Nothing in baseball can match an ace pitcher, not even the weight of history.
FORT WAYNE – Snider coach Ryan Gould will hold his breath and his complexion will turn as blue as the plastic seats inside Carroll’s swanky, new gymnasium before he admits to such heresy that the Class 4A girls basketball sectional title is all but in the bag, be it paper or plastic.
Even though Tuesday’s 55-40 tournament-opening win was against DeKalb, which came in with the second-best record in the seven-team field, there is the formality of two more games for the No. 9 Panthers before they move on to the regional level.
Snider has already shown that it has the capability of steamrolling through the sectional field, having beaten all six teams the first time around this season by an average score of 71-41. DeKalb got the closest of the lot in a 65-51 home loss two weeks ago, but now the Barons (14-7) have been cast aside.
Next up for the Panthers (18-3) is Columbia City (8-14), which lost to Snider 74-39. That one comes Friday. Yet ever the coach, Gould says beware.
“We were able to defeat all the teams in the sectional by 14 or 15 points or more this season,” Gould said. “It does give you a sense of confidence, but at the same time you can’t be too comfortable. A team doesn’t have to beat us four or five times; they just have to be better than us for one night. That’s something you have to give everyone respect and get (his players’) attention.”
DeKalb clearly got Snider’s attention early with a 7-6 lead on Lauren Beach’s layup halfway through the first quarter. But that’s when the Panthers stepped up the defense and stomped on the throttle.
From that 7-6 deficit, Snider went on a 21-2 run that bridged across the remainder of the first quarter and well into the second. By the time DeKalb got into double figures on Hayley Martin’s jump shot with 2:33 left in the half, Snider had a 27-11 lead.
The offensive wealth was spread around, led by Akilah Sims’ 15 points and 10 from freshman guard Deja Wimby.
And a lot of help came from DeKalb, itself, with 33 turnovers.
While the Barons weren’t able to save the season, they saved face by outscoring Snider 14-9 in the final quarter – enough of a Snider incentive for Friday.
“We definitely could play better,” junior guard Meredith Shipman said. “(Tuesday) we just weren’t all the way in it, and hopefully the next game we’ll go out there and be in it.”
Gould essentially says ditto.
“The goals we have as a team, we’ve got to play harder and play better,” he said. “We’re fortunate to advance in the state tournament to Friday night, and we hope to play better Friday.”
Baylee Rinehart led DeKalb with 20 points, and Beachy added 11.
