Girls basketball: A scouting report for the IHSA Class 3A and 4A semifinals
Of the 12 teams gathered in Normal for the four-class state girls basketball tournament this weekend, two of them make their home less than 5 miles apart in the Northwest suburbs.
Rolling Meadows, a No. 5 seed, made an improbable run to Illinois State's CEFCU Arena, upsetting team after team in the Class 4A Schaumburg sectional and Dundee-Crown supersectional.
St. Viator, from Arlington Heights, made the most of its No. 2 sectional seed at Grayslake North and then defeated a two-time Class 4A champion in its Class 3A Woodstock North supersectional.
Coincidentally, both will take on the No. 1-ranked teams in the respective classes in Friday's semifinals. All games are being televised on The U, Ch. 26.
Class 4A
Rolling Meadows vs. Loyola Academy, 4:15 p.m. Friday
It's a good bet not too many teams over the years can say they lost by 23, 30 and 26 points in their previous regular-season games to their last three state tourney opponents before reaching the final four.
But that's exactly what Ryan Kirkorsky's Mustangs (22-10) did in their journey to Friday's 4:15 p.m. semifinal against highly regarded Loyola (33-2 and No. 1 in the final regular-season 4A poll), a team they lost to 60-50 at the Ramblers' Christmas tournament on Dec. 26.
“I'm just proud of how this group came together over the course of the season,” said Kirkosky, who guided the Mustangs to back-to-back Class 4A runner-up finishes in 2013 and 2014. “Every team faces adversity, and I was continually impressed by the resiliency of our kids.”
Among those players is leading scorer and uncommitted for college Abby Ramel, who averaged nearly 20 points a game in the Mustangs' last three wins over top-seeded Prospect, No. 3 Fremd and Carmel, which was a No. 2 seed in the Rockford Guilford sectional.
Ramel scored her 1,000th point in the Mustangs' 41-37 supersectional win over Carmel on Monday.
Senior Lizzy Andriano leads the team with 127 assists. Eastern Illinois recruit Dalia Grandberry, Nell Osterhues, Iris Jordan, Anna Adnriano and Maggie Schoessling are among the other key contributors.
Sisters Lizzy, Anna and Kate Andriano get to experience the state finals together.
“The Andrianos are an unbelievable family,” Kirkorsky said. “We are fortunate to have Lizzy, Anna, and Kate on our varsity. Not only are they great players but they are selfless and compassionate teammates.”
Among the top players for the Ramblers are 6-foot-1 junior forward Emily Naraky and 5-1 junior guard Madison Locke.
Loyola's only losses this season are to Whitefish Bay (Wisconsin) 50-38 and Washington 53-45.
Like Kirkorsky, Loyola coach Jeremy Schoenecker is very familiar with CEFCU Arena. The 17-year veteran led the Wilmette program to the state crown in 2024 and fourth-place finishes in 2025 and 2014.
Kirkorsky began his head coaching career one year before Schoenecker. Kirkorsky served as Elk Grove's head coach for four seasons (62-51) and has spent the last 14 years at Rolling Meadows (287-125), giving him an overall record of 349-176.
While his two state final teams were contenders from the start of the season, his 2025-26 team was never in consideration.
“I can't say that I saw a trip to state in our future when the season started,” said Kirkorsky, whose staff includes Pat Dudle, Megan King, Matthew Pettyjohn, Nicholas Camporese, Julia Masnica and Brian Clifford. “I knew we were a good team, had won a regional the previous year and returned all of our starters. In order to accomplish this, you need to be playing your best at the right time, prepare at a high level and have some good fortune.
“Led by our four seniors (Ramel, Grandberry, Lizzy Andriano and Osterhues), the players have taken ownership of the group. This group is very excited to represent their school and community. They are leaders in the classroom, they are all multisport athletes, and are an easy group to root for. ”
Nazareth vs Belleville East, 2:30 p.m. Friday
This game features Class 4A No. 2-ranked Nazareth against No. 12 Belleville East (29-5) in the 2:30 p.m. semifinal.
Coach Eddie Stritzel's Roadrunners (33-3), who lost to Loyola in the 2024 Class 4A title game, won the 3A crown in 2023 with a 35-1 record.
They are led this season by 6-foot Stella Sakalis, 5-10 junior guard Sophia Towne, 5-11 freshman forward Mia Gage and 5-8 senior guard Lyla Shelton.
Stritzel (506-103, 10 seasons at Nazareth, nine at Trinity) also guided the Roadrunners to Class 3A second-place finishes in 2023 and 2018 and a third-place trophy in 2019.
Belleville East coach Shardae King has enjoyed a superb first year. She also was the head coach for six years at East St. Louis (103-65).
King has guided the Lancers to their first state appearance since 2007, and they are led by four sophomores: 5-6 point guard Hailey Gray, 5-10 guard Raliyah Young, 5-7 forward Denaya Bartelheim and 5-6 guard Vanessa Stacy.
Class 3A
St. Viator vs. Washington, 11:45 a.m. Friday
In only his third season as the St. Viator coach, Kyle Braheny has the Lions playing in the state finals for the first time.
The upstart and unranked girls from Arlington Heights (22-14) will face the state's No. 1 ranked Class 3A team, downstate Washington (33-2), in Friday's 11:45 a.m. semifinal.
“I think the players are very excited to be the first team in program history to be going downstate,” Braheny said. “The energy, enthusiasm and support has been amazing, and they are fully embracing how special this opportunity is.”
Junior Bella Gounaris scored 15 points to lead the offense and senior Ava Garcia had a double-double in the 46-43 supersectional win over 2017 and 2018 state champ Geneva at Woodstock North.
Now the Lions have the opportunity to face a team that has only lost twice, once to Morton 41-37, whom they later defeated 57-37, and to Nashville 57-51.
The Panthers, who were third last season in the Class 3A tourney under 10th-year coach Kim Barth (245-63), are led by 5-8 senior guard Avery Tibbs and 5-9 senior guard Mazzy O'Brien.
Tibbs, a McKendree University pledge, became the Panthers’ all-time leading scorer with 27 points in a 61-33 win over Galesburg in the sectional final, giving her 2,090 points.
Garcia and Gounaris lead the St. Viator offense.
Garcia was a all-ESCC conference selection for the second straight season, and Gounaris was honorable mention.
Garcia has 850 points for her career and is only 16 rebounds shy of 500.
Other key contributors include Kalin McCrea, Kathleen Clary, Evelyn Hill, Catherine Adamski, Gabriella Scaravalle, Emily Walberg and Molly Finucane.
“I think a major part of our success in the state tournament is being true to ourselves,” said Braheny, whose staff includes Paul Bjerkness, Maggie Miskowicz, Kahleaf Russell and Denise Walker. “This team has done such a good job believing in themselves and doing their roles the best they can do. Every player on this team has made a major impact on our success as a team.”
Braheny said the Lions were trying to figure things out at the start of the season and building a new team together.
“It seems like a lifetime ago, but after every tough game, this team believed more and more that they could achieve something like this,” said Braheny, who also was the head coach at Niles West prior to arriving in Arlington Heights. “It was a long process to get to this point, but I think our team believes in one another and it shows on the court.
“I think a major part of our success in the state tournament is being true to ourselves. This team has done such a good job believing in themselves and doing their roles the best they can do. Every player on this team has made a major impact on our success as a team. The support from friends, family, alumni and community has been truly unbelievable. We are going to fully embrace this special moment and make the St. Viator community proud.”
Chatham Glenwood vs. Trinity, 10 a.m. Friday
This 10 a.m. semifinal features the Class 3A No. 6-ranked Titans (29-4) of Glenwood against the No. 9 Blazers of River Forest (25-10).
Coach Alyssa Riley (78-20 in three years with the program and 151-106 overall) has the Titans back in Normal after they finished second in the 3A tourney in 2024. Her team is led by 6-2 junior guard Alexis Newman.
Trinity coach Kimberly Coleman owns a 143-100 record in eight seasons and top scorers for the Blazers are 5-7 senior guard/forward Zaria Goins and 6-1 sophomore forward Keyera Gamble.