Whips focused

Hampshire's Cassie Dumoulin (center) and DeKalb's Emily Bemis (right) go after a loose ball during the first quarter of the IHSA Class 3A Regional championship game on Feb. 17 at Rochelle. (Northwest Herald file photo)

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It’s been six years since Hampshire’s girls basketball team has made an appearance in the IHSA state finals. For the storied program, that’s too many.

The Whip-Purs refused to look past any of their opponents this season, and that focus has helped them reach a 29-1 record heading into the Class 3A DeKalb Sectional final against Oswego at 7:30 p.m. today.

But that six-year state finals drought will be a constant reminder to make every possession and every point count because the Whips are two wins shy of making their season-long goal a reality.

“I remember watching my older sisters go downstate (in 2004), and I always wanted to be able to do it,” senior forward Chrissy Heine said. “We’re playing so well as a team right now ... and that’s going to be the key, to keep playing together. You can have one person on a team that is very talented, but one person does not make up for teamwork.”

The Whips’ chemistry, coupled with their determination, has been a large part of their success.

Although, Hampshire’s players are individually talented, they play their respective roles well. The team’s captains, Heine, senior guard Cassie Dumoulin and junior forward Alex Dumoulin, provide the melody while junior guards Karla Vietinghoff, Kelsey Anderson and Jessie Van Dorin, along with three supporting players coming off the bench, harmonize to make Hampshire very dangerous.

“We graduated eight seniors last year, but the three returning core players have really brought these juniors and sophomores up to a high level,” Hampshire coach Sue Ellett said. “We’re playing our best basketball right now.”

The Panthers (27-2) will pose some challenges, particularly from the outside. Senior guards Brittany Collier and Samiya Wright accounted for 31 of Oswego’s 55 points Monday against Prairie Ridge in a sectional semifinal.

Hampshire’s interior game should hamper Oswego, though. Heine and Alex Dumoulin each average a double-double and the Whips are persistent with second-chance opportunities.

Both teams’ defensive pressure will keep the contest interesting and, likely, close. Oswego forced Prairie Ridge into 21 turnovers while Hampshire made Freeport give away 19 possessions in the sectional semifinals Monday.

Ellett is cautiously optimistic, as has been her approach all season, but it’s worked. The schemes, the mindsets and the fundamentals aren’t going to change now, Ellett said.

“I’m sticking with what brought us to the dance,” she said. “I’m not going to start dating someone else now.”