Girls Basketball: Geneva star Ashley Santos out with torn ACL

Updated: January 25, 2012 7:00PM

When Geneva star Ashley Santos went down with an injury late in the first quarter of the Vikings’ upset win over previously unbeaten Lincoln-Way East on Jan. 14 at the McDonald’s Shootout, it was unknown just how serious the injury was.

The Vikings pressed on without the Marquette-bound senior and pulled the upset. Trainers on the scene didn’t think it was the same injury that her sister, Sidney, has suffered the past two years — a torn ACL.

“We thought (it may be a torn ACL) because of Sidney,” Geneva coach Sarah Meadows said. “We’ve seen it before. But the trainer there seemed to think it wasn’t as serious. Her pain was different than what Sidney experienced.”

But after the swelling went down, an MRI revealed that it is indeed a torn ACL — wiping out the rest of Santos’ senior year. Now the team has to move on without its star. The Vikings won their first three games after Santos went down.

“When it happened in the Lincoln-Way East game, I knew I wasn’t going to return to the game, but I was proud of the way my team stepped up and finished the game with a win despite me leaving,” Santos said. “They followed through with the game plan, and every game since, they’ve done that.”

Senior Rachel Hinchman and junior Sami Pawlak have had solid seasons beside Santos already. Junior Kelly Gordon and sophomores Michaela Loebel and Morgan Seberger will be relied upon much more heavily, as well.

“Rachel and Sami have both had great years for us, and they can’t have any letdowns,” Meadows said. “They have to play the way that they have. It’s asking a lot from the sophomores, but they’re doing a great job. They both have to step up.”

The Vikings are 19-3 — winners of eight straight games — going into Wednesday’s game against Fenwick and are looking at a top three seed in the Class 4A Hoffman Estates Sectional. Meadows concedes that unbeaten Bartlett has earned the No. 1 seed, but the Vikings are in a fight with Wheaton Warrenville South, whom Geneva beat head-to-head, for the second seed.

“I really do hope coaches don’t vote off of what the future is, because nobody knows that,” Meadows said. “We have a good record and we earned that. However it pans out, we’ll make do with whatever we get. The seeding is out of my control.”

Santos admits her schedule has become a lot more hectic, still attending practices and games while going to physical therapy for her knee three days a week and working on her upper body and core with a trainer three other days a week. Even though she’s seen her sister Sidney go through this injury twice, going through it on her own is a whole different thing.

“It’s not only the mental part of it, but the physical part,” Ashley Santos said. “It’s a lot harder than it seems. I have to push myself every day and remain focused if I want to come back even stronger than before.”

Santos is slated for surgery in mid-February before heading off to Marquette in the fall. For perspective’s sake, though every procedure is different, Waubonsie Valley senior Becky Williford tore her ACL in late June, had surgery on July 15 and appeared in her first game by Dec. 3.

“What’s making it easier is that she knows she still has a basketball future in front of her,” Meadows said. “She’s a pretty determined kid. She’s already working out, so she’ll be fine.”

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