H-F survives scare from Shepard

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The old coach went out with the wheels of strategy churning. The young team moved on, wobbly legs and all.

That pretty much was the tale of the tape regarding Homewood-Flossmoor's 42-38 victory over Shepard on Tuesday night in a Class 4A H-F Regional semifinal.

Leading from start to finish but unable to shake the pesky Astros, H-F finally put the game away when sophomore Jailyn Norris hit the front end of a one-and-one with 8.2 seconds remaining.

The Vikings (18-7), who employ four sophomores and a freshman among their regulars, advanced to Thursday¹s regional final. They¹ll meet Joliet, which beat Stagg in Tuesday's other semifinal, 68-50.

Norris led the way for H-F with 15 points and five rebounds. Cici Shannon (11 points, 10 rebounds) and A.J. Mickens (11 points, 10 rebounds) also were instrumental in taking the Vikings one step further than they got last season.

"We lost in the first round, and we didn't want that to happen again," Norris said. "I think we can make it to state if we work together and concentrate."

H-F led by as many as nine points in the fourth period, but with 3:02 remaining, Rachael Pierce (17 points) drained a three-pointer for Shepard to make it a 39-36 proposition.

It still was a nail-biter at 41-38 and Shepard had the ball with less than 20 seconds remaining when the 5-foot-10 Norris pulled down an Astros air ball and was fouled.

"Oh, my gosh. I was so nervous to make a free throw," Norris said. "I knew if I didn't, No. 23 (Pierce) would probably come downcourt and hit a three-pointer. I had to make it."

She did, and after missing the second shot, Shepard (13-14) made one last trip downcourt with Pat O'Connor as the head coach.

O¹Connor, who is retiring as a teacher as well at the end of the school year, ended his 25-year career coaching hard right down to the final second.

"There was a point and time when it seemed as if we weren't going to be in the ballgame," O¹Connor said with a smile. "I just said, 'Don't leave anything inside of you. Throw it all out there.'

"They did, and it went down to the very end -- as it should."

A key for H-F was bursting out to a 15-4 first-quarter lead. For Shepard, it could have been worse. None of the Astros starters seemed in sync, and team leader Demetria Ward (six points, five rebounds) wound up sitting very early with two fouls.

To the rescue for Shepard was junior Erica Boyd, who came off the bench to score all four of the Astros' first-period points and grab three rebounds.

She also had an assist on their first basket of the second period.

Boyd also was key in getting Shepard close early in the fourth period. She finished with seven points and five rebounds ‹ a solid showing for a player who appears ready for expanded playing time in 2009-10.

"I hope she's ready," O¹Connor said. "Erica has always done a great job of getting into position on great spots on the floor. Her problem has always been making the basket.

"Tonight, she got it in, and hopefully, there will be a carryover and she'll do some nice things next year."

Boyd doesn¹t plan to disappoint him.

"(O¹Connor) has taught me so much since I¹ve been here," Boyd said. "I mean, I wasn¹t an amazing player or anything. I can definitely say he¹s done a lot to make me a lot stronger player now than I was before.

"It's hard to say goodbye to 'O.C.' And it's going to be hard without him. But I think we can do it."

Joliet 68, Stagg 50: Taylor Foulks scored 15 to lead Joliet. Stagg (18-9) was led by Mackenzi Schumann, who finished with 19 points. Jessica Contant and Margot Restaino each added 12 points.