Vikings' Season Ends in Sectional Semis

Though Fremd and No. 1 seed Warren traded baskets throughout the first quarter of Tuesday's IHSA Class 4A Sectional Semifinal, the area-ranked Blue Devils (28-3) used their size and strength to pull away over the final three periods, ending the Vikings' season with a 72-43 loss in Barrington.

South Dakota State-bound shooting guard, Zach Monaghan, led the Vikings' with a game-high 25 points, but the senior was put to work right from the opening tip, fighting through double-team attempts every time he caught the ball.

"They were physical and they liked to use their hands a lot," said Monaghan, who also grabbed two steals. "We knew coming in that we could play with them, but we kind of let it get away from us later in the game and it hurt us. They're a well coached and very solid team."

Warren, which started three players over 6-foot-five, used a dominant performance on the boards (38-17) and grabbed a 13-point halftime lead before extending its advantage to more than 20-points midway through the third quarter. Darius Paul led four Blue Devils in double figures with 18 points (he'd also tally 14 boards and three-blocks) while fellow juniors Nathan Boothe and Jameris Smith added 10 apiece; senior Brandon Ferguson scored 14.

"They're big, they're athletic and they're long - they provide difficult match ups for everybody," said Fremd head coach, Bob Widlowski. "I thought we did a nice job of maintaining the pace and staying with them early, but we made some mistakes and they really capitalized on them - they got a couple of offensive rebounds and pushed the lead to ten, and we were playing catch-up from then on."

Regardless of its deficit, No. 5 seed Fremd (19-10) never gave up. With the student-section standing and cheering until the final buzzer, the Vikings continued to fight, which is a testament to the work-ethic Widlowski's players showcased all season.

"Once it got out of hand, we kept at it - we didn't want to go out as quitters," Monaghan said.

"I thanked [our seniors] for their efforts and their dedication to what we've done and they mean a lot to me," Widlowski added. "They're really good kids, they've worked hard for me and I just wanted to thank them for all they've done over the years."

For players such as Monaghan, one of nine seniors on Fremd's roster who watched their careers come to a close on Tuesday, there is no timetable as to how long it will take for the loss to sink in.

"That's life. Something can be right there and the next second it's gone - that's how it feels right now... the feeling sucks," said the Vikings' co-captain.

For Fremd's other co-captain, point guard, Quinton Brown (nine points), the loss meant the end of something even bigger:

"I've been on varsity for three years and to let it all go, it hurts really bad. I love this team... this is my family."