Marian Catholic girls’ basketball team concluded its season on Tuesday night after a challenging Super-Sectional matchup against St. Ignatius College Prep. Despite a determined effort in the second half, the Spartans were defeated 51-31 at Hinsdale South High School.
According to reports, Marian Catholic entered its fourth consecutive Super-Sectional appearance with a 28-8 record, following a five-game winning streak that included a 57-41 victory over Providence Catholic in the Regional Championship. St. Ignatius arrived with a 30-4 record, having secured a dominant 65-37 win over Perspectives Charter/Leadership in the previous round. The Wolfpack established control early with strong defensive play, limiting the Spartans' offensive rhythm.
Senior power forward Sally Kennedy made an impact by scoring a half-court three-pointer at the buzzer to send St. Ignatius into halftime with a commanding 30-13 lead. "Not much was going through my head, to be honest," Kennedy said of her buzzer-beater. "I just saw an opportunity and wanted to take it. Going into halftime, it was a great energy boost."
Kennedy and senior shooting forward Reganne Reardon led St. Ignatius at halftime with nine points each, while senior shooting guard Alainna Poisson paced Marian Catholic with seven first-half points.
The Spartans fought back in the second half with increased intensity and offensive urgency. Poisson led Marian Catholic with 11 points, while senior guard Gracie Jensen added five points in the third quarter. Despite their efforts, St. Ignatius maintained control and held a 42-20 lead heading into the final frame.
"Ignatius is a great team. They’re hard to play," Poisson said. "We needed more composure, not letting them rush us. Coming out harder on defense probably would’ve helped us a little bit more."
Marian Catholic continued to push in the fourth quarter but could not overcome the early deficit as St. Ignatius closed out the game with disciplined defense and timely scoring to secure victory.
"We pride ourselves on holding opponents to low scores and working on defense in practice," said Ignatius head coach Cara Doyle. "I was so impressed with how my kids bought in and did a great job tonight."
Despite the loss, Marian Catholic head coach Dan Murray reflected on his team’s sustained success and the legacy of his senior class: "For this senior class to reach this stage four years in a row and keep themselves positive through the ups and downs of a long season is incredible," Murray said.
With seniors Poisson, Jensen, Taylor Bolton, and Laparis Poe graduating, Marian Catholic will look for new leaders next season including sophomore shooting guard Abby Gustavson and junior shooting forward Ty Jackson.
"You’re losing four starters, four kids who have played an extreme amount of minutes over four years," Murray said. "We’ve got some nice potential with younger players, but they can’t rest on their laurels. The work starts now."
While the season didn’t end with a state appearance, Marian Catholic’s resilience and achievements over the past four years cement their status as one of Illinois's most consistent programs in girls’ basketball.