Popejoy scores 18, Winamac beats Pioneer in OT on late Kroft 3-pointer

Strycker scores 21 for Lady Panthers on senior night, McKaig adds 11

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Kandace Kroft Makenna Strycker

Girls basketball

Winamac 53, Pioneer 52 (OT, Tuesday): Kandace Kroft hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with five seconds left in overtime, and Sadie Popejoy scored 18 points for Winamac as they earned a Hoosier North win to spoil Pioneer’s senior night.

Kroft finished with nine points. Maggie Keller had eight points, all in the fourth quarter, and Marissa Iverson had eight before leaving with a leg injury. Kaelyn O’Connor had six, all in the fourth quarter.

Winamac improved to 14-8 overall and finished Hoosier North play 6-2. They will do no worse than a tie for second in the conference.

Makenna Strycker, who put up her 7th double double of the season, scored a game-high 21 for Pioneer (10-11, 3-4) along with 10 rebounds. Mia McKaig had seven of her 11 in the fourth quarter and overtime, including the game-tying 3-pointer with seven seconds left in regulation.

Pioneer led 52-49 with 1:51 left on a Kynzie Hathaway foul line jumper.

Mershai Loehmer split a pair of free throws with 1:28 left to cut the lead to two. Kroft’s step-back 3 from the top of the key gave Winamac the lead.

Pioneer could not get off a shot on their final possession.

Pioneer has lost four straight games by a combined total of 13 points.

Strycker, Julia McGrew, Kynzie Hathaway, Michelle Harding and Rachel Harding were honored in pregame ceremonies.

WINAMAC (53) (14-8, 6-2)

Maggie Keller 3 0-0 8, Kandace Kroft 3 1-2 9, Sadie Popejoy 6 3-5 18, Mershai Loehmer 1 1-2 4, Marissa Iverson 4 0-1 8, Kaelyn O’Connor 2 2-2 6

TEAM: 19 7-12 53

PIONEER (52) (10-11, 3-4)

Makenna Strycker 7 5-7 21, Julia McGrew 2 0-0 6, Michelle Harding 0 0-0 0, Rachel Harding 0 0-0 0, Kynzie Hathaway 3 0-0 6, Avery Haselby 2 0-0 6, Mia McKaig 4 1-2 11, Hannah Zeigler 1 0-0 2

TEAM: 19 6-9 52

Three-point field goals:

Winamac 8 (Popejoy 3, Keller 2, Kroft 2, Loehmer),

Pioneer 8 (Strycker 2, Haselby 2, McKaig 2, McGrew 2)

Total fouls: Winamac 11, Pioneer 17

Turnovers: Winamac 8, Pioneer 9

Score by quarters

Winamac 11 13 6 17 6 – 53

Pioneer 8 10 12 17 5 – 52