Warsaw keeps Eagles at bay to pick up win

The first quarter started off slow for both teams and would end with Warsaw leading 12-8 after the first quarter, with Columbia City’s leading scorer and floor general Andrew Hedrick picking up two fouls and spending some time on the bench and then picking up a third foul early in the second to end his half early.

Hedrick had a lone field goal before the foul trouble. Sophomore Stratton Fuller got a bucket and the rest of the Eagle points came from the charity stripe, with senior Rhet Wilson cashing a one and one, and Aiden Denning and Brady Hartman each had a free throw to account for the Eagle points in the quarter. Warsaw’s points in the first quarter came compliments of Hackeman who scored seven points, Andrew Potter added a filed goal and Luke Bricker added a three-point goal for the Tigers.

Warsaw in the second quarter had Heckaman’s hot hand as he pitched in eight more points, Bricker scored a three-pointer and score in the paint for five points, Jaxson Gould also had a field goal as did Luke Yaeger.

Columbia City tried to creep closer with Denning drilling a long three-pointer and added two baskets from two-point range for seven in the second quarter. Fuller added a field goal and Kam Hoag made two free throws for the visitors, who tallied 11 points in the frame and the halftime score was 29-19 in favor of the Tigers.

Columbia City heated up in the third quarter but could get no closer than 11 points of the lead. Hedrick did his best to keep the Eagles around, pouring in nine points on three two’s and a three-pointer. Meanwhile Fuller added two baskets and Hoag added a three-point basket and a free throw to account for the 17 Eagle points.

Warsaw ramped up their offense in the third as well with balanced scoring with Heckaman scoring two baskets underneath, Luke Yeager added two in the paint.

The Tigers got it going outside the arc with two long threes by Nick Katris and Bricker, while Carson Gould and Jaxson Gould each tallied a field goal.

The third quarter ended with a 49-36 Warsaw lead after three quarters.

Columbia City’s Fuller got hot for the Eagles in the fourth quarter, scoring eight points while Hedrick picked up seven points on a three-pointer and four free throws. Denning added two free throws and Hoag another field goal for the visitors.

Warsaw’s Jaxson Gould scored three field goals and three free throws for a nine-point quarter. Meanwhile Heckaman added five points with a three-point field goal and a couple of free throws. Bricker added two baskets for the home team and the final score was 67-55 in favor of Warsaw.

Warsaw ran their winning streak over Columbia City to 10 in a row and Columbia City’s last win in the series came in 2012 when the Eagles won at the Tiger Den 59-49.

Columbia City’s last run of success in the series came with a three-game winning streak from the 2001-2002 season to the 2003-2004 season. The last win at home in the series for the Eagles was in the 2003-2004 season.