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WINAMAC – North Judson will host the Class 2A Regional next Saturday, and as expected, they will playing in it.

It wasn’t easy getting by physical Winamac to win the sectional, just as in their two regular seasons meetings, the Warriors made a game of it.

North Judson, relying on a suffocating full court defense, beat the Warriors for the third time, pulling away in the final minutes for a 64-53 win.

The Bluejays are a multi-faceted offense, with a lot of weapons, but it was their defense that bought them this championship.

The Jays jumped out to an early lead, going into the second quarter with a 19-7 advantage, mostly behind juniors Winston Yergler and Kendall Hochstedler. Yergler had six of his game-high 23 points in the first eight minutes, along with three rebounds. Hochstedler drilled two three-pointers and had three steals in the first quarter.

Winamac fought back. Two minutes into the third quarter, the Warriors took the lead for the first and only time, at 33-31. They upped the margin to four, before Yergler tied the game at 35-35, and an Andrew Frasure steal and free throw got Judson the lead back for good, with two minutes left in the third quarter.

Frasure fed John Eckert inside and the Bluejays were up by three, and Winamac would never get closer for the rest of the game.

“I thought we changed the complexion of the game with a total pressure defense,” said North Judson coach Ryan Bales. “Andrew Frasure willed us to win, he played like a senior tonight.

“Kendall’s threes (he finished with 14 points) got us going early, and his, Winston and Andrew’s defense got us where we needed (to a good lead). Hochstedler’s defense on (Zach) Shidler was a big key.

“John (Eckert) worked hard inside, he got (their big men) in foul trouble. His attacking the rim, and his mentality on offense carried over to his defense.”

Eckert pulled away 12 rebounds, he scored 12 points, and was big in the fourth quarter as Judson held Winamac to just one basket until it was too late for a Warrior comeback.

“We knew we had to get John more involved in the offense,” said Frasure, who scored 12 points himself. “We had a couple plays set up especially for him.

Eckert has worked especially hard year in building up his endurance against the physical inside play of teams like Winamac.

“It was kind of rough in there, but I just kept going after the ball,” Eckert said of his stellar inside play.

Dustin Knapp had three assists. “Knapp went in there (at times) when we needed a lift, and while he was in there, we were able to build on our lead.

The Bluejays take a 22-1 record into the regional.

“It’ll be great to be at home,” said Yergler.

NORTH JUDSON — The North Judson-San Pierre Bluejays were shorthanded going into the game against Mishawaka Tuesday night, with senior guard Kendall Hochstedler and junior forward Dustin Knapp sidelined.

Jay coach Ryan Bales got good performances out of freshman Caston Sanchez, who started, and sophomore Even Howard off the bench, in a 67-62 win that wasn’t as close as the final score.

“Sanchez and Evan were steady and composed,” said Bales of his young players. Our big guys inside, and our upperclassmen played well. Winston (Yergler) got John Eckert (21 points and 10 rebounds) the ball inside.

Senior Andrew Frasure (13 points) sparked the Jays with a booming three early in the third quarter that got Judson rolling, andthat’s pretty much how the Bluejays were able to have a big third quarter, that got them the separation they needed and established a five-point lead the Cavemen couldn’t recover from. Eckert had a big third quarter, and Yergler’s steady influence running the offense, and 19 points for the game, helped lead his team to the win.

Bales said he hoped to have Hochstedler and Knapp back for Friday’s game.

North Judson-San Pierre 67, Mishawaka 62

MISHAWKAKA (62) T.J. Benner 6, Cody Childress 6, Justin Frazier 0, Mike Louderback 3, Chris Mitchell 21, Christian Radcliff 0, Sam Schrader 0, Joey Schuster 0, Brandon Vanderhaggen 11, Curlean Williams 0, Javonte Young 15. TOTALS: 23 8-10 62.

NORTH JUDSON (67): John Eckert 21, Mitch Fingerhut 9, Andrew Frasure 13, Evan Howard 2, Winston Yergler 19, Caston Sanchez 3. TOTALS: 23 18-27 67.
3-point goals: North Judson 3 (Sanchez, Frasure, Eckert), Mishawaka 8 (Mitchell 3, Young 3, Vanderhaggen, Benner). Total fouls (fouled out): North Judson 14, Mishawaka 21. JV score: Mishawaka 47, North Judson 36. Varsity records: North Judson 16-1; Mishawaka 8-8.

The Starke County Community Foundation Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship applications are available from the guidance offices of local high schools.  The application deadline is January 28, 2011.

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program offers 4-year full-tuition scholarships to one local high school senior that will begin their college career in the fall of 2011. Recipient must intend to be full time student and pursue a baccalaureate degree at any accredited public or private Indiana college or university.

Applications, criteria and scoring processes are set by the Miami County Community Foundation Scholarship Committee and approved by Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI). The Scholarship Committee will select the nominee and alternates to receive the scholarship and those nominations are sent to ICI where a separate, statewide panel makes the final selection. The final panel decision is in accordance with the criteria and procedures consistent with the overall goals of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program.

The program is made possible through funds from Lilly Endowment Inc. For the 2011 “class,” each community foundation is eligible to nominate at least one recipient for the full-time scholarship. This is a change from previous years, when each county could nominate at least two students.

To be eligible to apply for this scholarship applicants must be current Starke County residents and a high school senior graduating by the end of June 2011 with a diploma from an accredited Indiana high school.

The award is based primarily on the following criteria: academic performance, service in community, work and school as well as application essays. A personal interview will also weigh significantly in the committee’s selection process.

Application can be found online at nicf.org. For more information contact your guidance department or the Northern Indiana Community Foundation office at 574-223-2227 or toll free at 1-877-432-6423.

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