Girls basketball notes: St. Charles North starts fast; Jones breaks Naperville Central scoring record

The first two weeks of the high school girls basketball season has already been an eventful one for several teams, players and coaches.

St. Charles North is off to a 4-0 start that included a championship effort at the season-opening Burlington Central tournament.

First-year head coach Grant Oler, who served as a longtime assistant for Mike Tomczak, recorded his first victory when the North Stars defeated Marengo, 60-28, on Nov. 17.

“It has been a very solid start to the year, returning as many kids as we do, has made the transition a smooth one,” said Oler.

Game two featured a 43-4 — yes, that score is accurate — victory over Belvidere North.

“That was an interesting night,” said Oler. “We were able to play 19 kids off our roster. We played very solid defense in the halfcourt, and some nights that rim can look more like a peach can than a peach basket.”

Led by returning players Sydney Johnson, Lelanie Posada, Riley Barber, Elle Fuhr, Bronwyn How, and Brianna Buono, the North Stars’ experience has shown in the early going.

“Having so many kids back from last year has really helped,” said Oler. “Last year at this time, there were so many new faces in new places that we weren’t sure what we were going to look like. From when the season ended last year to the beginning of the season this year, it’s clear that many of the girls have been working on their game.”

Following their 63-32 tourney triumph over Burlington Central, the North Stars handed previously unbeaten Moline a 48-37 defeat on Nov. 22.

Johnson, a sharpshooting, 5-foot-9 guard/forward, leads the team in scoring with a 12.5-point average, while 5-4 point guard Posada is right behind at 10.5 points per contest.

“This team is remarkably unselfish,” said the coach. “We could see a number of different kids lead us in scoring on any given night.”

How, a 6-2 junior center, and 6-foot senior forwards Barber and Fuhr, provide plenty of interior support for the North Stars, who finished 23-9 last season.

St. Charles North opens DuKane Conference action against Wheaton North (Dec. 2) and Geneva (Dec. 4).

Kilbride reaches milestone: Congratulations to Benet Academy coach Joe Kilbride on recording his 300th victory during the Redwings’ 60-29 triumph over St. Laurence on Nov. 22.

Following a 54-53 season-opening loss to Lyons Township, the Redwings (4-1) took a 4-game winning streak into the week after last Friday’s 56-47 victory over Naperville Central.

Lucy Tierney scored 12 points during Benet’s 72-55 victory over Homewood-Flossmoor on Nov. 25.

Bridget Rifenburg, Ava Thomas, Emma Briggs, and Tierney have played instrumental roles for the Redwings in the early going.

Kilbride, currently in his 12th season, owns a 302-50 record. He has guided the Redwings to 5 downstate tournament appearances, highlighted by back-to-back Class 4A state championships in 2015 and 2016.

His Benet teams placed second in the state in 2023, and earned a pair of 4th-place finishes in 2019 and 2022.

Benet plays host to St. Viator Wednesday.

Jones sets record: Naperville Central senior Trinity Jones set a single-game school scoring record with her 43-point performance during the Redhawks’ 72-71 victory over Kenwood on Nov. 22.

Jones, a versatile 6-1 Clemson commit, sank a pair of free throws with 8 seconds remaining after the Redhawks fell behind 71-70 in the final 25 seconds.

Naperville led 17-14 after 1 quarter, 42-41 at halftime, and by 7 heading into the final quarter before Kenwood grabbed a 71-70 lead on Janiah Daniel’s late basket.

Jones broke the previous school scoring mark set by former Redhawks, University of Tennessee, and WNBA standout Candace Parker, who tallied 42 points and grabbed 23 rebounds in a victory over Dundee-Crown in 2002.

The Redhawks (4-1), who opened the season with a 63-36 win over Hinsdale Central on Nov. 19, also posted victories over Romeoville (70-42) and St. Laurence (70-60) before last weekend’s 56-47 loss to Benet.

Saints bounce back: St. Charles East shook off a season-opening, 57-40 loss to Prospect with 3 straight victories, highlighted by a 69-62 win over Glenbrook North in the third-place game of the York Thanksgiving Tournament.

Led by sophomore forward Brooklyn Schilb, who earned all-tournament accolades, the Saints (3-1) wrapped up the tourney with victories over York (43-39), Lyons (59-55), and Glenbrook North.

Schilb, a versatile 6-footer, averaged 22.5 points and 8 rebounds during the 4 tourney games, supported by sophomore guard Kathlyn Bainbridge (13.5 ppg, 7 rpg, 4 assists per game, 4 steals per game), and senior guard/forward Addie Schilb (9.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 3.5 apg, 2.3 steals per game).

Brooklyn Schilb capped the tourney with a 30-point effort against Glenbrook North, while Bainbridge and Addie Schilb added 19 and 16 points, respectively.

The Saints’ grueling schedule continues this week with games against state-ranked Waubonsie Valley on Dec. 2 before their DuKane Conference opener against Wheaton Warrenville South on Thursday.

South Elgin, Huntley start strong: South Elgin improved to 3-2 with last week’s 45-42 win over Palatine.

Led by Izzy Fernandez, Anevay Hernandez, Molly Stahl, Taleah Banner, and Liv Miller, the Storm began the season with a 59-43 victory over Jacobs on Nov. 17 before suffering a 56-33 loss to Rockton Hononegah the next night.

South Elgin defeated Dundee-Crown, 53-32, on Nov. 21, before dropping a 60-41 decision to Huntley on Nov. 22.

The Storm begin Upstate Eight action against East Aurora (Dec. 2) and Glenbard South (Dec. 4) in South Elgin.

Huntley began its season with a 3-1 mark, capped by a 39-38 victory over Rockton Hononegah on Nov. 25 behind a career-high 22 points from senior point guard Aubrina Adamik. Sophomore forward Evie Freundt chipped in with 8 points.

Ball movement helped key the Red Raiders’ victories over Rockford Boylan (52-37) and South Elgin (60-41). Lana Hobday, Luca Garlin, Avery Suess, Alyssa Borzych, Adamik, and Freundt have played instrumental roles for Huntley.

The Red Raiders begin Fox Valley Conference action against McHenry (Dec. 2) and Crystal Lake Central (Dec. 5).