This season, the girls’ basketball team lived by a simple motto: “Rent is due.” Head coach Stephan Bolt used this motto to demonstrate to his players that success requires you to maximize every day. With hopes of qualifying for the Final Four, the Lady Trojans paid their way this season.
The Lady Trojans finished 28-3, tying the program win record set in the 2019-2020 season. The girls’ also won conference (11-1) for the first time since 2014.
“This season I wanted our team to improve from last year and focus on the goal of improving as individuals,” senior Kaitlyn Parker said. “As a team, we work hard and our practices are always competitive, even if it is a short practice we make sure to focus and make the best of our time.”
In early December, the girls beat number one ranked Nazareth Academy Dec. 2 in the Fremd Chicagoland Showcase, beating the defending state champions by ten. Later that month, The girls went on to take third place at the Bill Neibsch Falcon Classic Holiday Tournament.
“This team is just different, anyone will tell you that. We are here for each other all the time and are such a close-knit group. We have something that a lot of teams don’t,” sophomore Ady Fanta said.
On the court, the team is led by seniors Kaitlyn Parker and Hope Sebek, and although the two seniors lead the team in scoring, the Lady Trojans have a unique group of underclassmen who have stepped up this season.
“The underclassmen have made a huge impact on the team,” senior Annie Stephens said. “They constantly challenge each other while bringing in new skills. They are a lot of fun to be around and will continue to do great things in the future.”
After wrapping up a successful regular season, the Lady Trojans are looking forward to making noise in the playoffs.
“As we start the playoffs, we want to take one game at a time and not overlook any opponent. Our goal is to peak at the right time, and be at our best when the season is on the line,” Bolt said.
DGN will host IHSA Regionals this year and the team will take on the Plainfield East Bengals February 13 in their first playoff game.
