Bison faithful deflated by another loss at state
For one Bison fan, Friday's loss stung a little bit more.
Buffalo Grove High School senior Elliott Cellini survived a 2006 car crash that took the life of his good friend Corey Diamond. Police later charged the man who crashed into Cellini's car with first-degree murder.
Cellini and his mom, Allyson, watched the Bison from the student section on Friday. Elliott, who continues to recover from the crash, used a cane to climb the arena stairs.
"My voice hurts from cheering," said Cellini after the game, still wearing his Bison horns. "I just wish the score was more like the first half."
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The Bison were leading Whitney Young 20-15 at halftime.
Friday was the third trip in a row downstate for the girls basketball team. It was also the third straight loss. In the past two years, the team lost close games in the first round of the tournament. In 2006, the team lost by one point in overtime. Last year, the Bison lost 59-55 after Allison Mocchi suffered a game-ending knee injury in the first quarter.
Friday was the next-to-last game for coach Tom Dineen, who will retire this year after 29 years leading the Bison.
Almost 500 Buffalo Grove basketball fans made the 150-mile trek to Illinois State University's Redbird Arena for the game. The number of fans was higher than past years even though students had to get their own ride to the game. Unlike the past two years, Buffalo Grove officials didn't sponsor coach buses to the arena because of liability issues and cost.
After the final buzzer, fans filed out of the stands wearing orange T-shirts and blue beads. Many students quietly texted on their cell phones and sent the final score to their friends.
Sophomores Kelsey Wodka and Nicole Delaney drove to Bloomington with their parents. Even though their team lost, both girls will stay to watch the Bison play for third place tonight.
"It's just really said," Wodka said. "They had such a great season. I really thought they were going to win this game."