St. Ignatius senior guard Sally Kennedy sat at the podium minutes after losing the IHSA Class 3A state championship 50-44 to Montini and described what this season has been like for the Wolfpack.
“I play three sports, and this is by far the best team I have ever been a part of,” Kennedy said. “It’s not the way we wanted it to go, but I’m not even sad that we lost. I’m more sad that I’m not going to see these girls every day. This is just the best family I’ve ever been part of.”
St. Ignatius just completed the best season in program history. The 32 wins were the most in program history. The Wolfpack also won the Jesuit Cup and the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference championship. Oh, and the Wolfpack made the first Class 3A state appearance in program history.
Senior forward Reganne Reardon led the charge for the Wolfpack. The senior had a large offensive load this season but rose to the challenge repeatedly. She averaged 21.3 points and 10 rebounds this season.
Reardon is one of the best players in the state. Her large catch radius makes her an easy target to throw to, and she is an outstanding finisher. Her movement off the ball was also impressive. At 6-1, she can also protect the rim and snatch rebounds that most players can’t get to.
Senior guard Maggie Helms is a rugged rebounder despite not sporting the height of a traditional post player. Helms was always around the ball in Saturday’s game, finishing with four rebounds and dishing three assists. Juniors Maliyah Miller and Isabella Keberlein stepped up in large roles, often guarding the opposing team’s best perimeter players. Keberlein finished with eight points and four rebounds against Montini.
The Wolfpack started off the season with an impressive 11-2 start that included wins over Nazareth and Loyola — those two teams met in the 2024 Class 4A state championship.
The hot start was even more eye-opening when you factor in that the Wolfpack were without junior Gabby Hinton for the first 18 games as she dealt with a foot injury.
Hinton, a projected starter entering the season, assumed a bench role, which she took in stride. Against Montini on Saturday, she changed the game in the third quarter. She scored two points but had a steal and a block that led to a fastbreak for St. Ignatius.
The Wolfpack were down by 10 points with 5:06 left in the third quarter — their largest of the game — but Hinton’s defense helped them regain their composure. After sitting out for most of the season, Hinton was able to be a factor for her team on the biggest stage. She finished the game with seven points, two assists and two steals.
“I’m so thankful for everyone because they stuck with me through my injury,” Hinton said.
Sports are often looked through the prism of wins and losses. But St. Ignatius’ last loss shouldn’t define what was a largely a successful season for the Wolfpack.
“The most special part of this is that forever and ever and ever, that I’m connected to these kids,” coach Cara Doyle said. “When they talk about St. Ignatius basketball and this historic season, I get to be in the same sentence as all these kids here. That, to me, is super special.
“It’s not where we wanted to end up, but when you’re old like me, and you tell your kids you made it to state finals and you finished second, they still won’t believe it, but it’s going to be something you talk about all the time, and it’s such a part of who you are, you should be so proud.”