The Naperville Central and Benet Academy Boys Basketball teams along with the Warrior Hockey Club were all competing in playoff games before the COVID-19 virus cancelled them. Now, the three different program’s seasons are over. In this Team Profile, we check in on all of three teams, presented by Molly Maids of the Aurora Naperville Area.
COVID-19 Cancellations
With the cancelation of all remaining winter sports by the Illinois High School Association, three promising playoff runs came to an abrupt end – that’s the focus of this team profile, or profiles… presented by Molly Maids of the Aurora Naperville Area.
On March 12th, the IHSA announced the cancelation of all remaining winter sports – including boy’s basketball. In addition, the Blackhawk Cup was also canceled. While the impact is more wide reaching than a basketball or hockey tournament, we want to discuss the seasons abruptly cut short by COVID-19 – The Naperville Central and Benet Academy Boys Basketball teams, and the Warrior Hockey Club.
Naperville Central Boys Basketball
Starting with the Redhawks – led by seniors Cam Dougherty and Chris Conway, the red and white rampaged their way through the regular season, locking in a three seed in the 4A Addison Trial Sectional. After disposing of Bartlett in the opening game, Central was tasked with trying to beat archrival Naperville North for a third time in the same season. Winning its first regional title since 2009, Naperville Central prevailed 45-32 for the right to meet Glenbard East in the following round. While the Rams put up a fight, the Redhawks earn the critical buckets late to earn a bid into the sectional final. With Lake Park awaiting, the decision came down, leaving the Redhawks without a chance at its best finish in 15 years.
Benet Academy Boys Basketball
Moving on to the Benet Redwings, which followed a similar script. While Naperville Central finished 23-10, BA wound up 23-9. The Redwings ended the regular season in a tie for third in the East Suburban Catholic League behind Marian and Notre Dame. Hitting the 3A playoffs as the three seed in the Hinsdale South sectional, Benet beat Vocational and De La Salle in its first two games by a combined 30 points. Then came time to take on Hinsdale South in the sectional semi-finals on March 11th. But after fears of a student from Hinsdale South may have contracted Coronavirus, the game was postponed until the following night. Then, with 45 minutes until tip off, the game was canceled – leaving Benet stuck in the sectional semi-finals.
Warriors Hockey Club
Our last team is the Warrior hockey club. With a run of championships that would make any other program green with envy. With a chance at repeating as Blackhawk Cup Champions, the Warriors were once again rolling towards the championship game. After losing to Maine in the Illinois West Championship game – the two teams were joined by Glenbard and Lincoln Way as the final four teams in state. With a date on the schedule with Lincoln Way. Zach Pierce, Justin Howard, Tony Campise and the rest of the seniors have played their final game in green and yellow threads, going out of style without even knowing it with an overtime thriller, beating the Kings 3-2.
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