The Grafton girls basketball team poses for a picture before a recent game. (Photo/Evan Walsh)
GRAFTON — Maybe it was the Chick-fil-A.
After the season’s first scrimmage, Grafton girls basketball headed right to the fast-casual joint for some food and team bonding. Over chicken, the team began to develop camaraderie, which has endured throughout the start of the season.
“The team really gets along great. The seniors have set up Secret Santas, they have pasta dinners. They went to Chick-fil-A after the first scrimmage — I was looking for my invite,” said first-year head coach Tim Kewriga. “The one thing I notice is that they’re always together.”
“I think team chemistry starts with developing a friendship first,” said senior Sophia Hakulin.
Grafton’s Addie McGrath backs into an Algonquin defender. (Photo/Evan Walsh)
The team’s leadership starts at the top, according to Kewriga, namely from Hakulin and fellow senior co-captain Leah Quilty. With Kewriga’s introduction to the program – and a late Thanksgiving that allowed for only eight practices before regular-season action – the duo were instrumental in getting the Gators ready to take the court.
“Even before I got going with things, they were doing things behind-the-scenes to get people ready. They ran captains’ practices every Monday and Wednesday for months. They got everybody ready. I didn’t know the lay of the land, and they showed me the ropes,” said Kewriga.
Hakulin and Quilty have also taken on the role of shepherding this young Grafton team, which includes six sophomores and three freshmen. As the only upperclassmen on the roster, the captains have taken the team’s younger players under their wing.
“After every practice, Leah and Sophia always have something to say — it’s great, it’s constructive criticism,” said Abbey Lazeren, a sophomore who plays forward and center. “We all just kind of came together as one — it’s been a really good team dynamic.”
“We’re just encouraging them. They’re very talented already, and we’re trying to support them mentally. We’re encouraging them to keep going and not give up, because they already have the skillset to do what they can do,” said Quilty. “We’re always open to helping them.”
The majority of the team’s production comes from its cadre of underclassmen, including Kaycee Sullivan, Evie Le, Elena Kuras, and Avery Carmichael. The players will certainly develop their game in the coming years, but, according to Kewriga, the group has something important that can’t be taught – a strong work ethic.
Two underclassmen are already making bids for the record books – Lazeren and standout freshman Addie McGrath. Lazeren and McGrath are both toward the top of their league in points scored.
“Abbey is a non-stop worker. She goes full, absolute, non-stop on offense and defense. The effort is there — every second. Addie — there’s been an adjustment to the quickness and speed, and she’s so ready to figure it out,” said Kewriga.
“They’re both very humble about it. They both know they can always be better,” he added.
Having dominated the middle-school ranks, transitioning to high-school play can be high-pressure, both Lazeren and McGrath admitted. Still, they’ve made the jump look easy.
“Coming from middle school to high school, it’s a big step. But, working with the team and having confidence in yourself — it’s a big factor in helping improve your game,” said McGrath.
