Weyhrich, Hersey find path past New Trier
Hersey's last two meetings with New Trier came down to buzzer-beating final shots in the fourth quarter.
So when New Trier reduced a 10-point deficit early in the fourth quarter to 47-43 with under two minutes to play, the thought of another last-second game winner came into play.
However, the host Huskies played like they wanted no part of another suspenseful ending.
After some nifty Harlem Globetrotter-like dribbling and passing, Hersey ran the clock down to 47.6 seconds when senior Kelly Weyhrich was fouled.
Enjoying yet another splendid game, Weyhrich was exactly who the Huskies wanted at the free throw line.
The poised senior sank both free throws for a 49-43 lead and the Huskies went on to prevail 52-43 in their own Ken Carter Gymnasium.
The nonconference win lifted Hersey to 9-1 (only loss to St. Joseph of South Bend, Ind.) while New Trier now stands at 5-5.
Weyhrich finished as the game's leader in points (15) and assists (6).
"She's a really good player," said New Trier junior guard Maggie Murdock, who led the visitors with 13 points. "She always finds the open person."
That scenario played out perfectly for the Huskies when they trailed 13-4 and were in dire need of a basket.
Seemingly trapped on the baseline, Weyhrich dribbled around her back to get past a defender and while heading toward the basket, she found Gina Miklasz, who was standing by herself behind the 3-point line.
Weyhrich zipped the ball out to her classmate who converted the 3-pointer to ignite an 11-3 run for the Huskies.
"I've played with Kelly a long time," said Miklasz, the Huskies' second-leading scorer in the game with 9 points. "She always knows where to find her teammates. She's a great point guard."
Even New Trier coach Teri Rodgers had kudos for the 5-foot-4 Weyhrich.
"She hit some really big shots for them," said Rodgers, a former all-area guard who played at Libertyville High School and Duke. "She does a nice job for them."
Junior Erin McGrath did a nice job on the boards for Hersey, grabbing 9 rebounds with 7 points and 3 blocked shots.
Teammate Claire Gritt, who had the game-winning 3-pointer in last year's win over New Trier at the Fremd Chicagoland Invitational Showcase, added 8 points with 5 rebounds, 5 steals and 4 assists.
Senior Carly Cooper, as usual, played her role to perfection, turning in solid defense and even scoring Hersey's first and penultimate basket of the first half.
"They're a good team," Rodgers said of the Huskies. ""I was pleased with how our kids competed hard. We missed some easy shots which could have made a difference. We're getting better."
Cate Murdock, Maggie's twin who scored 6 points, hit a 3-pointer to start the game and New Trier never trailed in the first half.
Cooper's 16-footer tied the game at 19-19 but the Trevians got a rebound layup from Taite Ryan and free throw from Nicole Kaspi to lead 22-19. Weyhrich then rifled a pass inside to Katie McGrath who converted a layup that made it 22-21 at half.
Miklasz gave the Huskies their first lead when she tossed in a 17-footer to open the third quarter.
New Trier came back, and held its last lead at 26-25 before Hersey went ahead for good on a steal and layup by Gritt.
Weyhrich made another great pass to Erin McGrath for a layup followed by Gritt's 6-footer which ave Hersey a 31-26 lead.
Weyhrich hit back-to-back 3-pointers to extend Hersey's lead to 37-30 lead before Maesyn Benjamin fired home a 3-pointer that made it 40-30 after there quarters.
"It was a very intense game," Weyhrich said. "Honestly, it was our defense that won it. Once we started helping each other defensively, it helped our offense. And we were getting the ball inside and our posts did a great job."
"That was the first time we had seen a box-and-one (on Gritt) and I was proud of how our kids adjusted to a defense they had not seen yet," said Hersey coach Mary Fendley.
Miklasz called that a learning experience.
"We had to learn how to deal with it during the game," she said. "The key was just playing our game and focusing on what we had to do."