Warriors clinch share of PSL title

That lonely number 1999 on the conference championship banner in the Warrior Dome looks like it could use a companion.

Wheaton Academy made sure it gets one.

The Warriors clinched at least a share of their first Private School League championship in 10 years - and the final one in the league's history - courtesy of a 49-28 win over Timothy Christian in a matchup of conference leaders on Friday in West Chicago.

Wheaton Academy (21-1, 7-0), winner of 10 straight games, took a one-game conference lead with one game left.

"It's so exciting, especially because it's the last year of the PSL," said Jenn Lee, one of three Warriors seniors. "We've been talking about how we're going to put the 2009 next to the 1999 on the banner."

The usual suspects did their part for Wheaton Academy, Lee scoring 14 points and Alexa Sharkey 10 points and 6 steals despite constant shadowing by Timothy Christian's Shannon McNeil. Crucial was the contribution of 6-foot junior Meghan Grant, who had 14 points and 5 rebounds, leading a big Warriors advantage in the paint.

"She was huge," Wheaton Academy coach Beth Mitchell said of Grant, "and I told her at halftime, 'You're going to be the one that has to open this thing up.' They really weren't guarding her on the perimeter. I told her if you got that open look, I want you to take it."

Timothy Christian scored the game's first 4 points, but from there Wheaton Academy took the lead for good with a 13-0 run. Sydney Sharkey knocked down a 3-pointer, Lee had a pair of three-point plays and Alexa Sharkey two baskets, the second a steal and score to make it 13-4.

Wheaton Academy forced 10 Timothy Christian turnovers in the quarter, 28 for the game.

"It's frustrating, because we made some mistakes that we usually don't make," McNeil said. "We didn't play the way we're capable."

The margin see-sawed between 8 and 12 until Wheaton Academy put things away with an 8-0 run to end the third up 39-24. Grant had a pair of scores on feeds from Alexa Sharkey. The Warriors' sticky defense held the Trojans scoreless for over four minutes.

"I thought we were a little stagnant in the first half," Mitchell said, "a little soft. We came out in the second half and turned it up a notch."

McNeil had 12 points and 5 rebounds for Timothy Christian (14-7, 5-1), which lost its second straight game after winning eight in a row over in-state opponents.

"We just got outworked and outclassed. It's as simple as that," Trojans coach Ryan DeKoekkoek said. "It's a very disappointing night."