On February 20, The Antioch Community High School girls varsity basketball team faced off against the Grayslake Central Rams in the Sectional playoffs. The match up was important for both teams as the winner moves on in the playoffs, and the loser is done for the season. The Rams boast an impressive record of 26-5 and beat the Sequoits twice during the regular season, but the Sequoits were not backing down from this game.
The Sequoits and Rams went back and forth during the first quarter, finishing 12-10 in favor of the Rams. Sequoits led by junior forward Heidi Rathmann with six points. The second quarter, the Rams started to pull away, outscoring the Sequoits 16-10, bringing the score to 28 to 20. But the Sequoits weren’t giving up; they continued their effort in the third quarter, scoring 11 to the Rams 13. But in the fourth quarter, the Rams got hot going on a 15 to 5 run to finish off the game primarily due to Rathmann picking up her fifth foul and fouling out of the game, causing weaker defense for the Sequoits in the paint. The Rams ultimately got the best of them, finishing the game 56-36 in favor of the Rams. The final score doesn’t exactly tell the story of this game. The Sequoits battled hard, playing gritty defense and staying in the game until the end. They have much to be proud of this season, making it to the second round of playoffs, which has not been done in multiple years.
Top performances came from Rathmann, who led the team with 18 points, and sophomore guard/forward Scarlett Carroll with seven points. Also notable was freshman guard Evie Baronello, who stepped up in her first playoff game with three points. Highlights from the defensive side of the ball came from Carroll with two steals and a team-high six rebounds.
The Sequoits finished their season with a positive record of 14-13 and third place in the NLCC conference. They have shown a ton of growth over the season and have a lot to look forward to next season, with four returning starters.
