12/14 – 12/15/13
sports
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
Ridin’ high
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Czyzynski has lofty goals for this talent-laden New Trier squad ■ by bill mclean
sports@northshoreweekend.com Alexa Czyzynski needed a ride after a huge girls basketball victory last weekend. The New Trier High School senior guard spotted teammate Jeannie Boehm on Dec. 7. Perfect. Boehm would give Lex a lift. And Boehm did just that, shortly after New Trier’s 73-64 defeat of host Evanston in a matchup of undefeated teams. Boehm’s mode of transportation? Boehm. The 5-foot-6 Czyzynski had joyously jumped on the back of the 6-foot-3 sophomore, right there on the court amid teammates celebrating conventionally. She rode piggyback, one smiling Trevian hanging on to another. “I knew it was Alexa,” Boehm recalled. “Only Alexa.” Czyzynski bobbed well above the Wildkits’ home floor. Boehm, meanwhile, secured the Trevians’ valuable cargo and traveled — without having to worry about a ref’s whistle. “She was excited. I was excited,” Boehm said. “How sweet the win was … that’s what Alexa kept talking about up there.” New Trier (8-0, 2-0) needed Czyzynski’s words — and actions — throughout a game that had a playoff vibe, particularly when Evanston (7-1, 1-1) cut New Trier’s lead to 68-64 at 1:47 of the fourth quarter. NT had enjoyed a 20-7 advantage after one quarter and a 63-48 cushion at 3:59 of the fourth quarter. “Lex was calm out there when things got crazy,” New Trier coach Teri Rodgers said, referring to Evanston’s stirring 24-point fourth quarter. “She stayed positive. She showed her mental toughness. “Her leadership,” the coach added, “is a balanced kind. She gives us that emotional energy when we need it. She also knows when it’s important to be intense and focused.” Czyzynski scored eight of her 12 points in the second quarter, including a pair of treys. The Winnetka resident hit all four of her free throws in the fourth quarter. “Before the game, in our locker room, we emphasized the importance of winning as a team,” Czyzynski said. “Our energy would come from ourselves and nobody else’s. “We were confident. We supported each other. Everybody
contributed.” Czyzynski is averaging nine points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals. She is shooting 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point real estate and a coach’s-dream 95 percent from the free-throw line. “Alexa is so unselfish,” Boehm said after her 16-point, 15-rebound, five-block effort against Evanston. “She’s a true point guard, a strong leader … a natural leader. She is the energy of our team.” Czyzynski appreciated what senior hoopsters did for her in past seasons. They dished advice. They encouraged her. They communicated, “Follow me.” Verbally and nonverbally. “Seniors kept me calm and assured me everything would be OK,” she recalled. “That meant a lot. I realized [after last season] that I wanted to be the best leader possible my senior season. “I then did my best to develop leadership skills at summer camp sessions and at our [preseason] overnight lock-in.” Czyzynski is in her final season of organized basketball. Basketball will be a fun diversion for her in college, not a commitment. That means she intends to make the most of her final months during games that count. “I love being a part of such an amazing team,” said Czyzynski, who, like Boehm, was named to the all-tournament team at last month’s New Trier Thanksgiving Tourney (won by NT, with a 5-0 mark). “Coach Rodgers has given me an amazing opportunity to become a leader on the court. I thank her every day for that. I cherish every moment with my teammates.” Notable: Sophomore guard/forward Kathryn Pedi scored 16 points, and senior guard Isabella Bosco tossed in 12 against Evanston, joining Boehm and Czyzynski as doubledigit scorers. Boehm scored four points in NT’s 12-1 run at the end of the first quarter. … Trevs junior forward Rachel West finished with seven points and seven rebounds. Senior guard Megan Neuhaus tallied seven of her eight points in the first half for the victors, who played without junior starting guard Jackie Welch (soccer commitment). … Evanston went 3-0 against New Trier last winter. … Rodgers, on Evanston outscoring NT in each of the third and fourth quarters on Dec. 7: “In almost every game, teams face adversity. The team that handles it the best is usually the most successful one.” … New Trier visits Buffalo Grove Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. and hosts Maine East Dec. 16 at 6:30 p.m. ■
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