Payne Powers Panthers Past Lakeland for Yoder’s First Title
LAGRANGE — NorthWood’s girls have had some close calls at Sectional 20 over the past few years. On Saturday, the Black Swish finally broke through.
NorthWood started fast courtesy of some stellar play by senior Maddy Payne, then built on its leads in the second half for a 56-34 championship win over host Lakeland.
“I think the first thing is I’m just really blessed to be in the position I am in a great community, great school, great kids obviously,” said head coach Adam Yoder of his first sectional title at the helm of the program. “I’m not knocking our sectional before the last few years, but we had a state runner-up in there for three years with Valley. Fairfield was in the Final Four the year they won. And yeah, we’ve had a lot of heartbreak, a lot of close ones, but a lot of that had to do with, I think, who we were playing. But to get over the hump? Let’s be real — it’s pretty cool.”
“It feels really good. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. It feels like ‘Finally. We finally did it,’” said Payne.
Payne scored 11 of her team’s 13 first-quarter points as the Panthers built a 13-4 lead over the first period, then stretched that advantage to 16-6 in the second frame. ‘Wood got away from its game plan somewhat in that second stanza, leaving the door open for the Lakers, who whittled their deficit down to 18-11 before Kendal Miller’s driving floater in the lane at the buzzer pushed the score back out to 20-11 at halftime.
Payne and the Panthers began pounding it inside again in the second half, however, and the senior forward finished the night with a game-high 22 points as the visitors pulled away over the final 16 minutes.
“Our game plan from the beginning was just get it inside to the post. Pound it inside and get us open, and if that starts going away then we can just go to our guards and hit some shots,” explained Payne.
“That was a concerted effort tonight was, we were going to get the ball to the rim someway, somehow. We started out the game doing that and then got away from it a little bit like we tend to do. Then we got back to it in the second half, though. That was sweet,” explained Yoder.
“(Payne) has left such a huge legacy at NorthWood High School. She’s got the rest of her basketball season yet, track and field as a high jumper, but Maddy Payne will go down as one of the best athletes at NorthWood High School.”
While Payne poured in 22, front court mate Kate Rulli notched eight points in the low post, despite being hampered by intermittent foul trouble. Six of those points came on perfect 3-for-3 conversions as ‘Wood got some separation in the second half.
“Obviously Maddy had an amazing night. Usually it goes back and forth, and it was her turn. I’m proud of her,” said Rulli. “The guards are finding the one on fire, but it’s nice having two big posts because not everyone has that advantage and whoever the one with the advantage in the match-up is, they give them the ball.”
While Payne and Rulli dominated the interior, NorthWood got sharp play from its guards, too.
Kendal Miller put up 11 points, including a perfect 4-for-4 free throws in the fourth quarter, when ‘Wood went 9-for-10 at the line. Alea Minnich put up eight points, including six straight — on an old-fashioned three-point play and a dagger from the corner — during a span of 33 seconds at the start of the fourth quarter.
“It’s been a challenging week for her over here. She kept her composure. She continued to battle, and she finished it off the right way for us,” said Yoder of Minnich. “I think so much of that kid. She’s a super, super player.”
Lakeland got 13 points from Bailey Hartsough, eight while trying to put her team on her back in the final frame. The Lakers close at 15-9. NorthWood moves to 24-3 and will play Mishawaka Marian at the Jimtown Regional next Saturday morning. Knox plays Lighthouse College Prep Academy in the late semifinal with the championship slated for 7:30 p.m.
The Black Swish will be looking for a reprisal against the Knights, who handed them their last loss — and only loss in the past 21 games — back on Jan. 21.
“I feel like our mentality coming into it is there’s always a possibility to lose so you always have to play like it’s your last game, and whatever happens, happens. But as long as you play your hardest, then it’s good,” said Payne.