Lisle Junior High celebrates Lady Lions' championship

Lisle Junior High students and faculty members celebrated the school's conference champion eighth-grade varsity girls basketball team Friday morning with a pep rally.

The team won the Southeast DuPage Elementary Athletic Association Conference championship for the first time in almost 20 years.

"This is a special team," coach Mike Schmidt said. "I challenged them at our first meeting in December to make this a special season and they met every challenge with great attitudes."

The Lady Lions lost their first game of the season and then reeled off 12 straight victories to earn the top seed in the tournament.

The team won its first two tourney games to earn a berth in the championship game against Burr Ridge - the only squad to defeat the Lady Lions during the regular season.

Lisle won 34-31 behind Tara Kane, who scored 14 points, Abby Casmer who scored nine and Emma Rossin, who hit two three-pointers for her six points. Hanna Bauer, Emma Fasone and Alexa Tchakanakis also contributed.

"It was truly a historic team," Schimdt said.

The girls JV team, meanwhile, finished its season 10-0.

"Nothing beats being around great kids. Their impressive play was incredibly fun to be a part of," JV coach Jason Wiertel said. "That being said, I was far more impressed with their spirit and character."