After semifinal heartbreaker, Ramblers fall short of repeat but bring home another state trophy

Earning two straight state trophies is an accomplishment not many programs get to enjoy, but Loyola Academy girls basketball players and coaches may have to wait a bit to feel that enjoyment.

The Ramblers were upended in heartbreaking fashion in an IHSA Class 4A semifinal on Friday, March 7, at CEFCU Arena in Normal. Fremd’s NaTallia (Coco) Urlacher stunned Loyola with two three-pointers, including a buzzer-beater, in the final 15 seconds of the game’s first overtime, and then Urlacher (32 points, 17 rebounds) and the Vikings outlasted the Ramblers in the second to win 80-74.

A few days later, Loyola coach Jeremy Schoenecker was still digesting the semifinal defeat.

“There are plenty of situations to look at,” he said. “Could we have fouled at the end? A lot of things come up in the end. We didn’t have a timeout to burn either. There are multiple situations that I don’t know if we capitalized super well in. It was tough letting that one slip away.”

Loyola senior Aubrey Galvan scored a game-high 37 points in the double-overtime thriller. She added 5 steals and 4 assists. Sophomore Emily Naraky chipped in 13 points, while juniors Clare Weasler (6 rebounds) and Marycait Mackie scored 9 apiece.

The loss ended the Ramblers’ quest for a second straight state championship and pushed them to the third-place game, where they dropped a 54-44 decision to Alton on Saturday, March 8.

It was a difficult task for the Ramblers to rebound less than 24 hours after the tough loss, said Schoenecker, who added his team was nursing some minor injuries.

“We were devastated for sure when it came to (Saturday’s game),” he said, “(but) I think we were more beat up. We needed more time … mentally and physically.

“Give Alton and Coco Urlacher all the credit in the world. Alton played a good game, but not playing for a championship and coming out limping a bit definitely hurt us.”

It is the first time Loyola earned back-to-back state trophies since 1998-’99, when the Ramblers won back-to-back championships under coach Tanya Johnson. The season marked Schoenecker’s third overall trip to the state finals. He and the Ramblers also picked up a fourth-place finish in 2012.

This year’s Ramblers finished 34-4 and were led by Galvan, a First Team All-State selection and Vanderbilt commit who averaged 20 points per game while also leading the team in assists. Three-year varsity starter Weasler, who was Third Team All-State, averaged 8.3 points per game (second on team) and was second on Loyola in assists and rebounds while acting as the Ramblers primary on-ball defender.

Mackie finished up her third varsity season as a contributor across the stat sheet who often played all 32 minutes. Senior captains Nora Emerson and Grace Bronski rounded out the starting rotation, while Emily Naraky, Kaitlyn McGovern, Clare Leyden, Hannah Naraky and others regularly provided boosts off the bench.

Schoenecker praised his roster for leading the Ramblers back to state.

“It’s a testament to these kids and the time we put in with them, from spring workouts and weight lifting the whole month of June,” he said. “They want to be together and want to stay connected, want to keep on with this tradition.

“It would have been a letdown not to get (to state) again. Those type of expectations can be hard and make for a long season, but also satisfying to get on the bus and head down there. To be one of the few teams playing on that last weekend is super special and fun.”

While Galvan, Emerson and Bronski graduate the program, you can expect more of the same for Loyola, a perennial power that has averaged 24 wins per season in its 31-year history. The Ramblers have been even better of late, posting an incredible 89.82 winning percentage (150-17) over the past five seasons.

Weasler and Mackie are slated to return for Loyola as four-year varsity talents who Schoenecker said will likely be co-captains as seniors. Naraky — a forward who averaged nearly 8 points per game off the bench and showed out in the state finals — will be a key junior contributor.

Other pieces are sure to fall into place. The Ramblers junior varsity team, for instance, posted an undefeated record (29-0) this season.

“We have the right pieces to build with to be really, really good next year,” Schoenecker said.

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