PREP BOYS BASKETBALL: Goshen pulls away to beat John Glenn in regular-season finale

GOSHEN — Goshen gained momentum as the night went on. As a result, the RedHawks closed the 2025-26 boys basketball regular season Friday, Feb. 27, with a 60-34 nonconference home victory against John Glenn at Interra Gym.

Goshen led 14-10 at the end of the first quarter and 25-17 at halftime. The advantage was 46-28 entering the fourth quarter. The biggest spread of the night was 28 at 60-32.

On senior night, GHS recognized seven players from the Class of 2026 — Braxton Cline, Nathan Corbin, Ryen Diaz, Karter Marcum, Levi Sawatzky, Evan Timmons and Bryson Wilson.

Glenn does not have any seniors in its program this season.

“It was difficult,” RedHawks coach Michael Wohlford said. “There were a lot of emotions (on senior night). Maybe you’re a little bit off-balance as a basketball player.

“You developed all year roles and things and we just had a slow start in that way. Give Glenn credit. They did make some plays early.

“We tried to trap a little bit and give them some looks in the second half. We just decided to play solid defense. We played a really good third quarter and were able to balloon the lead a little bit. The guys played a little more comfortably in the second half.”

Goshen improved to 16-6. It’s the best regular season record since the 1997-98 team was 16-4.

Glenn lost to the RedHawks for the fourth straight season and fell to 5-17.

“I’m super-proud of how we played tonight,” Falcons coach John Dupont said. “That is a really good Goshen basketball team.

“We don’t have any seniors. We have a talented group of juniors and sophomores that are just building experience right now. If you would have seen this team in November compared to where they are now, it’s a different team. But we’re going to struggle against a team like Goshen. They are so basketball smart.”

Scoring points for RedHawks were Sawatzky (23 — 15 in the second half including 10 in the third quarter), Diaz (11 — eight in the second half), Marcum (8), Timmon (8), Cline (6) and junior Trenton Clark (4). Sawatzky (4) and Diaz (3) connected on three-pointers.

“He was very efficient tonight,” said Wohlford of Sawatzky. He was 8-of-13 (with four twos, four threes and three free throws). As the year’s gone on, he’s gotten more efficient.”

Sawatzky (1,209) is now third all-time in program scoring. He passed 2022 graduate Hogan Denny (1,183) in Tuesday’s victory at West Noble. Class of 1969’s John Ritter (1,523) and Class of 2003’s Andrew Hershberger (1,306) are 1-2 on the list.

Adding to the point total for the Falcons were junior Jude Nicks (13), junior Hunter Howard (10), sophomore Grant Romer (5), sophomore Archer Rust (4) and junior James Messer (2). There was a three-pointer for Nicks.

“You’re always happy when you only give up 34 points," Wohlford said

Goshen made 24-of-47 shots from the floor (14-of-26 in the second half) and 5-of-6 from the foul line while Glenn was 14-of-30 (6-of-13 in the second half) and 5-of-9.

Led by Sawatzky (4) and Marcum (4), the RedHawks grabbed 17 rebounds. Topped by Rust (6), the Falcons gathered 17.

Glenn committed 15 turnovers and Goshen eight (six in the first half).

The RedHawks tallied the game’s first six points and were ahead by as much as nine at 11-2 in the opening period.

Goshen pushed its lead to 10 at 22-12 in the second quarter. The Falcons pulled to within five at 22-17 on a three-pointer by Nicks with 54 seconds left.

Sawatzy’s three-pointer with 1.5 ticks remaining in the second period made it 25-17.

In the junior varsity game, Goshen beat Glenn 72-43. Talen Carthans (22 points), Kanyn Diemer-Abney (15), Holden Ebright Zehr (13), Ben Mast (6) and Francis Buyco (5) led the JV RedHawks. Micah Fleck (13), Riggins Miller (10), Warren Hardesty (6) and Giovanni Thiele (5) paced the JV Falcons.

Glenn plays South Bend Washington in Class 3A New Prairie Sectional 19 and Goshen takes on Concord in Class 4A Elkhart Sectional 4 at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 3.