Hoffman Estates, Prospect remain unbeaten

Mike Nocella and Martha Kelly are first-year coaches at their respective schools in the Mid-Suburban League this season.

They have something else in common, too.

After three games, their girls basketball teams are undefeated.

Nocella's Hoffman Estates Hawks posted a 54-50 victory over Lake Park Saturday to go 3-0 at the Elk Grove-Fenton tourney while Kelly's Prospect Knights improved to 3-0 with a 63-52 victory over Downers Grove South in the opening-round of the Lyons tourney.

Junior guard Megan Fischer scored a game-high 28 points with 12 rebounds for Hoffman.

Alex Wulbecker, Carol King and Fischer each hit 3 free throws in the final minute to put the game away for the Hawks.

"We wanted to use this game as a measuring stick because we knew Lake Park was a good team," Nocella said.

Megan Bernardoni collected 5 rebounds for Hoffman while Colleen Robert chipped in 5 points.

"Megan Fischer had a great game offensively," added Nocella, who coached at Prospect the last 11 years. "Bernardoni and Wulbecker had great games defensively."

Prospect was led by senior Megan Murray (22 points, 7 rebounds, 5 steals) and sophomore Rachel Hunt (14 points, 6 rebounds) while freshman Sarah Winans added 9 points, including a late 3-pointer which sealed the triumph.

Lexi Glennon added 8 points for the Knights.

Wheeling 62, Niles North 16: Wheeling (2-1) put the defensive clamps on Niles North in the Vikings' own tourney in Skokie.

Offensively, 12 Wildcats made it into the scoring column led by Lindsey Mills (14 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal), Lana Rukavina (9 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assist, 1 block and 1 steal) and Bianca Szafarowicz (7 points, 3 steals).

All-area standout Ashley Wilson (6 points), being eased back from a stress fracture, played about 10 minutes in the first three quarters.

"Ashley looked good out there," said Wheeling coach Shelly Wiegel. "We had a lot of reserves playing in the fourth quarter and I felt they did a nice job. It was a nice reward for them for how hard they practice all the time."

The Wildcats continue play in the Niles North tourney Tuesday when they host Johnsburg.

Maine West 55, Moline 47: Three time all-area selection Brittany Begrowicz, who underwent ACL surgery in mid July, made a triumphant return Saturday night for her Maine West Warriors (2-0).

Playing a little more than a half, Begrowicz collected 16 points and 6 rebounds.

"She played really well," said Warriors coach Derril Kipp. "She makes a huge difference in everything we do. Thing ran much smoother than they did without her against Palatine."

Sophomore Samantha Acosta (12 points) hit a pair of 3-pointers and a 2-point field goal to stake West to an 8-2 lead.

Mary Kusner added 11 points and 8 rebounds while Erin Baumstark collected 8 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists.

Colleen Vana handed out 8 assists to go with her 3 points and freshman Ellen Coogan pulled down 5 rebounds.

The Warriors start their Tip-Off Classic Wednesday against Stevenson at 7 p.m.

Elk Grove 56, Leyden 33: Ashley Capotosto (16 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals) played about three quarters to help lead Elk Grove to its second win in three games in the Elk Grove-Fenton tourney.

Kayla Mahoney added 9 points (three 3-pointers) and Olivia Roback 7.

Krystina Leazer 6 rebounds and Meaghan Amann 4 while Melissa Regan collected 4 assists.

Dundee-Crown tourney: Fremd (1-3) won its first game of the season 44-37 over St. Viator and then fell 59-49 to the host Chargers.

Sophomore Gianna Abruzzo (12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals), Senior Tracy Nachtsheim (10 points), sophomore Sam Thelin (8 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals), junior Brenda Joyce (6 rebounds) and sophomore Taylor Glassman (4 rebounds) led Fremd.

Senior Jenny Muench paced the Lions with 14 points while sophomore Susan Hohenadel and junior Colleen Nolan each added 7.

Against Dundee-Crown, Nachtsheim and Glassman each scored 11 for the Vikings.

D-C (2-1), which never trailed, took a 42-35 lead into the fourth quarter, thanks to going 7-for-9 from the free-throw line in the third.

"There was a point where they got to the free-throw line on four of five possessions," said Fremd coach Dave Yates. "They were up a couple and then the next thing you know it's (7) points."

The Vikings made only 1 field goal in the first quarter and that was a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Kelly Oswald.

"We struggled early," Yates said. "Then we got ourselves to the free-throw line and did a nice job pressuring them to get back in the game."

Mundelein 50 Rolling Meadows 33: Rolling Meadows (2-2) was led by sophomore Kelly Adair (9 points), junior Taylor Fritz (8) and senior Shannon McGuire (6) in the Mundelein tourney game.

LZ 48, Hononegah 45: Audrey Bauer's fastbreak layup with 2:30 left in the fourth quarter gave Lake Zurich its first lead of the second half, 46-45, as the Bears rallied for a win in their first of two games at Dundee-Crown on Saturday.

Olivia Allen fed the ball to Bauer, who led Lake Zurich with 14 points.

Peggie Parhas scored all 9 of her points in the fourth for the Bears, who trailed 37-32 after three. Allen also scored 9 points, while Lydia Bauer and Gabby Chapa each had 8.

Lake Zurich, which was scheduled to play Jacobs Saturday night, concludes the tournament Monday with an 8:30 p.m. start against Streamwood.

Prairie Ridge 62, Lakes 28: At Mundelein, Shannon Hennelly scored 19 points to lead the Wolves, who led 12-3 after one quarter and 31-13 at halftime.

Lakes (0-4) was led by Mandy Schellinger's 12 points. Nora Kenney added 7.