All season long, the teams atop the Mid-Suburban League’s two divisions have been unable to create any distance between themselves and their competitors.
Hersey and Barrington are currently the East and West leaders, respectively, but both have work to do with two games remaining on the conference schedule.
Both are 6-2 in league play. Elk Grove and Rolling Meadows are a game behind Hersey at 5-3 in the East, while Fremd and Palatine are 5-3 in the West.
“You look at who was playing who, we thought four losses might win the league,” Palatine coach Eric Millstone said. “Now it looks like it might be three.”
Fremd and Palatine hope so, but even though Palatine beat its crosstown rival 53-48 Friday night, it’s up to Fremd to bring Barrington back to the pack.
The Vikings (14-6) will host Barrington (18-6) on Friday night, while Palatine (19-7) hosts Schaumburg (9-15, 4-4). If Fremd and Palatine win, all three teams will be 6-3 with 1-1 records against the other two.
Fremd rebounded from its loss to Palatine with a 53-49 upset of Evanston on Saturday, while Barrington enters with a four-game winning streak.
Palatine had won eight straight before a 60-54 loss to Maine South at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee on Saturday.
Fresh off a decisive 69-54 victory against defending-champion Prospect, Hersey (12-9) has an opportunity to clinch the East on Friday night when it hosts Rolling Meadows (10-11).
