Back in action: Hahn's return crucial to Lake Park
If there were a comeback player of the year award in girls high school basketball, Alexis Hahn would be it.
By a slam dunk.
It was a year ago at this time that Hahn injured her back at the Montini Christmas Tournament. It cost Lake Park's leading rebounder the rest of the season.
Look at her now.
Hahn, now a junior, is among the area leaders scoring 19.8 points per game while pulling down 7.4 rebounds per contest for the 8-5 Lancers.
Hahn scored 32 points in a win over Rockford Jefferson, topped that with 35 against Prairie Ridge and has four other games with 20-plus points.
“It's amazing what she's able to do at times in the flow of the game,” Lake Park coach Chris Fruehling said. “You turn around and look at player totals on the scoreboard and wonder ‘where did that come from?' She works hard on the offensive glass and finishes offensive sets.”
Hahn had extensive testing done on the back last year that determined a vertebrae shifted, causing excruciating pain. She ended up not having surgery, instead going the route of physical therapy, and returned to play with Lake Park over the summer. Hahn does wear a brace to support her back during games.
It's hard to imagine where the Lancers would be without her.
No team has been bitten harder by the injury bug. Senior guard Alex Munoz just returned from a broken nose, and sophomore forward Alyssa Hernandez from shoulder surgery. Gina Castiglione is out for the year with a broken ankle and femur suffered playing softball.
Lake Park, which hosts St. Francis tonight, has won four straight with its full complement of players.
“Alexis has done a phenomenal job for us,” Fruehling said. “She's a tremendous team player that loves to see her teammates succeed and has the confidence to take the shot when we need it. She's carried us through some slow patches.”
Heck, even Fruehling hasn't been immune from the surgeon's knife. Also Lake Park's girls soccer coach in the spring, Fruehling had ACL surgery in February on his right knee and had his left scoped on Tuesday.
“No crutches — almost full motion,” reported the personable Lancers head coach. “Our motto and our philosophy given all the circumstances is together, one game at a time.”
A busy week back:
Wheaton Warrenville South, off since Dec. 23, will make up for lost time this week.
And then some.
The Tigers (9-5) travel to 10th-ranked Glenbard South (13-2) tonight, host crosstown rival and No. 9 Wheaton North (9-4) on Thursday then travel to No. 16 West Chicago (12-3) on Saturday.
“I can't remember at this point in the season an opportunity that we have this week,” WW South coach Rob Kroehnke said. “Hopefully the girls are up to the challenge.”
WW South lost its first three games at the Benet/Naperville North Tournament, but came back to beat Providence and then rallied from 8 down in the fourth quarter to edge DeKalb.
The Tigers have hit the practice court since then, going twice last week and again on Monday.
“I'd love to give them some time off,” Kroehnke said, “but we don't want to lose anything we've gained. We'll know a lot more about ourselves, and the conference, by Saturday.”
Indeed, after Wheaton North plays WW South Thursday the Falcons come back Saturday and host fellow defending DVC co-champ Naperville Central.
“We're going in head-first,” Falcons coach Dave Eaton said.
Wheaton North likely will be without senior forward AK Feltes. One of the area's best rebounders, Feltes has missed the last four games with a slight tear in her patella tendon.
Feltes has rested and rehabbed it since, with an MRI set for Monday night or today. If it hasn't improved, Feltes would face season-ending surgery.
“Until she comes back, other people need to fill different roles,” Eaton said. “It's going to be a work in progress. Unforunately this is usually the time of year when you're trying to finalize your lineup.”
Montini welcomes Wisconsin power:
Nobody can accuse Montini of playing a cushy nonconference schedule. The top-ranked Broncos already have wins over seven ranked teams from Illinois, and one from Indiana.
This Saturday, Montini (19-0) welcomes to Lombard Nicolet, ranked No. 1 in the Wisconsin Sports Network coaches preseason poll. Nicolet, located in Milwaukee's northern suburbs, boasts among its former students Oprah Winfrey as well as Kato Kaelin of O.J. Simpson infamy.
The Knights (8-1), whose lone loss came to defending Wisconsin state champion Pius XI, are led by 6-foot-5 Northwestern recruit Ashley Cohen and 6-foot Ashley Green, committed to Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Gaby Bronson, a 5-11 forward, is going to UW-Parkside.
Cohen plays on the same AAU team as Montini's Whitney Holloway. Nicolet is coached by Corey Wolf, who played collegiately for Marquette in the 1990s.
“The Cohen kid, she posts up with ease but loves the perimeter. She's a matchup nightmare,” said Montini coach Jason Nichols. “They have two little guards that are decent and Bronson is a banger. In a lot of ways they are similar to us. After the break it's kind of good to get a game like this.”
Reaber sister vs. sister:
A night before Nicolet, Montini travels to Elmhurst to take on Immaculate Conception.
It will be a “return home” of sorts for Montini senior Kasey Reaber, who led IC to a sectional final last year before transferring.
As if emotions won't already run high enough for Reaber, she will be playing against her kid sister. Brittney Reaber, a sophomore at IC, was brought up to varsity recently and has played in the Knights' last three games.
“It should be interesting,” Kasey Reaber said. “I'm not going to take it too seriously. It will be fun playing against her.”