Morgan will meet Bowman in title game

Updated: March 23, 2011 9:26AM

Playing in her first sectional game, Trina Coleman looked like she'd been here before.

The Morgan Township freshman hit her first five shots and had a crucial offensive rebound and putback late in the game as the Cherokees held off Whiting 37-28 Friday in the semifinals of the Class 1A Morgan Township Sectional.

Bowman Academy played its starters just 10 minutes in the opening semifinal game and rolled to a 59-27 win over LaCrosse to set up tonight's 6 p.m. championship meeting against Morgan.

Coleman was 3-of-3 shooting in the first quarter as the Cherokees (16-4) jumped out to the early lead. But with Morgan clinging to a 28-24 lead with under seven minutes to play in the game, Coleman crashed the boards and came up with a clutch offensive rebound before putting it back up for a basket while drawing a foul.

She was forced to come out of the game for a brief moment because of a bloody lip, but teammate Sammy Meschede came off the bench to hit the free throw to complete the three-point play and give Morgan a seven-point lead with 6:40 to play.

"I was definitely excited more than nervous coming into the game," Coleman said. "It was exciting to be out there for my first sectional game."

Coleman finished with a game-high 14 points.

"She doesn't play like a freshman," Cherokees coach Kevin Krieger said. "She has good court awareness."

Abigail Bondi scored 11 off the bench to lead Whiting (13-7). She hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the third quarter, and it was her 3-pointer with 7:20 left in the game that pulled the Oilers to within 28-24.

Sara Watts added seven points for Morgan. Amanda Blackwell scored six for Whiting.

Bowman (15-7) forced LaCrosse (3-16) into 16 first-quarter turnovers in jumping out 12-0 lead and then 18-4 entering the second quarter. The Eagles forced the Tigers into 44 turnovers on the night.

But after being criticized for leaving her starters in and pressing late in an 86-46 win over Kouts in the first round, Bowman coach Janora Holmes pulled her starters early against an overmatched LaCrosse team.

"I learned from the last game," Holmes said. "The courtesies you show in the regular season carry over in the postseason."

DeJah Joshua led Bowman with 12 points, while Mariah Jordan scored 11 and Princess German 10. Taylor Guse scored 11 to lead LaCrosse, while Shelby Rushnock added eight

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