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I remember reading a book by Vince Lombardi, the long time Green Bay Packers football coach. In the book he made the statement that, “individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a society work, a civiliza-tion work.” In my mind, that statement perfectly describes the 2012-2013 girls basketball team.

The girls basketball team set goals that have not been previously attainted at Rolling Meadows High School. This team set out to win a sectional, a super-sectional, and to head down state to compete for a state championship. If you set a goal that is easily attainable, that does not require much work, or that does not require much desire and or passion, you have a goal that is below your true potential and skill lev-el. This team did the opposite. They demanded the very best of themselves, wrote down challenging goals they aspired to reach, practiced each day with discipline to detail, and left

everything they had out on the floor at the end of each game.Thank you so much for the exciting season! I, like so

many, enjoyed watching the team compete. The school spirit of the students, staff, and community members at the Re-gional, Section, and IHSA State Series games was impressive and filled with Mustang Pride. It will always be a season to remember. Thank you Alexis, Ashley, Jackie, Jenny, Sami, Allie, Morgan, Chloe, Elizabeth, Megan, Nora, Katie, Hannah, Coach Kirkorsky, and Coach Nichols for the terrific season.

Congratulations on nourishing, protecting, and reaching your dreams as MSL East Champions, Regional Champions, Sectional Champions, Super-Sectional Champions, and to finish second in the state in the IHSA Class 4A State Tourna-ment.

-Eileen Hart, Principal

A SEASON TO REMEMBERTrip to state championship highlights

historic girls basketball season

CELEBRATE: Principal Eileen Hart and School Board member William Dussling hoist the second place trophy during Monday’s assembly.

Principal: Team set goals and met challenges

Liam Brady Editor-in-Chief

Mid-Suburban League East Champs. Regional Champs. Sec-tional Champs. Super-Sectional Champs. State Runner-Up.

This year, the girls basketball team undeniably put together the best season in the program’s history, and despite losing to Marian Catholic High School in the State Championship Game on a last second shot, the future looks promising for the squad.

Nine of 10 players on this year’s regular season roster are juniors (including all five starters), and it was Head Coach Ryan Kirkorsky’s first year coaching at Meadows. With a season un-der their belts, the group hopes to be back at the state tourna-ment next year, this time with the first place trophy.

“For next year as a goal, absolutely it’s to win state, and I

believe we can do it,” junior Alexis Glasgow said.Kirkorsky has the same high expectations for the record

breaking team.“Our kids are pretty self-motivated and they really have the

expectations for themselves,” Kirkorsky said. “We will run our summer camps and do some offseason conditioning things, but it’s really the kids that are juniors now, that will be seniors, that will be the driving force in terms of what we do and how hard we work and having that mindset for the younger kids in our program as well.”

Juniors Glasgow, Jackie Kemph, Ashley Montanez, Katie Shewmon, Elizabeth Vasilogambros and Jenny Vliet will also continue playing in tournaments sponsored by the American Athletic Union (AAU).

“AAU helps us keep in shape and work with trainers, also

AAU is a different kind of game. You play with a ton of great players and the competition is very tough. Also, it’s a great time for college coaches to see us,” Jackie said.

The players know the offseason work will be essential to stay at the top. In the final area rankings by the Daily Herald, Mead-ows was the number one team, and it is certain that other teams will go into next season with the goal of knocking them off.

“Being top ranked I think that’s just going to fuel us even more because everyone is going to be wanting to beat us, and I think that is just going to make us want to win even more,” Vliet said.

-Additional reporting by Allison Brand

FINISHING STRONG: The 2012-2013 girls varsity basketball team is shown with its second place trophy last Saturday at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena. The team finished with a record of 30-4, with most players returning next year.Pacer/Allison Brand

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Rolling Meadows High School 2901 Central Rd., Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 March 8, 2013 Volume 42 Special Edition

Special Edition

Pacer/Allison Brand

Q. What are your thoughts on the Championship game as a whole?

A. It’s definitely heartbreaking to get to that point and not be able to close it out, but after you’ve had a day to sit back and reflect, you also have to recognize how amazing of a season it was and what we really accomplished.

Q. What were the team’s biggest weaknesses?

A. It was hard only having one senior this year. We had three junior captains, but I think ultimately when we get down the stretch at halftime in the championship game you’re in the locker room and your down by eight points, we always talk to our kids about how you have to give your insight about what needs to be done and the most of the kids give their opinions.

Q. With this being your first year as a coach, did you ever expect the team to go this far?

A. When we started the season we said one of our goals was to get to state and win state. I think you have to set your expectations at that level, but as you’re working to achieve that it is still a dream as you make your way to the state finals.

Q. What are your goals for next year?

A. I was asked this a few times and I really just want to spend some time celebrating the season that we had with the kids and really celebrating [Senior] Morgan [Keller’s] career. We have a lot of kids who will be playing spring sports and doing other activities. Let them enjoy those experiences and when it’s time for summer and time to refocus for basketball camps, we can start thinking about that.

A Season to Remember2

Meet the startersThis year’s varsity lineup loaded with honors and talent

Captain KirkThe Pacer’s Joe Salvato sits down with Coach Ryan Kirkorsky to discuss the team’s success and future goals

COACH K: Head Coach Ryan Kirkorsky coaches the Mustangs to their 61-44 victory against the Huntley Red Raiders in the State Semifinal game. This is Kirkorsky’s first year both coaching and teaching at Rolling Meadows.

Alexis Glasgow

Awards: First Team Associated Press all-state, Second Team IBCA All State, Sun Times Special Mention all-area, Second Place in Country Financial Three Point Showdown, Daily Herald all-area, all-conferencePoints per game: 17.1

Sami Kay

Points per game: 2.4Assists per game: 1.2Steals per game: .6Free throw percentage: 52%Rebounds per game: 2Rebounds on offense: 22Rebounds on defense: 45Percentage of shots: 28%Season points: 80

Ashley Montanez

Awards: Daily Herald all-area Special MentionPoints per game: 6.7Assists per game: .7Steals per game: 1.2Free throw percentage: 67%Rebounds per game: 5Rebounds on defense: 99Percentage of shots: 48%

Jackie Kemph

Awards: First Team IBCA all-state, Second Team Associated Press all-state, Nominated for Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year, Sun Times all-area, Daily Herald all-area Honorary Captain, all-confernece Points per game: 18.9Assists per game: 7.5

Jenny Vliet

Awards: Special Mention IBCA all-area, Daily Herald all-area, all-conferencePoints per game:10.3Assists per game: 1.6Steals per game: 1.5Free throw percentage: 67%Rebounds per game: 8.2Rebounds on defense: 170

Q. What were your biggest strengths as a team?

A. We have great players and a lot of them played together for a long time. They’re building to make each other better.

Q. What are the team’s plans for the offseason?

A. We will have our summer camp and play in a few summer leagues and go to some team camps. We will probably have offseason team shooting and weight lifting sessions.

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-Photos and photo illustrations by Allison Brand and Sara Schoen

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Scenes from StateAll photos by Sara Schoen and Allison Brand

Special Edition

CHAMPIONSHIP: The Mustangs play their final two games at the ISU Redbird Arena, supported by a strong fan base in the Stampede and the mascot Milo the Mustang. Players watch nervously from the bench during the final game against Marion Catholic.

Seth BachmanSports Editor

As young as the girls basketball team was, one player provided the senior leadership that helped spark this team’s playoff run.

Senior Morgan Keller, a four-year center, has been through the thick and thin with Meadows basketball.

“It really wasn’t that big of a deal. I almost felt like a junior a lot of the time because that’s all there ever was and that’s all I really heard about,” she said.

In her last year as a Mustang, Keller was giv-en the chance to play with a new coach and also one last chance to make a championship run.

“To actually be in the championship- it really didn’t hit me until later that night when I was trying to sleep. It was great. It was a close game, and I couldn’t ask for much more than how we played,” Keller said.

Friday’s win against Huntley was another memorable part of her incredible final season.

“I was really speechless, especially when we won Friday,” Keller said. “I had this nagging feel-ing we were going to win but then there’s also that voice in the back of your head that kind of says don’t get overconfident because there’s still a chance we could lose.”

Keller spent most of last season on the bench with an injury that sidelined her for nearly two months. She had the chance to watch a young team play and continue to improve into this year’s record breaking season.

However, this year Keller was a key player, subbing in and out of games and dominating on the both ends of the floor.

With Keller as the only graduating senior, she wishes her teammates good luck with their final season.

“They better get back to state. I want to come and watch them again. I want them to go even farther and get payback,” Keller said.

- Additional reporting by Brittney Frazier and Allie Petrick

Senior sendoffMorgan Keller looks back on four years of Mustang basketball

DOWN LOW: Senior Morgan Keller battles for the ball against a player from Marion Catholic in the state championship game at Redbird Arena.

Road to StateRegional Championship

In the Regional Championship, Rolling Meadows handled Hersey High School for the third time of the season in a Regional victory 53-37.

Meadows was able to pull ahead in the first quarter and did not give any ground in their second state playoff win.

Sectional Championship With a win over Fremd 59-50, Meadows avenged their MSL championship loss. The Mustangs’ suffocating defense prevented Fremd from ever obtaining a lead and sparked offensive play

on the other end of the court. Once again proving her leadership, junior point guard Jackie Kemph exploded in the first half for 14 points and went on to a game-high of 20.

Super-Sectional The Mustangs beat Evanston 54-31 in the Niles West Supersectional. It was a balanced offensive effort from the Mustangs with junior Jenny Vliet leading all

scorers with 14 points.Jackie and junior Alexis Glasgow finished with 11 and 12 points respectively. The Mustangs battled defensively, forcing 17 Evanston turnovers.

State SemifinalsRolling Meadows

played Huntley High School in the State Semifinals at Redbird Arena in Bloomington, Ill.

Meadows took a lead and did not give it back up. They were able to get the first state tournament victory in school

history. Meadows wrapped up

Huntley and secured the victory 66-41.

This victory advanced them to the championship round where they would battle for the state title.

State Championship With 25 seconds left in the class 4A State Championship, Vliet made a layup to give the team a 47-46 lead over Marian Catholic High School. Marian drove down the court, took a shot, missed, grabbed a rebound and

missed again. As the seconds ticked away, Marian scrambled for the ball, recovered it and hoisted up a final shot with a second left on the clock. It was nothing but net. Marian Catholic won 48-47.

STATE SUPERSTARS: Junior Jackie Kemph backs down a Huntley guard in the State Semifinals. Meadows captured the win 66-41 in the team’s first state appearance.

Longtime teammates

A recap of the girls basketball team’s run to the state finals

Mayoral message

A Season to Remember

BACK IN THE DAY: Some Mustangs have been playing together for many years through Rolling Meadows feeder and other orga-nizations. From left to right, juniors Elizabeth Vasilogamloros, Sami Kay, Jackie Kemph, Katie Shewman, Alexis Glasgow, Chloe Prodanavic, Jenny Vliet and Allie Kemph pose for a team picture while playing for the Junior Mustangs feeder.

- compiled by Seth Bachman

Players reflect on theirmany years of friendshipSeth BachmanSports Editor Some fans might be a little surprised by the team chemistry and drive that the Rolling Meadows girls basketball team has put together this year. What some people don’t know is that many of the girls have in fact been playing to-gether for some time. The juniors on this year’s team, with the exception of Ashley Montanez, have been together throughout the feeder program, Arlington

Heights Youth Athletic Asso-ciation and American Athletic Union. “We did great in feeder and I think we were excited to get to keep playing together,” junior Allie Kemph said. The team’s history has been a valuable asset this sea-son. “We’ve been playing to-gether since fourth or fifth grade and it helps us to be better teammates. We’re able to easily communicate on the court and support each other as friends on and off the court,” junior Chloe Prodanovic said. This group of girls has be-come much stronger than just a team. “We’re all friends and we have a lot of fun playing bas-ketball. I think it helps that

we all motivate each other and we want to win for our teammates,” Allie said. Driven by the need to win, they will not settle for this year’s second place finish. “I think the team is so awe-some because we have great girls who all care about each other and want to win it for each other. Everyone works really hard and has a great at-titude towards practicing and getting better,” junior Jackie Kemph said. The season has wrapped up for the Mustangs, but sim-ilar to years past, the same group of girls enter the offsea-son together in preparation for their senior year.

- Additional reporting by Julia Dacy and Allison Brand

Photo Courtesy of Sarah Ott

Pacer/Allison Brand

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