Pioneer Ends Blue Swish’s Dream
By Nick Goralczyk
InkFreeNews
FULTON – Sometimes you just get outplayed.
There was not a lot more to Saturday night’s IHSAA Regional 13 Championship at Caston High School for the Triton girls basketball team. After pulling off an upset over No. 13 Blackhawk Christian in the morning semifinal, Triton could not find that same magic for the nightcap with No. 7 Pioneer. The Panthers, defending semi-state champions, took advantage of some Triton miscues to earn a 65-37 victory.
Pioneer, much as it did in its afternoon win over Kouts, jumped out to big lead and never really looked back. The Panthers opened the game on a 14-0 run and would lead 16-2 after the first quarter. It was more of the same in the second quarter, highlighted by a 13-0 run from Pioneer. By the half Triton found itself on the wrong end of a 25-point deficit, 35-10.
Triton was just completely unable to find any rhythm with the swarming defensive effort from Pioneer. The Trojans never gave up or took a possession off, but Pioneer just never gave Blue Swish a chance. Triton made its fair share of mistakes along the way as it tallied 22 turnovers in the contest to Pioneer’s eight.
The Trojans also struggled with the physicality that Pioneer brought to the court. In a game where the officials are “letting both teams play,” as the saying goes, Triton far too often looked uncomfortable with the level of physicality that the Panthers kept bringing.
“We didn’t take care of the ball early, we didn’t do what we needed to do to keep ourselves in the game,” stated Triton head coach Adam Heckaman. “With a team like (Pioneer), with the weapons they have, they got a lot of easy buckets and made it hard to come back.
“(Pioneer) played their game and it made us uncomfortable. Once we settled in we moved the ball well and we found some good things and the girls never quit. They kept battling and we’re proud of them for that.”
The Trojans found a little groove in the third quarter, putting together a 7-0 run, and was only outscored 30-27 in the second half. But the first half miscues proved to be too much. With 3:03 left in the game, facing a 65-31 deficit, Heckaman gave his seniors a well-deserved curtain call. The Trojans, true to form, fought until the final buzzer and closed the game on a 6-0 run.
The Trojans were led offensively by Emma Hepler’s 12 points. Pioneer, which also beat Triton by 12 in a December matchup in the Hoosier North Athletic Conference, was led by Hailey Cripe’s 20-point effort. Lexia Hostrawser led all players with nine rebounds. Pioneer won the rebounding battle 33-25.
Triton closes its season at 12-12, its first non-losing season since 2014-15. The Blue Swish also brought home the program’s first sectional title since 2011. The Trojans will bid farewell to seniors Hepler, Hostrawser, Jaelyn Bules and Abbey Viers, a group that Heckaman has plenty of respect for.
“Our seniors are great kids, phenomenal kids,” Heckaman offered. “They are great leaders, they helped build us back up to this year, battling through that adversity that COVID-19 brought. Really, great leaders, really great kids. I’m going to miss them. I can’t talk about them without getting real emotional. The leadership they provided will leave a big hole to be filled.”
The coach would go on to talk about the returning core for next season, which includes Taren Yates, Kinsey Atkins, Addyson Viers, Jolie Groves, getting back a healthy Jenna Bules and several other key underclassmen. The future remains bright for Triton.
Pioneer (23-4) will have future plans for semi-state at Logansport next Saturday. The Panthers will take on Three Rivers Conference member No. 13 Northfield (21-5). Rounding out the Class 1-A Final Four at the Jasper semi-state will be defending state champion No. 4 Loogootee and No. 6 Greenwood Christian Academy.