Homewood-Flossmoor's Lauren Parker a key to Vikings' run

It's safe to say the Homewood-Flossmoor girls basketball team is more than familiar with the Lincoln-Way East squad.

The two teams have met twice already this season, with the home team winning each game. Lincoln-Way East recorded a 47-40 victory over the Vikings on Dec. 15th in Frankfort.

H-F was able to return the favor on Jan. 26th, 50-45, in Flossmoor. Tonight, they will meet in a Class 4A Sandburg Sectional semifinal game, with even more at stake than a rival's bragging rights.

"I know the H-F girls team is very excited about this," Vikings guard Lauren Parker said. "We're basically rivals so we have to win again to prove our point that we can win against them. The second time, winning against them was not a mistake. We can do it again."

The Vikings and Griffins believe they are evenly matched teams, with the postseason game going a long way to crowning one team's supremacy over the other.

"We are evenly matched," Parker said. "We have to find their weaknesses and we know what players to look out for. We just have to play hard. It's going to be a close game so that's all we can do is play hard."

Parker will be a big part of H-F's success -- or lack thereof -- in the sectional. The junior guard said that communication and hard work will be key factors if her team hopes to advance to Thursday's sectional final.

"We need to work hard and we need to talk," Parker said. "We know that it's going to be one of the biggest games of our season, and that's our biggest opponent right now. So we agree that no matter what we should stick together and work hard."

Vikings senior point guard Danielle Woolfolk has battled back injuries this season, so Parker and her teammates are aware they may have to step up their game.

"Our point guard is hurt right now," Parker said. "We all know what we have to do. We all have to do our job and work together and we will succeed. That's what we talked about and that's our goal, to work together at all times."

"I know that should be a pretty good game," Parker said of the other playoff game. "I think it will be a very close game with Marian being shooters and with Marist having fast guards and a tall post that can score in the paint."