Charger Classic: Bartlett in it to win it

One thing the Bartlett girls basketball team has done through its 12-0 start to the season is stay humble. The Hawks play with confidence, but never appear cocky.

So you'll have to excuse them for stepping out of character a little when asked what their goals are for the 29th annual Charger Classic at Dundee-Crown that opens Monday.

Clearly, these Hawks are in it to win it.

“I'm so excited for Dundee-Crown,” said 6-foot-1 Bartlett senior and Wisconsin recruit Jacki Gulczynski. “I think we have a great chance this year. There are great teams ahead of us but we're excited.”

Junior point guard Janessa Baker takes that one step further.

“We have a good shot at winning it and that's our goal,” she said. “We're excited.”

As they should be. Since joining what many still feel is the best girls Christmas tournament in the state in 2004, this may be the Hawks' best shot of playing for the championship since the 2004 and 2005 teams lost in the semifinals. And this team, sans one graduated senior, is the same group that went 1-3 at D-C last year before realizing its potential. Since that 1-3 showing in Carpentersville a year ago, Bartlett has made a trip to the sectional finals while winning 24 of its last 27 games. This season's 12-0 start has come with consistent play from everyone, including the three other starters — 6-footers Christina Carlson (San Jose State), Kristin Conniff and Haley Videckis. Lisa Palmer and Nicole Beck give the Hawks, who won the Naperville Central/Benet Tip-Off Tournament, a boost off the bench.

The Hawks, ranked No. 2 in the Daily Herald Top 20 behind Class 3A power Montini, will conclude the first day of the 32-game tournament at 8:30 p.m. Monday against Maine West, a five-time D-C champion (last in 1997) that has struggled to a 3-10 record this season under legendary coach Derril Kipp.

“We want to win it,” stated Bartlett coach Denise Sarna of the D-C tournament. “We talked at the beginning of the season about not being able to sneak around anymore and now we gotta back it up. We have so far but this tournament has teams with such different styles and such great coaches.

“A top four performance at this tournament and you've done well. We want to win it, but it's also great competition. You really know where you stand after Dundee-Crown and what you have to do to succeed the rest of the season.”

Tournament overview: Defending champion New Trier (7-4), led by 6-1 senior guard Whitney Lyon, will take on host Dundee-Crown (4-8) in the second game Monday, just after St. Charles North (5-5) opens the festivities against Resurrection (5-6). The last game of the top half of the bracket pits eight-time champion Fenwick (11-1) against Regina Dominican (3-10). New Trier's 50-45 title-game win over the Friars last year snapped Fenwick's five-year hold on the championship trophy. Fenwick coach Dave Power won his 800th career game earlier this season and his team's only loss this year is to Loyola, 56-51, on Dec. 1. Lehigh recruit Sarah Williams leads Fenwick.

The bottom half of the bracket opens with Naperville Central (7-4) taking on Mother McAuley (5-5). Naperville Central is led by senior standout Emma Ondik, a 5-5 guard who dropped 41 points on Marian Catholic last weekend. Next up will be Hononegah (12-2) facing Buffalo Grove (2-7). Hononegah was 12-0 until Wednesday when it lost to Class 3A powers Peoria Richwoods (50-47) and Montini (59-27) in the Sterling Shootout. The Indians are led by 6-4 Wisconsin signee Nicole Smith and 5-10 guard/forward Brea Edwards, an all-state transfer from Rockford Boylan. BG boasts two Division I softball recruits in Andrea DiPrima (Northwestern) and KC Dunne (Western Illinois). Prospect (6-5) will then meet Evanston (8-3).

Then, just prior to the Bartlett-Maine West game, tournament dark horse Fremd (11-2) takes on Johnsburg (8-4). The Vikings, coached by St. Edward graduate Dave Yates, are led by 6-1 Jessi Weidemann, while Johnsburg's top player is Iowa recruit Melissa Dixon.

29th annual Charger ClassicAt Dundee-CrownMonday, Dec. 27

Resurrection vs. St. Char. N., 10 a.m.

Dun-Crown vs. New Trier, 11:30 a.m.

Regina vs. Fenwick, 1 p.m.

Naperville C. vs. McAuley, 2:30 p.m.

Hononegah vs. Buffalo Grove, 4 p.m.

Fremd vs. Johnsburg, 5:30 p.m.

Evanston vs. Prospect, 7 p.m.

Bartlett vs. Maine West, 8:30 p.m.