AN A-PLUS FOR ALEXIS
Mayer ramps up ‘intensity’ as Mother McAuley earns regional title
If Mother McAuley senior Alexis Mayer didn’t have the best first quarter of her career Thursday night, it was certainly her most important.
The 5-foot-3 guard provided a contagious spark that the host Mighty Macs rode to a 51-32 victory over Sandburg in a Class 4A Mother McAuley regional championship game.
Mayer opened the game with a 3-pointer on an assist from Jenna Badali. Badali, an excellent 3-point shooter, gave up her own opportunity.
“I was just trying to get from a good shot to a better shot,” Badali said. “‘Lex’ knocked a few of them down early before in a game.
“That just set the tempo, and everyone fed off of it. I’m really proud of how she came out to play.”
Mayer finished the first quarter with 10 points, and had a big hand in McAuley rallying from an 8-3 deficit. She finished with 12 points and four rebounds, while Badali scored 28 points for the Mighty
Macs (22-11).
An option off the bench last season, Mayer embraced her opportunity to be a senior starter.
“I knew it would be my last season and I wanted to come out strong with everything I’ve got,” Mayer said. “We work hard in practice and it transfers over into our games.”
For Mayer, it transferred in a big way Thursday.
“She comes out every game with that intensity,” Badali said with a smile. “This time it was just obvious.”
When St. Laurence opened its doors to freshman girls in the fall of 2018, Rylie Galvin was eager to be a part of history.
She also wanted to do something different than the rest of the girls in her graduating class from St. Catherine in Oak Lawn.
“Everyone else was going to the schools down the block from where we lived,” Galvin said. “This was new. I went away from the usual, everyday thing. It was exciting.”
Galvin not only made the varsity
First class:
as a freshman point guard, but she earned MVP honors.
As a sophomore, Galvin averaged 10.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists for the Vikings (16-17), who lost in a Class 3A regional final Thursday.
St. Laurence coach George Shimko said Galvin is continuing to grow as a team leader.
“Last season she was put under a lot of pressure for being a young kid and did a nice job,” Shimko said. “Rylie is mentally tough and sees the floor really well. This season, she became more assertive in communicating with the players on the floor.”
For Andrew sophomore Katie DeHaan, Monday’s 40-37 victory over host Shepard in a Class 4A regional opener meant more than a chance to play one more game.
“This win was amazing,” DeHaan said. “It was one of the best moments of my year. We’ve been working so hard, and we’ve been wanting this win so bad after losing.”
DeHaan, a 5-8 forward, did her share, scoring 19 points. She converted the game-winning layup with 45 seconds remaining.
The Thunderbolts (4-27) had their season end Wednesday in a regional semifinal loss to Marist.
Monday’s win was a long time coming. Andrew broke a 20-game losing streak that dated back to Dec. 16.
According to DeHaan, it was a tough path made easier by a sense of togetherness that was instilled by coach Bobby Matz.
“I feel like every single girl on this team maintained a positive attitude,” DeHaan said. “We were always there for each other.
“Our coach was amazing. He’s one of the most motivational and positive coaches I’ve ever had in my career. He kept us happy.”