GLEN CARBON – Fresh off the program’s best season that ended one win shy of an appearance in the state tournament, the Father McGivney Griffins – like the rest of Illinois – had to hit the pause button.
Though the 2020-21 season did take place with games only being played in February and March, there wasn’t a postseason. For FMCHS, those games mainly took place in empty gyms.
Everything returns this season and the Griffins couldn’t be more excited.
“We only got to play in front of fans for like only one game last year. We haven’t played in front of our student body or parents or other fans for over a year and a half,” FMCHS coach Jeff Oller said. “The girls are really excited for that to return.
“Having that postseason at the end of the year, the girls have some big goals. Last year was challenging in that regard. They’re getting after it.”
Father McGivney is coming off a 10-2 record in 2020-21.
Though short, it still came with a highlight for the program when Anna McKee became the program’s first player to earn Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State first-team honors.
McKee, who averaged 12.7 points last season, is now a freshman at Illinois College. She is Father McGivney’s all-time scoring leader with 1,361 points and 233 3-pointers.
Nov. 16 vs. Waterloo at Columbia, 6 p.m.
Nov. 16-20 at Columbia Tournament
Nov. 22 at Bunker Hill, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 2 at Granite City, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 4 at Carlyle, 11:30 a.m.
Dec. 6 vs. Althoff, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 11 at Maryville Christian, 4:30 p.m.
Dec. 13 vs. Wesclin, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 16 at Marquette, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 18 at Greenville Shootout, noon
Dec. 23 vs. Mascoutah, 1 p.m.
Dec. 27-31 at Christ Our Rock Tournament
Jan. 3 at Staunton, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 6 vs. Gibault, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 8 at Breese Central Shootout
Jan. 10 vs. EA-WR, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 14 vs. Metro-East Lutheran, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 15 at Southwestern, 2:30 p.m.
Jan. 22-29 at Carrollton Tournament
Jan. 31 vs. Waterloo, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 2 vs. Marissa, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 7 vs. Altamont, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 9 vs. Ramsey, 7:30 p.m.
“She did great things,” Oller said of McKee, “but we’re confident with what we have here now.”
It starts with 5-9 forward Charlize Luehmann, who will be a four-year starter in the post.
As a junior, Luehmann averaged a team-high 15.4 points and 7.9 rebounds for the Griffins. She was an IBCA All-State special mention.
Luehmann will enter her senior season with 689 points and 412 rebounds and will likely join Webb and McKee in the program’s 1,000-point club this season.
“Charlize has had a great career. She has been starting for us since her freshman year, which it seems we always have one,” Oller said. “She’s been a great leader for us and will be a focal leader for us on offense and defense.”
Others in the post include 5-7 senior Libby Telthorst, 6-0 junior Sophia Ivnik, 5-10 junior Julia Stobie and 6-0 sophomore Sami Oller.
Jeff Oller said it is one of his taller teams at FMCHS.
“I think it’s a big advantage and it is up to us to figure out how to use it. It isn’t something we have had in the past. We have been having an emphasis on feeding the ball in the post and working inside-out,” Oller said.
Sophomore Mary Harkins returns to run the offense.
Last season, Harkins averaged 4.3 points and 3.3 rebounds.
“Mary had a really good offseason and she’s really been going hard in here doing a lot good things. The offseason was big for her,” Oller said.
Other guards include senior Riley Zumwalt, sophomore Alexis Bond, junior Claire Stanhaus, junior Emma Martinez and Oller.
Martinez averaged 3.5 points and knocked down five 3-pointers, while Bond averaged 2.8 points and 3.8 rebounds.
“We have more shooters than we have had in the past,” Oller said. “We should be really able to have a balanced attack.”
How the starting lineup shapes out, that is still to be determined.
“It will depend on match-ups, but we do want to get into a solid rotation,” Oller said. “We have a lot of depth, more depth than we have ever had. There is a different girl that can go off each night.”
Father McGivney opens the season against Waterloo at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Columbia Tip-Off Tournament in Columbia. It will run through Saturday.
It is one of five tournaments or shootouts this season for the Griffins.
FMCHS will also play in the Greenville Shootout on Dec. 18, in the Centralia Christ Our Rock Christmas Tournament from Dec. 27-31, in the Breese Central Shootout on Jan. 8 and in the Carrollton Tournament from Jan. 22-29.
Oller hopes it all adds up to big things come late February and early March.
“We have talked about having big goals for the postseason,” Oller said. “Now, it’s time to start doing the things that will help you reach those.”
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