All-Area girls team | Lake

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Olivia Allen Lake ZurichBasketball opponents found out what girls who've raced against her already knew. She's hard to catch. "One word - speed," coach Chris Bennett said of his 5-foot-5 senior guard, who's sprinted at the state track meet since her freshman year. "She might be the fastest girl with a basketball I have seen in my 15 years in girls basketball. She can be a game-changer. Almost every team we played tried to play off of her and gave her the jump shot, but she could still get to the basket anyway. As she continues to develop her range, she is goingto be a potent offensive threat in the college game." Allen, who'll play Division I ball for Bradley University, averaged 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game for the 28-win Bears. A three-year varsity player, she poured in a career-high 32 points against Mundelein in the sectional semifinals and also had games of 26 and 25 points.

Audrey Bauer Lake ZurichHand-me-downs from her older sister Lydia are one thing. Next season the junior gets something really big - the title of "go-to" player for the Bears, who were led this season by Lydia. Audrey should be ready for the responsibility after a breakout season in her third on varsity. The 6-footer averaged 12.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.5 steals per game. "She came into her own this year," coach Chris Bennett said. "A lot of teams left her alone, focusing on Olivia (Allen) and Lydia, and that was a mistake as evidenced by her 24 games in double figures and 12 double-figure games in rebounds and points. She has developed a couple of little nifty moves around the basket, a nose for rebounds, and is gaining confidence in the 15-foot jump shot. She is going to move into the "go-to" roll next year, so we are all looking forward to see what she can do."

Lydia Bauer Lake ZurichShe finished with 1,369 points in her four-year varsity career with her senior season including a career-best 29-point effort against state power Fenwick. Her offense might have actually pale in comparison to her defense, however. "I think I've said this every year, but as much as her offensive skills are very developed, it's still her defense that impresses me the most," coach Chris Bennett said of his 6-foot guard/forward, who led the Bears to North Suburban Conference and regional championships this season. "Heart and determination live in defense, and Lydia is one of the best defenders I have ever coached." A four-year all-area player, Bauer also averaged 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2 steals per game this season. The captain of the Daily Herald's All-Area Girls Volleyball Team in the fall, she claims the honor in basketball, as well. She'll continue her hoops career at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Lauren Erickson Grayslake NorthThe Knights were competitive most nights, despite a roster that featured five freshmen and a sophomore. A big reason why was the play of the 5-foot-9 junior, who played like a veteran in her second varsity season. She averaged 12.1 points and 8.8 rebounds, while sinking 30 3-pointers. "Lauren had to change her game this year from outside to inside," coach Jim Sarver said. "She was a force to be reckoned with on the inside." Erickson was named all-tournament at Mundelein's Thanksgiving tournament, had three 20-point efforts, including a career-high 24, and shot 82 percent from the foul line. "Lauren should be a great leader and scorer next year," Sarver said. "She worked hard this year to help the younger players on the team improve."

Mallory Feece Vernon HillsShe signed a letter of intent to play Division I soccer at Louisiana Tech, but this winter the senior showed off her dribbling and shooting skills on the basketball court. The 5-foot-9 guard averaged 11.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game in helping the Cougars post 14 wins, their most since they won 20 six years ago. An all-tournament selection at Mundelein's Thanksgiving and Christmas tournaments, she also averaged nearly 2 steals and 2 assists per game. "This season she was not only the defender that we assigned to the other team's best player, but also a dependable scorer and rebounder," coach Paul Brettner said. "She has a motor that never stops. Great kid, great player."

Joree Green WarrenThey were green and, consequently, relied on Green. As the only senior starter on a team that often started at least two freshmen and a sophomore, the point guard helped steer the Blue Devils to 12 wins, despite a typical tough schedule. "In my 10 years, we've never counted on a player as much as we counted on Joree to be a leader on and off the floor," coach John Stanczykiewicz said. "As the sole returning starter on the this year's team, we asked her to become a scorer, which she didn't need to do before, as well as a leader off the court to all the new players on the varsity." Green averaged 9.3 points per game and was at her best, Stanczykewicz said, when she scored 16 points and played a great floor game against Lincoln-Way East at the Willowbrook Shootout. She was named all-tournament at Warren's Blue Devil Classic and scored a season-high 17 points against Cary-Grove in the reguional. "She exceeded our expectations in everything we asked her to do," Stanczykiewicz said. "She was an example of how our past teams have played, how hard they've worked, and their dedication to getting better." She plans on attending Loras College to play basketball next year."

Tiffany Hendrickson CarmelNot since the days of former star Jenny Eckhart have the Corsairs won more than they did this season. They were led by the 5-foot-7 senior guard, who was one of the players who replaced Eckhart in the backcourt three years ago. Hendrickson averaged 15 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3 assists and 1.5 steals per game, as the Corsairs posted 18 wins, their most since Eckhart led them to 26 victories in the 2004-05 season. An excellent shooter, Hendrickson is a repeat all-area and all-East Suburban Catholic Conference choice. "Tiffany did many offensive things for our team but also many times covered the other team's best perimeter player," first-year coach Ben Berg said. "She was a tremendous leader and an absolute joy and privilege to coach in my first year."

Toni Knar MundeleinDon't let the "I" in her first name fool you. The junior is completely unselfish. She led the 26-win Mustangs in scoring (13.3 points per game), free-throw percentage (71 percent), three-point shooting percentage (40 percent) and, despite playing two guard, rebounding (5.1 per game). "She definitely was our go-to player," coach Brian Evans said. "She wasn't afraid to step up and take the big shot in pressure situations. In fact, there were times when I wish she would've taken the ball and been a little more less generous with it. She worked extremely hard on her game in the spring and summer and it paid off for her big-time this year. She is a true story of hard work equaling success." The three-year varsity player was named all-tournament at Mundelein's Thanksgiving and Christmas tournaments, was voted team MVP and also earned the Mustangs' Hustle Award. Said Evans: "I can't wait to see what her senior season holds for her next year."

Kate Martino WaucondaShe's been hitting both softballs and jump shots on the varsity level since her freshman year, and this winter the junior took her game on the basketball court to another level. The 5-foot-4 point guard led the Bulldogs to 21 wins, as she averaged 11.7 points, 3.8 steals, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. "She is the hardest-working player on the team, always giving 100 percent in practice and games," coach Jaime Weber said. "She has a fierce determination that not only kept us in many games this year but won many games for us this year."

Lauren Mead WaucondaWhen she arrived at Wauconda as freshman, there was suddenly upside for a program that had been on the downside for too long. Four varsity seasons later, Mead leaves the Bulldogs fresh off their most wins in many years. After winning a sectional title last year, they won 21 games, with their 6-foot-2 center averaging team bests of 12.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. A three-year all-area player, she also blocked 62 shots. "Her versatility has made her a threat both on the perimeter and in the paint," coach Jaime Weber said. "Her athleticism gave her an immediate edge over her opponents who often struggled with finding personnel that could shut her down." Mead, who finished with 1,487 career points, will continue her basketball career at Lewis University.

Labrenthia Murdock Round LakeShe's been creating her own shots on varsity since her freshman year and this season, she had the added responsibility of creating shots for teammates, too. "We wanted the ball in her hands most of the time," coach Gary Edge said. "We went from having depth at guard last year to being pretty young at the position." While Murdock averaged 15.1 points per game in leading the Panthers to the North Suburban Prairie Division title and 23 wins, the 5-foot-9 guard also averaged 3.2 assists and 5.8 rebounds. She scored 20 or more points in nine games, including a 26-point effort. She also advanced downstate in the Three-Point Showdown. "She got better at shooting the ball, and she's always had first-step quickness," Edge said. "She forced teams to guard her with more than one person, which helped us too." A four-year varsity starter and three-time all-area selection, she'll play next season for Lewis University.

Michelle O'Brien StevensonThat's "O.B." - as in offense and boards. The sophomore provided 12.5 points and 9.1 rebounds per game in her second year as a varsity starter. She led the Patriots in both categories, as well as steals with 64. She grabbed 20 rebounds against Marian Catholic and finished with 10 double-doubles. "Michelle is a coach's dream," coach Trish Betthauser said. "She's a relentless competitor, a free spirit, a compassionate teammate and an incredibly hard worker. She is a role model for young players. Anyone who watches her is captivated by her hustle, her passion and her skills."

Amber Phillips Round LakeIt wasn't uncommon to see the senior bringing the ball up the court this season. Talk about growth for the 6-footer. "As a freshman, we used to encourage her not to dribble the ball," coach Gary Edge said. "This year we asked her to handle the ball." Still, it was near the basket where the forward was most effective. The four-year varsity starter was one of the area's best shot blockers and averaged 9 points and 7 rebounds per game in earning all-area honors for the second straight year. Along with her classmate Labrenthia Murdock, she helped the Panthers win 47 games the last two seasons. "She improved her shooting range and she came up big in big games," Edge said. "This year we asked a lot more out of her on the court."

J.J. Sawchuk MundeleinJ.J. Sawchuk chucked "J's." The senior did more than shoot jumpers, in truth. She averaged 12 points per game and could have scored more, coach Brian Evans said, if she wasn't so unselfish. She also posted 4.9 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game, while shooting 44 percent. "With the graduation of our point guard Sam Panitch last season, we needed to have some type of senior leadership on the floor and J.J. was one person that filled that void quite nicely," Evans said. "J.J. was considered one of our defensive stoppers in that at 5 feet 10 she could guard inside with her height, and with her quickness could guard on the perimeter equally as well." Named all-tournament at both of Mundelein's holiday tournaments, she scored 923 points in her three-year varsity career. "We are going to miss her skills next year," Evans said. "Her shoes will be hard to fill."

Kristy Williams LibertyvilleNo one predicted the Wildcats' 19 wins, including a pair against North Suburban champ Lake Zurich, and maybe no one predicted the season Williams put together. A backup as a junior, the guard emerged as one of the county's best scorers. "It was a pleasure to watch Kristy's game blossom this season," coach Kathie Swanson said. "She did a great job of stepping up and shouldering the offensive load. That type of leadership helped us defeat a number of highly ranked teams. Her success this year is a testament to the hard work and commitment that she devoted to improving her game in the off-season." Williams averaged 13.8 points per game, shooting 43 percent from the floor and 75 percent from the foul line. She was named all-tourney at Buffalo Grove and Mundelein. "She did a great job of leading by example and is a wonderful role model for younger players," Swanson said. "It was truly an honor to work with Kristy over the last four years. Her positive attitude, work ethic, leadership and sense of humor will be greatly missed."