Norse Top Lewis Cass For Sectional Title

After the nail biter against Oak Hill on Friday night some wondered how the Northfield legs would stand up against a very athletic Lewis Cass team Saturday.

Answer : Northfield 52, Lewis Cass 43

Northfield got off  to a great start, scoring the first 7 points of the game. Ryan Keaffaber and Ryan Givens hit layups, followed by a Collin Dawes three pointer to get the Norse up and running. Cass would cut the lead to 7-3 before Chad Glasscock hit two free throws to go up 9-3. Cass would score the last points of the quarter on an Austin Keisling three and Northfield led 9-6 after one.

The pace would pick up in the second quarter. Dustin Echard hit to put the Norse up 11-6 before the Kings come climbing back. Cass scored the next 5 points to tie the score at 11. Ryan Keaffaber put the Norse back up with two free throws and was followed by a Glasscock layup to to go back up 15-11. Cass would come back and briefly take a 16-15 lead before Givens gave the Norse the lead. The two teams would exchange leads a couple times. Tied at 22, Cass hit a free throw with .15 seconds left and Collin Dawes matched it with 9 seconds remaining and the score was where it was when the game started, tied. With one half to go it was 23-23.

The lead would change 6 times in the first four minutes of the third quarter before Cass opened the lead to three points at 32-29 with 3:55 to go. After a Glasscock layup and an Echard free throw the Norse knotted the score at 32 with 1:54 to go. Keisling gave the Kings the lead back with 1:31 to go, then Echard tied the game with two free throws with 1:14 left. Keisling again would put the Kings up, which would be the third quarter ending score with Cass leading 36-34 and one to go.

Down by two with a quarter to go, the Norse had Cass right where they wanted them. Doing what coach Smedley said, playing old school basketball the Norse kept their composure and buckled their seat belts for the race to the finish. Ryan Givens hit a free throw and then 20 seconds later a layup to give the Norse a 37-36 lead with 6:05 to go. Cass would take one more lead at 38-37 with 4:51 to go when Northfield took over. Dustin Echard banked home a layup, followed by a Collin Dawes three to put the Norse up 42-38 with 2:51 remaining. After a Cass missed shot the Kings would decide to put the Norse on the line. With 2:05 left Echard sank two free throws to go up 44-38 and then with 1:34 left Glasscock drained two more and Northfield was in command 46-38. Cass would make a small push, getting it to 46-41 when the Norse Echard calmly sank two more free throws with .52 left. The Norse would finish the game with free throws. Dawes hit one, Keaffaber two and Givens one to lead 52-41 with 4 seconds remaining. Cass hit a gimme at the buzzer and the Norse had won the sectional 52-43.

Northfield vs Lewis Cass
03-03-12 7:30 pm at N. Manchester, Ind./Manchester H.S.
At N. Manchester, Ind./Manchester H.S.
NORTHFIELD 52, LEWIS CASS 43
NORTHFIELD (21-3)
Dustin Echard 2-6 7-8 11; Ryan Keaffaber 2-9 7-7 11; Ryan Givens 4-8 3-6 11;
Collin Dawes 3-7 2-4 11; Chad Glasscock 2-7 4-4 8; Cody Gibson 0-0 0-0 0.
Totals 13-37 23-29 52.
LEWIS CASS (11-12)
Austin Keisling 8-12 2-4 22; Jordan Miller 4-10 0-0 8; Keegan Key 2-7 1-1 5;
Ryan Aldridge 2-3 1-1 5; Blake Hadley 1-3 1-2 3; Justen Downhour 0-1 0-0 0;
Drew Shepherd 0-0 0-0 0; Josh Harshman 0-0 0-0 0; Austin Foreman 0-0 0-0 0.
Totals 17-36 5-8 43.
Northfield....................    9   14   11   18  -   52
Lewis Cass....................    6   17   13    7  -   43
3-point goals--Northfield 3-13 (Collin Dawes 3-5; Ryan Keaffaber 0-5; Chad
Glasscock 0-3), Lewis Cass 4-9 (Austin Keisling 4-5; Jordan Miller 0-2;
Keegan Key 0-1; Blake Hadley 0-1). Fouled out--Northfield-None, Lewis
Cass-None. Rebounds--Northfield 27 (Ryan Givens 11), Lewis Cass 22 (Ryan
Aldridge 8). Assists--Northfield 7 (Dustin Echard 3), Lewis Cass 3 (Blake
Hadley 1; Jordan Miller 1; Ryan Aldridge 1). Total fouls--Northfield 10,
Lewis Cass 21. Technical fouls--Northfield-None, Lewis Cass-None.
IHSAA 2A Boys' Basketball Sectional 37 Championship
Northfield advances to 2A Regional hosted by Tipton High School and will face
the winner of the Lapel Sectional. Tipton Sectional and Fountain Central
Sectional also advance to Tipton Regional