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All-underclass lineup helps Glenbard South past St. Francis

Knowing full well that injured senior captain Payton Carli is lost for the season, it's time for a number of young girls basketball players to step up for Glenbard South.

Saturday at home against St. Francis, the Raiders youngsters grew up big time as Glenbard South easily dispatched the Spartans 60-38. Just six Raiders - all underclassmen - saw action in the nonconference game, but sophomore Ally Daca scored a personal-high 20 points and fellow sophomore Ashley Dodge scored 9 quick points as the 8-7 Raiders took command early with a 17-5 lead after one quarter.

"The loss of Payton really hurts but every one else is stepping up," said Glenbard South coach Morgan Kasperek, who lost her leader to a broken hand suffered in a game against Wheaton North. "I told them after the basketball game, I watched you grow up."

With the 5-foot-10 Dodge dominating inside in the opening quarter, the Raiders closed the quarter with an 11-0 run. After Antwainette Walker's 3-pointer pulled St. Francis to within 6-5, the visitors then went scoreless for the remainder of the quarter while Dodge and Daca were helping the Raiders pad their lead.

Dodge finished with 13 points and 4 steals.

"Of course we lost (Payton Carli) and she was one of our main players and a senior, so we miss her, but I think everyone is starting to step up and people are starting to realize this is going to be a team for a while, so we need to improve," said Daca, who added 7 rebounds to her big scoring total. "We just turned it on today. We knew it was going to be a tough game and we just wanted it today."

Kasperek said her young players' approach was a key development. Dodge, Daca and freshman center Maggie Bair took turns coming up big down low, and guards Sarah Cohen, Mady Carli and Kate Mora played solid defense and handled the St. Francis press well.

Bair finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

"Ashley Dodge really started this whole momentum for us, as she had 9 in the first quarter," the Raiders coach said. "She's normally a little timid and she just started us off on the right foot, taking the ball to the rim hard. She opened a lot of things up for everybody else. Ally Daca was really aggressive posting up and demanding the ball, so they're growing up and it's awesome to see."

For the 9-6 Spartans, Walker led the way with 16 points and 5 steals, but the team was slowed by a sluggish shooting night both from the floor and at the free-throw line where they made just 13 of 27 attempts. Mia Mazza added 8 points and 4 steals for St. Francis.

"We're lacking consistency as a team all around," St. Francis coach Melissa Taylor said. "I think we have some good stuff and when we run it well, we are totally unstoppable. Today that just did not go our way due to a lack of consistency."

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