Lancers' big run does in Storm

South Elgin girls basketball coach Tim Prendergast knew his team could not get drawn into a game of tag with Lake Park.

But Lake Park kept insisting the Storm was "it".

"We didn't want to trade baskets with them," Prendergast said. "We weren't trying to play tag."

The Lancers tagged host South Elgin so much at the beginning of the second quarter, it looked almost as if tag had transformed into freeze tag. Lake Park went on a 14-0 run to open the second period and used it to take a 74-48 victory in the Upstate Eight Conference opener for both teams Saturday in South Elgin.

Marisa Pasquini opened the scoring and Sam Arnold and Adrienne Ryba each scored 2 baskets in the quarter's first 2 minutes, 50 seconds for the Lancers (7-1, 0-1). Lake Park was able to score off each of South Elgin's 3 turnovers and Arnold (28 points, 13 rebounds 3 blocks, 2 steals, 2 assists) and Ryba (7 points) each made offensive putbacks.

"We went out with a lot of defensive intensity," Arnold said of the second-quarter run. "When we play uptight defense our offense comes out better."

By the time South Elgin (3-5, 0-1) was able to tag back with Cortney Kumerow's basket, it was just too late. Kumerow (8 points, 7 rebounds) scored after Lake Park had built a 34-12 lead. The Storm did go on an 8-0 run to cut Lake Park's lead to 34-20.

"It was too much for us," Prendergast said. "We didn't do anything to disrupt their offense. They shot the ball well. We were humbled."

Lake Park shot 48.3 percent (29 of 60) in the game and went 8 of 17 in the second quarter. The Lancers finished the first half with a 41-27 lead, with Arnold scoring 19. The senior scored 10 points in the first 8 minutes.

But Lake Park's game involved more then just one player. Ryba (4 assists), Jenna Aloia (4 assists) and Lynsey Ciezki (3 assists) combined for 11 assists and Devin Johnston added 13 points.

"The guards do a great job of dispersing the ball," Lake Park coach Lisa Smith said. "It's not like they're looking for one player, they're looking for whoever is open."

Alyssa Krause (14 points, 9 rebounds) and Genevieve Johnson (10 points, 2 steals) each finished in double digits for South Elgin.