Published: February 15, 2008 11:19 pm      

Quite a Warrior display

Westview’s Warriors put on a clinic Friday night in the Goshen High School gym.

Basketball 101 was the top as the Warriors led from start to finish for a 70-50 victory over the cold-shooting Goshen Redskins.

The first three minutes set the tone as 5-11 Warrior senior Justin Yoder nailed a 17-footer, 5-8 junior Adam Christner scored on a rebound and banked in a 15-footer and Yoder hit another jumper for a quick 8-0 WHS advantage.

The Redskins got within 10-8 with two minutes to go in the period but 6-3 senior Taylor Aspy scored on a behind-the-back pass from Yoder, Aspy canned an eight-footer and 6-3 senior Weston Dunker tallied on a rebound for a 16-8 Westview command after eight minutes.

Goshen never again got within five points as the Redskins simply couldn’t overcome 5-of-22 shooting from the field in the first half.

Westview set a school record with its 17th consecutive victory. That tops a string of 16 by the 1984-85 Warriors.

Warrior coach Rob Yoder said, “The kids played good at the start of the game and were taking shots they could make. I would like to have seen fewer turnovers than we had (15).

“Adam Christner is such an unselfish player for us. He could easily average double figures in scoring, but he has some senior teammates who are shooting incredible percentages this year. He’s one of the best playmakers around.”

Goshen coach Brian Bechtel said, “We shot 21 per cent in the first half and that was the difference in the game. We played soft at the start and that dictated the first 16 minutes.

“If we don’t shoot with confidence, we can’t win. We took decent care of the ball and had good looks at the basket, but couldn’t hit. Then, that affected our heads on defense.”

Christner and Yoder both scored 17 points for the Warriors and 5-9 senior Austin Miller 15.

Christner had seven rebounds, Miller six, both Aspy and 6-2 senior Ryan Sindle five as the hustling Warriors won the board battle, 34-22.

Ethan Hussey, 6-2 junior, led Goshen with 13 points. Nathan Stegelmann, 6-6 senior, scored all 12 of his points in the second half and led the Redskins in rebounds with seven.

Ryan Bartley, 6-0 senior, was credited with six assists and 5-9 junior Alex Aguilar three. Hussey had three steals.

There were 42 fouls called and 46 free throws attempted in a game which got a bit sloppy once Westview assumed a big lead. The Warriors weren’t backing down in this one.

“Westview was the more physical team in this game and that’s disgusting to me,” said Bechtel. “They bothered us shooting in the paint. We must have missed six shots within three feet.

“Westview played very confidently from the start and with a lot of savvy. They came in here to win.

“We went to a scramble trap and that’s just not our game. We are a good halfcourt defensive team when we want to be. And we have to shoot with more confidence, whether up five or down five.”

Coach Yoder said, “We made a commitment before the season that we were not going to lose a game because someone beat us up. Our practices are rough and these kids will not be intimidated.

“We had great respect for Goshen coming in. They have a couple guys exceptional off the dribble and some other good shooters. Stegelmann showed he can be a presence inside.”

The Redskins trailed only 19-14 with 3:14 left in the second period, but the Warriors went on an 11-2 run for a 30-16 halftime command.

Goshen, 10-8, hosts South Bend St. Joseph’s on Tuesday. Westview goes to Fremont the same night.

Junior Varsity

The Redskin JV improved to 17-1 with a 43-40 victory over the Warriors, now 15-3.

Sophomore Taylor Kolbus scored 14 points for GHS, junior Andrew Bowers 10, junior Scott Landis eight, sophomore T.J. Wright five, juniors Mac Hussey and Brock Bender and sophomore Andrew Litwiller two each.

Freshman Seth Wagler tallied 12 for Westview, freshmen Dominique Neely and Justin Jantzi both 10, sophomore Steve Baumgartner four, sophomore Jordan Berkey and freshman Kurt Lambright both two.