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Maine West tops Loyola for sectional title

With a goal of playing seven games in the postseason, Maine West's state-ranked girls basketball team surpassed the halfway mark on Thursday night in Park Ridge.

A large contingent of fans and student body made the short trip to Maine East High School, so it was almost as if the top-seeded Warriors were playing a home game as they pulled away for a 57-46 victory over No. 3 Loyola in the championship game of the Class 4A sectional.

It was the second sectional championship in a row for the Warriors and the 12th in their program's rich tradition.

"We've played our season with goals from the start," said Warriors coach Kim de Marigny. "First we played up to Thanksgiving (won Hoffman Estates tourney), then to Christmas (won Dundee-Crown's Komaromy Classic), and then we wanted to finish conference (10-0, champions).

"After that, we started the real season. It's a seven-game season, and we've just finished our fourth game. We've got three more on the docket. So we're looking forward to the second leg of our goal."

That begins on Monday night at the Hersey supersectional when the Warriors (30-1) will face Lake Zurich (20-10) at 7 p.m. in Arlington Heights.

Maine West won a nonconference game at Lake Zurich 53-21 on Feb. 5.

"This is special," said West 6-foot-4 sophomore standout Angela Dugalic, who led all scorers with 16 points in addition to grabbing a team-high 9 rebounds. "We're not just a team. We're a family. You can't split us apart."

Dugalic was able to split defenders early and scored West's first two baskets.

The game was tied at 4-4 when the Warriors went on a 9-0 run, started by Alisa Fallon's 2 free throws.

Rachel Kent then scored 7 straight points with a fastbreak layup, a 3-pointer and 2 free throws.

"They (Maine West players) can all score and they're all different sizes," said Loyola coach Jeremy Schoenecker. "Fallon can post you up so that's hard on our guards who may not be as strong or big. Kent goes inside on you and 32 (Dugalic) really hurt us early, and that's something we didn't do a good job with."

Fallon pulled down 8 rebounds while Kent had 5 and Jessica Riedl 2.

"We really got beat up on the glass," Schoenecker added. "We're a team that wants to hold teams in the upper 40s or low 50s area. When it gets up to the mid-50s and 60s, we're in trouble."

Loyola gave the Warriors trouble late in the first quarter and into the second when it used an 11-2 run to tie the game at 15-15.

Celia Satter's 3-pointer capped the big rally with 5:20 left in the half.

The Warriors answered as Catherine Johnson made a mid-court steal and went in for a layup that gave West the lead for good.

A 3-pointer by Fallon and 3-point play by Allison Pearson extended the lead to 24-16 with 2:06 left in the half.

"We knew they'd make runs," Kent said. "They're a good team. We just had to come back stronger, rebound and play defense."

Kent's defense was also stellar.

"She locked down on No. 12 (Julia Martinez) who is a great player, " de Marigny said.

West led by 12 points midway through the third quarter, but Loyola charged back to within 39-36 when Satter hit a layup off an inbounds pass with one second left in the third quarter.

The Warriors led 41-38 when Fallon's 3-pointer ignited a 16-1 run to seal the verdict.

Dugalic's uncontested layup with 44 seconds left made it 57-39.

"It's been a great journey and we've worked really hard," Kent said. "This team has something special and I think that has to continue as we move forward."

"This team is very goal-oriented," de Marigny added. "That's really our focus now. One game at a time. We don't overlook anyone. You do that and you're going home to wash your uniforms for good. We're not overlooking anyone. We'll prepare for Lake Zurich as if we've never seen them before."

Schoenecker was proud of his team, which was led on offense by Satter (15 points, Martinez (9), Erin Dillon (8) and junior Addison Bendery, who came off the bench and gave the Ramblers a big lift with 6 key points.

"Our girls have nothing to hang their heads about," he said. "As I told our seniors, the girls that have been with us for at least two years have won two regional championships and been in a sectional semifinal and sectional championship.

"Maine West is really solid. They only played six girls so they're in really good shape. They get up and down the floor. They're going to do damage. They have a great shot at getting down state and possibly pulling off a state title."

Images: Maine West. vs. Loyola, girls sectional championship basketball

  Maine West's Ellie Centella and Angela Dugalic celebrate after the Warriors defeated Loyola in the Class 4A Maine East sectional championship game. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Maine West's players celebrate after beating Loyola in the Class 4A Maine East sectional championship game. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.comMaine West coach Kim de Marigny embraces Allison Pearson while they head to the bench as the fourth quarter winds down and the Warriors begin to celebrate their win over Loyola in the Class 4A sectional final at Maine East.
  Maine West's Catherine Johnson soars to the basket in the fourth quarter against Loyola in the Class 4A sectional championship game at Maine East. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Maine West guard Alisa Fallon glides to the basket in the fourth quarter against Loyola in the Class 4A Maine East sectional championship game. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Maine West's Angela Dugalic delivers under pressure from Loyola's Lilly Wehman in Class 4A sectional final action at Maine East. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Maine West guard Alisa Fallon makes it a tradition to jump rope before every game; here she warms up before the Class 4A sectional final against Loyola at Maine East. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
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