Carmel girls tops Viator

Carmel's girls basketball team has been depleted by injuries most of this season.

But the Corsairs are enjoying their second straight double-digit-win season thanks to defense and players such as Tiffany Hendrickson and Lauren Lehocky.

They stepped it up again Saturday to lead Carmel to a 42-24 win over visiting St. Viator in a East Suburban Catholic League contest.

Hendrickson led all scorers with 14 points, helping the Corsairs improve to 11-10 overall and 2-3 in the ESCC. The home team played without starters Erin Glogovsky and Aubrey Simmons, who coach John Ryan said are both day-to-day with ankle injuries. Carmel has played all season without Jenna Korte (ankle) and Becca Janssen (shoulder).

"It's tough playing without two of our starters," Hendrickson said. "We just have to come together more as a team. Today my teammates did a great job running the set plays we have and getting the ball to me."

Lehocky scored 9 points and pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds.

"My shooting is always better when I'm focused and when I get set," Lehocky said. "I have a tendency to throw up the ball when I'm not set. But when my teammates and I work together, it really works out better."

Danielle Prigge added 8 points for the Corsairs. With only eight players available to play, Ryan kept rotating players in and out in order to keep them fresh.

"It's been tough because you play with the same group of kids and the same rotation," Ryan said. "But then things get discombobulated because kids get hurt. All of a sudden you have a new group of girls that you haven't practiced with in that particular rotation, and it makes it difficult. But I thought the kids did a great job stepping up."

Carmel's defense stepped it up by allowing St. Viator only 6 field goals.

Carmel led 12-7 at the end of the first quarter and extended its advantage to 23-8 by halftime.

St. Viator (10-13, 3-6) scored only 1 point and missed 12 shots from the floor in the second quarter.

Sophomore Jenny Muench led the Lions with 10 points while Susan Hohendel and Tori Callero each scored 4.

"Carmel has a great defensive team and they just stopped us cold today," St. Viator coach Paul Bjerkness said. "We did have a bad shooting day, but give Carmel credit for playing a great defensive game."

-- Irving Solomon

Grant 76, N. Chicago 34: Jamie Swanson scored 23 points to become the third player in Grant girls basketball history to reach 1,000.

Stephanie Romic (1,526 points) and Ashley Arff (1,083) are the Bulldogs' top two all-time scorers.

Swanson hit five 3-pointers. Heather Ruetsche added 15 for Grant (21-2), which improved to 10-0 in the North Suburban Prairie Division to clinch a tie for first place. Tori Ziegler and Heather Chapman added 8 points apiece for the Bulldogs, who led 24-9 after one quarter and 50-15 at halftime.

Tatiana Webb had 16 points to pace the Warhawks.

Libertyville 49, Lake Zurich 48: Casey Hopper scored 17 points, as the Wildcats snapped a four-game losing streak.

Ali Haws added 12 for Libertyville (10-13, 2-7), which won just its second game in the North Suburban Lake Division. Haley Walton chipped in 8 points.

Lake Zurich (15-7, 5-4) was led by Olivia Allen's 19 points and Audrey Bauer's 12. Gabby Chapa had 8.

Vernon Hills 44, Antioch 43: Brianna Skeens' tough layup with 2 seconds left lifted the Cougars in the North Suburban Prairie Division game.

Skeens finished with 4 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Amy Burton scored a game-high 14 points for Vernon Hills (9-13, 4-4). Jessie Schwartz added 6 points and 6 rebounds. Kelly Nagle scored 6 points and dished out 5 assists.

Antioch (9-12, 4-6) received 17 points from Andi Potkonjak and 10 from Christine Gaborek. Martha Arntson had 6 points and 7 rebounds.

Round Lake 57, Lakes 30: Labrenthia Murdock scored 12 points, and Brittany Kucia and Amber Phillips added 11, as the Panthers cruised in the North Suburban Prairie Division.

Round Lake (19-3, 7-2), led 13-9 after one quarter and 25-13 at halftime, also got great defensive play from Jazzamin Rivers, coach Gary Edge said.

Mandy Schellinger had 12 points for Lakes (0-23, 0-9).

C-G 56, Grayslake C. 35: Alexandria Scarbro had 8 points for Grayslake Central (5-16).