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Determined Hersey ousts Prospect

Third time the charm?

Forget that, even though Prospect had defeated Hersey twice this season.

"They beat us two times last year, too," said senior guard Annie Korff after she scored a game-high 16 points with 7 rebounds to help No. 3 seeded Hersey top No. 2 Prospect 42-32 at the Palatine Class 4A girls basketball sectional. "So the fifth time was the charm."

Now the Huskies (24-6) will face a team they have defeated this season.

In fact, they are one of only two teams in Illinois - Benet is the other - to defeat top-seeded Fremd (26-4) this season.

The two MSL powers will meet for the sectional title on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Hersey, which watched a 12-point second-quarter lead vanish against Prospect just two weeks ago at Robert Morris University, got up by 9 in the second quarter this time.

But they never relinquished the advantage although Prospect (26-3) closed to within 21-19 when junior Brenda Kendziera rebounded her own shot and smartly split defenders for a layup to make it with 2:36 left in the first half.

Korff's 3-pointer got the lead back up to 25-19 with 33 seconds left before Taylor Will drove for a short jumper that made it 25-21 at half.

"We really knew what was on the line this time," Korff said. "We distributed the ball well, and everyone scored points. We all know we have our roles but we also had other roles. It all came together."

Korff's block-turned-into-steal early in the second half led to Kelly Weyhrich's nifty bounce pass assist to Maggie Berigan for a layup and 27-21 lead to start the second half.

"We wanted to come out strong at the beginning of both halves," said Berigan, who tossed in 14 points with 7 rebounds while defending the always dangerous Catherine Sherwood. "That's what we focused on and emphasized in practice."

Weyhrich, who had 6 assists, tossed a pass to classmate Claire Gritt for a fastbreak layup that made it 29-23 early in the final quarter.

The closest Prospect got was 31-27 when Taylor Will hit a 3-pointer with 3:10 left.

Berigan answered with a rebound and putback while falling to the ground to make it 33-27.

Gritt grabbed a big rebound on Prospect's ensuing possession and the Huskies patiently took time off the clock with precise passing before Gritt went to the free throw and made 2 big free throws with 1:36 left for a 35-27 lead.

"Hersey played really well," said Prospect coach Ashley Graham, who steered the Knights to their bets record in school history and most wins. "They executed and made their free throws down the stretch. You've got to give them credit and I wish them the best of luck."

Graham steered Prospect to four championships - York tournament, Dundee-Crown tournament, the MSL East and the Grayslake North regional.

"They had the best record in school history and this loss doesn't take away from that," said Graham, whose team's only other losses this season were to state-ranked Fremd. "We lost only nine games the last two seasons (23-6 in 2013-14) and that's a tribute to these kids buying into everything we have asked of them and working at it. It could be a once-in-a lifetime thing. They have set the bar very high for Prospect girls basketball and I was proud to be their coach."

Taylor Will led Prospect with 14 points while Haley Will, Sherwood and Kendziera each chipped din 6.

Taylor Will finished her four-year career as the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,747 points while classmate Sherwood also surpassed 1,000 points in just three seasons.

"We did modify what we did the last two games against Prospect," said Hersey coach Mary Fendley."We had two good games against them (lost 52-48 and 47-44) that could have gone either way. We switched up matchups this time and how we helped on Taylor Will and Sherwood. You can't leave just one player on them, they're just too good."

Weyhrich and Gritt each scored 5 points for Hersey while senior Juliette Vainisi added 4, including the layup which helped seal the verdict at 37-27 with 1:10 left in the game.

Vainisi also made a nifty quick pass in the lane to sophomore Gina Miklasz, whose layup gave Hersey a 15-11 lead late in the first half.

"I can't say enough about Annie Korff," Fendley said. "She guarded Taylor Will the whole game and she was getting it done on the offensive end. Maggie Berigan also did a great defensive job and also figured out a way to be a force on offense.

"Prospect is a really good team. We weathered a few storms. I'm so proud of how our girls responded to the changes we made at practice the last few days and how they played together as a team."

Now they face the team they defeated 47-43 on Dec. 2 in Arlington Heights.

"They're a great team," Korff said of Fremd. "We have a lot of respect for them. We'll see what happens."

"They're pretty big and rebounding has been a focus for us all through the playoffs," Berigan said. "So it will be even more of a focus on Thursday because they are a little bigger than us."

Images: Hersey vs. Prospect, girls basektball

  Hersey's Maggie Berigan, right, makes a move toward the basket against Prospect's Catherine Sherwood during Tuesday's sectional semifinal at Palatine. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Prospect's Taylor Will, left, and Hersey's Annie Korff dive to the floor for a possession during Tuesday's sectional semifinal at Palatine. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Hersey players celebrate their victory over Prospect during Tuesday's sectional semifinal at Palatine. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Prospect's Taylor Will leads a fastbreak against Hersey during Tuesday's sectional semifinal at Palatine. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
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