Bluejays Struggle To Fly Against Cherokees

In a matchup of the Hoosier North Athletic Conference against the Porter County Conference, North Judson (4-4) and Morgan Township (4-3) did not disappoint the fans in attendance, as the two teams provided great entertainment from start to finish in an incredible regular season matchup. The two squads showed off incredible athleticism up and down their rosters, with the Cherokees coming out on top in most of the statistical categories, but it was a win they had to earn in the Bluejays’ Nest.

As is usually the case early on with unfamiliar opponents, the first quarter and a half felt like both teams were trying to feel each other out, trying different types of pressure defenses in both the full and half courts, while being extremely aggressive on offense. The attacking style of both teams was evident early in the ballgame as the Cherokees were able to come out of the first quarter with a two-point lead at 17-15. Neither team had full control of the game in the first quarter, but showed they were not going to be one dimensional. The Bluejays would catch fire behind the 3-point line as they knocked down five first half 3-pointers. Cooper Hochstedler, Tanner Craig, Trey Hampton, Blayne Wilcox, and Ty Schumacher would all be contributors from downtown throughout the ball game.

The game’s leading scorer would be North Judson Senior Cooper Hochstedler, who, coming into the game, was already one of the state’s leading scorers, averaging around 30ppg. The Cherokees were able to keep Hochstedler in check, to a certain degree in the first half, as they held Cooper to just 9 points. As the Bluejays emerged from their locker room to begin the second half, it was almost as if Cooper had said “enough is enough”. The relentless Senior would steadily attack the Morgan Township defense in the second half, scoring in every way imaginable. By game’s end, the scorebook would see Mr. Hochstedler account for half of his team’s total points in the game, as he logged 33 of the team’s 66 total points, which included 11-12 at the free-throw line, as well as knocking down two 3-pointers.

Perhaps the biggest difference in the ballgame would be in the rebounding category. The Cherokees put forth an incredible team effort on the boards, out rebounding the ‘Jays by ten, 30-20, in the game. Bubba Anderson would be the leader in that category for Morgan Township, has he was able to pull down 10 rebounds, to go along with his 19 points for the game. The night’s Ashley Derrickson/Five Star Player of the Game Award, however, would go to Anderson’s teammate Tate Ivanyo. Ivanyo would have a team-high 23 points, including 16 in the first half to lead all scorers, while also pulling down 9 rebounds, and pulling away 2 steals in the winning effort. The son of former Knox High School teacher, and a multi-sport coach, Ed Ivanyo, put forth an incredible all-around effort, which included multiple “hustle points”, which do not show up on stat sheets such as diving after loose balls, and deflecting passes as the opposing offense attempts to run their base plays.

At game’s end, it would be the balance on offense that would give the Cherokees the four point edge, as the PCC team would have three players reach double digits, while the Bluejays would only have one. The 3-point shooting of the Bluejays would be exactly what any team could hope for, as they were able to hit 10 in the ballgame, with 5 dropping in each half. Schumacher would lead the team in that category with 3, while Hochstedler and Trey Hampton each knock down 2 a piece, and Tanner Craig, Blayne Wilcox, and Payton Cox each accounting for 1 a piece. From a defensive standpoint, the Jays would have great contributions from every player who hit the floor. As a team, North Judson came away with 9 steals, with Cooper Hochstedler, Blayne Wilcox, Payton Cox, and Ty Schumacher all coming away with 2 each.

The Bluejays will have very little time to rest, as they are back in action Saturday night, when they will play the second game of a Boy/Girl Doubleheader against the Culver Cavaliers.

Scoring Statistics:

Morgan Twp (70): Hayden Barnett-2, Greyson Lemmons-3, Ethan Lesko-12, Bubba Anderson-19, Ian Grieger-2, Tate Ivanyo-23, Nate Lemmons-5

North Judson (66): Cooper Hochstedler-33, Tanner Craig-3, Blayne Wilcox-5, Trey Hampton-8, Payton Cox-7, Ty Schumacher-9, Cheyenne Allen-1

*Statistics Provided By Kankakee Valley Broadcasting Staff. These Are Not Official Game Statistics*