Scouting the Class 3A Elgin CC supersectional: Grayslake Central vs. Montini
IHSA Class 3A Elgin Community College girls basketball supersectional
Grayslake Central (30-3) vs. Montini (30-4)When: 7 p.m. Monday
Radio: WRLR 98.3 FM, WRLR.FM, TuneInRadio App (WRLR); pregame 6:50 p.m.
Coaches: Steve Ikenn (Grayslake Central, 10th season); Jason Nichols (Montini, 17th season)
Postseason history: Grayslake Central is playing in a supersectional for only the third time and first time since 2011, when the Rams lost to Montini 64-41 at Hoffman Estates (Class 3A). They only time they went downstate was in 2004 (Class AA).
Montini is playing in a supersectional for the 15th time in 16 years after having its streak of 14 sectional titles in a row snapped last season with a loss to Benet in the Class 4A Hinsdale South sectional final. The Lady Broncos have won advanced to state 12 times, winning Class 3A championships in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014. They finished second in Class 4A in 2018 and third in 2008 (3A), 2013 (3A), 2015 (3A) and 2017 (4A).
Road to the supersectional: Grayslake Central defeated Lakes, 47-13, and Crystal Lake South, 42-37, to win the Prairie Ridge regional, and Deerfield, 58-32, and St. Viator, 54-48, to win the Crystal Lake South sectional.
Montini defeated Lemont, 63-20, and Sandwich, 73-27, to win the IMSA regional, and Rockford Boylan, 70-52, and Sycamore, 61-55, to win the Hampshire sectional.
Probable starting lineups:
Grayslake Central - Lauryn Cartee (5-7 Sr. G), Amanda Kocialkowski (5-10 Sr. F), Kate Bullman (6-2 Sr. G/F), MK Drevline (5-8 Jr. G), Madeline Mussay (5-6 Sr. G)
Montini - Tatiana Thomas (5-11 So. F), Taylor Charles (6-2 So. F), Taris Thornton (6-0 Jr. F), Sydney Prochaska (5-10 Sr. G), Sophie Sullivan (5-6 So. PG)
Outlook: In his first season as coach at Grayslake Central in 2011, Steve Ikenn led the Rams to the Class 3A Hoffman Estates supersectional, where they lost to Montini. Fast-forward nine years and 200-plus wins later for Ikenn, and he has his Rams back in a supersectional for the first time since then. Rebekah Llorens starred on the 2010-11 team and assists Ikenn. Their Rams have won 22 games in a row and are led by 6-2 senior guard/forward Kate Bullman. The Illinois State-bound Bullman, a four-year varsity player, averages a career-best 19.2 points per game. Senior forward Amanda Kocialkowski and junior guard MK Drevline have also been consistent double-digit scorers for the Rams.
Montini is back in Class 3A after a year in Class 4A, and the Lady Broncos are in the midst of a another long postseason run. They are led by 5-10 senior guard Sydney Prochaska, a Southern Illinois recruit. Coach Jason Nichols' squad also features sophomores Sophie Sullivan, Taylor Charles and Tatiana Thomas. In early December, Montini snapped defending Class 4A state champ Maine West's 44-game winning streak.
Grayslake Central and Montini have not faced each other since their supersectional meeting nine years ago.
"They're just a really good, deep team," Ikenn said. "We'll be ready, and we'll give them everything we got."
Advancement: winner plays winner of Concordia University supersectional between Simeon and Fenwick in the state semifinals at 11 a.m. Friday at Redbird Arena in Normal.