NorthWood’s Kendal Miller and Alea Minnich celebrate after NorthWood beat Mishawaka Marian 44-38 in the morning session of the Jimtown Girls Basketball Regional. (Photos by Mike Deak)

ELKHART – It was Kate Rulli’s turn.

Rulli took the role of workhorse for NorthWood Saturday morning, guiding the Panthers to the girls basketball regional final in a 44-38 win over Mishawaka Marian.

Rulli led the Black Swish with 17 points, but used her sheer will to get NorthWood through in a hard-nosed fourth quarter. Rulli scored nine points in the final quarter, wearing down a Marian defense that spent a lot of energy jumping back and forth on Rulli and Maddy Payne in the post.

NorthWood’s Kate Rulli works inside for an offensive rebound against Marian.

Payne would record 11 points as well, but it the timeliness of Rulli’s work, which included a basket with 1:44 to go that put Wood up 39-37. NorthWood wouldn’t trail the rest of the game.

“They worried about both of us, and they went a little harder on Maddy, but I feel like both of us got great looks,” Rulli said. “Usually when both of us have a really good game together, it’s hard to stop both of us.”

NorthWood did a number on containing Marian freshman phenom Neveah Foster. The guard came into the regional averaging 19.6 points per game, but NorthWood bottled her up for the most part, Foster scoring just eight points.

The Panthers also held post Christian Himelick in check, the senior limited to five points, eight below her average. Jaiden Rangel and Payton Rangel both scored nine points to lead the Knights, which end its season 23-6.

NorthWood moves to 25-3, which ties a program record for wins in a season.

“This team has been so poised all season in the second half,” said NorthWood head coach Adam Yoder. “They don’t get too up, they don’t get too down. They know who they are. We know what we are trying to get. For the most part I thought the entire second half we took the kind of shots we should be taking all the time, and we didn’t get away from it.”

KNOX 66 , LIGHTHOUSE CPA 42

Early on, it looked like Lighthouse CPA would have a date with NorthWood in the regional final. That changed quickly.

Lighthouse led 25-13 in the second quarter, only for that lead to dissolve in a heartbeat. Knox went on a 26-4 run to grab a 39-29 lead. It snowballed with Knox exploding to a 51-33 lead after three quarters.

Lighthouse closes at 16-8, Trinity Barnes scoring 14 points. Knox moves to 25-1, the Redskins using 20 points from Remi Jordan to make the night game, which will start at 8 p.m.