West Chicago steps up
Kim Wallner can remember many a long walk out of the Wheaton North gymnasium.
West Chicago’s coach and her kids left Thursday with a spring in their step.
The Wildcats led by 13 after three quarters and held on to beat the defending DuPage Valley Conference co-champions 48-45.
“I can remember a lot of the drubbings we’ve taken here,” said Wallner, who believed West Chicago’s last win at Wheaton North came in the 2000-2001 season. “That’s the last win I remember. It kind of reminded me of this one.”
Wheaton North, down by 15 in the final minute of the third quarter, pulled within 46-45 with a minute left on a Fantasia Vine 3-pointer.
Vine, attempting to draw the foul, missed an off-balance jumper for the lead the next trip down. West Chicago’s Claire Monroe missed the front end of a 1-and-1 free throw but got her own rebound and split two free throws. She chased down the missed second attempt again, and split two more free throws for a 3-point lead.
Vine and Maddie Baillie missed 3-pointers for Wheaton North in the final seconds.
“I need to work on my confidence shooting free throws,” Monroe said. “Kelsey Myers got some tips out to me when I missed and I got the rebound.”
Monroe scored 11 points, 8 in the fourth quarter. She remembered well the 55-32 beating West Chicago took last January on the same court.
“We were fired up to come back and redeem ourselves,” Monroe said.
Vine had 17 points and 9 rebounds and AK Feltes 9 points and 12 boards for Wheaton North (3-2, 0-1). The Falcons trailed 34-21 through a lethargic three quarters.
“We haven’t practiced well,” Wheaton North coach Dave Eaton said, “and I’m a firm believer that you play how you practice. Unfortunately, I think some of that carried over. We haven’t had that attitude, that swagger. I was hoping the Neuqua Valley loss would be our wake-up call, but it looks like we needed another one.”
Neither team could find the range early offensively, West Chicago (6-0, 1-0) leading 11-10 with 3:17 left in a low-scoring first half. Wildcats junior guard Allie Tapanes sparked an 8-0 run with three straight baskets to push West Chicago ahead 19-10.
Tapanes, a starter on West Chicago’s DVC-winning JV team last year, scored 16 of her game-high 18 points in the decisive second and third quarters.
“She was probably the best offensive player on the floor tonight,” Wallner said. “She ignited us.”
Mary Connolly added 12 points and 5 rebounds for West Chicago, which came in giving up just 37.5 points per game and showed why defensively.
“I know that they were off shooting in the first half,” Wallner said, “and luckily we took advantage of that. I know they’re capable. I’m proud of my kids stepping up when Wheaton North made their run. This is big for us.”