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IWA Basketball Back On Top At Viz., Also Wins Arizona NIKE Tourney
By Jim Wieners
After going an abysmal 2-2 in the 41st Visitation Christmas Tournament in 2015, Incarnate Word Academy Basketball ended 2016 by winning the 42nd Visitation Tournament as IWA became the first to win 12 Viz. Christmas titles.
Also, in between the first and second rounds of the Visitation Tournament IWA went to Phoenix, Ariz., and won the NIKE Tournament. The Red Knights enter 2017 with an 11-1 record losing only to Columbia-Hickman (56-49 at IWA on Dec. 10).
AT VISITATION: Incarnate opened the Christmas Tournament Dec. 17 with a 66-24 rout of Notre Dame (St. Louis). The Red Knights kept Notre Dame from having any player score in double figures as Hannah Scharenberg led the Rebels with eight points.
The day after Christmas, Dec. 26, IWA rolled over Cor Jesu 64-27 for the second time this season. IWA won the first time over Cor Jesu at home on Nov. 29. The Red Knights led 31-17 at halftime and coasted from there Junior Sonya Morris had a game high 18 points while sophomore forward Rickie Woltman, the only non-guard on the team, had 10 points and seven rebounds.
In the Dec. 27 semifinal Incarnate knocked Pacific out of the ranks of the unbeaten as the Red Knights rolled to a 65-44 victory. IWA led 33-17 at halftime after the Red Knights out scored Pacific 25-4 in the first quarter. Morris had 23 points and eight steals, junior Nakayla Jackson-Morris had 18 points and six rebounds and sophomore Kiki Britzmann scored 11.
Incarnate secured their 12th Visitation Christmas Tournament title Dec. 28 by rolling over Kirkwood 68-48 as the Red Knights knocked the Pioneers out from the ranks of the undefeated. Once again the first quarter was the key for IWA as the Red Knights out scored Kirkwood 22-7 and, after leading 37-19 at halftime IWA padded their margin with a 20-8 third quarter. Morris, the tournament MVP, scored 25 points; sophomore Marisa Warren had 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists and Britzmann scored 13 points.
PHOENIX-NIKE TOURNAMENT: After defeating Notre Dame at Visitation, IWA went to Phoenix, Ariz., for the NIKE Tournament for three afternoon games in three days. The Red Knights defeated Valley Vista, Ariz. 65-40 on Dec. 19, LaSalle (state not mentioned), 54-46 on Dec. 20 and Brentwood Academy (Tenn.) 51-43 on Dec. 21.
Against Valley Vista Morris had 15 points and six rebounds, Woltman had 14 points and six rebounds, Britzmann scored 13, Jackson-Morris added 10 while Warren had five assists. Against LaSalle Morris scored 21 points while Warren added 13. Against Brentwood Academy Morris had 18 points and four steals, Woltman scored 12 and Warren added 10 while Jackson-Morris had seven rebounds.
GIRLS SWIMMING: At least two swimming individuals and a relay team have already qualified for the Missouri State High School Activities Association Swimming and Diving Championships Feb. 19-20 at the St. Peters’ Rec-Plex. They took place prior to Dec. 17 and most took place in the University of Missouri-St. Louis Mark Twain Building Natatorium, IWA’s home pool. Most of the qualifying took place Dec. 5 against St. Joseph’s Academy.
Against St. Joe Freshman Ellie Wehrmann had state qualifying times in the 200-yard Freestyle (1:57.09) and the 100-yard Backstroke (1:01.19) while sophomore Emily Schroeder qualified in the 500-yard Freestyle (5:27.37) and the 200-yard Individual Medley (2:15.97). Also IWA qualified in the 200-yard Medley Relay (1:58.06).
Wehrmann also had qualifying times in the 100-yard Freestyle (55.19 seconds Dec. 16 vs. Visitation and Duchesne at UMSL) and in 100-yard Butterfly (58.88 seconds Nov. 29 against Ursuline and St. Dominic at The Principia). Wehrmann can only compete in two individual events and no more than two relay teams if IWA qualifies in a freestyle event according to MSHSAA rule. Schroeder can also compete in no more than two relay teams.
