Chesterton 46, Crown Point 31
Class 4A Sectional 2 semifinal at Valparaiso, 2-10-2006

CROWN POINT (11-11)  Hannah Plumley 1-0-2, Courtney Perry 6-1-13, Jackie Clements 3-0-6, Stephanie Poulos 2-0-4, Amanda Moore 1-0-2, Stacy Qualizza 0-2-2, Kristi Quigley 1-0-2, Ashley Zaucha 0-0-0, Sydnee Reeves 0-0-0 Brittany Clements 0-0-0, Daniella Tarillo 0-0-0.   TOTALS: 14 (3-6) 31.

CHESTERTON (15-7)  Kelly Peller 3-4-10, Maddie Wilk 4-3-13, Katrina Prazidad 3-0-6, Katie Stahura 2-2-7, Abby Skube 1-0-2, Katie Talbert 0-2-2, Rachel Hargarten 2-2-6, Stacy Stawicke 0-0-0, Katie Schneckenburger 0-0-0, Kristin 0-0-0, Kate Bement 0-0-0, Angela Richardson 0-0-0.   TOTALS:  15 (13-14) 46.

FREE THROWS:  CP (3-6, 50%) Perry 1-3, Qualizza 2-2, Rospond 0-1;  CHESTERTON (13-14, 92.8%) Peller 4-4, Wilk 3-3, Stahura 2-2, Hargarten 2-2, Talbert 2-2, Skube 0-1.

3-GOALS:  CP (0) CHESTERTON (3)  Katrina Wilk 2, Katie Stahura.

FOULED OUT:  None.

 

Gary West Side 56,  LOWELL  29
Class 4A Sectional 1 semifinal at Gary West Side, 2-10-2006

GARY WEST SIDE (15-6)  Jamie Sherls 7-2-17, Lecretia Hudson 0-1-1,Erica Simpson 4-2-10, Loreal Brown 4-3-11, Mary Bell 2-5-9, Ish-Tah Terry 1-0-2, Ashley Woods 1-0-2, Monesha Headen 1-0-2, Brittany Peoples 1-0-2, Sydney Pettigrew 0-0-0, Kim Brown 0-0-0, Lynese Eatman 0-0-0, Nicole Moore 0-0-0.  TOTALS:  21 (13-18) 56.

LOWELL (15-7)  Kelly Johnson 0-6-6, Ashley Cosentino 3-0-8, Kara Lamb 1-0-2, Julie Swisher 3-0-7, Kim Bell 0-2-2, Rachel Thiel 2-0-4, Mallory Pratt 0-0-0, Katie Haberlyn 0-0-0, Jessica Norton 0-0-0, Kasey Manis 0-0-0, Gabi Goetz 0-0-0.  TOTALS: 9 (8-11) 29.

FREE THROWS:  WEST SIDE (13-18, 72.2%) Sherls 2-2, Hudson 1-2, Simpson 2-2, Brown 3-5, Bell 5-6, Terry 0-1;   LOWELL (8-11, 72.7%) Bell 2-3, Johnson 6-6, Thiel 0-2.

3-GOALS:  WEST SIDE (1) Jamie Sherls, LOWELL (3)  Ashley Cosentino 2, Julie Swisher.

FOULED OUT:  None.

 

Wheeler 61, HANOVER CENTRAL 40
Class 2A Sectional 33 semifinal at Bishop Noll, 2-10-2006

HANOVER CENTRAL (9-12)  Jordan Kramer 3-0-9, Krysta Rickey 3-1-10, Danielle Graham 3-6-12, Lindsey Martinez 0-0-0, Chrissy Holmoka 0-3-3, Beth Flores 0-2-2, Anna Turturillo 1-0-2, Brittany Griner 1-0-2, Christy Bader 0-0-0, Andria Trock 0-0-0, Megan Parks 0-0-0.  TOTALS: 11 (12-14) 40.

WHEELER (14-6)  Kelly Alonzo 1-1-4, Leslie Roper 4-2-11, Amy Ketchum 2-1-5, Carissa Altaras 2-0-4, Rachel Dean 1-1-3, Becca Bruszewski 7-6-23, Briget Bodnar 2-1-6, Heather Boehlke 1-1-3, Jacquelyn English 1-0-2, Courney Dixon 0-0-0, Allison Hayes 0-0-0.  TOTALS:  21 (13-19) 61.

FREE THROWS:  HANOVER (12-14, 85.7%) Rickey 1-2, Holmoka 3-4, Flores 2-2, Graham 6-6;  WHEELER (13-19, 68.4%) Alonzo 1-2, Ketchum 1-2, Roper 2-2, Bruszewski 6-7, Boehlke 1-2, Bodnar 1-2, Dean 1-2.

3-GOALS:  HANOVER (6) Jordan Kramer 3, Krysta Rickey 3;  WHEELER (6) Becca Bruszewski 3, Bridget Bodnar , Kelly Alonzo, Leslie Roper.

FOULED OUT:  None.

 

BOONE GROVE 54, Bishop Noll 31
Class 2A Sectional 33 semifinal at Bishop Noll, 2-10-2006

BISHOP NOLL (5-16)  Krystel Howard 1-0-2, Meghan Jagielski 3-0-9, Racquel Cabrera 0-0-0, Nina Willis 4-4-12, Beth Mikolajczyk 1-2-4, Sierra White 1-0-2, Shenae Williams 1-0-2,  Nicole Gambioa 0-0-0, Julianna Esquivel 0-0-0, Sammy Jamie 0-0-0.   TOTALS: 11 (6-10) 31.
BOONE GROVE (54)  Kara Kessler 2-1-5, Courtney Flanigan 5-2-14, Amanda Spears 1-4-6, Kristyn Kessler 4-0-8,   Brittney Roach 2-0-4, Jessica Fauser 0-2-2, Jessica Dowdy 5-1-14, Kelly Shurrr 0-1-1, Danielle Diaz 0-0-0, Teddy Pivarnik 0-0-0, Ali Aubrey 0-0-0, Corey Loupee 0-0-0.  TOTALS:  19 (11-22) 54.

FREE THROWS:  NOLL (6-10, 60%) Wells 4-8, Mkolajczyk 2-2;   BOONE (11-22, 50%) Flanigan 2-4, Dowdy 1-4, Fauser 2-4, Kara Kessler 1-2, Spears 4-6, Shurr 1-2.

3-GOALS:  NOLL (3) Meghan Jagielski 3,   BOONE GROVE (5) Jessica Dowdy 3, Cortney Flanigan 2.

FOULED OUT:  Nina Willis (4th Q).

 

ANDREAN 54, Gary Roosevelt 39
Class 3A Sectional 17 semifinal at DeMotte, 2-10-2006

GARY ROOSEVELT (10-10)  Joslyn Jones 0-1-1, Shannon Matthews 1-0-2, Johnetta Rice 2-0-6, Tatiana Washington 8-1-17, Calandra Martin 1-0-2, LaTice Jones 4-1-9, Jonique Riley 1-0-2.  Kieara Brown 0-0-0, Yolanda Snowden 0-0-0.  TOTALS: 17 (3-6) 39.

ANDREAN (14-7)  Meagan Stickler 2-0-4, Val Tyburski 2-5-10, Kelleigh McCrea 0-4-4, Michelle Hynes 0-5-5, Amy Blane 1-4-6, Suzanne Cunningham 4-2-10, Liz Harris 1-0-2, Rachel McGinty 3-1-7, Courtney Pishkur 2-1-5, Marissa Hulpa 0-1-1, TOTALS: 15 (22-34) 54..

FREE THROWS:  ROOSEVELT  (3-6, 50%) LaTice Jones 1-1, Joslyn Jones 1-2, Matthews 0-1, Washington 1-2.  ANDREAN (22-34, 64.7%) Tyburski 5-5, Blane 4-4, Cunningham 2-5, McGinty 1-2, Stickler 0-1, McCrea 4-6, Hynes 5-8, Pishkur 0-1, Hulpa 1-2.

3-GOALS:  ROOSEVELT (2) Johnetta Rice 2;  ANDREAN (2) Courtney Pishkur, Val Tyburski.

FOULED OUT:  LaTice Jones (R) 4th Q.

 

BOONE GROVE 66, Lake Station 23
Class 2A Sectional 33 quarterfinal at Bishop Noll, 2-7-2006

LAKE STATION (0-19)  Salena Aquilar 2-0-4, Stefania Nikoloski 2-1-5, Tracie Cates 1-0-2, Amber Williams 6-0-12, Rachel Abeyta 0-0-0, Robin Tarnowski 0-0-0, Amanda Monacy 0-0-0.  TOTALS: 11 (1-2) 23.

BOONE GROVE (12-9)  Kara Kessler 4-2-10, Courtney Flanigan 4-0-9,  Amanda Spears 4-4-13, Kristyn Kessler 1-0-2,   Brittney Roach 0-0-0, Jessica Fauser 5-1-13, Jessica Dowdy 2-0-5, Kelly Shurr 3-0-6, Danielle Diaz 0-0-0, Teddy Pivarnik 0-0-0, Ali Aubrey 4-0-8, Corey Loupee 0-0-0.  TOTALS:  27 (7-12) 66

FREE THROWS:  LAKE STATION (1-2, 50%) Stefania Nikoloski 1-2;    BOONE (7-12, 58.3%) Kara Kessler 2-4, Fauser 1-2, Spears 4-5, Dowdy 0-1.

3-GOALS:  LAKE STATION (0);  BOONE (5) Jessica Dowdy 2, Amanda Spears, Jessica Fauser, Cortney Flanigan.

FOULED OUT: none.

---

 VALPARAISO (2-10-2006)  When you finish your season at the .500 mark, all things being equal, it says that you were really average.  Average is not bad, but it is mediocre.  Average isn't terrible but it also isn't good.

That's where Crown Point (11-11) ended the season Friday night, losing 46-31 to Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) rival Chesterton in the Valparaiso Class 4A sectional semifinals on a snowy night in Porter County.

The Trojans (15-7), played without starting guard Molly Rau, but pulled away in the fourth quarter to advance to the Saturday night (2-11-2006) sectional championship game against Merrillville (19-2), a 61-33 winner over defending sectional champ Valparaiso in the other semifinal game late that night.

Crown Point led 10-7 after a good first quarter and cut a 13-points lead down to 29-25 with 7:08 left in the game.  But the stretches of CP good offensive play were brief and Chesterton, with only six players participating until the game was decided, scored 13 points in a row in the fourth quarter to end the season for the Lady Bulldogs.

"Our kids are great kids.  They're all going to go on and be successful in whatever they do," said Tom May, who went through one of his more frustrating seasons. "It's just that Chesterton has a couple of players who can do things we can't do."

The No. 1 suspect there is 5-foot-10 senior Kelly Peller, who has a basketball scholarship to Valparaiso University.  When the game was still close in the second quarter, Peller made a couple of steals, a couple of assists and scored a couple of points that sparked a 14-0 run, giving the Trojans a 21-10 edge in another of the low-scoring grinding contests between these two schools.

When CP's 8-2 run made it 29-25 in the fourth period, Peller and 5-5 senior Maddie Wilk were able to again turn the tide and build a 42-25 edge with 2:08 to go.

"All-Conference players are supposed to be a factor in games like this," said May.  "And she (Peller) was a big factor.  She got some steals because we kept trying to beat somebody.  We didn't want to shoot.  You don't keep trying to beat the defender.  Sometimes you elevate and shoot.  Jackie Clements did a fine job tonight.  She played hard and she played one of her better games.  They put Peller on (Stephanie) Poulos (10.0.ppg.), which is what they should do.  We didn't have anybody else attack the basket on offense."

Crown Point truthfully was lucky to finish 11-11.  They were 3-9 against the top four teams in the DAC (Michigan City, Chesterton, Valparaiso and Merrillville) including one win in three games with Chesterton.  Here's a case where it wasn't defense.

CP held opponents under 45 points a game, a respectable figure (May likes that defensive average to be at 40), but CP shot less than 33 percent from the floor as a team for the season.  Combine that with 18 turnovers a game and this team figures to be watching the regionals from the stands.

"I said at the start of the year," May reminded, "that we'd be at the bottom of the conference with Portage.  I said that there would be a middle tier and there would be an upper tier.  Merrillville would be in that upper tier.  We did beat some teams.  But in the second half of the season, everybody figured everybody out.  Except for the Merrillville game (on Feb 2.) we shot from 25 to 29 percent in the second half of the season.  And that's where we were tonight.  You're not going to win many games like that."

That's where it comes back to having a top athlete like Peller, who even though she is out of position playing point guard, dominated possession of the ball and fed Wilk for two key three-point shots in the second quarter.  Wilk scored 13 points, including the two long shots off a double screen where the ball is passed to her from the opposite side of the floor. 

"Believe it or not, we were supposed to have somebody on Wilk," said May.  But it was Peller who handled the ball all night.

The Trojans made just 12 turnovers when they could have made 20-30 against CP's full court presses.

"Chesterton was the best team tonight," said May.  "Peller was the best player on the floor.  We had shots early.  We had openings early. We didn't hit shots.  A two-point second quarter pretty much sealed it.  In the second half we cut it to four, we missed a layup, they hit a three and we were done."

"Chesterton takes good care of the ball after they are ahead and they had it under control." 

Control of games was something the Lady Bulldogs rarely had all season.

BULLDOG NOTES:  Crown Point's lack of a point guard was something they could not overcome.  The graduation of four year lead guard Cassie Pruzin left CP with no experience at the position.  The Lady Bulldogs often resembled five forwards on the floor because that's what they were on most nights.

Junior center Courtney Perry had 13 points and four rebounds, while Hannah Plumley had five rebounds.  But no CP guard scored more than four points and some attempts at set offense were clumsy as they have been much of the year.

"We were spoiled," said coach Tom May, repeating something he said at the start of the year.  "We had (all-stater Cassie) Pruzin for four years, (Division I recruit) Alex Webster for four years, (1997 state finalist) Katey Marsh.  This is the first time in a long time we haven't had a true lead guard and it showed.  But we were still 11-11."