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Fast-finishing Palatine, Hersey to decide MSL championship

The Mid-Suburban League girls basketball season wasn't decided until the very last day of the season.

Last Friday, Palatine earned the West division title by 1 game over Fremd, while Hersey earned a co-championship in the East with Rolling Meadows and a berth in the tonight's title game via tiebreaker.

Suffice it to say, both teams grinded their way to the 46th annual MSL championship game set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Palatine.

The Pirates (21-6, 8-2) won second-half West games with buzzer-beating shots over Fremd and Barrington.

Hersey (14-12, 8-2) broke free from a three-way tie in the final week to emerge with a title game appearance for the second straight year despite graduating four all-area players.

"I don't think many people expected us to be here," said Hersey coach Mary Fendley, who will be inducted into the IHSA hall of fame on May 5. "And maybe people would say the same about Palatine. That makes it even more special for us to be playing in such a big game."

The first time Fendley coached in the game was against Palatine, in 2005.

"They had Nicole Pauly (who is now married to Palatine head coach Mark Johnson's assistant, Joe Capablo)," Fendley said. "The game was at our place. We got a nice lead on them and then held on at the end."

These Pirates know all about dramatic endings.

Kendra Lindell's 17-foot buzzer-beater edged Fremd 43-42 and Anja Jacobsen's last-second 3-pointer got the Pirates past Barrington 35-32.

"The close wins gave our girls confidence," Johnson said. "When they came into huddle, down 1 against Fremd with 11 seconds, they were like 'Give us something to do and well go do it.' That's how they approached it. It was the same thing against Barrignton, with the big shot at the end, and then we had an overtime win over Stevenson.

"To win a division, you need a couple of things to go your way and we had a couple of big shots go down."

Palatine is making its third appearance in a championship game.

Led by coach Teri Merickel, the Pirates won it in 1983, coincidentally with a buzzer-beater.

Coach Ron Theberge got the Pirates back to the title game in 2005, when they won a school-record 21 games - a number which has been matched by this year's club.

Merickel and Theberge each led the program for seven seasons, the longest stints of any Palatine girls basketball coach.'

Johnson is now is his sixth season and headed to his first title matchup.

"We are looking forward to it," he said. "It's a great opportunity for these girls. They have worked unbelievably hard, with all the sweat in the summer.

"But I think they gained confidence in the summer. They won the league and then had a good start to the this season and now they're kind of hitting their stride and getting ready for the postseason."

Johnson's lineup features seven seniors - Sydney Rzepka, Kacie Filian, Tina Henderson, Jenny Myslinski, Sarah Jasonowicz, Lindell and Jacobsen.

Rounding out the roster are juniors Sarah Arnold, Amanda Stanczuk and Amy Vitulli along with sophomore Melanie Simon.

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Mark and his Palatine program," Fendley said. "They were similar to us. We both had to claw our way back into first place toward the end of the season."

Hersey's roster includes seniors Erin McGrath, Katie McGrath, Claire Rogowski, Maesyn Benjamin, Sarah McGrath and Haley Skiko along with juniors Emily Collins, Maddie Jackson, Chelsea Manoj, Emily Born and Marlena Kot.

Janine Boyan and Sydney Hemenway are sophomores while freshman Mary Kate Fahey directs the offense from her point guard position.

"We've got to make sure we keep an eye on their freshman, Mary Kate," Johnson said. "And we've got to do a good job neutralizing the McGraths in the middle.

"But it's still up to us to come out with our pressure, play our game and make sure we are ready to execute. We'll see what Hersey throws at us, and go from there."

Both teams like to go with the basketball when the opportunity exists.

"I haven't seen a lot of film on them this year so I'm expecting us to play up-tempo, and guessing Hersey likes to play up-tempo, too, after watching the scores in the newspaper."

Hersey made headlines in 1979 when it won the MSL crown under coach Meigan Putnam. The Huskies were co-champions in the MSL North under coach Patrick Tuttle in 1980. They returned to the title game in 1985 under coach Ann Penstone and then won the MSL under Linda Mass in 1994.

Fendley took over in 1997 and won East crowns in 2005, 2011, 2017 and 2018.

"We've had a lot of good stretches of regional in a row but we have never put two conference titles back to back," said Fendley, whose Huskies defeated Fremd in the game a year ago.

Erin McCarthy is the only starter back from last year's championship squad. Benjamin, a Loras recruit, and Katie McGrath, were the first two players off the bench.

"Getting to this game was more of an expectation last year and it feels great to get back despite some odds against us," Fendley said. "I haven't actually seen Palatine play this season but just knowing them from the summer I think we match up pretty well."

Fendley says her club has been 'streaky' this season.

"Hopefully getting those two games with Meadows and BG last week and with that good stretch we had over the break (at the Montini tournament), we are back on an uptrend and can keep moving forward," she said.

Playing one of the toughest schedules in the area, the Huskies were 11-11 but have won three of their last four.

"We have tons of respect for Mary (Fendley) and what she does at Hersey," Johnson said. "She teaches a great brand of basketball that is fun to watch and play."

Hersey has won four straight regionals and was fourth in the Class 4A state tourney in 2010.

"They are usually a top seed in every sectional and they have had plenty of success in the postseason," Johnson added. "That winning culture is something that a lot of programs aspire to have, and they handle themselves with class while they do it."

Palatine has handled itself quite well on its home floor this winter with an 8-0 record.

"The home court is huge for us," Johnson said. "The girls are very confident on their home floor and they love playing there.

Johnson likes the way his team finished conference play last week.

"I would say our last two quarters against Schaumburg (46-28 win on Tuesday) and our whole game against Hoffman Estates (52-30 win) were six of our better quarters of the season," he said. "We've played some good defense down the stretch so we're going to get a reward with having a big game at our place (today). I think it's going to be a great basketball game to represent our league."

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