Sports
Starke County NewsHawk

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.

CULVER — Culver High School Jeremiah Havery is an IHSAA Wrestling State Champion, after winning the 285-pound weight class at Saturday’s state finals. The Culver Community heavyweight finished his senior season at 45-4.

His win at the state finals came in overtime against #2 ranked Damon Howe of Plymouth in a 3-1 decision .

It was the third  victory over Howe, as he also defeated the Plymouth wrestler in the Rochester Regional  and his Merrillville Semi-state championship came over Howe.

Harvey’s state championship match was watched by about 500 fans in the Culver gym, who stayed after the Culver Lady Cavalier regional championship win to watch their hometown kid win over  Howe, on live TV. Harvey’s state championship match was watched by about 500 fans, who stayed after the Culver Lady Cavalier regional championship win to watch

Howe was wrestling in his third overtime in the tournament, having defeated 6th-ranked Abraham Hall of Bremen in a 3-2 overtime win at the regional, and a double overtime victory over  #1-ranked  Bellmont senior Daniel Meyer in the semi-finals Saturday.

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.

Redskin Logan Short

MERILLVILLE – Glenn senior Cody Strange is the only remaining wrestler in the NewsHawk coverage area, athough Culver senior Jeremiah Harvey also wil be competing in the state finals Friday and Saturday. 

Strange finished third winning his consolation round match. 

Harvey was the 285 lb. champion. 

Strange advance to the state finals by beating South Bend Riley’s Carl McLeod, 10-2, in the 160-pound opener, and then he pinned Tony Rodriguez of Hobart in the quarterfinals. 

In the semifinals, Strange lost to Crown Point’s Dusty Schurg, but then he came back with a 4-2 overtime victory against South Bend Clay’s Davon Alwine in the consolations. 

Strange, a senior, will take a 39-8 record into the finals, where he faces senior Tyler Rickenbaugh of Heritage Hills (47-4) in the opening round. 

Harvey defeated Plymouth’s Damon Howe to clinch the 285 championship. 

Knox’s Logan Short (285), DeVann Biddle (140), and Garrett Majchrzak (152); and Glenn’s Kaleb McCallum, Myles White (125), and Ryan Ishmael (119) did not advance to the championship or consolation rounds,

WALKERTON – Tanner Brooks, a Walkerton resident, has been selected to be a member of the 2011 National Junior Olympic Shotgun Team (NJOST). Tanner has been competing in International Skeet as a member of USA shooting since 2008.

As a team member, Tanner travels to several competitions during the year, competing against the National Team, National Development Team, and other NJOST members as well as other talented shooters from across the country.

During the school year, Tanner practices three to four times a week with his coach, Denise Brooks, at the Kosko Conservation Club range in Warsaw. During the summer months, Tanner is a Trap/Skeet instructor at the Culver Academies Upper Camp and Family Camps teaching students from around the world safe shooting skills and representing USA Shooting.

To be considered for the NJOST, shooters must complete an application, outlining the individuals academic and shooting accomplishments. A committee consisting of the National Team Shotgun Coach and two other individuals make the selection to the NJOST. Selection is based on the information provided on the application form as well as recommendations received and / or personal interviews. The selection committee seeks to identify those shooters who have demonstrated motivation in international shooting and show potential to become future National Team and National Development Team members.

Tanner is currently a sophomore attending Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana, majoring in Political Science Pre-Law with a minor in Public Policy and is on the Academic Dean’s List. Tanner is the son of Denise and Gary Brooks of Walkerton, Indiana, and the Grandson of Bonnie Sullivan of North Liberty and Mary Brooks of Huntington. For more information about Tanner or USA Shooting, you may visit www.usashooting.com or e-mail