INDIANAPOLIS – Kyle Hatch checked the first goal off his State Finals wish list Friday night. The Warsaw sophomore earned a tough first-round win during action at Banker’s Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Hatch topped Isaac Gomez of Plainfield by fall at the 5:11 mark in first-round action in the 120-pound weight class. “Kyle wrestled really …read more.

WARSAW – Warsaw primarily did its job Friday evening at the Warsaw Boys Swimming Sectional preliminaries. The Tigers will be the top seed in seven of the 11 swim events, but have some company as the finals approach Saturday. Warsaw, which entered the sectional the top seed in 10 of the 11 swim events, are …read more.

WARSAW – Kyle Hatch isn’t ready quite yet to assess his sophomore season on the mat. The Warsaw wrestler still has business to attend to first. Hatch will make his second appearance in the State Finals Friday night. The 120-pounder is firmly focused on the first task in front of him. “First of all. to …read more.

WARSAW – The Warsaw girls basketball team took care of business as the sectional favorites. Now the shoe sits on the other foot for the Tigers. Warsaw heads into regional play on Saturday, at least on paper, as the underdogs. The Tigers, 15-10 on the season, meet No. 9 Merrillville (19-7) at approximately 12:30 p.m. …read more.

Thursday’s weather has affected the sports calendar. The Warsaw boys swim sectional preliminaries have been backed up one day to Friday with a start time of 5:30 p.m. The finals are still scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. The Wawasee gymnastics meet tonight at Wawasee with Huntington North has been postponed. A make-up date has …read more.

AKRON – Monday was a chance for Chris Kindig and his Tippecanoe Valley Lady Viking basketball team to enjoy its accomplishments. Holding the sectional trophy in their hands after defeating Fairfield, NorthWood and Whitko in succession was a feat to treasure. The party, however, ended Tuesday as the team got back to work with the …read more.

WARSAW – Midwest Xtreme, based in Warsaw, added several accolades to its growing trophy case after a strong showing at the GLCC Speedway Challenge last Saturday. The Midwest Xtreme Youth Co-ed Hip-Hop/Dance team placed first and was awarded a Golden Ticket for a Full-Paid Bid to the U.S. Finals and the Knock-Your-Socks Off award for …read more.

INDIANAPOLIS – Plymouth High School student‐athlete Luke Vervynckt has been nominated by the Indiana High School Athletic Association for the National High School Spirit of Sport Award, an honor sponsored annually by the Indianapolis‐based National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). The award seeks to recognize those individuals who exemplify the ideals of the …read more.

SYRACUSE – It was like the Tippecanoe Valley girls basketball program had done this before. Three times before, to be exact, but the fourth time was the sweetest for the Lady Vikings after beating Whitko, 62-36, Monday night in the championship game of the IHSAA Class 3-A Wawasee Girls Basketball Sectional. Tippecanoe Valley’s season has …read more.

GOSHEN – There was no containing the post game smile covering the face of Erin Clemens Monday night. Just as there was no containing the Warsaw senior and her teammates from taking home a sectional championship. Clemens led the way as the Tigers earned a hard-fought 39-33 victory over host Goshen in the title game …read more.

DONALDSON – If you haven’t heard about long boards, you’re probably just not cool enough. Thankfully, Ancilla College’s Assistant Professor John Gough is cool enough. When Andrew Huff started taking Gough’s business classes, Gough knew Huff & Puff Board Co. was ready for the next level. Huff, a sophomore graduating from Ancilla College this spring …read more.

Who will the wait be worth it for? That’s the question that will be answered Monday night for a trio of area prep girls basketball teams. Sectional championships will be on the line at both Goshen and Wawasee come Monday night. The title games at both sites were two of plenty that were postponed Saturday …read more.

MERRILLVILLE – It was heartbreak time for a quality quartet of area wrestlers Saturday. The foursome of Tristin Ponsler of Wawasee, Rory Nolin of Warsaw and the Tippecanoe Valley duo of Devin Childers and Garrett Bell each came up just short in their bids to qualify for the State Finals. The quartet all won their …read more.

MERRILLVILLE –  Kyle Hatch has a goal to wrestle in the State Finals during all four years of his high school career. The Warsaw sophomore standout is halfway to that objective. Hatch earned his second trip to the State Finals on Saturday with a third-place performance at the Merrillville Semistate. He will compete for the …read more.

As of noon Saturday, basketball games are falling off the schedule in bunches. The Class 3-A Wawasee sectional championship basketball game between Tippecanoe Valley and Whitko was wiped out and moved to Monday night at 7 p.m. at Wawasee. The Class 4-A girls basketball sectional title game at Goshen between the host Redskins and Warsaw …read more.

SYRACUSE – The other half of the equation at the Wawasee Girls Basketball Sectional would be whether Wawasee would defend its home court or Whitko continue its momentum toward the finals. Aly Reiff put Whitko on her back and sent the Wildcats to the sectional championship after dumping Wawasee, 37-33, in game two of the …read more.

SYRACUSE – Since the current alignment of the Class 3-A Sectional 21 was formed in 2008, one thing was for certain: either Wawasee or NorthWood was going to win the sectional championship. Tippecanoe Valley said ‘not so fast’ and knocked out half of that equation Friday night in an epic 64-60 double overtime win over …read more.

BOURBON – Friday night’s semi-finals at the Class 1-A Oregon-Davis sectional was the end of the line for the Triton girls basketball team after a 40-34 loss to South Central. The game saw unique spurts by both clubs, where an even 13-13 first quarter had South Central come back and outscore Triton 15-5 in the …read more.

GOSHEN – There was nothing unlucky about the play of the Warsaw girls basketball team Friday night. There was plenty defensive about their performance on Friday the 13th though. The defense never rested as the Tigers turned in a record-setting effort on the defensive end in besting Elkhart Central 38-9 in a semifinal game of …read more.

PLYMOUTH – Warsaw boys basketball coach Doug Ogle said he felt good that his team trailed Plymouth by just two points at halftime Thursday night. Ogle felt even better when walking off the floor following a well-earned 42-38 win by his team. The Tigers used a strong third-quarter performance and then clutch free throw shooting …read more.

[weaver_youtube dpp3O1DBfsE rel=0] ELKHART – The roller coaster ride of a gymnastics season for both Elkhart Central and Wawasee continued Thursday night as the two teams collided at The Club in the Elkhart Industrial Park. Central rode up the hill of excitement with a 104.65 team score while Wawasee watched its hopes fall time and …read more.

WINONA LAKE – The 2015 season will be as much about the journey as the destination for the Grace College baseball team. The process of building a championship contender under head coach Bill Barr took another step last spring. The Lancers seemed to peak late in the season, winning 12 games in the Crossroads League …read more.

SYRACUSE – The Wawasee girls basketball team didn’t earn a lot of brownie points Wednesday night, but the only points it needed were the 40 on the board at the end of a 40-36 overtime win against Lakeland in the Wawasee Girls Basketball Sectional. Certainly making things more interesting in blowing a five-point lead in …read more.

SYRACUSE – Watching the Whitko girls basketball team file out of their lockerroom Wednesday evening, you would have thought the team lost by 17 and not won by that margin. Adorned with red faces, several looking at the floor in a scurry, many a Whitko letter jacket were headed to the Wawasee athletic training room …read more.

GOSHEN – It was a great time Tuesday night for the Warsaw girls basketball team’s seniors to have a senior moment. Or in this case, moments. The senior quartet of Erin Clemens, Vicki Harris, Pam Miller and Jodie Carlson all played key roles as the Tigers topped Northridge 38-32 in the opening game of the …read more.

FORT WAYNE – Don’t let the snow on the ground deceive, spring is drawing near and Opening Day is almost here. Need proof? Single game tickets for the 2015 Fort Wayne TinCaps season go on sale Wednesday, Feb. 18. The first opportunity for fans to purchase tickets to any of the TinCaps’ 70 home games …read more.

SOUTH BEND – After sorting through 350 names, submitted by 738 Facebook followers, the South Bend Cubs have narrowed down the name of its new mascot to four. The name choices are: Ben D. Bear Colfax Harry Beary Stu There were also many suggestions to honor Chicago Cubs legend, baseball pioneer and Major League Baseball …read more.

Tippecanoe Valley’s Anne Secrest headlines the IFN All-Area Team for 2014-15 (File photos by Mike Deak) Youth is the buzzword for the inaugural Ink Free News All-Area Girls Basketball Team. The five-member First Team, selected by the members of the IFN sports staff, features four underclassmen. The superb squad is led by the 2014-15 IFN …read more.

AKRON – Trying to get Anne Secrest to talk about herself is about as difficult as trying to stop the six-footer around the basket. The soft-spoken Tippecanoe Valley star makes plenty of noise though with her play on the hardwood. Sophomore Secrest is the first recipient of the Ink Free News Player of the Year …read more.

The Tippecanoe Valley girls basketball team has put together one of the best seasons in program history. The Vikings, in order to extend their season, will now have to be at their best in postseason play. The IHSAA definitely did not do Valley any favors with the sectional draw. The Vikings will have to beat …read more.

Warsaw girls basketball coach Michelle Harter says her team will need to be at the top of their game for sectional play. If the Tigers want to return to the top of the first step in the tournament trail they will have to be on top of their game from the opening tip-off too. Warsaw …read more.

FISHERS – The Warsaw boys basketball team missed just four shots in the second half Saturday night. That type of shooting helped the Tigers pick up a 54-48 win at Hamilton Southeastern. Warsaw hit 10-14 shots in the final half to finish a fine 18-29 from the field overall for the contest. The Tigers led …read more.

ROCHESTER – Kyle Hatch saved his best for last Saturday. The timing was perfect too for the Warsaw wrestling standout. Sophomore Hatch rallied to a thrilling overtime win over previously undefeated Jake Hartman of South Bend Clay to earn a regional championship in the 120-pound class. Hatch led the way for area wrestlers at Rochester. …read more.

[weaver_youtube B1TZ9F8Ogbk rel=0] WARSAW – For the second year in a row, Warsaw’s Brenna Morgan can let that smile go just a little more. The sophomore conquered both the 50 and 100 freestyle swims Saturday at the Warsaw Girls Swimming Sectional, punching her ticket to another state finals appearance. Morgan won both events in dominating …read more.

WARSAW –  Warsaw boys basketball coach Doug Ogle may want to have his junior varsity team play a few more overtime games in the future. Maybe not quite as long as the one Friday night though. A long, long wait did nothing to deter the host Tigers from making short work of Elkhart Memorial in …read more.

MIDDLEBURY – She was the only senior in the gym, and Taylor Miller had the floor for the Northridge Raiders. The slick shooting guard drilled a pair of huge threes to help lift Northridge to a 42-30 girls basketball win against Wawasee Friday night in the Northern Lakes Conference finale for both clubs. Miller made …read more.

Last week started out very ugly for the picks. I picked five boys games and five girls games. The boys did me no favors as I went just 1-4 with those picks. Thankfully, the girls picks came through and I went 4-1 there to be an even 5-5. That was a close call, way too …read more.

After a thrilling weekend in the sectional round, the amount of local wrestlers still in contention in the state tournament has been weeded out. 27 local grapplers, six of which are top seeds, remain in regional tournaments taking place at Rochester and Fort Wayne this weekend. Warsaw Aiming To Beat The Odds Again At last …read more.

MIDDLEBURY – The stage is officially set for Saturday’s girls swimming sectional finals at Northridge High School. 11 teams gathered at Northridge’s natatorium Thursday night for the sectional preliminaries and, as expected, Saturday’s title will come down to Wawasee and Northridge. The Warriors will enter Saturday’s finals with 15 girls racing for sectional titles and …read more.

WARSAW – Warsaw will be among the contenders in the finals of the Warsaw Girls Swimming Sectional Saturday afternoon, but so will three other teams after a balanced preliminary round Thursday night. While times are generally relative to just needing to qualify for the finals, Warsaw has just nine swimmers in the championship round along …read more.

SYRACUSE – Not wanting to stray too far from home, but just enough to gain some of the “college feel”, Wawasee High School senior Elizabeth Jackson has chosen to continue her golf career down state at Taylor University. The decision to choose Taylor versus several other area golf suitors wasn’t an immediate one for Jackson, …read more.

SYRACUSE – It’s national signing day across the country for high school athletes looking to take the next step in their athletic careers. Wawasee High School senior Clayton Cook has chosen to spread his wings this fall with the Ball State University football program. Cook, who is also a standout track athlete, made his verbal …read more.

GOSHEN – The Northern Lakes Conference officially released All-NLC selections for wrestling, boys swimming and girls swimming for the 2014-15 season. It was classic NLC domination for three of the conference’s historically dominant programs in Northridge boys and girls swimming and Elkhart Memorial wrestling as the three programs ran undefeated and untouched in round robin …read more.

SYRACUSE – Snowy weather is the culprit Wednesday in the cancellation of a handful of basketball games involving Wawasee. The home freshman boys basketball game with East Noble, originally rescheduled from Jan. 8, is cancelled and will not be made up. The boys/girls junior varsity doubleheader with Bremen has also been called off and will …read more.

There will either be pure joy or pure agony this weekend for swimmers around the state. Thursday night rings in the beginning of two judgment days of girls swimming, with sectional preliminaries leading into Saturday’s championship meets. Golden tickets will be handed out for winners to advance to state, as well as those able to …read more.

Wide-open shots like this helped Gage Reinhard (pictured) and Wawasee score a season-high 74 points in Tuesday’s win over Bremen. (Photos by Nick Goralczyk) BREMEN – It was a double-header for Wawasee’s boys and girls basketball teams Tuesday night and it could not have gone better for Warrior faithful. After seeing the girls team pull …read more.

[weaver_youtube ig2xDL0xJZY rel=0] WARSAW – The Warsaw girls basketball team celebrated its fine senior class Tuesday night in the home finale. Unfortunately, Kierstin Murphy made sure that there would be no post game celebration on this evening The Carroll guard tossed in a game-high 24 points as the Chargers topped the Tigers 53-39 in the …read more.

The IHSAA did area high school girls basketball teams no favors Sunday. The “blind” draw for the 40th annual state tournament series was a real eye opener for several local squads who will have to gear up for some tough first-round match ups. That rings especially true for both Warsaw and Tippecanoe Valley. Warsaw (12-9) …read more.

NAPPANEE – It was only fitting that the Northern Lakes Conference championship trophy was in the hands of NorthWood’s Jordyn Frantz as the Panthers posed for a victorious postgame team photo Saturday night. The Panthers were in good hands all night long thanks to their star. Frantz made her final game in the Panther Pit …read more.

AKRON – As the final seconds ticked off the clock the home crowd could be heard chanting, “T-R-C! T-R-C!” It was a moment the entire Tippecanoe Valley girls basketball team has been waiting for all season. The final buzzer went off and with that the Lady Vikings were officially Three Rivers Conference champions. Their final …read more.

PLYMOUTH – Months of hard work and anticipation all lead up to one weekend for wrestlers around the state. Sectional weekend is the ultimate put up or shut up opportunity. It is a chance to take away a memory that will last a lifetime, and that is just what Warsaw’s Rory Nolin did this weekend. …read more.

Article is broken up into four team recaps. Team recaps are done alphabetically. PLYMOUTH – Wrestlers around the state started their postseason journeys today and nine area wrestlers brought home titles at the Plymouth Sectional. At least one grappler from Tippecanoe Valley, Triton, Warsaw and Wawasee was crowned at Saturday’s 10-team tournament. In total, 21 …read more.

[weaver_youtube vCQII_EHRrw rel=0] DUNLAP – Not many involved with the 2015 Northern Lakes Conference Boys Swimming Championships left the Concord pool Saturday upset. Northridge claimed its 17th straight team title, Warsaw won a handful of individual titles and a bulk majority of the swimmers from the eight schools lowered personal or school standards. A pretty …read more.

Brady Burkhart poses with his Bethel T-shirt and new Bethel College family after signing his letter of intent to join the Pilots Saturday afternoon. Seated with Brady is mom, Farrah. (Photos provided by Bethel College athletics) MISHAWAKA – The Bethel College men’s basketball team defeated Spring Arbor University, 70-50, Saturday afternoon with the help of …read more.

ELKHART – Offensively it was perhaps the most consistent game the Wawasee basketball team had played all year. Defensively? Not so much. The Warriors traveled to McCuen Gym Friday night to take on Northern Lakes Conference foe Concord. Records meant nothing to a Concord team that entered the game with just two wins. The Minutemen …read more.

WARSAW – The majority of the Warsaw student section showed up at the Tiger Den Friday night dressed in banana outfits. The Tigers made sure to give their loud and proud faithful fans something to really go ape over in the end. Warsaw used a tremendous defensive effort to turn back NorthWood 47-39 in a …read more.

ELKHART – On a night when Jimtown saluted its heroes in uniform, Triton had a chance to also cheer on its boys in blue. A streaky first half coupled with a consistent second half allowed Triton to a 48-40 boys basketball win at Jimtown Friday night. Jimtown had all the reasons to play with energy, …read more.

WARSAW – One of the goals this season for the Warsaw girls basketball team was to win a Northern Lakes Conference championship. Coach Michelle Harter’s squad will have that opportunity come Saturday night. The task though will be a tough one as the Tigers visit NorthWood for their conference finale of the 2014-15 campaign. Warsaw …read more.

PLYMOUTH – The road to the 77th Annual IHSAA State Wrestling Finals begins this weekend for local wrestlers and many have a chance to make some serious noise at their respective sectionals. Plymouth will once again be the center of attention for the majority of local grapplers as Tippecanoe Valley, Triton, Warsaw and Wawasee will …read more.

If all of the local teams playing for conference titles actually win said titles, they should send me a shirt… Disclaimer: I’m only writing this so I won’t get fined. Just when you thought it was safe to walk the streets, somebody goes and steals cold cuts. What is this world coming to, Kosciusko? Alright, …read more.

WARSAW – The Warsaw boys basketball team has been good on the defensive end all season long. The NorthWood boys basketball team has been good on the offensive end all season long. What will give on Friday night when the pair clash in the Tiger Den for a huge Northern Lakes Conference contest? There’s sure …read more.

[weaver_youtube rd8GVRpFWCg rel=0] NORTH MANCHESTER – He may be a favorite son in the Triton community, but he was wearing enemy colors Tuesday night. Manchester girls basketball coach Jake Everett, who starred for Triton’s 2008 state championship team and was the Arthur L. Trester Mental Attitude Award winner that season, couldn’t guide his club to …read more.

WINONA LAKE – Grace’s upset bid of No. 1-ranked Indiana Wesleyan came up six minutes short on Saturday at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center. The Lancers (17-6, 7-4 Crossroads League) struggled offensively, particularly in the second half, en route to a 62-55 defeat. Grace turned the ball over a season-worst 22 times and shot just …read more.

SYRACUSE – A pair of key spurts by Tippecanoe Valley was all it took to put together a 45-25 girls basketball win over Wawasee Tuesday night at the Hardwood Teepee. Early on, Wawasee looked the more confident side, jumping out to a 7-3 lead. Valley, however, recorded three steals and layups on three consecutive possessions …read more.

ELKHART – Jimtown and Triton will battle on the hardcourt Friday night for the last time as Northern State Conference boys basketball rivals, but there will be much more important attachment to the game at Jimtown. The night will be dubbed “Military Appreciation Night”, hosted by Jimtown but also extended to Triton as a show …read more.

WINONA LAKE – Following a 2-0 week for the Lady Lancers, Grace senior Allison Kauffman was named the Crossroads League Player of the Week for the third time. Kauffman notched two double-doubles in two games to lead Grace to its third-straight victory. Kauffman averaged 21.0 points and 13.0 rebounds per game for Grace. She racked …read more.

WINONA LAKE – Former NCAA Div. I men’s basketball coach Dave Bliss will be the banquet speaker for the 2015 NCCAA Basketball National Championships, hosted by Grace College. Bliss, who was the head men’s coach at DI schools such as Oklahoma, SMU, New Mexico and Baylor, will be the keynote speaker at the banquet on …read more.

MISHAWAKA – The Crossroads League named Clay Yeo as Player of the Week Monday after the sophomore guard continued his high-level play in a pair of Bethel College men’s basketball road wins. Yeo averaged 25.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.0 steal per game, while sinking 63 percent from the field on …read more.

WARSAW – WCHS senior Camille Kerlin was honored for her big heart on Friday. Kerlin was saluted as a 2015 Riley Champion during a convocation at WCHS. Kerlin, a member of the WCHS tennis team, was recognized after her fundraising efforts last summer raised more than $12,000 for the Riley Children’s Foundation and the Kosciusko …read more.

DUNLAP – Strong starts have not always been the strong suit this season for the Warsaw girls basketball team. That was not the case Saturday night though. The Tigers were locked in on the defensive end from the opening tip in crushing Concord 52-18 in a Northern Lakes Conference contest in McCuen Gym. Warsaw, coming …read more.

ELKHART – The Triton wrestling team left its mark on the final Northern State Conference Meet Saturday. The Trojans, led by individual champion Nate Spangle, finished in fourth place in the final team standings in the final NSC meet. The NSC will no longer exist after the 2014-15 school year. Spangle earned first-place honors in …read more.

WARSAW – It’s probably safe to say that the Warsaw boys basketball team has seen enough of Fort Wayne teams this season. The Tigers suffered just their third loss of the season, all against teams from the Summit City, Saturday night in dropping a 56-49 final to Fort Wayne Northrop. Warsaw, which drops to 13-3 …read more.

GOSHEN – The Tigers were terrific Saturday afternoon. The Warsaw wrestling team left Goshen High School with three conference champions at the annual Northern Lakes Conference tournament. “I talked with Dan Hatch, our assistant, yesterday and we said we would like to have four in the finals today,” began a very pleased Justin Smith, Warsaw’s …read more.

[weaver_youtube qGV0aYX4VMU rel=0]   SYRACUSE – It would have been huge. Instead of ending a 24-game conference losing streak Friday night, the Wawasee Warrior basketball team watched it grow to 25 and will have it linger for at least another week. The Plymouth Pilgrims escaped an electric crowd and a determined Warrior squad at the …read more.

WARSAW – Nick Sands only shot two free throws Friday night. The Warsaw senior guard sure made those pair count in a big way though. Sands calmly connected on two tosses from the line with less than a second to play to lift the Tigers to a key 39-37 win over Concord in Northern Lakes …read more.

BOURBON – The Triton High School athletic department is proud to announce the next class to be inducted into the Triton Athletic Hall of Fame. In this round of induction is the 1964-65 boys basketball team and First State Bank of Bourbon. The class of 2015 will be the fifth class inducted. The 1964-1965 basketball …read more.

FORT WAYNE – Thanks to Parkview Sports Medicine, high school baseball will be back at Parkview Field in 2015. While the TinCaps are out of town in the spring, 24 area schools will have the opportunity to play at Minor League Baseball’s top-rated ballpark as part of the Parkview Sports Medicine High School Baseball Series. …read more.

MISHAWAKA – The Penn girls basketball program under the direction of Kristi Ulrich has always taken a lot of pride in its defense. The Kingsmen and their coach had a lot to be proud about Wednesday night. Penn, ranked No. 10 in Class 4-A, put the clamps down on Warsaw for a convincing 47-26 win. …read more.

Recently, we’ve celebrated a record number of Facebook likes here at Ink Free News. Our audience on Twitter has also been growing. We just found out that the Ink Free News Twitter account has crested 2,000 followers, and we are sincerely grateful for all those followers who trust Ink Free News for the latest news in …read more.

SYRACUSE – It was a tale of two halves for the Whitko and Wawasee girls basketball teams Tuesday night. After a spectacular first half of play by the visiting Wildcats, Wawasee found its niche in the second half to keep fans entertained to the final minute. Whitko did enough early on to stay safe late …read more.

[weaver_youtube u-_Q_9AfTI8 rel=0]   SYRACUSE – It was home sweet home for the Wawasee gymnastics team Tuesday night. Wawasee performed at home for the first time this season and used that to its advantage as it scored a season-high to defeat visiting West Noble 96.55-90.60. Wawasee took first in every event, but the night was …read more.

WARSAW – Tuesday’s swim matchups between Culver Academy and host Warsaw provided a nice preview to the sectional tournaments in February. A 122-63 victory by the visiting Culver girls and a 138-48 whipping by Warsaw’s boys left plenty to be mulled for the coming weeks. Warsaw’s boys, having had just one meet in the past …read more.

[weaver_youtube ERaa0TUYs8o rel=0] WARSAW – Warsaw’s gymnastics team was just happy to be home. Outmanned from the start against a strong Homestead team, Warsaw was more interested in competing on its home equipment Tuesday night in a 101.65-66.9 final. The Tigers’ first home meet of the season was light in bodies as only four total …read more.

SOUTH BEND – The South Bend Cubs unveiled an image of the new team mascot today and asked for fans throughout the region to help name him before the season starts. The new mascot will take the field on opening day, April 9th. “We’re thrilled to welcome our new team mascot to town,” said Joe …read more.

WINONA LAKE – Grace College’s softball team, under head coach Heather Johnson, will be hosting two winter skills clinic on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. The weekend clinics, both held at Grace’s Gordon Recreation Center, feature specialized training from the Lady Lancers’ coaching staff and players. The Winter Fundamentals Clinic on Jan. 31 is for …read more.

WINONA LAKE – Grace College’s men’s basketball team will be participating in the NABC Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Awareness Week when the Lancers host Mt. Vernon Nazarene Tuesday at 7 p.m. The week of awareness is a joint effort of the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches that empowers …read more.

AKRON – On a night when the Zebras came to town, it was the Vikings that earned their stripes. The No. 10 ranked Tippecanoe Valley girls basketball team hosted No. 9 Rochester in a battle for first place in the Three Rivers Conference. It was the biggest game between the two rivals in nearly a …read more.

WARSAW – The Warsaw girls basketball team found itself in a close tussle with Goshen early in the second half Saturday night. The Tigers needed a spark to get going in the key Northern Lakes Conference contest. A sweet shooting performance from distance turned out to be just what the doctor orders for coach Michelle …read more.

FORT WAYNE – An impressive winning streak came to an end Saturday night for the Warsaw boys basketball team. The Tigers dug a first-half hole and never recovered in a 48-40 loss to a long and athletic Fort Wayne Snider team in non-conference play. Warsaw, playing its third road game in five days, sees its …read more.

MIDDLEBURY – It was Northridge’s day to celebrate yet another Northern Lakes Conference girls swimming team title, but the two teams from Kosciusko County had plenty to be excited about at the NLC Championships Saturday afternoon. Between Wawasee and Warsaw, the two clubs claimed eight of the 12 event titles and did so in resounding …read more.

BOURBON – When the basketball game between Oregon-Davis and Triton was postponed earlier this month, nobody knew when, or even if, it would be made up. The two Class A juggernauts finally met Saturday evening and it was worth the wait for the Lady Trojans. “It feels great,” remarked a beaming Becca Kennedy. Kennedy, a …read more.

[weaver_youtube RzY85BV6SoE rel=0] BOURBON – On a night when fans of Triton and Culver got a varsity girls/boys doubleheader, everyone was treated to a double dip to start the night. The two girls teams needed double overtime to settle matters Friday night at the Trojan Trench, with Culver coming out on top 40-38. Triton had …read more.

[weaver_youtube 9eVUua18jSE rel=0] GOSHEN – It certainly wasn’t pretty, but it definitely was a victory. The Warsaw boys basketball team got into a defensive slugfest with Northern Lakes Conference rival Goshen on Friday night and barely survived. The host Redskins never earned a lead in the contest, but made things a little too close for …read more.

BOURBON – There was no Trent Elliott to save Culver this time. Triton, with the memory of the 2014 sectional loss still in the back of their minds, didn’t have any trouble with Culver Friday night in a 57-34 win at the Trojan Trench. The Cavaliers didn’t have anyone set to drop 40 points on …read more.

ELKHART – The Wawasee boys basketball team got off to a stellar start in the first three minutes versus Elkhart Memorial Friday night. Unfortunately for the Warriors, the game still had 29 minutes to be played. The host Crimson Chargers dug out of an early hole to charge past the Warriors 64-44 in a Northern …read more.

AKRON – Tippecanoe Valley girls basketball coach Chris Kindig has seen his team become more defensive this season. All in a good way of course. The Vikings are 13-2 thanks in large part to an improvement on the defensive end of the floor. Kindig, whose team finished 13-7 last season, has not been surprised by …read more.

It’s been nearly a month since I’ve written a picks article. So, the important questions need to be asked up front. How have you survived, Kosciusko!? I was not there for you during the first two rounds of the NFL playoffs. I was not there when you needed me most for the Golden Globes picks, …read more.

MIDDLEBURY – The Northridge High School Natatorium was rocking Thursday night as swimmers from around the Northern Lakes Conference gathered for the prelims of the 2015 Girls NLC Championships. Local squads Warsaw and Wawasee participated in the evening’s events and both left feeling good after solid showings in the prelims. “Honestly, I thought everyone had …read more.

SYRACUSE – The Wawasee Kiwanis is sponsoring its annual Hot Shot basketball contests. The Hot Shot will take place Saturday, Jan. 24, beginning at 1 p.m. at the Wawasee Middle School Gymnasium. The contest is open to boys and girls in grades 1-8. Registration begins at noon the same day in conjunction with the Knights …read more.

MIDDLEBURY – A sort of order was restored to the Northern Lakes Conference girls swimming world this season. At least in terms of tradition. After Wawasee shook up the conference in 2014 with its first title in almost two decades, Northridge reloaded with a very strong freshman class and took back what its claimed for …read more.