Couriers finish just shy of the state championship game

ANDERSON (Sat., Mar. 8, 2008) – For the second straight year Covenant Christian ended the Couriers’ season. This time, the Knights nipped the Couriers 36-34 in the ICSTS semifinals at Anderson University.

Both teams struggled offensively throughout the game but the Couriers pushed to a 29-22 lead early in the fourth quarter. Despite Todd Martin’s seven points for the Couriers, all in the fourth quarter, the Knights surged to victory with a 14-5 run to end the game. A last-second field-goal attempt by Martin fell short ending the Couriers’ season at 22-4.

Alex Anderson scored 13 points for the Knights, who followed up the win by defeating Horizon Christian 53-40 in the championship game to finish 12-11 and repeat as ICSTS champions.

The 22 wins were the second-most in a season for the Couriers. Todd Martin finished third on the all-time scoring list with 1,387 points and propelled the team into the state finals for the third time in four years.

Martin is one of eight seniors graduating this year. The others are Carl Martin, Caleb Miller, Spencer Miller, Ryan Miller, Mike Troyer, Joel King and Michael Beiler. The two Martins, King and Troyer were regular starters. Probable returnees for Coach Chad Schrock are seniors-to-be Evan Stutzman (a starter) and Aaron Eash, and junior-to-be Dustin Yoder. The remainder of the roster will be filled from a junior varsity squad that compiled a 12-7 record for Coach Bert Bontrager.