Huntley keeps perfect season alive, improves to 23-0 with win over Cary-Grove

CARY – Huntley senior guard Anna Campanelli feels that her team has a distinct advantage.

“I think we have one of the deepest benches, and that helps us get better by a lot,” said Campanelli, a Division-I Kent State commit. “Playing each other in practice and guarding each every day makes us better.”

There’s no denying Huntley’s talent or effort.

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Huntley’s Luca Garlin, right, guards Cary-Grove’s Kennedy Manning in varsity girls basketball on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, at Cary-Grove High School in Cary. (Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local/Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local)

Not even an uncharacteristic start, such as the one the Red Raiders had Friday against Cary-Grove, could slow them down.

Huntley grabbed its first lead on a Ava McFadden 3-pointer with just under two minutes remaining in the first half, and the Raiders' lead only grew bigger from there in a 49-34 Fox Valley Conference victory.

Nobody has been able to solve the Raiders, who improved to 23-0 overall and 10-0 in the FVC. C-G (15-7, 9-2) entered with only one loss in the conference, a 50-38 loss to Huntley on Dec. 3.

“Defensively, they get on you,” C-G coach Tony Moretti said of Huntley’s on-ball defense and pressure. “A lot of it has to do with the athletes they have. They’re playing nine and 10 kids, and there is really not a huge drop-off.

“They just keep coming with bodies at you, and it wears you out.”

Campanelli (12 points) had the flashiest stats with nine steals, but it was a complete team effort on the defensive end.

That’s been the case all year.

“The great thing with this team that I always tell people is we never have to talk about effort,” Huntley coach Steve Raethz said. “They just give phenomenal effort for 32 minutes. They do it in practice, they do it in games, and they compete every day.”

“They do a great job of staying focused on the next game that’s in front of them.”

Huntley, ranked No. 6 in the latest Associated Press Class 4A poll, trailed 10-8 after the first quarter and didn’t take its first lead until the first of McFadden’s (10 points) three 3s with 1:58 remaining in the second. Campanelli then had a steal and layup to end the first half for a 19-16 advantage.

Campanelli again came up with a steal at the start of the third quarter, leading to a 3 from Aubrina Adamik (six points). Huntley led 33-26 after three and put the game away in the fourth, receiving five points apiece from senior forward Paula Strzelecki (game-high 13 points, seven rebounds) and junior guard Luca Garlin.

“They just keep coming with bodies at you, and it wears you out.”

—  Tony Moretti, Cary-Grove coach on facing Huntley's defense

Garlin and sophomore guard Lana Hobday, both 5-foot-3, helped slow down a Trojans offense that has been clicking recently.

“They’ve been so steady for us this year, bringing great intensity with their on-the-ball defense, it really gets us going collectively as a defense,” Raethz said.

Garlin fractured her ankle in Huntley’s third game last year, knocking her out for the rest of the season. She has been one of the team’s steadiest defenders this year.

“We work a lot of on-ball pressure, getting to the help, just working as hard as we can,” said Garlin, “and just being as aggressive as we can.”

That aggressiveness has led to many big swings in games for the Raiders, and Campanelli felt her team’s defense was what tipped the scales Friday. Huntley didn’t score its first basket until 2:45 left in the first quarter.

“I feel like the energy we had on the defensive end helped us get our offense going in transition. Steals helped us start playing faster offensively,” Campanelli said. “We have a lot of athletes on our team. Having [Hobday] and [Avery Seuss] coming off the bench helps us a ton. They’re both super quick and bring a ton of energy.”

Senior forward Ellie Mjaanes (six rebounds) and senior guard Sam Skerl led C-G with 10 points each, while senior Alivia Nielsen tossed in eight points.

Despite falling two games behind Huntley in the loss column, Moretti felt the Trojans proved their toughness. He called Huntley the best team they’ve faced all year.

“I think we learned tonight we’re tough,” Moretti said. “We can play with these teams.”

Huntley, meanwhile, will try to lock down its fourth straight FVC championship.

“I feel like we’re on a high right now,” Garlin said. “The goal is just maintaining it.”