Hersey runs away with Season's End title

Oak Park wanted to run - so Hersey's girls basketball team did the same and ran away with the championship of the Season's End tournament Monday night in Bensenville.

Hersey junior Megan Rogowski scored 25 points - 21 in the first half - and also handed out 10 assists as defending tourney champ Hersey raced to an 83-55 victory over Oak Park (10-18) at Fenton High School.

Rogowski closed to within 10 points of 1,500 for her career.

"They (Oak Park) like a fast-paced game," said Hersey coach Mary Fendley. "Instead of us slowing it down, we decided to go with it.

"Of course, that means we're going to have a few more turnovers. But it paid off because we had a few more possessions and a few more shots."

And lots of shots were going in as Hersey (21-7) scored its most points in regulation this season. Their season high came in an 85-76 overtime win over Mother McAuley.

Senior Maddie Swan added 20 points, 8 blocked shots and 6 rebounds for the winners while teammate Brittany Pittas scored a career-high 11 points, all in the fourth quarter when she hit three 3-pointers.

"The starters gave us a good lead so it was fun to play a lot in the second half," said Pittas, a 5-foot-9 junior guard who was tossing in 3-pointers like her teammate Rogowski often does.

"I wish I could play like Megan," Pittas added with smile.

Rogowski, Swan and Kathryn Korff (12 rebounds, 6 points) were all named to the all-tourney team. Rogowski and Korff also received that recognition last winter.

"That first quarter was like a track meet," said Korff, whose team led 29-14 early in the second quarter. "We were just really pumped up to get a win and go into our crossover (scheduled at Barrington today) and the state tournament with some momentum."

Hersey led 10-8 when it went on a 14-2 run to take command. A steal and layup by Andrea Perkins and a beautiful three-quarters court pass by Rogowski to Swan for a layup highlighted the run.

"With 10 assists, Megan (Rogowski) accounted for 45 of our 83 points,' said Fendley, who also got offensive points from Maggie Hogen (6 points), Stefanie Mueller (5), Eileen Zydek, Jen Hall, Julia Fredian and a nifty assist from Kari Tunney.

"They're a great team," said Oak Park coach Bob Biggins. "We knew about (Rogowski) but some of their other are girls are quite impressive, too. It seemed like anytime we got some assemblance of a run going, they'd get a loose ball or would knock down a big shot."

St. Viator 45, Rolling Meadows 43: It was quite a finish to the third-place game as the Lions (18-11) prevailed with a last-second bucket by senior Ronnie Mack (8 points).

Senior Susan Hohenadel (game-high 14 points) made 2 free throws with 31 seconds left to give St. Viator a 43-41 lead.

Maryclare Loughery's free throw cut the lead it 43-41 with under 20 seconds left.

Loughery (9 points) then came up with a big steal and layup with nine seconds left to tie the game at 43.

The Lions quickly inbounded the ball as Mary Calov (8 points, 10 rebounds, two 3-pointers, 5 assists), tossed a pass to Hohenadel, who dribbled down the right side toward the baseline and then flipped the ball to Mack, whose layup just beat the buzzer.

"Perfect pass (from Hohenadel)," said Mack, who scored the first game-winning bucket of her career. "It was really exciting."

"That was a big one by Ronnie," said Lions coach Paul Bjerkness, who also received 8 points from senior Bridget Urbanus. "We were fortunate the play developed well. I was hoping we'd see the open person at the end of the floor. I'm very happy to get third place at this tournament.

"Meadows played us well. They made some nice shots and did a great job defensively."

Mustangs senior Kelly Adair hit four 3-pointers for 12 points while freshman Morgan Keller and junior Ashley Rios each chipped in 6.

Meadows outscored Viator 15-9 in the final quarter.

"Our girls played a heck of a fourth quarter," said assistant Meadows coach Jim Szabo. "They left everything on the court. That's all you can ask.

"We had to go to a smaller lineup because Viator is so fast. St. Viator is a good team and we had to make a few adjustments."

Adair and teammate Madelynn Conlin were all-tourney selections while Hohenadel and Calov earned those accolades for Viator.