About the only thing tighter than the defense of the Nazareth Academy girls basketball team is the bond between senior starters Stella Sakalas and Lyla Shelton. That wasn’t the case before high school, as opponents in traveling basketball.
“We played against each other a couple of times. It was a bit of a rivalry. We were enemies on the court,” remembered Sakalas, the two-time 4A first-team all-stater and BYU recruit.
“I didn’t know her. She didn’t know me. As soon as we started playing Naz basketball together, we were instant best friends. It happened immediately.”
On Saturday, they and the Roadrunners united for a truly historic performance in winning their first state championship in Class 4A by beating Loyola Academy 55-23 at Illinois State University in Normal. Juniors Sophia Towne (17 points with 4 three-pointers, 5 assists) and Sam Austin (7 points, 10 rebounds), freshman Mia Gage (11 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals) and Shelton (8 points with 2 threes) and Sakalas (7 points, 4 rebounds) led the Roadrunners (35-3).
Nazareth won its last 25 games since Dec. 30 and equaled the single-season record for victories with its first 2023 state 3A champions (35-1).
“I’m going to remember the fact that I got to win a state championship with my best friends,” Shelton said. “We knew what it was like to lose in the sectionals last year and feel like our season was incomplete. As seniors, Stella and I knew we couldn’t go out like that again and what we had to do to win.”
The Roadrunners have been downstate six of the past eight postseasons. Besides two titles, they’ve finished second in 2024 (4A) and 2022 and 2018 (3A) and third in 3A in 2019. Moved up to 4A because of the program’s postseason success, the Roadrunners lost to Loyola 44-40 for the 2024 state title. Last year, they lost in the 4A sectional semifinals by one point to eventual state champion Kenwood.
They truly earned this title considering five of the nine top-ranked Associated Press teams in the final poll, Feb. 18, were in their potential postseason path. The Roadrunners were ranked No. 2 behind Loyola (34-3).
“This year we really set a goal for ourselves. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but we played our best basketball in March and I think we showed that,” Nazareth coach Eddie Stritzel said. “Loyola’s a really good team but I think we showed everyone that we’re the best team in Illinois. We’re a 3A school so it’s one thing to win in 3A and to do it in 4A with the [postseason] schedule, I could not be any more proud of our girls.”
Since girls basketball expanded to four classes in 2009, this marked the largest margin of victory in the 4A state championship game and fewest points allowed. Loyola had won 25 straight by double digits and scored at least 40 points every game besides its last loss (50-38 Dec. 20).
The Ramblers closed to 15-13 on the first possession of the second quarter, but the Roadrunners answered with a 16-0 run to take command. With a 26-13 halftime lead, Towne hit her third three on the Roadrunners’ first third-quarter possession and Gage had a steal and layup for a 31-13 advantage. Nazareth led 42-17 entering the fourth quarter.
“After I made that layup, we knew what we were going to do. We were going to peck and peck until we won and that showed,” Gage said.“It’s such a surreal moment. I’m just so proud of my team and what we’ve accomplished.”
The lead extended even with Sakalas sitting out the final minutes of the first half with three fouls and during the third quarter with four. Sakalas scored 30 points Friday on 13-for-17 shooting in the 54-36 semifinal victory over third-place Belleville East (30-6).
“They believe in me and I believe in them 1,000 percent so I had absolutely no worry. And they did their job,” Sakalas said.
A four-year varsity player, Sakalas was the sixth player for the 2023 state champions and started for the 2024 runners-up. Towne played briefly in the 2024 final. Shelton, Austin and an injured Moore were on the postseason roster.
“I didn’t really play much [as a freshman] but it prepared us all for this moment,” Towne said. “We knew we weren’t going to lose this. We just wanted it so badly all season.”
Austin’s older sister, Olivia, now playing at Dartmouth, started for the 2023 and 2024 state teams. Samantha played three varsity games as a freshman.
“Either way it’s such a cool experience, but this time around I feel super-close to the team,” Austin said. “It feels more personal and this achievement has been so important to me throughout the season.”
With Sakalas in foul trouble, junior sixth player Molly Moore entered at guard and Towne moved to wing on the matchup zone defense usually out of a 2-3 formation.
“[Winning state was such a great feeling,” Moore said. “It’s genuinely one of the greatest feelings I’ve ever had.”
Eddie Stritzel shared this title with his children, assistant coach Annie and scout Matthew, and assistant coaches Nicole Rivera, Lauren Matthews and Sean Ryan. Annie Stritzel usually alerts the players of opponents’ season-low scoring totals. Saturday was the 17th time opponents scored fewer than 30 points.
“Every single game our goal is to hold the other team to a season low,” Austin said.
Sakalas graduates as the Roadrunners’ leader in career rebounds and second in points to Annie Stritzel. The Roadrunners’ other all-staters were Towne (third team) and Austin and Gage (special mention).
“Being able to show everybody what we’ve been working so hard on for so many years, it truly feels surreal,” Sakalas said. “Starting here and ending here and every game in between, I’ve had such a great career with so many great people and great coaches and influencers. I really have nothing but good things to say about Nazareth.”
