Close call, but Wauconda bows out

Wauconda's girls basketball team put together one of its best seasons in school history.

The Bulldogs fought until the final buzzer Tuesday night but came up a point short in a 52-51 loss to nemesis Johnsburg in a semifinal of the Class 3A Grayslake Central sectional.

The Skyhawks (22-11) will meet host Grayslake Central (27-3) for the sectional championship at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The Rams raced past Gordon Tech 75-25 in the first semifinal.

Wauconda finished 24-4.

The Bulldogs' Tammy Ellis scored 13 points with three 3-pointers.

"I really wanted this one," said Ellis, a four-year varsity starter whose team lost to Johnsburg in the postseason for the third time in four years. "I just wanted to beat them just once."

Wauconda fought back from trailing 27-18 at the break and was down 42-34 entering the final quarter.

The Bulldogs held the Skyhawks to just one bucket and a free throw for more than six minutes in the fourth.

Ellis hit a 3 that hit the rim, bounced off the glass and off the rim again before finally falling in. It pulled Wauconda within 45-42 with 1:24 remaining.

"Wauconda played hard and played well," Johnsburg coach Mike Toussaint said. "Wauconda played a great game and Ellis got hot.

"We just had trouble with composure down the stretch. We were able to hold onto the lead. I think we played not to lose more than to win and got complacent."

Wauconda had a number of chances to pull closer or take the lead in the fourth but couldn't get any closer than three.

"If we had another minute, that would have made a difference," Wauconda coach Jaime Dennis said. "We just waited too long.

"In the fourth quarter, we executed the way we wanted to. Johnsburg had ice down in their veins. We got them to the free throw line but, unfortunately, waited too long."

Johnsburg made 7 of 8 free throws in the final minute.

Melissa Dixon led the Skyhawks with a game-high 30 points and hit three 3-pointers.

Wauconda center Roslyn Summerville scored 15 of her 19 points in the second half and pulled down 12 boards.

"I knew I had to step up offensively," said Summerville, who was in foul trouble in the first half. "I tried to create more things and drive more.

"This group has been playing together for eight years and we know each other inside and out."