West Chicago keeps rolling with win over Glenbard North

West Chicago has finished in the top two in DuPage Valley Conference softball the last two seasons. The Wildcats nearly won DVC girls volleyball this fall.

Could girls basketball be far behind?

"I think we're right there," West Chicago senior Jessica Baids said. "It's cool, because us seniors have been playing together since the seventh grade. It's really starting to show. We knew that we had almost everyone back this year and that we could cause some havoc in the DVC."

The Wildcats kept their early-season momentum going Thursday, beating Glenbard North 65-38 in Carol Stream for their sixth win in seven games.

West Chicago (7-3, 3-0) and Naperville Central are the only teams still unbeaten in DVC play three weeks in. They meet for the first time Jan. 14 in Naperville.

But veteran coach Kim Wallner isn't getting ahead of herself.

"It's early," Wallner said. "We were undefeated last year too. We haven't played Wheaton Warrenville South or Naperville Central yet. We're still going to be need to be tested. But a lot of these girls played last year. Hopefully, we're a year better."

West Chicago had its five-game winning streak snapped Saturday against Geneva. That was a distant memory Thursday.

The Wildcats jumped out to an 18-9 lead after a quarter with hot shooting. Guards Izzy Bruce and Claire Monroe each knocked down a pair of jumpers. A steal and score by Baids gave the Wildcats the lead for good at 4-3.

West Chicago shot 47 percent from the floor for the game. The 65 points was a deuce short of the Wildcats' season high.

Mary Connolly led a balanced West Chicago attack with 13 points. Meagan Radloff and Monroe added 12 and Baids 11.

"It was everybody tonight," Wallner said. "Even some kids that struggled to score last week stepped up tonight. It came from our defensive pressure a little bit."

Glenbard North's Amoni Reynolds kept her team within striking distance early. She scored 11 points in the first half, and the Panthers trailed 34-22 at the half. But Reynolds was held to 4 points and a single field goal after the break.

Bruce and Connolly were among the Wildcats who rotated on the 6-foot Glenbard North senior.

"We didn't really make an adjustment as far as what we were playing," Wallner said, "but I just talked a lot about what we needed to do as far as rotating and helping. I don't have a real good matchup for her, as far as the size she has."

Jackie Jacobs had 8 points and Reynolds 7 rebounds for Glenbard North, now 0-11.

"It's frustrating," Reynolds said, "but we gotta stick together as a team. We can't let it get in our heads. We have to stay committed to each other."