Hersey freshman Mary Kate Fahey did not plan on becoming a fitting symbol for her team’s season.
After losing seven seniors, including four starters, from last season’s 27-4 team that captured the Mid-Suburban League championship, longtime Hersey coach Mary Fendley anticipated a transition period.
Then, after the Huskies sustained a nine-point defeat to Grayslake Central in their season opener, Fendley cobbled together a new starting lineup by inserting Fahey at point guard.
Twenty-six games later, the Huskies captured their second straight MSL title by defeating Palatine 43-31 on Wednesday night in Palatine. Seniors Maesyn Benjamin and Katie McGrath led the Huskies (15-12) with 11 points each. Senior Erin McGrath, the lone returning starter, scored 10 points.
Fahey attempted one shot from the field and did not score until she hit two free throws with 1 minute, 16 seconds left. But her steady play and tough defense in a hostile environment exemplified the Huskies’ run to the conference title.
Fendley, who will be inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in May, noted the irony of a freshman helping to settle the Huskies during a rough stretch at the start of the season.
“To have a freshman running the show for us offensively, that’s a great testament to her,” Fendley said. “She just doesn’t play like a freshman, even if she did the first handful of games. She’s no longer a freshman in my mind.”
Not only did Fahey become an unexpected starter for a team not expected to reach the MSL title game, but she also was named to the All-MSL team at halftime of the championship game. Fendley said Fahey is the second Hersey freshman to be named all-conference in her two decades as the Huskies’ coach. Claire Gritt, now a freshman guard at Denver, was the other player.
Gritt and Fahey, fittingly, have another bond. Gritt coached Fahey during her time playing with the seventh- and eighth-grade feeder teams.
“I learned a lot from (Gritt),” Fahey said. “She taught me so much, prepared me for varsity basketball. We did one-on-one games all the time, and she pushed me in practice to be the best I can be. That’s why I’m here today.”
Benjamin shares the point guard duties with Fahey. She said Fahey quickly adjusted to becoming a varsity starter.
“She’s been fantastic, handling the pressure perfectly. Even if she’s bothered, she’s not showing it on the court,” Benjamin said. “It wasn’t a big deal (for her). She knew what she was doing when she came up, and we’ve been helping her along.”
Katie McGrath, who added 10 rebounds in the win, credited Fahey’s quick development for helping the Huskies win another championship.
“She just meshed well with our team, and we really took her in and we just kept trucking along with her,” Katie McGrath said.
Fahey admitted she was shocked to become a varsity starter so early in her career. She credited the six seniors for helping her adjustment from sitting in the stands for the conference title game a year ago to being a key figure this season.
“We have such a fun team to play with, and I’m glad to be a part of it,” Fahey said.
Palatine coach Mark Johnson tried to exploit Fahey’s inexperience in his game plan but quickly realized that she was no ordinary freshman.
“When we were watching film, we wanted to put pressure on her,” Johnson said. “We thought that would be to our advantage, and it actually looked like it worked to our disadvantage.
“I thought she handled herself very well, handled the ball and controlled what was going on out there and remained poised and composed. She was really impressive.”
Bob Narang is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press
