By Dennis Bowling
Manteno Coach Bethany Stritar will have to wait until next season to be successful in the second round of the post season tournament. The Panthers played an outstanding game, but they just ran out of time on February 13.
Panther senior Drew Hosselton, an outstanding forward, led with 11 points and hauled down four rebounds, as Class 2A powerhouse Fieldcrest beat Manteno, 77-36, in the Class 2A Wilmington regional semi-final contest in Wilmington.
Coach Stritar (15-13) had some positive comments about the Panthers play and senior leader Hosselton, “I am just so proud of the way we played. We were just outmatched. That was the best game of Drew’s season – she played like it was her last game.”
Hosselton, a three-sport star, reflected on the final game of her basketball career at Manteno, “It was a great game, we kept playing hard, and didn’t give up. Katherine (Gaffney) always plays so hard all the time and really cares a great deal, while Kylie (Saathoff) always is getting rebounds.”
Stritar, who enjoyed having senior Katherine Gaffney (6 points, 2 rebounds) on the squad, said, “Katherine could have shut it down early due to foul trouble, but she came out in the second half of the game, kept playing, and did very well. Kylie (Saathoff), who added a basket and 5 rebounds, provided great leadership and strong rebounding, while helping us stay positive. These seniors will always remember they finished with a winning record.”
Gaffney, a senior, felt they gave a great effort against Fieldcrest, “We just put it all out there. Drew always comes through for us, while Kylie is very strong around the basket.”
Sara Schmidt, a junior, who registered eight points and five rebounds, noted, “It was kind of sad to lose this game. Everyone is OK, and we played our best. Drew always plays hard, plus Kylie and I always play well together. We also have a pretty good junior varsity team. We should do just fine next year.”
The Manteno junior varsity finished with a 16-5 overall mark. The very talented returning players for next season include juniors Sara Schmidt and Sydney Sosnowski, plus sophomores Macy Iwanus and Ava Peterson, among others. Keep an eye on freshman Emily Horath, who has a bright future with the Panthers.
Manteno eighth graders, who will be Panther freshman next fall, finished with an impressive 22-5 mark. They were regional champs, sectional champions, fourth place in state, Kan-Will Conference regular season champs, and Kan-Will Tournament champions. Upcoming players to watch are Maddie Geskey, Danika Fletcher, and Adalyn Akiyama.
The Manteno Panthers girl varsity basketball program has a very bright future, and Coach Stritar is very excited about that fact. They will be a very competitive team.