Northridge 61, Elkhart Central 40

Sports

November 27, 2009

Anonymous The Goshen News Fri Nov 27, 2009, 10:47 AM EST

New names. Familiar results.

With five first-time varsity starters on the floor Thanksgiving Eve, Northridge High School’s boys basketball Raiders appeared to be in midseason form.

The Raiders vaulted to an 8-0 lead and were never threatened in steaming to a 61-40 non-conference triumph over Central’s Blue Blazers at North Side Gym in Elkhart.

Northridge had to replace its entire starting five from a team which went 20-0 last regular season. Yet, the newcomers performed like veterans.

“I wouldn’t have predicated this after last night’s practice, but our guys came out and played with confidence,” said Raider head coach Jason Ridge.

“It helped to get on a roll right away shooting. We got a little bit of cushion and that allowed us to play the way we want to play, spreading the floor and attacking the basket.”

Luke Davis, 5-8 junior dynamo, led the Raiders with 16 points while junior Malcolm Thurmond tallied 13 and senior Jeff Yoder 12.

Senior Justin Yoder contributed seven points and 6-1 senior Craig Thomas led the team in rebounds with four. In relief, sophomore Gavin Blyly scored six points and senior Skyler Mitchell three.

The Raiders actually shot better from 3-point range (8-of-13) than they did from the free-throw line (11-of-18). Overall, Northridge was a sizzling 63.6 per cent from the field.

Jeff Yoder hit a pair of ‘3s’ in the first quarter, Thurmond, Justin Yoder and Blyly one each. It was 21-7 after a staggering eight minutes and the Blue Blazers never recovered.

“I knew we were in trouble at 8-2,” said Central coach Matt Windy. “They hit five ‘3s’ in the first quarter and that’s 15 points bang, bang.

“Northridge has kids who are basketball smart. They are patient and get good looks. We were being beaten off the dribble all night long. When we’d help, they’d kick it out for a ‘3.’

“We have only one senior (6-7 senior Josh Riikonen) and even had a couple freshmen (5-7 Terrell Street and 6-2 John Stahl) in there toward the end.

“Riikonen sprained an ankle and (6-7 junior) Mason Braden has been sick, so this is the first time we’ve had all our guys together in 10 days. But, don’t feel sorry for us. We just have to keep working and get better.”

After the blazing start, Northridge was even hotter in the second period with 8-for-9 shooting including ‘3s’ by Blyly and Thurmond. That stretched the score to 39-15 by halftime.

It was 51-24 after three periods and the lead peaked at 59-28 with 4:52 to go. Central enjoyed a 12-2 scoring advantage the rest of the way.

Riikonen had 16 points and 15 rebounds for the Blue Blazers. Oddly, the entire Northridge team had just 16 rebounds — but then there were few misses on the offensive end.

Satori Stahl, 5-11 junior, tallied seven points for Central and 5-9 junior Tyllis Mason six.

“The execution of our offense allowed us to get into a good rhythm,” said Ridge. “Luke Davis can create some matchup problems with his ball-handling ability and getting to the bonus sets us up to spread the floor.

“Jeff Yoder gave us a big lift on the defensive end, taking charges and diving for loose balls.

“We will be back here (North Side) for both the holiday tourney and sectional. We want to be a better basketball team each time we return.”

Both teams have home games Saturday, the Raiders facing Westview and the Blue Blazers meeting Goshen.

Text Only

Sports

COLLEGE CONNECTIONS: Ex-Raider Troyer excels for Wesleyan
Senior Derrick Troyer (Northridge) poured in 21 points for the NAIA D-II No. 14 ranked Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats in a 94-87 Mid-Central Conference win over the Bethel Pilots.

February 13, 2012 4 Photos
FROM THE SIDELINES: EN trip triggers hoop memories
Visiting the “Big Blue Pit” in Kendallville on Saturday for the Goshen-East Noble boys basketball game stirred up a multitude of memories.

February 13, 2012 1 Photo
OUTDOOR COLUMN: Replacing the new with the old
If the statement came from any other angler, I would have instantly dismissed it. But Russell Chatham is no ordinary fisherman. He knows whereof he speaks.

February 13, 2012 1 Photo
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Gridiron Knight
One of the most disruptive parts of Concord’s “Strike Force” defense over the past two high school football seasons — Jarrett Settles — has decided to take his football talents to Marian University in Indianapolis.

February 12, 2012 1 Photo
GIRLS BASKETBALL: Panthers roll
Using some of the best parts of their arsenal — superior size, quickness and speed — the NorthWood “Black Swish” jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in winning the program’s 22nd high school girls basketball sectional championship Saturday night in the Class 3A final at Wawasee.

February 12, 2012 2 Photos
GIRLS BASKETBALL: Heartbreak for Raiders
Oh, so close.
The Northridge girls basketball team was within sight of a Class 4 sectional championship Saturday night at Goshen High School.

February 12, 2012 1 Photo
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Leafs drop a heartbreaker
Last time the Goshen College men’s basketball team faced MCC foe Spring Arbor University, the Maple Leafs had their worst offensive output of the 2011-12 season in a 60-48 loss on the road.

February 12, 2012 1 Photo
GIRLS BASKETBALL: On to the finals
Northridge’s very young girls basketball team — a squad without a single senior — has the Raiders within one victory of the school’s first-ever sectional championship.

February 11, 2012 2 Photos
Panther-Charger final
The No. 3-ranked NorthWood “Black Swish” survived an upset bid by a determined group of Fairfield Falcons Friday night in the high school girls basketball Class 3A sectional at Wawasee.

February 11, 2012 2 Photos
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Kelly, Irish reshuffle coach lineup
When a football team falls short of its goals, changes are often made to the coaching staff.

February 11, 2012 1 Photo
More Sports Headlines

The Goshen Housing Authority has a $571,050 shortfall. Should the Goshen City Council use money from its $4.7-million “rainy day” fund to pay the debt and maintain the current level of service provided by the voucher program?

Sports

Search Results

Northridge 61, Elkhart Central 40

The Goshen Housing Authority has a $571,050 shortfall. Should the Goshen City Council use money from its $4.7-million “rainy day” fund to pay the debt and maintain the current level of service provided by the voucher program?

Site Map