Sweet win for Prairie Ridge over Crystal Lake Central

CRYSTAL LAKE – Swipes, swaps and a sweep.

All of which was sweet for Prairie Ridge.

Postgame jersey swaps apparently aren’t just for professional athletes. Who knew they’re also something high school athletes engage in?

“I didn’t know either,” Wolves senior guard Luke Muse said Monday night after he and teammates spun a defensive gem on their home court, beating Crystal Lake Central 45-21 in a play-in game of the Class 3A Prairie Ridge Regional.

Eighth-seeded Prairie Ridge (13-19) collected 18 steals in completing a sweep of the season series against No. 9 Central (6-26). Afterward, Muse traded jerseys with his longtime buddy Rhett Ozment of Central, while Sam Kirk of the Wolves swapped jerseys with Carter Kelley. All four players then posed for a picture together on the court.

The Wolves were certainly in the Tigers’ jerseys defensively, holding them to 15 points over the last 30 minutes of the game. Central, which led 6-0 two minutes in, mustered only one point in the second quarter and was shut out in the fourth.

“Good game plan to start,” Tigers coach Dan Oziminski said. “[Prairie Ridge] is active, they’re physical, and they play well together as a team. They got good skill sets.”

Muse, who said he usually isn’t a “defender guy,” and Ben Gablenz (team-high 12 points on four 3-pointers) each had four steals. Their efforts helped force Central into 27 turnovers and earn PR a berth in Wednesday’s 6 p.m. semifinal against No. 2 Crystal Lake South, before No. 3 Burlington Central plays No. 5 Cary-Grove at 7:30 p.m.

Eli Loeding had 11 points (two 3-pointers), 10 rebounds and two steals for the Wolves. Owen Voight added nine points (two 3s) and a steal coming off the bench. Luke Vanderwiel took a charge and recorded a steal, and Rory Rezendes had three steals in a backup role.

“We have a lot of guys on the team who have really good hands and are very quick on their feet,” said Muse, who missed the Wolves' past two games with a cut above his right eye. “We’re a very good defensive team.”

Kirk made his second start in a row after missing PR’s game against Huntley last week with a rolled ankle. He had three steals and had taken a charge when he rolled the same left ankle late in the third quarter.

Kirk hopped off the court with assistance and did not return to the game. By then, the Wolves' defensive effort had helped build a 30-17 lead.

“Our whole goal was to come out here and play defense,” Kirk said. “That’s all we needed to do to win. That’s what we all bring.”

Central’s fast start included a two-handed dunk by JJ Parrish (team-high 12 points, one 3-pointer, four rebounds, two steals). The Tigers led 8-3 after Jackson Hopkins hit a free throw with 3:54 left in the first quarter. But PR then went on a 17-0 run and was up 21-9 at the break.

Ozment’s free throw with 1:23 to go before halftime accounted for Central’s only point of the quarter.

“Once you get to the playoffs, the intensity of everything just ramps up to another level, so we knew we had to come out ready to go,” Wolves coach Brian Frericks said. “We struggled in that first quarter, but they locked in and remembered their roles on defense. [Central] is a big team, they got some really talented players, and we knew we were going to need a team effort to take away some of the stuff they do.”

Central, which shot 9 of 37 from the floor, ended the season with 15 straight losses.

“We discussed it in here [the locker room] and had, shoot, a 27-minute conversation afterward,” Oziminski said. “It’s all good because it’s about the future, what we’re creating and what they’re leaving behind. Everybody’s like, ‘It’s about the win-lost column.' It’s not about the wins and losses. It’s not even about the guys before us. ... We’re still moving [upward]. We’re just not moving as fast in the win column.”

Prairie Ridge lost by 20 and 25 points to Crystal Lake South during the regular season, but the Wolves are 9-5 in their past 14 games.

“It’s going to be fun to play South,” Frericks said. “Another crosstown team. It’s a fun regional with all four of the District (155) teams in it.”