Geneva is out to make history in sectional finals
Taylor Whitley has more than one reason to hope Thursday night's Class 4A Addison Trail sectional championship game doesn't end like the Vikings' last appearance in this game.
Montini defeated Geneva in the 2006 AA Addison Trail title game, 47-40. The Vikings held two leads in the fourth quarter but couldn't hold on, as former Geneva player turned Montini transfer Sara Seberger helped the Broncos advance.
If that wasn't enough, Whitley, a freshman on that senior-dominated team who averaged a second-best 12.9 points a game, left the game in the fourth quarter with a concussion.
Needless to say, Whitley is ready to write a different ending.
"Hopefully it doesn't end like that again," Whitley laughed.
Geneva (30-0) takes aim on its first sectional title tonight, putting its 30-0 record on the line against No. 3 seed Lake Park (26-5) at 7:30 p.m. The winner will play either Loyola or New Trier at 8 p.m. Monday at the Loyola University supersectional.
Geneva coach Gina Nolan also remembers the Montini loss. She was happy to walk back into the Addison Trail gym for Monday's semifinal game against Elk Grove and see the Vikings on the opposite bench.
"That (2006) was not a good memory but we hope this week to make better memories to leave here with," Nolan said. "It's the other side so we can have a fresh start."
Geneva broke free from a 57-57 game against Elk Grove Monday by scoring the final 9 points. The Vikings struggled containing 6-footer Ashley Capotosto, who scored 34 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.
Now they get a look at Lake Park's 6-foot-4 Samantha Arnold, who had 22 points and 10 rebounds in the Lancers' 60-36 victory over York Monday.
Will the Vikings be in for another long night against a dominating post? If they are, you'll see Arnold get her points in a vastly different way.
Arnold is much more of a perimeter player than Capotosto, hitting 2 3-pointers in the semifinal win. Against St. Charles East earlier this month, Arnold buried 9 of 12 3-point shots en route to a school-record 42 points.
It's not just her shooting skills on the perimeter - she also is a good ballhandler who the Lancers have used this year to help break presses, which they will see all night from Geneva.
Like Whitley, Arnold cracked the 2,000-point milestone this year. And like Whitley she will be playing Division I basketball next year - Whitley at Indiana State and Arnold at Michigan.
Geneva counters with 6-foot juniors Kelsey Augustine and Lauren Wicinski, and the Vikings also bring 5-foot-10 junior Sam Dudman off the bench. When the starters both got in foul trouble Monday, Dudman scored 8 key first-half points.
"Sam has been a great spark for us off the bench all season long," Nolan said. "She came in and is physical, is tough in there, hit some shots, hit some big free throws for us. We're going to need her in that rotation."
After Arnold, the Lancers don't have another player averaging over 7 points a game.
Senior forward Devin Johnston averages about 6.5 points and 5 rebounds and often guards the opponent's best post player to help keep Arnold out of foul trouble.
Junior guard Carly Willert and senior guard Jenna Aloia both average about 5 points a game. Defensively, Lake Park played matchup zone most of the year, but the last month has sprinkled in some man.
Geneva has more firepower after Whitley. Emily Hinchman and Wicinski both score in double figures, while sophomore Kat Yelle continues to come on strong with 20 points Monday.
Geneva and Lake Park have five common opponents, and they are both 5-0 against them: Elk Grove (46-38 Lake Park win/66-57 Geneva win), St. Charles East (60-50/69-41), Bartlett (52-48/76-66), Neuqua Valley (52-35/63-38) and York (60-36/84-61).
Elk Grove handled Geneva's 1-2-1-1 diamond press better than most teams have, finishing with 18 turnovers. But four of them came in the final 30 seconds and helped decide the game.
Elk Grove coach Ryan Kirkorsky said he brought in boys basketball players to practice against his girls to help simulate Geneva's speed.
"I thought we handled it really well but it kind of wears you down," Kirkorsky said. "They never back off that. It was impressive. They are a solid team, they have no weaknesses. They have a lot of speed and really harass you on the perimeter."
Can the Vikings harass the Lancers and create easy baskets? Will Arnold have another monster scoring game like Capotosto did Monday? Will a player not getting much attention heading into the game emerge as the hero?
Those answers should go a long way to determining if Geneva's 2009 trip to Addison Trail has a happier ending than 2006.