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New-look Geneva impresses in opener

When we last saw the Geneva girls basketball team, Stephanie Hart capped the Vikings' back-to-back Class 4A state championships with her second game-winning state shot in the closing seconds to beat Montini.

It took all of five seconds for the Vikings to get on the board again when Jenna Segebrecht swished a 3-pointer off the opening tip to start Monday night's season opener against Woodstock in Burlington Central's new fieldhouse as part of the Rockets' Thanksgiving tournament.

Segebrecht's quick shot started a Geneva onslaught as the new-look Vikings showed off their athleticism and depth in a 69-16 victory.

"I didn't expect to come out so good," Segebrecht said. "It was nice to start off well. During warmups I wasn't shooting well. I was shocked to start off so well."

Segebrecht drained two more 3-pointers in the first quarter, which ended with Geneva leading 29-3. Up 42-14 at halftime, Geneva outscored Woodstock 23-0 in the third quarter.

The Vikings (1-0) graduated all five seniors from last year's state championship team, but they've got a new group hungry to build on that tradition.

"I'm super excited for the season," said junior Lindsay Blackmore, who is the leading returning scorer at 6.3 points per game. "A bunch of new girls, super young but I think we have a lot of potential. Just putting all the pieces together and I think we can be a good team."

A good team and certainly a different team without four-year starters Hart and Margaret Whitley. It's been an adjustment for everyone including coach Sarah Meadows.

"It is weird," Meadows said. "I think the first day of practice, hard is not the right word, it was just different for them not to be there. But it's a good thing too. It's time for them to move on. And we start over and see what we've got. It's all healthy, good stuff, but yeah, I miss them a lot."

Meadows went to her bench early and often and her newcomers impressed. Sophomore Kate Palmer scored 8 points, and sophomore Kelly McCloughan and freshman Zosia Wrobel both had 5.

Meadows had her starters on the bench early in the third quarter and took her second string out by late third quarter. Twelve players scored.

"They are babies," Meadows said. "We are a young group. We are as athletic as all heck. They can fly. They fly up and down the court."

Blackmore led all scorers with 18 points in about 10 minutes of playing time. She also grabbed a game-high 8 rebounds and had 5 steals.

Geneva forced 29 turnovers and allowed only 6 field goals. The Vikings rattled Woodstock with their full-court pressure.

"I was just really anxious to learn about our team," Meadows said. "I've seen them play in summer, seen them play in the fall but it's just different. To play a more organized game I didn't know what it would look like and I was very happy and impressed."

Segebrecht joined Blackmore in double figures with 12 points.

Geneva continues play in the tournament Tuesday against Marengo and will also face Belvidere North and McHenry in pool play before a crossover game against the other pool next week.

Meadows said she might have five different starting lineups in the five games.

"We could play 10 solid kids this year and not miss a beat," Meadows said. "We've got kids who can play. This team and last year's team are night and day. Especially with a young group. Where you start and where you finish is going to be fun to watch."

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