Johnsburg’s ball movement, strong 2nd half lift Skyhawks past McHenry

McHENRY – Johnsburg studied film of its season-opening win over McHenry and didn’t like what it saw.

Despite coming away with the win, the Skyhawks felt they could play at a much higher level. More specifically, Johnsburg wanted to show its ability to spread the ball around and make a defense really work.

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McHenry’s Maritza Martinez splits Johnsburg’s defense of Ava Jablonski, left, and Carlie Majercik, right, in varsity girls basketball on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at McHenry High School in McHenry. (Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local/Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local)

During Saturday’s rematch, no play demonstrated that more than when freshman forward Skye Toussaint took a pass from twin sister Summer and made a 15-foot jumper midway through the third quarter.

All five Skyhawks touched the ball on the possession, with 12 passes made before Skye Toussaint’s sweet swish from the free-throw line.

Johnsburg displayed plenty of unselfish play throughout to start off the new year with a 41-31 nonconference win.

“They really played into our game plan of just trying to get the most ball movement, ball reversals and unselfish basketball,” Johnsburg coach Erin Stochl said. “We watched film of the last time we played [McHenry], and we weren’t super happy. McHenry plays really tough, they’re aggressive. We focused on getting as much ball movement to make them work for it.”

Leading 18-14 at halftime, the Skyhawks (9-5) came out and made their first four shots. Senior guard Ava Jablonski hit her jumper, followed by a hook shot from forward Carlie Majercik and a 3-pointer from Summer Toussaint. Lauren McQuiston then hit a 3 from the left wing for a 28-14 lead with 5:56 left in the third quarter.

Jablonski got banged up in the first half and used it as motivation for a fast start to the second.

“I got that little shin thing that happened and was a little mad. I knew I had to come out with enthusiasm,” said Jablonski, the team’s lone senior starter. “I told the girls, ‘Let’s go on a run because we haven’t been on one in a long time.'

“It had them frazzled.”

Stochl said Jablonski, who hit two 3s in the fourth quarter, has been vital to the team’s 9-5 start.

“She’s a spit fire,” Stochl said. “She brings so much energy. Truly, she’s the best leader I’ve ever coached. She plays incredible defense for us. I don’t even think I took her off the floor today because she brings so much energy, intensity and communication.”

Skye Toussaint led all scorers with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Summer Toussaint had nine points on three 3s, and Jablonski posted eight points and three assists. Majercik and Brooke Jones had four points apiece.

Stochl challenged Skye Toussaint to be more aggressive after halftime. She said the 6-foot-2 freshman is one of the most unselfish players you’ll find.

“Skye is such a smart player, and sometimes she is so unselfish to a fault,” Stochl said. “We told her at half, ‘You need to look for your shot’ and she did. She took that and ran with it.

“She has so many pieces, and I was really happy that she was a little more selfish with it. She can do so much.”

Skye Toussaint, too, said she has been looking to expand her offensive game.

“In eighth grade I didn’t score as much as my sister, but I’m looking to do more,” Skye Toussaint said. “I feel like I’ve gotten a lot more confident with my down-low game, even my shooting game. I’m trying to score more for my team and look for the open [shot].”

McHenry (2-13) was led in scoring by senior guard Gaby Grasser with 10 points and freshman Maritza Martinez and sophomore Brooklyn Anderson with six points apiece.

McHenry coach John Lunkenheimer said his team is still looking for more ways to score. It didn’t help Saturday that one of the Warriors' top scorers, senior Avery Stinger, was unavailable after getting her wisdom teeth removed.

“Defensively, I thought we did a good job,” Lunkenheimer said. “We need to score more, that’s been our issue. That run to start to second half, that’s tough to come back from. We knew who their shooters were from the first time we played them. We knew No. 32 [Skye Toussaint] is long inside. She kind of clogs the lane and makes things difficult.”