Best of the best
No matter how much coach Tanya Johnson wants to downplay this, Loyola is the best team in the area — until proven otherwise. The No. 1-ranked Ramblers (third in the nation, according to USA Today) can be found in the Chicagoland Holiday Challenge. Preliminary games are a Lake Zurich with semifinals (Dec. 26) and finals (Dec. 27) at Loyola. Had your fill of Olga and Loyola? Then No. 2 Marshall, rolling over opponents by an average of 40 points a game, is the next best thing. Last year the Commandos went up to Wisconsin, but this year they’re one of the premier teams in the revitalized Public League tournament at Mother McAuley. Chances are the title game would find two of last year’s Class AA Elite Eight finalists–Marshall and Taylorville–for the title game at 7 p.m., Dec. 29.
Fill up the tank
You’ll log (couldn’t resist) plenty of miles Dec. 27 if you follow this route. Start the day south at Hillcrest with a 9 a.m. consolation game. Have some breakfast, then swing up to McAuley to find out if Hyde Park is as good as its ranking — the Indians meet Kankakee at noon. Next stop, Wheaton North where the 3 p.m. quarterfinal is likely to feature 6-foot-4-inch Jackie Shook and West Aurora against Schaumburg. Hope that game ends early and go north to watch this second-round game at Dundee-Crown — defending tournament champion Resurrection vs. Dawn Vana-led Maine West at 5 p.m. If the gas gauge still reads above the E, swing east for the Holiday Challenge final that could pit host Loyola against Maine South.
Finals we’d like to see
Chicagoland Holiday Challenge: Loyola vs. Maine South
Public League: Marshall vs. Taylorville
Dundee-Crown: Fenwick vs. Maine West
Wheaton North: Glenbrook South vs. Hinsdale Central
Benet-Naperville North Tournament: Wheaton-Warrenville South vs. Benet
Hillcrest: Homewood-Flossmoor vs. Sandburg
The name game
Heck with the teams, put plain numberless jerseys on the girls and watch them play. Here’s where to find the best talent over the holidays:
– Dundee Crown: All-State center Dawn Vana of Maine West
– Fenwick star Katie O’Grady
– Chicagoland Holiday Challenge: Loyola’s Olga Gvozdenovic and Laura Sobieszczyk
– Lake Zurich’s Alicia Ratay
– Public League: Illinois-bound Allison Curtin of Taylorville
– Marshall’s Kourtney Walton and Sabrina Minter
– Morgan Park’s Constance Jinks
– Wheaton North: Glenbrook South’s Brett Leonard
– Waubonsie Valley’s Ashley Luke
– Hillcrest: Shavonna Hunter of the host school
– Sandburg’s Sarah Kustok
– Benet/Naperville North: Benet’s Mary Ellen Schaefer
– Joliet’s Lori Shelby
– Charliss Ridley of Wheaton-Warrenville South, the area’s top non-freshman newcomer
