Callahan scores 28 in Neuqua Valley victory

The last two years, Neuqua Valley's Megan Callahan took a back seat to Kai Moon and Myia Starks.

This year the 5-foot-6 junior guard is driving the bus.

Callahan scored a personal-best 28 points and made just enough free throws down the stretch to keep Metea Valley at arm's length. The Wildcats won the DuPage Valley Conference girls basketball opener for both teams 68-56 Thursday in Naperville.

"It's different this year," Callahan said. "I was behind Myia and Kai. Now I have to take the lead. My job is to pick up the team. Teamwork is everything. We went through some phases earlier this year where one person was doing the whole thing. We have a lot of potential if we play as a team."

Callahan found Rachael Tait for a three-point play early in the second quarter as Neuqua Valley (3-4, 1-0) broke open an 18-18 game with a 12-1 run. Callahan made 3 of 4 free throws to extend the lead to 37-25 before Tait's bucket at the buzzer gave the Wildcats a 41-27 halftime lead.

"Tonight, we really worked together as a team," Callahan said. "We were energized. The whole bench was into it. Whether you played or not, everyone participated. As long as we work together as a team, we have tremendous, tremendous expectations."

Neuqua Valley led by as many as 20 points at 53-33 with 1:21 remaining in the third quarter, but Metea Valley scored 9 unanswered points to get within 53-42 on Ashley Konkle's three-point play with 5:53 left.

That was as close as the Mustangs could get. Despite missing the front end of four consecutive double-bonus free-throw opportunities, Callahan made the back end each time to give the Wildcats a 67-54 lead with just over 70 seconds left to play.

Metea Valley (1-6), which played without Skye Lane (illness), was led by Janiece Thomas with 13 points. Konkle and Brianna Hall each had 12 points, with Konkle grabbing 10 rebounds.

Tait added 22 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds for Neuqua Valley before joining the exodus of six starters - three on each side - to the bench with five fouls. Junior point guard Taylor Crowley added 7 points.

Callahan, who finished 9 of 18 from the free-throw line, also contributed 4 rebounds and 3 assists.

"The first five or six games were an adjustment for (Callahan), no matter what you do in the off-season," said Neuqua Valley coach Mike Williams. "It's not the same. For her to assume that leadership role and understand what the role entails is a big step. I think she's starting to handle it very well."

Of course, nobody is going to do everything exactly right.

"Any time she wants to hit two free throws in a row, I'm OK with it," Williams said.