Girls Basketball: Page Erickson’s clutch play late lifts Burlington Central past Rockford Boylan to regional title

BURLINGTON – The Class 3A regional championship between Burlington Central and Rockford Boylan was a close contest down to the last three minutes of the game Feb. 17.

That’s when Rockets senior Page Erickson stepped up her play, scoring 10 of her game-high 18 points and getting a key steal and rebound to help secure a 42-32 win and earn Central its ninth regional crown.

The homecourt victory advanced the Rockets to the Glenbard South Sectional where they faced Montini in the first semifinal game Tuesday. The Broncos eliminated Central from last year’s tournament in a sectional semifinal.

The Rockets led 24-18 at the start of the fourth quarter and widened the gap to 30-20 at the 5:04 mark after Paige Greenhagel connected on two free throws. Boylan rallied with a 7-0 run to pull to within 30-27 with three minutes left. Erickson stopped the run with a layup.

A Titans 3-point basket by Kaylee Harter made it a two-point game at 32-30 with 90 seconds left. Erickson again provided the stopper with a bucket and free throw to widen the Rockets’ margin to 35-30.

“It was teetering back and forth. They cut it to two and we got it back to five. When Page got the bucket and one, we gained confidence and exhaled a little bit,” Central coach Collin Kalamatas said. “Our kids were able to play a little looser and finish it off.”

On Boylan’s next possession, the Central senior poked the ball away, was fouled and converted both free throws for a 37-30 lead with 52 seconds left.

“During halftime, coach said it was all about getting defensive stops so that’s what I was really focused on,” Erickson said.

After snaring an offensive rebound, Erickson again was fouled and again made both free throws.

Foul trouble by Boylan (26-6) aided the Rockets (22-10). The Titans’ Lilly Esparza, a 6-foot-2 forward, sat out parts of the second and third quarters because of fouls. The junior fouled out a minute into the fourth quarter.

“The biggest thing for us was Lilly getting in foul trouble. When she went out, they went on a 7-0 run to end the second quarter,” first-year Boylan coach Aaron Westlund said. “When she sat in the third quarter, they went on another run. In the fourth quarter, she was in for two possessions and commits her fifth foul with five and a half minutes left and it got out of hand for awhile.”

“We got some breaks with their better players not being on the floor due to foul trouble,” Kalamatas said. “Obviously [Esparza] fouling out was a game-changer.”

Boylan’s 2-3 zone frustrated Central shooters in the first half. The Rockets sank only three baskets in the first quarter for an 8-7 lead. Central led 19-10 at the half.

“That 2-3 zone they play is real tough. They have so much length with their guards and then you put a 6-2 solid defensive player in the middle,” Kalamatas said. “We had just enough to pull it off.”

Sam Origel scored 10 points for Central.

Maggie Schmidt tallied 10 for Rockford Boylan.

https://basketball.dailyherald.com/sports/20230217/ericksons-clutch-play-leads-burlington-central-to-regional-title/