Geneva preparing for toughest test yet

In 2009 Geneva made school history by reaching the girls basketball state tournament for the first time.

This weekend the Vikings would like to make more history by how they do there.

Geneva's only other state team lost twice at Redbird Arena and finished fourth. This year's team will put their 14-game winning streak and 26-5 record on the line against Rolling Meadows (28-4) at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the Class 4A state semifinals looking to better that finish.

"I don't think these kids care who they play," Geneva coach Sarah Meadows said. "They believe they can play with anybody. We've got to continue to drill that and drill that. If you are going to go there you might as win a game. Let's go, let's win two."

After 24- and 19-point wins in its sectional championship and supersectional victories, Geneva figures to have a much bigger challenge Friday night.

This matchup looks much more like the Vikings' 55-54 last-second sectional semifinal win over Wheaton Warrenville South than their lopsided wins after that against Batavia and Rockford Boylan.

Rolling Meadows finished second in state last year and has all kinds of firepower. Jackie Kemph, a first-team all-stater, leads them at 21.2 points per game.

Alexis Glasgow, injured in the supersectional win but cleared to return this weekend, averages 16.5, and Jenny Vliet is at 14.4.

That's three players who average more than Geneva's top scorer, freshman Grace Loberg.

"We're going to meet some amazing teams but we're also an amazing team," said Geneva junior Abby Novak, who had 16 points and 9 rebounds in the supersectional win. "We're capable of doing it. It's going to be one heck of a game."

Three of Rolling Meadows' four losses are to teams still playing this weekend - Montini, Whitney Young and Marian Catholic.

Young (30-3) and Marian Catholic (27-4) play in the second semifinal Friday night.

It's obviously not going to be easy for the Vikings, but if they can get it done this weekend it will be like they have done it throughout the postseason - as a team.

"We are all playing so well together," said Geneva senior Ashley Santos, adding she Glasgow is a good friend from AAU basketball. "We love each other, we trust each other and it shows on the court."

Loberg is the team's leading scorer and rebounder as a freshman after starting the season on the JV team.

She's averaging 14.3 points a game and was the leading scorer in Geneva's last three wins with 20, 13 and 18 points.

"I didn't expect any of this," Loberg said. "I knew we were going to have to work hard. I'm just so proud of our team. I just try to do what I can to help this team succeed. I love playing every game.

"It's (state) the best feeling ever. I'm so happy we have a chance to go play at state. It's an amazing experience. I'm so happy for the seniors, Meadows, everybody."

Geneva starts two seniors - Santos and shooting guard Morgan Seberger (11 ppg) - and sometimes a third, Michaela Loebel, who has given the team a huge lift in the postseason with her return from a knee injury.

Novak and Loebel have alternated starting in the team's last two wins. Whoever comes off the bench also has been playing starter's minutes.

"She's an amazing player," Novak said of Loebel. "We're like best friends on and off the court. Obviously everyone wants to start. When it comes down to it it's a team."

Novak's big night in the supersectional gives the Vikings yet another threat.

"Abby's game was huge," Meadows said. "We've been waiting for that all season. She really stepped up."

Junior Janie McCloughan, the team's second-leading scorer at 11.4 points per game and also second on the team in rebounds, starts at power forward.

After dropping consecutive games in January to Batavia and St. Thomas More from Champaign, the Vikings stood at 12-5.

They haven't lost since.

"They might have got mad after we lost those two back-to-back games," Meadows said. "The big one on their back (in the postseason) was Batavia. They really wanted the Batavia game."

The main difference in Geneva's playoff run could be as simple as health - the Vikings finally have it. Loebel and Santos are playing together after missing almost four full seasons of varsity basketball.

"We're all healthy finally. It's nice. It took long enough," Novak said.

"We never had doubts, we knew we could it. We knew we were capable. We knew we had the talent, it was just the effort we needed to put in and we did that."