Following the Class 4A Hinsdale Central Super-Sectional Monday, Nazareth Academy senior girls basketball starter Danni Scully was wearing a stars-and-stripes cowboy hat for country theme day at the school — and a big smile.
The Roadrunners had just won their showdown for a third consecutive trip downstate.
Nazareth defeated Homewood-Flossmoor 48-32 to advance to the state semifinals in Normal – this time in 4A – after last year winning the 3A state championship and taking second the previous year.
“It’s just a great experience for all of us. Hopefully we can finish the job again,” Scully said.
“It’s a huge difference between 4A and 3A. We knew it was going to be a challenge every game. We’d have to come out and perform. Just moving on game by game, it just gets harder and harder.”
Nazareth’s Danielle Scully (23) drives to the basket against Homewood-Flossmoor’s Aunyai Deere (3) and Caris Pryor (25) during the Class 4A Hinsdale Central Supersectional Monday, February 26, 2024 in Hinsdale, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) Credit: Riverside-Brookfield Landmark 
Nazareth’s Amalia Dray (25) puts up a three point attempt against Homewood-Flossmoor in front of the student section during the Class 4A Hinsdale Central Supersectional Monday, February 26, 2024 in Hinsdale, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) Credit: Riverside-Brookfield Landmark 
Nazareth’s Stella Sakalas (32) defends the shot attempt by Homewood-Flossmoor’s Jemiyah McDonald (12) during the Class 4A Hinsdale Central Supersectional Monday, February 26, 2024 in Hinsdale, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) Credit: Riverside-Brookfield Landmark 
Nazareth’s Stella Sakalas (32) tries to get to the basket against Homewood-Flossmoor’s Ihuoma Ozoh (5) during the Class 4A Hinsdale Central Supersectional Monday, February 26, 2024 in Hinsdale, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) Credit: Riverside-Brookfield Landmark 
Nazareth’s Olivia Austin (21) and Homewood-Flossmoor’s Layla Pierce (11) try to gain control of the rebound during the Class 4A Hinsdale Central Supersectional Monday, February 26, 2024 in Hinsdale, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) Credit: Riverside-Brookfield Landmark
The Roadrunners (31-3), who have won 21 straight, play Waubonsie Valley (32-3) at 2 p.m. Friday. The state championship game is 7:30 p.m. Saturday and the third-place game is 7:45 p.m. Friday.
Nazareth beat Waubonsie 59-38 Feb. 8, the Warriors’ last loss. Loyola Academy (36-0) and Fremd (29-6) are the other semifinalists.
The Roadrunners are trying to become the first Illinois girls basketball team to win 3A and 4A state titles in consecutive years.
“It’s hard to get down there one time. And we’ve been down five of out of the last six series,” Nazareth coach Ed Stritzel said. “We’re so humbled and so thankful what’s happening. We just really want to try and finish the deal.”
Nazareth’s Danielle Scully (23), Mary Bridget Wilson (15), Olivia Austin (21) and Amalia Dray (25) receive the Supersectional plaque after the Roadrunners’ 48-32 victory over Homewood-Flossmoor during the Class 4A Hinsdale Central Supersectional Monday, February 26, 2024 in Hinsdale, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) Credit: Riverside-Brookfield Landmark 
The Nazareth and students celebrate the Roadrunners’ 48-32 victory over Homewood-Flossmoor during the Class 4A Hinsdale Central Supersectional Monday, February 26, 2024 in Hinsdale, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) Credit: Riverside-Brookfield Landmark 
Nazareth’s Stella Sakalas (32) and Lyla Shelton (3) celebrate the Roadrunners’ 48-32 victory over Homewood-Flossmoor during the Class 4A Hinsdale Central Supersectional Monday, February 26, 2024 in Hinsdale, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) Credit: Riverside-Brookfield Landmark
The starting lineup of seniors Olivia Austin (18 points, 5 rebounds), Amalia Dray (13 points with 3 threes), Scully (7 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds) and Mary Bridget Wilson (6 points on 2 threes) and sophomore Stella Sakalas (4 points, 6 rebounds) all contributed.
Trailing 6-1 early, the Roadrunners scored the next 12 points. They led 21-12 at halftime and by at least five points throughout the second half.
The Vikings (23-8) opened the fourth quarter with a three to close to 33-26 but the Roadrunners scored baskets on seven of their next nine possessions to pull away.
Thanks to great passes and great individual moves, Austin made 8 of 10 shots, mostly inside, and scored 12 of Nazareth’s final 21 points.
“I’m super, super happy that we were able to seal this,” Austin said.
“(Stritzel) calls it our story. We’re moving on to the next part of it but I’m so grateful to have played a game like this and get two more for my high school season. Everyone stepped up and I’m very, very happy and proud.”
Nazareth boys diving
Nazareth junior diver Cooper Kosanovich returned to the boys swimming and diving meet more confident and relaxed.
He also was perfect.
Kosanovich felt that he nailed all 11 of his dives between Friday’s preliminaries and Saturday’s finals and the results showed.
He finished second (508.85 points) at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont after becoming the Roadrunners’ first all-stater in the sport in 2023 by placing seventh in 2023 (457.80).
Could Kosanovich remember the last time he nailed 11 of 11 dives in any meet?
“Never. It’s really hard to do. Usually you miss one of two here and there but I hit all of them so I was really happy,” Kosanovich said.
“I was kind of going in (thinking) ‘I’m just going to try my best.’ I wasn’t worried about a certain place. I just didn’t want to stress myself out so I just went in having fun.”
Kosanovich only was beaten by Highland Park senior and good friend Noam Kulbak (531.30), a Penn State recruit who the 2023 state runner-up. Third-place Rolling Meadows senior Kyren Whiting (502.30) was the only other diver to surpass 500 points. Glenbrook North junior Matthew Yuan, the 2023 state champion, was out this season recovering from leg surgery.
“(My hope) was at least to get top 16,” Kosanovich said. “After that I kind of wanted top three. That was the end goal so I was really happy to get that.”
Kosanovich won sectionals with a personal-best 528.55, the state’s fourth highest qualifying total, but he and coach Caiming Xie said state judging usually is tighter.
Kosanovich was third entering the three dives in Saturday’s event finals and the final round. Kosanovich scored 52.80 and 52.50 points on his last two dives, joining Kulbak as the only divers with two 50-plus scores Saturday.
“I would say the first eight dives (Friday) I could really enjoy it. (Saturday) was a little more nervewracking but after I hit my hardest dive (Reverse 1 1/2 somersault pike on No. 10) I was kind of like, ‘OK I’ve got it.’ ”
Kosanovich appreciated the continued support of Xie and numerous fans in the upstairs bleachers.
“It’s nice to see my friends kind of support me and my school was super supportive,’ Kosanovich said.
“(Xie is) definitely a really good coach. He pushes me but he also knows when I’m struggling, he can talk to me. He just believes in me.”