By Mark Gregory
Editorial Director
@Hear_The_Beard
mark@buglenewspapers.com
BLOOMINGTON — Benet Academy was openly disappointed Saturday night after a 49-39 loss to Rockton Hononegah in the IHSA Class 4A third-place game at Redbird Arena on the campus of Illinois State University.
Senior Clara Prasse, after playing the final game of her basketball career, put it all in perspective.
“We all wanted (to win) state and we didn’t get it. Then we wanted third, but fourth in the state is something to be proud of,” Prasse said. “We are not ecstatic right now, but in the long run, not many teams get to come down here and I wouldn’t have wanted to come down here with any other team. This is something to be proud of.”
In the third-place game, Benet got out to a 12-0 run to open the game, but after cutting the lead to 14-3 with 7 minutes, 26 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Hononegah used a 14-0 run of its own that gave it a lead.
“We had a really good run in the beginning and then we kind of lost it for a little bit,” said junior Brooke Schramek, who led Benet with 17 points on the night.
“They kept rebounding and we kept turning it over and they came back and got the lead and we lost the lead and it was hard to come back from that.”
For Benet coach Joe Kilbride, the place didn’t matter as much as how the team played and he felt like at least in the beginning, the Redwings played more like themselves.
With names like Prasse and Schrakek on the team — players who had sisters win state championships — Kilbride said the expectations may have been too much.
“I think our girls are a victim of expectations — theirs, their parents, the rest of the world — because we won it before, there is a notion we are going to be perfect every game.
“We were here four years ago and Lauren and Clara were freshmen on that team and we have been battling our way back every since and we made it this year much thanks to their senior leadership. I think every coach in the state will tell you that your seniors kind of create your culture and define what your team is going to be about and our four seniors this year did a great job of bringing us together and keeping us focused on what we had to do and getting us here.”
When the dust settled after the game, it didn’t take long for the postgame press conference to move from the loss to Hononegah to the future.
While Benet graduates senior starters Prasse, Stack and Ashley Konkle along with classmate Kaley Liszka, the Redwings return a lot starting with a pair of junior members of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State second team in Schramek and Kendall Holmes. Holmes is also a member of the Associated Press All-State second team as well, while Schramek was honorable mention.
They are joined by the likes of Molly Sheehan, Morgan Demos, Lindsey Rogers and Kendall Moriarty, all of who gained experience this season.
“Just being down here, we have experience,” Schramek said. “If we get down here next year, we know what it feels like to lose and I know we are nopt going to want to feel this again because no one is happy right now.”
The seniors have all the confidence in what the team can do next year.
“Kendall Holmes and Brooke Schramek are two of the best players that I have ever played with and they are going to lead the team,” Prasse said. “I hope I get to see them on the first place podium next year.”
Konkle agreed.
“We are leaving this in the hands of Brooke and Kendall Holmes and there is so much potential on this team,” she said. “I hope that they learned to have fun and take losses and know its OK to lose. I am looking forward to watching them, they have a lot in store.”
For Kilbride, the place is not what he will remember when he thinks back on this year’s Redwings.
“This group did tremendous things,” he said. “They are outstanding young women and outstanding players and this team holds a special place in my heart and will forever.”