School is out, but tests continue
Sandwiched around the turkey and presents, DuPage County's girls basketball teams will get some rugged tests holiday week.
No more is that the case than at the Suburban Holiday Showcase. Five of the top teams from around the Chicago area are at the multi-site event that gets going Saturday, including Lake Zurich (No. 2 in the Daily Herald Top 20), No. 3 Montini and No. 9 Lake Park, as well as Loyola and Trinity.
"I like this tournament," Montini coach Jason Nichols said. "Going up against Lake Zurich, Loyola and Barrington, you're playing disciplined teams. Lake Zurich is a carbon copy of Hinsdale Central. It presents a different challenge than what we saw at Whitney Young at Thanksgiving, with the quickness and athleticism."
Lake Park has run of seven straight wins but will be tested immediately in its pool by Loyola on Saturday. The Lancers play Trinity on Tuesday.
"We know we have our work cut out for us," Lake Park coach Chris Fruehling said. "We're looking forward to it."
Two of the remaining unbeatens in DuPage could be on a collision course at Wheaton North's Bill Neibch Holiday Classic, where Hinsdale Central and Waubonsie Valley are the top two seeds. Toni Kokenis, Katie Delaney and the Red Devils beat Waubonsie Valley in the semifinals last year en route to the tournament title. Potential roadblocks to a possible rematch at the tournament that gets under way Monday include Hersey, Wheaton North, Glenbard South and even No. 7 seed Glenbard North. Waubonsie Valley hopes to have injured seniors Rachel Bostick (dislocated shoulder) and Jessica Morice (ankle) back in its lineup.
"It's a pretty competitive tournament with a lot of teams with similar records," Waubonsie Valley coach Kris Kalivas said. "Hinsdale obviously is still the team to beat. In our state we're hoping to stay competitive, get in the winners' bracket and take it one game at a time."
Geneva and Indiana State-bound guard Taylor Whitley are certainly the team to beat at the round-robin Benet/Naperville North Tournament that tips off today. The event has a strong DuPage flavor with the two hosts, York, Wheaton Warrenville South and Glenbard West.
Driscoll, runner-up at the Oswego East Tournament the past two years, figures to be the team to beat this time. Defending champion Oak Park/River Forest, which beat Driscoll in overtime last year, as well as Andrew, Lemont and a West Chicago team fresh off a big win over Wheaton North could provide the unbeaten Highlanders' stiffest competition.
"Hopefully, we're creeping closer and we can win it this year," Driscoll coach Steve McCuiston said. "We know teams will be gunning for us."
Across town Glenbard East is already started at the Oswego Tournament headlined by Batavia and senior Natalie Tarter.
Naperville Central once again heads north to Dundee-Crown's Charger Classic; the 26th annual event starts Dec. 26 with the Redhawks facing Johnsburg. With a win Kelley Hendrick and company likely would draw St. Charles North and Michigan State-bound center Kelsey Smith.
The Redhawks lost to Johnsburg at the Sweet Sixteen Tournament two years ago and beat St. Charles North at Dundee-Crown last year on a Hendrick buzzer-beater.
"It's always been a pretty good barometer for us," Redhawks coach Andy Nussbaum said of Dundee-Crown, "and what we want to do the rest of the season."
Fenwick and juniors Tricia Liston and Katlyn Payne figure to be the team to beat, with New Trier and Mother McAuley other teams to watch.
As Naperville Central goes north, Neuqua Valley heads south. The Wildcats travel to Bloomington/Normal for the State Farm Holiday Classic, where they will play Rock Island Alleman on Dec. 26. A strong downstate presence is in the 3A/4A field, led by Peoria Richwoods and Galesburg.