Newark “Super” Once Again
Norsemen Advance To 1A Elite Eight Two Times Strong ...
| Northern Illinois Sports Beat http://www.northernillinoissportsbeat.com |
Photo by Bill Lidinsky
SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS: The Newark Norsemen boys basketball team won the Class 1A
Somonauk Sectional Championship on Friday against Dwight. Top Row (L to R): Asst. Coach
Jason Van Pelt, Walter Warpinski, Brett Anderson, Greg Hughes, Ondra Sulc, John Avery, Zac
Thanepohn and Head Coach Rick Tollefson. Bottom Row (L to R): Cameron Berg, Russ McGrath,
Paul Hines, Kyle Anderson and Jeremy Anderson.
SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS: The Newark Norsemen boys basketball team won the Class 1A
Somonauk Sectional Championship on Friday against Dwight. Top Row (L to R): Asst. Coach
Jason Van Pelt, Walter Warpinski, Brett Anderson, Greg Hughes, Ondra Sulc, John Avery, Zac
Thanepohn and Head Coach Rick Tollefson. Bottom Row (L to R): Cameron Berg, Russ McGrath,
Paul Hines, Kyle Anderson and Jeremy Anderson.
By Bill Lidinsky
Northern Illinois Sports Beat Contributor
SOMONAUK - In 2009 the Newark boys varsity basketball team attained something it
never had in the long history of the school. It captured a Class 1A Sectional championship
and a 53-46 victory over St. Anne at the Somonauk Sectional.
Flash forward almost a year to the day and the Norsemen were in the same spot this time
against Interstate Eight Conference power Dwight on the very same Bobcat gymnasium
floor that Newark had seen its greatest hour.
Once again the Norsemen found their Little Ten Conference foe’s court a fine place to
compete in a sectional title contest with a ton on the line this time against the high
powered Trojans.
Behind a stunning game-high 29 points from junior Kyle Anderson, Newark punched its
ticket once again into another berth in the Class 1A Supersectional with a 60-51 win.
Eastland defeated Dakota 46-35 at the River Ridge Sectional also on Friday for the right
to face the Norsemen next Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Dekalb at Northern Illinois University's
Convocation Center with a 1A final four berth at stake.
Last season it was senior brother Kurt Anderson that paved the way for Newark against
St. Anne at the sectional final. But Kyle Anderson did his elder sibling proud with a
remarkable performance, including 15 first half points on five long range three pointers
that staked Newark to a 24-17 lead at halftime and ultimately propelled the Norsemen to
victory.
Anderson added an additional 14 points in the second half with two field goals and a
perfect 10-of-10 shooting form the charity stripe.
Since the playoffs began, Anderson has been a scoring monster for Newark averaging 30
points per game during the four-contest stretch as the Norsemen now move into their
second consecutive 1A sectional.
“I’ve been feeling it all post season this year. Now it’s just like I can’t miss,” Anderson said.
“It was a great first half for me. No matter where I shot from beyond the arch it seemed to
go in.”
After one quarter, Newark (26-4) owned an 11-8 advantage based largely off an
Anderson trio of three pointers. He would add two more in the second period as his squad
outscored Dwight 13-9 to grab a 24-17 advantage at halftime as Norsemen senior Russ
McGrath (two points) banked in a runner at the buzzer to put Newark up by seven going
into the intermission.
“Kyle was feeling it shooting in the first half. When it’s like that for him, you don’t turn the
faucet off. You just let it keep running,” said Newark coach Rick Tollefson. “After that, I
heard Russ say “bank” before it went in and we had a lot of momentum going into
halftime. Seriously we played a great first half defensively against tier big kid (Jens)
Kennedy and we were pretty happy knowing we had a seven point lead going into the
second half.
Newark packed in a stellar two-three zone defense which limited the 6’8” Kennedy to only
eight first half points.
From there, the Norsemen followed the same game plan in the second half but Kennedy
(22 points, 8 rebounds) managed six markers in the third quarter to pull the Trojans to
within five at 32-27 with eight minutes to go.
“After three periods we knew we were still in the game. But (John) Avery and the freshman
(Brett) Anderson really hurt us down the stretch,” said Dwight head coach Chris Gibson.
“Add to that, Newark really hit their free throws when they needed to in the fourth quarter.”
On the night, the Norsemen were a stellar 20-of-24 from the charity stripe, including 18-of-
21 during the important fourth period.
“If we didn’t hit all of our free throws tonight it might have been scary. But the kids did a
great job at the line,” Tollefson said. “Credit John and Brett for a fantastic fourth quarter.
And what can you say about Kyle? He’s just heads and tails above a lot of players. He’s
just a very special basketball talent.”
During the 2009-10 postseason, Kyle Anderson has taken the mantle for Newark which
has brought the Norsemen to their second straight Class 1A Supersectional appearance.
With a 30 point-per-game playoff scoring average so far, what’s next for the All-State
candidate and Newark as they approach their second consecutive 1A Supersectional?
“Right now I feel every shot that I take will go in. To average 30 points in the playoffs is
huge for me,” Anderson said. “But we’ve got so much more to accomplish. Last year we
beat St. Anne at Somonauk to win a sectional championship. Now we’ve beaten Dwight
again at Somonauk to win another sectional. Our goal was to make it to state, so hopefully
we can win at the Supersectionals in Dekalb next week. We want to make it to State. That’
s what our goal is.”
Bill Lidinsky is a Northern Illinois Sports Beat contributor. He can be reached in care of
NISB at Northernillinoissportsbeat@yahoo.com. --- Talk about what's written on our
Message Boards!
Northern Illinois Sports Beat Contributor
SOMONAUK - In 2009 the Newark boys varsity basketball team attained something it
never had in the long history of the school. It captured a Class 1A Sectional championship
and a 53-46 victory over St. Anne at the Somonauk Sectional.
Flash forward almost a year to the day and the Norsemen were in the same spot this time
against Interstate Eight Conference power Dwight on the very same Bobcat gymnasium
floor that Newark had seen its greatest hour.
Once again the Norsemen found their Little Ten Conference foe’s court a fine place to
compete in a sectional title contest with a ton on the line this time against the high
powered Trojans.
Behind a stunning game-high 29 points from junior Kyle Anderson, Newark punched its
ticket once again into another berth in the Class 1A Supersectional with a 60-51 win.
Eastland defeated Dakota 46-35 at the River Ridge Sectional also on Friday for the right
to face the Norsemen next Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Dekalb at Northern Illinois University's
Convocation Center with a 1A final four berth at stake.
Last season it was senior brother Kurt Anderson that paved the way for Newark against
St. Anne at the sectional final. But Kyle Anderson did his elder sibling proud with a
remarkable performance, including 15 first half points on five long range three pointers
that staked Newark to a 24-17 lead at halftime and ultimately propelled the Norsemen to
victory.
Anderson added an additional 14 points in the second half with two field goals and a
perfect 10-of-10 shooting form the charity stripe.
Since the playoffs began, Anderson has been a scoring monster for Newark averaging 30
points per game during the four-contest stretch as the Norsemen now move into their
second consecutive 1A sectional.
“I’ve been feeling it all post season this year. Now it’s just like I can’t miss,” Anderson said.
“It was a great first half for me. No matter where I shot from beyond the arch it seemed to
go in.”
After one quarter, Newark (26-4) owned an 11-8 advantage based largely off an
Anderson trio of three pointers. He would add two more in the second period as his squad
outscored Dwight 13-9 to grab a 24-17 advantage at halftime as Norsemen senior Russ
McGrath (two points) banked in a runner at the buzzer to put Newark up by seven going
into the intermission.
“Kyle was feeling it shooting in the first half. When it’s like that for him, you don’t turn the
faucet off. You just let it keep running,” said Newark coach Rick Tollefson. “After that, I
heard Russ say “bank” before it went in and we had a lot of momentum going into
halftime. Seriously we played a great first half defensively against tier big kid (Jens)
Kennedy and we were pretty happy knowing we had a seven point lead going into the
second half.
Newark packed in a stellar two-three zone defense which limited the 6’8” Kennedy to only
eight first half points.
From there, the Norsemen followed the same game plan in the second half but Kennedy
(22 points, 8 rebounds) managed six markers in the third quarter to pull the Trojans to
within five at 32-27 with eight minutes to go.
“After three periods we knew we were still in the game. But (John) Avery and the freshman
(Brett) Anderson really hurt us down the stretch,” said Dwight head coach Chris Gibson.
“Add to that, Newark really hit their free throws when they needed to in the fourth quarter.”
On the night, the Norsemen were a stellar 20-of-24 from the charity stripe, including 18-of-
21 during the important fourth period.
“If we didn’t hit all of our free throws tonight it might have been scary. But the kids did a
great job at the line,” Tollefson said. “Credit John and Brett for a fantastic fourth quarter.
And what can you say about Kyle? He’s just heads and tails above a lot of players. He’s
just a very special basketball talent.”
During the 2009-10 postseason, Kyle Anderson has taken the mantle for Newark which
has brought the Norsemen to their second straight Class 1A Supersectional appearance.
With a 30 point-per-game playoff scoring average so far, what’s next for the All-State
candidate and Newark as they approach their second consecutive 1A Supersectional?
“Right now I feel every shot that I take will go in. To average 30 points in the playoffs is
huge for me,” Anderson said. “But we’ve got so much more to accomplish. Last year we
beat St. Anne at Somonauk to win a sectional championship. Now we’ve beaten Dwight
again at Somonauk to win another sectional. Our goal was to make it to state, so hopefully
we can win at the Supersectionals in Dekalb next week. We want to make it to State. That’
s what our goal is.”
Bill Lidinsky is a Northern Illinois Sports Beat contributor. He can be reached in care of
NISB at Northernillinoissportsbeat@yahoo.com. --- Talk about what's written on our
Message Boards!
More from Somonauk:
At Somonauk
Class 1A Sectional
Championship Game
Newark 60, Dwight 51
Dwight (51) – Wyllie 0-2 0-0
0, Grzincic 0-1 0-0 0, Vigna 2-
13 3-6 9, Ahmedi 0-0 0-0 0,
Karstens 4-11 0-0 10, Harris
3-9 3-5 10, Hoffman 0-1 0-0
0, Gschwendtner 0-0 0-0 0,
Kennedy 8-14 4-6 22. Totals
17-51 10-17 51.
Newark (60) – J. Anderson 1-
1 1-3 3, B. Anderson 3-6 3-3
9, Warpinski 0-0 0-0 0, Sulc 0-
0 0-0 0, K. Anderson 7-17 10-
10 29, Avery 4-10 5-6 13,
Berg 0-1 1-2 1, Hines 1-1 0-0
3, Hughes 0-0 0-0 0, McGrath
1-1 0-0 2. Totals 17-37 20-24
60.
Dwight (28-4) 8 9 10 24 - 51
Newark (26-4) 11 13 8 28 - 60
3-point goals – Dwight 7
(Vigna 2, Karstens 2,
Kennedy 2, Harris); Newark 6
(K. Anderson 5, Hines).
Rebounds – Dwight 27
(Kennedy 8); Newark 22 (K.
Anderson 5). Steals – Dwight
2 (Karstens 2); Newark 1
(Avery). Blocks – Dwight 1
(Kennedy); Newark 2 (Avery
2). Turnovers – Dwight 4;
Newark 9. Total fouls (fouled
out) – Dwight 19; Newark 15
(B. Anderson).
Class 1A Sectional
Championship Game
Newark 60, Dwight 51
Dwight (51) – Wyllie 0-2 0-0
0, Grzincic 0-1 0-0 0, Vigna 2-
13 3-6 9, Ahmedi 0-0 0-0 0,
Karstens 4-11 0-0 10, Harris
3-9 3-5 10, Hoffman 0-1 0-0
0, Gschwendtner 0-0 0-0 0,
Kennedy 8-14 4-6 22. Totals
17-51 10-17 51.
Newark (60) – J. Anderson 1-
1 1-3 3, B. Anderson 3-6 3-3
9, Warpinski 0-0 0-0 0, Sulc 0-
0 0-0 0, K. Anderson 7-17 10-
10 29, Avery 4-10 5-6 13,
Berg 0-1 1-2 1, Hines 1-1 0-0
3, Hughes 0-0 0-0 0, McGrath
1-1 0-0 2. Totals 17-37 20-24
60.
Dwight (28-4) 8 9 10 24 - 51
Newark (26-4) 11 13 8 28 - 60
3-point goals – Dwight 7
(Vigna 2, Karstens 2,
Kennedy 2, Harris); Newark 6
(K. Anderson 5, Hines).
Rebounds – Dwight 27
(Kennedy 8); Newark 22 (K.
Anderson 5). Steals – Dwight
2 (Karstens 2); Newark 1
(Avery). Blocks – Dwight 1
(Kennedy); Newark 2 (Avery
2). Turnovers – Dwight 4;
Newark 9. Total fouls (fouled
out) – Dwight 19; Newark 15
(B. Anderson).
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