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2011-12 Freeport Aquin Girls Basketball
The 2011-12 Freeport Aquin Girls Basketball team embodied the spirit of their season’s motto: “We Are Family.” Led by a coaching staff entirely made up of Aquin alumni, the team had deep-rooted connections to the school, with eight of the 14 players also being children of alumni. The starting lineup featured two pairs of sisters—Ellen and Sophie Brunner, Aubrey and Haley Chang—and included Hauser cousins Leah and Lizzy, and Morgan Reining, the daughter of Assistant Coach Doral Reining. This family bond extended beyond the court, creating an unbreakable chemistry that carried them through a remarkable season.
Aquin finished with an impressive 32-4 record, with three of their losses coming against larger 2A schools. Once the postseason began, the Bulldogs were unstoppable, winning every game from Regionals to the Class 1A State Championship by double digits. The championship game against Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City (CHBC), however, was no easy task. Aquin faced multiple nine-point deficits but displayed resilience and poise under pressure. Led by 1st Team All-State standout Sophie Brunner, who delivered a historic 34 point, 16-rebound, 6-steal performance, the Bulldogs surged ahead late. Aubrey Chang’s 11 points and clutch three-pointer with 2:20 left gave Aquin a crucial four-point lead, while Ellen Brunner contributed nine points and six rebounds. Freshman point guard Haley Chang also made a significant impact, scoring five points, grabbing four rebounds, and dishing out five assists in the biggest game of her young career.
Sophie Brunner’s dominance throughout the tournament was record-breaking, as her 64 total points and 24 field goals in the 2012 State Finals remain Class 1A records to this day. While her individual brilliance was undeniable, Coach Jeff Curry always emphasized that it took all 14 players to achieve greatness. Coach Curry, who passed away before this Hall of Fame induction, was the heart of the team. His unwavering belief in his players was evident in the handwritten letters he gave them before each game, setting the tone for their journey. In receiving this IBCA Hall of Fame honor, the team proudly dedicates it to Coach Curry’s memory, forever grateful for the lessons, leadership, and love he instilled in them.
2012-13 Freeport Aquin Girls Basketball
from “Do You Realize What You Just Witnessed?”, Written by Dan Stevens in Village Voices, February 23, 2013
In looking back upon Aquin‘s second state championship, it was far different than the first. Last year, the Bulldogs were only down once, in the state championship game, but Sophie Brunner put them on her back and Aubrey Chang hit some key outside shots to carry Aquin back into the lead and claim the title. But this year, the Bulldogs were more closely related to a cardiac unit, as they trailed in each and every contest, beginning with the regional finals against Dakota.
Prophetstown, River Ridge/Scales Mound, Elgin Westminster Christian, and nobody will forget how Annawan had to lead until the last 5.5 seconds in the state semi-finals when Elayna Erdmeir made her miracle shot-pass that ended in a Brunner put back. In any game, at any point, it could’ve been very easy for Aquin to bow to the scoreboard, and the pressure of having everyone convinced that they should win easily. Winning is never easy and when compounded with the pressure of high expectations, the accomplishment of the 2013 Lady Bulldogs completely overshadows the achievement of last year‘s state championship team.
The 2012 team was seen as a true champion and dominated throughout the tournament. But the 2013 team often had more turnovers than the experts said you could afford and still win. They played ugly basketball at times. Opponents were convinced that they had an answer to stop Brunner, because “that’s all Aquin has”, but in each and every come from behind victory, a different young star emerged.
How big was Rachel Harn‘s three pointer in the semi-finals? How about the momentum swings made in the championship game with Katie Stykel's three at the end of the first quarter, or Haley Chang's steal with three minutes left? How big was Elisabeth Klueg‘s defense against Elgin Westminster Christian, or Elayna Erdmeir‘s three-point shooting against River Ridge/Scales Mound?
People may say Sophie Brunner was “all Aquin had”, but the proof and the numbers say otherwise. The 2013 Lady Bulldogs overcame impossible odds when everyone had painted a large target on their back and demonstrated what being a true champion is all about; grit, resiliency, determination, and team!
Aquin simply refused to accept the possibility that they might lose, and if Sophie wasn’t going to do it, then they found a way for someone else to step up. They did it in every game of the Class 1A playoffs after their opening round, and they never stopped doing it as they fought, clawed, and scratched their way to the second straight state championship.
Through it all, their fans, opponents and followers became more more impressed with each defeat-avoiding rally. When looked at in total, this felt more unbelievable than the movie “Hoosiers”. But this wasn’t Hollywood. This happened right in front of us, and we watched in amazement as the season unfolded. Hopefully, fans will realize what a truly amazing thing they witnessed over the final weeks of the season. Not only did Aquin have the greatest player Northwest Illinois has ever produced in girls basketball, but they also illustrated the never say die attitude of which legends are made. The season may be over, but it will live on in the bars, locker rooms, and dinner table conversations of Northwest Illinois for years to come. Whenever people discuss the greatest girls basketball teams they’ve ever seen, the 2013 Aquin lady Bulldogs will start and possibly end the conversation.