SOUTH WHITLEY — The physically and emotionally draining rivalry that exists between Tippecanoe Valley and Whitko was at its best Saturday night. The Lady Vikings struggled early but managed to outwit, outlast and outplay their rival en route to a well-deserved 55-45 victory in South Whitley. Fans in attendance knew they were in for a …read more.

SYRACUSE — Technicalities were all that separated Wawasee from a November Super Duals title in its own tournament Saturday afternoon. Criteria points were the difference in what became a 41-40 decision given to Columbia City against Wawasee in the final round of the Duals. City’s pins on Wawasee became the deciding factor that broke the …read more.

SOUTH WHITLEY — Expectations are high as a new season is on the horizon in South Whitley. Last year’s team ended its season in the sectional championship game, and with the defeat came the loss of a solid senior class led by All-Stater Logan Irwin. The dynamic graduate, who is now playing basketball at Stetson …read more.

The grades are in for area school corporations. The Indiana Department of Education released their report card for 2012 and some schools are seeing improvements, while others have declined. The most improved local corporation is Warsaw Community Schools. The corporation received an A grade for all of its schools this year. Compared to last year, …read more.

An opportunity. That’s what awaits both the Tippecanoe Valley and Whitko football teams Friday night. The opportunity arrives for each in the form of a sectional semifinal playoff game with each facing big challenges. The pair of Three Rivers Conference counterparts, playing in opposite brackets in Class 3-A Sectional 18, are just one win away …read more.

The Whitko volleyball team saw its season end Thursday night in first-round play of the Class 3-A Norwell Sectional. Heritage defeated the Wildcats 25-15, 13-25, 27-25, 25-13 in the opening match of the tournament. Sophomore Maddie Gawthrop led the way for Whitko with 11 kills. Junior Whitney Hobbs had nine kills and classmate Taylor Zwick …read more.

Officials who administer adult education or alternative education programs, all K-12 schools and school districts can now find funding resources from public and private foundations, corporations, family trusts, and state and federal sources in a grant directory with more than 3,000 records. Schoolhouse Partners LLC has published the 10th edition of Funding Sources for K-12 …read more.

Whitney Hobbs closed out the regular season in style with a career match Thursday night to lead her Whitko volleyball team to a victory. Hobbs produced a career-best 19 kills as the Wildcats closed out the regular season by defeating Caston 25-18, 25-21, 25-13. Elaine Warner had 25 digs and three aces for the Wildcats. …read more.

ROCHESTER – Whitko came up just short in knocking off another league leader in the Three Rivers Conference for the second straight week. A 24-yard field goal by Jon O’Dell with just 25 seconds to play lifted host Rochester to a 20-17 win over the Wildcats in TRC action Friday night. O’Dell, who had missed …read more.

HARTFORD CITY — The run has come to an end for the Whitko girls soccer team. The defending Blackford Girls Soccer Sectional champions were knocked out of the 2012 tournament by Oak Hill, 2-1, in the semi-finals Thursday night. Cagney Craig scored Whitko’s lone goal in the first half, assisted by Syndey Sims. Jordan Hall …read more.

FORT WAYNE — Fort Wayne Concordia minced no words in a 10-0 romp over Whitko at the Fort Wayne Canterbury Boys Soccer Sectional. David Ehlers and Stephan Gieschen both scored a pair of goals to lead the Cadets to the big win. Brock Brenneman, Chandler Branning, Dave Gunchel, Ethan Drake, Charles Fisher and Jaron Bowersox …read more.

Maddie Gawthrop turned in a strong all-around performance to lead her Whitko volleyball team to a close win over Tippecanoe Valley Wednesday night in South Whitley. Gawthrop slammed a team-high 10 kills as the Wildcats beat the Vikings 25-23, 26-24, 25-23 in the Three Rivers Conference clash. Gawthrop also led the winners with five aces …read more.

The Whitko volleyball team dropped a 3-0 final to Northfield in a conference match Monday night. Northfield took the Three Rivers Conference contest by a 25-16, 25-11, 25-23 final over the Wildcats. Whitney Hobbs led Whitko with four kills and three blocks. Jenny Brown had 10 digs and three aces and Meghan Peters had 11 …read more.

HARTFORD CITY — Reghan Craig’s goal in the second half was golden for Whitko, as the Lady Wildcats beat Mississinewa 2-1 in the first round of the Blackford Girls Soccer Sectional Monday in Hartford City. Craig’s second goal of the year was assisted by sister Cagney Craig. Ellyana Blue continued her torrid scoring pace, netting …read more.

SOUTH WHITLEY – Whitko took care of the football Friday night and in the process took care of North Miami. The Wildcats had no turnovers in handing the Warriors their first conference loss of the season by a 13-10 count. Connor Stouder scored the game winner for the Wildcats in the Three Rivers Conference contest. …read more.

Canterbury Slips By In Volleyball The Whitko volleyball team lost a close 3-2 final to Fort Wayne Canterbury Thursday night. Canterbury rallied to take the match 25-19, 10-25, 17-25, 27-25, 15-11. Whitney Hobbs and Taylor Zwick each slammed 13 kills to lead Whitko.  Meghan Peters had five aces and 37 assists for the Wildcats. Jenny …read more.

Sydney Sims got Whitko going with a goal, her fourth of the season, but Columbia City answered with a fury to claim a 3-1 win Wednesday night in girls soccer at Whitko. Drawing City even was Haley Boner, who scored off an assist from Hannah Wappes to open the second half bulge. Shila Tolliver then …read more.

WARSAW — These two teams knew each other very well, but one seemed to know how to exploit the other’s weaknesses much better. Tippecanoe Valley and Whitko squared off in the first round of the Warsaw Boys Tennis Sectional, the third time this season the two have seen each other. Valley, however, looked the stronger …read more.

All the scoring came in the first half, but Whitko needed a second half miracle that wouldn’t come in a 2-1 loss to Prairie Heights Tuesday night in boys soccer. Ryan Burkholder scored the opening goal on an assist from Christian Granados to give the Panthers a 1-0 advantage. Darrin Cole scored the eventual game …read more.

The Whitko volleyball team lost in straight sets to Columbia City Monday night. Maddie Gawthrop and Elaine Warner each had four kills to lead Whitko. Meghan Peters had 10 assists, while Warner had two aces and Gawthrop two blocks. Jenny Brown led Whitko with 13 digs. The Whitko JV team also lost to the Eagles …read more.

WABASH – Four turnovers were the biggest number on the final stat sheet Friday night for the Whitko football team. The Wildcats lost the ball twice on fumbles and a pair of times on interceptions in a 27-21 Three Rivers Conference loss at Northfield. The winning Norsemen, who improve to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in …read more.

Rochester had a big night from Landon Notz, who scored two goals and assisted on another in a 4-0 win over Whitko in boys soccer Thursday night at Rochester. Christian Coplen and Zac DuBois also scored for Rochester (7-5-2), which needed just four saves from goalie Taylor Medina to keep the slate clean. Whitko is …read more.

The trio of Whitney Hobbs, Meghan Peters and Jenny Brown led the way Tuesday night as the Whitko volleyball team defeated Wabash 3-1. The Wildcats rallied for a 13-25, 25-17, 25-19, 28-26 win in the Three Rivers Conference clash. Hobbs led the way for the winners with 10 kills and three blocks. Peters had 26 …read more.

Ellyanna Blue went crazy again, notching a hat trick to lead Whitko’s girls soccer team to a 4-0 win against visiting Woodlan Monday night. Blue’s hat trick gives the junior 14 goals on the season for the Wildcats, which move to 4-4-2 on the season with the win. Sydney Sims added a goal and three …read more.

SYRACUSE — Wawasee High School was buzzing with activity Saturday morning when the Lady Warriors volleyball team welcomed in seven other schools for the 21st annual Wawasee Invitational. The host Lady Warriors had a strong showing going 3-1 and making it to the championship game before falling to South Bend Saint Joseph in two games. …read more.

North Miami Romps In Boys Soccer Brandon Mock scored four goals and Matt Mock assisted on three as North Miami romped over Whitko, 7-0, in boys soccer Saturday afternoon in South Whitley. Jacob Stiver added two goals and two assists as North Miami collected its fourth win of the season. Kurt Peoples made eight saves …read more.

WARSAW — Golf has always been labeled as a frustrating game. That feeling surfaced at the Stonehenge Golf Club Saturday as the Warsaw Girls Golf Sectional played out. It became a matter of one stroke, or really 13 strokes. It depends on who you ask, but that was the margin that separated Plymouth and Wawasee …read more.

SOUTH WHITLEY – Whitko left absolutely no doubt in this one Friday night. The Wildcats bounced back from a tough loss a week ago to rock winless Wabash 51-19 in Three Rivers Conference play. Whitko stormed to a 23-0 lead after the opening period en route to a commanding 44-7 advantage at halftime. The Wildcats, …read more.

Lady Wildcats Tie Manchester Whitko and Manchester both scored second half goals in a 1-1 tie Thursday in Manchester. Ellyanna Blue scored her ninth goal of the season for Whitko, which moved to 2-4-2 on the season. Sydney Sims assisted on the Blue goal. Jordan Hall made 15 stops to hold up the tie in …read more.

The Whitko volleyball team dropped a 3-1 final to Rochester Monday night in a Three Rivers Conference match. The Zebras took the league contest 25-11, 25-7, 23-25, 25-12. Whitney Hobbs had nine kills and Maddie Gawthrop seven to lead Whitko. Gawthrop led her team with three aces, while Jenny Brown had 13 digs and setter …read more.

NORTH MANCHESTER – Whitko’s bid for a second straight football win went by the boards Friday night. The Wildcats were stymied in dropping a 13-10 final at Manchester in a Three Rivers Conference contest. A five-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jim Sainsbury in the final quarter lifted the host Squires to their first win of …read more.

The Whitko volleyball team evened its conference record with a 3-1 victory over Manchester Thursday night. Maddie Gawthrop  slammed 11 kills and Whitney Hobbs added eight as the Wildcats won the Three Rivers Conference clash 25-12, 19-25, 25-14, 25-15. Gawthrop also led Whitko with five aces as coach Brandy Smith’s squad improved to 4-7 overall …read more.

Whitko’s boys soccer team tasted victory for the first time Wednesday night, beating Hamilton 5-4. Tyler Sherman had a huge night, scoring four goals, including the game winner in the second half. Cole Findley added the fifth goal and also had an assist. Thomas Wyman had a pair of first-half assists and Jonathon Johnson assisted …read more.

SOUTH WHITLEY — It’s a known soccer adage that if a team is struggling, it isn’t shooting enough. Having been outscored 21-0 in its past three games, Wawasee’s girls soccer team needed to find some offense heading into South Whitley for a matchup with Whitko. Lexy Blunk became a one-woman wrecking crew, providing the Lady …read more.

The Wawasee girls golf team added two more wins to its résumé with a double over West Noble and Whitko. The Lady Warriors used a medalist 45 from Alex Goralczyk to score a 194 to host West Noble’s 220 and Whitko’s 239 played at South Shore Golf Club in Syracuse. Elizabeth Jackson and Mikala Mawhorter …read more.

Wildcat Soccer Double At Manchester Invite Both the boys and girls soccer programs from Whitko took part in the four-team Manchester Soccer Invitationals. The girls team collected the only win in the four games played, beating North Miami 5-3, in the consolation game of the tournament. Ellyana Blue had a hat trick while Sydney Sims …read more.

SOUTH WHITLEY – Whitko righted the ship Friday night in a big way with a 42-20 rout over Southwood in the Three Rivers Conference opener for both teams. The host Wildcats piled up 345 rushing yards to notch their first victory of the season.  Southwood, which lost 45-0 to Whitko in 2011, drops to 0-3. …read more.

Volleyball Breezes Past Manchester Since losing its first two matches of the season, Wawasee volleyball has now rattled off seven wins in its last eight matches. The latest victim for the Lady Warriors were Manchester, which it beat 25-11, 25-13, 25-14 in North Manchester. Wawasee (7-3) had several individuals contribute to the win, including a …read more.

Remington Cole had a huge night, scoring a goal and assisting on three others as the Central Noble Cougars blew past Whitko, 5-0, in boys soccer in South Whitley. Cole scored the first goal of the match, assisted by Alex Cole, then assisted on both of Keifer Beck’s tallies and one of two goals scored …read more.

The ballots for local school corporations have been set as Friday’s filing deadline came and went. The filing deadline at noon in the Kosciusko County Clerk’s Office saw a total of nine school board candidates vying for spots in the three different corporations. Candidates who filed for Warsaw Community School Corporation’s school board are: District …read more.

SOUTH WHITLEY – Columbia City bounced back from a season-opening loss at home to Warsaw to even its record with a 43-13 win at Whitko Friday night. Adam Neely rushed for 218 yards on 30 carries and scored three touchdowns to lead the Eagles to the victory. Columbia City led 14-0 after the opening period …read more.

Volleyball Team Tops Manchester The Whitko volleyball team posted a 3-0 win over Manchester Thursday night. Whitney Hobbs had six kills and Maddie Gawthrop five as the Wildcats prevailed 25-12, 25-14, 25-19. Meghan Peters produced 14 assists to go with three aces for the winners. Elaine Warner had two aces and seven digs. Jenny Brown led …read more.

The final appetizer. That’s the precursor for week two of the high school football season Friday night as area teams have one final non-conference contest to prepare them for the main course of league play starting Aug. 31. Warsaw, fresh off a season-opening win at Columbia City, faces the biggest test of the week as …read more.

Three area golf teams found the Mill Creek Golf Course to be a struggle Saturday at the Rochester Invite. The host Rochester team scored a 345 to win the invite, with NorthWood way back in second place at 373. Wawasee were 12th at 444, Whitko next at 468 and Tippecanoe Valley 16th in the 18-team …read more.

Whitko’s girls soccer team tasted defeat for the first time in 2012, losing to West Noble, 3-1, Saturday morning in South Whitley. Ana Herrera scored a pair of goals and Beni Murillo added another tally for the Lady Chargers, which move to 1-1 on the season. Alle Zamarripa and Karla Carillo were credited with assists …read more.

Westview Outdoes Namesakes In the battle for top Lady Warrior, Westview staked claim Saturday, winning 5-1 in girls soccer at Wawasee. The Mowery sisters, Michelle and Stephanie, did a bulk of the damage, scoring three of Westview’s five goals. Michelle had the first and fifth goals for Westview in the 12th and 71st minutes while …read more.

SOUTH WHITLEY — It was a statement game for Wawasee, heading into South Whitley looking to establish a frame of mind. While Whitko looked to make its own statement, Wawasee ran over those intentions in a 20-7 victory Friday night in South Whitley. A huge running game for the Warriors, not enough horses for the …read more.

The Whitko girls soccer team opened its season Thursday night by playing host Central Noble to a 2-2 tie. Junior Ellyana Blue tallied a goal in the opening half for Whitko as the contest was tied at 1-1 at intermission. Senior Cagney Craig scored in the second half for the Wildcats. Senior goalie Chloe Nestel …read more.

Developing a reputation can be a hard thing to do. When you don’t have much to fall back upon, name recognition and respect can be a difficult proposition. Welcome to the world of Whitko soccer. While the likes of Lakeland Christian Academy could make a claim that they have a tougher road to hoe this …read more.

Anytime a program can add a record-setting goal scorer, life is good. Warsaw’s girls soccer team had to play its 2011 campaign without the services of Meredith Hollar, who injured her knee during the club season and required surgery. Hollar’s sophomore season in 2010 was one for the books, having scored 28 goals to set …read more.

The first match of a season can sometimes offer very little in the way of substance, or in Wednesday’s 192 for the Wawasee golf team, glimmers of hope. Golfing with two freshmen, two sophomores and its only upperclassman senior, Wawasee’s score over NLC rival Concord (218) and host Whitko’s 222 at Sycamore Golf Club gave …read more.

As is the model each year as July’s swimming pool and suntan dreams turn to August’s school books and two-a-day practice nightmares, fall sports ushers that bittersweet taste of good and bad. It’s no fault of their own, but the girls golfers begin the season as the calendar flips from July to August, and the …read more.

The Whitko Booster Club will host its annual Wildcat Golf Scramble Aug. 11 at the Sycamore Golf Club in North Manchester. Cost is $200 for a 4-player team. Registration will be from noon until 12:45 on the day of the event with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. Contact Tim Smith (574-594-5553), Wayne Swenden (260-723-5777) …read more.

The Whitko baseball program will host its Youth Baseball Camps from June 18-21 at the diamond at the high school. The camps, which will be run by members of the Whitko coaching staff and players, will focus on fundamentals of all aspects of the game. Camp for ages 8-12 will run from 12-1:30 p.m. each …read more.

Several players from the Whitko baseball team have been honored by the Three Rivers Conference for the 2012 season. Zach Snep was chosen as a first-team, All-TRC selection. The freshman outfielder hit .390 with 15 RBI and 17 runs scored. The duo of Ethan Nicodemus and Ryan Weigold earned second-team, All-TRC honors. Nicodemus, a sophomore …read more.

Former Whitko High School boys basketball coach Rob Irwin has been approved as the new boys basketball coach at Huntington North High School. Irwin, who also served as the athletic director at Whitko, stepped down as coach after this past season. He spent the last seven years as coach of the Wildcats. Whitko has hired …read more.

The Whitko baseball team saw an outstanding season come to a close Friday in sectional semifinal play. Host Norwell topped Whitko 12-0 in a semfinal game of the Classs 3-A Norwell Sectional. Norwell, which was ranked No. 1 in Class 3-A back in April, beat Whitko 5-4 in 12 innings during the regular season. Whitko …read more.

Whitko’s Alec Wilkinson is a regional champion and is headed to the State Finals. The senior turned in the top performance in the pole vault Thursday night at the Fort Wayne Wayne Boys Track Regional. Wilkinson cleared a winning height of 14-3 in the regional meet. He will now compete in the State Finals June …read more.

BASEBALL TEAM POUNDS BETHANY Ryan Weigold and Wes Gensch led the way Monday as the Whitko baseball team whipped Bethany Christian 15-5. Weigold went 4-5 with three RBI and Gensch was 4-5 with two RBI as Whitko won its regular-season finale at Bethany. Whitko piled up 19 hits in the win to finish at 20-8. …read more.

BASEBALL TEAM EARNS A SPLIT A strong pitching performance by Alex Stoddard enabled Whitko to earn a split with Prairie Heights in a prep baseball doubleheader Saturday  played at Goshen College. Stoddard fired a three-hitter with eight strikeouts as Whitko won the opens 6-3. Riley Cokl was 2-3 with a double and an RBI for …read more.

BASEBALL TEAM RALLIES FOR WIN A pair of runs in their final at-bat lifted Whitko to a 3-2 prep baseball win at Woodlan Thursday. Alex Stoddard delivered an RBI triple and Wes Gensch an RBI single to lift Whitko to the victory in the seventh inning. Ethan Nicodemus pitched a complete game for Whitko. He …read more.

BASEBALL TEAM FALLS TO WABASH A strong pitching effort carried host Wabash to a 6-1 win over Whitko in prep baseball action Wednesday. Andrew Shephered fired a four-hitter for the winners.  Wabash improves to 13-10 overall and 5-2 in league play. Ethan Nicodemus led Whitko by going 2-4 at the plate with an RBI and …read more.

TENNIS GETS BY WHITKO Wawasee (3-10) concluded its tennis regular season with a win over Whitko, 4-1, Tuesday afternoon at Wawasee. Wawasee one and two singles combo of Morgan Geer and Katy Ashpole had little trouble beating Abby Marshall and Aressa Tackwell. Geer won three and three while Ashpole took home a one and two …read more.

TRACK TEAM 7TH AT SECTIONAL The Whitko girls team team finished in seventh place Tuesday night at the Bluffton Sectional. Leading Whitko and earning regional berths were Josie Sparks and Micaela Sylvester. Sparks placed fourth in the 400 in 1:00.79 and Sylvester was fourth in the 100 hurdles in 16.95. Sylvester also teamed with Cagney …read more.

BASEBALL FALLS AT NORTHFIELD Ryan Keaffaber shut down Whitko in a 4-0 win for Northfield in prep baseball action Monday. The pitcher for the hosts Norsemen fired a six-hitter with 15 strikeouts in the complete game win. Northfield improves to  19-3 overall and 6-0  in conference play. Zach Snep went 2-3 to lead Whitko, now …read more.

Whitko High School May 14-19 Monday Baseball at Northfield 5 p.m.; Softball at Northfield 5 p.m. Tuesday Girls  Track in Sectional (at Bulletin); Girls Tennis at Wawasee 4:30 p.m. Wednesday Baseball at Wabash 5 p.m.; Softball at Wabash 5 p.m.;  Girls Tennis in Sectional (at Warsaw). Thursday Boys Golf vs. Manchester and Tippecanoe Valley 5 …read more.

OFFENSIVE OUTBURST ON DIAMOND Whitko had its offense in high gear in  outscoring host Columbia City 16-13 Friday in baseball action. The two teams combined for 25 hits in the contest. Zach Snep went 4-5 with two RBI for the winners. Austin Mort was 3-5 with two RBI, Brandon Carpenter 2-3 with three RBI, Ryan …read more.

Paced by a pair of championship relay teams, the Whitko girls track team captured the title of the Three Rivers Conference meet Thursday night. The 400 relay team of Cagney Craig, Micaela Sylvester, Sammy Kierner and Kelsie Boggs won in 52.41 for the champions. Whitko also won the 1,600 relay event as Delaney Ray, Miranda …read more.

BASEBALL TEAM POSTS WIN Whitko outscored North Miami 12-9 Thursday for a Three Rivers Conference baseball win in South Whitley. A six-run fifth inning carried the hosts to the victory. Zach Snep had the key hit in the frame with a three-run triple. Alex Stoddard was 3-3 with two RBI for Whitko. Ethan Nicodemus went …read more.

BASEBALL TEAM STOPS MANCHESTER Wes Gensch and Ryan Weigold combined to pitch a four-hitter as host Whitko topped Manchester 6-3 in a Three Rivers Conference baseball game in South Whitley Wednesday. Weigold,  Zach Snep and Colin Nicodemus each had a hit for Whitko, which improved to 15-5 overall and 3-1 in league play. Whitko hosts …read more.

GOLF TEAM LOSES TO VIKINGS The Whitko boys golf team dropped a Three Rivers Conference match to Tippecanoe Valley by a 167-184 final Tuesday. Colton LeTourneau led Whitko with a 42 in the match played at Sycamore Golf Club. Danny Zawlocki shot 43, Josh Busenbark 44 and Cole Bechtold and Matt Hathaway each had a …read more.

  WHITKO BOYS TRACK UNBEATEN IN TRC The Whitko boys track team completed an undefeated regular-season run through the Three Rivers Conference with two wins Monday night. Whitko won six individual events and a  pair of relays to total 78 points in defeating Tippecanoe Valley (43) and North Miami (34) in TRC action. Individual winners …read more.

Whitko High School April 30-May 5 Monday Baseball vs. North Miami, 5:00; Softball vs. North Miami, 5:00; Girls’ tennis at Southwood, 5:00 Tuesday Boys’ golf vs. Manchester and Northfield, 5:00; Girls’ tennis vs. Manchester, 5:00 Wednesday Baseball at Southwood, 5:00; Softball at Southwood, 5:00 Friday Baseball vs. Bellmont, 5:00; Boys’ track at Concord Relays, 5:30. …read more.