Glenbard West embarks on hoops odyssey
Here's hoping the Glenbard West team bus has a full tank of gas and its snow tires.
The Hilltoppers are hitting the road.
A three-game swing this week starts tonight at York for Pack the Place Night in Elmhurst, and concludes Saturday afternoon at Hinsdale Central.
In between? The compass points southwest for a Friday game in Bloomington.
"It will be an interesting experience," said Hilltoppers coach Mike Hofland, no stranger to central Illinois after coaching the Glenbard West running backs in the state football championship in Champaign. "The whole program is going. It should be exciting."
Hofland said there was talk about a trip to Wisconsin. Instead the girls will get to play in front of ex-Hilltoppers Abigail and Molly McBride, now freshmen at Illinois State.
Glenbard West senior guard Abbey White could be familiar with Route 55 over the next four years. Coaches from Division III's top-ranked Illinois Wesleyan team scouted her Saturday night.
Following a night in Bloomington, the Hilltoppers will head straight to Hinsdale with no stop in Glen Ellyn. Toni Kokenis and the Red Devils will be waiting.
"We'll see what we're made of," Hofland said.
Wide-open WSC Silver: Hinsdale Central has owned the West Suburban Silver Conference of late, last year's 12-0 run no exception.
If early returns are any indication, this year's race looks more wide-open.
Hinsdale Central was knocked off by York in a nonconference game in its season opener. Kokenis and Co. are 2-0 in league games, but needed a late Maggie Brennan 3-pointer to rally past Proviso West on Saturday.
Possible co-favorite Glenbard West escaped Oak Park with a 51-46 win, but then lost to Downers Grove North on Saturday.
And how about the Trojans?
Winners of just 8 games total last season, Downers Grove North is 7-1 under first-year coach Leslie Dehn and already has won at York and Glenbard West. They followed up those wins with a 39-37 squeaker over Lyons Township on Monday.
"We're feeling good about our start," Dehn said, "but this conference is competitive. There are no easy games. I guess it's nice to be in a conference like that, but it makes it a dogfight."
Glenbard West hopes to get 6-foot senior Abigail Hastings, who missed the Downers Grove North game with a broken nose, back this week.
"I've seen everybody but Lyons Township," Hofland said, "and I can tell you it's going to be an interesting year. There's not that much of a difference between these teams."
Shootout at Spyglass Center: Wheaton Academy made a strong statement last year with a win over eventual DVC co-champ Wheaton North at the Wheaton Shootout.
The Warriors get another opportunity against a crosstown opponent this week.
Wheaton Academy (5-1) matches up with fast-starting Wheaton Warrenville South (6-1) in the first game of the Wheaton Shootout at 6:15 p.m. Saturday at St. Francis. Wheaton North (2-4) takes on St. Francis (3-5) in the second contest.
"It was huge," Wheaton Academy coach Beth Mitchell said of the win over Wheaton North at last year's event. "Just the rivalry of being a Wheaton school and the spirit that comes with the game is so exciting. We're looking forward to playing a tough opponent from our area. Any time we play any of the Wheaton schools we're excited."
The Wheaton Academy-WW South matchup will feature two defenses that can be stifling. The pressing Warriors led by senior Alexa Sharkey forced 31 first-half turnovers in beating Lisle last week.
On the other hand, WW South and its 1-3-1 zone has surrendered a mere 30.8 points per game during a current six-game win streak.
"We've been putting some pressure on people, too," WW South coach Rob Kroehnke said. "We don't want to give up easy baskets, but that's one of our strengths is we are able to put some pressure on teams."
It's a measuring-stick week for WW South. On Thursday the Tigers host unbeaten Naperville Central.
"The kids have a great opportunity this week, playing two good teams," Kroehnke said. "We'll find out where we're at."