Waubonsie Valley rolls past York for tournament title

ELMHURST – With 1:48 remaining in the first quarter at Friday’s York Thanksgiving Tournament championship game, during a timeout, the PA system blasted out the song Safe and Sound, a hit for the group Capital Cities.

At that point, Waubonsie Valley had to be feeling exactly that way — safe, sound and ready to roll.

The Warriors had just opened up a 16-5 lead over the York, and they didn’t let up the rest of the way, scoring a 57-24 title game victory.

Waubonsie Valley was 9 of 14 from 3-point range in the first half as it led 36-7 at intermission. Junior Danyella Mporokoso scored a game-high 14 points for the winners.

It was the second consecutive season that the Warriors, who finished fourth in 4A state last year, won the York crown.

“This means so much,” said Waubonsie Valley (4-0) senior forward Lily Newton, who scored 9 points and was 6-for-6 from the free-throw line.

“We went to state last year but we didn’t win it all, so there’s more for us to accomplish. This being my last year, I have to give all I have left to give before college.”

Newton, who will attend the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater after graduation to play basketball and major in psychology and criminology, added that winning the York invite again was important to her team.

“In the beginning of every season we make a goal board,” she said, “and the first goal on the list is winning this tournament. We know that this year everybody will be coming for us, so we’ve got to prove last season was not just a one year thing.”

York junior forward Olivia Silkaitis led the Dukes with nine points and nine rebounds.

“I thought it was a really good tournament for us overall,” said Silkaitis of her team, which claimed the second-place plaque with a 3-1 record.

York outrebounded Waubonsie Valley 18-16 on the evening.

“That’s something we’ve been working on in practice,” added Silkaitis, who along with Mporokoso was named to the all-tournament team.

“We’re a shorter team so we have to outwork (our opponents) to get every rebound we can.”

Dukes coach Brandon Collings had nothing but praise for Silkaitis.

“She has been amazing,” said the coach. “I think in this tourney she led us in points, rebounds, 3s and free throws. Olivia has been a warrior and she’s made great strides from last year to this year.”

The Dukes still trailed big in the third quarter but went on an 8-2 run, led by 3-point shots by Avery Larma and Kayla Callahan, to cut into the deficit.

But Waubonsie Valley quickly extended the advantage behind five points in the period by Mporokoso and four from Maya Pereda.

Arianna Garcia-Evans scored 12 points and had four steals for the Warriors. Pereda finished with 11 points.

Mporokoso and Garcia-Evans each hit three 3-pointers.

“We’re all really excited (about this win),” said Mporokoso. “It took a lot of hard work to get downstate last year. Now we want to get back there so we’ve got to work even harder.”

https://www.dailyherald.com/20241122/girls-basketball/girls-basketball-waubonsie-valley-dominates-hosts-to-win-york-tourney/