Montini Preps

Ellie Thompson gave Fremd yet another viable weapon on Monday night as she and her Pirate teammates fended off Montini in a battle a state-ranked squads.

Victoria Matulevicius scored on a go ahead driving layup with 4.6 seconds left, and Montini – after blowing a nine-point lead in the last three minutes – knocked off No. 1-ranked Geneva 44-42 in a thriller at the 33rd Coach Kipp Hoopsfest, snapping the Vikings 11-game win streak.

Stella Sakalas was impressive from wherever she was on the floor Thursday night, scoring a career-high 23 points on 10-for-11 shooting to lead the Roadrunners to a 65-45 victory over Montini at the Montini Christmas Tournament semifinals.

Sophomore Shea Carver scored a career-high 18 points and hit four of Montini's six 3-pointers and NIU recruit Shannon Blacher added 11 points and five assists, as the Lady Broncos beat Trinity 41-38 in the quarterfinals of the Montini Christmas Tournament.

Ben Oosterbaan's 26 points powered Hinsdale Central past Homewood-Flossmoor into the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic semifinals, Lyons and Riverside-Brookfield advanced to the Jack Tosh quarterfinals and Montini, Nazareth and York rolled at Montini.

Montini senior and NIU recruit Shannon Blacher has been going to her school's annual Christmas tournament since the second grade – and looks forward to this year's event with another powerful field. That, plus notes on the Bill Neibch Falcon Classic from Bill Stone.

Wheaton North senior Elijah Cook has his eye on qualifying for state in his final season. He had a strong showing at Day 1 of the prestigious Dvorak Tournament on Saturday, winning his first two matches as Wheaton North and Montini both competed at the event in Machesney Park.

Playing in front of a number of college head coaches, NIU recruit Shannon Blacher lived up to her reputation as a big-time player, scoring 20 points to power Montini to a 55-49 victory over Deerfield in the one-day, 18-team Exam Jamm at Lake Zurich.

The 2023 CCL/ESCC divisions are set. Thirteen teams will be changing divisions with the addition of IC Catholic and St. Francis to the megaconference next season.

Here is the 2022 Suburban Life All-Area football team.

Here is the 2022 Suburban Life All-Area girls volleyball team.

Ben Oosterbaan's 19 points helped Hinsdale Central hold off Naperville North, Carter Reid and Nik Polonowski scored 13 in Lyons' win over Fenger, Shea Carver scored 16 and Alyssa Epps in Montini's win over Plainfield East and more in Monday's roundup.

With the 2022-2023 boys basketball season set to tip off this week, here are previews of teams from the East Suburban Catholic Conference, and Montini and Fenwick from the Chicago Catholic League.

Shannon Blacher led three Montini players in double figured with 23 points in a win over Willowbrook, Olivia Austin scored a team-high 16 points for Nazareth in a big win over Neuqua Valley and Téa Rubino and Riley Austin each scored 20 points in a St. Francis win.

Mariann Blass poured in 27 points to lead York past Marist to the championship of the York Tournament, Victoria Matulevicius scored 19 points to pace Montini past Lockport, Lenee Beaumont's 21 led Benet to a win and Nora Ezike's 13 points led Lyons to a season-opening win.