Bench providing Dundee-Crown big lift

Three-year starter and top 3-point shooter Gianine Boado injured her right knee in Dundee-Crown's seventh game of the season, a tough blow for a Chargers team with big goals and an eye on their first Fox Valley Conference championship since the 2016-17 season.

The thing is, the loss of one of their best players hasn't slowed the Chargers, and that's by design.

"There's no division between starters and bench players," said Boado, who underwent season-ending ACL surgery in December. "We're all in it together, and our culture is the best it's ever been. It's amazing that they're doing this. I had a three-year starting spot, and there's been no drop-off.

"I still have another year. Yeah, it (stinks), but I'll be back. It's been a fun ride so far."

D-C, which entered the season with only 11 varsity players, suffered another loss to injury last week. Junior guard Arysia Harris broke her hand and will miss the rest of the season, leaving the bench even thinner.

That means players who weren't getting many minutes early in the season are starting to get more playing time. Senior Erica Sanchez, for example, provided a huge lift off the bench for D-C in a 57-36 win over McHenry on Monday.

Reserve guard Emily Oldham got one of the bigger ovations from D-C's bench when she flew past the Warriors' defense and scored an uncontested layup for the Chargers' biggest lead of the game.

"I might not get a lot of minutes, but the minutes I get, I go out and give my 110 percent," Sanchez said after the victory against McHenry. "That's just what's expected of us, just to go hard on each play. We treat every game like it's the conference championship."

With three games remaining, D-C (22-6, 14-1 FVC) holds a one-game lead over Burlington Central (24-4, 13-2) for first place in the FVC. Burlington has handed the Chargers two of their six losses (including one in a tournament), with the teams splitting their two conference games.

D-C had a comeback win over Crystal Lake South, 55-48, on Wednesday to stay a game ahead of Burlington. The Chargers end their season against Jacobs, Crystal Lake Central and Hampshire, and Burlington has games left against McHenry, Prairie Ridge and Huntley.

Coach Sarah Miller preaches effort over talent.

Monday's 21-point win over McHenry, a team with three top scorers in Valparaiso commit Ava Interrante, Katie Beyer and Ashley Wachter, was a prime example of that.

"We have really been stressing that everyone can do something on the court that requires no talent," Miller said. "Sprinting, having a high hand and good body position, everybody is crashing, trying to get a tip on the ball. Everyone can do something positive to win a possession.

"My entire team goes out there confident. They want the ball, they want to 'D' up. We're just such a powerful team, and I think we can play with anyone out there."

The Chargers entered the season as one of the most experienced teams in the area.

Payton Schmidt, Katelyn Skibinski and Cassidy Randl are four-year varsity players (Randl missed her junior year to a knee injury), and Boado and Crenshaw, the team's top scorer and rebounder, are three-year starters.

Makayla Gotter, Alaina Azar, Hannah Koehlert, Sanchez and Oldham, all seniors, will play equally vital roles as the Chargers try to claim FVC and regional titles for the first time in three years.

"We knew in the summer, this was going to be a very special year," Skibinski said. "Everyone that comes off the bench, whether they start or not, they're ready to play. That's what makes this year so special. We can trust anybody."

The Chargers were runners-up to Hampshire in the FVC last season, losing to the Whip-Purs, 43-38, in their last game of the season. In 2017, D-C shared the FVC title with Hampshire, Cary-Grove and Huntley.

D-C is hoping to hoist the conference trophy by itself.

"Last year, we had that ability to win conference, and we kind of choked it away at the end," Schmidt said. "I know that's a feeling that's stuck with me, stuck with a lot of returning players.

"Freshman year, we shared (the title). Sophomore and junior year, we got second. Senior year, we want to get it done. We want to be sole winners."