Scouting the girls teams of DuPage County
DuPage Valley Conference
Glenbard East
Coach: Nicole Miller.
Last year: 13-16, 4-10, sixth in conference; lost to Conant in Class 4A regional semifinal.
Top players: Lindsey Fairbairn; Olivia Trefilek, jr., F; Kelsey Taylor, sr., G; Jackie Foreman, sr., G; Alison Scott, jr., F/C; Nikki Hall, jr. F/C.
Outlook: The Rams return leading scorers Taylor and Foreman to the backcourt, plus returning starter Trefilek, so Miller expects good things from her team this season. "They've been playing together a long time," she said. Fairbairn, Hall and Scott bring size to the lineup. "The added height is going to be nice," Miller said, and the coach changed the offense to better utilize that size. Miller expects to go eight players deep this season.
Glenbard North
Coach: John Chamberlain.
Last year: 6-22, 3-11, seventh in the DuPage Valley Conference.
Top players: Amoni Reynolds, jr., F; Nicolette Rini, sr., C; Cara Watkins, so., C; Alyssa Jasinski, so., G; Brianna DiGioia, sr., G.
Outlook: Superior athleticism holds the key to the Panthers' season. There are several three-sport athletes who must develop more polished basketball skills. But as athletes they'll be able to play the new coach's "stick-it-in-your-face man-to-man defense and fastbreaking offense. Reynolds is the player opponents have to stop. "Our progress will be measured in how we improve in shooting and ballhandling over the course of the season," Chamberlain said. "We're looking for improvement over last year."
Naperville Central
Coach: Andy Nussbaum.
Last year: 23-10 overall, 12-2, second in the DuPage Valley Conference; lost to Hinsdale Central 48-38 in the Class 4A Hinsdale Central sectional semifinal.
Top players: Kelley Hendrick, sr., G; Emma Ondik, so., G; Claire Fleming, jr., F; Alex Pokorny, sr., F; Katherine Tanck, jr. C; Emma Donahue, fr. C; Maggie Buoy, sr., G.
Outlook: A third-year starting point guard is a good place to start. The Redhawks have that in Hendrick, who averaged 12.2 points, 4.4 assists and 3.5 steals as a junior. "She's our sparkplug," Nussbaum said. "She's always been good at penetrating and has good hands defensively." Ondik in essense gives Naperville Central a second point guard on the floor. She's also an excellent shooter and an underrated defender. "We feel good about our ballhandling and ability to pressure teams," Nussbaum said. Fleming won a starting job midway through last season. Always physical under the basket, her shooting has improved. Tanck should compete for a starting spot, Pokorny gives the Redhawks another shooter and Donahue, at 6-foot-2 the team's tallest player, should help on the boards and defensively. Nussbaum expects another nip-and-tuck race in the DVC with the Wheaton schools and West Aurora.
Naperville North
Coach: Jacquie Discipio.
Last year: 6-22 overall, 5-9, fifth in the DuPage Valley Conference; lost to Lyons Twp. in Class 4A Hinsdale Central regional quarterfinal.
Top players: Kaelyn Witkowski, sr., G; Haley Krentz, sr., F; Kathleen Gallagher, jr., G; Colleen Warren, jr., G; Emily Carpenter, so., G; Tracy Smith, jr., F
Outlook: To borrow from Barack Obama's campaign theme, the Huskies are looking for change this year. They have it with Discipio, in her first year as varsity coach after three seasons as JV coach. The biggest change, though, could be the Huskies' commitment in the off-season. "We're turning the corner," Discipio said. "Basketball is becoming more of a priority." The roster is stacked with sophomores, so the leadership of point guard Witkowski and Krentz will be crucial. Witkowski brings a high basketball IQ, soccer player Krentz great athleticism. Carpenter is another good athlete, Warren and Gallagher juniors who played JV for Discipio last year. What the Huskies lack in height they hope to make up for in speed and quickness. "We may not be up with the big dogs in conference," Discipio said, "but we'll be running with the pack more."
West Chicago
Coach: Kim Wallner.
Last year: 2-25, 1-13, eighth in DuPage Valley Conference; lost to Glenbard East in Class 4A regional play-in game.
Top players: Chrissie Rovtar, sr., C; Jessica Baids, jr., F; Lindsey Johnston, sr., F; Emily Paschke, so., F; Katie Staiton, jr., G; Izzy Bruce, jr., G; Claire Monroe, fr., G; Molly Monroe, jr., G.
Outlook: Last year Wallner joked about having to introduce herself to her players, so many of them were new. Not this year. "They know each other better, so we're looking a lot better. We're a lot farther along than we were last year at this time, which I think you can expect," she said. The strength of the team is inside, where Rovtar, Baids, Paschke and Johnston are the team's primary threats. "Between those four I've got quite a bit coming back," Wallner said. "We're hoping that we can get the ball inside to them and get the ball to them in a position to help us." The guards are young but growing and improving. One difference in this team from previous West Chicago squads is that this one attacks the basket, and it shows in the number of free throws the players attempt.
Wheaton North
Coach: David Eaton.
Last year: 18-9, 11-3, third in DuPage Valley Conference; lost to Fenwick in Class 4A regional final.
Top players: Lauren Hoffman, sr, G; Fantasia Vine, so, G; Brooke Olson, sr., G; Sarah Carlson, sr., G; Lauren Graham, so., C; Kat Knoedler, sr., G; Madison Goudy, sr., G.
Outlook: How do you deal with losing some of the best players in program history to graduation? You load up with nine seniors and add a couple of talented younger players for good measure. Teams hoping to catch Wheaton North while it's down may be out of luck. "They've put a lot into our program, and I'm excited for them," Eaton said of his seniors. The group is led by point guard Olson, who missed last season due to a broken foot. She's back at full strength. "We're going to put the ball in her hands," Eaton said. Goudy also will be in the backcourt and can hit the 3-point shot. Graham is 6-foot-1 and lends some height to a quick lineup.
Wheaton Warrenville South
Coach: Rob Kroehnke.
Last year: 20-9, 12-2, first in DuPage Valley Conference; lost to Naperville Central in Class 4A regional final.
Top players: Destiny Neal, jr., G; Heidi Ansiel, jr., F; Annie Shain, so, G; Hannah Credille, so. F; Caitlin Schwark, jr. F; Katie Ottolin, jr., F.
Outlook: WW South is very young and inexperienced, and Kroehnke isn't sweating a thing. His team lost its first two conference games a season ago and still placed first, so he knows not to worry too much in November. "We sort of had this feeling at the beginning of last year too," he said. He returns three starters, but two of them are sophomores. "We're not really sure where we're going to be headed and how quickly," he said. It doesn't help that Credille is out till probably the Christmas tournament after summer knee surgery. The Tigers also have little size; most of the tall girls at WW South go out for volleyball. But they do have their usually stingy zone defense, and Kroenhke calls Neal someone to watch.
East Suburban Catholic Conference
Benet
Coach: Peter Paul.
Last year: 12-17, 4-6, fourth in East Suburban Catholic Conference; lost to West Aurora in Class 4A West Aurora regional semifinal.
Top players: Nikki Bell, jr., F; Annie Doyle, sr., G; Jess Pavlinec, sr., C; Mary Schuessler, sr., C; Brianne Riley, jr., G/F; Ashley Vaselick, so., F; Danielle Canulli, so., G; Katie Ernsting, so, G; Gintare Sankauskaite, fr., F.
Outlook: After a couple down years, the Redwings hope to return to the form that have made them perennial 20-game winners throughout Paul's tenure. It all starts with Bell, a 5-foot-9 third-year varsity starter who led Benet at 12 points per game a year ago and is a tough rebounder for her size and good shooter. "Key to our team playing well," Paul said. "She has to lead us there offensively and defensively." Doyle returns from injury and will start at point guard and Pavlinec, Benet's tallest player at 5-foot-10, returns at center after a year off. With a dearth in size once again, Benet will need to go up-tempo in spots. And the Redwings must shoot better. "We shot 30 percent last year," Paul said, "and we have to get that up. If we stay healthy we can do some things."
Interstate Eight Conference
Lisle
Coach: Jeff Javior.
Last year: 17-11, 9-2, tied for third in the Interstate Eight Conference; lost to Driscoll in the Class 2A regional semifinals.
Top players: Jackie Todd, jr., F/G; Nicole Urban, so., G; Brynn Tomko, jr., F; Colleen Drennan, jr., F; Chelsea Peterson, jr., C; Alison Petkovsek, sr., F; Amy Carrabine, sr., G; Tara Sarb, so., F.
Outlook: A rash of injuries that hit last year gave the underclassmen the chance to play. This year the Lions are deep and experienced yet still young and in need of consistency. But Javior is confident he has a high-energy group that is eager and quick to learn. Peterson and Drennan provide a good inside presence and there's plenty of depth and speed for the uptempo game. "We're hoping to sneak up on some people this year," Javior said. "We want to be in contention for conference at the last game."
Metro Suburban Conference
Fenton
Coach: Tim Anderson.
Last year: 19-14, 5-4, second in Metro Suburban Conference; lost to Marshall in Class 3A sectional semifinal.
Top players: Samantha Rubright, sr., G/F; Mel Borshell, sr., G; Priyah Ghayal, sr., G; McKall Pulgiese, jr. G.
Outlook: Anderson sounds like a mad scientist going into his lab to conduct experiments when he talks about his team."Part of my job is to look at what our stengths are and figure out the best way to handle it," he said. "And I'm a chemistry teacher so I like the lab analogy." To be clear, Anderson likes his team. A lot. It's just that his players have spent virtually no meaningful time on a varsity court. "We're looking OK," he said. "We have so little experience, it's kind of strange. This is the least experience I've ever had in my tenure." So he's taking his time, trying to figure out what they can do and where they need to improve. The one exception is Rubright, who should reach the 1,000-point mark well before New Year's. "She's been doing a great job leading by example. She's a great player. Most importantly she's a great student," he said.
Private School League
Timothy Christian
Coach: Ryan DeKoekkoek.
Last year: 16-12, 5-3, third in Private School League; lost to Walther Lutheran in Class 2A regional final.
Top players: Shannon McNeil, sr., G; Anneke Stremler, sr., F; Katie Dirkse, sr., G; Meghan Leach, sr., G; Kelsey Kazynski, sr, G; Lauren Couture, so, G/F.
Outlook: Mission No. 1 for DeKoekkoek was to get his players in shape. The first week of practice the Trojans had two-a-days, with morning sessions devoted to conditioning. "That was an initial shock to their system," the second-year coach said. "They're getting in shape now, that's for sure." There's a simple reason for the emphasis on conditioning. "We want to pressure defensively and attack offensively, and we have to be in shape to do that," he said. The coach is adding new things to practice each day, and the girls are picking them up, some more quickly than others. McNeil is the team's go-to player, a four-year varsity starter. "She can do great things on the basketball court. She's strong, she's quick. She's improved a lot with her shot," he said.
Wheaton Academy
Coach: Beth Mitchell.
Last year: 19-10, 5-3, second in Private School League; lost to Hope in Class 3A regional final.
Top players: Alexa Sharkey, jr, G; Kirsten Egebrecht, jr., F; Leah Fortune, sr., G; Meghan Grant, jr., F; Jenn Lee, sr., G; Sydney Sharkey, fr, G.
Outlook: It's a rare treat for a coach to return all of her starters, but that's why Mitchell is happy these days. Actually, Fortune is playing soccer in Brazil and won't be back until early December. Till then freshman Sydney Sharkey will fill in at point guard. "She's doing very well. For a freshman to step into that role, be a quarterback, she's doing well," Mitchell said of the younger Sharkey. "It's kind of throwing her to the fire right away." Sydney will have plenty of support from her big sister Alexa, last year's leading scorer and still just a junior. In fact there are only three seniors on this team.
Suburban Catholic Conference
Driscoll
Coach: Steve McCuiston.
Last year: 25-6 overall, 9-4, third in the Suburban Catholic Conference; lost to Bishop McNamara in the Class 2A Olivet Nazarene supersectional.
Top players: Gigi DiGrazia, sr., G; Courtney Lindfors, jr., C; Taylor Reaber, jr., F; Kasey Reaber, so., G; Allie Divito, so., G; Shaquira Scott, so., G.
Outlook: The Highlanders aren't satisfied after winning the school's first sectional championship a year ago. With five of their top six players back, it's easy to see why. "The girls are thirsty to take the next step," McCuiston said. Lindfors averaged 15 points per game as a sophomore. At 6-foot-4 she is already getting inquries from several mid-major schools. "She can score from anywhere on the court," McCuiston said. DiGrazia, Divito and Reaber all shot over 30 percent from 3-point range. Kasey Reaber has begun to emerge as a second-year point guard. She got more experience there over the summer with state golf champ DiGrazia away. Driscoll hopes to harden itself for the postseason with an improved nonconference schedule, which includes a date with Kokomo (Ind.) at the McDonald's Shootout and a game with 4A power Chicago Resurrection. How can the Highlanders get better? It starts with defense. "We believe we're going to score points," McCuiston said. "We need to play better defense because teams are going to be gunning for us."
Immaculate Conception
Coach: Dan Murray.
Last year: 11-19 overall, 3-11, seventh in the Suburban Catholic Conference; lost to Newark in Class 1A Serena sectional semifinal.
Top players: Mary Kate Manion, sr., F; Erin Dunne, jr., F; Maggie Ryan, jr., G; Kaleigh Dempsey, fr., G; Jordyn Platt, so, G.; Michelle Karges, so., C; Niki Lullo, jr, F.
Outlook: The Knights took a step back after two straight 20-win seasons and five consecutive winning seasons. They hope to return to form with three starters back in Manion, Dunne and Ryan. Lullo was also an off-and-on starter. A number of players can handle the ball, and Murray said the team collectively shoots the ball much better. Dempsey has promise as a freshman starting point guard. The Knights will need to pressure the length of the court and use their speed and quickness, because it's not a big team. Karges at 6 foot is the only player taller than 5-7. "We have to turn our defense into offense," Murray said, "and we'll really have to spread the floor on teams."
Montini
Coach: Jason Nichols.
Last year: 28-6 overall, 14-0, first in the Suburban Catholic Conference; lost to Freeport in a Class 3A semifinal.
Top players: Michala Johnson, jr., C; Chrissy Fletcher, sr., F; Alison Seberger, jr., G; Whitney Holloway, so., G; Courtney Thomas, jr., G; Kiki Wilson, so., G; Mallory Sosnovich, so., G; Jill Sullivan, sr., F; Whitney Adams, so., F; Tianna Brown, fr., C.
Outlook: After coming up just shy of the school's first state championship in girls basketball, Montini has all the pieces in place to take care of unfinished business. Johnson (19.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg), a 6-foot-3 forward ranked No. 16 nationally by ESPN among juniors, leads eight key players returning. She suffered a knee injury in July but is practicing and should be cleared to play by next week. Fletcher is headed to New Mexico State, and Holloway is one of the top point guards in the country. Added to the mix is Thomas, a 6-1 wing headed to Marquette who transferred from Loyola over the summer. "Ultimately on paper we're stronger than last year," Nichols said, "but we're not at the point where we can show up and win games." Nichols won't let his kids rest on their laurels facing a brutal nonconference schedule that includes a rematch at Freeport in December. Teams will guard against Montini's size inside, so guards like Sosnovich, Seberger and Holloway can't be bashful shooting from deep. "If they can improve their 3-point percentage," Nichols said, "I believe we're impossible to defend."
St. Francis
Coach: Leslie Fay-Dehn.
Last year: 12-15, 4-9 in Suburban Catholic Conference; lost to St. Joseph in semifinal of Class 3A regional.
Top players: Megan Bruggeman, jr., G; Jenny Eldridge, sr., F/C; Alex Morris, sr., G; Kelly Reinke, so., G; Jamie Stefely, sr., C.
Outlook: How do you compete in a conference with the likes of Montini and Driscoll? "The biggest goal is to compete in every game," Fay-Dehn said. "Playing good teams should make us a better team." That will help come playoff time. Expect the Spartans to use their speed. "We seem to be quicker than last year, and hopefully we'll be able to push the ball a lot more and be more aggressive on defense," Fay-Dehn said. They have only one 6-footer, Stefely, with Eldridge at 5-11, so when those two don't get the ball the Spartans will rely heavily on guard play from Reinke and Morris.
Upstate Eight Conference
Lake Park
Coach: Chris Fruehling.
Last year: 22-8 overall, 8-2, third in the Upstate Eight Conference; lost to Proviso East in Class 4A Willowbrook regional final.
Top players: Samantha Arnold, sr., F; Jenna Aloia, sr., G; Devin Johnston, sr., F; Carly Willert, jr., G Adrienne Ryba, sr., G; Sarah Drozdowski, jr., F; Chelsea Gieseke, jr., F.
Outlook: Fruehling, who makes the move up to varsity this season after spending 13 years as sophomore coach, has a nice security blanket in Arnold. Last year's Daily Herald All-Area captain and Michigan recruit brings back 23.8 points per game and 8.6 rebounds per game. "She's a special player, multidimensional," Fruehling said. Johnston is healthy again after going down with a torn ACL midway through last season, and she adds inside presence. Aloia is quick, athletic and a good shooter, co-captain Ryba brings good vision to the point guard position. Willert, Drozdowski and Gieseke add experience. Seven players are back from last year's varsity team and are complemented by a group of juniors that went 23-1 for Fruehling on Lake Park's sophomore team last year.
Neuqua Valley
Coach: Mike Williams.
Last year: 14-15, 5-5, fifth place in the Upstate Eight Conference; lost to Hinsdale Central in the Class 4A regional finals.
Top players: McKenzie Hughes, so., C; Danielle Davis, so., G; Morgan Williams, sr., G; Brittany Williams, sr., G; Jenna Marsalli jr., G; Bria Williams, jr., F; Becky Williford, fr., G; Erica Jordan, fr., F.
Outlook: The first goal for the Wildcats is to overcome the inconsistency that plagued them last year. Last season's talented frosh duo of Hughes and Davis are old hands now and should become stars. The senior Williams girls are transfers and the coach's daughters who have started since their freshman year and help make the backcourt fast and deep. This isn't one of the biggest Neuqua teams, so they'll rely on that trademark sticky defense and transition. "We'll have to get the other team out of rhythm to be successful," coach Williams said.
Waubonsie Valley
Coach: Kris Kalivas.
Last year: 26-3, 10-0 Upstate Eight Conference champion; lost to Bolingbrook in a Class 4A sectional semifinal.
Top players: Jessica Morice, sr., G; Rachel Bostick, sr., C; Brittany Upshaw, jr., F; Catherine McClellan, sr., F; Hannah Klancic, so., G.
Outlook: The four seniors give the Warriors the nucleus of a team that can repeat as conference champions, but the key to how far they can go will be the development of the new players behind them. Last year's team had great depth, balance and unselfishness. Due to heavy graduation losses, including savvy guards Gault and Brownridge, the depth will have to come along as the season goes along. Look for Morice to show her versatility by stepping into a backcourt role. Bostick can dominate in the middle, Upshaw knows how to score and McClellan is the most improved player on the team.
West Suburban Gold
Addison Trail
Coach: Rob Schader.
Last year: 6-22, 3-9, fifth in West Suburban Gold; lost to Willowbrook in first round of Class 4A regional.
Top players: Jazmine Little, so., G; Mercedes Rallings, sr., G; Katie Kamide, jr., F/C; Nikki Zdrahel, sr., G; Daisy Murillo, jr., G.
Outlook: For a coach coming off a 6-22 season, Schader is very positive. "The sky's the limit for this team," he said, with a qualifier. "We've got a lot to learn and we're kind of taking it day by day so far." Here's what the Blazers know: They have a balanced team, with up to seven girls who can score, starting with Rallings and Little. Schader is especially positive about Little. "She's looking good. She's really gotten a lot tougher. She's become a better leader for us. She's matured." Annie Costabile, a 6-footer, and Marissa Pezzopane, at 5-10, add height. So will the team's improvement show in the league standings? "I'd like to think so," Schader said. "We'd be very disappointed as a coaching staff and as a team if we didn't improve."
Downers Grove South
Coach: Mike McGinnis.
Last year: 13-15, 7-5, third in the West Suburban Gold; lost to Naperville Central in Clas 4A regional semifinal.
Top players: Gianna Pecora, sr., G; Lauren Lisauskas, sr., C; DeeDee Scalzetti, sr., G; Dege Abate, sr., G.
Outlook: The Mustangs' rotating man-to-man defense is their main strength, and its success will carve out the quickest path to success. The parts are interchangeable for the most part, and the team depth will provide an advantage at the end of games. Lisauskas has a soft touch from the post and great hands. Pecora is a great ballhandler who will lead the transition game. "The new defense should give the opposition fewer opportunities to score," McGinnis said.
Hinsdale South
Coach: Steve Cochran.
Last year: 22-9 overall, 10-2; second in the West Suburban Gold; lost to Bolingbrook in the Class 4A Romeoville regional final.
Top players: Kelly Payne, sr., G; Samantha Schimmel, sr., G; Jazmine Harris, sr., G/F; Jaclyn Alyinovich, so., G; Chika Okoro, sr., G/F; Jackie Belmonte, so., G; Ashley Weatherspoon, so., G; Uzo Okoro, fr., F.
Outlook: Things will look different this year at Hinsdale South because long-time coach Brenda Whitesell retired after 27 seasons. But Cochran is no newcomer to West Suburban basketball, having coached 34 years at York. "My system is very complex," Cochran said, "and you don't learn it overnight. I told the girls we're going to look ugly before it looks good, but it will." The Hornets are boosted by the return of Payne, who went down five games into last season with a dislocated left shoulder and torn labrum. Payne, Schimmel and Harris are counted on to lead a young team. Chika Okoro was a state qualifier in the hurdles in track, and Cochran said her little sister Uzo is one to look out for. Belmonte adds a shooter on the perimeter. "I have some good athletes," Cochran said. "If I can mold them into a team we'll be something special."
Willowbrook
Coach: Troy Nelson.
Last year: 13-18, 6-6, fourth in West Suburban Gold; lost to Proviso East in Class 4A regional semifinal.
Top players: Angela Domin, sr., G; Taylor Nelson, jr., G; Danielle Muhlena, jr., C; Mary Flood, jr., G; Nora Cleary, jr., F; Nicole Interrante, jr., F; Katie Seccombe, jr., G/F.
Outlook: Nelson has good reason to feel optimistic about his team. "We've got a lot of kids back from last year. We have a little bit of size finally," he said. "Experience will get us through the season." That starts with veterans Taylor Nelson and Domin, each of whom has been a starter since arriving at Willowbrook and is a very good 3-point shooter. The coach expects to go 9-10 deep this year to take advantage of all that experience. One thing the Warriors lack is speed. "We're going to make up for that with effort," he said. That and height.
West Suburban Silver
Downers Grove North
Coach: Paul Maggiore.
Last year: 11-17, 5-7, fourth in West Suburban Silver; lost to WW South in Class 4A regional semifinal.
Top players: Missy Blazej, sr., F; Niki Sebo, so., G; Katie Castrogiovanni, sr., F; Jackie Burke, jr. C; Ali Schuster, so., C/F; Marissa Koszewski, so., G/F; Amelia Echemann, so. F; Madeline Boltin, so., G/F.
Outlook: 5-4-3-2-1 is not a countdown at Downers North, it's a list of positions that the talented Blazej can play. She'll be the leader of a team filled with sophomores who got their on-the-job training last season. Sebo is a confident point guard who knows the game, and there's good speed throughout the lineup and a number of people who can contribute off the bench. Schuster is a physical rebounder. The raw material is there so the main task facing Maggiore will be to find the best combo and watch the Trojans mature.
Glenbard West
Coach: Mike Hofland.
Last year: 14-15 overall, 7-3, second in West Suburban Silver; lost to Lake Park in Class 4A Willowbrook regional semifinal.
Top players: Kathryn Lux, sr., F; Abbey White, jr., G; Abbie Hastings, jr., F; Molly McBride, sr., G; Abigail McBride, sr., G; Teresa McDonald, sr., F; Bridget Flanagan, so., G.
Outlook: The Hilltoppers bring back a nice nucleus in returning starters Lux, White and Hastings. All three are athletic with decent size and can score. "A bunch of kids that like to compete and get after it," Hofland said. Glenbard West did lose 6-foot-1 Nicole Hazemi, the second-leading scorer from a year ago who transferred to Trinity. That leaves the 6-foot Hastings as the top post player. Lux can play inside or out with a good 3-point shot. White, a good slasher, will play the off guard. The McBride girls are Glenbard West's defensive stoppers, or as Hofland calls them, "our pit bulls." "The girls know what's expected of them," Hofland said. "We have a lot of good leadership on this team."
Hinsdale Central
Coach: Steve Gross.
Last year: 31-2 overall, 12-0; first in the West Suburban Silver; lost to Bolingbrook 43-27 in the Class 4A Neuqua Valley sectional final.
Top players: Toni Kokenis, jr., G; Katie Delaney, sr., F; Madison Whitley, sr., G; Kat Leach, sr., G; Abadelle Ekechukwu, jr., F; Maggie Brennan, so., G; Alex Zimmer, jr., G.
Outlook: The Red Devils' roster is a little thin and guard-heavy. Those guards are good ones, though. None better than Kokenis, all-state as a sophomore averaging 17 points per game. She is already being recruited by Big Ten schools and has visited Stanford twice. "That's her dream school," Gross said. "She has the combination of size, speed, athletic ability and skill that gives her a chance to play at that level." Delaney is a strong rebounder and defender, Whitley a "fill up the stat sheet" type player that can hit the 3-pointer and post up just the same. Both are four-year varsity players. A player to watch is Ekechukwu. Gross said that this group reminds him of his 1997 team that lost to Mother McAuley in supersectionals. "Last year we had some size and margin for error defensively," he said. "(Kokenis) has to control the game for us. The rest of our team are solid high school players."
York
Coach: Frank Kaminsky.
Last year: 15-14, lost in Class 4A regional semifinal.
Top players: Courtney Owens, sr., C/F; Amanda Heuser, sr., F; Stefanie Matsas, sr., G; Meryl Cripe, so., G; Mary Colon, so., F; Danielle Vujovic, so., G;
Outlook: Kaminsky comes from the University of St. Francis and brings an uptempo offensive game and a lot of full-court pressing on defense. It will take this band of high school kids some time to adjust, but by midseason the Dukes should be making some noise in conference. Athletes such as Cripe and Matsas are quick, experienced guards, Owens is the leading returning scorer, and Heuser is a workhorse and a team leader. "If we get better at practice every day, wins and losses will take care of themselves," Kaminsky said.
Western Sun Conference
Glenbard South
Coach: Julie Fonda.
Last year: 21-9, 9-5, third in the Western Sun Conference; lost to Montini in the Class 3A Nazareth sectional semifinal.
Top players: Meghan Pipal, sr., G; Maja Despot, sr., C; Devon Diiorio, sr., C; Lauren Podgorski, sr., G; Kim Schwerdtmann, sr., G; Jasmine Simpson, sr, F.; Alyssa Yasak, sr., F; Nevena Markovic, so., C; Maggie Norton, jr., C; Tess Diiorio, jr., F.
Outlook: Forget Fonda's guard-oriented Raiders of recent memory. This team will get it done with height, led by 6-foot-1 center Despot and her 6-2 cousin Markovic. "Maja doesn't have great quickness," Fonda said, "but she gets out and runs the floor well." Five other players go 5-10 or taller. "It's a good problem to have," Fonda said. "We've completely revamped everything we do." Despot is a three-year varsity starter, as is senior point guard Meghan Pipal, kid sister of graduated Raiders standout Danielle. "Meghan's a go-getter, the energizer bunny," Fonda said.
- Orrin Schwarz, Neil Shalin, Joshua Welge