Girls’ regionals at a glance
At Princeton (2A)
Team(s) to beat: Bureau Valley (18-8), St. Bede (22-7).
Pairings: Monday — Game 1, (4) Princeton (9-17) vs. (5) Spring Valley Hall (7-21), 7:30 p.m. Tuesday — Game 2, (1) Bureau Valley vs. winner game 1, 6 p.m. Game 3, (2) St. Bede vs. (3) Mendota (15-11), 8 p.m. Thursday — Title, winner games 2-3, 7:30 p.m.
BCR insider: The Storm gained the top seed, but have cooled off of late, dropping four straight after beating Sterling Newman Jan. 23 before winning at Fulton Thursday. No. 2 St. Bede beat the Storm on their home court and will be primed for another shot. BV has the talent with bigs Melanie Thompson and Lauren Hasbrook, and sharp-shooter Courtney Doty, it just needs a kick-start. BV is 3-0 against Princeton (2-0) and Hall (1-0), one of whom it will face in the semifinals. ... Tom McGunnigal’s Lady Bruins have posted another 20-win season, despite losing top gun Ashley Pearson to a season-ending foot surgery. The Lady Bruins are unbeaten (4-0) against the regional field. St. Bede was top-seeded in the Tri-County Conference Tournament, but was knocked off by Ottawa Marquette in the finals. The Lady Bruins will need to come out to play every night to avoid another disappointment. ... NCIC and county rivals Princeton and Hall have taken shots at one another this season, splitting their two conference meetings, the visiting team winning both times. The rubber game of their series in the regional opener is anybody’s ballgame.
Next: Regional winner goes to the Winnebago Sectional to face the winner of the Byron Regional at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15. Stillman Valley is the top seed. Other regional feeds come from Port Byron Riverdale and Oregon.
Last year’s finals: St. Bede 39, Amboy 36; Rockford Christian 47, Mendota 41.
BCR Pick: St. Bede over Bureau Valley.
At Serena (1A)
Team to beat: 1 Newark (19-5).
Watch out for: 2 Ottawa Marquette (22-5).
Pairings: Monday — Game 1, (4) Somonauk (11-15) vs. (5) Earlville/Leland (5-13), 6 p.m. Game 2, (3) Serena (12-12) vs. (6) LaMoille/Ohio (4-21), 8 p.m.Tuesday — Game 3, (1) Newark vs. winner game 1, 6 p.m. Game 4, (2) Ottawa Marquette vs. winner game 2, 8 p.m. Thursday — Title, winners games 3-4, 7:30 p.m.
BCR insider: Newark leads the Little Ten Conference and ready for another postseason run. The Norsemen played eventual 1A champ Hinckley-Big Rock to a one-point sectional finals loss a year ago. Marquette knocked off St. Bede in the Tri-County Conference tournament finals. ... LaMoille/Ohio has had a little better luck lately, playing the softer portion of its schedule after a tough run in the Little Ten.
Next: Regional winner goes to the Mooseheart Sectional to face the winner of the Shabbona Regional at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 16.
Last year’s finals: Newark 52, Serena 21.
At Stark County (1A)
Team to beat: 1 Annawan (19-8).
Watch out for: 2 Stark County (15-11).
Pairings: Monday — Game 1, (4) Henry-Senachwine (8-15) vs. (5) Putnam County (2-23), 6 p.m. Game 2, (3) Kewanee Wethersfield vs. (6) DePue (0-10), 8 p.m. Tuesday — Game 3, (1) Annawan vs. winner game 1, 6 p.m. Game 4 - (2) Stark County vs. winner game 2, 8 p.m. Thursday — Title, winners games 3-4, 7:30 p.m.
BCR insider: The Bravettes have some unfinished business after taking a No. 1 state ranking into the postseason a year ago and falling to Stark County in the regional finals. They are loaded, once again, with the likes of the AHS all-time leading scorer, Kelly Buresh.
Next: Regional winner goes to the Abingdon Sectional to face the winner of the Midland Regional at 8:10 p.m. Feb. 16.
Last year’s finals: Stark County 50, Annawan 45.
– Kevin Hieronymus
