The Manchester girls basketball team looked like they would have a quick night Wednesday, Jan. 13 at Peru, taking a 9-0 lead in the first three minutes of the game, but had to hold on to pull out a 57-47 conference win.

The win moved the Lady Squires to 8-9 overall and 4-1 in the Three Rivers Conference.

Eva Bazzoni got the Squires off to a good start with a fast break, followed by a score on a drive by Emma Garriott for a 4-0 lead.

Bazzoni added a three-pointer, followed by a steal and layup from Garriott, giving Manchester a 9-0 lead.

Peru cut the Squire lead to 11-9 with a run of their own but a basket and two free throws from Bazzoni, and a three-pointer from Morgan Parrett in the final two minutes of the first quarter, gave Manchester a 19-11 lead.

The Wabash boys swim team defeated Marion 78-65 while the girls team lost 77-45 Thursday night, Jan. 14 at the Wabash County YMCA.

Winning events for the boys team were: Seth Blossom in the 200 free and 500 free, Nick Perkins in the 200 IM, Kyle Thomas in the 100 butterfly, and the 200 free relay team of Paul Cordes, Thomas, Perkins, and Blossom.

Achieving personal best times were Devin Coffman, Trey Wright, Kevin Miller, Thomas, and Perkins.

Winning events for the girls team were Lacey Crist in the 200 IM, Becca Bruss in the 100 free and 100 back, and the 400 free relay team of Abbie Boggs, Madison Inman, Crist and Bruss.

Plans for the tournament pairings shows for three winter sports were announced today by the Indiana High School Athletic Association.

Pairings for the 46th girl basketball state tournament will be revealed on Sunday, Jan. 24 beginning at 7 p.m.

The opening round games for the 111th boys basketball state tournament will be announced on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m.

Kiersten O’Neill is a state champion.

Wabash wrestler Kiersten O’Neill defeated Lake Central’s Elly Janovsky by pin in 1:40 to claim the 152 pound weight class title Friday night, Jan. 15, at Hamilton Heights High School.

O’Neill started the tournament with a quick 17-second pin over Kaylee Miles from Terre Haute South. She followed that up with a 10-2 major decision in the semifinals over Gabrielle Bussard from New Haven.

Finally, in the championship match, O’Neill pinned Janovsky and had her hand raised indicating her state title.

Manchester 57, Bluffton 24

The Class 1A seventh-ranked Manchester wrestling team won nine of 11 matches that were wrestled in a 57-24 win at Bluffton Wednesday, Jan. 13. 

Wabash wrestler, Kiersten O'Neill won her weight class at the Girls Northern Wrestling regional Friday, Jan. 8. O'Neill will compete for a state championship this weekend at Hamilton Heights. 

Manchester

Manchester 43, Eastern 33

The Manchester wrestling team picked up a big win on senior night against Eastern with a thrilling pin in the final match of the night by senior Isaac Diaz to clinch a 43-33 win Wednesday night, Jan. 6.

Diaz overcame a 4-0 first period deficit and wrestled back before tossing his opponent for a fall that capped a thrilling comeback victory for the Squires.

Also winning for the Squires were Gavin Mize (195) by pin in 2:36, Preston Duffy (220) 8-2, and Trevor Dill (285) by major decision 12-2.

Manchester 50, North Miami 40

It wasn’t the prettiest game of the early season but the Manchester Squires did enough to pull out a 52-40 win at North Miami Friday night, thanks to a 30-point, 19 rebound, five steal effort from Max Carter.

Points were tough to come by in the first quarter with North Miami leading 10-2 with under a minute left.

Meanwhile, Manchester’s leading scorer Weston Hamby picked up two quick fouls and sat for much of the first quarter.

Hamby committed his third foul in the second quarter, his fourth in the third, and fifth early in the fourth quarter.

North Miami tied it at 17-17 with 1:39 left in the half but Luke Ramer and Carter each scored inside in the final 1:20 to give the Squires a 21-17 halftime lead.

North Miami took a 26-24 led with 1:34 left in the third quarter, and then Carter put the Squires on his back.

The senior scored six points in the final minute of the third quarter, and 15 points in the fourth quarter to help the Squires pull away for the win.

Manchester

Maconaquah 63, Manchester 62

Emma Garriott and Eva Bazzoni combined for 54 of Manchester’s 63 points, each scoring 27, but the Manchester girls basketball team couldn’t find the two points needed to defeated Maconaquah.

The host Braves led the Squires 50-45 heading into the fourth quarter of the Three Rivers Conference game and held off Manchester, coming down to the final second, pulling out a 63-62 win Monday, Jan. 4.

With 15 seconds remaining in the game, Maconaquah went 1-2 from the free throw line to lead 63-61, giving the Squires a chance to tie or win the game.