Fremd Again Tied For MSL West Lead After Road Win

The visiting Fremd Vikings (16-8, 6-3) kept their MSL conference title hopes alive on Friday night, downing the Hoffman Estates Hawks 61-50.

After a 25-25 tie at the half, Fremd turned up the defensive intensity in the third quarter by holding the Hawks to just a single free throw over the eight-minute stretch and taking a ten-point lead into the fourth.

"We gave them a couple of early baskets on things we had prepared for during the week," said Vikings' head coach, Bob Widlowski. "We talked at halftime and came out with a defensive focus and the difference was holding them to one point in the third quarter."

Despite its scoring woes in the third quarter, Hoffman (5-17, 0-9) cut Fremd's lead to five at the onset of the final period, and things seemed to be turning the Hawks' way after Ken Leonard was called for an intentional foul with 5:36 to play. However, Hoffman's Austin Terry (15 points, seven-rebounds, four assists) split a pair of free throws.

The Hawks failed to score on the ensuing possession as Vikings' senior Zach Monaghan came up with one of his six-steals and broke away for an easy layup. Fremd brought its lead back to double digits as Monaghan converted another Hoffman turnover into a wide open three-pointer, prompting an immediate timeout from Hawks' head coach Bill Wandro.

"It was time for someone to step up," said Monaghan who scored a game-high 19 points. "We didn't play very well in the first half and we were fortunate to be tied at halftime. In the third we came out strong and were able to get some stops defensively to extend our lead."

Fremd also dominated Hoffman inside, out-rebounding the Hawks 33-20 and 12-2 in the third quarter; Ken Leonard, a 5-foot-9 senior led both teams with eight-boards.

"There's not a lot I can do when there are bigger guys like [Jack] Konopka out there," said a smiling Leonard, "but I try and make up for it by boxing out strong and going for every ball."

Konopka would finished with 15 points and six-boards and Quinton Brown added 13 and seven as the Vikings swept the season series with the Hawks.

The win puts Fremd back in a three-way tie for first place in the MSL West, thanks to Schaumburg's overtime victory over Barrington Friday night.

However, the Saxons own two victories over Fremd this season, and the Vikings also split with the Broncos. Throw that scenario in with the fact that the Vikings know they'll see either Rolling Meadows or Round Lake in the first round of the IHSA Class 4A playoffs on Wednesday, March 2, and there's plenty to consider as the regular season comes to a close.

"We approach it as our next game is against Conant," Widlowski said with quiet confidence. "We'll prepare [for the playoffs] behind the scenes but our next game is Conant and we'll prepare to play them next Friday [7:30pm]."

Fremd, which will host its regional next month, drew the fifth-seed in the Barrington Sectional.