The respective regular seasons for the Barrington High School basketball teams are beginning their descent with the Eagles sitting in very different positions. The BHS girls are cruising towards the postseason, entering this week with an unblemished 11-0 league record and atop the Division Two-East standings.

Paced by the one-two punch of Christina Daniels and Jill Lewis, surrounded by a solid supporting cast, the Eagles and likewise unbeaten Lincoln are jousting for the overall No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

"Last year, we tied for second with four other teams, which meant they picked names out of a hat and we ended up as the fourth seed and had to play Lincoln in the semis," said BHS girls' coach Steve Lenz. "So, we've definitely put some emphasis on that. We still take it one game at a time, but realistically we want at least one of the top three seeds in the playoffs."

At 5-7 in league play, the Barrington boys meanwhile are in the throws of the D-Two race, as they entered this week in need of at least three more wins to reach the necessary 40-percent mark to gain entry into the postseason.

The Eagles have been beset by a key injury, a foot ailment for center Sean Wirth, and with the sudden transfer of burgeoning talent Nick Maglio to Bishop Hendricken.

"It's in our favor," boys' coach Jim Dickinson said of the Eagles' remaining schedule. "Fate is in our hands. Hopefully, I can find some sort of magic to give to these kids the next few weeks."

Boys' notes

With games against teams close to them in the playoff chase or at the bottom of the standings over the next 10 days, the Eagles do control their own destiny.

Barrington was set to play 5-6 Cumberland Wednesday then travel to 3-9 Mount St. Charles Friday.

Next week, the Eagles play 1-11 Shea and 0-12 Johnston.

"I'm trying to tell the kids that we're in a situation where we can get into the playoffs if we take care of business," said Dickinson. "Hopefully we can take care of Cumberland then knock out Mount St. Charles. We played a couple of tough games with Shea last year, so we kind of owe them a little payback. Then we have Johnston. It's there for the taking."

With Wirth sidelined at least for another week with a bone-break in his foot and with Maglio's departure from the program for the Hawks, most of the load has fallen on the shoulders of freshman Matt Brown.

He's delivered.

Playing beyond his years at times, though still showing his inexperience, Brown has emerged as a future star on the state hoop scene.

Dickinson had hoped Brown wouldn't have to take on such a prominent role in his first year, but circumstances changed that.

"He is a freshman, but some of the moves he shows makes you think he isn't," said Dickinson. "But then again there are times when he makes mistakes, but we have to deal with that. With the situation he's been put in, you've got to give him credit. He's handled it well."

Girls' notes

The Barrington girls have certainly handled their situation well to date in the 2005-06 season.

Thought to be among the best teams in Division Two, the Eagles have lived up to that billing.

Now with its starting lineup of Daniels, Lewis, Julie Ruggieri, Sharon Katz and Emily Neubauer intact after illness and injury, and with team roles defined, Barrington is clicking on all cylinders.

"I feel like we can go nine-deep and we're healthy heading into the final stretch," said Lenz. "We have balanced scoring and we're playing good defense."

Undefeated and in first place in D-Two-East, Barrington begins its quest to finish that way this week when they return to interdivision play against Middletown Friday night.

"We play in the toughest division," said Lenz. "Five of the six teams are probably going to make the playoffs. We have a tough, tough schedule the last five games.

"Our first goal the rest of the way is to continue to play well, win our division and get the possible seed in the playoffs."

By Mike Rego

mrego@eastbaynewspapers.com