Ruby Macke proves mighty as Crystal Lake Central wins Class 3A regional title

BURLINGTON – Ruby Macke posted a double-double, then got double the netting.

Crystal Lake Central’s junior scoring machine carefully climbed the ladder under the basket after the Tigers' 54-38 win over host Burlington Central in Thursday’s Class 3A regional championship game. She clipped a section of the net and then, when prompted by Rockets athletic director Ted Juske, grabbed a cord of netting that dangled from the rim.

Consider the second piece of souvenir twine a make-good for the one she didn’t get the chance to snag last season after the Tigers won the regional plaque at Woodstock.

“I think we just cut the whole net down,” Macke said.

Macke made Burlington Central’s nets swish often. She poured in 34 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a dominating performance in the paint as second-seeded Crystal Lake Central (22-9) beat No. 6 Burlington Central for a regional title for the second year in a row.

It’s the first time in 30 years the Tigers have won back-to-back regional championships. They advance to the Rockford Boylan Sectional and will play top-seeded Sterling (27-5) at 6 p.m. Tuesday in a semifinal game.

Burlington Central (12-20) came in having won seven times in its past nine games.

“I think just realizing that the end of the season was coming up and it was all or nothing [made the team more competitive],” said sophomore Audrey LaFleur, who led the Rockets with 11 points. “Just playing as team, it was fun.”

The 5-foot-10 Macke, whose season high was 43 against Prairie Ridge on Jan. 31, shot 13 of 24 from the floor and 8 of 11 from the free-throw line. She made at least two field goals in every quarter, while not shooting a 3-pointer all game.

Burlington Central coach Mike Carani said some early foul trouble prevented him from putting the lineup that he wanted on the court to match up with Macke and senior forward Leah Spychala.

Spychala consistently found Macke, who either finished in the post, drew fouls or kicked the ball out. Spychala (four points, 10 rebounds) also was a factor on the boards.

“It’s a challenge trying to contain both of those two,” Carani said.

“Leah throws some great passes,” Macke said. “I’ll go get anything she throws.”

Crystal Lake Central helped force 19 turnovers, with Hadley Ferrero and Sammi Pottorff collecting six and five steals, respectively. Spychala and Katelyn Hallum each had two steals.

“[In the first half], we didn’t get many steals, and we didn’t get a lot of deflections that led to the transition, which is normally our bread and butter,” said coach Joe Capalbo, whose Tigers led only 23-19 at the break, despite Macke’s 14 points. “We switched up our defense in the second half to a little 1-2-2 [zone], and Hadley and Sammi stepped up.”

Carani started two junior and three sophomores. His only senior, Paige Wood, got on the court late in the game. Sophomore center Ainsley Wilson had eight points, six rebounds and three blocked shots for the Rockets.

“We definitely finished [the season] a lot stronger than where we started,” Carani said. “Knowing that we had a young group, it took them awhile to jell and get used to the speed and physicality of this level.”

Crystal Lake Central led only 33-29 after Wilson made a free throw with 3:38 left in the third quarter, but Macke’s personal 6-1 run helped hike the lead to 39-30. She scored on a putback, a banked shot in the lane and a layup in transition.

She then opened the fourth-quarter scoring, and the hosts never got close after that.

“I think they all just have a drive to win, and it comes out in different ways,” Macke said. “I think it honestly pushes us to us to be more aggressive and more honest. We have to match their intensity, and what they throw at us, we have to throw back at them.”