Ridgewood off and running in postseason

Ridgewood began its postseason by building a 28-point lead at the end of the first quarter en route to a 58-12 victory over visiting Kelvyn Park Monday in a Class 3A regional quarterfinal.

The Rebels’ starters played the majority of the first quarter. They helped build a 30-2 lead eight minutes into the game behind senior guard Jackie Stroud’s 12 points, and 10 points from sophomore guard Justyna Golab.

Ridgewood senior point guard Ines Grepo scored the first points of the second quarter and was substituted from the game soon thereafter. Stroud, Grepo, Golab and senior Sladana Nikezic didn’t play after that point.

Ridgewood will play No. 6-seeded St. Viator Tuesday night in a Class 3A Ridgewood Regional semifinal, which begins at 7:30 p.m.

One of Ridgewood’s primary goals against Kelvyn Park was “to get the starters out in the first quarter; at the latest, the middle of the half,” Golab said. “And then to keep them to minimal points.”

More specifically, Ridgewood coach Amanda LoBianco challenged the Rebels, the No. 11 seed in Vernon Hills Sectional, to hold the No. 22-seeded Panthers to 10 points or fewer in the game. They were on pace for that until the third quarter, when Kelvyn Park sophomore Deysi Armenta scored six of her team-high eight points.

Tuesday night’s contest against St. Viator will be a much greater challenge, however. LoBianco feels the Rebels (7-20) are ready.

“They seem ready,” LoBianco said. “The second half of the season has been much better. We were closer with some teams… It just depends what happens tomorrow. It depends what mood (the Rebels) show up in. I think they’re going to show up ready. It’s a new season. I’ve always said that I’d rather crawl in the beginning (of the season) and walk in the end.”