Lake Forest continuing to show progress
By Jon Kerr Contributor January 6, 2012 1:26PM
Lake Forest's Ali Danneker gets a shot off against three Lake Zurich defenders in last Thursday's game. | Joel Lerner~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: February 13, 2012 8:14AM
When you’re revitalizing a program, it can take some time. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and the same goes for Lake Forest High School’s girls basketball team.
It may take years before the Scouts compete for conference championships. But one step toward that goal is being taken this season.
“The girls are starting to believe they can and should win games,” said first-year LF coach Kyle Wilhelm.
Validating Wilhelm’s belief was a 56-50 loss to Lake Zurich on Jan. 5. The Scouts (3-16, 0-6) converted a 30-21 deficit late in the first half to a 44-37 lead at the end of three quarters. Last season — during which Lake Forest won just one game — that may not have occurred.
This season is different.
“We took control in the third quarter — got out in transition,” Wilhelm said. “I was impressed with the way we played, given the experience we’ve had in the past.”
In the past, at least last season, Lake Forest didn’t have Mary Striedl, who has committed to the University of Pittsburgh to play volleyball. The 6-foot senior scored eight of her game-high 22 in the third, becoming a catalyst for a 15-2 Scouts’ run, which flipped the scoreboard.
Junior guard Gabby Perino was also very active during the stretch, breaking down the Bears’ press and scoring four points in transition. She finished with 12 points.
But old demons are hard to shake. Lake Forest was held to six points in the final period, with Striedl going scoreless. When compared with previous games against conference contender Lake Zurich — three losses last year by a combined 80 points — a six-point loss can be viewed as progress.
“We let one slip away, but at the end of the day, to lose by (merely) six to a second-place conference team is a positive,” Wilhelm said.
Recap: Playing Wauconda, on Saturday, the Scouts entered the fourth quarter with a lead for the second game in a row. A 15-6 third-period run had them up 27-26 at the end of the quarter. But they were unable to close, dropping the game 44-37.
Striedl had nine points to lead the Scouts. Meanwhile, Wauconda converted 15 of 18 free throws.
“(That) put the nail in the coffin,” Wilhelm said. “It excluded any chance of us making a comeback.”
Not at full force: Lake Forest has not played at full strength all season. Junior Kelsey Simet was lost for the season with an injury earlier in the campaign.
Sophomores Michelle Antonucci and Annie Keller (11 points vs. LZ) — along with junior Jen Kreb — are finally contributing at expected levels.
Wilhelm is pleased with the maturity of senior Anna Schwartz, who started in place of Striedl against Wauconda.
“I’m very impressed with the progress (Schwartz is) making,” said Wilhelm, who has three players on this season’s team who never previously played basketball. “With where we are, I’m impressed with how fast they are improving.”
Stat sheet: Lake Forest’s leading scorer is Striedl, averaging 10 points per game. Next is Keller (8.4) followed by Allie Danneker (6.6). Striedl also leads in rebounds with 7.2 per game, followed by Keller (7.1). The Scouts have five players averaging over one steal per game: Striedl (3.9), Gabby Perino (1.5), Danneker (1.3), Cat Perino (1.1) and Keller (1.1).
On the schedule: Lake Forest hosts Elk Grove on Saturday.
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