Girls basketball/Scouting Class 3-4A postseason
Class 4A Hoffman Estates sectional
Regional hosts: Geneva, Conant, Bartlett, Addison Trail
Top seeds: Bartlett, Geneva, WW South, York
Outlook: Expectations are high at Bartlett again as the Hawks enter the postseason with the biggest Bull’s Eye of all on their collective backs. No. 1 ranking. One loss. Top seed. But don’t think for a minute that Hawks’ coach Denise Sarna is looking past her team’s first regional game on Tuesday against the winner of Monday’s play-in game between No. 16 Glenbard West and No. 18 St. Charles North. “We just want to make sure we bring our A game every day,” said Sarna, whose team is seeking its third straight regional title and sixth in program history. If they win their first-round game, the Hawks will play either Schaumburg or St. Charles East on Thursday for the regional title. Bartlett beat Schaumburg 71-35 earlier in the season.
Bartlett’s senior-laden team has lost just once in 27 games, to Waubonsie Valley on the road to share the Upstate Eight Valley title. The Hawks, who average 66.5 points per game and only give up 44.7, are led by seniors Haley Videckis (18.7 ppg, 66 3-pointers, 81.6 free throw percentage), Kristin Conniff (15.3 ppg, 42 3-pointers, 82.4 free throw percentage), Lisa Palmer (7.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg), Janessa Baker (5.2 ppg, 4.1 apg) and Katie Gutzwiller (6.4 ppg). Videckis, who is signed with Indiana, was named the UEC Valley’s Exception Player for this season.
“Each and every game is its own unique game,” said Sarna. “We just want to make sure we’re prepared for every game and that we treat each and every team respectfully. We’re confident in our players and we’re confident in our game. What’s happened before is in the past and everyone is starting from scratch now. We feel we’re in a good place and we’re prepared.”
The remainder of this sectional will, barring upsets, have some formidable competition for the Hawks if they win their regional. With Trinity and Fenwick — the teams that eliminated Bartlett in sectional play the last two seasons — being shipped to a more southern route this season, the Hoffman Estates sectional field’s top four seeds are Bartlett, Geneva (22-5), Wheaton Warrenville South (25-3) and York (17-10). West Chicago, the No. 5 seed, could emerge from the Conant regional and No. 6 seed Wheaton North can’t be overlooked at the Addison Trail regional.
Advancement: The Bartlett and Conant regional winners meet in one sectional semifinal opposite the regional champs from Geneva and Addison Trail. The Hoffman Estates sectional winner plays in the Elgin supersectional on Feb. 27 against the McHenry sectional champ.
Class 4A McHenry sectional
Regional hosts: South Elgin, Hononegah, Prairie Ridge, DeKalb
Top seeds (by regional): South Elgin, Hononegah, Cary-Grove, DeKalb
Outlook: The South Elgin regional has some unique storylines developing this coming week. Seniors Becca Smith of South Elgin and Ali Sanders of Dundee-Crown are nearing milestones they should reach, Streamwood coach George Rosner could be coming to the end of his long career, and the team that wins this regional will either be a first-time regional champ or a first time in a long time sectional participant.
South Elgin (17-10) is the top seed and the Storm hope to have homecourt magic in winning their first regional title in girls basketball history.
“It’s new for us,” said Storm coach Tim Prendergast of being the top seed. “In the past our mindset was to compete and give it a shot. Now we’re the No. 1 seed and there’s more pressure to that. We’ll have to be mentally strong and confident in what we’re doing. We’re excited about it. We feel we have a good chance to win a regional and then get into the sectional and take it from there. The fact we’re at home is an added bonus.”
Led by Smith, the Loyola recruit who is the Fox Valley’s leading scorer at 20.5 ppg, the Storm will open the postseason on Wednesday against the winner of Monday’s play-in game between Elgin (1-25) and Larkin (4-22). The Maroons and Royals split the season series, Elgin winning 51-49 to snap a 44-game losing streak, and then Larkin taking the game on the west side 57-41. Senior Bri Hamilton (15.8 ppg, 13.3 rpg) leads the Maroons while Larkin has a tough trio in Jill Casebeer, Maggie Hofmann and Victoria Patterson.
Wednesday’s second semifinal will pit No. 2 seed Streamwood (14-13) against No. 3 Dundee-Crown (15-11). The Sabres have had injury problems all season, including losing starting point guard Amanda Patterson to an ACL but have found a way to win 4 of their last 5 games. Sophomore Hannah McGlone (14.5 ppg, 10.7 rpg) and junior Jessica Cerda (13.9 ppg, 42 3-pointers) lead Streamwood. Rosner, who is retiring as a teacher, has indicated he’d like to come back and coach next year but his fate won’t be decided until after the season.
Dundee-Crown is having its best season in nearly 10 years and coach Michelle Russell’s Chargers can’t be overlooked. D-C, which lost to Streamwood 46-42 at Thanksgiving, is led by Sanders, the Florida Southern signee who averages 16.2 ppg and needs just 4 points for 1,000 in her career, and senior Diamond Williams (10.0 ppg, 10.2 rpg). Senior Carlin Faulkner has 40 3-pointers this season.
The South Elgin title game is Friday night.
Milestone watch: In addition to postseason advancement being on the line, Wednesday could be a milestone night for two seniors. South Elgin’s Becca Smith is 19 points shy of 2,000 for her career and Dundee-Crown’s Ali Sanders needs just 4 points to reach 1,000 for her career.
Last time: South Elgin has never won a regional in girls basketball. Larkin last won one in 2004, Dundee-Crown in 2003, Elgin in 1996 and Streamwood in 1988.
At Prairie Ridge: Fox Valley Conference Valley Division champion Cary-Grove (18-8) is the top seed at PR with McHenry (19-11) the No. 2. Crystal Lake South (11-17) takes on Grant in Monday’s play-in game with the winner meeting Cary-Grove in the first semifinal on Wednesday, followed by McHenry facing Prairie Ridge. The winners meet for the title Thursday.
Cary-Grove doesn’t enter the postseason with as lofty a record as in the past couple of years but the Trojans have the stingiest Class 4A defense in the Fox Valley, allowing just 37.6 points per game. Offensively, C-G is led by junior Olivia Jakubicek (13.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg) and junior Paige Lincicum (9.1 ppg).
CL South could be a dark horse here with sophomore standout Sara Mickow (9.7 ppg, 10.3 rpg) leading the way.
At DeKalb: The host Barbs (23-4) are the heavy favorite to win this 4-team regional. They take on No. 4 Rockford Jefferson in Tuesday’s first semifinal, followed by a clash between No. 2 Huntley (12-13) and No. 3 Jacobs (6-19). The Red Raiders and Golden Eagles split their FVC Valley games, Huntley winning 53-32 at home and then Jacobs taking a 60-50 decision in Algonquin. Huntley’s leading scorer is sophomore Sam Andrews (14.6 ppg) but junior Haley Ream (7.0 ppg, 3.6 apg, 3.0 spg, 7.6 rpg) has been an all-around contributor. Senior Lauren Grady (8.9 ppg) leads Jacobs.
At Hononegah: The host Indians (29-1) are the heavy favorite to advance here. Hononegah’s only loss was a 60-54 to Fremd at the Dundee-Crown Christmas tournament. Rockford Boylan (20-7) is the No. 2 seed but Hononegah handled the Titans easily twice during the NIC-10 season.
Advancement: The Hononegah and DeKalb regional winners meet at McHenry on Feb. 20 with the PR and South Elgin champs facing off Feb. 21. The McHenry sectional champ advances to the Elgin supersectional to meet the Hoffman Estates sectional winner on Feb. 27.
Class 3A Sycamore sectional
Regional hosts: Rockford East, Rochelle, Yorkville, Hampshire
Top seeds (by regional): Belvidere North, Sterling, Kaneland, Hampshire
Outlook: Hampshire will be after its fourth straight regional title and 15th in program history but it won’t be an easy task with No. 2 seed Woodstock North (16-11) the potential title-game foe. The Whip-Purs (15-14) beat the Blue Thunder in their first FVC Fox meeting of the season 39-26 but lost to them 54-45 earlier this week in Woodstock. Michelle Dumoulin (12.0 ppg) and Jenny Dumoulin (9.3 ppg) lead the Whips. Jenny Dumoulin and Grace Jakubowski each have 20 3-pointers this season for a Whips team that allows just 37.3 points per game on defense.
Burlington Central (12-15) will take on Woodstock (5-20) in Monday’s play-in game with the winner meeting Hampshire on Wednesday. The second semifinal Wednesday is Woodstock North vs. Crystal Lake Central (10-16).
Burlington Central has been led in scoring all season by senior Jessica Laird (15.4 ppg, 39 3-pointers), freshman Alison Colby (11.8) and senior Brenda Thasavong (8.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg).
Advancement: The Hampshire regional winner plays the Yorkville regional champ in the second semifinal at Sycamore on Feb. 20. Kaneland (16-9) is the top seed at Yorkville. The first sectional semi pits the Rockford East regional winner against the winner from Rochelle. Belvidere North (19-9) and Sterling (15-15) are the top seeds at those regionals.
Class 1A Willows Academy sectional
Monday’s semifinals: Westminster Christian (20-8) vs. Willows Academy, 6 p.m.; Seton Academy vs. Ida Crown, 8 p.m. Winner meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday for championship.
Outlook: Westminster Christian is in a sectional for the first time in program history but the task will be a tough one Monday night against the home team, which comes in 21-2. The balanced Warriors of Westminster are led in scoring by Porsche Griggs (9.5 ppg), who just returned from injury, and Claire Speweik (8.9 ppg).
Advancement: The Willows sectional winner plays in the DeKalb supersectional Feb. 20 against the Lanark Eastland sectional winner.