March 2, 2013

Fincher Leads Canterbury to Another Class A Title
In a matchup of elite small-school teams, Kindell Fincher scored 17 points and grabbed a record 19 rebounds, powering her Fort Wayne Canterbury squad to a 42-35 victory over Vincennes Rivet in the Class A championship game.

For the Canterbury girls, it marked the fifth state title in the last six seasons. Rivet was the only team to interrupt Canterbury's streak, capturing the 2011 championship.

Canterbury held a 14-point lead at halftime, but Rivet kept chipping away and turned up its defense against the state's top-scoring team. When Kelsey Ivers hit a 3-pointer to end the third quarter, Rivet cut Canterbury's lead to single digits at 36-28. Ivers hit four more points to open the fourth and Lauren Herman added three, pulling the Patriots within one (36-35) of the Cavaliers with 3:23 remaining.

That's when Canterbury went to work both offensively and defensively. Bailey Farley drove for the Cavaliers' first bucket of the fourth quarter with 2:51 left. Fincher then contributed four points to close out the game as Rivet went scoreless over the final 3:23.

Fincher's rebounding total was a record for all classes in girls championship games and the most in a title game since 1988. Canterbury also got 10 rebounds from Katherine Smith. Darby Maggard scored 11 points.

Ivers led Rivet with 17 points. Bailey Dreiman totaled 11 rebounds.

Coach Wayne Krieger's Canterbury team, ranked No. 1 in the ICGSA Class A poll, finished 25-3. Coach Tim Young's Rivet squad, ranked No. 4, was 22-5.
 

 Listen: Fort Wayne Canterbury Coach Wayne Kreiger | Vincennes Rivet Coach Tim Young


Allyson Wehrheim of Vincennes Rivet named Roy Mental Attitude Award Winner

Following the game, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee named Allyson Wehrheim of Rivet High School as the winner of the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award in Class A Girls Basketball.

The award is presented annually to a senior participant in each classification who was nominated by her principal and coach and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability.

Allyson ranks first in her senior class, has served as class president the last two years, is a member of the Student Council and serves as a team captain. She also played varsity volleyball for the Patriots all four years and was voted team captain this past season.

She is the daughter of Mark and Kelly Wehrheim of Vincennes. Allyson is undecided on her college choice but is interested in studying Biology or Pre-Med.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate partner, will present a $1,000 scholarship to Vincennes Rivet High School in the name of Wehrheim.

The award is named in honor of the former IHSAA assistant commissioner Patricia L. Roy, who oversaw the girls basketball state tournament from its inception in 1976 until her retirement in 1999.