Scouting the Class 3A St. Viator sectional

Class 3A St. Viator sectional final

No. 1 Grayslake Central (26-5) vs. No. 2 Vernon Hills (24-5)

When: 7:30 p.m. today

Head coaches: Grayslake Central: Steve Ikenn (second year, 54-9); Vernon Hills: Paul Brettner (12th year, 160-195).

Probable starting lineups: Grayslake Central: Sr. G Claire Brennan, Sr. G Emma Shepard, So. C Morgan Dahlstrom, Sr. F Beth Arnold, Sr. G Skyler Jessop; Vernon Hills: So. F Sydney Smith, So. F Lauren Webb, Jr. C Meri Bennett-Swanson, Sr. G Julie Pecht, Sr. G Abby Springer.

Skinny on Grayslake Central: The Rams are seeking their second straight sectional championship, despite graduating four starters off last season's squad. The only returning starter, senior guard Skyler Jessop, has been the Rams' undisputed leader all season. The four-year varsity player leads the team at both ends of the court. She averages a team-best 13 points per game and has picked up her offense in recent weeks, averaging 18.4 points in the Rams' last five games. ... Senior guard Claire Brennan, a three-year varsity veteran who was the Rams' first player off the bench last season, is enjoying her best season. ... The Rams started the season with losses to Libertyville and Maine South but have won 26 of their last 29 games. They went 12-0 in the Fox Valley Fox Division for the second straight year.

Skinny on Vernon Hills: The Cougars won their first four games this season before suffering a 46-40 loss at Grayslake Central on Nov. 29. "We had a great game the first time around," Cougars coach Paul Brettner said. "It was a game of runs. It's going to be a good match." ... Brettner's bunch is led by the all-conference trio of three-year varsity center Meri Bennett-Swanson (12.2 ppg) and sophomore forwards Sydney Smith (13.3 ppg) and Lauren Webb (9.3 ppg). Senior point guard Abby Springer (honorable mention all-NSC) has blossomed in her second year as the starting point guard. ... The Cougars won their first outright North Suburban Prairie Division championship this season and captured their first regional title. Their 24 wins are a school record.

Road to the sectional final: Grayslake Central defeated Senn (54-13) and Johnsburg (43-18) to win the Wauconda regional and defeated Grayslake North (56-30) in Tuesday's sectional semifinal; Vernon Hills defeated Sullivan (63-15) and Antioch (40-33) to win the Vernon Hills regional and defeated Carmel (46-33) in Tuesday's sectional semifinal.

Advancement: winner plays in the Elgin supersectional, 6 p.m. Monday, against the winner of tonight's Sycamore sectional final between Belvidere North and Kaneland.

Joe Aguilar