North Stars not afraid of their next challenge
Confidence.
That's the No. 1 thing the St. Charles North girls basketball team has on their side going into tonight's Class 4A sectional final game against host Hononegah in Rockton at 7:30 p.m.
"It's awesome," guard Anna Conrad said. "We are all really excited…I think we've shown everyone we belong here and this is what we want."
The winner will advance to the Elgin Community College supersectional Monday and will take on either Buffalo Grove or Wheeling.
Sectional play is new for the North Stars, who won their first regional title at Larkin against St. Charles East last week. They are the lone Tri-Cities Area team still standing at 22-5, which is one win away from tying the school record in wins. The North Stars went 23-7 last year, but did not get past the regional final game.
"The girls are confident and know what to expect," said second-year coach Katie Sauber. "It's just a matter of them coming out and playing their game.
"We just have to come out and play. You just have to make it as simple as possible."
The North Stars advanced to the sectional final game after beating Jacobs, 58-34, Tuesday in a game that 6-foot-4 center Kelsey Smith matched the Golden Eagles' offense with her career-high 34 points.
On Monday, Hononegah (26-6) defeated Cary-Grove, 70-56, for the right to advance to the finals on its home court. The Indians were led by Courtney Shelton (23 points) and Kelsey Carroll (18 points).
Some of the North Stars and Sauber scouted Hononegah against Cary-Grove.
"They are the same kind of team as Jacobs," Sauber said. "We just need to take care of the ball and get it done on both ends."
"Obviously they have some great players and are a quick and aggressive team, but if we come out and execute, we'll be fine," Smith added.
Smith leads the North Stars at 15.6 points and 8.4 rebounds a game, followed by guard Kiley Hackbarth (9.2 ppg, 3.0 apg), Conrad (7.6 ppg), guard Nika Sircher (5.6 ppg, 2.8 spg, 3.5 apg) and forward Caitlin Winkelman (5.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg).