It hasn’t been a typical season for Benet.
“We had some struggles this year,” coach Joe Kilbride said, “Lost seven games, which is like three years [worth of losses] for us. A lot of people counted us out.”
That reasoning didn’t take into account the Redwings’ equalizer: Indiana-bound point guard Lenee Beaumont.
A top-100 player nationally, Beaumont willed Benet to a 47-46 win over Kenwood in Monday’s Hinsdale Central Supersectional. She played all 32 minutes, scoring a game-high 25 points. Just as importantly, Beaumont passed up a potential game-winning shot of her own, feeding teammate Lindsay Harzich for the decisive basket with five seconds left.
“Initially, I was going to just float up a shot or whatever,” Beaumont said, “But me floating up a shot or Lindsay with a layup? Lindsay’s going to make the layup 10 out of 10.”
That rare combination of selflessness and quick thinking helped send Benet (24-7) to the Class 4A state semifinals for the fifth time since 2015, in search of its third title in that span.
“You could have asked anyone,” Beaumont said, “They probably would not have counted Benet into the state finals. I’m just super excited for the trip, the journey. Last year we finished fourth, wasn’t what we wanted.”
Kilbride saw how much that memory fueled his star.
“We were down last year, lost in the semis,” he said. “She’s been on kind of a personal mission to get back there.”
Benet plays Geneva (30-3) in the semifinals. The Vikings are back at state for the first time since winning back-to-back 4A titles in 2017-18.
They avenged one of their three losses by edging Barrington 51-47 in the Schaumburg Supersectional and have won 14 straight since losing to Montini in mid-January.
Junior guard/forward Leah Palmer (14.9 points per game) senior forward Lauren Slagle (14.6 ppg) and senior guard/forward Cassidy Amii (12.2 ppg) lead a balanced offense for the Vikings.
Hersey (28-8) and O’Fallon (32-4) play in the other semifinal.
Like Benet, Hersey has a national top-100 guard. Michigan recruit Katy Eidle averages 19.3 points and 3.6 assists a game.
This weekend wraps up the farewell tour for Huskies coach Mary Fendley, who is retiring after 25 seasons and — so far — 537 wins.
O’Fallon beat Public League champ Young 44-43 in November and split four games with downstate rival Alton. The Panthers beat Bolingbrook 65-48 at the Illinois Wesleyan Supersectional to advance to state for the first time.
Class 3A
DePaul-bound guard Grace Carstensen is one of three returning starters from last year’s 3A runner-up team for Nazareth (33-1), which is seeking the program’s first state title.
The Roadrunners, who play Peoria (28-3) in Friday’s semifinals, have won 28 straight since their only loss, 64-38 to Green Bay (Wis.) Notre Dame. Their signature wins include 4A powers Benet, Young and Fremd.
Making its state debut is Deerfield (29-5), which eliminated defending 3A champ Carmel 49-39 in the sectional final. The Warriors face Lincoln (35-0), whose closest game this season was a 48-41 win over fellow 3A semifinalist Peoria.
The Kerstein sisters — sophomore Nikki and senior Lexi — lead the Warriors in scoring at 14.4 and 14.2 ppg respectively.
Class 2A
Butler (30-6) has made history as the first Noble League team to advance to state in any sport.
It’s a family affair for the Lynx, whose top two scorers — junior Xamiya Walton (23.5 ppg) and freshman Xyanna Walton (15.3 ppg) — are the daughters of coach Xaver Walton.
If Butler beats Byron (33-2) in Thursday’s semifinals, it could get a chance to avenge its 63-60 November loss to Quincy Notre Dame (34-1) in the final.
