A great one for Grayslake

Any game between sister schools Grayslake Central and Grayslake North has always meant a little something extra for both teams involved.

But this year, for the first time ever in girls basketball, the crosstown rivalry grudge match means that, and a whole lot more.

Now, more than just pride and town bragging rights are on the line.

A long winning streak hangs in the balance. So does first place in the Fox Valley Conference Fox Division. Maybe even sectional seeding could come into play.

“This is a very important game right now,” Grayslake Central coach Steve Ikenn said. “The fact that it’s Grayslake North adds to it and makes it more interesting. But I guarantee you that the coaches and players would want to win this game no matter who the other team was. This is a big game, an important game to win.”

Grayslake Central has been able to practically count on wins in this series. The Rams have dominated, winning all but one game in the twice per year series in the six years since Grayslake North opened its doors. The Knights, meanwhile, have spent nearly their entire existence playing catch-up, struggling to put together a winning program.

But now, Grayslake North is 13-3 and has won 13 games in a row. The Knights feel that they are better equipped than they’ve ever been to take on a Grayslake Central team that has not only had the upper hand in the crosstown rivalry but has also been one of the toughest teams in all of Lake County in recent years.

As usual, the Rams are off to a good start as well. They bring a 14-3 record into the rivalry game, which tips off at 7 p.m. at Grayslake North.

Both teams are 4-0 in the Fox Division. The winner will take over sole possession of first place. And when the state tournament is seeded later this season, this game could help decide some of the top spots, if not the top spot.

“It’s not often that you get any two teams together that are a combined 27-6,” Grayslake North coach Jim Sarver said. “But we’ve never been in a game like this. We’ve never had a record like this. We’ve already set a school record for wins. This is going to be a great game, a fun game.

“It’s nice this year because there’s a lot on the line with this one game. History has definitely been on Central’s side, and I would think that we would still be the underdog in this game because of that. But we’re OK with being the underdog.”

The Knights won’t be underdogs much longer if they keep stringing together the wins. They haven’t lost a game since Nov. 17 and they won their first-ever tournament championship by going 5-0 at the 16-team Northern Illinois Classic over the holidays.

“We’re playing very well,” Sarver said. “We’ve been behind only once in a game since our winning streak started and we’re averaging 48 points per game while holding teams to 30 points per game. Our defense has been very tough.”

Guards Jordyn Bowen and Allie Ceglarek have spearheaded a North defense that has relentlessly forced turnovers. In a recent win over Hampshire, the Knights forced turnovers on each of Hampshire’s first seven possessions.

“We changed the way we play defense a couple of years ago and we’re finally starting to see the dividends,” Sarver said. “The kids have really bought into what we’re preaching.”

Tough defense is also preached at Grayslake Central.

The Rams, led by Skyler Jessop, Claire Brennan and Morgan Dahlstrom, are allowing less than 40 points per game.

“Defense has always been our focus. I always want my teams to be tough, hard-nosed defensive teams,” Ikenn said. “The girls have been working their butts off at playing good defense and that has really kept us in a lot of games this year when we’re not shooting particularly well.”

Ikenn expects the intensity that both teams use on the defensive end to permeate every aspect of the game.

The up-and-coming Knights are hungry, and the established Rams want to keep their tradition going.

“Our kids want to win and I can tell by the way they’re practicing that they are taking Grayslake North very seriously,” Ikenn said. “They know it doesn’t matter what has happened in this game in the past. Any team that has won 13 straight games is a team that you really have to be ready for.”

Gym jockeying: The Grayslake Central-Grayslake North girls rivalry basketball game tonight was originally scheduled to be played on Wednesday at Grayslake Central. But there is a conflict with the gym at Central so the game was moved.

The teams will flip-flop the location of their other showdown on Feb. 7. That game, instead of being played at North as originally scheduled, will now be played at Grayslake Central.