The Northfield girls golf team placed first at the Wabash Invitational at Honeywell Golf Course.

Wabash placed second with a 416 followed by Manchester with a 484.

The Lady Norse finished the tournament with a score of 403.

Kyra Kennedy saved her best for last.

It took 11 innings and a 6-6 effort from Kennedy, including the game-winning walk-off single, but the Northfield softball team is heading to the Class 1A state championship game.

The Norse came from behind against Cowan in the Frankfort Semi-State championship game Saturday night, June 5, to pull out a thrilling 3-2 win.

After 3 1/2 scoreless extra innings, with the scored tied 2-2 in the bottom of the 11th inning, Northfield got hot when they needed to.

With one out, Addy Rosen singled on a line drive to right field. Back-to-back walks form Addi Baker and Jenna Krom loaded the bases for Kennedy.

With five hits already in the book, Kennedy hit a dribbler past Cowan pitcher Tatum Ricker, just wide enough to bring home Rosen for the winning run and the semi-state championship.

“This is a huge accomplishment for the seniors because they’ve worked so hard,” Kennedy said after the game. “I’m very proud of this team.”

After four dominating wins and a buzzer-beating classic in the IHSAA boys basketball state tournament series, the Southwood Knights didn’t have an answer for Kouts in the Class 1A North Semi-State game at Lafayette Jefferson Saturday, March 20, falling to the 29-2 Mustangs 86-70, and ending a magical run with a 17-11 record.

The Kouts senior brother tandem of Cole Wireman and Cale Wireman gave Southwood fits, with Cole scoring 29 points on the day, and Cale right behind him with 26 points.

Southwood’s Carson Rich led the Knights with 30 points, but with all Mustang eyes on the senior sharpshooter, he wasn’t ever able to break loose with a knockout punch as he had throughout the tournament.

Southwood appeared to be ready to continue its hot streak by taking a quick 4-0 lead with a basket from Cole Winer followed by a steal and layup from Logan Barley.

An inside score from Dawson Filip and two free throws from Carson Rich gave the Knights an 8-2 lead two minutes into the contest, but Kouts answered back.

Cole Wireman scored four points and Cale Wireman added two in an 8-2 run to tie the game at 10-10.

Carson Rich and Cale Wireman traded three-pointers, then Winer and the Mustang’s Hunter Kneifel traded baskets, with Kneifel adding a free throw on a three-point play, giving Kouts a 16-15 lead with 3:01 left in the first quarter.

After cruising to wins of 49 and 79 points in their first two tournament contests, the Southwood Knights went into the Class 1A Sectional 53 championship game looking for a little bit of the same against Lakeland Christian Academy Saturday night, March 6.

After a tight back-and-forth with LCA, the Knights turned a 20-20 second-quarter tie into a 69-44 sectional championship victory to advance to the Frankfort Regional this Saturday.

LCA proved early that they weren’t going to let the Knights get off to the quick and dominating starts they enjoyed in their first two wins over Southern Wells and North Miami.

Southwood’s Carson Rich hit two baskets and Dawson Filip connected on another to give the Knights a 6-2 lead, followed by back-to-back buckets from Connor Rich and Carson Rich for a 10-5 advantage.

LCA regrouped and took a 13-12 lead early in the second quarter and played neck-and-neck with the Knights, tying the game at 20-20 with 3:33 left in the first half.

Wabash County teams didn’t fare well at the Bluffton Sectional with both the Wabash Apaches and the Manchester Squires bowing out in the first round. Wabash lost to Whitko Tuesday, March 2, and Adams Central upset Manchester Wednesday, March 3.

Whitko 56, Wabash 48

The Apaches didn’t have an answer for Whitko’s Drake Lewis and Brett Sickafoose, as the Wildcats outscored Wabash 29-15 in the middle two quarters, on its way to a 56-48 win Tuesday, March 2.

Lewis scored 34 points, while Sickafoose put 17 points on the board, combining for 51 of Whitko’s 56 points.
Wabash opened the game with a strong start, leading 14-11 at the end of the first quarter.

Whitko responded in the second quarter, outscoring the Apaches 14-4 in the second quarter, to take a 25-15 halftime lead.

In a high-scoring TRC finale for both teams, the Manchester Squires outlasted the Northfield Norseman 79-67 Friday night, Feb. 26.

Northfield led 21-17 at end of the first quarter but the Squires rebounded with a 21-14 second quarter to take a 38-35 halftime lead.

Manchester led 60-56 going into the fourth quarter and pulled away in the final four minutes for the 12-point win.

Weston Hamby led Manchester with 18 points, followed by Maddox Zolman with 17 with five 3-pointers, Cade Jones with 13, Carter Bedke with 10, Max Carter with seven, Gabe Case with six, Brayden Jones with five, and Luke Ramer with two.

Jayden Peas led Northfield with 22 points and four steals, followed by Kaleb Krom with 13 points and 10 rebounds, Clayton Tomlinson with 10 points, rebounds, and four assists, and Dillon Tomlinson with 10 points, four assists, and four steals.

Jake Halderman added four points, while Alex Haupert, Paul Treska, Jaxton Peas, and Eli Kroh each chipped in with two points.

Whitko 70, Manchester 69

BUNKER HILL -- The Manchester wrestling team placed third at the Maconaquah Sectional Saturday, Jan. 30, had two champions, and will send seven others to regional at Maconaquah this weekend.

Wabash finished fifth, had four champions, and will have a total of five wrestlers at regional.

Northfield had two individual champions in a seventh-place team effort and will have four wrestlers at regional, while Southwood finished ninth and will have one representative at regional.

Manchester’s Dylan Stroud led the Squires by winning the 132-pound weight class. The junior remained undefeated on the season with a 31-0 record.

Zach France (152 pounds) also won his weight class for the Squires.

The Manchester boys basketball team never allowed the Tippecanoe Valley Vikings to get close in its 75-40 Three Rivers Conference win Friday night, Jan. 29.

Manchester led the Vikings 8-2 in the first two minutes of the game and used a 13-4 run to take a 21-10 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Tippecanoe Valley found its rhythm in the second quarter, playing the Squires an even 14-14, to trail 35-24 at halftime. They cut it to 37-28 with 6:10 left in the third quarter but the Squires went on a 10-0 run to take a 47-28 lead, then opened the fourth quarter with a 12-4 run to put the game away.

Weston Hamby led the Squires with 21 points, followed by Max Carter with 17, Maddox Zolman with 13, Cade Jones with six, Gavin Martin with five, Brayden Jones with four, and Luke Ramer with two points.

Concordia 68, Manchester 56

Concordia raced out to a 15-0 lead in the first four minutes of their game with Manchester Saturday afternoon, Jan. 30, only to see the Squires take a fourth-quarter lead at 52-49, then outscored Manchester 19-4 to get the non-conference win.