After spending the past two seasons in Class 4A, the Fenwick varsity girls basketball team is back in Class 3A. With nine returning players, including one of the top sophomores in Illinois, fourth-year head coach Lenae Fergerson likes how things are looking.
“I am very pleased with what I have seen,” Fergerson told Wednesday Journal. “I like the energy level and how hard we are competing against each other in practice. There’s a sense of urgency that I didn’t see last year with girls buying into what we need to do to have a successful season.”
Fenwick sophomore forward Avani Williams, rated fourth overall in the Class of 2028 by Prep Girls Hoops, agrees.
“I think we’re going to have a pretty good team this year,” she said. “Our chemistry is really high, and I’m ready.”
Williams, who averaged 9.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last season, is one of three returning starters from last season’s 14-18 squad, which lost to Lyons Township in a 4A regional final, along with and senior forwards Madison Zorovich and Cammie Molis, now in her third varsity season.
“We have a lot more energy,” said Molis, who averaged 9.4 points per game, “and it just feels like everyone wants to be there because we want to be better this season.”
Fenwick also brings back senior guards Gia Delatorre and Heaven Lee (another three- year varsity player) along with senior forwards Zoey Dray, Grace Masterson, Elissa Scholtens, and Madison Zorovich. Joining the Friars this season are junior guards Cynthia D’Alise, Isabella Esposito, Isabella Lefko, and Alex Purta, along with sophomore guard Eleanor Gibson and forward Lucy McAllister.
As always, Fenwick likes to challenge itself with a rigorous schedule that is designed to prepare the team for postseason play. The Friars opened the season at Phillips, Nov. 18 (after deadline), as part of the New Trier Thanksgiving Tournament. There’s a return trip to the Komarony Charger Classic at Dundee-Crown, Dec. 26-27 and 29-30, as well as non-conference games against defending Class 4A champion Kenwood, Taft, Willowbrook, and the annual East Avenue Showdown with Oak Park and River Forest, Jan. 27 – a game Fergerson says is always big.
Fenwick gets tested further within the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red. Montini Catholic won the Class 3A title last year, and Loyola Academy took fourth in 4A. DePaul Prep reached a 3A sectional final last year, and Trinity has won five consecutive regional titles.
“Our conference will be strong once again,” Fergerson said. “With schools adding talent via transfer, I think there will be some surprises, and it’s up for grabs where everyone will finish.”
Fenwick went winless last season in the GCAC Red and has just one win over the last three seasons. The Friars say that one of their goals this year is to become more competitive within the conference and get into the win column more often.
“I definitely want to win more conference games,” Molis said. “It’d mean a lot, considering this is [my] last year. I just want us to do the best we can. Individually, I just want to work on my defense.”
“As a team, our goal is to win a conference game, which last year we struggled a bit with. I’m really confident this year,” Williams said. “My goals this year, I want to work on watching a lot of film and just being a good teammate, knowing when to pick it up and be a leader for my team.”
