McConnell paces Fremd win
Defending Mid-Suburban West champ Fremd got its first league win on Friday night as Vikings senior guard Ashley McConnell scored 20 points with 5 3-pointers in a 58-36 victory over visiting Hoffman Estates.
Senior Bernie Williams added 14 points for the Vikings (6-2, 1-1) while junior Erica Simios also reached double figures with 10 points.
DestineeYoung led Hoffman (6-2, 1-1) with 19 points and Becca Stoczynski added 7.
Fremd played without leading scorer Haley Gorecki.
Vikings coach Dave Yates listed the sophomore standout as day-to-day with an ankle injury.
“I thought we played really good defense,” Yates said. “We had good carry-over from our defensive effort against Palatine in our last game (37-27 loss). Hannah LaBarge and Ashley McConnell did a nice job defending and I thought we did a good job on their ‘bigs.’ I think our pressure wore them down.”
Williams and Simios each has season-highs.
“It was nice to see Erica Simios step up,” Yates added. “She has been doing real good things in the junior varsity games, so it was nice to see her carry over to the varsity. And Bernie was a threat from the get-go.”
Barrington 58, Schaumburg 46: Senior Alexa Resch scored a career-high 30 points with 8 rebounds and 3 steals to help lead the Fillies (8-2, 2-0) in the MSL West.
Jada Blackwell paced Schaumburg (3-5, 0-2) with 20 points and 5 3-pointers while teammate Amanda Kelly added 16 with 2 3-pointers.
Freshman Bryana Hopkins added 11 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals for Barrington while classmate Megan Talbot had 6 rebounds and 3 assists.
“Alexa (Resch) just gutted it out in the paint,” said Barrington coach Babbi Barreiro about her 5-foot-10 forward, who played all 32 minutes. “She worked extremely hard to get open and finished around the basket really well. Alexa has been working so hard, so I was happy to see that happen for her. She has been a great leader for this group.”
The coach also credited the Fillies with doing a good job getting the ball inside to Resch.
“The kids were very unselfish,” Barreiro said. “For as many points as Alexa had, the whole win was very team-oriented.
“Kelly Katis and Carrie Madden came in and really gave us a lift at the guard spot. Hopkins and Talbot were very strong underneath getting Alexa the ball. Bryana made some pretty moves around the basket herself.”
Palatine 41, Conant 25: Senior guard Nia Pappas (10 points) and junior forward Erin Mayer each scored 10 points to lead Palatine (9-1, 2-0) to the MSL West victory.
Leading 6-4 after one quarter, the Pirates outscored the visitors 14-4 in the second quarter to take a 21-8 lead at the break.
Sophomore Lexi Zades led Conant (2-7, 0-2) with 8 points.
Wheeling 55, Buffalo Grove 44; Wheeling (3-6, 1-1) won for the second time in as many days as senior Brie Majkowski (22 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist), sophomore Deanna Kuzmanic (18 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals) and sophomore Hannah Dobrowski (8 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal) led the way. Majkowski and Dobrowski each had a pair of 3-pointers.
Buffalo Grove (2-5, 0-2) received 10 points from senior Bailey North and 8 from junior Sara Brawley, who had 2 3-pointers.
Maine West 55, Maine East 48: The Warriors (2-8, 1-2) won their first game in the Central Suburban North as junior forward Brittany Collins scored 24 points with 14 rebounds and 5 blocked shots in Park Ridge.
Senior guard Alexia Prosperi chipped in 12 points for the West.