LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
The Mayo Middle School Lady Redbirds are no strangers to high stakes. For the second time in three years, they will be playing for an IESA state championship, but a perfect 26-0 record is also on the line this time around.
The team, coached by Adam Vilk, sailed through the opening rounds of the IESA Class 8-3A State Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 14 in Germantown Hills, dominating quarterfinal opponent LaGrange Highlands 49-8. In the tourney semifinals, the Lady Redbirds’ 1-3-1 zone defense clamped down on Washington Central, holding them to only seven points in the second half. The Redbirds walked away with a 39-19 win and a ticket to the championship game Thursday, Dec. 19. Mayo plays Eureka at 7:30 p.m. in Germantown Hills.
Saturday’s three-hour bus ride to the tourney did not bother the Lady Redbirds, Vilk said.
“They have been here before and were ready to go,” he noted.
Vilk praised the Mayo fans who made the long trip to the tourney – including a fan bus of rowdy students who supported the girls throughout both games. He noted he hopes to see a large fan base at Thursday’s title game, where Mayo will face a 21-2 Eureka team in hopes of winning a state championship and protecting their unblemished record.
“Eureka is only 15 minutes away, so you know they will have a huge crowd,” he said.
Eureka boasts size in the post, including a tall stretch forward.
Mayo 39, Washington Central 19
PEORIA—In the semifinal game Saturday, the Lady Redbirds got off to a slow start, trailing 5-4 at the end of the first quarter.
“We missed some layups and had fouls early,” Vilk said.
In the second quarter, Mayo outscored Washington Central 14-7, boosted by Ava Tarr, “who really came through for us,” according to Vilk.
Trailing by two points with 1:30 left in the half, Tarr hit a three from about six feet behind the arc on the left wing. She followed that with a steal before going coast-to-coast for a left-handed layup. Tarr grabbed another steal and Vilk called for one shot – which Tarr hit at the very end of the half to give Mayo an 18-12 lead heading into the locker room.
“It was an offensive gut punch for Washington Central,” Vilk said.
The Lady Redbirds dominated the Trojans in the second half. Mayo scored the first six points of the third quarter to go up 24-12, forcing a timeout by Washington Central. “Our 1-3-1 zone shut them down,” Vilk noted.
The Trojan guard who was the team’s primary shooter was stymied and did not get any clear looks.
Meanwhile, Vilk called upon Hellie Barrett to shut down the Trojans in the post, assisted by Leah Sanders, who checked into the game. Sanders scored six points, including four in the second half.
The Lady Redbirds outscored Washington Central 26-7 in the second half to take the win.
Sloan Vilk was the floor general for the Redbirds, netting two points but dishing out eight assists with no turnovers.
“She ran the show for us,” Vilk said. “She found the weak spots and got the ball to her teammates. She was efficient.”
Vilk emphasized every Redbird on the floor contributed to the win.
Adalee Morris, the team’s leading scorer, led the way for the Lady Redbirds with four baskets and a free throw for nine points. Tarr and Maddox Adams netted eight points, hitting two treys and a basket apiece. Barrett picked up six points for Mayo, as did Leah Sanders off the bench. Vilk rounded out the scoring, hitting two of four attempts from the charity stripe for two points.
“Everyone got minutes in the game,” Vilk said.
Mayo 41, LaGrange Highlands 8
PEORIA—Mayo’s state tournament quarterfinal game was never close. The Redbirds led 26-2 at halftime and everyone got an opportunity to play.
LaGrange is a new IESA basketball participant and entered the game 11-2.
Sloan Vilk led the scoring for Mayo with 14 points on four baskets, a trey and three of four free throws. Maddox Adams hit four three-pointers for 12 points. Adalee Morris netted eight points while Ava Tarr and Hellie Barrett rounded out the scoring with five and two, respectively.