Top talent again for Neuqua Valley
Glenbard North
Coach: John Chamberlain.
Last year: 11-15, 4-6, 5th in DuPage Valley Conference; lost to St. Charles East 65-48 in a Class 4A St. Charles North regional semifinal.
Top players: Jennifer Deegan, sr., F; Zakiya Newsome, jr., G.
Scouting report: Chamberlain likes his lineup going into the first season with the additions of Metea Valley, Neuqua Valley and Waubonsie Valley to the DuPage Valley Conference. “Neuqua Valley will challenge for the top spot and after that the next positions are likely up for grabs,” Chamberlain said. Deegan was an all-conference and All-Area pick last winter, averaging 11.7 points a game and 6.3 rebounds a contest. Newsome was an honorable mention all-DVC selection. The Panthers are looking also for help from sophomores Leah Miller and Lauren Lee. Miller led the Panthers in 3-point shooting last season despite just playing in nine varsity games toward the end of the schedule. The plan for this season is for Miller, Lee and Newsome to assume the scoring burden from Deegan so she can apply her varied skills where needed.
Lake Park
Coach: Brian Rupp.
Last year: 13-18, 1-9, sixth in DuPage Valley Conference; lost to Geneva in regional semifinal.
Top players: Jen Warfield, sr., F; Sarah Cillick, sr., F; Carson Vance, so., G; Jordan Bradley, sr., G; Madison Race, jr., G; Emily Golab, jr. F.
Scouting report: Now in his third year as coach, Rupp is seeing growth in the program. “We definitely are in a better place this year than we were last year at this time,” the coach said. “We're not putting in new things anymore. We're getting to work on what we know. Everyone knows their role. We're very calm in where we're at.” He also likes how committed the players are to improving. Take Warfield, for instance. The Lancers' best returning rebounder now can shoot with her weak hand inside as well as her right, and she still has an outside game to go with her inside game. “She's going left a lot now, so that's a nice add to her game,” Rupp said. The key will be winning more games in a DuPage Valley Conference that added three teams this year. “We competed last year. We're hopefully trying to find a way to get over that hump and win a couple of games,” he said. Rupp is confident that will happen. “The plan is starting to come to fruition,” he said.
Metea Valley
Coach: Cedric Williams.
Last year: 16-11, 9-5 in Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division; lost to Neuqua Valley 49-43 in Class 4A West Aurora regional final.
Top players: Brianna Hall, jr., Skye Lane, jr., Cheyenne Krehl, sr.
Scouting report: The Mustangs will have a different look this season but one that Williams believes can be effective. “I think for us our size will be our strength this year. Last year we were a guard-heavy team with quickness and speed,” he said. Returning veterans Hall, Lane and Krehl are crucial to helping replace what was lost in the Mustangs' game due to graduation. Junior Janiece Thomas and freshman Ashley Konkle also are expected to contribute. “As a young team, our focus is to continue to develop team chemistry and improve our team defense. However, as we make the transition into the (DuPage Valley Conference), it is going to be a battle day in and day out, so we have to prepare mentally and physically on a daily basis.”
Naperville Central
Coach: Andy Nussbaum.
Last year: 15-15, 8-2 first place in DuPage Valley Conference. Lost in overtime to Naperville North 63-57 in the Class 4A regional semifinals.
Top players: Hannah Swarm, sr., G; Mia Lakstigala, soph., G; Sara Teteak, sr., F; Katie McBain, sr. F; Kaylee Cunningham, sr., G.
Scouting report: Four starters from last year have departed, but Swarm provides great leadership and talented sophomore Lakstigala gained valuable experience last season. Those two will be joined by a trio of seniors who shined at the JV level — Teteak, McBain and Cunningham — and fellow seniors Meredith Siambekos, Ella Reskala and Calli Manos to give the Redhawks plenty of leadership, if not tons of varsity experience. “So far we're pleased with how they're coming together. We're still in the process of becoming a team, but I'm pleased with where we're at,” said Nussbaum, whose team last year lost to IHSA champs Benet and Bishop McNamara, as well as an Indiana state titlist. Freshman post players Olyvia McGuire (6-foot) and Lucy Schmid (6-2) will provide some height and rebounding strength, while 5-10 junior guard Erin Moran also will contribute. Rounding out the roster are guards Faith Smith and Emame Thompson-Eja, along with forward Abigail Kincaide and center Meghan Howard.
Naperville North
Coach: Jason Dycus
Last year: 15-10, 6-4, second in the DuPage Valley Conference. Lost in Class 4A regional finals to eventual state champion Benet.
Top players: Laurel Pereira, sr., G; CeCe Pope, sr., G; Sophia Fumagalli, sr., F; Lauren Platou, so., PG; Sadie Jurkovic, so., C.
Scouting report: With three-year starters Pope and Pereira back and talented sophomore Platou expected to play some at the point, the Huskies should have a solid backcourt. Both Pope and Pereira averaged 10 points a game last year, and Pope is a strong rebounder, but the team will dearly miss Kayla Sharples, an All-Area performer now playing soccer at Northwestern. “We're hoping for big things from those two, and quite honestly for us to be competitive we need those two to be good,” Dycus said of his two returning starters. “I've had a nice first two years, but this year we need to prove that we belong. We need to see how this unit can come along and jell together and see where it leads us.” Junior Morgan Lockridge and senior Nicole Mullins also expect to see plenty of varsity action for the Huskies.
Neuqua Valley
Coach: Mike Williams.
Last year: 25-7, 13-1, first place in Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division; lost to Oswego 51-39 in Class 4A Oswego East sectional semifinal.
Top players: Myia Starks, sr., G; Kai Moon, sr., G; Courtlyn Smith, sr., P; Megan Keefer, jr., F; Jordyn Diaz, sr., G.
Scouting report: Depth and experience again come in great supply for this season's Wildcats squad. Starks, who will play at Northern Illinois University next season, is a four-year varsity player, as is Moon, who will play at Binghamton University. Williams said the return of four sophomores from last year's team — guards Megan Callahan, Rachel Lee, Taylor Crowley and Jada Harvey — is crucial. They have shown much improvement and promise. First-year varsity player MaKenzie DeHaan adds depth to the post position as do freshmen Kelly Vonnahme and Ashley Ishman. Williams said sophomore guard Gabby Thomas has the ability to help pick up Neuqua's always fast pace. “There are a litany of questions to be answered the first few games, all are of a positive nation,” Williams said.
Waubonsie Valley
Coach: David Owles.
Last year: 1-26, 0-14 in Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division; lost to Romeoville 38-28 in Class 4A Romeoville regional quarterfinal.
Top players: Abbey Glavin, jr., G.
Scouting report: Owles said the Warriors are enjoying a positive start to the season after a rough season last winter. Glavin, entering her third season on the varsity, is embracing her role as a leader. She is the lone returner from last year's varsity squad. “We have a whole new crop of players at the varsity level and throughout the program. In fact, of the 42 girls in our program this year, 25 are freshmen and 11 are sophomores,” Owles said. “We are young, but we are also athletic. And more importantly, we have a group of girls with strong work ethics and positive attitudes — both of which makes us optimistic for this season and the overall future of our program.”
Wheaton North
Coach: Dave Eaton.
Last year: 12-13, 6-4, tied for second in DuPage Valley Conference; lost to Bartlett in regional final.
Top players: Hannah Swider, so., G; Emmy Gryna, sr., G; Sophie Ahlberg, so., G; Addy Lorentsen, jr., G; Sarah Topps, fr., G; Nikki Baird, fr., G.
Scouting report: He's got a lot of new faces, but Eaton loves this team already. “We've got a young group this year and we work extremely hard,” the coach said. The young kids are picking up the Falcons' complicated offensive and defensive principles quickly, with help from the team's four seniors, who have shown great leadership so far. While he expects some growing pains, Eaton is optimistic the Falcons will once again have a good team. Swider and Gryna are the returning starters, and the Falcons will lean on them. Eaton likes what Zander can do on defense, Lorentsen “has really stepped up” and Baird looks like she will be special. Eaton said he could start the season with a 10-girl rotation, in part because he wants to improve the defense while still pushing the ball offensively. “We're going to defend a little bit better than we have in the past,” he said. That means getting 62-64 possessions on offense, but, “We don't want to be giving up 60-70 points a game.”
WW South
Coach: Rob Kroehnke.
Last year: 13-17, 5-5, fourth in DuPage Valley Conference; lost to Geneva in regional final.
Top players: Erin Madigan, sr., G; Jayla Johnson, so, F; Ellen Anderson, sr., F; Sarah Struebing, jr., G; Jayne LaBelle, jr., F.
Scouting report: The Tigers start the season again at the Schaumburg Thanksgiving Tournament, and again it's going to be a learning experience. “Some kids are going to get some opportunities, and we're just going to have to figure out what lineups are good,” Kroehnke said. One thing he knows is that Madigan will be on the court again, just as she has been since being called up midway through her freshman year. “She definitely has to be the leader on the floor,” Kroehnke said. Johnson also returns to the starting lineup. “Erin's going to have to set the tone,” the coach said. “She can shoot from the outside, she can get to the hole. Right now it's her and Jayla that are our leading scorers back from last year.” Anderson returns as the defensive stopper. The Tigers don't have great size, and they have plenty of young players: three sophomores and three freshmen. “Defensively, we will continue to do what we've done,” Kroehnke said. “This is a very athletic group, and we're going to try some new wrinkles. Offensively, we're sort of a work in progress.”