IBCA All-State players named
NORMAL - The Daily Herald coverage area was well represented on the 2009 Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State team.
The 15-player first team included Geneva senior Taylor Whitley, St. Charles North senior Kelsey Smith, Lake Park senior Sam Arnold, Wheeling senior Ashley Wilson and Lake Zurich senior Lydia Bauer.
"That was really exciting," Whitley said. "That's a cool thing to get."
Geneva, which finished fourth in state, also put junior forward Lauren Wicinski on the third team and senior guard Emily Hinchman on the special mention list.
Wheeling junior Janelle Cannon, who led the Wildcats with 20 points in their third-place win over Geneva, made the third team. Wheeling junior Bianca Szafarowicz was special mention.
Naperville Central's Kelley Hendrick and Montini's Whitney Holloway both were second-team selections, while Elk Grove junior Ashley Capotosto and Hersey sophomore Megan Rogowski made the third team.
Local fourth-team selections were Hoffman Estates senior Megan Fischer, Wheaton Academy junior Alexa Sharkey, Lake Zurich junior Audrey Bauer, Hampshire junior Chrissy Heine and Barrington sophomore Abby Kirchoff.
Never better: From a former star athlete to the school's athletic director to his current job as Geneva principal, Tom Rogers has seen the best of Vikings athletics for 30-plus years.
And he's never seen it better.
The Geneva girls basketball team concluded their best season in school history here Saturday night, taking fourth place in Class 4A after a 59-40 loss to Wheeling.
The Vikings' 32-2 season follows the girls cross country team's state championship, the football team's runner-up state finish, the boys cross country team's third-place state finish, and too many conference champions to count.
"It's just been fantastic," Rogers said. "We're really proud of our kids, our coaching staff our athletic director Jim Kafer for putting a program like this together."
Rogers was impressed with the crowds that followed the basketball team throughout the last three weeks, capped by two big crowds Friday and Saturday at Redbird Arena.
"It's been a thrill for our school, I think it has been for the community," Rogers said. "At the football finals we saw longtime Geneva fans who came down to soak it all in, I'm sure that is happening tonight too. I see former players, parents of former players, it's been great how our people have got behind the kids and supported them all year."
New Queen: Wheaton Academy senior and St. Charles resident Jenn Lee won the Country Financial Queen of the Hill 3-Point Shootout Saturday, making 9 shots.
"This whole experience was just awesome and so much fun," Lee said. "I just want to thank my friends, family and school for all of their support. There were some nerves yesterday (Friday) with the big arena and crowd, but I felt good today and got in a nice shooting rhythm."