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McGrath, Hersey team up for first-round victory

Erin McGrath has a simple reason she loves playing for Hersey's girls basketball team.

"It's a great team and it's so easy to stay motivated," said the 5-foot-11 sophomore forward. "Because everyone pushes you."

McGrath helped push the Huskies' lead back up when Lake Forest got to within 10 points after trailing by 19 on Tuesday night in the Ken Carter Gymnasium.

The Scouts closed to within 32-22 with 4:17 left in the third quarter.

But McGrath scored 6 points, including a pair of putbacks, during an 11-4 run and the No. 4 seeded Huskies cruised to a 49-30 triumph in their own Class 4A regional semifinal over No. 13 Lake Forest.

Hersey (24-4) will face No. 5 Rolling Meadows (19-9) in Thursday's championship at 7 p.m.

McGrath finished with a career-high 12 points, three behind team leader Claire Gritt (15 points, 5 assists).

Senior Maggie Berigan produced a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

McGrath (8 rebounds) also had a hand in the final basket of the Huskies' big 11-4 run to close out the third quarter.

While driving the baseline, she leapt up and found Gina Miklasz out beyond the 3-point line.

McGrath fired the ball to Miklasz, who calmly connected on a 23-footer just before the buzzer for Hersey's first 3-pointer in 10 attempts to that point.

"I don't know how she even saw me," said Miklasz, a junior guard. "She has very good court vision."

Now Hersey will set its sights on Thursday's title game against a Rolling Meadows team it has defeated 50-46 (overtime) and 54-44.

"This game was a confidence-builder for us," said Hersey assistant coach Julia Barthel, filling in for head coach Mary Fendley who is on an extended medical leave. "It's one game at a time. No one is ready to go home yet."

Despite being only a sophomore, McGrath has looked right at home this season.

"Erin is always in the right place at the time," Barthel said. "And she has continued to grow all season."

"She (McGrath) has been a having a nice season overall," said Miklasz, who had a nice defensive game limiting Lake Forest's Maeve Summerville to 5 points after the sophomore struck for 26 in Monday's play-in game against Waukegan.

"Gina is so good at defending and a player who is effective outside and inside," Barthel said.

Miklasz also added 9 points to the balanced Huskies' offense which also received a 3-pointer from Kelly Weyhrich.

"The best part of this team is that anyone can score at any time," Barthel said. "They play very well together and trust each other."

Lake Forest (13-19) was led by junior Delaney Williams and freshman Grace Tirzmalis, who each had 8 points.

"We can't start out the way we did (trailing 19-4)," said Lake Forest coach Kyle Wilhelm. "We were a lot more patient in the third quarter when we got to within 10 points. But after that, we didn't take care of the ball and didn't box out well."

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