Girls water polo / Scouting Northwest sectionals
Barrington sectional
Top seeds, in order: Fremd (21-4), Schaumburg (16-7), St. Viator (17-11), Hersey (18-10)
Outlook: Fremd’s been so dominant for so long against teams in the area, it’s hard to see them stumbling here. The Vikings were unbeaten in the MSL and have a diverse attack featuring Samantha Matuszewski, Lauren Zambelli, Sam Del Prado and Megan Kennedy and a staunch defens that relies on Emily Orlowski. Schaumburg’s had a terrific season but was beaten soundly twice by Fremd in regular-season play. St. Viator’s had some nice moments and features a veteran crew with scorers Eileen Maloof and Melanie Battaglia; a projected semifinal between the Lions and Saxons would be terrific.
Key early matchup: Hersey (4) vs. Conant (5), 7 p.m. Wednesday. Hersey senior Christine Rovani has been hard to stop and helped the Huskies to a second-place finish in the MSL East. Conant (17-13) has been getting scoring contributions from a big group and has been competitive even in losses to top teams.
Championship: 4 p.m. Saturday
Vernon Hills sectional
Top seeds, in order: Mundelein (21-7), Stevenson (22-8), Wheeling (13-11), Vernon Hills (12-6)
Outlook: It will be tough for anyone to prevent Mundelein and Stevenson from reaching the championship game. They’re ranked sixth and seventh in the state, respectively. Wheeling tied for second in the Mid-Suburban East and has had terrific seasons from Callie Schoeneman, Haylie Moeller and Leah Malsom.
Championship: Noon Saturday
Glenbrook North sectional
Top seeds, in order: Loyola (20-6), Evanston (15-15), New Trier (18-10), Prospect (20-3)
Outlook: Mid-Suburban East champion Prospect faces a tough task, but the Knights have shown they know how to win. A disappointing loss to Fremd in the MSL championship game was followed by a 2-1 showing in last weekend’s Mundelein tournament. Loyola finished second in the Metro Catholic and would be a tough semifinal draw; if the Knights and senior standout Meg Dix make the final they’d likely face either Evanston or New Trier, the top two finishers in the Central Suburban League.
Championship: Noon Saturday