Northridge tops Valparaiso 51-50 on Zoe Yeater’s game-winning free throw

A pressure-packed foul shot by junior Zoe Yeater delivered the decisive point and sent Northridge into celebration after edging Valparaiso 51-50 in the IHSAA Class 4A regional championship. The free throw came after a timeout and put Northridge ahead with five seconds remaining, setting off a frantic final possession that ended with Valparaiso’s long look falling short.

At Jimtown High School on Saturday, Feb. 14, Northridge clung to a one-point lead after Yeater’s make and then defended the inbound sequence with methodical clock management. Valparaiso inbounded under Northridge’s basket and pushed to midcourt before Northridge senior Macey Riegsecker intentionally fouled the ballhandler with three seconds left, forcing a half-court inbound and a desperation 3. Even though senior 2,000-point scorer and Ball State commit Lillian Barnes broke free of coverage, her long 3-point attempt fell short, and the Raiders held on.

Junior Lily Scholl paced Northridge with 19 points, continuing a torrid stretch that included a career-high 42 in last week’s sectional win over Warsaw and a milestone that pushed her past 1,000 career points. Scholl’s production alongside juniors Allie/Alli Ambers and Yeater has been central to Northridge’s late-season surge; Scholl reflected on the support, saying, “I’m super thankful. We could hear them every time we did something amazing.”

The victory improved Northridge to 20-7 and marked the program’s second regional title, its first since 2017. Coach Doug Springer, in his 19th season, celebrated with the team at midcourt, raising the trophy and embracing players and fans with the kind of emotional release that followed the Raiders’ midseason reset. “I’m a hugger!” Springer declared amid the celebration. Injured senior Cam Conley, sidelined this season with an ACL issue, was in tears of joy on the floor as teammates cut down the net.

Northridge’s path to the regional crown has been defined by resilience. After a 44-39 loss to Penn on Jan. 28 that prompted a prolonged locker-room discussion, the Raiders refocused and knocked off top-ranked Warsaw in the sectional before taking down Valparaiso. Senior leadership from Riegsecker in late-game situations and the scoring punch from Scholl have combined to give the Raiders a new toughness that coaches and broadcasters noticed heading into regionals.

For Valparaiso, the narrow loss stings against a veteran leader in Barnes and a roster that had been averaging high offensive totals entering regionals. For Northridge, this one-point win is more than a single advance in the postseason; it is confirmation that the Raiders’ late-season identity, junior-heavy scoring, senior poise and physical grit, can compete with the area’s best. Northridge now moves forward in the IHSAA Class 4A tournament with momentum and a program milestone to build on.