Grayslake Central sophomore Katelyn Marcelain’s playoff debut offers reasons to smile. Not that she needs any.

Smiling is part of Katelyn Marcelain’s game.

The Grayslake Central sophomore forward was playing in her first postseason game in basketball on Tuesday night. But rather than get overwhelmed, Marcelain was smiling throughout the Rams’ Class 3A Lake Forest Regional semifinal against Antioch.

She’s a happy-go-lucky person, even in tense moments, according to Grayslake Central sophomore guard Madison Hoffmann.

“I’ve known Katelyn my whole life, and she’s always smiling,” Hoffmann said. “She’s always making everyone laugh and is so funny. She has a great personality. She gets through things with a smile on her face, laughing and making jokes. Nothing fazes her.”

Marcelain said she just tries to maintain a solid mental approach on the court.

“It’s easier for me to get through things by smiling rather than dwelling on the situation,” she said. “Playing through it and smiling helps me instead of thinking about it. If I’m upset about the situation, I tend to play worse. If I’m smiling, I can help bring the energy up on the court.”

After the Rams played a strong second half against Antioch, Marcelain had even more reasons to smile.

Hoffmann was an unstoppable force in the third meeting of the season between the Northern Lake County Conference rivals, scoring 20 points to lead sixth-seeded Grayslake Central to a 53-41 win over the 11th-seeded Sequoits.

Sophomore forward Annie Wolff added 17 points for the Rams (19-11), who will play third-seeded Lake Forest in the regional championship game at 7 p.m. Friday, and Marcelain had nine points, eight rebounds and two assists. Freshman forward Heidi Rathmann scored a game-high 21 points for Antioch (16-12).

Marcelain, a two-year varsity player in volleyball, said basketball isn’t her primary sport. She plays club volleyball and competes for the Rams’ girls track team as well.

She said she relied on her athletic background to adapt to playing heavy minutes this season.

“Volleyball is my top sport,” Marcelain said. “I’ve been doing club volleyball my whole life. I play volleyball all the time and haven’t even looked into playing AAU basketball. But basketball has gone well for me this year.

“We have a young team, so that helped me. It was a hard challenge stepping up from junior varsity to varsity play.”

The 5-foot-11 Marcelain’s wingspan was a challenge for the smaller Sequoits, especially with her playing alongside the 6-1 Hoffmann.

“Madison is a star, so I’m excited to play with her for the rest of my career,” Marcelain said.

Hoffmann said Marcelain, who had six points, 10 rebounds, six assists and four steals in a win against Wheeling on Jan. 13, has the potential to be a special player in basketball.

“We were super happy she is on the team this year because volleyball is her main sport,” Hoffmann said. “She makes a big impact by doing her part, getting rebounds, some points and assists. I love playing with her. We get along on the court really well.”

Grayslake Central coach Steve Ikenn said Marcelain played really well in her postseason debut. She scored four straight points, including a layup off a pass from Hoffmann, early in the third quarter to give the Rams a 35-28 lead that turned a close game into a double-digit victory.

“I thought Katelyn did a great job rising to the occasion,” Ikenn said. “We found her making nice cuts, and she finished. She put herself in the right place to score, and her teammates got her the ball.”

Like Marcelain, Sequoits coach Tim Borries was smiling after the game, despite his team’s loss. Borries is retiring after 27 years on the sidelines at Antioch, including the past 16 leading the girls’ varsity program. He won four regional titles and two sectional titles.

“I had a great run,” he said. “It’s time for somebody else to do it. Twenty-seven years coaching girls basketball from the freshmen to varsity level, I’m satisfied with my career. I’ve had some great girls coming through and many great memories. I’ve built some special relationships and been successful coaching.”

Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.