Dundee-Crown nets emotional regional championship
Dundee-Crown's bench erupted in cheers and excitement when junior Gianine Boado scored the final points in a 52-26 runaway win over Cary-Grove in the Class 4A Dundee-Crown Regional regional final.
Boado dressed for the first time since Dec. 10 after the three-year starter suffered a torn ACL in D-C's seventh game of the season. Boado's uncontested basket in the closing seconds was a fitting way for the Chargers to win their first regional championship since 2017.
All season, Chargers coach Sarah Miller preached an "11 deep" mentality as D-C piled up wins. The Chargers also were without Arysia Harris (broken hand) and Emily Oldham (broken nose) Thursday.
"I just love my team for doing this, having me on their back and knowing we're a family no matter what," said Boado, who was D-C's second-leading scorer a year ago. "Just lifts up my spirits."
With the win, D-C (27-6) will face Huntley at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Huntley sectional. Huntley defeated Hononegah, 34-30, to claim the Rockford Guilford Regional title Thursday.
"I'm just so proud of them," Miller said. "So many people could have doubted us at so many different moments. At no moment this year did I feel like any of it affected our poise or what we wanted to achieve. That's a testament of a true great team, and we're not done yet."
D-C never trailed against C-G (11-18), taking an 11-2 lead after the first quarter. Senior guard Cassidy Randl scored seven points in the first and finished with 12 points and two 3s. Junior forward Alyssa Crenshaw scored nine of her game-high 19 points in the third. D-C led 36-16 entering the fourth.
Katelyn Skibinski added six points and three assists for D-C, Alaina Azar had six points on two 3s, and Makayla Gotter had four points and eight rebounds.
Randl, Skibinski and Payton Schmidt were freshmen on the Chargers' last regional winner in 2017. D-C won the Fox Valley Conference championship last week in their regular-season finale.
"I think it shows how hard working our team is and how connected we are," Schmidt said. "We say, '11 deep,' because that's who we are. We worked hard in the offseason to get here."
Emily Lukowski led C-G with 14 points, seven rebounds and two 3s. Lauren Getner had five points off the bench.
"Those are a great group of kids," Trojans coach Tony Moretti said. "They gave everything they had and I'm super proud of them. Grace Clarke played the last 10 days with a broken nose, Lauren Getner has been playing hurt all season. Every single one has given me everything they had all season."
Miller told Boado in advance to dress Thursday.
With the result in hand, the Trojans allowed D-C to move the ball down court with about 10 seconds left.
"I thought it might just be an inbounds play, but to be able to go out there, walk to the hoop and score, the team was just ecstatic, jumping up and down," Miller said.
"I was hoping to get a shot," Boado said. "I'm very thankful they let me get that opportunity. It was one last time to be on the court with this team."