Starting her third season as head coach, Lenae Fergerson likes how her Fenwick High School girls basketball varsity team is shaping up.
“I am really excited about this group of girls,” she said. “They’re competing hard and defending well. While we’re still finding our identity offensively, I always feel we have a chance as long as we defend.”
Like Fergerson, the players are feeling confident as games tip off this week.
“I feel that the first two weeks of practice have gone overall very well,” said junior Cammie Molis, entering her second varsity season. “We’ve been focused and have had high energy throughout every day.”
“Coach Ferg and the coaching staff continually push us to develop both individual skills and team chemistry,” added senior Kiera Kapsch, in her third varsity season. “There’s already been lots of improvement since the first day because everyone has shown up and given it their all at every practice.”
Fenwick, which went 9-22 last season, has eight returnees. Besides Kiera Kapsch and Molis, the Friars bring back juniors Heaven Lee and Darryelle Smith as well as seniors Claire Murphy, Catherine Quinn, Diamond Young, and Clare Kapsch, Kiera’s twin sister, who missed all of last season with an ACL injury.
Clare and Kiera’s older sister Grace, a top varsity player the last three seasons, is now attending the University of Notre Dame. Kiera admits it’s been an adjustment learning to play without her presence, but she adds Grace continues to help her development.
“She’s one of my biggest supporters and has shown me the way to be a leader like her,” Kapsch said. “I want to continue to bring the passion and high energy she brought to the team. Grace definitely helped me grow in my confidence and make me feel comfortable on the court.”
Fenwick’s top newcomers are junior guard Madison Zorovich, freshman guard Eleanor Gibson, and freshman forward Avani Williams. Other new players are junior centers Grace Masterson and Elissa Scholtens and junior guards Maddy Cox and Giavanna De La Torre.
Befitting their status as a longtime Chicago-area power, the Friars always play a challenging schedule. This year is no different as top non-conference highlights include a debut trip to the Chicago Elite Classic, where Fenwick meets Lane Tech; Kenwood in the Sha Hopson Memorial Classic; the New Trier Thanksgiving Tournament; and the Dundee-Crown Holiday Classic.
Fenwick will also face strong opponents within the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference, a league Fergerson calls “one of the toughest.”
“Each year the teams have talent and every game is a battle,” she said. “I anticipate our conference to be the same this year.”
Molis, whose father Derek starred at now-defunct Westchester St. Joseph and Loyola University Chicago, is one of the area’s best long-range shooters. But she says she wants to be a better all-around player this season.
“My goals individually are to keep my consistency with shooting and even advance it, but also to work on the other parts of my game,” she said. “As a team, I would hope to win more conference games.”
The Friars started 0-11 last season, and another slow start is something they want to avoid.
“We’re still young, but we remember what it was like,” Fergerson said. “We understand the importance of defending and competing consistently, and we have a goal to not repeat how we started last year.”
“I definitely would like to set the tone for the season with a win in our first home game,” Kiera Kapsch said. “Basketball is a long season, so maintaining focus and consistent growth will be important.”
Fenwick hosted Phillips on Nov. 19 (after press time) as part of the New Trier Thanksgiving Tournament. The Friars continue the tournament with games at Stevenson, Nov. 22 at 6:30 p.m., and New Trier, Nov. 23 at 11:30 a.m.