High school girls basketball: Huntley's Ali Andrews unanimous 1st team all-state

Huntley’s Ali Andrews, McHenry County’s all-time leading scorer with 2,548 points, was one of five players named to The Associated Press Class 4A All-State first-team on Thursday.

Hampshire's Emma Benoit was named honorable mention in 3A.

Andrews, a 6-foot-2 forward and Illinois commit, was the only player to be voted unanimously, receiving 90 points in the AP’s voting system from sports writers and broadcasters around the state. Chicago Whitney Young’s Kiara Lewis received 89 points, followed by Batavia’s Hannah Frazier (71), Benet’s Kathleen Doyle (63) and New Trier’s Jeannie Boehm (57).

It’s the second year in a row that Andrews has made the Class 4A all-state first team. Last year, she finished runner-up in voting points to Haley Gorecki, a 2015 Fremd graduate who now plays at Duke. Andrews also appeared on the Illinois Ms. Basketball ballots that went out this week.

“I definitely was surprised, especially that I was on everybody’s ballot,” Andrews said. “It’s a big accomplishment to me, especially to be there with all the other top players in the state. They’re all really good, and just to be on that level with them is an honor and an accomplishment."

Also on Thursday, Andrews advanced in the Class 4A 3-point Showdown at Redbird Arena in Normal, making 11 of her 15 attempts (tied with Ottawa’s Sarah Lyons for the lead). She moves on to the Class 4A finals Friday with The Queen of the Hills final, matching the Class 4A champion against the Class 3A champion, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

Crystal Lake Central freshman Madison Haslow made nine shots and tied with three other competitors, who then shot for the last two spots in the finals. Haslow made 5 of 10 and finished one spot from the finals.

“It was great being down here at state even though we didn’t make it as a team,” Andrews said. “Being able to be here with all of the great shooters and the whole atmosphere, it’s just a lot of fun. I’m guessing over 10 (3s) is usually what it (the number to advance) is, but whoever has a great day will win.”

Andrews set Huntley’s single-season scoring record with 743 points this year, breaking her then-record 694 points as a junior, averaging 21.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.3 blocks and 2.3 steals a game.

She also has more than 1,000 rebounds and 300 blocks in her four-year varsity career at Huntley.

The Raiders were eliminated from postseason play on Monday against Fremd, 48-36, in a Class 4A Fremd Supersectional for the second straight season.

Andrews has led the Red Raiders to a 111-21 record since 2012-13, setting the record for single-season wins in all four seasons, going 30-4 this year. Huntley won its third consecutive Fox Valley Conference Valley Division title, fourth straight regional and third sectional in four seasons.

She credits her individual success and year-to-year improvement on constantly working to improve her all-round game.

“Just working really hard on and off the court, and just working a lot of my skills and developing my weaknesses,” Andrews said. “Never thinking you can’t get better because you can always get better.”

CLASS 4A

FIRST TEAM

NAME SCHOOL YR. HT. POS. PTS.

Ali Andrews Huntley Sr. 6-2 F 90*

Kiara Lewis Whitney Young Sr. 5-8 G 89

Hannah Frazier Batavia Sr. 6-2 F 71

Kathleen Doyle Benet Academy Sr. 5-10 G 63

Jeannie Boehm New Trier Sr. 6-3 C 57

NOTE: Andrews was unanimous.

CLASS 4A SECOND TEAM

NAME SCHOOL YR. HT. POS. PTS.

Jaida Green Downers Grove North Sr. 6-2 G 56

Brea Beal Rock Island Fr. 6-1 G 53

Rachel Pranger Edwardsville So. 5-10 G 51

Bryana Hopkins Palatine Fremd Sr. 6-2 F 46

Kaitlin Alyward River Forest Trinity Sr. 5-10 F 35

HONORABLE MENTION -- Makenzie Silvey (Edwardsville, Jr., 5-11 G), Cinia McCray (Proviso East, Sr., 5-9 G), Claire McMahon (Lincoln-Way East, Sr., 6-2 F), Megan Talbot (Barrington, Sr., 6-1 F), McKaela Schmelzer (Machesney Park Harlem, Sr., 5-8 G), Grace Loberg (Geneva, Jr., 6-3 C), Makenzie Bray (Chatham-Glenwood, So., 5-10 G/F), Maryam Wilcher (Berwyn-Cicero Morton, Sr., 6-0 F), Lea Kerstein (Montini, Sr., 5-9 G), Elise Stout (Benet Academy, Sr., 5-9 G), Annie McKenna (Trinity, So., 5-9 F), Brianna Lewis (Fremd, Sr., 5-3 G), Jorie Wachal (Hoffman Estates Conant, Jr., 5-10 G), Liz Satter (Loyola, Sr., 6-2 F), Sydney Diekhoff (Pekin, Jr., 5-10 G).

CLASS 3A FIRST TEAM

NAME SCHOOL YR. HT. POS. PTS.

Tori McCoy St. Thomas More Sr. 6-4 C 96

Destiny Harden Morgan Park Jr. 6-1 G 78

Nicole Ekhomu Joliet Catholic Sr. 5-9 G 74

Olivia Kaufmann Jacksonville Sr. 5-7 G 69

Morgan Griffith West Frankfort Jr. 5-10 G 68

CLASS 3A SECOND TEAM

NAME SCHOOL YR. HT. POS. PTS.

Abby Brockmeyer Litchfield Jr. 6-1 C 68

Macy Weaver Stillman Valley Jr. 6-3 F 56

Allie Troeckler Civic Memorial Jr. 5-10 F 51

Jailynn Lawson Peoria Jr. 5-10 G 49

Kayla Ross Burlington Central Sr. 5-7 G 38

NOTE: Griffith awarded first team based on receiving more first team votes than Brockmeyer.

HONORABLE MENTION – Brandi Bipsing (Morton, Jr., 5-10 F), Deja Cage (Morgan Park, Sr., 5-10 G), Kiana Coomber (Prairie Central, Sr., 6-1 G), Cloe Churchill (Canton, Sr., 5-9 G), Amanda Ponce (Highland, Sr., 5-9 G), Sam Pryor (Burlington Central, Sr., 6-0 F), Kaelyn Froebe, Lincoln, So., 5-7 G), Angela Perry (Rochester, Jr., 6-2 C), Sophie Thompson (Triad, Sr., 5-10 G), Emma Benoit (Hampshire, Sr., 6-2 C), Alexis Henry (Springfield Southeast, Sr., 6-0 G), Ashley Reiser (Antioch, Jr., 5-4 G), Shayli Florine (Galesburg, Sr., 6-1 C), Kelsey Hobbs (Harrisburg, Sr., 5-9 F), Tineesha Coleman (Chicago Marshall, Sr., 5-11 F), Ally Gischer (Benton, Jr., 5-6 G), Jada Thorpe (Chicago North Lawndale, Fr., 5-7 G).