Jacobs hoping to give C-G a battle despite injury bug
When the girls basketball teams from Jacobs and Cary-Grove met on Jan. 13 in Algonquin, Jacobs had a key player -Hailey Cnota - out of action with an injury.
Tonight, when the two Fox Valley Conference Valley Division tri-leaders meet in Cary, the visiting Golden Eagles will again have a key player -Katy Cook -out with an injury.
"Without Cook we're a little concerned about our rebounding," said Jacobs coach Ed Haugens Thursday, referring to Cook's average of 7 rebounds per game. "We'll need some other kids to step up."
In their first meeting, Cary-Grove was able to apply more pressure on the basketball than Jacobs had seen all season, pressure that resulted in 33 Golden Eagle turnovers in the 64-49 loss. The Trojans, in comparison, turned the ball over just 18 times.
"It's going to come down to hammering the ball and ball pressure," said Haugens, whose 16-7 squad has won four straight since the Cary-Grove loss. "If we can keep our turnovers to a minimum and rebound ... those will be the keys."
Cary-Grove coach Rod Saffert figures Jacobs might put a little more pressure on his team this time around but he points to his own team just doing its thing as the key, not only tonight but throughout the Trojans' 17-5 season.
"I'm a little surprised because we're still so young, but when we play and do what we do we're hard to beat," Saffert said. "I have a feeling Jacobs might put a little more pressure on us so we just need to take care of the basketball and do what we do well."
One of those things is getting the ball to 5-foot-11 Claire Jakubicek (15.4 ppg), which causes defenses to overload the inside in an attempt to keep the ball away from the sparkling sophomore. But Jacobs learned the first time around that Cary-Grove has other people who can score. Even though Jakubicek had 16 points in that first meeting, sophomore guard Meg Straumann really scorched the Eagles, hitting for three 3-pointers and a game-high 23 points.
Offensively, Jacobs will miss the 8 points Cook had in the first game against Cary-Grove. Maria Tamburrino scored 17 for the Eagles that night but no one else hit double figures.
The FVC Valley is most certainly up for grabs and the winner in Cary tonight takes a leg up at a possible conference title. Both still also have games left with the other league leader, Crystal Lake South, as well as with a potentially dangerous Woodstock team.
Cyberspace seeding: Most coaches we've talked to aren't all that enamored with the IHSA's new online seeding process. While IHSA girls basketball honcho Beth Sauser told the Daily Herald's Josh Welge this week that things like travel and conflicting schedules entered into the decision to hatch the new process, many coaches still like getting in a room and selling their teams to their sectional counterparts.
"It's easier online but there's no room to debate," said Jacobs coach Ed Haugens. "At least when you're in that room with all the other coaches you get a chance to explain yourself and ask other coaches to do the same. We've lost that and I'm not sure I like it."
Hampshire coach Sue Ellett agrees.
"It takes the fun out of it a little bit if you ask me," she said. "(The seeding meeting) is usually a fun evening with a little war room atmosphere."
Speaking of seeds: The IHSA released the seeds for the upcoming Class 3A and Class 4A girls postseason Thursday and it doesn't appear as though cyberspace altered what might come out of a face-to-face meeting, at least in terms of the top seeds.
In Class 4A, many of the Fox Valley area's teams are in the Jacobs sectional, but that sectional includes the Rockford schools so, by IHSA guidelines, the regionals are pre-assigned. Thus, Jacobs got the No. 1 seed over Crystal Lake South in the South regional. Streamwood is No. 3, Elgin No. 4 and Dundee-Crown No. 5. While the IHSA releases official pairings today, they will likely say that D-C will play at Elgin in a play-in game with the winner playing Jacobs in one semifinal, and South meeting Streamwood in the other semi.
"It doesn't make a whole lot of difference," said Jacobs coach Ed Haugens of getting the No. 1 seed. "You have to play who you have to play. To be honest I haven't really looked that far ahead."
Elsewhere in the Jacobs sectional complex, Rockford Boylan is the top seed at its own regional, while St. Charles North got the No. 1, St. Charles East No. 2 and South Elgin No. 3 at South Elgin. The play-in game will have No. 5 Larkin at No. 4 DeKalb when regionals begin the week of Feb. 16.
Huntley also gained a No. 1 seed in its own regional, which is the other regional in the Jacobs sectional. Woodstock is No. 2.
Bartlett was voted the No. 7 seed in the Addison Trail sectional complex, which uses the traditional sectional complex seeding format as all the participating schools are within the seven-county Chicago area. Undefeated Geneva, the Daily Herald's No. 1 team, got the top seed and Hoffman Estates, Lake Park and Fremd rounded out the top four.
We got the seven seed which is about where we belong," said Bartlett coach Denise Sarna. "We have beaten a few teams ahead of us so we know that we can compete on a number of levels."
In the loaded Barrington sectional complex, Cary-Grove came away with a No. 6 seed. Wheeling, Lake Zurich, Mundelein, Hersey and Barrington were seeded ahead of the Trojans.
"I don't know a lot about most of those teams except Wheeling, Lake Zurich and the ones we've played," said Cary-Grove coach Rod Saffert, whose team lost to the only higher seeded team it has played -Barrington. "We're just trying to figure out where we're going to go. I've got no problem going wherever they send us. It will be good experience for us."
The regional hosts in the Barrington complex include Warren, Highland Park, Wheeling and Lake Zurich and Saffert figures his team will be sent to either Wheeling or LZ.
In Class 3A, Hampshire is the top seed in the Kaneland regional, Sycamore is No. 2 and Burlington Central No. 3. The Rockets lost to Sycamore 54-30 at Thanksgiving. The play-in game will have No. 5 IMSA at No. 4 Kaneland. If Hampshire lives up to its seed, the Whip-Purs would advance to the Marengo sectional, which could also include Marengo, state-ranked Freeport, and Rosary. The IHSA hasn't drawn the 3A and 4A postseason brackets yet.
Around the area: It's a relatively quiet weekend for area girls teams. The Fox Valley Conference plays a round of games tonight, and St. Edward plays host to one of the state's top Class 3A teams in Montini. The Upstate Eight plays a round of league games Saturday that includes Bartlett at Streamwood at 6 p.m. Larkin hosts St. Charles East and South Elgin entertains Neuqua Valley in 2:30 p.m. starts. Burlington Central hosts North Boone Saturday but Big Northern East leading Hampshire has the weekend off in preparation for Tuesday's game at the new Purple Palace against Marengo. With a win in that game the Whip-Purs, who beat Marengo 47-23 earlier this week, will clinch at least a tie for the conference title.
Whips coach Sue Ellett, whose team is now 18-4 overall, was more than pleased with her team's effort in Marengo's gym.
"We were very focused and efficient," she said. "The game went quickly. We flew in and flew out of there and took our 20-point win and ran."
Ellett pointed to the continued strong play of junior Cassie Dumoulin as a key to the Marengo win. Dumoulin had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Whips.
"She was just tremendous," Ellett said.
"The Whips have the weekend off before hosting Marengo in the BN-East rematch Tuesday, then traveling to Byron and hosting North Boone before finishing off the regular season at Richmond on Feb. 9.
"I'm sure Marengo will come to our place and want to get it going so we'll have to be ready," Ellett said. "It would be nice to clinch at least a tie for the conference in our own gym. Our kids are pretty consistent. They're all good students and they know how to prioritize."
jradtke@dailyherald.com