Johnsburg roars into sectional
By TIM FROEHLIG - editorial@nwherald.com
LAKE VILLA – The Johnsburg girls basketball team put its foot on the accelerator from the outset Thursday and sped to the IHSA Class 3A Lakes Regional championship.
It was top-seeded Johnsburg’s sixth consecutive regional crown, and from the opening tip of their 59-32 win against-seeded Antioch, the Skyhawks made it clear this would be their night and no one else’s.
“I think this (feeling) is great,” Johnsburg coach Mike Toussaint said. “We showed spurts of just how good we can be tonight, but I still don’t think we’ve played our best basketball yet ... next game I expect us to be that much more focused.”
Johnsburg will face St. Viator or Wauconda in a St. Viator Sectional semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The Skyhawks used a full-court press and speedy transition game, which helped them race to a 23-3 lead by the end of the first quarter. Junior Melissa Dixon scored 14 of her game-high 28 points in the quarter, and the rout was on. Antioch shot 1 of 11 from the field in the quarter.
“No, (me) trying to score that many in the first quarter wasn’t part of the game plan, it was just coincidental, kind of a byproduct of our defense and transition game,” Dixon said.
Johnsburg led, 32-10, at halftime, and the Skyhawks never let the Sequoits (14-14) come any closer than 17 points in the second half. After the final horn, Johnsburg’s players and coaching staff briefly posed with the regional championship plaque before taking turns cutting down the net.
While there was plenty of celebrating going on, much of the talk after the game wasn’t only about what the Skyhawks (23-9) had just accomplished, but also what they still hoped to achieve. For many Johnsburg players, the memory of a one-point supersectional loss to Freeport last season still stings badly.
“It’s just a huge motivation for us to try and get downstate,” Johnsburg senior guard Megan Lopez said. “This is all about revenge and inspiration to us.”
One by one, almost every girl on the team said going downstate was a goal they feel confident they can make a reality this season.
“Going downstate is our goal, for sure,” Johnsburg senior Danielle Slivka said. “And if we play they way we’re capable of, it’s definitely an achievable goal, too.”
“This just might be our year,” Slivka added. “We’re hoping this round was just a stepping stone for us.”
Slivka had 15 points, five rebounds, four steals and four assists, and Johnsburg senior Krista Volden ripped down a team-high 14 rebounds.
Although Johnsburg has an impressive string of consecutive regional title wins under its belt, the Skyhawks’ coaching staff feels this one is unique for one simple reason.
“More than anything, this year’s team has had to deal with a whole lot of injuries, sickness and other things,” Toussaint said. “Now, we’re all together, and we’ve had some of our best practices as a group lately that we’ve had all season.”
Senior Lauren Grant led the Sequoits with nine points.
“The better team won tonight, and Johnsburg is an incredibly good team,” Antioch coach Tim Borries said.
