p.m. SITE: Triton H.S., Bourbon. RADIO: WRSW-FM 107.3 WAWASEE: 11-9 Overall 3-4 NLC STRENGTH: Wawasee is playing its best basketball at the right time — entering post season play. The Warriors have won six straight contests and eight-out-of-nine. Keying the Warriors' surge is a positive attitude and hard work. Nothing comes easy for Gary Goshert's squad, they make things happen. Darin Atwood led Wawasee from a 2-7 record at mid-season to its present 11-9 mark. He took over at both ends of the court and the team followed. Atwood, Matt Koble and Matt Dick represent a solid' perimeter shooting team. All three can sink three-pointers with regularity but will penetrate at will. The Warriors' inside game (Brett Harter, John Frasure, Rob Huey, Basil Bonner, and Brian Rensberger) have come of age. KEY MATCH-UPS: In Wawasee's earlier meeting with the Tigers, Warsaw's inside game dominated. Wawasee's painters must control the boards and make the Tigers' Brandon Creighton and Jeff Anderson have trouble getting into the flow of the game. Wawasee has the edge in the backcourt, but the play between Warsaw's Ty Woodruff and the Warriors' three guards could be important. All players are intense, evident by a temper flareup between Woodruff and Dick in their first meeting. WARSAW: 8-11 Overall 3-4 NLC STRENGTH: The Tigers have turned into a solid basketball team, playing their best ball — like Wawasee — at season's end. Warsaw's post players are aggressive and talented which could create a problem for the Warriors. The leader of the Warsaw unit is Woodruff, a hard-nosed guard. He leads the Tigers in scoring (15.7) and floor burns. As Woodruff goes, often so do the Tigers. Other strengths include a dependable bench and balanced offensive attack. Creighton averages 13.1 points a game, while Anderson nets 10 a game. KEY MATCH-UPS: Warsaw needs to get Wawasee's 'big' people in foul trouble. The Warriors have depth in the frontcourt but are less talented.
ward collected a career-high 20 points in Wawasee’s contest with Elkhart Central. Rensberger, Frasure and Huey have been steady performers for Goshert’s team. The trio have learned how to play within their abilities, which then gives
the distance the Warriors needed. With both team’s shooting woes, neither team felt comfortable in a come-from-behind position. Wawasee’s run started with the Warriors scoring the first seven points in the period. Defensive pressure applied to the Lions in their backcourt confused the hosts in the spurt. Bremen could never fully recover. Both teams played evenly in the final 16 minutes, although Bremen moved within five points, 43-38, with 27 seconds remaining. But Bonner,> the Warriors’ leading scorer with 20 points, iced the game from the charity stripe. The 6-0 senior played one of his better games (next to his play at North Wood two weeks ago). He finished with 20 points, a season high, including 12 of 13 from the foul line. Bonner added nine re-
Wawasee a triple threat — scoring, rebounding and intelligence. Still, for Wawasee to be successful in post-season play, all units (players) need to contribute in a positive way.> “We are not a one man team, we need everyone playing hard and contributing,” added Goshert. “Darin (Atwood) led us through the second half of the
season but everyone’s important.” Especially if the Warriors progress through the sectional field. Because of the draw, Wawasee will need three victories to capture the sectional title. The parade to the crown begins
9 ■ Rw- w JF I DARIN ATWOOD
WHS support SYRACUSE — Generally, sectional time means excitement in Wawasee’s three communities. This season is no exception, although the amount of support has fallen in 1988. Last year shirts were printed by Butler Signs as part of the presectional hype. This year they printed just 100 banners. Both projects were funded by businesses in the three communities. Individuals participating in collecting money, printing and distribution of banners include Mike and Karen Huey; Jack and Cindy Peterson; Harry and Nancy Bonner; Maggie Crouch; Jack Dietzen; and Dave and Susie Sutler.
bounds to lead the Green and Gold. Brett Harter collected nine points before fouling out in the final frame. Darin Atwood finished with seven points. Bremen was paced by senior Joe Bennett’s 17 points. Casey Miller added 11 for the Lions. In junior varsity action, Bremen confused Wawasee in its 46-34 victory. Pete Bonner led Wawasee with 10 points, while Chad Hoffert collected seven and Jeff Boyer finished with six. Tigers Next Wawasee (49) FG FT TP Bonner 4-10 12-13 20 Harter 3.5 3.3 9 Frasure 1-3 0-0 2 Koble 1-3 o-O 2 Atwood 3-12 0-0 7 Carey 0-1 22 2
sectional opener
Wednesday night against Warsaw and could culminate Saturday against the RochesterTippecanoe Valley winner. The Warriors defeated both foes in the regular season. However, they dropped lopsided games to Warsaw and Triton. Getting into the championship round could be the Warriors’ largest hurdle. But to Goshert, all hurdles are struggles. “Every team in the sectional can win it,” insisted Wawasee’s second-year coach. “We do not match up well with anyone (in the sectional field) so we really have
Syracuse graduate wins state title
SYRACUSE - Playing in a state championship basketball game is nothing new to Wawasee High School or its basketball fans. The Warriors played in the title game in 1984. But four years later, LaMar Kilmer, a Syracuse High School graduate made his first trip to Market Square Arena for the championship contest. The 1959 graduate had little to do except sit on Fort Wayne Snider’s bench, offer suggestions and encouragement to the players. You see, Kilmer is the coach of the 1988 Indiana High School girls’ state champions — Fort Wayne Snider Panthers. It was a dream come true for the Syracuse native. It was also a moment he and his parents, who still reside in Syracuse, will never forget. “We’re mighty proud of him, we’ve always been proud of him,” said the coach’s father, Henry Kilmer, from his Oakwood Park home. “He’s a good coach, he gets a lot out of his players, they really respect him.” The elder Kilmer’s, Henry and Dorothea, did not make the trip to Indianapolis for the state finals. Instead, they glued themselves to their television set and watched with great interest.
Wawasee wins finale —set for sectional
SYRACUSE — Wawasee closed its regular season Monday by edging Elkhart Central, 95.85-94.15, in a meet of Wawasee Sectional powers. The Warriors’ junior varsity added a victory to their ledger with a 79.75-65.55 triumph. The Warriors, 13-2 overall, were led by Angela Kistler and Anne Pohl. Kistler won the beam competition by scoring 8.55, then added a second place in allaround (33.05) and third on vault and bars.
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Huey 1-2 0-0 2 Rensberger 0-0 0-0 0 Dick 2-7 1-3 5 Totals 15-43 18-21 49 3-point shooting: (Team: 1-2) Atwood 1Turnovers: 19. Bremen (38) FG FT TP Unrue 0-0 2-2 2 Tucker 0-3 1-3 1 Breiler 0-2 0-0 0 Lawmaster 2-8 0-1 4 Bennett 6-14 3-4 17 Moren 0-1 1-2 1 Miller 3-9 5-8 11 Weston 0-2 2-2 2 Totals 11-39 14-22 38 3-point shooting: (Team: 2-5) Bennett 2Turnovers: 13. Score By Quarters Wawasee 9 16 8 16—49 Bremen 9 8 9 12—38 Officials: Don Resler and Judson River, both of Fort Wayne. Junior varisty score: Bremen, 46-34.
to perform well. Team defense will be very important.” Another aspect Goshert feels is important is the ability for his team to play relaxed and with confidence. Last year’s club was unable to play in a comfortable way, forcing an early exit. There could be no telling how far Wawasee could go in the tournament if it plays in a positive, relaxed mode. “I think we are building confidence each time we play,” added Goshert. “But I also know we need to be relaxed on the court. We need to be at peace with ourselves mentally.”
When the final seconds ticked off the clock in the championship, the couple smiled and went on with business. Still, they were very happy for their son. “We didn’t go down because we didn’t think that was our place to be,” admitted Henry. “But we wouldn’t have missed the games. They were good games — we are very happy.” The coaching Kilmer started his profession one year removed from Manchester College. In 1963 he coach eighth grade boys at Fort Wayne’s Northwood Junior High. Several years later he moved to Snider High School to coach the Panthers. Kilmer was an outstanding basketball player at Syracuse. He averaged between 17 and 19 points a game for the Yellowjackets his senior season. He con-(J tinued his skills at Manchester College. “A lot has happened in the last couple, of days,” admitted the elder Kilmer. “We’ve seen our son on TV, watching the games and celebration afterwards. It’s quite an honor.” Indiana’s basketball world gave Kilmer an opportunity for the slam dunk — state title — and he scored.
Pohl, meanwhile, won the floor exercise with an 8.55 score and placed second on the vault with a 8.45 tally. Nicole Iwankowitsch won the bars event by scoring 8.7. The senior nosed out Central’s Kim Boyd, who finished at 8.55. In junior varsity competition, Diane Karst won all-around for the Warriors with a 26.20 score, while Nikki Marsh won the beam with a 6.55 tally. The pair of JV’s joined for the
s®(lb '^ JH < > 3Mkp *£* * \ 1 J|W| 1" " ’ Kt P bb \ i '' ; t7y A ‘4' , '- ■ v . ■■ •\;7gfel„.-. — ->r-"'~~ <S«JI . £~ t i •K>«-z- p ~~ ■> ? OIBL _ ~ - . K W" ——-- > - _ ■. ..... »^— — ..__^■■■> LOOKING FOR HELP — Basil Bonner looks for help as two Bremen defenders surround him in Friday’s NLC contest at Bremen. Bonner scored 20 points leading the Warriors to their sixth straight win, a 49-38 decision. (Photo by Mark Weinstein) BT** 10 ||gggSgMMM|MMMp|||y|^gj|g^|MagMM^|fap« > ' ~" i H w vV’Jßb 11 li SB'^Blß’u ,zZ Z ’ . " ■ Wp- i X't' -*»«— ; \'.B B -■ Wl kv \' .. *r - - 1 * V . JPI ißLaJik IP ' Wbih»**~- * **<* ll ■ 11 111111 ■ *3IW- IjJßk *» - TURNOVER — An unidentified Bremen player cradles the basketball just after Basil Bonner slipped to the floor and lost the ball. Wawasee used clutch free throw shooting in the final quarter to defeat the host Lions, 49-38. (Photo by Mark Weinstein)
top spot on vault with 7.35 scores before Katja Neibert closed the competition with a 7.0 score on bars and the win. Neibert was named the gymnast of the meet. The Warriors look to defend their sectional championship for the third straight year when they begin Saturday at 10 a.m. Stiff competition awaits Wawasee as Concord and Elkhart Central compete in the sectional field. Concord is paced by senior
Chris Wirt, an outstanding performer in most categories. Other top athletes at the sectional include Elkhart Central’s Boyd, bars and vault; Warsaw’s Tammy Gill, all-around and beam; Elkhart Memorial’s Missy Harrington, vault; and Kistler, Pohl and Iwankowitsch from Wawasee. Joining the veteran Warriors will be three freshman — Barb Signorelli, Karen Butt and Britani Stoller — making their first sectional appearance.
“The sectional should be very close,” said Wawasee coach Tracy Sumpter. “The key will be who stays on beam.” The Warriors are led by Kistler (on beam) although Sumpter noted her team has depth in every department. “It’s not just, on her (Kistler’s) shoulders,” said Sumpter. “But this event will be very important.” Wawasee will host regional competition the following weekend.