Tri-Cities girls basketball season in review

Aurora ChristianFinal record: 6-20.How season ended: Lost 45-27 to Lisle in Class 2A Lisle regional semifinals.Key graduation losses: Naomi Haas.Top returnees in 2010-11: Lisa Rodriguez (fr.), Cori Flowers (so.), Yvette Lira (jr.), Alyssa Henzel (so.), Deana Cadena (jr.).Last look back: With just one senior on the roster, Aurora Christian knew it had its work cut out for it competing against older teams night in and night out. The Eagles' six wins included a pair against IMSA, plus Elgin Academy, Plainfield East and their final one of the season against Westminster Christian. First look ahead: While area schools like St. Charles East and Rosary will basically be replacing their entire starting lineups, Aurora Christian will be returning its starting five. The Eagles went through the growing pains this year; now they hope that experience will pay off with many more wins the next two years. "Our young kids battled," Aurora Christian coach Dan Stone said. "I wanted them to come up and have all this great experience. We have to build on it."Aurora CentralFinal record: 13-14.How season ended: Lost 62-25 to Rosary in Class 3A Yorkville regional semifinals.Key graduation losses: Kendra Bradley, Blythe Nelson, Vivian Fitzgerald, Katee Miller, Lauren Schweitzer.Top returnees in 2010-11: Ashley Wilk (so.), Jacqueline Cardona (so.,), Katilyn Rosa (so.).Last look back: Coach Mark Fitzgerald took over and guided the Chargers to a 10-win improvement over last year, making Aurora Central by far the most improved team in the area. Highlights included victories over Joliet and Guerin and sweeps of Marian and Aurora Christian. "We're making progress," Fitzgerald said.First look ahead: The future is bright at Aurora Central led by a trio of juniors-to-be. At 11.6 points per game, only Geneva's Kat Yelle averaged more points among returning players than Cardona. Wilk and Rosa, the Chargers' 2nd- and 3rd-leading scorers, also will be back, and those two also were the team's top two rebounders.BataviaFinal record: 12-13.How season ended: Lost 60-42 to South Elgin in opening round of Class 4A St. Charles North regional.Key graduation losses: Sara Fruendt, Kelsey Stone, Liz Barnes.Top returnees in 2010-11: Maddie Sychta (jr.), Sami Villarreal (fr.), Bre Choffin (jr.,), Katie Baglieri (jr.), Hannah Schweigert (jr.,), Kaytlin St. Clair (so.).Last look back: Batavia started the season 3-0 and tournament champions at IMSA and Aurora Christian's Thanksgiving tournament. After a mini-slump that included a sixth-place finish at Oswego's Christmas tournament, the Bulldogs put together a good stretch in January with six wins in seven games, capped by a double overtime win over DeKalb. "We wish we would have won a few more games and finished over .500," DeBruycker said. "I thought we could win 15 games. A couple of the close losses (Burlington Central, Yorkville) could have gone the other way."First look ahead: The Bulldogs will have to replace their top three scorers. Villarreal averaged about six points a game starting as a freshman while Sychta came on strong as the season went along. St. Clair was called up for the postseason and played well against South Elgin.GenevaFinal record: 31-1How season ended: Lost 60-54 to Hersey in Class 4A Streamwood supersectional. Won the Western Sun Conference, Class 4A St. Charles North regional and Class 4A Huntley sectional.Key graduation losses: Lauren Wicinski, Kelsey Augustine, Sam Dudman, Myra Yelle.Top returnees in 2010-11: Kat Yelle (jr.), Sammy Scofield (jr.), Ashley Santos (so.), Katelyn Allen (jr.), Brook Binette (jr.), Kelsey Pease (jr.), Dori Rogers (jr.). Last look back: Another season to remember for the Vikings, who came about four minutes short against Hersey from a second straight trip to state. All Geneva did was go 27-0 in the regular season, win a second straight sectional championship, beat two of the four Class 3A state teams in the regular season (Hillcrest and Oswego) and win tournament championships at Thanksgiving and Christmas. No team around - boys or girls - has captivated their fans like Geneva the past two years. First look ahead: Nobody will have a backcourt to build around like the Vikings with Yelle and Scofield. The big key will be replacing their inside game, led by Wicinski's near double-double average this year. The Geneva sophomore team lost one game this past year and will provide some new talent to the varsity. The replacements inside might come from Ashley Santos sliding from the 3 to the 4 position, or possibly her 6-foot-1 younger sister now in eighth grade who could make an immediate impact on the varsity next year. Geneva is 63-3 the past two years and primed for yet another big season next winter.KanelandFinal record: 5-23.How season ended: Lost 63-35 to Rochelle in Class 3A Rochelle regional opener. Key graduation losses: Mallory Carlson.Top returnees in 2010-11: Emily Heimerdinger (so.), Andie Strang (jr.), Kelly Evers (so.), Emma Bradford (fr.)Last look back: Like Aurora Christian, Kaneland entered the season with just one senior and the results were predictable given such a young roster. The Knights had their share of highlights this year, including a 42-38 win over Burlington Central.First look ahead: Coach Ernie Colombe will be glad to see all this year's sophomores and juniors became juniors and seniors, and the Knights will play schools more their size next season when they began life after the Western Sun.RosaryFinal record: 21-7How season ended: Lost 57-34 to Oswego in Class 3A Yorkville regional championship game.Key graduation losses: Jordan Rettig, Katie Petrando, Stephanie Haugen, Lane Richmond, Katie Eckberg.Top returnees in 2010-11: Breann Maryanski (jr.), Courtney Bila (so.), Rachel Rivera (jr.), Brenda Rocha (jr.), Madison Richmond (fr.), Taylor Gibson (fr.).Last look back: What a run it has been the past four years, beginning when Rettig, Petrando and Richmond all started on varsity as freshmen. That team ended its season by upsetting No. 1 seed Geneva to win the first regional title in school history. Unfortunately, a super-talented Oswego team stood in Rosary's way of winning regional championships the past two years, but it didn't stop this senior class from achieving more than any before. This year marked their third straight 20-win season, a year that included Rettig becoming the school's all-time leading scorer and second in career rebounds. "I love the kids, they mean so much to the program," coach Dave Beebe said. "They are the heart and soul of the program. They work so much and there is so much for the juniors and sophomores to learn from."First look ahead: It's going to be a new-look Royals team. Maryanski will provide a low-post threat whose numbers could skyrocket in a go-to role, while the Royals were able to work in youngsters like Bila and Rocha into the rotation this year. They will all need to step up next winter to keep the program at the levels this senior class got it to.St. Charles EastFinal record: 15-13. How season ended: Lost 47-38 to St. Charles North in Class 4A St. Charles North regional semifinals.Key graduation losses: Lexi Batles, Steph Roan, Jaime Rust, Katie Signola, Kara Schnier, Danielle Jordan, Jacki Leibforth.Top returnees in 2010-11: Kathleen Dailey (so.), Dani Asquini (jr.), Last look back: "Kind of up and down," is how St. Charles East coach Lori Drumtra described the season. "We got off to a slow start, we had a nice Christmas tournament, just lost a lot of games by less than five points. I thought we could have done a little better but I'm so proud of them." The Saints certainly proved they could play with anyone, which they showed by knocking off the No. 1 seed Hinsdale Central at the Wheaton North Falcon Classic. St. Charles East also beat No. 8 Lyons in that tournament to take fourth place.First look ahead: Drumtra knows it's going to be a rebuilding season with the Saints' starting five all graduating. Dailey will be the top returning scorer at 1.6 points a game. Drumtra hopes the younger players in her program have learned from watching Baltes and company. "I'm going to miss all the seniors for what they've done for the program," Drumtra said. "They have set the bar for other kids to follow."St. Charles NorthFinal record: 21-10.How season ended: Lost 47-45 to Geneva in Class 4A St. Charles North regional championship game.Key graduation losses: Kiley Hackbarth, Jenna Bell, Dana Sibley.Top returnees in 2010-11: Sydney Russell (jr.), Tess Fischer (jr.), Taylor Russell (jr.), Megan Booe (so), Kate Booe (jr.), Amy Hipple (so.).Last look back: There was a lot to like about Colleen Brennan's first year as coach. The North Stars started the year finishing third in Geneva's tournament. Like cross-town St. Charles East, some of the North Stars' best basketball came at Christmas when they finished fifth at the Charger Classic with a 3-1 record. Their three wins there over Mother McAuley, Fremd and Naperville Central serves as a good example of the difficult schedule the North Stars played. All those tough teams helped prepare St. Charles North for a near-upset of Geneva in the regional finals, a game they led by 10 points late in the third quarter before a thrilling back-and-forth final few minutes that Lauren Wicinski won with a lay-in after Hackbarth's 3-pointer had tied the game.First look ahead: Other than Geneva, the North Stars might have the most firepower returning among Tri-Cities schools in Sydney Russell - who made the most 3-pointers in the area - Fisher and Taylor Russell, a trio who combined for about 17 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals a game. Watch for the Booe sisters to take on a larger role.West AuroraFinal record: 12-16.How season ended: Lost 55-28 to Waubonsie Valley in Class 4A West Aurora regional championship game.Key graduation losses: Devin Vaughn, Kiara Towles, Jasmine Johnson.Top returnees in 2010-11: Alexis Nelson (so.), Dionis Moon (jr.). Last look back: The theme of the area might have been how many stellar four-year seniors are graduating. The Blackhawks certainly had a pair as good as any as Towles and Vaughn both finished with over 1,000 points - joining St. Charles East's Lexi Baltes, St. Charles North's Kiley Hackbarth and Rosary's Jordan Rettig in the 1,000 career point club. Johnson's 8.8 points and 5.6 rebounds a game also will be missed. First look ahead: The Blackhawks will look to rebuild around Nelson, the top returning scorer at 6.4 points a game (and 2.9 assists). "We're going to miss Kiara, Devin and Jasmine a lot," West Aurora coach Connie Siljendahl said. "That's three major seniors and they're going to be tough to replace. We have some big shoes to fill."