Girls Basketball

January 22, 2007

Lane Tech Shows Northside Prep Who Really Rules the Northside (of Chicago)

(Girls Varsity)

Lane Tech 36

Northside Prep 28

(Girls Sophomore)

Lane Tech 44

Northside Prep 16

Prior to the 1990's Lane Tech girls teams dominated the north side of Chicago in girls Public League High School sports. However, in the 1990's two new Public League Schools opened up on the northside of Chicago and began to challenge Lane's supremacy. One of  them was Payton and the other was Northside Prep. Northside Prep, in particular has been quite an adversary for Lane so far this school year. Their girls cross country team finished second to Lane in the city cross country championship but beat Lane in the state sectionals. Also, their girls volleyball team, led by volleyball and basketball star Angie Nizio, won the girls Public League volleyball championship while Lane finished in the semi-finals. Lane also barely got by Northside Prep to win the girls swimming title.

So the girls basketball games last Friday night was not just an ordinary game. Rather, the winner of this game between Lane and Northside Prep was a statement game. The winners would lay a bigger claim that their school has better girls sports program than the other school. Lane prove victorious as it swept Northside Prep in both the sophomore and varsity levels.

The night started with a dominating performance by the girls sophomore team with a 44-16 victory over Northside Prep. Lane led from the very start and was never challenged the whole way. The half time score was 22-8 Lane. Lane was led by forward Kirsten Corely's 11 points.

"I thought [Kirsten Corley] did a really fine job, she played good on defense, she got a lot of rebounds and really helped us out on the post position. " said Lane Tech sophomore coach Mary Feeny.

But it was the overall team play by Lane that dominated, Their defense cause multiple turnovers and defensibly Northside prep could not handles Lane's offensive firepower. Lane center Christina Toomer had a particularly dominating over Northside Prep as she smothered several strong rebounds and used her muscles to score several close shots down low.

Lane's sophomore girls team is now 17-5.

The varsity game was a whole lot closer but at the end Lane (9-13, 6-2) prevailed 36-28. Lane started the game with a quick basket to lead 2-0. Then Northside Prep, led by the the scoring and trapping defense Angie Nizio (16 points) and Mary Shellus went on a 14-3 run to put Northside Prep ahead 14-5 with 3:53 remaining in the game. The half time score was 16-10 Northside Prep. But after the half, Lane stepped up their game.

"It was a little bit closer than we would have liked, but we basically came back made it a little tougher than it should have been but we persevered and pulled it out at the end", said Lane assistant coach Josh Cockrell. At the half Cockrell said Lane head coach told the team: "we still have a whole half of basketball left, we couldn't give in or give up, we had to come in an play smart not turn the ball over and deal with the traps they we're throwing at us."

Apparently that advice worked ans Lane started the third quarter on fire as it made it's first four 3rd quarter shots to tie the game at 18-18. Lane Tech guard Mary Dennewitz gave Lane it's first lead 20-19 with a short jumper with 4:38 in the 3rd quarter. Their lead was held up due to several key offensive rebounds down the stretch. With the victory Lane has now beaten Northside Prep twice this season and assured themselves sole possession of second place in the competitive Windy City North conference right behind conference champion Von Steuben. Lane has a couple non-conference games before the city playoffs begin.

Lane was led by Alexis Dillon's 9 points and sophomore Maria Joyce with 7 points.

"We're going to take it one game at a time, we had a pretty good run last year; we know al the team s are pretty good; there's going to be a lot of tough competition. If we play well we should be ok." said Cockrell.

 Mia Spingola battles a Northside Prep player for a rebound in the girls Sophomore game. (www.LaneTechFan.com photo)

Volleyball and Basketball star Angie Nizio of Northside Prep takes a free throw.

Alexis Dillon prepares to tip off vs. Northside Prep. Dillon scored 9 points to lead Lane in the victory. (www.LaneTechFan.com photo)