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South Elgin's late rally gives Mandernack 100th win

After the first quarter, it appeared that South Elgin would easily win its 100th game for coach Dan Mandernack Tuesday night. The Storm led Upstate Eight rival Glenbard South, 20-7.

Starting in the second quarter, the Raiders battled back. And with four minutes left to play in the game, Mandernack's entry into the centennial club was in jeopardy as Glenbard South led 43-38.

Highlighted by a critical turnover and two clutch free throws, South Elgin rallied to win its home opener, 49-46.

The Raiders trailed by only three at the start of the fourth quarter, 33-30. That is when Glenbard South (2-2, 0-1) reserve Akayhla Dixon scored nine straight points to put her team up 39-36 with six minutes to play. The senior led all scorers with 25 points.

The Storm started their comeback with 3:56 left in the game. Three straight baskets, one by Aryanna Williams and two from Megan McClure (12 points) put South Elgin (4-1, 1-0) back on top 44-43.

Dixon's last two points of the game returned the lead to Glenbard South, 46-44. A 3-point play by Madison Waichunas (11 points) on a putback and free throw returned the advantage to the Storm, 47-46.

After inbounding the ball, the Raiders lost control of it at half court. The Storm's Caroline Croft scooped up the loose ball and was immediately fouled. With 21.1 seconds left, the sophomore connected on both ends of a one-and-one to widened South Elgin's lead to 49-46.

"When I saw that the ball was loose, I just hustled to go get it," Croft said "I knew that they were going to foul because there wasn't much time left so I just held on to the ball and waited for them to foul me,

"I then just went up (to the free-throw line) and shot them. I tried not to think about it and shoot it like it was any other free throw."

Glenbard South's Lauren Cohen attempted to tie the game with a 3-point shot at the buzzer but the shot bounced off the rim.

"We jumped out and scored 20 points in the first quarter. We had to come out in that second quarter with more of sense of urgency," Mandernack said. "They battled back and before you know it we are down five with four minutes left. We have to keep that sense of urgency. It almost bit us tonight."

"We just weren't ready to go. South Elgin is very physical and they are a good shooting team," said Glenbard South coach Morgan Eufrasio. "(In the fourth quarter) they were very confident and calm and made all the right plays and we did not. We consistently turned the ball over."

South Elgin's Ella Winterhalder scored eight of her team-high 14 points in the first quarter.

Glenbard South turned the tables in the second quarter, scoring 13 points while holding South Elgin to 4 to narrow the Storm's lead at halftime to 24-20.

"I'm blessed," Mandernack said of his six-year tenure at South Elgin. "I've had some incredible kids, good assistant coaches and a supportive AD."

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