Hersey's unsung trio playing unique roles
So many gyms now have scoreboards where fans can look up and see how many points each player has scored.
What that scoreboard at Libertyville didn't show on Thursday night was how much senior starters Andrea Perkins, Julia Fredian and Kathryn Korff contributed to Hersey winning its second girls basketball sectional title.
Korff and Fredian combined for 10 points and Perkins didn't even score. But they combined to do so much more as the Huskies beat Barrington 49-37 to advance to Monday's Class 4A Streamwood supersectional.
"It's something very unique about our team," Perkins said as she fought back tears of joy after the Huskies ended a 16-year sectional title drought. "We all have our own roles.
"It all fits like a puzzle."
The 5-foot-6 Perkins' is to dog the top offensive threat. Thursday it was Barrington junior Abby Kirchoff, who had 8 first-quarter points but finished with 15 on 4-for-15 shooting.
"We've consistently asked her to guard some high-powered players and tonight was no different," said Hersey coach Mary Fendley.
Perkins also chipped in 7 assists and 5 rebounds. But the latter category was dominated by the 6-foot Korff with 15 of Hersey's 30-22 advantage.
"That's kind of my job on this team," Korff said after 6 of her rebounds were offensive. "I do my part to get us a win."
Fredian's is to do the bulk of the ballhandling and contribute to the full-court diamond press defense which gave Barrington fits.
"I've heard (assistant coach Julia) Barthel say it a lot," Fredian said, "She said, 'Know your role and obviously if you need to step up and be a scorer you can."
Fredian and Korff did at a crucial juncture on a night where Megan Rogowski poured in 25 points and Maddie Swan added 11.
Fredian's breakout off Korff's deflection and Korff's baseline jump hook off Perkins' feed capped a 6-point run for a 45-33 lead with 5:10 to play.
"Obviously Megan Rogowski is a phenomenal talent," Fendley said. "But you can't get this far with just one player."
And now Hersey is 26-7, in the Elite Eight for the first time and one win away from a trip to Normal.
"It's awesome," Fredian said during the net-cutting ceremony.
"Everyone is working for each other," Korff said, "and it's the best feeling when you can come with a win for the other four players on the floor and everyone on the bench."
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