Redskins recall one Sweet hoops season

HUNTLEY — It’s been more than two decades but memories are still strong for a Huntley’s Sweet 16 boys basketball team, which finished with a 27-3 record.

Five of the 2000-01 Redskins still live and work in the area. Brett Borchart and Andrew Mohney reside in Huntley, while Pat Kalamatas, Dave Marshall and Nate Berndt live in Crystal Lake. As the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments kicked off, the players and their head coach Jay Teagle shared memories.

“It was a lot of fun, the time flies by fast,”  Kalamatas, a senior that season, said. “The town really got behind the team – we had real good fan support.”

On March 6, 2001, the Huntley Redskins took their accomplishments of a 27-2 season to Chick Evans Field House at the Northern Illinois University Super-sectional. They had just won the Plano Class A Sectional, HHS’s first sectional crown, with a 69-60 win over rival Burlington Central.

The support from Huntley faithful just kept building through a Big Northern Conference title run, a 70-45 win over Marian Central in the IHSA Class A opener followed by a 45-22 victory over Richmond-Burton in the regional final. The Redskins downed Aurora Christian, 73-56, to set up a Sectional Final against Burlington Central. The Redskins beat the Rockets 69-60. But Bureau Valley’s second half dashed the Huntley hopes for an Elite Eight state spot, with a 60-43 loss.

“It was fun,” Teagle said. “We had a very talented and athletic squad, a great group – we went six or seven deep. I felt more pressure (than the players) because we were trying to win the first sectional in school history.”

Teammates included Jason and Brad Kalsow, Frank Gray, Ben Hogan, James Quicho and Daryn Kafka. Mike Moran was the assistant coach.

“The Burlington Central sectional game was a dogfight and we knew it would be as they are our big rivals,” Borchart said of the sectional title clash. “If I remember correctly, freshman Brad Kalsow had a big game that night.”

“I think we just put a goal of winning conference first and foremost,” Borchart, a junior that season, said. “We knew we had a good team, but I don’t think (we) anticipated doing as well as we did. My role was to be the defensive stopper and I loved that task. Nate was also a junior and was a hard-nosed, try-hard player who brought energy off the bench. Our heart and soul of the team were seniors Kalamatas and Jason Kalsow. They were our undisputed leaders and trust me, we all followed them.”

All the local players recalled the Huntley support from the season’s beginning in November to its conclusion in March.

“The crowd support was amazing all year,” Borchart said. “Our gym (now Central Gym) was packed and noisy with parents, friends, classmates and general fans from Huntley. I don’t recall much from games that year, but I can remember when we went undefeated in conference and we all started saying, ‘maybe we are a little better than we all thought’.”

Then there was the build-up to one of the biggest games in Huntley hoops history, against Bureau Valley, a state-qualifier from the previous season and an opponent which would end in third place.

“We treated every game the same, and coach Teagle made sure not to make any game too big,” Kalamatas said. “We practiced and prepared for each game the same. Bureau Valley was a great team and we just didn’t play our best that day and they did. The place was packed at NIU. The support from the community was unbelievable. I definitely think we came out a little too excited, but who would not. I’ll always remember the tears not just from the players but our fans. They were just as invested, and they felt it as well.”

“We knew we had something special,” Kalamatas said. “It was a special group of guys. The support from the community was great. We went through conference unbeaten with some pretty lopsided games. We showed up each night ready to play. I played forward when they used to post up. We had a lot of guys who could fill it up (score).”

Borchart recalled the influence coach Teagle had on him.

“I always say coach Teagle was a coach who would push you places you didn’t know you could go,” Borchart said. “He was a no nonsense, hard-nosed coach and honestly I enjoyed him. Easily one of the hardest coaches I’ve ever played for, he wanted us to win, and he knew how hard you had to work to achieve it. I have to say, when I left that court after every game, we no doubt left it all on the court.”

Marshall was a junior on the Sweet 16 team, who recalled Kalamatas and Jason Kalsow were the squad’s leaders.

“They were out of this world. They could score 10 or 12 points per quarter. We did all the little things to help support Jason and Pat. Play defense, rebound, steals, and facilitate things to Jason and Pat. They were absolutely phenomenal. It was kind of surreal. The fans’ support was great, with packed gyms all the time. At NIU, it was two small towns going at it, as they emptied the whole town.”

Mohney, a junior and reserve on the squad, recalled his experience.

“The fans were great,” he commented. “Huntley was a small town vibe, and slowly our games increased in attendance. The student section got crazier as we went farther. Incredible atmosphere at our games.”

He will always remember the bus rides all year, leading up to the regional and sectional championships. “I will remember the heart break from the super sectional loss. Just the gut-wrenching feeling that the season was over,” Mohney said.

It was defense, defense and defense under the direction of Teagle.

“Coach really emphasized that stopping the other team is huge, something he instilled in his entire program, anyone can score, but we have to stop the other team from scoring,” Marshall said. “I try to emphasize that to my team fifth-grade team I coach.”

“I remember his intensity,” Mohney said. “He wanted it just as much as us. I remember the defensive mindset he instilled in me.”