Girls hoops seniors enjoy special night
HUNTLEY — The group of five Huntley senior girls basketball players gathered at the Huntley “H” to cap off senior night festivities.
Their names are familiar to Red Raiders faithful over the past four seasons – Anna Campanelli, Ava McFadden, Paula Stzelecki, Isabella Boskey and Madison Diaz. This season, they have led the squad to a 29-0, 16-0 Fox Valley Conference record. Senior night, including emotional talks afterward from underclassmen, took place as Huntley cruised past McHenry, 72-6, to clinch a share of the league crown Feb. 10.
“It’s a great night,” Huntley coach Steve Raethz told the crowd after the win. “I can speak for all the coaches. It’s been an absolute honor and privilege to coach these five girls. They have been leaders and added so much to the culture of the program. It’s a real special group, I love the way they play together.”
Boskey netted a career high 14 points and Diaz added nine. Boskey shot well from 3-point land, making four treys. The final triple came in front of the boys basketball team members sitting in the crowd and shouting her name.
Strzelecki led the hosts’ effort with 16 points and McFadden added eight and Campanelli had six to round out the Class of 2025 scoring. Juniors Aubrina Adamik had seven and Luca Garlin had six points. Huntley poured in 12 3-pointers. McHenry was held scoreless in the second half, and the six points was a season low scored against Huntley.
Boskey and Diaz joined the starting lineup with Strzelecki, Campanelli and McFadden for an all-senior group.
“Boskey did a great job tonight, I’m very proud of her,” Raethz said.
Boskey has been ably juggling her softball and basketball careers for years. The Red Raiders’ first baseman recently selected Illinois Wesleyan University for softball next year. Boskey said her hoops days date back to fifth grade feeder programs and joining the varsity as a sophomore.
Diaz was also motivated with the starting lineup opportunity.
“It’s been amazing,” Diaz said. “I’m so proud of all of us.”
Strzelecki continued to be the leader of the inside game.
“She has had a great season, giving us a solid presence down low,” Raethz said of Straelecki.
The regular season concluded with a Feb. 13 rescheduled game against Prairie Ridge and the regular season finale is against Dundee-Crown Feb. 14.
If the Red Raiders gain a perfect regular season 31-0 mark, it would be the best in school history, Raethz said. Reaching 30 victories would be the second time for the Raethz era, now in its 26th year. The other 30-win season came in 2015-16, one of three sectional titles.
Win at Burlington
Huntley’s girls basketball team put on a 3-point shooting show in their latest Fox Valley Conference victory, a 63-18 win at Burlington Central Feb. 7.
Huntley made nine 3-pointers, led by Garlin’s three in her 11 points game. Campanelli added two treys and ended with 16 points and Strelecki contributed 10 points. Lana Hobday added another trey for a five points game. McFadden and Boskey also added one triple for three points each.
Regional pairings
The undefeated Huntley girls basketball team earned the top seed at the IHSA Class 4A Girls Basketball Rockford Jefferson regional, which leads to the Huntley hosted sectional.
The Red Raiders will face the winner of seventh seed Rockford Jefferson and ninth seed Rockford East, at 6 p.m. Feb. 17 at Jefferson. The Jefferson regional title game is at 7 p.m., Feb. 20.
Huntley’s sectional semifinal is Feb. 25 against the Lake Zurich regional winner at HHS Feb. 25. The sectional final is Feb. 27, with that winner moving on to the Warren Township High School super-sectional March 3 in Gurnee.
