Prospect prevails with balance
A balanced offense from the Prospect girls basketball team paved the way to a decisive 63-36 victory over Rolling Meadows in a Mid-Suburban East clash Friday night at Jean Walker Field House.
The Knights took control early in the first quarter with a 17-0 run to help give them a 38-12 advantage at the half.
Prospect (11-2, 3-0) scored 16 points off 14 first-half turnovers by the Mustangs (2-7, 0-3).
Sophomore center Sarah Hunt led the Knights with 12 points, but it was truly a team effort on the offensive end.
"I would say our balance is definitely a strength for us," said Prospect coach Martha Kelly. "In terms of scouting, depending on what game our opponent comes to, there's a different leading scorer. Tonight it was Sarah Hunt, and that was a first time for her."
The Hunt sisters once again owned the boards, collecting a combined 12 rebounds.
The deep Prospect squad continued to hammer away even when the starters were on the bench. Sarah Winans scored 9 points off the bench, and Marissa Pettenuzzo scored 6.
"I think it's important that whoever we put in we can count on," Sarah Hunt said. "We can rotate people who are tired or in foul trouble and still have people getting the job done."
Senior Kelly Zahorski (15 points) led the Mustangs in scoring and rebounds (5). She was 6-for-6 from the free-throw line.
Hersey 52, Buffalo Grove 40: Hersey (7-3, 2-1) rallied from a 14-6 deficit with a 17-0 run and never trailed in the Mid-Suburban East game at Ken Carter Gymnasium.
Junior Maddie Swan (11 points, 10 rebounds) had a double-double for the Huskies, while Megan Rogowski scored a game-high 14 points.
Kelly Rogowski added 9 points and Julia Fredian 8 for the winners, who received a pair of 3-pointers from Megan Rogowski and one from Annie Perkins during the 17-0 run.
Buffalo Grove got within 43-39, but Megan Rogowski hit a big bucket and the Huskies never let the visitors closer.
Hersey was 9 of 11 at the free-throw line in the final quarter as Fredian went 6-for-6. Megan Rogowski added 2 and Perkins 1 free throw.
BG (3-6, 0-3) was paced by Andrea DiPrima (11 points), Heather Nisbet (10) and Stacey Lialios (7).
The Bison clicked for four 3-pointers while building the 14-6 advantage, getting two from DiPrima. Nisbet added two 3-pointers and Kelly Mahoney had one.
Wheeling 62, Elk Grove 36: Bianca Szafarowicz (20 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists), Ashley Wilson (16 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists), Janelle Cannon (11 points, 10 rebounds, 6 steals, 5 assists) and Bridgette Gray (10 points, 3 rebounds) all reached double figures for the state-ranked Wildcats (12-0, 3-0).
Elk Grove (5-6, 1-2)) was led by Ashley Capotosto (15 points) and Krystina Leazer (6).
Maine West 49, Niles North 31: Megan O'Neill (12 points, 11 rebounds) and Kelsey Hargesheimer (10 points, 3 rebounds led the Warriors (8-3, 3-1) in the Central Suburban North contest.
Point guard Shaina Yalda scored 8 points with 7 assists and 3 rebounds for West, while Amanda Hoye added 6 points and Shaneese Nelson grabbed 3 rebounds.