Girls come up shy in close opener

HUNTLEY — The excitement of a new girls basketball season could be felt as Huntley hosted first round games of the Dundee-Crown Girls Invitational Tournament.

The Red Raiders’ contest with Rockford Boylan went down to the wire, but the visiting Titans rallied for a 46-42 victory Nov. 14.

Sophomore Mia Garlin led the way for Huntley with 10 points, including two three-pointers, while forwards senior Yasmine Morsy and junior Paula Strzelecki tallied eight points each. Huntley led by eight points with five minutes left but led by 22 points by Lily Esparza, Boylan Catholic closed on a 14-2 run.

“I thought the kids played really hard, but down the stretch we could not get the stops we needed to,” Huntley coach Steve Raethz said. “Esparza was dominant, she’s a great player and I thought we did a good job against her for segments. It’s a learning lesson and it’s better it happens in the first game. We were in the lead for a majority of the game. We have a lot of new kids playing and they will learn and grow.”

Huntley’s starting lineup for the opener was: senior Cassidy Serpe; Campanelli; Morsy; Strzelecki and junior Ava McFadden. More than 10 players saw court time early and the hosts led by nine points before Boylan closed the gap to five, 23-18, at halftime. HHS led by a 40-32 count on a hoop by Garlin with 5:30 left in the game before Boylan made its big run.

The Red Raiders face Hononegah, winners over South Elgin Tuesday, in the next round at Dundee-Crown at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 17; against St. Viator at noon Nov. 18 and will battle South Elgin at 6 p.m. Nov. 21.