Published: 1/28/2007
Author: Bob_Richards
© Old Gold Free Press Columnists
Bolingbrook has a team creed, and it is helping them steamroll opponents coming up to the last two weeks of the regular season. "Coach Tony loves defense, so we love defense." Nevermind the multiple current and future Division I players on the roster who can each take over scoring honors from game to game. It has been Bolingbrook's team and individual defensive talent that is impressing opposing coaches. Here's how Bolingbrook has been doing things over the past month. The team has three regular season games remaining before state regionals begin on the 12th of February.
1/25 - Bolingbrook 68, Joliet Township 26: Bolingbrook extended their winning streak to 18 games by rolling over Joliet 68-26. Bolingbrook is 9-0 in conference (21-1 overall) and has a margin of victory over SWSC opponents of 33.9 points per game. Bolingbrook forced 31 turnovers and Samantha Woods led Bolingbrook with 14 rebounds.
1/18 - Bolingbrook 63, Sandburg 30: Woods had seven points as Bolingbrook (18-1, 7-0 SouthWest Suburban Blue) rolled past Sandburg, 63-30. Junior Miranda Tate led Bolingbrook with 15 points, followed by Brittney Thomas and Mauvolyene Adams with eight each.
1/13 - Bolingbook 54, No. 1 Fenwick 48: Bolingbrook knocked off the top team in Illinois in the marquee matchup at the McDonald's Shootout at Willowbrook. Fenwick came in ranked No. 2 in the country by USA Today. As a result of the game, Bolingbrook moved from No. 9 to No. 6 in the latest USA Today national high school rankings. Woods, averaging 13 points per game coming in, was soundly booed by the Fenwick fans during introductions. Woods spent her first two high school seasons at Fenwick before making a transfer to Bolingbrook.
1/9 - Bolingbrook 70, Joliet Township 38: Sam Woods hit two three-pointers within the first 51 seconds of the game to help set the offensive statement in what would be a 32-point romp. Woods led all scorers with 19 points to go along with nine rebounds and two steals on 8-of-10 shooting.
12/29 - Bolingbrook 58, Morton 38: If Morton owns Thanksgiving, Bolingbrook owns Christmas. Samantha Woods led Bolingbrook in the championship game of the State Farm Holiday Classic in Bloomington, Ill. Bolingbrook crushed Morton 58-38, just a little over a month after Morton gave Bolingbrook their only loss this season in the Quincy Thanksgiving Tournament. Woods led all scorers with 17 points on three three-pointers, plus added five rebounds and three assists. Woods was named to the State Farm Holiday Classic all-tournament team along with Bolingbrook's Mauvolyene Adams and Brittney Thomas, Morton's Tracy Pontius, Chicago Hope's Ashley Brown and Mesa (AZ) Red Mountain's Kayla Pedersen.