Libertyville’s Elinor Lindal anticipated watching most of the Class 4A McHenry Sectional championship game from the bench.
Much like she did during the postseason last year.
“I got moved up for the playoffs,” Lindal said. “I just wanted to play really bad. It looked like so much fun. I remember seeing the team chemistry and wanted to be a part of it.”
The 5-foot-9 junior guard got her wish Thursday. When standout senior guard Kate Rule picked up her third foul late in the first quarter against Rockton Hononegah, Lindal entered the game. At the time, the Wildcats trailed by four points.
Lindal said she wasn’t prepared for the magnitude of the moment.
“I was really nervous, and I didn’t want to screw anything up,” she said. “But I had a lot of energy because I really, really wanted to win this game.”
Lindal saved her best for the Wildcats’ most important game so far this season. She hit two 3-pointers and scored all eight of her points during the decisive second quarter as Libertyville rallied to beat Hononegah 51-35 and win its first sectional title since 1994.
Freshman guard Lily Fisher played beyond her years, recording 13 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block while handling the ball for most of the game. Senior guard Rachel Rule added 13 points and four assists, and junior center Madison Sears had seven points and 10 rebounds.
The Wildcats (30-5) get the rare opportunity to play at home in the Libertyville Supersectional against Loyola (35-0) at 7 p.m. Monday.
Libertyville coach Greg Pedersen, who said the 30th win is a single-season program record, praised Lindal for stepping up during a critical point in the game. Hononegah (30-5) hit four of its first six 3-point shots to take a 17-11 lead. But Lindal immediately gave the Wildcats a lift after entering with 2.6 seconds left in the first quarter, taking advantage of her opportunity while Kate Rule sat out the rest of the first half.
“Elinor came in and started hitting threes and was a huge boost off the bench,” Pedersen said. “In the biggest moment, Elinor shined.
“She’s an energizer bunny. When she comes in, you have to be ready for her energy and speed. That’s a dangerous thing when she plays like she did tonight.”
Lindal said it took her a few minutes to adjust to the tempo of the game. She passed up a wide-open 3-point shot in the opening minutes of the second quarter. But she made her next three shots, including two 3-pointers, to ignite a 15-2 run that staked Libertyville to a 29-22 lead.
“I just had to get warmed up and into it first,” Lindal said. “Usually, I play defense and try to get energized, and my offense will come to me. I like to take it slow usually. Everyone was screaming. … It felt awesome, and then to look at the scoreboard and we were up, it was awesome.”
Lindal’s height, lateral quickness and long wingspan bothered Hononegah’s 5-foot-4 senior guard, Olivia Robinson, and effectively slowed down its offense.
“I’m mainly a defensive player,” Lindal said. “That’s where I’m comfortable. So when I go out there, my goal is to keep my player contained and stay with her. That’s what I was trying to do against her.”
Late in the second quarter, after playing almost eight minutes, Lindal tugged at her jersey to let her coaches know she was tired and wanted to be taken out — to no avail.
“I didn’t want to make any more mistakes,” she said. “I was a little gassed. I was locked in. I didn’t even look at the time.”
Kate Rule said she was proud to see Lindal spark the Wildcats’ comeback.
“When I went out, Elinor brought so much energy to the floor,” Kate Rule said. “She did exactly what she was supposed to do on defense. She played really tough and aggressive.”
On the offensive end, the 6-1 Fisher, who is the younger sister of Maryland freshman Emily Fisher, made a point to look for Lindal to help to find gaps in Honenegah’s 1-2-2 zone defense.
“She’s really stepped up as a player for us and is doing a lot and making her shots, getting us points when needed and playing well, especially on defense, and giving us really good minutes,” Fisher said about Lindal. “I have a good connection with her. We like playing with each other, probably because it’s easy to see each other on the court.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.
