The game will go down as one of the most memorable in John Schneiter’s 36-year career–and it will go down as his last defeat.
New Trier’s girls basketball team did its best to prolong their head coach’s marvelous career Thursday but fell 45-42 at Maine West in the second round of the Class AA state tournament.
The loss ends a career that began back in 1960 and ends with 719 victories, 302 losses and a boys state basketball title in 1962 with Decatur High School.
“I’ll never forget this game as long as I live,” said Schneiter, his emotional team surrounding him after the game. “But it will be in a positive, not a negative way.”
And although Schneiter is exiting as New Trier head coach, he may not be through.
“I don’t know what’s in the future. I haven’t signed any contract,” Schneiter said before the game.
“But if something else comes along–an assistant boys job, an assistant girls job–I’ll consider it.
“I just like coaching, so if something comes along–we’ll just see what happens.”
Schneiter almost got to coach another game, and that would have been Monday in the sectional semifinals against Glenbrook South at Evanston.
The fired-up Trevians took a 14-6 lead after Becca Kaufman’s second three-pointer. It was 18-10 when No. 3 Maine West (27-2) started to close the gap.
The Warriors came within one point several times and finally tied New Trier at 35 with 6 minutes 47 seconds to go in the game on Eileen Kerrigan’s 10-footer.
With 3:05 left, Agatha Mankiewicz, who sat out much of the game in foul trouble, hit a turnaround jumper for Maine West’s first lead since early in the first quarter.
New Trier was down 43-40 and trying to set up for a three-point shot, but Kerrigan’s third steal of the game with 14 seconds left helped end Schneiter’s career.
“I was thinking, `This can’t be my last game,’ ” said Kerrigan. “I knew that they were fired up for coach Schneiter. And I tried to take from that. I wanted to be on the team that took his last game.”
Kerrigan finished with a game-high 13 points, Mankiewicz had 10 and Dawn Vana seven with eight rebounds and three assists.
Maine West coach Derril Kipp knew the No. 12 Trevians would come out with a lot of emotion.
“They outplayed us almost the whole game,” said Kipp, who, by the way, picked up career victory No. 424. “It’s tough to beat a team three times. But Amy Stoltz did an awesome job for us.”
Stoltz scored only seven points but hit two key free throws with a minute left after Schneiter called a timeout to try and ice her.
Maine West had beaten New Trier 52-48 and 42-31 this season. New Trier’s season ends at 20-8.
“I feel like any team that won this game would have a chance to win the state title,” Schneiter said. “Our kids gave it everything they’ve got.”
