Wawasee’s Aubrey Schmeltz works for a rebound against NorthWood’s Savannah Feenstra Saturday night during the Panthers’ 32-25 win. (Photos by Mike Deak)

NAPPANEE – That huge gust of wind Saturday night in Nappanee wasn’t from the storm (that wasn’t). It was from the NorthWood sideline after escaping a major upset bid from Wawasee, 32-25, in Northern Lakes Conference girls hoops from The Pit.

Wawasee’s Kylee Rostochak fires a jumper, defended by Arika Flickinger.

Wawasee, which hasn’t won at NorthWood since 2008, and hasn’t been even close since, was primed to put an end to the streak. A rare spin and conversion at the bucket by Hannah Haines had Wawasee up 24-21 to open the fourth quarter.

After NorthWood rallied to take a 27-25 lead, a pivotal set of moments derailed Wawasee’s hopes. Kylee Rostochak was whistled for a travel, and on the next trip down the court, Aubrey Schmeltz – who had six points and six boards for the Lady Warriors – was charged with her fifth foul. Wawasee then forced a NorthWood turnover, only to have Hannah-Marie Lamle miss a bunny layup on the other end.

The two-point lead would be the closest Wawasee would get, as NorthWood went 5-7 from the line to close out the game while Wawasee couldn’t get a shot to fall.

“It’s no secret that we struggle scoring,” stated Wawasee head coach Kem Zolman. “Defenses on both end were fairly decent. I think at times (NorthWood has) trouble scoring as well. It’s not like two juggernauts out here offensively were going at it.”

Wawasee, which has lost seven straight overall to NorthWood, could not get the shooting touch started. The Lady Warriors were just 8-45 overall (18 percent) and Rostochak, who led Wawasee with nine points, did so in just 3-16 shooting and missed all eight of her three-point attempts.

Wawasee’s Hannah-Marie Lamle pulls down one of her 13 rebounds.

Lamle, who also struggled with her shot, would add five offensive and 13 total rebounds to the stat sheet. Kabrea Rostochak chipped in four points and eight boards.

NorthWood didn’t shoot the ball well either, hitting just 7-35 (20 percent) but were 17-25 from the free throw line. McKayla Fielstra wound up with 11 points for the Panthers, her jumper with 1:46 to go giving NorthWood the 27-25 lead and her two free throws moments later putting the home side up two possessions.

Andrea Tuttle netted six points and Taitlyn Trenshaw, the floor general for NorthWood, was saddled in foul trouble and scored just six points.

The NorthWood JV overwhelmed Wawasee 37-15. Neely Trenshaw led all scorers with 12 points for the Panthers and teammate Emily Demitruk added seven points. Wawasee’s McKenzie Smith topped the team with five points.

The Lady Warriors fall to 4-11 overall and 0-4 in the NLC while NorthWood moves to 12-6 and 4-0. Wawasee will host Columbia City Tuesday while NorthWood welcomes in Tippecanoe Valley Tuesday in what could be a sectional preview. The Panthers then will visit Northridge Saturday night in a huge NLC contest as both clubs are 4-0 in the standings.

“The bottom line is if that ball doesn’t go in, it’s just really difficult,” Zolman said. “That’s our struggle right now. But it takes a lot of effort to put on the focus as long as these kids did tonight. If we can see that, maybe we can get some things done on the offensive end that will help us down the stretch heading to the postseason.”

Hannah Haines of Wawasee works toward the basket past NorthWood’s Gabi Glass.