Boys basketball: Record 4 FVC teams press on to sectional tournaments

Burlington Central suffered heartbreak last season when its best team in school history fell short of its first sectional title in a close loss to St. Francis.

Hampshire experienced a different frustration in 2020 when its season was stopped by the COVID-19 pandemic one day before a Class 3A sectional championship.

Huntley played in a classic sectional game that same season, a triple-overtime loss to Cary-Grove two days before the rest of the season was canceled.

The other Fox Valley Conference team still playing, Crystal Lake South, has no recent sectional memories. The current Gators players were a few years from being born in 2002, the last time South won a regional title. That was the FVC’s longest string without a regional championship.

The record four FVC regional champions are split between two sectionals this week, with Central and South playing in the Class 3A Burlington Central Sectional, while Huntley and Hampshire will play in the Class 4A Jefferson Sectional.

South (25-8) faces Marmion (21-11) at 7 p.m. Tuesday in a semifinal, with Central (28-5) meeting Boylan (22-11) at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Huntley (22-10) plays St. Charles East (17-16) at 7 p.m. Tuesday in a semifinal, and Hampshire (17-16) takes on Rockford Auburn (21-12) at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Central won the FVC title at 16-2, South (13-5) was second, Huntley (12-6) was third and Hampshire (10-8) tied for fourth with Jacobs. The FVC’s previous high of regional champions was three in 2020 (C-G, Huntley and Hampshire) and 2012 (Huntley, Johnsburg and McHenry).

South coach Matt LePage has the added thrill of coaching his son Cooper, along with Cooper’s friends, on this year’s team.

“I thought our guys really stayed composed,” Matt LePage said after Saturday’s 69-58 win over Freeport for the Belvidere Regional title. “A lot of these guys have been around and playing together since the fifth, sixth grade. They know each other well, and that’s the beauty of it – to see these guys, coming up through the ranks and getting a championship and finishing it off their senior year.”

Central is led by 6-foot-9 forward Drew Scharnowski, who will play at NCAA Division I Belmont next season. Scharnowski leads the area at 23.5 points a game and is a force defensively with his quickness and shot-blocking ability.

The Rockets are hosting a sectional for the first time. They have been to sectionals in four of the past five years.

“We are really excited to be able to be back in another sectional,” Central coach Brett Porto said. “Having the sectional at home for the first time in our school’s history also adds a lot of excitement for players, school and the community.”

Huntley was excited about exacting some revenge on Rockford East 49-48 on Saturday for the Hononegah Regional championship. The E-Rabs knocked Huntley out last season in the Jacobs Regional title game.

The Raiders lost five of their last six regular-season games, but three of those setbacks came to South, Central and Hampshire.

“It’s surreal. Coming into this year having so many question marks about our team,” Red Raiders forward Ty Goodrich said. “A lot of us didn’t have a lot of varsity experience, and to come out here and win a regional for the first time in three years. ... And to the team we lost to last year. It was good to get back at them.”

Huntley forward Ian Ravagnie scored 43 points and hit six 3-pointers in two regional games.

“The last three weeks have been the most consistent three weeks he’s had in practice and games,” Huntley coach Will Benson said. “His communication has been outstanding every single day, his leadership has been great, and all the rest fell into place.

“He’s played really well, really confident, he’s been awesome. He’s the senior stepping up at the right time.”

Hampshire had an up-and-down season but has won eight of its past 10 games.

The Whip-Purs also have one-point losses to Libertyville and Central, who are a combined 55-10, on their résumé.

Hampshire’s last regional title was in Class 3A in 2020. The Whips were supposed to meet Wauconda in the Class 3A Boylan Sectional championship, but the season was shut down by the pandemic.

“It’s been a fun ride,” Whips coach Mike Featherly said. “The guys are playing well defensively and having fun playing together. We have done a great job taking care of the ball the last two games. We are excited to play another game.”