An unlikely hero stepped off the bench to lead Buffalo Grove past No. 16 New Trier 63-51 Saturday in the second round of the Buffalo Grove/Maine South tournament.
Senior Kelly Mueller got the call from coach Tom Dineen after starter Kendra Ryl picked up three fouls in the first half.
Mueller (12 points) scored 10 second-half points. She sparked host Buffalo Grove (3-0) with eight points in the third quarter.
“I didn’t have much time to get scared or think about (playing well) too much because I was surprised when the coach told me to go in,” said Mueller. “I really wanted to prove that I could play in a varsity game.”
Buffalo Grove led 48-42 through three quarters. The Bison went on a 6-0 run to start the fourth with baskets by Christy Compobosso (22 points), Mueller and Piper Mead (16). New Trier never mustered a comeback and fell to 0-3.
In other action, Maine South (3-0) escaped with a 52-50 victory over Libertyville. With 7 seconds remaining, Libertyville’s Katie Kerrigan missed a shot underneath the basket that would have put the Wildcats ahead by one. Instead, Maine South (3-0) grabbed the rebound and Kori Bieszczad (16 points) made one of two free throws to give South its final margin.
Both teams committed 27 turnovers, and Libertyville connected on four of 17 free throws. South’s Denise Pavichevich scored nine of her 10 points in the fourth to help the Hawks erase a 10-point deficit. Freshman Diana Steplyk led Libertyville with 13 points.
In the final game, Carlin Chesick scored 26 points to lead Lake Park (1-1) over Barrington 45-32. Annie Sturtevent finished with 12 points for the Fillies (0-2).
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Deerfield/Highland Park tournament: No. 3 Fenwick (2-0) rolled to a 69-17 rout of Glenbrook North (1-1). Katie O’Grady led with 15 points. . . . Lake Forest (2-0) used 21 points by Janie Hodgkinson to upend Regina Dominican 44-31. Regina is 1-3. . . . Kenja White scored 19 points and LaQuitla Evans added 12 and 10 rebounds as No. 18 Waukegan (3-1) disposed of Curie 51-24. Rachel Porter led Curie (2-2) with 10 points. . . . Tiffany Kelver scored 15 points as Warren crushed Immaculate Heart of Mary 63-18. With the victory, Blue Devil coach Bruce Campbell, an 18-year veteran, gained his 350th victory. Nicole Thompson added 13 assists for Warren (2-0). . . . Leyden (2-1) beat Round Lake 62-37 behind Shavaughne Desecki’s 20 points. Round Lake’s Kristy Nichols scored 23.
Schaumburg tournament: Brett Leonard scored 14 points to lead No. 4 Glenbrook South (3-0) in its 48-37 victory over Schaumburg (2-1). Kristin Stewart had 17 for Schaumburg. . . . No. 10 Lake Zurich (5-0) used 25 points and five steals by Alicia Ratay and 20 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks by Anne Tierney to rout St. Charles 62-43. . . . Behind Karen Hagberg’s 20 points and 11 rebounds, Palatine (1-2) handled Wheaton North 46-32. The Pirates connected on 20 of 29 free-throw attempts. Wheaton is 0-3.
Maine West 75, Thornridge 25: The fifth-ranked Warriors (3-0) were led by Heather Fitzgerald (16 points), Amy Stoltz (11), Erica Lambert (10 points) and Dawn Vana (eight points, eight assists, eight rebounds). Vana is recovering from a leg injury and played sparingly. The Falcons are 0-2.
Conant/Wheeling tournament: Jennifer Ansani (10 points, 15 rebounds) and Katie Chapman (13 points) each scored four points in overtime to lead St. Viator (2-1) to a 56-49 victory over Wheeling (1-2). Jenni Shrader grabbed 18 rebounds for the victors, and TeShauna Conrad had 15 points and 12 rebounds for Wheeling.
Fremd 51, Lane Tech 24: The Vikings (3-0), behind a 15-2 third-quarter run, remained perfect with 13 points from Margaret Fontana.
Hersey 70, Niles North 42: Kristy Conway had 15 points and Liz Stewart 14 for Hersey (2-1).
Mundelein tournament: Jenny Wessel’s 17 points sparked Grayslake (1-2) in its 37-28 victory over Hoffman Estates (1-1). Jill Fortney scored 15 in defeat.
Naperville Central tournament: Laura Dodsworth’s 16 points and 10 rebounds paced Naperville Central (2-0) to a 53-40 victory over Elgin (1-2).