Johnsburg‘s Summer Toussaint never envisioned a season quite like 2026, a year in which the Skyhawks shattered the program’s single-season wins record and won their first conference championship since 2017.

Not that long ago, Toussaint remembers shaking in her varsity debut. She had an inauspicious start in her first game as a freshman, fouling twice in the game’s first 30 seconds.

Things have calmed down for the talented Skyhawks sophomore guard.

Toussaint already surpassed 1,000 career points and, along with twin sister Skye, helped lead Johnsburg to its most productive season ever. The Skyhawks won their first 34 games to start the season, topping the school record of 28 wins [set three times previously], and almost won their first sectional title in 10 years, ending the season with a loss to St. Edward in the Class 2A Johnsburg Sectional final.

Toussaint earned Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State first-team honors in Class 2A while averaging 19.3 points, 4 steals, 3.6 rebounds and 3 assists a game, along with an area-best 83 3-pointers.

She broke the team’s single-game record with nine 3s this year and already has 1,183 career points through two years. She’s on pace to surpass 2011 graduate Melissa Dixon for Johnsburg’s all-time scoring record, currently at 2,116 points. Toussaint also broke the school’s single-season steals record this year with 140.

For her achievements, Toussaint is the 2026 Northwest Herald Girls Basketball Player of the Year as selected by the sports staff with input from area coaches. She’s the first Skyhawk to earn the honor since Aannah Interrante in 2017.

Toussaint answered questions from the Northwest Herald about the Skyhawks’ historic season, her favorite basketball playing memories, her inspirations and more.

What will you remember most about this season?

Toussaint: Just my team as a whole, and getting as far as we got. I didn’t expect us to do as well as we did this season. I don’t think anybody did. I’m proud of our team’s improvement since the end of last season.

What were the biggest improvements you made as a team?

Toussaint: Just mostly our effort. But we also had a better basketball IQ.

What is your favorite thing about basketball?

Toussaint: I just really love playing the game. Playing with my sister is always fun. I just enjoy being in the games and the practices, everything really. Sharing it with the people around me. I love sports in general. I’m very competitive.

What is one game this season that sticks out in your memory?

Toussaint: Probably the Woodstock North game when I got my 1,000th (career) points. My teammates were really proud of me, and it was just a really fun game.

Did you know how close you were to 1,000 points?

Toussaint: I did. I tried not to, but I looked right before the game.

Did you do anything to celebrate?

Toussaint: We just had a lot of family over, and I got Chick-fil-A.

What is your favorite professional sports team?

Toussaint: The Milwaukee Brewers.

Do you have a favorite Brewer?

Toussaint: Christian Yelich. He was my favorite since, I don’t know, the fourth grade. I’ve always enjoyed going to the games with my dad. We would try and go to a bunch of different parks.

Who is your hero?

Toussaint: My parents. They’re very supportive, and they take me to every practice and they’re at every single game of mine. They’ve put so much money and so much time into me and my sisters playing basketball.

What’s your favorite class and teacher in high school?

Toussaint: My favorite this year was sociology because I really liked the teacher. It’s Mr. (Rob) Eastland, the (Johnsburg girls) soccer coach.

Which teammate inspires you?

Toussaint: Skye because she just always works hard every single day. She’s a really good leader. You usually expect the point guard to be the leader, but she’s always the one talking. I feel like she doesn’t get recognized as much as she should, but she’s always working and trying hard at everything she does.

Which teammate makes you laugh the most?

Toussaint: Probably Kailey Delulio or Stori Hurckes. They’re always just cracking jokes, and Stori is never serious. She’s really funny. She’s the best bench and hype person.

What do you like to do for fun when you’re not playing basketball?

Toussaint: I like hanging out with my friends a lot. Just driving around and going shopping. I really like to go out on my jet skis and go tubing and stuff because we live on the lake.

What is your most memorable moment playing basketball?

Toussaint: Probably my first varsity game. I was so nervous. I was shaking and I still remember that feeling in my stomach. I was so scared to play. I was like hacking everyone.

What’s your favorite pregame meal?

Toussaint: Usually, Skye makes me food. She makes me a lot of grilled cheeses.

What was your favorite TV show growing up?

Toussaint: I like a lot of shows, but probably “Liv and Maddie.” It’s about twin sisters, and me and Skye would always watch it.

What is something that scares you?

Toussaint: Time flying by too fast. It’s hard to believe I’m going to be a junior next year. It feels like I was just in eighth grade. And it’s just really scary to think about what I’ll be doing and where I’ll be in the future.

What is a sport you are bad at?

Toussaint: Golf. I tried Topgolf once, and it was really bad. I whiffed like four times in a row.

Is there anything you would change about basketball?

Toussaint: I wish we were allowed more fouls. At some tournaments, we’re allowed six fouls, and it’s so much better.

What are you looking forward to most about next year?

Toussaint: Most of our team is returning next year, so I’m really excited to see what we can do. We’re going to have some more tougher games on the schedule, so it will be cool to see how we match up with those bigger schools. I really want to go to state. I went down there for the first time for my All-State (first-team) award this year, and it was a very cool environment. It would be really cool to go to state.