And then there were four
With the new format of four classes in girls basketball, winning a sectional now is similar to winning a supersectional in the past.
With that in mind, sectional champions will be crowned tonight, and the winners will be among the elite -- as in Elite Eight.
There are only 16 teams remaining in Class 4A heading into tonight's action.
Area clubs hoping to earn a spot tonight among that "Elite Eight" are Buffalo Grove, Wheeling and Schaumburg.
No. 1-seeded Buffalo Grove (30-3) and No. 2 Wheeling (28-3) will meet for the Mundelein sectional championship while top-seeded Fenwick (28-5) and No. 2 Schaumburg (28-5) will settle the crown at the Lake Park sectional.
Both games tip off at 7:30 p.m.
Buffalo Grove vs. Wheeling:ΠThese two teams have been dominant in the Mid-Suburban League for the past four years. They'll meet for the third time this season.
In the first two meetings, Wheeling jumped out to big leads.
The Wildcats led 21-6 at BG the first time, but the Bison rallied for a 43-34 triumph.
The second time, the Wildcats shot ahead 31-9 on their home floor en route to a 57-49 triumph.
Tom Dineen, who has won 674 games in 29 seasons, has coached the Bison to the state quarterfinals the past two years and won the Class AA state crown in 2000.
Northwestern recruits Maggie Mocchi (more than 1,500 points) and Allison Mocchi (1,100 points) and Loyola-bound Ellen Ayoub (more than 1,700 points) are all 1,000-point scorers for BG.
Kaitlin Hillner and Heather Nisbet round out the starting five for BG while reserve Lauren Angotti is a four-year varsity performer and Katie Lee adds depth in the backcourt.
Maggie Mocchi battled an eye infection in Monday's 57-41 win over Mundelein and hoped her vision would be improved by today.
BG's losses are to Fenwick, Wheeling and Hinsdale Central, which is currently No. 1 in Class 4A. BG is No. 2 and Wheeling is No. 3
The Wildcats, who made it to the MSL championship game for the first time this season, have never won a sectional.
But coach Shelly Wiegel has directed the MSL champs to four straight seasons of at least 20 wins, including a 28-4 mark two years ago when they also reached the sectional final and lost 49-41 to BG in overtime.
Senior Lana Rukavina, who is an Illinois recruit and had a big game against Warren Tuesday, and Purdue-bound Ashley Wilson, a junior, have scored 1,000 points in their careers.
Sophomore Janelle Cannon has emerged as one of the top guards in the area, but she suffered a right wrist injury early in Tuesday's 45-38 sectional semifinal win over Warren and remained on the bench for the second half.
Classmate Stephanie Kuzmanic did a solid job in her place.
Sophomore Bianca Szarfarowicz also has become very versatile in the backcourt.
Jessie Smith, who made a remarkable recovery from ACL surgery this summer, Lindsey Mills and Bridgette Gray have all provided key play for the MSL champs, whose only losses are to Resurrection (season opener), Schaumburg (MSL crossover) and BG.
Today's winner advances to Monday's Elgin Community College supersectional to meet the champion of the Rockton-Hononegah sectional that matches St. Charles North (22-5) and Hononegah (26-6).
Schaumburg vs. Fenwick: Schaumburg and Fenwick have both been state-ranked this season.
The Friars came away with a 76-50 victory over the Saxons at the Sweet 16 tourney three weeks ago.
Gabrielle Blackwell, Kyile Castans, Drewann Pancratz and Gryte Satas are all-conference selections for the Saxons while sophomore point guard Taylor Kosla directs the offense.
The Saxons are making a third straight appearance in the sectional final under coach Bill Murmann. They fell to Maine South in 2006 and Maine West in 2007.
Murmann, who took St. Viator to its only sectional appearance title five years ago, has directed the Saxons to four straight 20-win seasons, including its first MSL division title since 1998.
Providing depth off the bench through the state series have been Rachael Kahan, Kaitlin Marchok, Sarah Kellermeyer and Sarah McGinn.
Fenwick, the defending Class AA state champ, is led by sophomores Tricia Liston and Schaumburg resident Katlyn Payne. The Friars are ranked No. 9 in Class 4A while the Saxons are listed among those receiving votes.
Friars coach Dave Power has won state crowns at Immaculate Heart of Mary and Fenwick.
"The first time we played Fenwick we shot very poorly and rushed things offensively," Murmann said. "We need to accentuate our strengths and minimize our weaknesses."
The winner will advance to the Northern Illinois supersectional on Monday to meet the champion of the Neuqua Valley sectional that matches Hinsdale Central (32-1) and Bolingbrook (25-3).