McHenry Times

The McHenry High School boy’s basketball season is underway, and the Warriors have high hopes for the new season.

MHS is coming off a strong year, having finished last season with an overall record of 18-12 and 12-4 in Fox Valley Conference play. The team is expected to have another good year and are hoping to be one of the best teams in the conference. 

The Warriors have several players returning from last year, including Gavin Markgraff, Gio Calabrese, Maki Mohr and Patrick Breisch. Markgraff and Mohr were two of the team’s top players last year, with Markgraff averaging 18 points per game and Mohr averaging nine points-per-game. Markgraff was named to the Northwest Herald’s list of players to watch this season.

Markgraff is a strong three-point shooter who shot 46 percent from beyond the arc, hitting 81 three-pointers last year and earning a place on the All-Area first team. 

Mohr also is a strong shooter, hitting 63 three-pointers last season, and is known for his strong defensive play.

Calabrese averaged eight points per game last year and led the conference in foul shooting, with an 87 percent average from the line.

During the summer, Markgraff and Calabrese played for the Fundamental U travel basketball team, which could help the duo start this season strong. 

The team opened up its season on Nov. 20 against Geneva High School. The Warriors started off hot going on an 11-4 run early in the game. 

One of the highlights of the game came during that early run when Mohr slammed an alley-oop dunk. 

However, McHenry couldn’t keep it up and dropped the game 68-39. Mohr and Markgraff were the two top scorers for McHenry, with 13 and 12 points respectively.  

The Warriors bounced back in its second game of the season, winning against Hononegah High School 42-40. McHenry once again started the game strong and at halftime, the Warriors had a 10 point lead. In the third quarter, the Indians fought back, outscoring McHenry 13-4. The Warriors fought back in the final frame to claim the two-point win. 

Markgraff turned in another good performance, leading the Warriors with 16 points. Mohr scored eight points, but his biggest contribution came on the defensive end. With 13 seconds left in the game, the Indians had the ball with a chance to tie or win the game, but Mohr came up with a steal to seal the win for the Warriors. 

The Warriors have never won the FVC, but with a strong team and added experience, MHS will be hoping to capture its first conference title this season. 

The first conference game of the season will come on Dec. 2, when McHenry visits Crystal Lake South High School. 

Some other key matchups this season include a Jan. 19 game against Jacobs High School and the final game of the regular season on Feb. 10 against Crystal Lake Central High School. 

Fans can view MHS’s full season schedule by visiting https://tinyurl.com/mchenryschedule.