Manchester's Chase Fierstos goes up for two of his team leading 23 points. Photo by Gary Andrews

By Gary Andrews

The Manchester boys’ basketball team was hosting Tippecanoe Valley on Friday and it was more than just another game. Valley was bringing a 3-0 Three Rivers Conference conference record into the game with the Squires needing a win to draw even in the loss column for the TRC lead.

Top that with Valley being the former home of Chainey Zolman, plus Chase Fierstos getting his first start since being injured just two games into the season and the Squires were flying sky high.
Perhaps things were flying a little too high the first half the Squires trailed 32-19 at the break before a thrilling second half comeback gave Manchester a 56-51 win.

Valley quickly led 3-0 before a Zolman bucket and two Koehl Fluke free throws had the Squires trailing just 5-4 when things unraveled a bit. Valley would score 8 straight to grab a 13-4 lead halfway through the quarter as the Squires didn’t score again until the 2:52 mark when Cameron Brandenburg drained a three pointer that was followed by a Zolman free throw and a Braydon Sewell bucket to cut the Valley lead to 13-10 by the end of the first quarter.

Northfield coach Buddy Ireland gives his final pep talk before the Norse take the floor. Photo by Gary Andrews

By Gary Andrews

HUNTINGTON -- The Northfield boys’ basketball team went on the road to Huntington Saturday, nearly pulling off the upset as it fell to the Vikings 57-54.

For two and a half quarters the Norse controlled the tempo and led at the half and third quarter stops before Huntington pulled out the narrow win.

By Gary Andrews

PERU – Three Wabash County wrestlers won individual championships Saturday at the Peru wrestling sectionals.

Peru won the sectional with 261 points. Northfield was third with 142.5, Southwood fourth with 141, Manchester fifth with 134, Wabash seventh with 121.

The county’s individual sectional champions were Skylar Hall of Wabash won at 132 pounds, Clayton Moore of Manchester at 138 pounds and Tony Hough of Wabash at 182 pounds.

By Gary Andrews

Wabash and Oak Hill will square off on Tuesday, Feb. 10, to kick off the 2015 IHSAA Manchester Girls’ Basketball Sectional No.37.

The drawing took place on Sunday in Indianapolis.

Listed below is the draw with dates and game times.

Tuesday, Feb 10
Wabash vs Oak Hill 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb 11
Manchester vs Northfield 6 p.m.
Southwood vs North Miami 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb 13
Lewis Cass vs Wabash/Oak Hill Winner 6 p.m.
Manchester/Northfield Winner vs Southwood/North Miami Winner 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb 14
Championship 7:30  p.m.
 

Northfield High School senior Caitlin Eltzroth signed a letter of intent to run cross country at Indiana University Kokomo. She is joined by her father, Clay Eltzroth and mother Candi Eltzroth; Northfield Principal Mike Keaffaber (back row, from left), Northfield Cross Country Coach Chad Andrews, IUK Coach Jason VanAlstine, Northfield Coach Gina Dale, and Northfield A.D. Geoff Salmon. Photo by Gary Andrews

By Gary Andrews

Northfield senior Caitlin Eltzroth signed her letter of intent Tuesday to further her cross country career at Indiana UniversityKokomo next year.

Eltzroth, a four year letter winner in cross country at Northfield was paying a visit to IUK to check out their business courses when she met IUK cross country coach Jason VanAlstine who is a business professor at the school.

Eltzroth, a three-sport athlete at Northfield said she chose to run cross country at IUK because ”I really enjoyed it in high school.”

Coach VanAlstine said, ”Caitlin will fit right in and contribute to the team right away.”

She will join Northfield teammate Brittany Sloan at IUK, who signed with the Cougars earlier.
 

Northfield High School senior Austin Andrews signs a letter of intent to run cross country at Indiana University Kokomo. He is joined by (front, from left) his father, Charlie Andrews, and his mother, Kristl Andrews; Northfield Principal Mike Keaffaber (back row, from left), Northfield Cross Country Coach Chad Andrews, IUK Coach Jason VanAlstine, Northfield Coach Gina Dale, and Northfield A.D. Geoff Salmon. Photo by Gary Andrews

By Gary Andrews

Northfield senior Austin Andrews signed his letter of intent to run cross country next year at Indiana University-Kokomo Tuesday.

While at Northfield Andrews has run cross country and track with his final track season yet to come. The Northfield boys cross country team had the highest 2A semi state finish in the state this season.

While at UIK Andrews will study Psychology.

”It’s a smaller program that I will fit in well,” Andrews said. “I hope to be in the top seven.”

”On paper Austin should be in our top five, but he will have to be patient as boys go from a 5K in high school to a five-mile race in college,” IUK coach Jason VanAlstine said.
 

By Gary Andrews

It was a rough night for the Southwood Lady Knights as they played host to Class 3A, No. 10-ranked Tippecanoe Valley on Saturday, falling to the Vikings 71-42.

Valley would set the tempo for the night right from the tip, jumping out to a 16-0 lead before a Katie Stouffer bucket at the 2:44 mark. The Stouffer bucket would ignite a 7-0 run for the Knights as Kassidy Atwood hit followed by a Haley Heath three to make it 16-7. Valley would get the last bucket of the quarter and led Southwood 18-7 after one.

By Gary Andrews

ROCHESTER -- The TRC wrestling meet was held Saturday at Rochester with all four county schools participating. Rochester won the meet with 272 points. Northfield was fourth, Southwood fifth, Manchester sixth and Wabash seventh.

The county had just one champion,  Clayton Moore of Manchester at 138 pounds.