Webb returns as Vernon Hills tops Antioch
Vernon Hills flexed the muscle of a two-time defending division champion on Saturday.
The host Cougars, who have won the last two North Suburban Conference Prairie Division girls basketball championships, rolled to a convincing 55-29 win over Antioch, which held a slight edge in the current division standings.
Now, Vernon Hills and Antioch are tied with North Chicago for first place in the Prairie, all three at 6-2. Vernon Hills improves to 15-5 overall while Antioch drops to 16-6.
Sydney Smith paced Vernon Hills with 16 points while Kasey Firnbach and Monica Bahlmann each chipped in with 9 points apiece. Bowling Green recruit and reigning Daily Herald player of the year Lauren Webb, who has missed most of the season with a foot injury, returned to the lineup and scored 8 points for the Cougars.
Vernon Hills, which also got 12 rebounds out of Katherine Koczwara, pulled away in the third quarter, out-scoring Antioch 15-4.
Antioch, which has now lost twice this season to Vernon Hills, got a team-high 13 points from Paige Gallimore.
North Chicago 67, Grant 54: Despite 18 points from Kaylie Kanzler and 10 points from Taylor Drake, Grant lost in NSC Prairie Division action to North Chicago.
Libertyville 50, Lake Forest 39: The Wildcats were balanced in getting a win over Lake Forest. Becky Deichl led the way with 12 points while Sydney Mudd had 11 points and Tara Eyre added 9 points.
Libertyville pulled away in the third quarter, out-scoring Lake Forest 21-11.
Stevenson wins two in DeKalb: At the Martin Luther King tournament at DeKalb, Stevenson got victories over Belvidere North (68-28) and Matea Valley (48-44).
Against Belvidere North, three players scored in double-figures for the Patriots. Sophia Way had 19 points while Ashley Richardson and Taylor Buford added 13 points and 12 points, respectively.
Against Matea Valley, Buford led the way with 18 points while Janine Fajardo added 10 points.
Stevenson, which is 15-5, has now won seven games in a row.
Bishop McNamara 53, Carmel 50: Kathleen Felicelli and Leah Lach each score 14 points for the Corsairs.
Khadaizha Sanders scored 23 points for Bishop McNamara, which took the lead with 1:05 left in the 4th quarter.