Belanger to lead Grafton girls

The best of the North Shore Conference returns to Grafton High School, and not long into the season Hannah Belanger may add another title to her long resume of basketball accolades.

Belanger, the North Shore Conference Player of the Year last season, is 124 points away from breaking the school’s all-time scoring record held by Rachael Hencke.

“It’s great. Being her senior year, just a week into the season — just to see how she’s developed since I started when she was a sophomore,” coach Mike Grzesiak said.

Belanger averaged 19.2 points per game last season and led the Black Hawks in every major offensive category.

Besides physical play, Belanger has developed into one of the team’s vocal leaders, Grzesiak said.

Belanger plans to attend Truman State next season, a division 2 university, on a full basketball scholarship.

But before that, she’ll be going against many of the same top players in the NSC. Eight of 10 first and second-team players from last year return this season.

The Hawks, who finished 14-4 last season — just behind Slinger’s 16-2 — return other talented players as well.

Lexi Hilgart is back for her junior year after earning honorable mention last season. The 5-foot-10-inch forward averaged 7.1 points last year.

“We’re looking for big things out of Lexi,” Grzesiak said.

The Hawks lost honorable mention forward Sarah Schmitz to graduation. She was the team’s second-leading scorer at 7.8 points per game.

But junior starting point guard Hailey Block is back, and she brought her voice with her.

“She was quiet and reserved as sophomore. Now Hailey is vocal as all get out,” Grzesiak said.

Block and Belanger, he said, “keep kids in line.”

Also back are starting junior guards Mya Masse and Julia Place, and junior guard Helena Gehrke returns after missing much of last season to injury. Sophomore guard Morgan Ruona and sophomore forward Allison Garncarz return, and freshman forward Ella Day is on the varsity team.

With a short team, Grzesiak said the Hawks will be looking to stay on the move.

“We’re going to try to play fast and push the ball up the court as much as we can,” Grzesiak said.

Grafton begins the season by hosting rival Port Washington on Tuesday.