Megan Podkowa may be a junior, but she plays basketball like a well-seasoned athlete. The 6-foot-1 forward led the Trinity basketball team to a 58-39 clobbering of West Chicago last week, which secured Trinity’s ninth-straight regional championship.
Podkowa led all players with a double-double of 24 points and 13 rebounds in the Class 4A regional title game held at Sister Michelle Germanson Athletic Facility in River Forest.
After a slow start, the Blazers (27-4) jumped on a 25-3 run that carried over into the second quarter. By halftime, Trinity led by 23 points.
Taylor Nazon, who was playing at about 85 percent full strength due to an ankle injury, scored 13 points for the Blazers.
Alyssa Dengler held one of West Chicago’s main scorers, Allie Tapanes, scoreless in the game. In the semifinal of the regional, Tapanes scored 13 points to help lead West Chicago to a 50-46 win over York.
Trinity was scheduled to take on No. 2 seed Bartlett in the York Sectional on Tuesday night (after deadline). Bartlett defeated the Blazers 51-50 in the Naperville Thanksgiving Tournament back in November.
“The team is excited for the opportunity or challenge to play Bartlett [again],” said Trinity head coach Ed Stritzel after his Blazers downed West Chicago. “We’ll give it our best shot as we always do.”
A win over Bartlett could pit the Blazers against area-rival and No. 1 seed Fenwick in the York Sectional title game on Feb. 24 (7:30 p.m.). The last time the two teams met was in 2007 during the playoffs and the Friars won.
In the opening round of the River Forest Regional, Trinity cruised to a 71-36 win over Glenbard East. Podkowa also led in that win, scoring 22 points, hauling down 10 rebounds and pocketing six steals. Nazon scored 14 points, while Alyssa Dengler added 13 and Vickie Harris 10.
