Northwest Herald girls basketball preview: Five players to watch in 2021-22

Here are five girls basketball players to watch in the Northwest Herald area this season.

Burlington Central’s Taylor Charles grabs the rebound ahead of Bartlet’s Kylie Walker right, during their girls basketball game at Central High School on Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. (Matthew Apgar/)

Taylor Charles, Burlington Central, sr., F

Charles helped lead the Rockets to the Fox Valley Conference regular-season and tournament titles last season, averaging 10.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.3 blocks a game. Burlington enters 2021-22 as favorites once again in the FVC. Charles, who is committed to NCAA Division I Princeton, was a Northwest Herald All-Area second-team pick last season.

Prairie Ridge’s Karsen Karlblom takes a shot through Crystal Lake Central’s Courtney Schober, left, and Paige Keller, right, during their girls basketball game at Crystal Lake Central High School on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021 in Crystal Lake. (Matthew Apgar/)

Karsen Karlblom, Prairie Ridge, sr., G

The Wolves senior sharpshooter led all area players in scoring (19.4 ppg) and free-throw percentage (88.9%) and was second with 39 3-pointers. The Wolves finished fourth in the FVC Tournament. Karlblom was an All-Area first-team pick and will play next year at D-III Hope College in Holland, Michigan.

Jacobs’ Mackenzie Leahy, left, and Cary-Grove’s Kate Larry chase after the ball during their girls basketball game at Cary-Grove High School on Friday, Feb. 12, 2021 in Cary. (Matthew Apgar/)

Mackenzie Leahy, Jacobs, sr., G

Leahy was an All-Area second-team pick after averaging 13.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, three steals and two assists a game for the Golden Eagles as a junior. Leahy knocked down 76.9% of her free throws and shot 40% from the field.

Johnsburg’s Macy Madsen drives against a Lakes defender during a summer basketball shootout Friday at McHenry West Campus in McHenry. (Matthew Apgar/)

Macy Madsen, Johnsburg, sr., G

The Skyhawks senior is the Kishwaukee River Conference’s top returning scorer after she was fourth in the area at 16.9 points a game. Madsen averaged 7.7 rebounds and 2.8 steals a game for Johnsburg, which went 7-3 and tied for second in the Kishwaukee River Conference. Madsen earned All-Area second-team honors as a junior and has to eclipse 1,000 career points.

Cary-Grove’s Emily Lukowski takes a shot over McHenry’s Kate Delgadillo during their girls basketball game at McHenry High School West Campus on Monday, March 1, 2021 in McHenry. (Matthew Apgar/)

Emily Lukowski, Cary-Grove, sr., G

Lukowski is someone defenses must keep an eye on at all times. The talented guard-forward combo averaged 15 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.2 blocks a game for the Trojans, who took third in the FVC regular-season standings with a 6-2 record. Lukowski was an All-Area first-team pick as a junior and should get to 1,000 career points this year.

Source: The Daily Chronicle