Last Friday, the Palatine Pirates girls basketball team sustained a devastating 52-23 loss against the Fremd Vikings on Brain Cancer Awareness night at Fremd High School.
At the end of the first half, the Pirates were playing hard, challenging a score of 21-6, with senior Addyson Dersnah (#23) defending the Palatine side exceptionally, resulting in a countless number of missed shots by the Vikings.
Lead scorer of the match, sophomore Savannah Apolinar (#0), stood out this game, scoring nine points for the Pirates, as one of the youngest players on the team.
“It feels amazing to step up and lead the team in scoring. It’s a great opportunity to show what I can do and help the team succeed,” Apolinar said. “I’m so excited to keep pushing myself and setting new goals for the next games.”
With 30 seconds left in the game, sophomore Grace Kline (#1) brought the score up from 52-17 to 52-20 with a captivating three-pointer. Including this three-pointer, Kline had scored six overall points for Palatine.
Though the Pirates were shut down in a hard-fought and intense game, the overall meaning and representation behind the basketball match ceased to fade away from the players’ spirits. Brain Cancer Awareness Night brought both teams together as one community, supporting a cause that everyone could participate in; setting the long-standing rivalry aside.
“We are two schools, but we are one community,” head coach Sarah Davis said. “Just being able to come together, put the competition aside, and being able to work and not just raise awareness and raise funds, but to fight against a common cause.”
The Nicole Kendall Iche Foundation, which supports a former Palatine High School student, along with the recent tragic passing of the Fremd girls’ basketball coach, Dave Yates, both inspired this event to help raise awareness about brain cancer throughout the community.
Efforts being made to raise funds for the cause included selling T-shirts, organizing and selling 50/50 raffle tickets, and the Spunky Dunker doughnut sale, with a portion of the proceeds going towards the cause.
“I think cancer has absolutely affected many people, and we host a Stand Up to Cancer night that’s a very emotional night,” Davis said. “We have a game to play, but being able to play for each other and play for a greater purpose, regardless of what the final score is, is kind of the main objective.”
The event is about more than just the game; it promotes collaboration, community and giving back. The team faces adversity and discusses the importance of life lessons beyond basketball.
The Pirates play again on Dec 9, traveling to New Trier to brave the Trevians.
