"We were better prepared (tonight) as a coaching staff and as players," Memorial coach Larry Fielstra said. "Northridge has made tremendous strides and we hadn't realized just how big those strides were the first time we played them. We were a little more amped this time."
In the second game, host Concord held Central scoreless in the first quarter and defeated the Blue Blazers 49-30. The Minutemen defeated Central by 25 in the first game of the season.
With Central out of the field, the sectional becomes a truly Northern Lakes Conference affair.
Memorial (21-2) advances to face Goshen (9-11) in Friday's first semifinal game while Concord (10-11) will face Warsaw (15-5) in the second semifinal.
"We all know each other so well. We all know what each other is going to do," Concord coach Dan Meyer said. "It all comes down to who's going to make the shots, who's going to play the best defense, who's going to rebound. It comes down to those things we preach all season long. Who's going to do the best at the little things."
MEMORIAL 45, NORTHRIDGE 22
The Crimson Chargers made sure not to have a let-up right from the start. Senior Jada Buggs posted on the low blocks and knocked down two turnaround jump shots for Memorial's first four points. After the game's first six minutes, the Chargers were holding a 9-0 lead.
But then the offenses came to a screeching halt, with a second quarter that saw just six total points between the two teams and ended with Memorial ahead 13-6.
"That (score) certainly wasn't our intention," Fielstra said. "It was like a football score."
The Chargers went on an 8-2 run to begin the second half and built that to a 17-point lead.
The Raiders, though, put together a 6-0 spurt to close the gap and had the lead down to 10 with just over six minutes to play. But then Akyah Taylor took over. The junior scored Memorial's next three baskets and the lead was a back to 15.
Taylor led the Chargers with 21 points, while Buggs added 13.
Tori Roberts came off the bench to lead Northridge (15-6) with eight points.
"I think we were playing not to lose early on and you can't do that against a team like Memorial," Northridge coach Doug Springer said. "But I'm proud of the kids. They've taken Northridge to new heights."
CONCORD 49, CENTRAL 30
Mirroring the night's first game, Central (3-17) had difficulty scoring in the early going. By the close of the first quarter, the Minutemen were holding an 8-0 lead.
The Blazers scoring picked up in the second, but unfortunately for Central, so did its opponent. Behind four points by Lindsay Ogle, the Minutemen went on a 10-2 run to build a 15-point lead.
By early in the second half, Concord was up by as many as 23 and the outcome was a foregone conclusion.
"This is the time of the season where it's survive and advance," Meyer said. "It doesn't have to look pretty and you don't have to play your best game. At the end, you just have to have the most points."
Ogle and Trenee Brownlee led Concord with 13 points each.
Alexis Balyeat paced the Blazers with nine points off the bench.
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Summary
CLASS 4A CONCORD SECTIONAL
First Round
MEMORIAL 45, NORTHRIDGE 22
Northridge -- Emylee Smith 0-1 0-0 0, Haley Schrock 2-4 2-2 6, Emily Peppers-VanNamee 2-8 0-0 4, Madison Schrock 0-1 0-0 0, Sydney Sample 0-4 0-0 0, Mercedes Clifford 1-3 1-2 4, Tori Roberts 4-5 0-0 8, Alisha Christner -0 0-0 0, Kalie Mafaffa 0-0 0-0 0, Morgan Bontrager 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 9-26 (.346) 3-4 (.750) 22.
Memorial -- Branesha Bonner 1-2 0-0 2, Brionna Barnett 0-7 2-4 2, Akyah Taylor 9-12 3-5 21, Jada Buggs 4-5 5-7 13, Haley King 1-3 1-2 3, Lindsey Shoup 0-0 0-0 0, Monica Jones 1-1 0-0 2, Lisa Parsons 0-2 0-0 0, Tearra Holliday 0-0 0-0 0, Paige Newvine 0-0 0-0 0, Haleigh Jones 0-0 0-0 0, Alyssa Wanger 0-0 2-2 2, Jazmyn Hershberger 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 16-32 (.500) 13-20 (.650) 45.
Scoring By Quarters
Northridge 4 6 8 8 -- 22
Memorial 9 4 16 16 -- 45
3-point goals: Northridge (1-7) -- Clifford 1-1, H. Schrock 0-1, Peppers-VanNamee 0-1, Sample 0-4; Memorial (0-1) -- Barnett 0-1.
Rebounds: Northridge (13) -- Peppers-VanNamee 5; Memorial (21) -- Buggs 7.
Assists: Northridge (5) -- Smith 3; Memorial (6) -- Bonner 2, Buggs 2.
Steals: Northridge (2); Memorial (8) -- Taylor 3.
Turnovers: Northridge 13, Memorial 5.
Total fouls: Northridge 17, Memorial 9. Fouled out -- None.
Officials: Todd Pilarski, Brian Browning, Dale Wright.
Team records: Memorial 21-2, Concord 15-6.
CONCORD 49, CENTRAL 30
Concord -- Natalie Ogle 2-4 0-0 5, Samantha Swain 0-2 2-2 2, Lindsay Ogle 4-13 5-8 13, Brianna Bleiler 1-5 0-0 2, Trenee Brownlee 4-9 4-7 13, Andrea Bozzo 2-4 2-2 6, Paige Freeze 1-2 0-1 2, Kylee Bowen 1-1 0-0 2, Lexi Reister 2-3 0-0 4, Morgan Bilger 0-0 0-0 0, Melanie Meyer 0-1 0-0 0, Kaisle Marlow 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 17-44 (.386) 13-20 (.650) 49.
Central -- Julie Bollero 2-7 0-1 4, Tia Garrett 2-5 0-0 4, Shane' Brown 0-7 0-0 0, Alexis Warner 0-2 0-0 0, Tiara Bonds 1-4 0-2 2, Alexis Balyeat 4-11 0-1 9, Destiny Smith 0-3 0-0 0, Jessica Ulrey 1-2 0-0 2, Elizabeth Dibley 0-0 1-2 1, Abby Dibley 1-2 6-7 6, Megan Fann 0-0 0-0 0, Khyana Sanders 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 11-44 (.250) 7-13 (.538) 30.
Scoring By Quarters
Concord 8 17 14 10 -- 49
Central 0 11 7 12 -- 30
3-point goals: Concord (2-10) -- N. Ogle 1-2, Brownlee 1-3, Swain 0-2, L. Ogle 0-3; Central (1-10) -- Balyeat 1-4, Ulrey 0-1, Garrett 0-1, Bollero 0-2, Bonds 0-2.
Rebounds: Concord (27) -- L. Ogle 5; Central (37) -- A. Dibbley 6.
Assists: Concord (7) -- N. Ogle 2, Bleiler 2; Central (5) -- Bollero 2.
Steals: Concord (13) -- Bleiler 3, N. Ogle 3, L. Ogle 3; Central (10) -- Balyeat 4.
Turnovers: Concord 16, Central 27.
Total fouls: Concord 17, Central 17. Fouled out -- Warner (7:25, 3rd quarter), Brown (4:19, 4th).
Officials: John VanWagner, Brian Allen, Darrell Watson.
Team records: Concord 10-11, Central 3-17.
Next: Memorial vs. Goshen, Concord vs. Warsaw in semifinals of Class 4A Sectional Friday, 6 p.m. and following.